Goldilox and the Three Weres: Release Day Review: Alpha Night by Nalini Singh

Alpha Night
(Psy-Changeling: Trinity #4)
Nalini Singh
Release: June 9, 2020
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New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her breathtaking Psy-Changeling Trinity series with a mating that shouldn’t exist…

Alpha wolf Selenka Durev’s devotion to her pack is equaled only by her anger at anyone who would harm those under her care. That currently includes the empaths who’ve flowed into her city for a symposium that is a security nightmare, a powder keg just waiting for a match.

Ethan Night is an Arrow who isn’t an Arrow. Numb and disengaged from the world, he’s loyal only to himself. Assigned as part of the security force at a world-first symposium, he carries a dark agenda tied to the power-hungry and murderous Consortium. Then violence erupts and Ethan finds himself crashing into the heart and soul of an alpha wolf.

Mating at first sight is a myth, a fairytale. Yet Selenka’s wolf is resolute: Ethan Night, broken Arrow and a man capable of obsessive devotion, is the mate it has chosen. Even if the mating bond is full of static and not quite as it should be. Because Selenka’s new mate has a terrible secret, his mind surging with a power that is a creature of madness and death…

Review:
You all know how much I adore Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series and sometimes I can't contain help but gush about each new book in this series. I always know that I'm going to at least enjoy each one and I can never figure out how each new story is going to go. I'm constantly surprised with how much I fall in love with each new book and y'all, I freaking adored Alpha Night so much. In my opinion, the four books of this Trinity arc/spin-off have been some of the best books in the whole series and this one just might be my new favorite. I've reread it three times already and it just came out.

The book starts out at a symposium for the newly remembered E designation. The symposium is set in Kaleb's territory of Moscow and the StoneWater and BlackEdge packs have been brought in with the Arrows to provide security for the empaths. Enter in Selenka Durev, alpha of the BlackEdge wolves, and Ethan Night, TK Arrow, who are both manning security and come into contact with each other when an attack happens. Within minutes of dealing with the attack, they're mated.

Not only did we finally got a book about a female alpha but we got a book about a mating at first sight! These kinds of matings have been mentioned a few times in passing throughout the series but we've never seen one. There were several matings where the male knew the other was their mate but this is the first mating we've gotten one where both love interests accept the bond before they know each other. Plus, I'm a sucker for the pairings where one or more of the main characters are an Arrow so I freaking adored Selenka and Ethan together! I loved that were both devoted to each other from the first and were dedicated to making their mating work even though they were strangers at first.

There's a lot that's going on in this book. There's an attack on the symposium, several attacks on Selenka's pack, and Ethan is displaying all the signs of having the dreaded Scarab Syndrome and could be on the brink of losing his mind. That's quite a bit to handle on top of a surprise mating. I loved reading about Selenka and Ethan learning each other and coming together. I also enjoyed the overall plot and mystery of this book. I guessed a few of the outcomes but I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Which happened to be all in one sitting. I should know better by now not to start a Nalini Singh book before bed if I want to get any sleep.

I loved getting to know the BlackEdge pack and seeing some familiar faces from previous books! Selenka and Valentin's interactions were the best! I loved seeing them compare whose mate was more badass and bemoaning how vulnerable said badass mates were because of their psychic abilities. Actually all the interactions between the wolves and the bears were great! I really loved everything about this book. I’m pretty sure I was a literal embodiment of the heart eyes emoji each time I finished this book.

Overall, Alpha Night was an excellent addition to one of my favorite series. I can't wait to reread the story again and again over the coming years. Now on to speculating and trying to guess who will be the main characters of the next book. I really really want a book about the falcons or someone from Remi's pack or maybe we'll get to see more of BlackSea! I kind of have my fingers crossed that we get at least a novella about one or more of the relationships we see developing like Axl and Tamar or Arwen and Pavel or Nerida and Yuri. I especially want something or anything about what the heck is going on between Anthony and Nikita. It's going to be a long year of waiting that's for sure.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley