Novels by Vicki Castle

**** Alyssa **** 3 Months Later.… I was hesitant when Enzi first suggested a real wedding. We'd been through so much that I was happy to just move on without it. He had to build a case, explaining how guilty he felt that I hadn't been given the dream wedding he thought I deserved the first time around. He said that he'd always planned for us to have a proper ceremony where he could shout his love for me for all the world to hear. I could hardly believe this was the same man I'd met all those years ago. In the end, we agreed to a wedding that included the traditional Luna oath as part of the ceremony, effectively killing two birds with one stone. Now the day is finally here, I am thankful and thrilled he's put as much effort into this for me. He's gone above and beyond to make me feel special. The pack house and grounds have been completely transformed. I'd decided on a fall wedding with a fall color palette. I wasn't much of a party planner, but apparently, Jada, Enzi's mother

**** Alyssa **** As Dara stares at Uncle Simon, the room falls deathly silent. Simon, however, is staring out the side window, clearly lost in thought, oblivious to the significance of this moment. Then, I see his nose twitch and eyebrows crease. When his eyes scroll the room and finally land on Dara, his mouth drops open in shock. Oh, Goddess. No, this can't be happening. I want them both to be happy, but this is too much for him, given everything he's gone through in the last couple of days. Jamie said Simon had been understandably isolating himself, clearly depressed. On the other hand, Dara has wanted a mate for so long. She's the fairytale type. The type that always believed her prince charming would find her one day and sweep her off her feet. Instead, Uncle Simon has just been betrayed by the woman he loved for a decade and is facing running a pack and raising a baby and a toddler while grieving. His present circumstances are way more stressful than when he took over from my

**** Alyssa **** "Hey, Alyssa, sorry to disappoint you. It's just me: Jayvon." "What's wrong? Can I talk to Enzi? Why are you calling Adrian from Enzi's phone? What happened?" I don't know why, but I am suddenly sure that something must be going on. "He's fine. Well, not exactly fine. He was injured, but he's healing, and he will be 100% soon," Jayvon explains, very poorly, I might add. "Let me talk to him… I need to hear his voice," damn, did I just actually say that? "Well, the thing is, it's his voice that's injured. He is currently unable to speak. Which is refreshing," Jayvon grunts, and I laugh in spite of my worries. It sounds like an irritated Alpha might have just whacked him. And if that is the case, he can't be too sick. "I'm switching to facetime. He wants to see you," Jayvon says. A minute later, the screen shows Enzi lying in a hospital bed, much like mine. I have accepted his video but have yet to turn mine on. Reason being that he'll demand to know why I'm in a ho

**** Enzi **** The last thing I remembered was Simon and the hospital floor. Now I am in a fracking wildflower meadow. What the hell? How is Simon? My mate! Oh, holy Goddess, my mate! "She's fine. Or she will be." I turn toward the calming, musical voice and see a gorgeous woman with silvery blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. I recognize her immediately. Three and a half years ago, I dreamed of this woman, and she told me to go to the ball where I met Alyssa. When I recounted that dream to my mother, she was convinced I'd met the Moon Goddess, and at the time, I wasn't, but now I am. Of course, it's rare, but in every generation, a few people claim to have met her. It's why our belief remains so strong. "You're the Moon Goddess!" I feel an unusual sense of panic. That's definitely not a familiar feeling for me, except when my mate is concerned. But here I am in the presence of a literal God; that, or Doctor Dan has given me some good drugs today. "Yes, my child. Though, I go by m

**** Enzi **** In total, the labor was about two hours. I tried to ignore it, but with shifter hearing, it was hard not to hear the doctor's orders to push. I heard that humans often experience a whole day of labor, and I'm glad our Moon Goddess was kinder to shifter women. I've visited plenty of the packs' new moms here in this very hospital to know that the shifter labor can be anything between 1 and 5 hours. "She's had the baby." Simon's voice interrupts my thoughts, and I promptly leap to my feet. Usually, I would say congratulations, but that doesn't seem to fit this situation. "Girl? Boy?" They had wanted to be surprised this time around. "A girl. She wanted a girl," Simon says with obvious sadness. "Healthy, I assume?" "Yes. She's perfect." "And Carin?" I ask.. "She'll be healed by morning," he shrugs. Good. We still have questions. I pat Simon on the shoulder. I don't know if there are any words to heal his broken heart right now, and I've never really been good at

**** Alyssa **** "What about my friends?" I question, trying to sound calm, but I know I've just snapped, and I am well aware that my voice sounds higher-pitched than usual. "Oh, they are fine; everything is fine. Don't worry. I was going to tell you what we learned," he hastily says, obviously sensing my rising panic. "You could have started with that," I flop into the armchair and dangle my legs over the side, feeling slightly annoyed but definitely relieved. "Carin was right about my father taking Marc and Dara's pack and killing their father," he says. I had a feeling she wasn't lying about that. I suck in a breath, "How are they?" My voice is tight and whispery. I wish I could be there for them both. What a crappy way to learn about the father you never knew. "Well, I was just a baby when it happened, so I don't know much other than the basic facts as reported to me. We have a few old warriors in the pack we've been able to talk to. We've confirmed; theirs was one of the

Kelton stands frozen, but his eyes betray him. They speak volumes—regret, shame, and, strangely enough, fear. That can’t be right, can it? Fear. Shame. Regret. None of it fits the man I know.Reach into the bond. Maya’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts, sharp with irritation. My head throbs faintly from the force of her emotion, but I sense her frustration isn’t aimed at Kelton. It’s me. What did I do? The knot in my chest tightens, confusion twisting into hurt. Relationships are hard.Still, I obey. I close my eyes and focus, reaching inward for the bond that connects us. It’s difficult to describe—like chasing a glowing thread, spun from golden, wispy light. It’s intangible, impossible to truly grasp, but in my mind, I see it clearly. This thread, delicate yet unbreakable, ties our souls together. Pure magic. When I find it, I feel it, and somehow, I follow it.Outwardly, Kelton remains a picture of perfect composure: calm, controlled, and utterly unreadable. Usually. But th

And just like that the spell I’d been under for the last few months broke. It felt like all the self-confidence I’d built crumbled like a house of cards.He was just like my dad, my brother, and my mother: fickle, casually cruel.Before I even realized I was moving, I’d slammed the door behind me. The sound echoed in the quiet hallway, louder than expected. I didn’t stop to see if Kelton had followed— I couldn’t. My chest felt tight, my thoughts a chaotic mess of disbelief and hurt.How could he say that?Give him a chance, Maya stated.You’re supposed to be on my side! Maya had always been more adventurous and more extroverted than me, but we were still a pair. Our souls were joined. Not in the same way as the mate bond.My breath hitched in my throat as I wandered. It felt like I was choking on his words, on Maya’s betrayal, on my lack of oxygen. Everything.Lara, Maya’s voice was both scolding and hurt. I couldn’t deal with her emotional blackmail. I blocked her out, just like I bl

*** Lara ***Finally, everyone filed out of Tony’s office. “Hattie, would you lead Lara to our room for me, please?”My heart rate kicked up. Kelton usually called me darling. Was he distancing himself from me for his son’s sake? I mean, that made sense, we didn’t want to rub our bond in his face, but it still hurt.No, stop it, Lara. You are letting your ingrained insecurities rule you again.Kelton pulled me close and dropped a sweet kiss on my forehead, “I'll be right behind you, Darling.” Oh good, I was darling again. “I just want a quick word with my boy.”Awww, his boy. This man was so sweet. Even if said boy was a grown up man.“Of course.” Some time and space to set my head straight was a good idea anyway. I couldn’t keep reading into things and panicking like I had been all day today. I’d give myself a damn aneurysm.With the way you grew up, it’s understandable that you’re worried, Lara. Things have been going so wonderfully with Kelton that you’re paranoid something will go

Once I’d apologized to Tony for how I treated him, though not quite as many times as he’d apologized to me, the awkward tension in the room began to abate – slightly. There was still so much to unpack but it definitely felt like the worst was over. I no longer felt like I was single handedly responsible for destroying every one of Tony’s relationships.Finally, Kelton, who had been quiet for most of the meeting, spoke again. I had to give the man credit for his self control. Most mates would have interjected if their mate was facing off with an alpha, especially a perceived rival.Maturity for the win, Maya happily sighed.“I think we’ve accomplished a lot here tonight. It was hard for all of us, I’m sure. Anthony, I’m sorry Tony, I am still getting used to your name change. You’ve always been Anthony to me. I’m trying to respect your wishes. Old habits are hard to break. I wish we could have figured this mess out somewhere neutral, so we could have avoided the incident in the rec roo

*** Lara ***“Who would like to speak first?” Kelton asked, his voice a mask of calm. Yet, I could feel a palpable tension vibrating through our bond—a tension he surely felt from me as well.After a brief pause, it was evident that no one would voluntarily answer his question as the silence persisted. Every word I had uttered in the past half-hour seemed so incorrect, overly confrontational, overly defensive. I was determined to remain silent for now. In fact, I avoided even making eye contact with anyone, which explained my intense interest in the wood grain patterns of his desk. I doubted I could bear seeing any disapproval in any one of their expressions.“You said your mate was a slut and an omega,” Kilani growled, as if she just remembered it.Oh, hell no!“That’s how you described me?” I snapped, anger blazing in my eyes, finally looking straight at him. What a mega bastard. Damn it, so much for keeping my mouth shut.“I was angry and embarrassed about the rejection. I know tha

*** Tony ***F@ck, it’s her. A few months ago I would not have thought it possible to die from anxiety and happiness simultaneously, but for the second time in less than six months I thought my heart might literally explode.She found me.My mate.For the last few months, I’d fallen asleep every night swamped with chaotic mixed feelings. Prominent among them was regret. The mental image of that goddess as she moved on the dance floor, completely content to be alone, was burned into my brain. Unlike every other woman I’ve ever come across, she wasn’t trying to capture my attention, the alpha’s attention. I knew I was decent looking. I was also the strongest in my pack. But I wasn’t naive enough to think it was those qualities women wanted me for. In my experience, it was about my money and position rather than me. No, my goddess of a mate was effortlessly appealing. And since I'd never seen her before and she hadn’t even spotted me yet, she had no idea who I was. She wasn’t here lookin