The Alpha King and the Girl No One Chose

by L.B. Voss

She was never meant to be captured.
She was never meant to be studied.
And she was never meant to survive.



Adeline Voss has spent her life learning one survive.

Observant. Controlled. Unreadable. She doesn’t rely on anyone—and she doesn’t need to.

Until the night everything changes.



Taken by a secret organization that has spent centuries preparing for someone like her, Adeline is locked inside a facility designed not just to contain her—but to understand her. To use her. To turn her into something she refuses to become.

They believe she is an asset.

They believe she can be controlled.

They are wrong.



Because Adeline is not waiting to be rescued.

She is mapping the room. Studying the system. Finding the flaws.

And building her way out.



But she is not as alone as they think.



Lucian Vale has spent days navigating silence.

The bond between them—once steady, undeniable—has been reduced to nothing. No signal. No direction. No trace.

Until it changes.



A single transmission.

A fragment of connection.

Three words that redefine everything.



Now he is coming.

And when he arrives, nothing that stands between them will remain.



A slow-burn, high-intensity fantasy romance about survival, power, betrayal, and the unbreakable force of a bond that refuses to be silenced.

557 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2026

Reviews

[Stefanie Verhelst]

This first installment is the promising opening for the Unrecorded Twelve series.

What I like the most about this book? The character building and detailed environments!

The writing style is fluent and kept me engaged in the story!

I’m curious about the next book!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Walker]

What Breaks First is a powerful, emotional installment in The Unrecorded Twelve, exploring what happens when strength, pain, and love finally collide.
Kael Dravyn is a warrior king who has spent centuries surviving, protecting, and carrying more than anyone realizes. Lyra Ashvane is a healer with the rare ability to recognize the wounds others try to bury. What makes their relationship so compelling is that Lyra never treats Kael as something to fix, and Kael slowly learns that allowing someone to care for him does not make him weak.
Their romance is intense but deeply emotional. Kael’s instinct is always to protect, while Lyra’s strength comes from understanding when protection becomes control. Watching them learn how to stand beside each other instead of in front of each other gives the story real depth.
The larger world continues to expand as well. What Breaks First shows that the damage caused by the old system is not limited to bloodlines or political structures. It lives in people, relationships, families, and the ways they have learned to survive.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Theplacesihavebeen]

This was really hard for me to read because in my opinion, it doesn't flow the way a story normally does to keep you engaged. It felt disjointed at times, like a novel on an app where you unlock each chapter. It reads more clinical than able to immerse yourself into the story. There isn't a lot of emotion to tie you to the story. This could be intentional when the POV is Adeline, she has a history that has taught her to not get attached or emotional. But since it is this way for all the POVs, it makes it hard for the reader to feel apart of the story and feel like they know the characters. That's the best way I can describe it. The writer has good descriptions and interesting similes, and the story idea is interesting. It is unique from a lot of other shifter books I have read. However, since i wasn't able to connect with the story as a reader, it is not a book I would recommend to others. The characters were very factual and unemotional. If you enjoy reading things with a more clinical feel than perhaps this is for you.

[HfbR]

Adeline was abandoned as a baby and grew up in numerous foster homes until she left the system at age eighteen. Lucien is an alpha king in search of his mate, never expecting to find her until the day he sees Adeline and their bond becomes apparent…….

I struggled with this book. I’ve read a lot of shifter fantasy, but this was unlike anything else I’ve read. Although there was a decent plot, I just couldn’t get on with the writing style. It started off well with some good descriptions, but the story soon became disjointed and confusing at times. For me there was too much jargon and not enough action, and it only got worse. The editing didn’t help either with too many repeated and incomplete sentences, and missing direct speech marks just added to the confusion. I finished the book because of the plot, but I won’t continue with this series and I withdrew my ARC promise on a second book by this author 🐈‍⬛.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara]

The Alpha King and the Girl No One Chose is an emotional paranormal romance with a wonderful underdog heroine and an alpha hero who is impossible to ignore. Watching the heroine grow into her strength while their relationship slowly develops made the story incredibly satisfying. The mix of pack politics, heartfelt moments, and undeniable chemistry kept me turning the pages.

If you enjoy rejected-mate stories, powerful alpha heroes, and a romance filled with emotion, drama, and a well-earned happily ever after, this is a fantastic read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna]

Book 1 of The Unrecorded Twelve. And a FANtastic start it is! Look forward to more from this world.

'A slow-burn, high-intensity fantasy romance about survival, power, betrayal, and the unbreakable force of a bond that refuses to be silenced.'

The characters drove the storyline and they were very compelling and complex and complicated. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[The Book Ssirren]

This was a really great story. I loved the world building and the description. Both were so well done. The main characters were excellently written. I loved the twists and turns. The way they thought they were going to actually hold her captive and she wasn’t having that at all. I loved how witty and determined she was. And then the MMC entered the picture, things just got so much more intense. I absolutely loved this story and I can’t wait for more.

[Barbara Hanson]

This is a slow burning story. The romance is not hot and sexy, more slow and subdued. I found the story hard to wade through on occasion and there were repetitions of sentences and sometimes a few paragraphs, hopefully these were sorted in editing before release.
The story was an original concept, but I did find it hard to navigate, and that explains my star rating.
I voluntarily received and reviewed an ARC copy of the book.

[Indie]

loved it !! a good start for this new series !! love Adeline and Lucien... this is their story... a fast paced story of survival and fated mates... Adeline only knows how to survive.. abandoned as a baby... trapped in foster care... she lost hope for ever finding happiness of her own... a wolf... a connection... bloodlines... this was so intense !!!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany Britton]

The Alpha King and the Girl No One Chose by L. B. Voss is a great paranormal romance. The story is entertaining, interesting, enjoyable, slow burn, emotional, and more. The Alpha King and the Girl No One Chose is the first book in The Unrecorded Twelve series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leslie Twitchell]

The alpha king and the girl Noone chose is book 1 of the unrecorded twelve series. Adeline is a great fmc who grows through the story. A wolf, a lycan and a king and the human who could be luna. Fantastic read.

[Stefanie Verhelst]

A very gripping political fantasy thriller with adventure, suspense and a chain of twists as our main characters are trying to find the truth!

Strong characters and a brilliant story walk hand in hand in this one!

I’ve devoured it!!! 🤩.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara]

The Broken Crown pulled me in with its mix of power, betrayal, family secrets, and political tension. I really enjoyed the way the story builds the world and slowly reveals that there is much more happening behind the scenes than anyone realizes. The characters have plenty of depth, and the struggle for power kept me turning the pages.

There are secrets, shifting loyalties, and enough suspense to keep you wondering who can actually be trusted. I especially liked the feeling that something much bigger was coming as the story progressed.

A great read for anyone who enjoys fantasy, royal intrigue, complicated characters, and stories where the crown comes with a dangerous price.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leslie Twitchell]

The broken crown is book 4 of the unrecorded twelve. A action gripping read that had me turning pages. Great story and great characters.

[Jessica Walker]

The Alpha King and the Girl No One Chose is a beautifully developed slow-burn romance with an intriguing rejected-girl storyline, a powerful Alpha King, and plenty of action and drama. This is not a quick, fast-paced read because the author takes time to build the world, develop the characters, and explain why they behave the way they do.

The slower pacing is worth it because the story becomes more meaningful as everything comes together. The romance develops gradually, the worldbuilding creates a strong foundation for the series, and the ending is definitely worth the wait. I finished the book wanting more and cannot wait to see what happens next.

This is a great choice for readers who enjoy detailed worldbuilding, emotional character development, slow-burn romance, rejected-mate themes, and stories that take time to fully unfold.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara]

What Breaks First completely pulled me in from the very first chapter. It’s an emotional romance that balances heartbreak, healing, and hope so well that I couldn’t stop reading. The story had me invested in the characters from the beginning, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.

The author did a wonderful job developing both the romance and the emotional journey. The characters felt real, with flaws, fears, and strengths that made their relationship believable. The chemistry was undeniable, but it was the emotional connection and personal growth that really made this book stand out.

The pacing was excellent, and there were enough heartfelt moments and unexpected twists to keep me turning the pages. If you enjoy romances that make you feel deeply while still delivering a satisfying happily-ever-after, I highly recommend What Breaks First. It’s one of those stories that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page.

[Johanna]

'What Breaks First is Book 3 in The Unrecorded Twelve series and features Kael Dravyn, one of the Twelve Kings, and Lyra Ashvane, a gifted healer whose arrival at Thornvast changes everything. While their romance reaches a satisfying conclusion, the larger mystery surrounding the Twelve women and their gifts continues to unfold.'

The characters were very appealing and complex and compelling and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building continues to excel and impress. Another great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stefanie Verhelst]

In this installment, the story brings us to a new level. I’ve immensely enjoyed reading this series and following the chatecters in their journey. I felt like a silent companion. ☺️ Which was both intense and intimate.

The writer has a vivid and creative writing style, which I appreciate a lot.

In short: I highly recommend this series and author!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[L.B. Voss]

This book is a different feel from book 1 and 2 .