Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Alpha
    Unavailable
    Alpha
    Unavailable
    Alpha
    Ebook462 pages7 hours

    Alpha

    By Rachel Vincent

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook



    The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder and treason. Yeah, we've been busy. But now it's time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother's death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

    It's not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I'm heading for a final showdown that canthat willchange everything forever. A showdown I'm not sure I'm ready for.

    But life never waits until you're ready.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin MIRA
    Release dateOct 1, 2010
    ISBN9781426868825
    Unavailable
    Alpha
    Author

    Rachel Vincent

    New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent loves good chocolate, comfortable jeans, and serial commas. She’s older than she looks and younger than she feels, but is convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan. Now absorbed in the dark, tangled loyalties of her UNBOUND world, as well as the travails of a teenage banshee in her SOUL SCREAMERS world, Rachel can be found online at www.rachelvincent.com or urbanfantasy.blogspot.com.

    Read more from Rachel Vincent

    Related to Alpha

    Related ebooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      About The Author… Nalini Singh

      Jan 19, 2020

      About The Author… Nalini Singh
      1 min read

    • Article

      One Word: Striking

      Jun 26, 2019

      One Word: Striking
      4 min read

    • Article

      Writing Middle-Aged Love

      Oct 10, 2017

      Writing Middle-Aged Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      What Trauma Leaves Behind

      Mar 15, 2019

      What Trauma Leaves Behind
      7 min read

    • Article

      Dampening

      May 10, 2022

      When I first met Inspector Daria Hunt, I wanted to kill her. Not there and then; I wanted to take as long as possible over it, maximizing the pain whilst leaving her with no hope of survival. Images of horrific injuries leapt into my mind, a catalog

      16 min read

    • Article

      Six Dart Out

      Sep 10, 2023

      Marc figured the girl was a vegan. Her puke had overflowed the sink and run onto the floor—tomatoes and rice marinated in microbrew lager. He’d told Vegan Girl to slow down, but her friends had won the turning-21-peer-pressure battle. Admittedly, Mar

      9 min read

    • Article

      Six Poems

      Nov 1, 2023

      loved best. Words I have neversaid. New sentence, at 80. Of coursenot more than his children, and their children. That goeswithout saying—but I want to lay down eachelement of love’s house. First,the hole, under—apple cellar, potato cellar,cellar to

      5 min read

    • Article

      Benjamin Alire Sáenz

      Dec 3, 2021

      Benjamin Alire Sáenz
      2 min read

    • Article

      What We Found in Writing

      Jun 10, 2020

      What We Found in Writing
      17 min read

    • Article

      HEART & soul

      Oct 11, 2020

      This week, instead of a book that I’ve read, I’m featuring one that I wrote myself. Tiny Pieces of Us is my latest novel. It has all the elements that have featured in my previous stories – family, friends, love, food and, yes, even Italy – but this

      1 min read

    • Article

      Eirinie Carson

      Aug 16, 2023

      Eirinie Carson
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Good With The Bad

      Jan 8, 2021

      The Good With The Bad
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Good With The Bad

      Jan 8, 2021

      The Good With The Bad
      9 min read

    • Article

      Excerpt

      Nov 12, 2019

      I didn’t see him come in, but I felt it. There was a stillness in the room, the kind that happens with fresh meat in shark-filled waters. No doubt everyone was sizing the newbie up, taking in his age and build, worrying whether they would be kicked o

      5 min read

    • Article

      It’s Kind of a Funny Story: A Conversation With Susan Jane Gilman

      Feb 3, 2020

      This past fall I was once again in Cincinnati’s Mercantile Library to hear an author speak about her new book. I went in with no real expectations—I hadn’t read any of Susan Jane Gilman’s books yet; I just take any opportunity to hear writers talk ab

      5 min read

    • Article

      Finding The Words

      Jun 2, 2023

      Finding The Words
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Ladies Book Club

      Apr 10, 2024

      “Our brains are shaped with the capability to care deeply but also to kill. This deep ambivalence is potentially problematic. A society filled with people who are inherently very compassionate and very violent might prove unstable.”1 1Emile Bruneau,

      25 min read

    • Article

      Draw Me

      Jul 5, 2023

      Draw Me
      2 min read

    • Article

      Finding The Words

      Jun 3, 2023

      Finding The Words
      5 min read

    • Article

      Turning Real People Into Characters Is an Act of Translation

      Feb 12, 2024

      It might seem like nonfiction writers get off easy when it comes to developing characters: We don’t have to create them from whole cloth, inventing layers of backstory and idiosyncrasy—the people we’re writing about already exist! But the work of tra

      8 min read

    • Article

      Judges

      Mar 10, 2024

      The doctors assured me the shrapnel in my leg would do no further harm if they “let sleeping dogs lie,” or at least less harm than trying to take it out would cause. “Hey,” I asked them. “What if it decides to cut its way out all on its own?” My grea

      12 min read

    • Article

      “That’s My Journey”

      Apr 10, 2023

      “That’s My Journey”
      5 min read

    Reviews for Alpha

    4.5/5

    31 ratings22 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      The end of the series was triumphant and heartbreaking at the same time! I would love a book for Jace!! Loved the series!!
    • 5/5
      I loved this series once I started reading I couldn’t put them down
    • 4/5
      So it looks like I'm the first woman to review this book on amazon, which doesn't really surprise me.

      This is definitely a man's book, and I'm sure many women will get offended. If you can get over being a woman, and just read the book as Frank's view of the world, women can enjoy this book too.

      I found it interesting, disturbing, thought provoking, cringe-worthy, funny and so macho that I had to shake my head a few times.
      It is a very well written book, but the content isn't for everyone. However, I am not bothered by swearing, graphic sex and violence so found the book more entertaining than offensive.

      One thing you have to give Frank, whether you like the book or not, he grabs life by the balls and squeezes every bit out of it. He decides what he wants and goes for it, with full abandon. He doesn't have a shy or self-doubting bone in his body. His ego is gigantic, but he gets what he wants.

      Who doesn't envy that? Set goal, attain them, every single one, because you have no doubt at all that you will.
    • 4/5
      This is the final book in the Shifters series and, having not read the previous books, I was a bit worried that I'd be missing information that was important for this book, but it didn't feel like that at all.Obviously I might have enjoyed the book more if I had followed the series, but it seemed to work just as well on its own as there were enough explanations given for me to get the general gist of what had happened before.The book did seem to start quite slowly for me as most of the time the characters were planning and thinking about what they should be doing rather than actually doing anything. However, as the book goes on there is a lot more action and it gets quite exciting.A big part of the story is the love triangle between Faythe and the two toms, Marc and Jace. Having not followed the series I was a bit confused about why and how she could treat them the way she did.Overall it was an exciting book that was full of action. For someone who usually steers clear of 'urban fantasy' I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.If, like me, you haven't read the series I'd suggest starting with book one, Stray. The good thing with Alpha being the last book in the series is that you won't have to wait impatiently for the next book!
    • 5/5
      Another great series that i have just finished. i couldnt book the book down. i recommend for you to read. Rachel Vincent is another great author.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. It was fast-paced and very action-packed. I was very concerned for how the series would end. It was not that I did not have faith in Ms. Vincent to write, because I think she is a phenomenal write. I have just been burned by the ending of a series more than once. I was also concerned with how the Marc/Jace thing would work out (I will say, I have seen cop-outs on this too with some other series). At one point, I thought that was going to end badly, but it turned out great. I will not say who came out on top, but I will say that I happy with how it turned out (And the person I was voting for was not the winner). I think I can see a happy ever after in everyone's future, even if it is not the the near future.

      I will say that this book is one of the best end-of-series books I have ever read. I think that Rachel Vincent did a great job. I could barely set the book down (and probably wouldn't have if it were not for obligations I could not get out of). I will also say that this book did make me cry on more than one occasion. I have recommended this series to several people and will continue to do so.

      As sad as I am to see this series end, I can't wait to see what she will bring to us in the future.
    • 5/5
      Finished so soon? Finishing a good UF series is such a bittersweet sorrow.
    • 1/5
      Well, that was disappointing. I'm honestly sorry that I ever read that first book (which I got free somehow?). I remember being annoyed at the spelling of the main character's name, "Faythe." I should have stopped then.The way the plot wound up, for the most part, had no real surprises. Anybody who has followed the series has to have figured out what was going to happen by now. It's been foreshadowed - heck, shouted from the rooftops.No, my disappointment is in the way the damned romance thing was handled. If you've bothered to read this but haven't read the series, I'm surprised. Anyway, we have a classic love triangle between Faythe, Marc, and Jace. The setting is supposed to be current day America with a twist - the characters are werecats, part of a hidden subculture.We all know that mainstream Americans are supposedly monogamous but more serially monogamous and closet - something - in practice. Anyway, werecat society is fiercely monogamous. Females are rare, and they're supposed to hit puberty, get married, and produce the next generation with their One True Love. Period. No other options.So Faythe has defied tradition so far. She went to college. Good for her! She had a boyfriend there. Even better! A non-Pride boyfriend. Great! (To my way of thinking, not her subculture's). She left her guy, Marc, standing at the altar to do all that, though. Eww - not classy. But after she goes back home, she gets back together with Marc. Hmph. Then she "connects" with Jace. That means "has sex with." Ooo, bad idea, since she was in a committed relationship with Marc at the time. Very bad idea. But Oh, They were Grieving! Together! For her brother and his best friend, who had just been treacherously killed by enemies! So of course the way to do that, instead of talking about their memories of him, is to roll around naked in the middle of a public room, right?Um, not the way I'd do it, but, apparently that's their way. They do their grieving with a lot more alcohol than I would too, though.They don't get caught, at least - not then. No, an enemy figures it out due to how the three interact, and tells Marc, and he believes the enemy (because everybody believes enemies over allies in the heat of battle). And they're all too immature to put the crap behind them and just deal with they're in the middle of a "war," too.I kept wanting to spank all of them, and it wasn't because I found any of them sexy.I did hope, at first, that bringing Jace in as a love interest - and Faythe does repeat, over and over and over again, that she loves Jace, that it wasn't "just sex" - might mean that there was hope for some sort of surprise in the end of the book. That would have been nice, right? Something of a twist that didn't lead to an unhappy ending? I would have loved to see that!She's going to be the first female Alpha, so why not the first Alpha with two husbands? She'll be the first Alpha who has to deal with pregnancy, so why not have one husband to protect her while she's pregnant and another to get deal with what has to be done in person? What a concept?My hope was buoyed by the fact that Vincent deliberately developed Jase as a decent potential partner, showing him taking care of Faythe well when she's injured, supporting her as she would need to be supporting when she takes over the Pride as Alpha, and working well with Marc and others repeatedly.Marc, on the other hand, is a jerk, slamming doors, stomping around, and doing everything but pissing on the furniture to mark his territory.Just once, I want to see a hero or heroine walk away when someone says, "I cant live without you!" I want to see someone say, "Whoa - that's WAY unhealthy, babe! You need THERAPY!"Instead, Faythe's father tells her to "Choose the one you can't live without." UGH. Thanks, Daddy! Codependent much?Do I think she chose the wrong Tom? Absolutely. But - she's a spoiled brat, and she chose a jealous ass. They deserve each other. Let the sweet, loving man go find the sweet, loving woman he deserves. Hopefully he'll stop the drunken escapades and keep it in his pants from now on. Maybe Kaci will grow up to be his Tabby?Anyway, there you have it. Volume Eleventy Billion and thirteen of How To Do Dysfunctional Relationships.Next, please!
    • 5/5
      This story was much better. It was more along the lines of what I expect this far into a series. I enjoyed the personal drama along with the inter-pack drama. It was nice to see more actual politic and less dancing around it. I was sad when Greg was killed, but it wasn't completely unexpected. I do dislike the loose ends, but it really makes me want more.
    • 5/5
      It's always sad to have a series end because as I reader I feel like I build a relationship of sorts with the characters and a level of comfort in knowing what to expect from the author. I had a shaky start with the Shifters series, I bought books 1-3 all at once on the strength of recommendations (and impulse) only to find Faythe incredibly annoying in Stray. I was dissapointed and put of continuing the series until almost a year later when I decided it was time to just finish the series. I was suprised to find I enjoyed Rogue much more and then became a confirmed fan with Pride. So when Alpha came out, I bought the last three in the series and even though it took me a few more months I read the final three within a week or two.Alpha was a strong finale to the series. The action is non stop with hard won battles and heartbreaking losses. Emotionally the journey is just as brutal. Vincent pulls at the threads of the series to make sure there is nothing left unravelled. For me the conclusion was satisying and complete.I don't want risk inadvertedly spoil anyone's reading of the series so I am avoiding any details. If you have made to the end of the series you deserve to finish the journey yourself. It's worth it.
    • 5/5
      "And when the first cat lunged, I leaped up to meet him." Another way to put it would be: The shit hath hitteth the fan.All of the issues and conflicts from previous books have come to a head in Alpha. Not only were there physical throw downs, one right after another, but there was also some serious emotional turmoil to be had by Faythe and gang. No one was left unscathed and they all had everything to lose…But you know what? You just gotta have Faythe! That’s right, I said it. Faythe has been through one hell of a personal, tumultuous journey in a very short time, but no longer do we see the whiney, naive, spoiled tabby. Instead, we see a young woman who is still very unsure of herself, but takes risks that are fueled by her compassion for life, equality, and those she loves. She stands up for what she believes in, regardless if it will get her a swift punch in the face. She fights with the indignation of a 1,000 soldiers, and she loves with the fiercest passion. She may not always think things through thoroughly, but she learns from her mistakes. The great thing about Faythe though, is that she turns her doubts into actions. She might be scared as hell to take a step, but she takes it, regardless. She doesn’t stick her tale between her legs and run for the hills. She stands, tall and trembling, determined to see her way through any given scenario, dead or alive.I absolutely loved the opener. It was fantastic and had me giggling, but then it got sad real quick. Yes. Now I remember. Faythe had a serious decision to make. Marc or Jace? Honestly, I can’t imagine having such a decision to make in real life. My mind can’t even fathom it. *sigh* Especially, on top of the insurmountable pile of cat poop a pride has ever found themselves in!As suspected, both men were severely hurting throughout this book. Marc showed it more, being the hothead that he is. His heart broke over and over, right in front of us, throughout the entire book. The amount of pain he felt was so severe that I thought he might not ever recover. He did a major transfer of emotion though, and it left Faythe even more somber and hopeless than before. I wanted to scream at him for that stunt he pulled, it felt so childish and utterly cruel! But then again, the guy was in such pain and he lashed out with the most embarrassing scenario he could think of, because she surely embarrassed him…And then there’s Jace. Sweet, adorable, breath-of-fresh-air Jace. He had my heart the minute we met him when he and Faythe spent time in her room, lightly flirting. He doesn’t share the history that Marc shares with her but represents everything Marc is not. He challenges Faythe to be true to herself, Faythe likes herself better when she’s with him, he’s funny and easy-going, and there’s that serious heat between them…I always root for the underdog, but this decision had much more riding on it than pure charm and a sexy name. (The name Jace is sooooooo sexy.) Faythe needed to choose the one man she couldn’t live without, but she also had to choose the right man to help her lead the pride. So what’s a girl to do? Jump off a cliff is likely the decision I’d choose! Faythe would never take the easy way out though. In the end, her choice is as it should be. Faythe made the decision because it was the right one for her and her pride.In short, this was an intense, violent, passionate end to a series that has held a serious place in my heart as one of the best of the best. I’m a sentimental fool, but I don’t openly cry while reading very many books. RV is one of the few authors that brings the sobs. She is a master at eliciting emotion from her readers, and it makes me wonder how damn hard it was to write these books! I will miss Faythe, Marc, Jace and the South-central Pride SO much, but all is well that ends with Faythe as Alpha. Thanks to Rachel Vincent for this masterpiece of a series. It will forever remain on my ultimate awesomeness list.
    • 4/5
      I love this series! This review has spoilers - so beware! Faythe is fantastic! So many of the characters are truly fantastic! Rachel Vincent knows how to build a character you can really invest in! Faythe's mother is one of my all-time favorite characters. I don't know that there is a character in the book that I don't think is amazing. (Except of course the ones that she has so skillfully made us all love to hate!) I wasn't sure I could handle yet another love triangle, but have been awaiting this story so I dove right in - - so glad I did! The turmoil that is Faythe's life continues and you get sucked right in. I found myself laughing and crying, cursing and shouting for joy. I have been hoping that I was right about the ending - not disappointed! I have to admit though that for the first time in years - I had to jump ahead to see if I was going to be right about the final outcome of said love triangle. I don't honestly know if I could have finished the book had I been wrong. I was devastated when her dad dies - totally heart wrenching. Faythe is forced into so many hard choices and situations that the reader is left marveling at her ability to handle them all. Faythe has a crash course in grow-up in this one. It is a must read for anyone who has started the series. I was thrilled to see the Strays brought in and given the opportunity to be accepted and belong. It was a twist I hadn't expected, but that really fits with Faythe and her belief system. I was excited to see that she is thinking so broad about the tabbies and the strays as well as the pride cats. I can only hope that there will be at least one more look into the pride's world once Faythe and Marc are running it together.Some of favorite quotes from the book:page 187 - - "...armed with nothing but anger, shielded by nothing but courage."page 428 - - "This isn't a pep talk. It's the truth."page 472 - - "I could handle anything life saw fit to throw at me with my men at my back and Marc at my side."
    • 4/5
      This is dark and violent finish to the series as the discord and division between the Prides lead to war. Additionally Faythe urgently needs to chose between Marc and Jace, a decision she finds impossible. Rachel Vincent is not afraid to take the darker route with her characters and the deaths become increasingly gruesome as the story develops. Having said all of that this is a satisfying finish to an interesting series.
    • 5/5
      This book was the perfect ending to an incredible series. It was everything I wanted it to be and more.More detailed review to come.
    • 5/5
      OMG!!!! This book was a fabulous ending to a fabulous series. That's all I have got to say. First of all, things have gotten tense between Faythe and Marc and Jace because of what transpired in the last book. But now that all has to be put on the backburner because her father is being pushed off the council because of everything that has gone on up until this point. I'm not going to spoil the book for others that haven't read the book yet, but there is so much jam packed into this book and it's so fast paced that really things are twisted beyond belief and so much happens. I couldn't put the book down because I just had to know what was going to happen. Certain parts made me want to cry and I really felt for Faythe and her family. But Faythe has evolved soooooo much through out this series that really she has grown into what her father pretty much expected of her, even if she was a little unsure herself. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. I'm so sad to see this series come to an end, but it has really been a great and adventurous journey!
    • 5/5
      Has quickly become one of my favorite series. well written fast paced
    • 5/5
      Well I cried or teared up more times than I should admit to when I read this book. I have been a reader of this series from the time the first book was released. I adored that the book was about shifter cats rather than wolves...a pretty unique idea especially when it was first released. Fayth bugged me at first and I thought she was pretty whiny heroine but she won me over with her love of family and kick butt attitude. She never shirked from what she had to do when it was unpleasant and she always wanted to protect the underdog...uh, undercat? The books seemed to change for me a couple back, when Fayth and her family were shaken by a death in the family. A death of one of my favorite characters nonetheless. When evil Calvin Malone started his hostile plans for the female tabbys and his takeover plans for Faythe's district, he became one of my most hated bad guys in literature. This man is just plain rotten, ya'all. The one thing I didn't like about the series is when a love triangle was introduced, putting Faythe in the middle of Jace and her longtime love Marc. I never overly-liked Marc but I was half in love with Jace from the first book. The only thing that could have redeemed the horrible mess of the love triangle was for Faythe to end up making a shocking choice. Readers can see what happened there but I was disappointed. This entire plot felt like someone said, "There has to be a love triangle, everyone is doing love triangles these days"...and so it was quickly written in. It just came out of nowhere. I struggled with whether to mark this review as a four star rather than a five star book due to that triangle and its complete non-effect on the series. I decided however that this final story deserves a five star review. It was handled (almost) perfectly. Story lines were completely resolved and we have a good idea of what happens with each character. There were casualties and the first in this book broke my heart. I should have seen it coming but I didn't. Its never easy for a writer to kill off long term characters and its not easy for those emotionally invested readers to let them go. Vincent handled this perfectly and realistically. The action was well placed. It was there, it was intense, and it moved the plot. It was not so all encompassing that our dear characters were lost in it. There was plenty of time to plot with them and feel for them and visit them. This was a deserving finale to a great, if sometimes uneven, debut series. I loved how things were handled with Ryan, Manx and Owen, Michael and his human wife, and even Jace. The book was sad but ended with a feeling of hope. You can't ask for more than that. I will finish Vincent's YA Soul Screamer series and I look forward to her new and upcoming adult release.
    • 4/5
      A pretty satisfying end to a series. It's nice when an author doesn't drag a series out as a cash cow, however I do think this series easily could have had another book or two.
    • 5/5
      So I got Alpha a couple of days early and I literally squealed when I opened up the package, I was sooooo excited! I devoured the book in a day, well less than a day if I am being honest. I have been waiting for this book for so long and I could not put it down until I knew how it ended and who survived the fight. I am sitting here now though, writing the review, and I am happy with the outcome of the story, and crazy sad at the same time. This is the last time we get to see Faythe, and I have loved being alongside her during this series. I will miss peeking into her world and seeing what she has been up to. I am also sad that when the story did end, we did not get an epilogue, but that is just the fan girl in me wanting to see more I think. The ending did bring Faythe’s story to a logically conclusion for the story, I think I will just always want more.I will also admit, there came a point in the book when I cried and cried. I actually shut the book and stopped reading for a minute because I thought (naively) I could make it go away if I did not read it…ha, yeah right. Well, I tried anyways, I closed the book, calmed down a little, picked the book back up and two lines in proceeded to cry again. I could not help it, the scene was just too much for me. I know I was so upset because I am so attached to these characters and seeing everything they have gone through. The event just rocked their world and my heart broke for them. So when you pick up the book, be prepared for some emotional scenes because Rachel has put quite a few of them in there.The book overall though was a serious non-stop roller coaster ride filled with both emotional and action highs and lows. I think Faythe went through every emotion there is and I was right there with her through it all. That is what I have always loved about this series, Rachel makes me feel like I am right next to Faythe experiencing what she is whether good or bad. To me that is what makes an author great, being able to get your readers to feel for your characters.Saying Alpha was a bittersweet experience for me would be an understatement. This series has been one heck of a ride. I actually started my blog after reading the first book in this series, I was so excited about what I just read I had to tell other people about it. (Since it was my first review ever it is not the best, but I am working on getting better at expressing my thoughts) The point is I kinda feel a special attachment to the Shifters books, I know it is weird, but that is how I feel. I have watched Faythe grow up and saying goodbye was hard. I am going to miss her and I am going to hold onto hope that maybe we will get to see a little more from Faythe in the future (because that is the only way I can not completely freak out thinking this is all over!) Rachel, thank you for an amazing series, I ate up every minute of it and I cannot wait to see what you will bring us in the future.
    • 5/5
      AHH Im so sad its over. I absolutely LOVES Alpha, Im so sad the series is over but I couldn't have hoped for a better ending. :)
    • 5/5
      The Shifters series was one of the first paranormal series that I read when I ventured back into the genre in 2007. I have been a faithful and loyal fan ever since I ran across Stray in a used bookstore. I've bought and devoured every release in this series ever since. Faythe and the crew have never disappointed. They've always pulled me into their world and delivered an action-packed, blood-pumping thrill ride of a story. Alpha, was no exception!I'm so sad that this brought the series to a close, after all of this time I feel like I'm saying goodbye to friends. Luckily, Rachel Vincent has shown us what a fantastic writer she is, delivering another amazing addiction to the series and ending it all in a way that left me feeling completely satisfied. There was no cop-out on the love triangle, we got a solid ending with Faythe picking one guy for certain. The major dramas were all wrapped up, but it was left open enough that we can imagine how our favorite characters have went on to live their lives after it was all done. Overall, fans of this series will not be disappointed with the finale. If you aren't one of the minions that have already read this, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR????
    • 5/5
      (Please be aware that this review contains small spoilers from the previous books in the Shifter Series. I will try to keep the Alpha spoilers to a minimum.)I’m pretty sure that I screamed, when I received the e-mail containing the link to the early release of this book on NetGalley. It was like Christmas for me. I want to thank people at Harlequin and NetGalley for giving me such an amazing opportunity to read and review this book early.For the past three years, Rachel Vincent’s Shifter Series has been “The Series” for me. It’s the series in which I compare all other urban fantasy I read to. I’ve read each book multiple times. I’ve spent hours upon hours in Rachel’s discussion group talking with other fans about them, and driven all over the country to see Rachel at signings. I’ve laughed, loved, fought, and cried alongside Faythe and her pridemates. The end of Faythe’s story is a culmination of so many things for me.This book left both my head and my heart spinning, I even have the empty box of tissues to prove it. Alpha broke my heart, and gave me faith in the world all at the same time. Faythe had to face so much adversity in this book. One road block after another fell in her way, but she didn’t let them stop her. She kept going, not only for herself, but for her Pride most of all. Words can’t explain how proud I am of what Faythe has accomplished in Alpha.The Faythe/Jace/Marc Love Triangle: what is there to say? Basically not a whole lot, without giving away spoilers. I will say this- Faythe does choose one in the end. She isn’t forced toward one guy or the other by circumstance (example: one of them is killed in battle). She made the right choice for herself, although the ride along the way is pretty bumpy. Some readers will be happy, while others will be sad. I’m pretty sure Rachel couldn’t have made everyone happy, regardless of which way Faythe chose.I absolutely loved getting to know Holly, Michael’s wife. She’s has always been this unknown entity. I was truly grateful for her presence, late in the book. She inadvertently lent much needed comic relief to a very dark part of this story.While the ending did have it’s sad points, everything ended just the way it should have. Lives were lost, and choices were made. Many characters in Faythe’s world have messed up through out the series, but in the end some were able to redeem themselves when it really counted. I was also very happy to see who came back to help the South-central pride in the end.My only complaint is that there wasn’t an epilogue. I wanted to know how things wrapped up after the final showdown. I just can’t believe that was it, it was all over. I felt that so many important questions (at least in my mind) were left unanswered. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Shifter’s short story to hopefully show up in the very near future. Until then, I guess I’ll have to make it up for myself.Overall, I want to thank Rachel for writing such amazing characters and such a wonderful world for them to live in! Reading this series has rejuvenated my love for reading.