4.5 stars 

This was quite an uncomfortable read, with all the non-con and dark themes galore, but the story was gripping and I couldn’t stop reading. (I definitely switched from audiobook to ebook though. Narration was great, but there are some stories I can’t listen to.)

Lillian is a data scientist who has started a new job at a super secret facility, working under a scientist she’s admired for years. 351 is an alpha on death row, and one of the test subjects in the lab — where the aim of the experiment is to control feral alphas by forcing a mating bond.

I don’t want to give too much away, but this was seriously dark — including scenes between the main characters. Holiday Intrusion and Alpha (from this series) seemed fluffy in comparison. Usually this would be beyond my tolerance level, but I think I couldn’t put it down because the connection between Lillian and 351 was done so well that I needed to finish story. The ending was bittersweet (no neatly tied bows here), but it felt right for the book.