Page 82 of Accidentally Forever

I rattle the jail door, growling through the bars at the one man I’d like to wring to death. He lunged at my mate, was working with Marion who assaulted her, and he’s betrayed my trust. Forget the fucking court case, he deserves death. I’m not sure what does it—the rustiness of the lock or maybe Noah didn’t really lock it but the fucking door slams open, giving me full access.

I shouldn’t.

I should walk away even though I don’t have the answers I need. But I don’t. I rush inside, slamming Nolan against the far wall, my hand around his throat, fingers digging into the skin. “Tell me what the fuck is going on, Nolan. For real this time.” My lips are curled up in a snarl, my Alpha roar rumbling through my chest.

It’s the first time I’ve seen true fear in this man’s eyes and it’severythingand yet, still not enough.

Trembling fingers claw at my wrist as he scrambles for air. “Get the fuck off of me! Look, none of this matters. They’ve got me but it’s not everything. Orion is just a name, basically myth. I’m only part of the problem. You didn’t know? Sure, I’ll end up spending a few nights behind bars until someone pays off the judge and the case is dismissed. I’ll disappear into the shadows and then someone will take my place, someone you least expect, someone who will fuck with the next person’s head until they’re discovered too. Don’t you get it? It’s a game.”

This man borrowed a myth in order to fuck with me, my family, and my livelihood. I pull him forward and then smash him against the wall again, growling in his face until a sharp click echoes in the cell. I twist around to see Noah pointing a gun at me. “Let him go, Puma. I gave you this moment to figure out what happened so you could have closure. Not so you could kill him.”

I chuck Nolan away from me, grinning at the way he stumbles and sputters for air, Noah’s gun still trained on me until I step back into the hallway. He locks the cell and ushers us back into the main part of the small station, shoving his gun back into his holster. I’m not even going to apologize. All I know is that this is over and while it pisses me off that this was just a game to him, I can be relieved that the moves have been made.

Now, I just need to know when this fucker is getting out.

It’s as if Noah can read my mind. “Nolan isn’t getting out, Puma. We got Judge Fawn. You know, the one who puts people away forever because she’s good at what she does. I don’t care what kind of money Nolan has or had but you won’t be seeing him out on the streets. Now, go home and fuck a mate or two. I think I need a smoke and whiskey after that shit.”

I chuckle, turning to shake his hand, silently apologizing for my temper. Gray shakes his hand as well as we head out to the car.

“Well, that was bullshit,” Gray grumbles. “I want to play a game that involves taking it out on his ass.” I raise an eyebrow, waiting for the younger Alpha to realize what he said. “Fuck, that’s not what I mean.”

“But that’s what you said. It’s okay, babe. I’ll make sure to take it out on your ass when we get home. Maybe knot you again while Violet tortures you with her mouth.”

He snorts, climbing into the car. “That’s not going to happen. The moment we get home, our women are going to want to know what’s going on and then they’re going to get a little angry and then probably shut us out while we have to hear them fuck.”

That’s entirely true which is why I dial Lance, telling the twins to soften them up for when we get home. Unfortunately, the obscene moans playing over the speaker as Lance changes it to a video call have me speeding down the road. I can’t even see the fucker’s face, Sofie neatly spread over his lips, Violet straddled over his lap.

She steals the phone, my beautiful Beta’s face coming into view, her lips parted on a moan. “We were getting a little bored waiting.”

“Fuck, Dove. I have to drive.”

“Then hang up and drive. See you soon.”

I might break a few laws on the way home to our mates because fuck, I’m ready to start the rest of our lives. Gray’s cackling in the background and I make a mental note to fuck him first when we get inside.

Chapter sixty

A MONTH LATER

VIOLET

Life in the house is different now, softer, easier. We’ve found our rhythm over the last month, a comfortable routine that feels natural even though it’s still new. Gray and I work side by side most days, bouncing ideas off each other, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d love the way he slides in every now and then with that smug grin and some witty remark, but I do. I really fucking do.

Business is picking up again and we’ve been busy, which I’m grateful for.Ash & Ivoryshut down—finally—and a massive fraud investigation is sweeping through the community. Every day, there’s another name in the news, another collector or dealer getting caught up in the mess. It’s strange to watch it unfold from a distance now, knowing that the storm that was directly over us has moved on. They’re all on edge, trying to figure out if the infamous “Orion” is a real person or just some elaborate ghost story. I don’t have the energy to care anymore. Let them dig. Let them chase their tails. I’m just happy that we’re finally getting some peace.

Sofie’s thriving and I can’t stop smiling when I think about it. She’s come alive in a way I haven’t seen in years—maybe ever. Her days aren’t consumed with worry or the endless burden of survival anymore. She’s happy. Playful. Light. And it’s so damn good to see. But I keep checking in anyway. It’s a habit I can’t shake. “Is there anything you want to do, baby?” I’ll ask her when we’re curled up on the couch or eating breakfast, and for weeks she just kept saying, “I’m still thinking.”

Then, just the other night, she turned to me, her head resting against my shoulder, and she said, “Is it okay if I’m just an Omega?”

I stopped cold for a moment because I knew exactly what she meant. I knew what it felt like to think you had to be something more, to be everything for everyone, all the time. I pressed a kiss to her hair and said, “You’ll never bejustan Omega.”

And she smiled. God, that smile. It felt like we’d turned a corner.

Now, I find myself enjoying the little things more than ever. The quiet mornings when I wake up sandwiched between Gray and Sofie. The way the twins bicker over who gets the last slice of toast at breakfast. Puma’s steady, grounding presence that always seems to settle the room, even when things get a little too loud. The long nights spent planning projects with Gray or curled up on the couch with the twins, talking about nothing and everything all at once.

“Hey, is everyone ready? It’s already seven!” I yell, eager to meet up with Camila atTemple. She’s been asking for a few days now but I couldn’t get all of our Alphas in one place. But tonight, our packs get to meet and I’m so damn excited to show off the happy ending I never thought we’d have. Especially since I have a small secret that I’m bringing with me… well,secrets.

Camila spots us the moment we walk in and breaks into this huge grin, waving us over to her private booth. Her mates are sprawled out around her, unsure expressions on their faces. None of the Alphas are particularly excited about tonight, Gray specifically mentioning something about squealing women but I playfully slapped him for it and then Sofie said we’re both off limits to Gray for the rest of the week.

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