Mate

This novel takes place in the world established by Hazelwood in the first book in the Bride series, Bride. In it, Humans, Vampyres, and Weres (werewolves) all exist and have formed their own independent societies that exist uneasily together.

A little girl is trapped in a house with her parents. When someone rams into the door, the girl runs for her mother, but her mother has left without her. Terrified of the Were man sleeping on the couch, she hides in the closet. A band of Weres breaks in, kills the Were man, and rescues the little girl.

Serena races through the Pacific Northwest woods in desperate search of safety. Until a year ago, Serena believed she was Human, but she has since discovered she is hybrid: half Human and half Were. She has been in hiding, but recently, someone put a bounty on her head.

A Vampyre intruder found her, and she is now in flight. Serena attacks and fights him until Koen Alexander (the Alpha of the Northwest Were pack) arrives and intervenes. Serena feels instantly safer. A moment later, Koen kills the Vampyre. Serena teases him about being her mate.