Everything happens for a reason…

I’m sure the person who came up with that saying was never cursed and had their life tied to another. I’m also sure they never had all their memories removed or their existence reduced to a single letter. And I’m sure they were never shipped off to a secret world full of supernaturals.

My path to Trinity Falls Academy may have been paved with good intentions, but my life since stepping foot on these grounds has been nothing short of pure chaos.

With powers I have yet to control and new people in my life I can’t decipher my feelings for, I sit in the eye of a perpetual storm, hoping for the torment to end. Because if this is the plan the universe truly has for me, I’m not sure I’m destined to make it out alive.

Intense pressure can make a diamond … but in my case, it just might push you to the point of no return.

I can only hope it isn’t at the hands of the men infiltrating my life.

Gahh. Okay. Deep breaths.

It’s been a Macmillan coffee morning at work, and emotions have been high. Imagine people getting emotional over cake. It’s almost like a cake curse has taken over the office. I didn’t even eat my lunch, and I didn’t have much cake. The swirl vanilla chocolate cake I made was the first sacrifice at the table! It’s been a day of complaints and of multiple swear words, and through the breaks and the moments when I could no longer look at my spreadsheet, I took little moments to read, and that calmed me down.

So, this is the third book in the series, Savage Torment. And I believe it is a 4-book series. Right before I finished this book, I got an email from an absolute TWAT, and it properly pissed me off, so I was already full of adrenaline when I came back to reading the last few pages.

Polaris is a gorgeous character. There are many things that I love about her, and I enjoy the on-point writing from the author, bringing the perfect mix of innocence and curiosity to her life. She takes everything in her stride, and whether she runs, stands tall, feels fear or happiness, she can continue putting one foot in front of the other, and I can respect that.

Polaris and her men are finally in a sort of truce, or rather, the men have stopped having a pissing contest with each other and decided to prioritise her safety overall.

Blaze, as I suspected, was hiding a lot, but I didn’t expect him to reveal everything so early on in this book. I think, from a character clarity move, the reveal helped Polaris in the long run. I think the male characters can both accept and ignore the fact that Polaris is new to the world around her. They take her in with a sense of awe but are also ignorant of a lot of her struggles. To an extent, Blaze’s revealing moments between them allow Polaris to take stock of her emotions; she may not like what he has done and what has happened, but emotionally, I think it strengthens her. By the end of this book, I still know Blaze is an arse, but he’s an arse with feelings, and he truly cares for the wellbeing and safety of Polaris above all others.

Tatum, our quiet and traumatised wolf, takes a first from Polaris in this book, and if anyone were to take it, he was the best decision to claim first rights. His soul is the most connected to Polaris. Their souls are damaged together, and it works for them in a way that soothes the cracks they carry, and somehow, they are mutually healing each other. It was also great to see a more possessive side of Tatum and see the calm break away and the assertive wolf peak through.

Wylder is still as big and boisterous as ever. He has a distinct flavour, and even when he is angry, he is looking for ways to be close to Polaris. To watch her. To keep her safe. To entice her… When Bianca picks on Polaris, it is usually Wylder’s name that falls from her lips, but it is something that Wylder never acknowledges, and so Polaris has no reason to believe anything that comes from Bianca’s lips. Polaris gives as good as she gets where Bianca is concerned – which is in everyone’s interest.

Arrogant posturing, Lincoln is no more – well, he’s still an arse – but I don’t see that changing anytime soon. He is finally, ‘all in’ when it comes to Polaris, and I’m honestly so proud of Polaris for sticking to her boundaries and showing Lincoln the door when he couldn’t respect them. It has taken a long time for Lincoln to admit what he feels and accept his relationship with Polaris. From the first book, I had thought he would be the top of the males, but I find him somewhat in the middle. He may be the alpha of the wolves on campus, but he isn’t the alpha within Polaris’s men, and I think that has been something he has struggled to come to terms with.

Asher didn’t know what to do with himself at the end of book 2, and many of the events that happened caused him physical and mental grief. I think he carries as much trauma as Tatum, but he just carries it differently. The encounters between Asher and Polaris hit differently because he allows her to relinquish control in a way that the others don’t.

Minnie and Bryony. Well, Minnie is still a force to be reckoned with. Taking no shit from anyone and fully accepting Polaris into her group of friends and family. Bryony, her story takes on a mystery at the beginning of this book that quickly slips into realisation and then confusion and curiosity – the verdict isn’t in yet.

We learn more about the blood kin curse, specifically the people who caused it to happen. We learn a little bit about the why surrounding it. Honestly, I saw and understood the cause and reasoning back in book one. It may not be obvious to all who read this series, but it was the only logical way for the plot to progress. In fact, I would probably have been horrified if the plot had gone anywhere else.

There is another emerging mystery surrounding this blood kin curse. Polaris and her men practically stumble on it, and Polaris can’t help but think over it while the others dismiss it. It made the most sense to me why Polaris ended this book the way she did. I’d seen the clarity she had been feeling and concluded it was the most likely option. I am not sure whether the men will forgive her for her actions, but I think that if they are to understand and unwind the curse as they intend, this was the best path to take.

I’m intrigued about the finale.