I hate this book. It killed me slowly in increments and I am left feeling nothing. Ok, fine, not really. Jennifer Lynn Barnes held no punches when she wrote this book. The deaths, the impossible situation, the despair that Bryn is CONSTANTLY feeling. Life for Bryn as the human alpha of Cedar Ridge pack is not idyllic. She has faced betrayal, has had to break her pack bond with a member, is challenged for right as alpha, has had to kill and so many other things anguishing ordeals that have left her broken and unable to forgive herself. Then, to top things off, this book has her face so many more severe tragedy. It is very realistic in the sense that Shay is trying to make her life impossible and get what he wants and she faces those trials as a human girl with only a few friends at her back. There is no happy fairy tale ending, even though I wish there was. I just wanted things to work out and for her to be happy, but life doesn't work that way. Not for us and not for Bryn. I died inside with her and felt my soul shrivel up in agony. Still, it is so worth the read. One of my favorite werewolf series ever!