How to include a PDF file in LaTeX but actually include the pages as pdf pages and not a figure

I have another pdf file and I need to paste it into my current LaTeX document.
I know about includepdf but the problem is that the pdf looks like a figure that’s being included.
I don’t want a figure.
I want the pages to be the pdf.
It should look like something from using pdfshuffler, or pdftk.
How can I do this using LaTeX code?

documentclass[12pt]{article}
usepackage{pdfpages}

begin{document}

Whatever.
More stuff

includethepdfpagesherenotasafigure
end{document}

documentclass{article}
usepackage{pdfpages}
begin{document}
Whatever.
includepdf{file.pdf}
end{document}