Evermore (Crystal Lake Pack Book 3), page 1
Evermore
Crystal Lake Pack: Book Three
Candace Wondrak
Copyright 2019 by Candace Wondrak
All Rights Reserved.
Cover by Lizzie over at Pixie Covers.
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Chapter One
The feeling that arose in Addie’s body when she was with her mates was one of sheer, utter ecstasy. One of the best feelings in the world, if not the best. She felt like she was floating sometimes, losing herself in the clouds, untouchable by gravity and whatever else tried to drag her down.
She would never leave their side. Never.
Her hands were tangled in Maze’s hair, forcing his lips to hers as their legs intertwined. They were atop the sheets in her room, rumpling them as they wrestled and exchanged heated passion with their mouths. He nipped at her bottom lip, sending shivers down her spine; he was always one to bite. Never hard enough to hurt, but just enough to make her squirm.
Making her squirm seemed to be one of his specialties.
His hands roamed over her, stopping in places she was sure no one had touched before. It didn’t matter, because she wanted him, needed more of him. All of him. Every part he was willing to give her, she would take and drink in greedily, and once she had it, she’d never return it. Maze, Dylan, and Landon—they were hers, and she would never give them up, not for anything. She couldn’t even remember her life before.
Addie broke their lip lock, gazing into his warm, brown eyes as she whispered, “I’m ready.” Two tiny words, and yet they meant the world, both to her and to him.
Of course Maze would not complain, because he was a guy, and even if she didn’t feel a certain hardness pressing against her thigh, she would know he wanted her. He told her every day, constantly. It was sickeningly sweet.
A dimpled smile broke out on his cute face, his ashy blonde hair falling slightly toward her. “Excuse me while I leap for joy—”
She giggled, grabbing the collar of his shirt. “You better not. The sight just might make me change my mind.” Addie loved to tease him, she’d found, mostly because his teasing and joking was incessant. He loved to chatter away, making fun of her, even if it annoyed her. At first she’d found him standoffish, a bit aggravating, but now? He’d grown on her like a fungus, except in a better way.
He sat up, working his torso out of his shirt in a manner a woman just could not do, by pulling it from behind his neck, up and off his body. Boobs got in the way of a lot of things, although according to her mates, hers were perfect.
As he worked to take off his pants, she let herself get lost in his muscles. He was only a few inches taller than her, nowhere near Landon’s height, but he more than made up for it with his sculpted form. A chiseled six-pack, an abdomen that was to die for. Pecs that were mostly flat, bulging only a little due to his muscle. Arms whose strength she knew firsthand, for they’d held her down and stopped her from squirming on many occasions.
Yes, Maze was attractive. Drool-worthy. Anyone with eyes could see it. Shifters as a whole were a more attractive species, physically and mentally, at least to her.
The instant he had his pants off, he was back on her, hungrily kissing her neck as he murmured, “It’s time for you to take off your clothes now.” She could feel him grinning against her as his hands worked their way up below her shirt, bunching the fabric as they went. Her jean jacket, this one a bright and lively purple, sat on the floor, already taken off before this make out session started.
Was she nervous as she let Maze help her out of her clothes? Yes, deathly so, but Addie was not about to let fear control her. She would grab the bull by the horns and ride this thing until the bull was worn out.
Maze being the bull in this analogy, and the horns being…well…okay. So maybe Addie wasn’t comfortable thinking that word, but still. The analogy was clear.
Once she laid there under him, totally bare, she couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. She didn’t feel as model-worthy as he was. Maybe growing up and staring at her own face in the mirror, let alone her own body, learning to hate its small imperfections like human society taught her, had warped her mind a bit. But the look Maze gave her, the clouded, lust-filled expression that replaced his grin, made her realize she was just as attractive to him as he was to her.
“You are,” he whispered, unable to look away from her body, “so beautiful. And sexy. So ridiculously sexy. I mentioned that, yeah?”
And, just like that, the normal Maze was back. But Addie would have it no other way.
“So sexy you make me lose control,” he spoke as he moved his mouth to her collarbone, nipping her gently.
Addie’s eyelids fluttered closed as she lost herself to his mouth. The air in the room was cool against her bare skin, but with his hands touching her, with his mouth moving lower, between her breasts, she was starting to grow warm. And then he moved his mouth to a nipple, and she practically lost it.
The sensation of his tongue swirling, flicking it, his teeth brushing against it softly, every part of it made her sigh out a moan. Why the hell didn’t she let him do this sooner? It felt amazing, like every single nerve ending was on fire, so pleasing it was near painful. She never wanted him to stop. The world could end around her, and she wouldn’t care so long as he kept his mouth attached to her in some way.
When he moved to shower her other nipple with affection, she turned her head, eyes peeking open just enough to gaze at the window. It was early morning, sunlight streaming through the clean glass, illuminating the room in a yellow, earthy hue. There was probably something the both of them should be doing around Crystal Lake, but she couldn’t think of it. His tongue and his mouth were all she could think about.
“Oh,” Maze muttered against her skin, pulling away from her just enough to add, “the others are going to be so jealous. Plus, Landon owes me chores for a week.” He went to kiss her, but she stopped him with a hand to the chest.
“Chores?” she asked, eyebrows furrowing.
“Did I say that out loud?”
“You did.”
“Well, I just meant that…you know, we might’ve had a little bet going—”
“Maze!” she cut in, scolding him. She didn’t need to hear any more, lest she change her mind about all of this—and she definitely didn’t want to do that. “I cannot believe you had a bet,” she muttered, unhappy.
He gave her a smile, instantly melting away her annoyance.
Rolling her eyes, she ran her hands up and around his neck and pulled him down, smashing her lips against his. This time, it was Addie who did the nipping, Addie whose tongue pushed into his mouth, Addie who arched her back and pressed their naked forms together. This drawn-out scene was taking too long. There was an aching feeling rising in her lower gut, something she knew only one thing could satisfy.
Maze. Inside of her.
A crazy concept, one she never thought she’d have. One that made her feel all womanly and stuff.
As she kissed him, she spread her legs; the universal welcome sign. If she had to get a glowing, flashing, neon sign and hold it up for him so he’d know where to go, she would. She could use the same sign with Dylan and Landon, too.
Maze must’ve felt her opening her legs, for he pulled away long enough to mutter, “You dirty girl.” He had no qualms about it though, for he worked to position himself; she could feel the hard, round tip pushing against her opening, and she mentally prepared herself. She’d heard it hurt, though she wasn’t sure how true it actually was, since the whole sex-ed thing in human high schools was on the sucky side.
She didn’t care if it hurt. Addie burned with the need to be closer to him, to feel him in places no one else had been before. And, if she was honest, she was more than curious to know what sex was like. Discovering its wonders with Maze was a good choice. A very good choice, one she would never regret.
But Maze didn’t push in.
What in the world was the wolf waiting for? Why didn’t he just do it already? Addie had never wanted anything more in her life. She wanted him inside of her, and she wanted it now.
She glared at him, opening her mouth to ask, but she stopped. Maze didn’t look right. His face seemed pale, his eyes drooping. Suddenly, sex was the last thing on her mind as she asked, “Maze?” When she spoke his name, something fell on her, and she recoiled as much as she could into the pillow behind her.
It covered her eyes and most of her face, and she tentatively reached her hands up, grabbing at whatever it was. Flat, slick with some kind of liquid, rubbery. Addie peeled it off her, her eyes widening when she saw what it was.
Maze’s face.
His face. His skin, with two eyeholes, two smaller nose holes, and a space for his lips.
Maze, meanwhile, had sat back, leaning against the wall the bed was on. His face was full of red and gore, blood dripping onto his bare chest, his face nothing but musculature, a scene that nearly froze her heart.
Addie dropped the fleshy mask, falling off the bed as she stared at him. He wasn’t screaming in pain, wasn’t saying anything. His eyes, now lidless, stared at his hands, and she slowly realized the same thing was happening to his hands—his skin was just falling off in sheets.
“Addie,” Maze finally spoke, his lipless mouth revealing each and every tooth. “I don’t feel so good.” He reached for her just as the skin on his arms slid off, slick and wet and the worst sound Addie had ever heard in her life.
She stumbled back. She couldn’t go to him, couldn’t help him. Where were the others?
Getting to her feet, she grabbed the purple jean jacket on the floor, throwing it on to cover herself as much she could, given the fact she didn’t see her underwear anywhere—and tugging a sheet off the bed was out of the question, due to Maze’s mess.
Addie ran out of the bedroom, heading across the hall into Dylan’s room. “Dylan,” she spoke, out of breath from the shock, “something’s…” Before she could get any words out, she found Dylan sitting on his bed, a knife in his hand.
The sweet, kind, understanding twin was currently sawing off his own left arm, right at the elbow, his glasses splattered with bright red. The metal knife was bone deep when he abruptly stopped, turning to face her. When he smiled, she saw blood in his gums, and she started to back out of his room.
Alas, she backed right up into Landon, who spun her to face him. Tears welling in her eyes, she buried her face in his neck, glad for the height difference between them. “Landon,” she cried, “something’s wrong. Maze, Dylan, they’re—”
“I know,” he whispered, running his hands along her hair, soothing her. Very unlike himself. “I know.” One of his hands went to the back of her neck, angling her to him, despite her protests.
“What are you—” The rest of the words were shoved back into her throat as he kissed her, far too eager and willing, considering everything that was happening around them. She struggled to break free, but his other arm snaked around her back, holding her against him. Suddenly the jean jacket she’d grabbed didn’t feel like enough clothing. And his hands—they felt wrong.
Without warning, he pushed her away, throwing her against the wall. Dylan happily resumed cutting off his arm, unaware of how rough Landon was being. Addie tried to push him off, but she wasn’t strong enough.
Landon grabbed her neck, squeezing it and slamming her head back onto the drywall, so hard she felt the back of her skull crack the wall. Her vision blurred, her eyes seeing stars. She could hardly breathe.
“Sorry,” he spoke with a sneer, “guess I’m just an asshole after all.” He started working on his pants, undoing the button and the zipper, as if he were going to have her right here and now, in spite of Dylan and Maze, in spite of everything she was trying to say.
“Dylan,” Addie switched tactics when pleading with Landon went nowhere, “please, help—”
Landon covered her mouth with his own, his face drenched in blood—which it most definitely was not a mere moment ago. “Shut up, Addie. Has anyone ever said you whine too much? You do. It’s annoying.” The fingers around her neck clenched, further blocking off her airway.
What had happened to them? Where were her loving, caring guys? Where was the asshole Landon who would never hurt her like this? Why was everyone acting as if they’d lost their minds?
She whimpered as Landon roughly kissed her, unable to run. This was definitely not how she imagined her first time, not how she wanted it. Maze, in pain and confused. Dylan, so out of it he was chopping off his own arm. And Landon, covered in blood, trying to stick himself in her against the wall.
Addie felt her eyes closing as Landon positioned himself between her legs. Tears rolled down her face, and she didn’t dare stop them from cascading like a waterfall.
This was hell.
Chapter Two
She’d given up. Not a good thing to admit, but Addie didn’t know what else to do. She was defeated, depressed. If Landon wanted her this bad, so badly he’d ignore the pain his brothers were in just to be inside of her, why not let him? She was powerless anyway. Just a girl who didn’t know what she was doing or what she got herself into.
Just as all hope evaporated from her body, Landon’s hold on her loosened, disappearing entirely as someone else came into the room and yanked him off of her, so strong and so sudden it sent the attacking jackass to the floor.
Addie’s knees felt weak. She was barely able to turn her head and gaze up at the tall, dark-haired and blue-eyed alpha who’d saved her from her own mate. Her voice hurt to use, but she had to say it: “Forest.” Her knees gave out, but he managed to catch her, pulling her to him, cradling her against his chest like she was something precious, something in need of protection.
Right now, she kind of was.
“I’m here,” Forest whispered, scooping her into his arms before walking out of the room, leaving Dylan to his own devices and Landon to stare at them in anger as he put himself back in his pants.
“Landon was…” Addie couldn’t even say it. She tried another course, “Maze and Dylan, they’re—”
“Shh,” he spoke softly, gentle even with the deepness of his voice, “I know.”
How did he know? Did he see them? Why wasn’t he trying to help them? Clearly, all three of her mates needed some help right now—none of them were in their right mind. Not even Landon. The Landon she knew wouldn’t do that to her, even if he could be a bit of an ass sometimes. He wasn’t a rapist.
Forest took her down the stairs, setting her on the living room couch. “Let me take care of you,” he said, reaching to her face, his fingers sweeping her unruly, wild hair behind her ear. The soft touch made her sigh, practically forgetting everything that happened upstairs. “You are my first priority.”
Tugging at her jacket, she was hyper aware she sat near him in only a jacket and scant else. Not enough clothing at all, not where Forest was concerned. The more layers, the better, because he was off-limits.
“Why?” she questioned.
He was beside her on the couch the next moment, the fingers that had moved her hair now tracing her jaw. “You know why,” Forest said, his thumb grazing her mouth, sending a strange wave of pleasure through her.
“But,” she started, about to list off the reasons why not, and there were many. First, he was older than her. Somewhere in his lower thirties, while she hadn’t even had her twentieth birthday yet. Younger than her mother, but much closer in age to Sarah than to her. Second off, he was supposed to be her mother’s mate before she ran off with her father. That was a whole can of worms no one should want to dive into willingly. Third, he was her alpha, not her mate. She already had three intendeds.
Her inner wolf whined, struggling to break free. The beast inside bristled. What’s one more?
Forest leaned toward her, his cheek brushing against hers. “Addie,” he whispered her name, pleading, almost begging. And just like that, her willpower was gone. Just like that, she’d do anything he wanted.
She closed her eyes, letting him push her back, laying her flat on the couch. He crawled on top of her, his body so wide, so strong and muscular, radiating a heat she could feel in her core, a heat that drove her crazy. He buried his face in her neck, his hands coming up her sides.
“You have no idea how much I need you,” Forest murmured against her, kissing her throat, making up for the pain and the anguish the others had created. She arched her back, letting her jacket fall open, revealing her entire body beneath him. He broke away to gaze upon her, at her breasts, her puckered nipples, her flat stomach, and of course the burning space between her legs. “You’re beautiful.”
The expression he wore told her more than his words ever could, although hearing it was always nice, too. He looked at her as if she were the prettiest woman he’d ever seen, like there were no other women in the world. A possessive look, a passionate one, one that made her want him more than anything, despite how wrong it was.
When he leaned his face toward hers, she whispered, “This shouldn’t happen.” She spoke it, trying to convince herself, to convince him to stop. If neither one of them stopped now, there would be no stopping in the future. It was her last-ditch effort to set things right.
