Book excerpt: In the land of the count, a boy will fall in love and become much more than a man. In this fantasy romance for all ages, a boy catches a glimpse of the beautiful Fifika as he flees with his family from danger. The clan travels with haste to the lands of a mysterious benefactor. There in the Carpathians, the hillsides are filled with enchanted beasts. Tragedy strikes Fifika’s family, and the count invites her and the boy into his castle to learn. The boy, now almost a man, falls deeply in love under Fifika’s tutelage. When he finally learns the secret of the white wolf that seems to watch over Fifika, he must choose between his family and the only life he knows and the uncertain dangers of life with his love in the mountainous lands with a very different kind of family. Blending magic, romance, and poetry, The White Wolf’s Secret is a classic shapeshifter coming-of-age tale for fantasy fans of any age.