BENEATH OUR SKIN
In Northwind Reach, a land of many species, everyone hides a monster within—some just wear it closer to the surface. Julian Corbin, the vampiric ruler, believes his kind is supreme above all, blind to the growing threat from the south. The giants of Frostvein, their own land overpopulated, march to claim Northwind as their own. Yet Julian, obsessed with power, blatantly ignores the danger, surrounded by advisors who feed his delusions.
Fiercely opposing him is Marissa Fairmont, a werewolf and champion of the oppressed, who fights tyranny with both bravery and cunning. But her methods are not always noble, not stopping at anything, not even moral grounds to take down Julian. Amidst the chaos stands Michael Pyre, a shifter who has never shifted, deemed human in a world of monsters. After witnessing his own kin betray and slaughter an entire village, including his ex-fiancée, just to gain favor with Julian, he realizes the true monsters aren’t the ones with fangs or claws—they’re the ones who hide their cruelty behind words and lies. His courage to call out hypocrisy makes him a target—and a potential savior.
When Michael realizes he could actually make a change, after a mysterious encounter with a scout giant, he finds an unexpected ally, Marissa. Their shared defiance sparks a fierce romance, but their differing ideals threaten to tear them apart. Marissa’s thirst for vengeance blinds her to the greater threat, while Michael’s desire for unity forces him to make impossible choices. Together, they must confront not only Julian’s oppression but also the monsters within themselves, as the giants of Frostvein close in, ready to devour their fractured world.
