“Honey, I’m just saying. It would be natural if you did. I would never think less of you, you know that. No matter what you choose, you’ll always have me on the sidelines, cheering you on.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” Sometimes my mom could be downright sappy. There was a time and a place for sap, and this wasn’t it. “I should probably go. I’ve been napping and…”
“And you want to go ogle the boys. I understand.” Before I could say she was wrong, Sarah added, “Call me later. I want every detail, okay? Every detail, even if it’s too much information. I love you, honey.”
Still incredulous of what my mom had said, I barely managed to squeak out an “I love you” and a “Bye” before hanging up.
Sarah was wrong. I wasn’t going to ogle any of the guys here, even if they were drop-dead gorgeous and more model-worthy than anyone I’d ever seen. Yes, my body might’ve felt some strange things for Maze and Dylan, but what straight girl wouldn’t? They were cute, funny—the one was a little awkward, but adorable anyway, and…
No. I wasn’t going to start a list for why any girl would like them, because doing so would only make me like them more. I was practically twenty years old. I wasn’t a hormonal teenager. I could control myself here, couldn’t I?
I’d have to.
Chapter Eleven – Addie
After leaving my phone plugged in—it seriously needed a charge—I slowly crept down the stairs. Even without super wolf hearing, I was able to overhear an argument happening in the living room. Somebody was angry, a new voice not belonging to either Maze or Dylan.
Perhaps it belonged to the infamous Landon? The third guy in this house and my third chosen mate? I would never get used to thinking that. Never.
“She wants to go? Let her fucking go. We don’t need the drama a girl will bring—”
“She told me she’d give it a few more days.” This one had to be Dylan, though his voice sounded exactly like Maze’s, so I couldn’t be totally sure.
A third, sarcastic voice quipped, “So let’s all do our best not to seem like assholes, yeah? Not that I’m pointing any fingers, but—”
There was silence for a moment until the first voice angrily muttered, “If you keep pointing that finger at me, I’ll break it off.”
I paused on the steps, about halfway down. A little rough? So far, Landon seemed like a jerk through and through. No way I’d have the same problem with him as I did with Maze and Dylan. Jerks were not my cup of tea.
I didn’t really like tea in general. Same with jerks.
“Simmer down there, buddy,” Maze said. “You’ll probably wake her up with all that yelling.”
“I. Am. Not. Yelling,” Landon said, very much trying not to yell. Maybe their argument had caused them to not hear me creeping down the stairs. I would have smiled, had the situation been different. Say, had I not been promised like some Middle Age maiden to strangers. At least those women only had one stranger to deal with; I had three. “I refuse to fall over myself like you two. Like pups.”
“Hey,” Maze sounded offended, “who are you calling a pup?”
“I thought it was clear. You.”
Dylan interjected, the calmest of the bunch, “Let’s not rile ourselves up further—”
I knew I could probably stay where I was and overhear more, but it felt intrusive and sneaky. Puffing myself up, I made sure to make lots of noise as I finished my walk down the stairs. They heard me almost instantly, their argument quieting.
When I rounded the corner and walked into the living room, I said, “Oh, please. Don’t stop bickering on my account. Continue. Let me see how things really are here. I don’t like things sugarcoated.” I planned on saying more, but as I gazed at the three shifters, any further words were frozen.
The twins stood next to each other, almost identical. Both were so cute I was at a loss for words. So much for not letting my hormones take over. They were…undeniably handsome, their bodies muscular and their looks almost perfectly disheveled.
Facing the twins was a third shifter, the tallest of the bunch. Brown, shaggy hair covering a set of bright blue eyes, a handsome face whose expression of anger only downplayed his looks a little. Muscles upon muscles beneath a tight white shirt and pants that hugged his other, lower features snugly.
God, when was I the kind of girl who noticed those things?
Landon studied me, his eyes falling to my feet, traveling upward in a slow, agonizing pace. His face gave nothing away, still looking utterly pissed off. “This is her?” he asked, to which the twins only nodded and smiled at me. His legs brought him closer to me, and I braced myself for whatever he would say or do next.
The look he gave me…it was the furthest from nice a look could possibly be.
The shifter scoffed and shook his head. Landon looked downright annoyed at my presence, not intrigued or curious in the least. “She isn’t even that pretty.” He pushed past me, bumping into my shoulder as he went for the door, slamming it on his way out.
I slowly brought my gaze to Dylan and Maze. I wasn’t exactly hurt by what Landon said…more like aggravated. Who did he think he was? Judging me. He had no right to be such a jerk.
“Sorry about him,” Maze spoke, grinning. “He’s an ass, but he’s our ass.” Beside him, Dylan nodded in agreement. “And don’t believe a word he says. You’re beautiful.” For once, the shifter was completely serious, and it made me blush, in spite of myself.
The only other person who’d ever called me beautiful before was my mom, and I didn’t count. Mothers had to say that about their daughters, didn’t they?
“Dylan told me what happened,” Maze added, glancing to his twin. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you at your mother’s house but, you know, we kind of figured you wouldn’t want to come if you knew. Well, Henry decided it. I went along with it because he’s an elder of the pack and I pretty much have to agree with anything he says.”
“I don’t care about Henry,” I said, the understatement of the year. I hated the man, especially his haughty, I’m-better-than-everyone attitude. “You should’ve told me the whole truth. Lying to me is not the best way to get me to stay here with you, it should go without saying.” I crossed my arms, trying to look mad. And I was mad, I just…felt less and less upset the longer I stared at the twins.
Weird. Almost like they held some power over me.
“I’m sorry,” Maze said, stepping closer to me. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” He grinned, dimples appearing on his cheeks. “Anything I can say or preferably do to convince you that you belong here with us?”
I laughed. “With the three of you?”
“Well, I meant the pack, but yes, the three of us, too.” Maze continued to smile, and I felt my stern attitude melting at a rapid pace. I couldn’t let the shifter’s good looks influence my decision, even if I wanted to kiss those dimples off his cheeks.
Whoa. Where the heck did that thought come from?
Before I could even formulate a response, a quick knock bounced on the front door. The three of us turned to look, and I felt my mood souring. Henry walked in, wearing a suit. The old man looked ridiculous and stuffy, and I hated him even more. He must’ve showered, for his grey hair was slicked back and wet, his goatee freshly trimmed.
“Henry,” Maze spoke first, “if it isn’t our favorite elder.”
Henry shot him a glare. “Be lucky I’m not here for you right now, Maze.” He added in a harsh mumble, “I’ve had enough of your ceaseless chitchat.” His hazel stare moved to me. “Change into the nicest clothes you’ve brought.” He spoke it as an order, as if he was the boss of me, like he could freely tell me what to do.
As if.
I wanted to tell him to stuff it, but I knew it wouldn’t be nice. As I bristled and tried to think of something to say, Dylan spoke, moving beside me, “She looks good now, I think.”
I wanted to tell both Maze and Dylan I was more than capable of holding my own against Henry, but
I kind of liked having them at my side. It was something I shouldn’t get used to.
“The pup could at least shower.” Henry turned up his nose at me. “She smells like she’s been marinating in a warm car all day. Not the best first impression to give to her new pack.” A cold smile formed on his wrinkled mouth. “Wolves have a better sense of smell, you know. Once you’ve shifted, you’ll see.”
Just for that, I wasn’t going to shower. I might not shower the entire time I was here, for however long it turned out to be. All for Henry, to make him miserable. A worthy goal, I thought.
“I think I’m fine,” I said.
As it turned out, Henry wanted me to bathe and look nice because I was to meet the entire pack tonight. Dozens of shifters had already gathered in the park before we arrived, and I could smell the scent of barbeque filling the air. A cookout. Hotdogs and hamburgers. Seemed a human thing to do, but I wasn’t about to complain. I didn’t want to eat raw deer or whatever it was wolves ate.
The shifters there stared at me, and I thought about ignoring them, but what would be the point? So I stared right back, figuring it was rude to stare no matter what society we were in. Human, shifter. There were just some things you didn’t do.
Dylan, Maze, and I walked behind Henry, who led them to a table where a bunch of old men sat, wearing nicer clothes, chuckling at whatever story was being told. Henry sat on the end, and I couldn’t help but notice there were hardly any women in the pack over fifty.
Did they die? Did they not live as long? Did they—
“My granddaughter, Adeline,” Henry introduced me with a harrumph.
“Looks like her mother,” one of them spoke, his wrinkled gaze zeroing on me, judging me for what Sarah had done.
Another said, “And her father, the bastard.”
Well, wasn’t that nice?
Henry looked around. “I don’t see Landon. Where is he?” He ground his teeth, shooting his glare at Maze. “Find him. Make sure he’s here before Forest arrives.” As Maze nodded and wandered off, tossing me an apologetic glance, the old man turned to Dylan. “Introduce her to who you can. Forest will do the big introduction, but we need Landon for that.”
I was about to ask why Landon needed to be present—because I never agreed to become their mate—but Dylan grabbed my hand and led me away from the table of elders. Also known as old men who thought they knew everything. Old men, though there was one in particular, who I wanted to punch, and normally I wasn’t a violent person, floating book aside.
“Despite what everyone says,” Dylan remarked, bringing me away from the group, from the park and the delicious smelling food, “we don’t have to listen to what the elders say. Maze is just a suck-up, since he constantly gets himself into trouble.”
As he led me to the lake, I could only focus on one thing: his hand, how it felt wrapped around mine. I was losing my mind the more time I spent with him. I hated it. Mostly hated it.
Okay, a teeny part of me might’ve liked it, but probably because I’d never held hands with anyone before. It was kind of nice.
“You can be introduced to everyone later, if you want,” Dylan said, walking us to the nearest dock. “I figured you might have some questions.” When I said nothing, he blinked behind his glasses. “Unless you want to meet everyone now?”
I chuckled softly. “No, no. I’m fine right here.” We stood at the edge of the dock, more than twenty feet out over the lake. Below the wood, the water was crystal clear, small fish swimming under the boards. The lake’s bottom was made mostly of rocks, though I still couldn’t tell how deep it was. “Are all these people shifters? How big is this pack?”
“Total, I think we’re near two hundred.” Based on a quick count as we’d come through the park, I realized only a quarter or so of the pack was there. Wow. “And no, some of them are human.”
“I thought you didn’t let humans stay here?”
“Some males got permission to mate with humans. They brought them in, hoping their kids will turn out to be shifters. Half are, half aren’t.”
“Out of all the women, how many are shifters?”
Dylan shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe ten? Fifteen? Forest keeps a strict count, but it’s not something I pay much attention to.”
I rose my eyebrows, turning to him. “Why? Because you knew you’d have me?”
“Honestly, I thought I’d never get to meet you. I didn’t think Maze and Henry would be able to bring you back.” Dylan let my hand go, which allowed me to kneel at the edge of the dock. “Henry looked for you for years, and the way he talks, it’s like…”
I stared at my reflection, almost a perfect mirroring of my pale face, my green eyes, and my brown hair. I knew exactly what Dylan was trying to say. Getting back to my feet, I said, “It’s like he thinks he owns me, has the right to control me.”
Dylan nodded once. “I’m worried he’ll…use extraordinary means to keep you here.”
“Do you think I should be worried?”
“No. If anything, I’ll talk to Forest about it. If anyone can keep Henry in line, it’s him. Elder or not, he’s the alpha. Whatever he says, Henry will have no choice but to listen.”
The word of the alpha was not law though, I knew. More like a guideline.
I no longer wanted to talk about my grandfather, so I changed the subject. “What do you guys do all day? Do you have jobs? How does this place get money?” Some useless questions, but at least they would get my mind off of Henry and pack life. The latter didn’t seem too bad, even if I was an outsider.
“Some of us go into town for jobs. We pool our resources. Forest makes it work.” Dylan chuckled. “Being alpha is a lot more than keeping the pack controlled—at least today it is.”
“And Forest…” I trailed off. Forest was the alpha, and I assumed the same alpha my mom was supposed to be with. Would he hate me because Sarah had run away? Would he take my mom’s actions out on me? “What kind of man is he? I know my mom was supposed to be his.”
I would never say Sarah was supposed to be his mate. The words would feel gross coming out, and probably sound even worse.
Dylan knew what I meant. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, sticking its length straight up. Messy hair was cute hair—another thought I never had before today. These freaking wolves would kill me at this rate. “You’re worried he’ll take it out on you.”
I lifted my shoulders, dropping them instantly. It was a valid concern, wasn’t it? Sarah had screwed him over, especially if female shifters were so rare.
“Forest isn’t like that. I don’t know what you’re expecting from him—maybe you have some preconceived notions because he’s the alpha—but he isn’t what you think. He cares for everyone, takes care of all of us equally. He’s a good man, and a better wolf. We’ve…been having rough times lately. I think what your mother did to him all those years ago is the last thing on his mind.”
Rough times? It was not the first I’d heard of it, for Maze had mentioned the pack had lost some of its members.
I tilted my head, asking, “What kind of rough times?” Was I walking into the middle of a pack war? Was there a disease going around only wolves could catch?
What else were these shifters keeping from me?
Dylan coughed, awkwardly looking away. “Sorry, I—I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place to—” Before he could say anything else, and before I could pry it from him, Maze ran up to them, slightly out of breath.
“Landon’s scent…it’s gone,” Maze said.
“What do you mean it’s gone?” Dylan asked. “Scents don’t disappear, not that fast. He has to be—”
“He’s not here,” Maze spoke slowly. “I followed his scent into the woods and then…nothing. It was like he vanished or something.” The concern was evident in his voice, and even though Landon had acted like a jerk, I felt bad, mostly for the two worried wolves before me.
“Maybe he ran away because he didn’t like me,” I mumbled, rememb
ering how Dylan had called him a lone wolf. Still, how would he make his scent disappear? A scent was not something someone could control. It didn’t make much sense, not that I knew everything there was to know about shifters. I was the farthest thing from an expert.
“No,” Maze quickly spoke, “he wouldn’t do that. He didn’t mean what he said. He’s just…Landon.” To Dylan, he said, “We need to find him.”
Nodding, Dylan said, “We need to tell Forest, first. He should know, if Landon’s really gone.”
“I’m telling you, he is. I was tracking his scent, saw his footprints, and then nothing.”
Dylan, ever the logical one, spoke, “Since you’re the one who saw it, you should tell Forest. I’ll let Henry know. There won’t be any party while another member of our pack is missing.” The brothers gave a firm nod to each other, both of them heading off the dock, leaving me to wonder just what they were talking about.
And then it hit me.
Another member missing.
Landon wasn’t the first.
Chapter Twelve – Addie
I trailed after Maze, not wanting to spend any more time with Henry than I had to. Just because the man was my grandfather did not mean I owed him anything. He was the jerkiest of jerks, and if Dylan was worried he’d try something fishy to keep me here, well, it made me a little worried.
Right now, though, I was concerned about Landon. Not about him as a person or a wolf, but the stress and the anxiety his disappearance gave Maze and Dylan. The brothers seemed to care for him a great deal, which either meant the packbond was stronger than I thought—because who could like such a douche—or maybe Landon wasn’t as awful as he seemed.
Considering my current predicament, I wasn’t feeling very generous when it came to my impression of Landon. He would remain a douche in my eyes until he proved otherwise. And insulting my looks and storming away like a child, like a fifth-grade boy? The shifter had a lot to make up for, not that I would stick around for it.
“What did Dylan mean by another member of the pack is missing?” I chased after him, walking around the park, on the outskirts of the crowd. Most were busy eating and laughing, too oblivious to know something was wrong. Or maybe they chose to be oblivious, because how ignorant could wolves really be? They were all pack-this and pack-that.
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