Prison of Broken Beasts

Rosalie Oscura, Alpha of her Wolf pack, is imprisoned in Darkmore Penitentiary, a magical fortress for the most dangerous Fae. The prison is a brutal, lawless world ruled by gangs, violence, and the ever-present threat of the guards and their monstrous Belorian. Rosalie's only goal is to break out, but the odds are stacked against her: magical suppressants, deadly traps, and a population of inmates who would kill for a chance at freedom. Her pack, her mates, and her own survival depend on her ability to outthink and outfight everyone—including herself.

Riot and Ruin

A riot erupts, plunging the prison into chaos. Rosalie and her allies—her mates Ethan and Roary, the unpredictable Incubus Sin, and a handful of loyal Wolves—seize the opportunity to attempt an escape. The guards are overwhelmed, the Belorian is unleashed, and the inmates turn on each other. Amid the violence, Rosalie's leadership is tested as she must keep her pack together, navigate shifting alliances, and outmaneuver both enemies and supposed friends. The riot is both a chance and a curse, as every plan is threatened by betrayal and bloodshed.

The Impossible Escape

Rosalie's first escape plan—tunneling out—proves futile when she learns of a magical forcefield that would incinerate anyone who tries to breach it. The prison's security is layered and impenetrable, designed to withstand even the most powerful Fae. As hope dims, Rosalie is forced to confront the reality that no one has ever escaped Darkmore. Yet, she refuses to give up, vowing to find another way even as time runs out and the FIB (Fae Investigation Bureau) prepares to intervene.

Alpha's Gambit

Rosalie's authority is challenged from within and without. Her pack questions her loyalty when they learn she's been planning to escape without them. Rival Alphas and old enemies see the chaos as a chance to seize power. Rosalie must assert her dominance, make brutal decisions, and risk everything to protect those she loves. Her relationships with her mates—Ethan, the Wolf, and Roary, the Lion—are strained by jealousy, secrets, and the ever-present threat of death.

The Watchers' Reign

Gustard, leader of the Watchers, seizes control of the prison's food and resources, turning the Mess Hall into his throne room. He uses magical manipulation and brute force to subjugate the other inmates, torturing and killing those who oppose him. Rosalie and her allies are captured, tortured, and forced to watch friends die. The Watchers' reign is a reign of terror, and escape becomes not just a dream, but a necessity for survival.

Bonds and Betrayals

Rosalie's relationships are tested to the breaking point. Sin's unpredictable actions threaten the group's safety, and his refusal to follow orders nearly gets them all killed. Roary and Ethan's rivalry simmers, complicated by their shared love for Rosalie and the mate bonds that tie them together. Even Cain, the guard who is both captor and reluctant ally, is torn between duty and desire. Betrayals cut deep, and only the strongest bonds survive.

The Curse and the Guard

Rosalie and Cain, the Vampire guard, are bound by a moon curse that will kill him if he betrays her. Their relationship is a tangle of lust, hatred, and reluctant trust. Cain's tragic past is revealed—raised by a sadistic Dragon, he became a survivor at any cost. As the curse tightens, Cain must choose between his own survival and helping Rosalie escape. Their connection is both a weapon and a wound, and it will shape the fate of them all.

Sin's Wild Card

Sin, the Incubus, is both a blessing and a curse. His wild magic, shifting forms, and refusal to obey nearly doom the group. He releases the prisoners' magic, unleashing a new wave of violence and making escape even more dangerous. Yet, Sin's loyalty to Rosalie is fierce, and his love for her is as wild as his magic. He is the unpredictable element that could save them—or destroy them all.

The Enemy of My Enemy

Desperate, Rosalie releases the infamous Vampire from isolation—a killer who hates Gustard and the Watchers. The Vampire's rampage turns the tide, slaughtering the Watchers and giving Rosalie's group a chance to escape. But unleashing a monster comes at a price, and the line between friend and foe blurs. In Darkmore, survival means using every weapon, even if it means becoming what you fear.

The Final Plan

With the FIB closing in, Rosalie devises a final, audacious plan: use the magical dome's power, channeled through a conduit, and a lightning strike from her cousin Dante's Storm Dragon to destroy the forcefield above the prison. It's a plan born of desperation and genius, requiring perfect timing, trust, and the combined magic of the group. Every second counts, and every mistake could mean death.

Lightning and Liberation

Dante and his allies arrive above Darkmore, and a lightning strike shatters the magical dome. Rosalie, her mates, Sin, and a handful of survivors race through a tunnel dug by Plunger the Mole, dodging landmines, monstrous worms, and the last attacks of Gustard and the Watchers. The surface is within reach, but the FIB's helicopters and harpoons threaten to snatch freedom away at the last moment.

The Price of Freedom

As the group nears the fence, Roary is hooked by the FIB and dragged away, sacrificing himself so Rosalie can escape. Cain chooses to stay behind, fighting to keep the other inmates from escaping. Friends die, bonds are broken, and the survivors are forever changed. Freedom is won, but at a terrible cost.

The FIB Descend

The FIB retake the prison, killing or capturing the remaining inmates. The chaos of the riot is replaced by the cold order of the law. Rosalie and her group must flee, using stardust to vanish into the night. The world outside is no safer than the one they left behind, and new dangers await.

The Last Tunnel

The final escape is a frantic dash through a tunnel filled with death: landmines, magical traps, and monstrous worms. Plunger leads the way, using his Mole senses to avoid disaster. Sin's magic shields the group, but every step is a gamble. The tunnel is a crucible, forging the survivors into something new—or breaking them forever.

The Surface and the Storm

The group bursts onto the surface, chased by enemies and fate. Dante's Storm Dragon waits, ready to carry them away. The fence is breached, but the FIB's harpoons and helicopters threaten to drag them back. In the chaos, Roary is captured, and the group is forced to flee, leaving him behind. The storm is both salvation and sorrow.

Hooks and Heartbreak

Roary is torn from Rosalie's arms, hooked and dragged away by the FIB. The mate bond is stretched to breaking, and Rosalie's heart shatters. The survivors are forced to run, using stardust to escape, but the victory is hollow. The cost of freedom is written in blood and heartbreak.

Torn from the Pack

Rosalie, Ethan, Sin, and a handful of others escape, but Roary and others are left behind. The mate bonds ache with loss, and the future is uncertain. The survivors are fugitives, hunted by the law and haunted by what they've done. The pack is broken, and the wounds may never heal.

Extraction and Aftermath

Roary and Gustard are taken to a secret facility, where their magical Orders are surgically extracted and replaced with something alien. The process is agony, leaving them hollow and changed. The true cost of Darkmore's evil is revealed—not just in death, but in the theft of identity and soul. The survivors are free, but the scars of Darkmore will never fade.

Characters

Rosalie Oscura

Rosalie is the fierce, cunning Alpha of her Wolf pack, driven by loyalty, love, and a relentless will to survive. Her leadership is both a gift and a burden, as she must make impossible choices to protect her mates and her pack. Rosalie's relationships are complex: she is mated to both Ethan and Roary, and bound by a deadly curse to Cain, the guard. Her psychological depth is rooted in trauma—abused by her father, scarred inside and out, she has learned to wield pain as both shield and sword. Her development is a journey from guilt and self-sacrifice to ruthless determination, as she learns that freedom sometimes demands the highest price.

Ethan Shadowbrook

Ethan is Rosalie's mate, a powerful Wolf shifter whose loyalty is both his strength and his weakness. He is haunted by the loss of his pack and the violence of prison life, but finds new purpose in his bond with Rosalie and, eventually, Roary. Ethan's psychological struggle is with his own capacity for violence and his fear of losing those he loves. His development is marked by sacrifice—taking the fall for others, enduring torture, and ultimately choosing love over pride. Ethan's journey is one of learning to trust, to share, and to accept that true strength lies in unity.

Roary Night

Roary is Rosalie's childhood love and moon-mated partner, a Lion shifter whose pride and sense of honor are both his armor and his Achilles' heel. Imprisoned for a crime committed out of loyalty, Roary is marked by loss—of family, freedom, and eventually his own mane. His psychological arc is one of self-worth: from shame and self-loathing to acceptance and love. Roary's ultimate sacrifice—allowing himself to be captured so Rosalie can escape—cements his role as both hero and tragic figure. His fate is a haunting reminder that freedom is never free.

Sin Wilder

Sin is the unpredictable, shape-shifting Incubus whose loyalty to Rosalie is matched only by his capacity for chaos. He is both comic relief and existential threat, his actions swinging between genius and disaster. Sin's psychological complexity lies in his desperate need for acceptance and his fear of abandonment. He sabotages himself and others, yet his love for Rosalie is genuine and fierce. Sin's development is a struggle to find his place in the pack, to be more than a weapon or a joke, and to prove that even the wildest heart can be tamed by love.

Mason Cain

Cain is a Vampire and former guard, bound to Rosalie by a deadly moon curse. His past is one of abuse, survival, and self-loathing, raised by a sadistic Dragon and forged in violence. Cain's relationship with Rosalie is fraught with lust, hatred, and a longing for redemption. He is torn between duty and desire, between the rules he once enforced and the love he cannot deny. Cain's psychological journey is one of learning to trust, to let go of control, and to accept that vulnerability is not weakness. His ultimate choice—to stay behind and fight so Rosalie can escape—reveals the depth of his transformation.

Gustard

Gustard is the ruthless leader of the Watchers, a gang of unFae who seize control of the prison during the riot. He is a master manipulator, using fear, violence, and magical coercion to dominate others. Gustard's psychological makeup is pure predation—he enjoys breaking others, both physically and mentally. His reign is a reign of terror, and his eventual downfall is both satisfying and a warning: in Darkmore, monsters breed monsters.

Pudding (Nigel)

Pudding is a Mole shifter whose calm, methodical nature makes him an invaluable ally in the escape. He is unflappable, loyal, and surprisingly wise, providing both comic relief and practical solutions. Pudding's psychological strength lies in his acceptance of his role—he is content to be the support, the digger, the one who gets the job done. His survival is a quiet victory in a world of chaos.

Esme

Esme is a member of Rosalie's pack, known for her dramatic flair and unwavering loyalty. She provides both humor and heart, reminding the group of what they are fighting for. Esme's psychological resilience is rooted in her acceptance of her place—she is content to follow, to support, and to survive.

Hastings

Hastings is a young, idealistic guard caught in the crossfire of the riot. His innocence and decency make him a rare figure in Darkmore, and his survival is a testament to the possibility of goodness even in hell. Hastings' psychological journey is one of disillusionment—he enters the prison believing in justice, and leaves knowing that the world is far more complicated.

Plunger

Plunger is a bizarre, often grotesque figure whose Mole shifter abilities are crucial to the escape. He is both comic relief and a reminder of the absurdity of prison life. Plunger's psychological makeup is simple: he wants to survive, to be useful, and to enjoy the little pleasures (like potatoes) that life offers.

Plot Devices

Riot as Catalyst

The riot is the inciting incident that shatters the prison's order and creates the possibility of escape. It is both a blessing and a curse, unleashing violence, shifting power dynamics, and forcing characters to reveal their true selves. The riot is used to explore themes of power, loyalty, and the thin line between order and chaos.

Magical Suppression and Release

The use of magical suppressants, cuffs, and forcefields creates a constant tension between power and helplessness. The release of magic—first for Rosalie's group, then for all inmates—raises the stakes and transforms the prison from a cage to a battlefield. This device explores the dangers of unchecked power and the necessity of restraint.

The Curse

The moon curse binding Rosalie and Cain is a literal and metaphorical chain, forcing them to confront their feelings and the consequences of their actions. The curse is used to explore themes of trust, vulnerability, and the cost of love. It also serves as a ticking clock, driving the plot forward and raising the stakes.

The Enemy of My Enemy

Rosalie's decision to release the Vampire from isolation is a classic "enemy of my enemy" device, forcing her to use evil to fight evil. This device blurs the line between hero and villain, exploring the moral ambiguity of survival and the dangers of becoming what you fight.

The Final Plan

The last escape plan—using the dome's magic, a lightning strike, and a tunnel to the surface—is a culmination of all the group's skills, alliances, and sacrifices. It is a high-stakes, all-or-nothing gamble that requires trust, timing, and the willingness to risk everything. The plan's success and the losses it entails underscore the theme that freedom is never free.

Foreshadowing and Flashbacks

Characters' backstories—especially Cain's and Rosalie's—are revealed through flashbacks and memories, providing context for their actions and deepening their psychological complexity. Foreshadowing is used to build tension, hinting at betrayals, sacrifices, and the ultimate cost of escape.

Multiple Points of View

The narrative shifts between different characters' perspectives, allowing the reader to see events from multiple angles and understand the motivations, fears, and desires that drive each character. This device creates empathy, tension, and a sense of unpredictability.

Analysis

Feral Wolf is a brutal, darkly humorous, and emotionally charged exploration of survival, loyalty, and the cost of freedom. Set in a magical prison where power is both weapon and curse, the novel uses the chaos of a riot to strip its characters to their core, forcing them to confront their deepest fears and desires. The story is driven by complex relationships—romantic, platonic, and adversarial—that blur the lines between love and hate, trust and betrayal. The use of magical devices, curses, and shifting alliances creates a constant sense of danger and unpredictability, while the psychological depth of the characters grounds the narrative in real emotion. Ultimately, Feral Wolf is a meditation on what it means to be free: that true freedom requires sacrifice, that love is both a chain and a key, and that sometimes, the only way out is through the fire. The novel's ending—bittersweet, unresolved, and haunted by loss—reminds us that escape is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a new struggle.

Last updated: July 29, 2025