The First Tearing (Paperback)

Christopher J. Steely

ISBN 13: 9798994580103

Published by Witherbound Books, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. When Ashe collapses in their parents' driveway, gasping for breath as their body tears itself apart, they have no idea they've just been claimed by something ancient. Something with teeth.Marked by Gaia, Ashe is thrust into a hidden world of Lycans. Werewolf protectors who have defended nature for centuries. Under the guidance of Pines, a weathered elder with secrets of his own, Ashe joins a newly-formed pack in Huntsville, Alabama: Cole, a musician whose songs carry strange power; Grace, a predator learning to leash her hunger; Renae, a woman with a soldier's discipline; and Ryan, still finding his footing between two worlds.But the moment the pack comes together, something else takes notice. Dum-Prot Land Development, cloaked in polished PR and "sustainable" branding, is already poisoning the land and watching those who answer its call. What looks like corporate greed is only the surface of something far older. Something ancient and rotting beneath Huntsville's soil. Something that can twist both flesh and spirit.As Ashe struggles to control powers they never asked for while being hunted for who they are. And when one of their own is taken, Ashe will discover just how far they're willing to go, and how much of themselves they're willing to lose, to bring everyone home.The First Tearing is the first book in The Wildlands Cycle, an urban fantasy series in the Witherbound World, exploring the costs of power, the weight of protection, and the bonds that hold us together when the world falls apart. Ashe didn't ask to be marked by Gaia. Now they're part of a pack sworn to protect the land, whether they survive the transformation or not. A dark urban fantasy about found family and monsters, who stand between you and something worse. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9798994580103

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The First Tearing (Paperback)
• Publisher: Witherbound Books
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798994580103
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

When Ashe collapses in their parents’ driveway, gasping for breath as their body tears itself apart, they have no idea they’ve just been claimed by something ancient. Something with teeth.
Marked by Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, Ashe is thrust into a hidden world of Lycans. Werewolf protectors who have defended nature for centuries. Under the guidance of Pines, a weathered elder with secrets of his own, Ashe joins a newly-formed pack in Huntsville, Alabama: Cole, a musician whose songs carry strange power; Grace, a predator learning to leash her hunger; Renae, a woman with a soldier’s discipline; and Ryan, still finding his footing between two worlds.
But not everyone marked by Gaia walks the same path.
When the pack discovers that Dum-Prot Land Development, a company hiding behind polished PR and “sustainable” branding, is corrupting the land itself, they’re drawn into a conspiracy far darker than corporate greed. Something ancient and rotting moves beneath Huntsville’s soil. Something that can twist both flesh and spirit.
As Ashe struggles to control powers they never asked for while being hunted for who they are. And when one of their own is taken, Ashe will discover just how far they’re willing to go, and how much of themselves they’re willing to lose, to bring her home.

The First Tearing is the first book in The Wildlands Cycle, an urban fantasy series exploring the costs of power, the weight of protection, and the bonds that hold us together when the world falls apart.