Let’s dive right in today and get real for a sec. Forget the first kiss. Forget the epic battle where the heroes save the day. Those are both awesome, and we love them, but I want to talk about a quieter moment in paranormal romance and urban fantasy that I love writing – one that truly gets me in the gut every time. It’s that scene where the misfit main character looks around a room full of other glorious misfits and has a single, soul-deep realization: Oh… these are my people.

That is some real magic right there, y’all. It’s the promise of a home you didn’t have to be born into, a family you chose for yourself. It’s one of my favorite parts of romance, and I bake it into the yummy, cozy, smooshy, warm middle of most of my work.

The Allure of the Chosen Family

So, why does this trope hit so damn hard? Well, in urban fantasy and paranormal romance, our characters are often running from something. A past that haunts them, a family that rejected them, a world that doesn’t understand them. They’re outcasts, orphans, lone wolves (yeah, pun totally intended).

So when characters find their people – when they build a family from the scraps of their broken lives – it’s heartwarming. But even more, it’s an act of strength, of defiance. It’s them saying, “You didn’t want me? Fine. I’ll pick my own people.” Ultimately, it’s a testament to the idea that love, loyalty, and belonging aren’t limited to blood; they can be about personal choice.

In fact, in my world, the UNITY universe, that’s the entire point. It’s the foundation the whole chaotic, magical mess is built on.

A Case Study in Found Family: The Black Pack

When I first started writing The Black Wolf Series, I knew the pack itself had to be a character. It’s the heart of the whole operation. It’s the reason our heroes survive, the reason they thrive, and the reason they can face down the kind of cosmic crap that would make lesser beings run for the hills.

A perfect example of this is a character like Fourt Black.

In Brave Wolf (Book Six), Fourt’s journey centers around his romantic arc with sexy, hard-headed angel (or Protector, in my world) Ren Galloway. But at its core, Fourt’s story is about finding his place in the world. We follow him as he meets his biological family, and we watch that story unfold, but at the end of the day, the Black pack is where he belongs. After all, he risked everything to find them back in Black Wolf (Book One), seeking freedom from his nightmarish past. His romance with Ren is sweet, steamy, swoonworthy, and incredible, but Fourt’s bond with the pack – the makeup of his chosen family – is what truly gives him the strength to face his demons.

Fourt’s the wolf who went from having nothing to having everything, and watching him find his footing in that chaotic, loving, occasionally dysfunctional group of shifters? That’s the good-good stuff. That’s the feeling I chase in every book.

A Taste Of The Pack In Action

Here’s a snippet from Brave Wolf:

Breakfast was a sacred tradition in the Black pack’s household. Usually, Fourt loved it, but now his heart kept bounding up into his throat as if his stomach had become some giant, internal trampoline.

Family. It was the only word that fit. This pack was his family. The only family he’d known until last night…

He focused on setting the table, trying to forget the letter from his real family that was burning an icy hole in his pocket.

Lathan’s head fell back with a sigh. “Seriously, where’s everyone else?” He glowered over at Thorne. “Couldn’t you at least attempt to roll Em down the stairs to breakfast?”

On cue, Thorne’s mate sauntered in with their niece, Rose, in her arms. “Excuse me, but no one is rolling Em anywhere.” She sent a hand to her free hip. “I woke up on all my own this morning, thank you very much.”

A tiny, lupine howl pierced the air from the laundry room, and Rose scrambled in Em’s arms. “Okay, maybe not all on my own. This one and her twin terror decided to run wild first thing. Avery’s still in there trying to extract Dahl from the supply shelves. Appropriately, the girls were chasing Mrs. C.”

“Because a cat was such a good addition to this household,” Lathan snickered, roughing a hand over Rose’s hair and drawing a chubby-cheeked giggle from her.

It’s Not Just Wolves – It’s The Whole Damn Vibe

You know what I’m talking about, because you see it everywhere. It’s the rag-tag coven of witches who share a crappy apartment and an ancient grimoire. Or it’s the brooding vampire who accidentally collects a found family of humans. Or maybe it’s the tight-knit group of paranormal bounty hunters who have each other’s backs when a ghost gets a little too grabby. (I haven’t written any of these yet… tempting…)

All of this proves that family is about who shows up. It’s also the inside jokes, the shared trauma, the person who knows how you take your coffee after a long night of fighting dragons. It’s the soul of my genres, and it’s one of the biggest reasons we all keep coming back for more.

The Writer’s Craft: How I Build a Found Family (And You Can Too)

Now, let’s get a little nerdy. As a reader, you feel this stuff instinctively. But as a writer, I have to build it, brick by painful, hilarious brick. You can’t just throw a group of people in a room and hope. Instead, you have to create a web of connections that feels real and lived-in.

My Three Key Ingredients

For me, it boils down to three key ingredients:

1. Shared History (and/or Trauma): The super-est of glues. A group that has survived something together – whether it’s a battle, a curse, or a really terrible road trip – is bonded for life. The Black pack has faced loss and danger together, and that shared experience means they don’t have to explain their scars to each other. They just get it.
2. Rituals and Inside Jokes: This is the secret fancy sauce that makes a group feel like a family. It’s the way they always sit down to a huge family breakfast, even after a fight. Or it’s the nickname one character pretends to hate, but secretly makes them feel seen (looking at you, Em). It’s the unspoken rule about who gets the last slice of pizza (Riley, because no one else is fast enough). These tiny details are what make a fictional family feel like your own.
3. Accepting the Flaws: A true found family celebrates the good parts and embraces the chaos. They know that one person is always a grump in the morning, that another should not be allowed in the kitchen unsupervised, and that another has truly disastrous taste in hats. They love each other because of their flaws. That’s the kind of unconditional belonging we all crave.

Thinking about these elements is how I turn a cast of characters into a real, breathing family. It’s legit my favorite part of the job.

Let’s Talk Tropes: Piling on the Good Stuff

Now, what’s really fun for me as a writer is taking that powerful found-family foundation and piling on all the other tropes I adore. Fated mates is one of my favorites, a definite ride-or-die for me. But what happens when your fated mate is from an enemy Race or Breed (hint-Crown Series-hint)? Or when the person you’re destined for is the one person your found family trusts the least?

Boom – conflict on top of your found-family drama. You get the angst (y’all know I love some angst), the pining, the “I hate that I love you,” all while your pack is in the background like, “You sure about this, dude?” It’s a storytelling playground, and I am here for every single second of it.

In the UNITY universe, the family a character chooses is often at odds with the bloodlines they were born into. When your fated mate’s dad is a high-level Protector with an ultra-bad agenda who makes deals with your worst enemy, it puts a strain on more than just your romance. It puts the lives of your entire found family on the line. The pack’s loyalty is to each other, and their love is a rebellion against outdated beliefs.

At the end of the day, these stories are about finding your people and the unshakeable strength those bonds give you.

If you love the grittiness of urban fantasy, the heat of fated mates in paranormal romance, and a found family that feels as real as your own, then I promise you, The Black Wolf Series is your next favorite read. Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself.

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Ready to meet the family? You can start The Black Wolf Series with a free first chapter right here.

Already part of the pack? I’m currently writing the final book in the series, and it’s the perfect time to revisit where we left off with Fourt and Ren in Brave Wolf. Drop a comment below and tell me about your favorite found-family moment from one of my books – or any book you’ve ever loved! Let’s celebrate our favorite fictional families together.