Denying Dare

Moon Pack #4

by Amber Kell

Weretiger Dare Moon yearns to be with werewolf Steven Dell. But Dell wants one of his own kind. When his best friend Anthony tosses catnip on his clothing, Steven learns that sometimes what you want and what you need are not necessarily the same thing. Especially when mutant werewolves threaten the one thing that has become more important than having a pack of his own...having a mate.

READER This title is an expanded, re-edited release.

Genres: M M Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Gay, Short Stories

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Amber Kell has made a career out of daydreaming. It has been a lifelong habit she practices diligently as shown by her complete lack of focus on anything not related to her fantasy world building.

When she told her husband what she wanted to do with her life he told her to go have fun.

During those seconds she isn't writing she remembers she has children who humor her with games of 'what if' and let her drag them to foreign lands to gather inspiration. Her youngest confided in her that he wants to write because he longs for a website and an author name—two things apparently necessary to be a proper writer.

Despite her husband's insistence she doesn't drink enough to be a true literary genius she continues to spin stories of people falling happily in love and staying that way.

She is thwarted during the day by a traffic jam of cats on the stairway and a puppy who insists on walks, but she bravely perseveres..

She also writes under the name Mikela Q. Chase

Reviews

[Ayanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

COMMAS. GODDAMNIT. PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO FUCKING USE COMMAS.


I really, really don't understand the appeal of clawfoot tubs.


And as for tigers purring...
Research led me here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHZJrx...
But apparently tigers can purr on the exhale...

But look:
http://youtu.be/tklx3j7kgJY?t=2m20s
There's a white tiger @2:20

And a bit of editing would have gone a long way...
Steven jerked away like he’d been struck. “You’re not pack.”
Dare nodded. “I’m not a tiger but Anthony declared me pack last moon meeting.”

He's not a tiger?
But...I thought the point was that he IS a tiger...?


There's...so much wrong with the syntax it's not even funny.


"The vampire Alesandro killed the so they weren’t able to question him."
"'He’s down the hall keeping company with my frieds.'"
"Cat’s had good instincts."


And the awkward moment when the author forgets her character's name is Parker and calls him Dillon. Twice.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

And the award for Most Favorite Pairing in Moon Pack goes to...

I'm not going to lie: I'm more of a cat person than a dog person. So when I found out that Denying Dare is going to feature Dare, a tiger shifter, my imaginary cat whiskers tingled in anticipation. And because his designated mate is Steven, Anthony's best friend who appeared in the very first scene of the very first installment, I was mentally purring out of complete and utter joy.

Dare started out as the insecure one in this relationship, as he was heavily pining for the slightly more slutty Steven, so my heart went out to him. But the more I read about Steven, the more endearing he becomes, too, so I think they're the most perfect match for each other. The odds are also against them, seeing as they're both as similar to each other as a cat is to a dog. Luckily, they're the perfect example of the term "opposites attract"... and we all know how much I adore mutual admiration society between two very different people.

So out of all the couples in the story - both the ones featured in previous installments and the upcoming ones - theirs is the most solid love story there is. Their devotion to each other is so strong that you can't help but want to root for these shifters. If Anthony and Silver make me want to gag from the cloying sweetness of their interactions, Dare and Steven just make me want to smile. And hug something fluffy.

On an amusing note, the best scene in this story was how Anthony instigated Dare and Steven's process of becoming mates to each other. One word: catnip. Cue gales of never-ending hysterical giggles.

(That demi-god... he's so precious! Can you blame me if I start imagining him going on an adventure with Percy Jackson?)

A very satisfying read indeed.

[Honey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn’t really able to enjoy the development of Dare and Steven’s relationship since it was always at the back of my mind how Steven for months had been screwing around knowing he had a mate and would have carried on doing so if Anthony hadn't intervened. The reason was pretty lame too. He only wanted to mate with a wolf, therefore cats were out of the picture, because he wanted to belong to a pack. And all along all he had to do was petition to become a member of Silver’s. What was supposed to let Steven off the hook was the fact he had apparently “never got close enough to be certain” but to me it seems like a rather sorry excuse if we take into account wolf instincts and the fact that Steven did know deep down Dare was his mate. Hard to believe how every other wolf in the series who found their mate in Silver's club could smell them across the room without a problem or knew it was them with a single glance. Not Steven though. Not one of the hundreds of times he was in said club picking up other men did he get even a whiff of Dare considering it was the place he worked? As I said, hard to believe. Add to this that Dare forgave Steven because he hadn’t had sex with all of the wolves he left the club with and I just didn’t get either of them.

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm giving up on this series. It just seems so rushed and despite having actually read all these books as the new editions, they just aren't good enough for me.

Maybe I just expect more from the books I read, but these aren't my deal. Four books were enough to prove that. I kept going to each with "oh so maybe this one will be better" and they just aren't.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jesslan Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Denying Dare
B Amber Kell

I loved Dare. I felt bad and sad for him loving Steven. Didn't like Steven so much. Because he was so selfish and wanted a wolf mate he hurt Dare over and over repeatedly. I kinda felt he didn't deserve such a wonderful man.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the first book in this series, Attracting Anthony, as a freebie and liked it pretty well. Unfortunately some of the negatives from the first book seemed compounded in this one. I'm not sure if that's because $2.99 for 47 pages is kinda pricey to begin with. Or if the addition of the menacing mutant werewolves tried to cram too much in. But the fact of the matter is, I just didn't feel any chemistry between Dare and Steven. I'm all for shifter insta-love, but the emotional transitions from second to second were instantaneous (literally one second Steven is saying he isn't sure about mating a tiger and the next paragraph he's saying "you're mine!" WTF? I think because of the short length the author left out necessary transitions,

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself. We will always be together." Dare took reassurance from his mate. Taking a deep breath, he coated his fingers with lube and took his time circling Steven's hole. "Fuck me now!"

Just because you say "he took his time" doesn't mean that you can skip the emotions and dialogue from sweet-before-sex-talk to FUCK-ME-NOW! Just weird.

I do love MM shifter books, and if this was a free series I would probably continue despite bitching and moaning in every review about things that bothered me. But for $2.99 a piece?!? Nuh-Uh.

[Bontix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony-Cupido ha colpito ancora e questa volta a farne le spese è quell'ottuso del suo migliore amico: Steven.
La scena è stata a dir poco esilarante, la migliore tra tutte le scene "Anthony-Cupido in azione". Steve ha proprio ragione: Anthony sembra una personcina così distinta, timida ed educata, invece sotto sotto è un vero stronzetto. Che posso dire, lo adoro proprio per questo. :D ❤
Non che il mio barista preferito abbia avuto qualcosa da ridire per lo scherzetto, anzi! Ma pure Steve era piuttosto soddisfatto, eh.
Silver è sempre più adorabilmente innamorato del suo compagno e ogni volta in cui discute con Anthony mi fa schiattare dalle risate.
Ps. Sono curiosa di scoprire cosa combineranno la prossima volta quegli obbrobri.
(Sì, ormai quei cosi li relego ai ps.)

[BooksBooksandmoreBooks69 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
These are so cute, but soooooooo short !!
Dare is so adorable, have watched him from the first book, and couldn't wait to read his story.
Steven on the other hand, I don't think deserved Dare, he knew they were mates, so stayed away from him !!! Luckily Anthony (love this guy) took charge.
And boy did he ..... I haven't laughed so hard for ages, in fact I had to re-read that chapter, one word .... CATNIP :-)
Saving for the next book, I know there are a few out, but I don't mind, I hate catching up, then have to wait for next book ;-)

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funniest beginning ever when Anthony douses Steven in catnip! LOL I laughed a lot. Dare was definitely my favorite in this story and I'm still not so sure that Steven was worthy. But, they were good together and now I have more stories to look forward to, and more mystery about the mutant werewolves.

[JenMcJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another installment in the series. They are coming out quickly which is good because they are quite short and it would be easy for them to get lost in the shuffle.

I like these books. They are telling an interesting story...but the editing is still terrible.

[Karyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its an Amber Kell weekend here as i zip through this series. My only problem is i feel like one mate seems to be portrayed in a better light than the other. That and the constant baby references. A whole group of people calling each other baby is just weird.

[Kochka94]

Anthony, un peu long à la détente malgré ses nouveaux pouvoirs, se rend compte que Dare Moon, tigre-garou et barman, est le compagnon âme sœur de son meilleur ami, Steven Dell, loup-garou. Celui-ci refuse d'accepter un lien avec un tigre et cherche un loup avec qui il pourra avoir un lien de meute, entrainant consciencieusement dans son lit tous les loups qu'il peut croiser.
Décidant d'agir, Anthony asperge alors Steven d'herbe à chats pour réveiller les pulsions félines de Dare (et oui...).
Forcément, ça fonctionne, bien entendu, Dare pardonne instantanément à Steven d'avoir volontairement ignoré leur lien pendant des mois et Steven se rend compte qu'il peut avoir sa meute, puisque Dare est, de fait, intégré à la meute de la lune (vous suivez ?). De plus, ce crétin aurait aussi pu y être intégré en tant que meilleur ami d'Anthony, compagnon de l'alpha, mais bien sûr, personne n'y a pensé avant...
Après une légère séance de torture entre les mains des garous mutants (faut pas oublier le fil rouge de la série avec l'enquête sur les mutants...), nos deux tourtereaux se lient enfin et Anthony va pouvoir se pencher sur le cas de Parker... Au suivant !

[monie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why do I keep reading these books if I hate them to my core? I don't know.

I just can't understand why it feels like Amber Kell just writes the same history every single time but changing the names and a couple of details so it's not THAT obvious. It was... insta-love? I don't even know.

This Steven guy knew and felt that Dare was his true mate but decided to ignore it, then after ONE night together he got over ALL of his issues and accepted the fact that they were meant to be... Then he was acting like a whole caveman around this poor guy that didn't understand very well why he was acting like his boyfriend all of the sudden.

I can't stand this couples, they just jump from not knowing each other to absolute love and kiss the floor their other half walks on in MINUTES. Anyways, I didn't like it, but I imagine I won't like this whole series. And I'll keep reading it. It's just how I am.

[Relly · Rating 3 out of 5]

disappointed

2.5 Stars

Well that was a disappointment
This series was going up and then we just went backwards
I liked Dare from the other books and unfortunately his mating was a letdown, he deserved better but he also let himself down but ignoring and disregarding his bad treatment.
Steve was a massive disappointment. He ignored his mating because his mate wasn’t a wolf and then wanted to be all alpha caveman when they finally got together and tell a stronger shifter that he could sit there like the little woman and be protected.
Hopefully the next one is better

[Nallely Segovia · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡TODOS AMAMOS A DARE!
Dare está completamente enamorado de Steven el mejor amigo de Anthony.
¡Anthony cupido al rescate! interviene lanzado polvo de gato a Steven lo que despierta al Werefelino de Dare este lo toma y lo lleva a su guarida para pasar una linda noche,al día siguiente Steven decide al fin reclamarlo cómo suyo.

Ame a Dare ,cada palabra y acción suya es muy tierna sobre todo cuando trata de proteger a Steven ,creo que el Steven del pasado fue un idiota por querer a alguien más,lo importante es que recapacito.

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never dare a fated mate mate named "Dare".

Steven and Dare have finally passed the point of no return in their path to becoming fated mates. But as they try to locate the mutants to stop their planned takeover, the risks and love for each other make the investigation much more dangerous and more important to all the werekin packs and line wolves.

With full agreement on being fated mates, our furry boys meet up to establish a mark to identify their pairing and mutual love as part of the Moon Pack.

[Nix Buttons · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was some toxic masculinity and sexism in ever instalment. Talks about being/ turning into a girl when a MC expressed his love or teared op, or 'turning in one's man card'. After a while that does get quite annoying.
Other than that I just didn't like Steven, he was a dominant asshole not trusting his 200 pound tiger to defend himself, but Steven himself goes into danger without a second thought. 2,5 stars.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven thought he wanted a wolf mate so he denied his attraction to Dare. Anthony gets tired of waiting for Steven to wise up so blew cat nip all over his clothes. Dare's inner white tiger comes out and he drags Steven to his room. On the way, Steven realizes he wants Dare. After talking things out over the next few days, they mate and are happy not to deny each other anymore.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very enjoyable and the mutant werewolves were at it again, but for the moment, it was handled. Dare was a tiger, and since Steven was a wolf shifter, he also wanted a wolf shifter mate, however, he was mated to Dare and they worked well together once Steven came to his senses. I enjoyed this short but interesting read.

[MG Lahey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

The mating story was very good. I like Dare, and having him with Steven is awesome.
I am really enjoying the back story with the mutant werewolves! Can't wait to see where that goes.

[Magdiellc · Rating 4 out of 5]

⁸

[Clara Cavaleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Lissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Re-read and review: 07/09/2020
I wish the books in this series has been longer because the ideas are great but not developed. If this series was about the relationship of Anthony and Silver in the background the pack members beginning to find his mate it's would be much better but even this can't be put in 50 pages. This one is one that is spoiled for the lacking of pages. Steve for months suspected that Dare was his mate and ignored because his a feline meanwhile was looking for another in each man in the club. And this is merely passed by in the book. I think he should have done some damage control. It would be very nice this series being revised, expanded and published again because has some good ideas here.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

RE-READ NEW VERSION ON 28/11/11

Opinion on new version:

3.5 stars

I find that the 4th story of Moon Pack series to be the most appealing. I enjoy the yearning that Dare feels towards Steven since Steven (that idiot werewolf! *grin*) is so determined to have another wolf as a mate, even if he has a feeling that the weretiger is actually his mate all along. I enjoy the hilarity of Anthony's matchmaking action, as he douses Steven with catnips, which makes Dare goes crazy, and pretty much drags Steven all the way to his apartment (Dare shifts into a tiger while doing so).

I think what I love most about Steven and Dare is that the two of them are pretty much on equal ground. Both has Alpha tendencies -- especially since they come from different type of shifters -- and can be protector for each other. Unlike other couples in previous book, where one is more dominant than the other. Oh, maybe Silver is the Major Alpha and Anthony is not -- but come on, we know who held the whip on THAT relationship, considering that Silver will do anything for Anthony *lol*.

The revision sorts out the bad editing or typos. It has a tighter action, with the progress of threats from the mutant werekins. Steven and Dare are captured and only then Steven realizes how much Dare means for him. It results in a satisfying ending. This could be a 4-stars story IF NOT for the part where both men reassure themselves about their 'mating' position and being territorial with one another feels a bit dragged on in the end and just a bit too lovey-dovey.

So far, it's my favorite from the series (considering the new re-release version)

FIRST READ ORIGINAL VERSION ON 18/07/2010

[Les Chroniques Aléatoires · Rating 3 out of 5]

Et bien, depuis le temps qu’on voit ces deux-là se tourner autour, il était temps de passer aux choses sérieuses, chose possible grâce à Anthony. A croire qu’il va pouvoir ouvrir une agence de rencontres celui-là…Ceci étant dit, on découvre un nouveau genre de métamorphe dans une romance toujours aussi basique et un fond pas si poussé que cela.

Enfin bref, le tigre Dare arrive enfin à se faire remarquer de Steven et il n’y a pas été par 4 chemins, enfin surtout grâce à Anthony qui est toujours aussi présent.Dare est sexy, mignon et finit par perdre confiance en soit, pourtant il a tout pour plaire à Steven. Le loup est le meilleur ami du demi-dieu/demi-fae et s’entête à vouloir trouver un compagnon loup alors qu’il a l’homme parfait sous le pif depuis un bon moment.

C’est donc un enchaînement de scènes de sexe avec des quiproquos, des malentendus et des non-dits. Sans oublier le fait que tous les deux se montrent dominants et possessifs ce qui va leur donner de quoi réfléchir. Il n’y a pas de romance en soit, il est évident qu’ils sont compagnons, couchent ensemble et essayent de former un couple, tout simplement. Mais heureusement qu’il y a un minimum d’action avec le retour des mutants.

Une énième répétition des intrigues précédentes avec une minime avancée au niveau de l’histoire globale. On a des indices sur les mutants, mais rien de bien concret, seulement des cadavres. Un couple plein de potentiel et qui pourtant ne se démarque pas au final. J’ai peut-être aimé le livre, cependant c’est avant tout à cause de la personnalité de Dare que je trouve tout simplement adorable. Ça se laisse lire bien entendu mais mériterait tellement plus au vue des possibilités.

[Elisa Rolle]

I bought this series as soon as it was out, but then I stopped reading it at the third enstallment; it’s a nice series, but sincerely, they are really short stories, and very similar one with the other, so, according to me, it’s better to take a break after a bit, to better enjoy the whole.

Amber Kell plays a lot with the “tradition” of the M/M paranormal romance, even if, in this last story, both men are strong and independent, there is not the contraposition between Alpha and omega, and neither the concept of top from the bottom, something that was plenty clear in the previous story.

At first I had the feeling that Dare, the werecat bartender of the private club where all the previous characters gravitate was pretty and cute, but as soon as he is faced with the chance to mate with his partner, then he comes out as a very strong white tiger that practivally drags Steven into his lair. Not that Steven resists… aside from a weak excuse about a difference in breed, Dare is a werecat, Steven is a werewolf, as soon as they are alone in a bedroom, he is ready to drop all resistance.

Probably to enjoy this story you don’t have to try to understand Steven or Dare’s reason to not being a couple, since they are pretty inconsistent, and no one care for them, not Steven or Dare, but neither Anthony, the Alpha mate of the pack, who wants for Steven to mate with Dare so that both his friend than his pack member will be happy. There is no conflict, no fight, and as soon as the mating is concluded, Steven becomes more possessive and irrational of what Dare had ever been.

[Nile Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is one that I keep coming back to and everytime I do I remember why I took a break in the first place. I do enjoy it but it's full of everything wrong with this genre. Cringe worthy dialogue, over the top sappiness (for such uber alphas they really do get sickeningly flowery) and an uber alpha who is so whipped it's not even funny...ok, it kind of is. And yet, I keep coming back! There's something about the characters that I love and the stories are funny and lovable in parts. The alpha pair, though over the top, truly do love each other and it ripples out to the rest of the pack. I guess I should just go into it knowing I'll be rolling my eyes through half of it. As it is, this book made mention of an upcoming re-mating between a Dom and a sub...and like a sucker I'll hand over my $4 to see what happens lol.

[Melanie~~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid 3.5-star story. I'm rounding down because I've been rounding up a bit on the previous 3 stories.

I like the world and the overall story arc for the series.

I've prefer if the mates are versatile that we get to see them both topping. It's not likely that we'll be revisiting any of these couples in the bedroom, so I'd like to see the switch dynamic when it's there.

Like I said in a review for a previous book in this series, comfort read. Quick and easy on the angst.

There are a couple of what I consider significant editing issues (missing quotation marks which are needed to keep the story flow moving), so that also accounts for the rounding down.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 overall, liked it better than book three but not sure if it was simply due to the fact I liked Dare better than either of the main characters from the previous book.

I especially like the matchmaking stunt pulled by Anthony! Found the bonding between main characters a bit trite after all the build up from their initial, though brief, introduction in book one. Still they were so likable that I did want to keep reading.

Still while the two main characters were engaging enough found increased difficulty caring about the sub plot of the mutated enemy wolf pack...we'll see where this goes.