Page 77 of Accidentally Forever

We’ve spent too long planning this that I need it to go off without a hitch.

Chapter fifty-six

PUMA

The showing is going better than I could’ve expected. People are milling about, sipping wine and champagne, nodding at the art like they’re pretending they know what it all means. Not that I care. They’re here, they’re seeing the collection, and more importantly, they’re starting to change their minds.

I can hear snippets of conversation here and there—some old-moneyed Alpha murmuring that it’s hard to believe such pristine pieces are “under scrutiny,” another guest marveling at the detail in one of the larger works. It’s not much, but it’s something. A crack in the facade of suspicion that’s been looming over the Ashford pack.

Banks is beside me, not understanding much of anything that comes with this world. He doesn’t have to because he’s a damn good lawyer and a family friend. “The whispers are still there but a few legal suits have been dropped in the last few days. The professionals you hired are pointing out that every single one is real. Verified.”

“That’s a good thing. Now we just wait for the bastard or bastards who are trying to prove that theyarefakes. I’m not worried about the people on the fence, questioning us. I want to see the ones that are so sure we’re doing wrong.That’swhere we start.” My gaze drifts around the room and I nod to one of our clients, making a note to speak with them later.

Light giggles tear my attention away to Violet and Sofie hanging off the twins. Hawk is trying and failing to kiss our Beta, Lance twirling Sofie around in small circles. The twins still have their eyes out, watching for anything out of place but I’m just glad our women are enjoying themselves.

“How’s Nadia?” I ask.

Banks points to a small lounge at the edge of the room, a very pregnant Omega leaning back against a Beta nearly as large as Banks. “Pissed at me but I brought her those weird little strawberry sweets. So, she’s good for the moment.”

“When’s she due?”

“Month and a half or so and then good luck on all your legal shit. She’s not going to let me out of her sight then. She barely does now.” Banks chuckles, dragging a hand down his face. “When are you going to start thinking about children? Don’t look at me like that Puma. You’ve always wanted one or two and now you’ve got two wonderful women in your pack. Who do you think is going to get pregnant first?”

“Don’t put that shit on me, Banks. None of us are ready for that right now.” I push off the wall, about to throw out another retort when Gray appears out of nowhere.

“Okay,” he says, cutting straight to the chase. “You need to see this.”

I shoot Banks a look—hold that thought—and follow Gray through the crowd. He leads me into one of the smaller showrooms. This one’s quieter, less crowded. Most of the pieces here aren’t as grand or as well-known, so the foot traffic is lighter.

Gray stops in front of a smaller painting, a piece I wouldn’t normally pay much attention to. It’s nothing special at first glance, just an unassuming landscape. But then I see it. Something’s off. The brushstrokes are sloppy, the details don’t line up. It’s like the artist stopped caring halfway through, or someone rushed it out the door without checking their work. My stomach sinks as I recognize it—it’s one of the pieces from Ash & Ivory. One of the fakes.

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.

“Yeah,” Gray says, folding his arms and staring at it like it personally insulted him. “It’s here. But it doesn’t belong here.”

I turn to him, frowning. “How the fuck did this get in?”

Gray’s lips press into a thin line, then he says, “I checked the cameras.” He shoves his phone into my hands, pointing to the tall, broad-shouldered man slipping through the crowd with it tucked under his arm. No doubt everyone here thought he was part of the staff, moving things around before he unwrapped it in here. The very distinct glint of metal on his wrist tells me it won’t be hard to find out who he is—well, once we get the police more involved.

“It’s a good thing you created an inventory of our showing, Gray,” I state. “It gives us some credibility but now we just have to wait for it to fall apart.” I hand Gray his phone back, chuckling as Violet bounds up to my side. I swear it’s like trouble literally calls her name, our Beta dragging me into a filthy kiss that has me wanting more. Hawk groans, not far off and I just laugh. She’s torturing him and I love it.

Gray reaches for her ear and she slaps it away. “Touch it and I cut it off.”

“My finger?” He asks, playfully shocked.

“No,my ear.”

That earns her a growl as people start to trickle in, everyone making their way around the room until pausing near the fake painting. We don’t have to wait long, someone loudly pointing out the validity.Bingo.“That wasn’t here an hour ago,” Gray states but that doesn’t dissuade the man.

“Well, that’s not my problem. You have a fake in your collection. After everything you’ve all done to make us believe otherwise…”

I step in, cutting this off before it gets worse. “I checked the cameras and it wasn’t placed by us or any of my staff. I wouldn’t have lined it up so haphazardly alongside the others, blocking a famous print behind it. However, with the tapes, I’m sure the police can find just who is behind all of this or… we could have a discussion.” The room has gone deathly quiet, waiting for the man to answer.

He looks around, wringing his hands together before giving me a small nod. I gesture to a small office off to the side, all of us piling in. Violet is plastered against my side, Hawk and Gray near the door, Banks taking a seat by the desk. The man is plastered against the far wall which in this space is really only a few feet from us.

And that’s when Violet just rips it all open. “That’s Orion.”

His face blanches, the man sputtering for an out and not finding one. “I’mjustOrion. NottheOrion. I get paid to do shit. The money is good and I could really use a pretty dollar here and there, okay? Marion told me to keep my head down and not ask questions.”

---