Undying: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (Crystal Lake Pack Book 2)

by Candace Wondrak

  Like what? Did her mother think she threw herself at Forest?

  “I didn’t do anything,” Addie cut in. “I didn’t—”

  “I heard,” Sarah said. “We all heard. Shifters have good hearing. You know this. Everyone in that house heard. You didn’t deny him once, didn’t try to stop him at all—do you have any idea how it’s going to make your other mates feel? Did you think about them once while you were getting dirty with the alpha?” She was practically screaming at her now, something she’d never done.

  The intensity of her mother’s voice, not to mention the hard truths she said, nearly brought tears to her eyes. Addie said, “I didn’t—”

  But her mother would let her get no words in, edgewise. “That’s right. You didn’t. You didn’t think at all. You just let him touch you like that, talk to you like that, like some kind of two-bit slut.”

  Addie blinked, shocked. The tears were too far near, and after that last word, she could no longer deny them. Her mother had never used such language before, and had never let her say that word, either. It was demeaning, a man’s word used to put women down for their choices.

  So everyone could have their sexual liberties except her?

  Sarah instantly cooled down, quickly saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that—”

  But Addie had enough. “No,” she bit back, “no, I think you did. Sorry, Mom, we can’t all run off on our mates and find true love with a high freaking warlock! Sorry I can’t be just like you. Sorry I chose the pack over you.”

  “Honey, I didn’t—”

  No. She didn’t get to act repentant. She didn’t get to change tunes so fast. Sarah had brought this on herself, and Addie was too upset to stop.

  Tears rolled down her face, pent up emotion she could not hide. “You did. Don’t lie to me, Mom. It’s not flattering. Don’t be mad at me because I want the life you hated and don’t you dare judge me for what I did. You might not be able to see it, but Forest is a good guy. He doesn’t deserve any of this—none of them do. So yell at me all you want, but it’s not going to change anything. It’s just going to make me want to drop my phone in the lake and never talk to you again.”

  God, okay. That was a bit too far, wasn’t it? Addie had never fought with her mother before, and she instantly regretted the words the moment they were spoken.

  Sarah sighed, exhaling a giant, sorrowful breath. “I hope, for all our sakes, honey, you make the right decision here.” She turned her head upwards, at the blackened sky. The moon hung overhead, illuminating the world in a silver glow. “Even if you didn’t have the others, he would still be too old for you. It’d be like coming home from college with a professor as your boyfriend.”

  Did her mother not realize these things happened sometimes? Granted, Addie wasn’t trying to make excuses, and she knew she’d regret it, but what was done was done. She couldn’t change the past.

  “Either way,” Addie spoke slowly, drawing her gaze to her mother’s hazel stare, “it doesn’t matter. I’m going to Clay before sunrise, and I might not come back.” Listen to her, talking about her own death as if it was a normal, everyday occurrence.

  Man, it sucked.

  Sarah inhaled, looking like she wanted to argue, but she said nothing. She only shook her head and went inside, leaving Addie to wonder just what she planned on saying. Addie knew it was stupid to go, but it was their only option. A levitation spell wouldn’t be nearly enough to defeat Clay. She was foolish for even wasting her time.

  The skeleton in the road seemed to watch her, and Addie wondered what Clay would do to her once he had her. Would he cut her open? Experiment on her blood? Or were the secrets he wanted still locked up in her mind?

  She heard the door open again, and she was about to whirl on her mother and demand to know what else could be said when she saw it wasn’t Sarah. It was someone else she really, really didn’t want to talk to right now.

  Landon.

  He was busy running a hand through his light brown hair, glancing at the skeleton on the road as he moved beside her. Addie fought the involuntary urge to step away from him, both because of their last encounter and what she’d just done with Forest upstairs. She didn’t need to get into another shouting match right now.

  “Go away, Landon,” Addie hissed, wiping away the tears that had fallen.

  “Wish I could, but for some reason, I want to be out here, with you.”

  Her eyes rolled of their own accord. She remembered his drinks; the wolf was probably drunk. “I just want to be alone,” she said.

  “Then I’ll stay out here with you, even if you’re an ass.”

  “I’m the ass?” she echoed, turning to face him. “You’re the ass!”

  Landon tilted his head, debating. “I don’t think I am, no.”

  “Do you even remember the first words you said to me?”

  Nodding once, he said, “I do. You’re not even that pretty. From what I recall, we talked about it before. I would recreate it for you, but maybe you got what you needed from Forest.” A half smirk, half sneer grew on his face as he let his words sink in.

  “You…” Addie couldn’t say anything else. She groaned, spinning to head to the door, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her back. She sent a glare his way. “Are you drunk? Why do you have to be such an ass?” No matter how she pulled, he would not release her arm.

  “I’m not drunk,” he said, moving her so that her backside was against the porch’s railing. “Trust me, Addie, it takes a lot more to affect me.”

  “Oh, good for you,” she spat, finally realizing he had her cornered. “What are you doing?”

  “Giving you what Forest couldn’t, since your mother interrupted.”

  She swatted at his chest. “Don’t you dare, Landon.”

  “What? I’m only thinking of you—”

  “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t…” Addie stopped her stumbling when she locked eyes with him. He wasn’t mad. An ass and a jerk, but not mad. Unamused at her apparently unwitty retorts, but definitely not mad about the whole Forest thing. Landon had been the one to call her naive.

  What Caitlin said at the funeral…was all of it about Forest?

  Landon studied her. “Your mom’s just trying to look out for you. I’m kind of jealous. Before Forest, I never had anyone to look out for me. She wants what’s best for you—and she thinks that’s being away from us. But she’s wrong. You belong here, with us.”

  She swallowed, unable to speak. Whatever words could find their way to her tongue would not be enough. This night was the night from hell, but these guys made it better. Even the asshole was on his best behavior.

  “I’m not upset,” he whispered, his hands curling around the railing on either side of her. “Not about that. Forest should be happy. The man deserves it, and if you’re the one, well. Who are any of us to say no?”

  So, because Forest was their alpha, were they only bowing to his authority? She had to clarify, “But—”

  “You’re right, there is a but. I’m not mad about that, but I am mad that you think marching into danger is our only option. If you think any of us will let you go, you have another thing coming. None of us will let you go.”

  His words might’ve been sweet, but all she could hear right now was the controlling part.

  “You can’t stop me,” she said, gazing into his blue eyes. They were a shade different from Forest’s, but beautiful all the same. She wouldn’t let this soft side of Landon control her or bend her will.

  Landon suddenly grabbed her face, tilting her head, his fingers grazing her earlobes, rough on her cheeks. “I will tie you to this house before I let you go. I will chain you to a bed if I have to—”

  Addie rose her eyebrows.

  “—any bed you want. Mine, Maze’s, Dylan’s, Forest’s. I don’t care. Now that you’re here, you’re stupid if you think any of us are going to let you go.”

  Smiling into his hands, which still held onto her cheeks as if life itself depe
nded on it, she said, “It’s not that simple, Landon. I have to, otherwise you’ll all die—and I don’t want any of you to die, especially because of me.”

  “It almost sounds like you care about us,” Landon spoke, his smirking sneer becoming a full-blown smile.

  “Funny, I was just going to say the same about you,” she whispered.

  “What can I say?” he asked, leaning down. “Ever since you found me in that cabin, I can’t stop thinking about you. You saved me, Addie. Why can’t you let us save you?” Landon said nothing more, because his mouth was suddenly occupied with hers.

  Hungry and heated, he kissed her harder and faster than the others. There was no hesitation behind his lips, no easing into the kiss. It was all or nothing, and though he caught Addie off-guard, she was ready. She kissed him back, drawing her hands along him, holding herself closer to him, the world around them fading to black.

  Nothing else mattered, not in this moment.

  Her stomach burned, her wolf practically doing somersaults. Her wolf wanted more, more, more, and at this rate, Addie was going to give it to her.

  Eventually.

  Though it was far too soon, Addie pulled away from him. Her gaze lingered on his mouth, and she unconsciously ran her tongue over her bottom lip, aware he watched her do it. She must drive him as crazy as he drove her, in both a good and a bad way.

  He must’ve gotten the hint though, for he grabbed her hand, marching them both back into the house. She sat on the couch as Landon went to gather the others. Maze and Dylan filed in, each sitting on opposite sides of her. Landon perched himself on the armrest of the couch while her mother leaned on the wall facing her, her arms crossed.

  It would be her usual stance from now on, apparently.

  The last one to walk into the room was Forest. He still wore his dress pants, Addie noticed, but a loose tee hung on his torso. Around his neck, she spotted a white bandage. Huh. Maybe offering to help him was a mistake after all—just as she thought this, their gazes locked, and all those thoughts flew out of her mind the moment she remembered being between his body and the door frame. It was the very opposite of bad.

  If anything, it had felt too good. So good she’d lost all her senses. And it didn’t matter what Landon said, what any of them said. Addie should’ve stopped him; her mother was right. But she did not stop him, and now she would have to live with the consequences.

  “So,” Maze broke the silence of the room, “this isn’t awkward at all, right?” When no one answered him, when no one even glanced his way, he muttered, “You guys are just making it worse.”

  Addie tore her gaze from Forest, her eyes landing on her lap. What was she to do? She could not deny what happened, but ruminating on it over and over in the short amount of time she had left was not her plan.

  Unable to not be the center of attention, Maze leapt to his feet, stalking to the center of the room, standing between Addie on the couch and Forest, who sulked by the window. “Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room—and I don’t mean you, Landon.” He cracked a dimpled grin as Landon sent a scowl his way.

  Maze carried on, “We all know what went on upstairs. Yes, it’s kind of creepy, because he was supposed to be Sarah’s mate. Yes, it’s a bit weird because he’s like a decade older than her.” His words earned him a glare from both Addie and Sarah, though Sarah almost instantly moved her glare back to Forest.

  “Maze,” Forest scolded him, “what is your point? This isn’t…this is not an appropriate conversation, given the situation we find ourselves in.” As if to prove his point, he glanced over his shoulder, out the window, at the skeleton waiting outside.

  “I think we better have it,” Maze said, glancing to Addie, “because it might be our only chance, with the deathwish our mate has.”

  If there was ever a time to curl up and pretend she didn’t exist, it was now.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Our.

  Though Addie wanted to curl up and die from the sheer amount of embarrassment she felt, she also couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by the word. Was he referring to his brother and Landon, or was it a general statement, encompassing Forest too? Either way, it didn’t matter, because she knew what she had to do.

  The problem was convincing her guys to go along with it.

  As for Forest? He was one problem she didn’t want to deal with right now. Thinking about what almost happened upstairs would only make her lose her resolve.

  Addie unconsciously brought a hand to her neck, rubbing her fingers along the left side of her throat, the side Forest had showered with his lips, which were softer than his rough hands would imply. Her skin tingled in remembrance, and she let out a short breath as a similar tingling feeling rose in other places on her body.

  Lifting her gaze from her lap, she felt the stare before she saw it. Forest was looking at her, watching her touch her neck, as if he knew exactly what was on her mind. It didn’t take a rocket scientist. Everyone in the room probably knew, but it didn’t make his gaze any less heavy and intense.

  Her hand dropped from her neck as she said, “I have to go.”

  Maze, still standing in the center of the living room, frowned at her. It was an expression that did not fit with his normal demeanor. The frown looked silly on his face. “No,” he said, as if he could ban her, forbid her from doing what she had to do. “No. None of us are going to let you walk out that door.”

  “Then what?” Addie glanced to her other mates, looked at her mother, who was still busy scowling at Forest. Forest was easily able to ignore Sarah, though, keeping his knowing blue gaze on her. “Then we just sit here and wait to die? I’m not going to let twenty-four shifters become…however many are here. I won’t.”

  “And what if you go,” Dylan spoke hesitantly, “and Clay still attacks the town anyway? Your…sacrifice would be for nothing.” Next to him, Landon nodded, still balancing on the couch’s armrest.

  “It’s better than doing nothing, isn’t it?” Addie asked. “I still don’t know how my magic works, and the only thing I can do is levitate a book—and I can’t even control it. You saw all the books in the wall—”

  Forest creased his eyebrows. “What?”

  Right. The alpha hadn’t seen the destruction she’d wrought with Dylan’s books. After tonight, it wouldn’t matter so much.

  “All we know is Clay wants me. Going to him is your best chance. Do research. Google death priests. My mom can help you guys with it. Do something, and maybe if he comes back, you’ll have a better chance at fighting him.”

  Jaw clenching, Landon muttered, “You’re talking like you’re already gone. If you think I’m above forcing you to stay, you’re wrong. I’m not above it, and I think the others would agree with me.”

  Finally, her mother spoke, slowly drawing her glare from Forest, “Honey, I know you think you’re making the right decision, but it’s stupid. Giving yourself to the enemy is one of the worst things you can do. If Clay has been stalking this pack for the last few years, kidnapping and killing shifters, imagine what he’ll do to you—”

  Addie jumped to her feet, crying, “You don’t think I know that, Mom? You don’t think I haven’t imagined all the possibilities? I know what he did. I know what he could do to me, but honestly, I don’t see any other options.” She seethed. “I know you guys don’t agree with me, and I know you’re the alpha, Forest, but I’m sorry. This is my decision.”

  Before anyone else could say anything that would only get her more upset, Addie moved around the coffee table, storming to the front door. The moment she flung herself outside, she breathed in deeply.

  Funny how even after all this, the air was clean.

  Three figures appeared behind her, one of them sighing as he said, “Thank God. We thought you ran off to be a hero.” Maze’s voice. Though he was totally serious, his voice still dripped his usual facetiousness.

  “Not yet,” she said.

  Addie stared at the skeleton in the road. Ha
nnah’s skeleton. Hannah’s voice. Was it why Forest had acted like that? Was he only hurting, wanting physical comfort? Did he not truly want her the same way she, against her better judgements, wanted him? She shouldn’t be thinking about it right now, because it didn’t matter anymore.

  Turning to her mates, she said, “I’m sorry, for all of it. For what I have to do, and for what I did upstairs.” She had a connection with Dylan, Landon, and Maze, and she never wanted to hurt them…although, none of them looked hurt. Upset at her, yes—but hurt? Not even a little.

  “Addie,” Maze spoke, glancing at his brother while Landon looked annoyed, “like I said, it’s a little weird, but if your wolves connected—”

  Oh, God. She had to stop him before he rambled on and made things worse.

  Without knowing what else to do, Addie leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. Yep. That shut him up instantly. It was a little strange to do it with an audience, though. Even stranger to pull back and see Maze grinning like an idiot, nudging both Dylan and Landon as he said, “See? Told you she likes me the best.”

  Landon groaned. “She was only doing that to shut you up, you know.”

  Addie turned to the tallest one, having to stand on her tiptoes to kiss him next. Landon—the grouch, the asshole, the jerk. His kiss was hungry and pleading, and when she leaned back, he grabbed her head and went in for a second helping.

  Eventually, he let her go, and Addie moved to Dylan, who watched her with a sadness behind his chocolate stare. “These are our goodbye kisses,” he whispered. “You really are going.” Disbelief, sorrow, utter melancholy. He showed these and more, all within the same look.

  She gave him a smile. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  A lie, one no one believed.

  But it was one she would not take back, even as she stepped closer to Dylan and pressed her lips against his. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, moving back to the foot of the porch. She had to go now, before her mother came up with some cockamamy excuse to keep her here, before anyone released Jack and used the chains on her. She wouldn’t put it past them. “Tell my mom I love her. I’m sorry for fighting with her.”