Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games in this spicy, page-turning romantasy where humans and direwolves forge unbreakable bonds and fight for survival at all costs. Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She’ll risk her life—and her heart—to be one of them. Meryn Cooper has always hated the Bonded, elite warriors who form mental links with the massive, vicious direwolves they ride. While they live in luxury, Meryn struggles to keep her family out of poverty. When her little sister, Saela, is kidnapped—stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting—Meryn’s world falls apart. Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials, where any mistake will cost her life. Now Meryn must survive four months of training at the castle. She is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her cold and beautiful instructor, Stark Therion, is eager to punish any weakness. Everything is a competition, and everyone is out to get her—everyone except the dangerously handsome crown prince, whose attention adds another target to her back. In the castle, every smile hides a knife…and the halls hide dark secrets. It’s bond or bleed. Duel or die. Failure is ruin. Dire Bound contains mature content including depictions of graphic violence, and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website. Readers are already falling in love with Direbound:
“ONE OF THE BEST READS OF THE YEAR! This book was insanely good.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Stop it right now... I’m actually quite feral for the next book…” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The plot was THICK, the tension and banter? Flawless. And the world with the wolf bond, and trials??? NEED MORE NOW.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I just finished and still trying to mentally and emotionally recover to what just happened to me. You need to read it IMMEDIATELY.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“If you’re into dark romantasy with high stakes, fierce characters, and just the right amount of emotional wreckage, Direbound is your next obsession.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What an incredible read!! … I am blown away. … The romance, the anguish, the BANTER! I love a book with good banter and this was FULL OF IT!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I. Am. OBSESSED. … Left me spiraling in the best way possible. The morally grey anti-hero? Perfection. The slow-burn tension? Electric. … I was completely immersed.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Perfect for fans of: Slow burn romance Found family Morally grey characters One bed Touch her and die Who did this to you Enemies to lovers Forced proximity Vampires vs. wolves!
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6 books in catalog
Combining high-stakes political intrigue, giant direwolves, and spicy romance, the dark romantasy series The Wolves of Ruin introduced readers to an expansive fantasy realm where vulnerable populations fight against autocratic oppression. Sable Sorensen, the collaborative pen name of authors Eliza Phillips and Annie Paige-Stone, established this fictional universe with the debut novel Dire Bound, which marked the launch of Hachette Book Group's Requited imprint.
Before formally publishing under the shared pseudonym Sable Sorensen, Eliza Phillips and Annie Paige-Stone spent ten years discussing and planning collaborative writing projects. Both authors grew up reading stories focused on wizards, mythic creatures, and sweeping romantic arcs, establishing a shared creative foundation in fantasy literature. They eventually joined forces to write long-form epic fantasy romance, debuting with Dire Bound. Following the momentum of their initial launch, they expanded the series with their second full-length novel, Fury Bound.
Sorensen's narrative approach centers on slow-burn romantic tension, perilous trial sequences, and detailed world-building populated by giant wolves and political turmoil. A central thematic drive throughout their fiction is the ongoing struggle between oppressive autocratic governments and those who fight to protect the weak and vulnerable. Their work highlights resilient heroines who navigate physical danger and courtly intrigue, blending action-driven fantasy storytelling with emotionally charged romantic relationships.
The Wolves of Ruin
