Page 35

Chapter thirty-five

LANCE

The house is quiet, Sofie and Violet curled up in Sofie’s nest. Since her heat, she’s taken over my room but I’m not surprised. It’s the room closest to Puma’s, where Violet has been spending most of her time. It’s also the closest to the kitchen. I peer down the hallway from my seat at the kitchen table, almost as if waiting for my bedroom door to open and those big beautiful brown eyes to peek out. But no, they both need their rest and I’m not going to be the one to face one of Sofie’s adorable pouts.

I lean back in my chair, arms stretching over my head, muscles pulling tight before I exhale, letting them drop. A lazy grin tugs at the corner of my lips as I nod toward the dimly lit hallway. “Well, boys, I think it’s safe to say I’m never getting my damn room back.” Sofie’s scent clings to it, wrapped up in Violet’s, intertwined in a way that tells me neither of them are going anywhere.

It’s only a matter of time before Puma actually tries stealing Violet away from Sofie. Hell, I’m surprised Gray hasn’t yet. Hawk snorts, arms crossed, one boot kicked up against the leg of the table. “Like you even want it back.”

I grin, tipping my chair back onto two legs. “Fair point.”

The mood should stay light, should drift into something easier, but it doesn’t. It shifts instead, reality creeping in around the edges. Because there’s a reason the four of us—me, Hawk, Puma, and Gray—are still sitting at the kitchen table instead of sinking into the comfort of the women sleeping just down the hall. A reason the exhaustion pressing against my bones isn’t enough to send me to bed.

Puma rakes a hand through his hair, a deep frown cutting into his brow. His expression is unreadable, but I know that look. “We’ve got bigger problems than just a few pissed-off clients,” Puma says. He slides a folder across the table, fingers tapping against the surface. “Banks called. The lawsuit isn’t just about damages anymore. There’s a criminal case being built. Someone’s claiming the paintings weren’t just fakes—they were stolen.”

Hawk is the first to break it. “That’s bullshit.” The words come out clipped, his usual level-headedness cracking around the edges. “We don’t deal in stolen shit. We’ve been careful—”

“Careful doesn’t mean we aren’t being set up,” Gray cuts in. His fingers drum against the side of his glass, jaw tight. “Whoever’s pulling this isn’t fucking around. First, the fake rumors, now stolen art? This isn’t about business anymore. They want to burn us down.”

Puma nods, a flicker of anger shifting through his expression. “That’s exactly what Banks thinks.” His fingers stop drumming, stilling as he exhales sharply. “The problem is, we don’t know who’s behind it. And with all this noise, we’re gonna start losing real business if we don’t get ahead of it.”

Gray scoffs, shaking his head. “Already happening. Nolan basically told me to tread carefully because people are getting nervous.”

The family lawyer, Banks, has been a godsend, keeping us out of murky waters when things get a little rough. However, we’ve never dealt with rumors like this before and if our best client is saying to tread carefully, it isn’t good. “Great. So, what’s the next move?”

Puma doesn’t answer immediately. He looks at each of us, measuring his next words. He isn’t just the protector of our unconventional pack. He’s also our voice of reason, a man who’s been in this business far longer than any of us have. The silence stretches long enough to set my nerves on edge before he finally speaks. “First, we talk to Banks again. Figure out what angle the prosecution is playing at. If they’re serious about the stolen art claims, we need proof we weren’t involved.”

“That’s a given,” Hawk mutters.

Puma continues. “Second, we get Nolan to keep us in the loop on any business-side whispers. If there’s talk of fakes, I guarantee there’s a name attached to it somewhere. We find the source, we find who’s trying to pin this on us.”

Gray nods slowly. “And if we don’t?”

Our head Alpha’s shoulders drop just slightly and I can’t tell if it’s defeat or just a result of being tired. “Then we get dragged through the courts, and best-case scenario, we walk out with a reputation in fucking ruins.”

The more I think about it, the more the pieces don’t add up. Every new bit of information, every whisper of rumors, every well-placed accusation—it’s all too convenient. Too perfectly timed. Like someone has been laying the groundwork for months, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The lawsuit, the stolen art, the way clients are pulling back just enough to stir unease but not enough to sever ties completely. Someone isn’t just trying to mess with our business. Someone wants to dismantle us piece by piece.

Frustration twists sharp in my gut, bleeding into my tone. “Has anyone talked to Xavier?” My words cut through the low murmur of strategy being tossed around, silencing the room for half a beat before Puma shakes his head.

His expression hardens, his gaze flicking between us like he already knows I’m about to suggest something reckless. “No. And we can’t. Banks says that’s a bad idea. People are already trying to get their money back, getting spooked about the whole thing. If we start poking at him, it could blow back on us.”

I grit my teeth, fists curling against the table. “So what? We just sit here and wait?”

“No.” Puma leans forward, bracing his forearms against the surface. “We just need to point the finger in the right direction. Xavier’s involved, but he’s not the mastermind.”

I let it sit for a second, rolling through every possible name, every collector or dealer with enough power and pull to set us up like this. It’s not a long list, but one name keeps circling back. A name that’s been an issue since the moment our pack carved out its place in the art world.

Orion.

No one’s met him. He’s more of a myth than a man but he’s still a thorn in our side when his name comes up in conversation. If anyone is shady, it’s the man without a face. My gaze flicks to Puma. “You think it’s Orion?”

Puma doesn’t respond right away, but the way his expression doesn’t shift, the way his fingers press together like he’s already considered this, tells me everything I need to know.

“It’s the only guess I have,” I continue. “He’s the only collector that has enough pull to do something like this.”

Hawk raises an eyebrow, amusement flooding his features. “It’s not like we can go talk to him, though. Even if we could…”

Gray’s head snaps up immediately, his expression flickering between disbelief and exasperation. “Yeah, definitely neither of you.” He gestures between me and Hawk, eyes narrowed. “You’re both wonderful Alphas, really, but also a little terrifying when people first meet you.”

Hawk scoffs, crossing his arms. “We’re not that bad.”

Gray doesn’t even blink. “Hawk, you growled at a waitress last week because she forgot your extra fries.”

“That was different.”

“It really wasn’t.” A smirk takes over my face as Hawk’s scowl deepens, looking more like an offended child than a dangerous Alpha.

“Okay, so if not us, who?” My smirk widens. “You volunteering, Gray?”

“No one is talking to anyone,” Puma repeats, his words edged with a growl. “Our job isn’t to make the whispers go away—it’s to set the record straight. Banks will figure out the best course of action and we’ll handle it how we do everything else.” His green eyes scan the room, daring anyone to challenge him.

“And if that doesn’t work?” I’m itching for some damage, someone to turn my irritability on because waiting feels like a terrible game that we’re going to lose.

A muscle ticks in Puma’s jaw before he exhales. “We’ll figure it out.”

That’s always his answer. A solid rock while the rest of us bristle and seethe, looking for a fight, for an outlet, for something to take the edge off. But that’s why we’ve survived this long. Puma doesn’t panic. Doesn’t lose sight of the bigger picture. And when the rest of us start spiraling, he’s the tether that keeps us from unraveling completely.

“For now,” Puma continues, leveling us all with a look, “don’t worry Violet and Sofie with this.”

I breathe out a quiet sigh. Of course. It’s honestly not a bad reason to hold back. We’ve never truly had anyone we’ve had to protect. No one we’ve had to shield from the weight of our job or keep out of the limelight. Now that Sofie and Violet are here, everything has shifted and the last thing I want to do is throw them into a situation we can’t get them out of.

“We’re just supposed to pretend our livelihoods aren’t about to fall apart?” Hawk mutters, tone edged with frustration. Of course my brother is the one that doesn’t quite get it.

“Yes.” Puma nods once, unflinching. “Because we have two precious packages in that room that deserve all of our attention, regardless of what shit is going on in the world. They deserve a place to be safe. You in?”

It’s not a question. Not really. I glance at Hawk, then at Gray, and we all nod, because it’s not even a debate. Our women come first. Puma smirks, satisfied, but his focus shifts almost immediately to Gray, who’s been uncharacteristically quiet. And that’s never a good sign. The moment stretches as Puma moves without warning, reaching across the table. His fingers wrap around the front of Gray’s throat—not rough, not threatening, just firm enough to command attention. Gray blinks, lips parting slightly, surprise flickering in his sharp blue eyes.

“And while we’re on the subject of being safe…” Puma’s voice dips with a kind of controlled tone that carries the promise of consequence. “If you don’t cut down your goddamn hours, I will let Violet strangle you. And not in the way you’re thinking.”

I stifle a laugh as Gray’s gaze darkens, something dangerous sparking behind his smirk. His tongue swipes over his bottom lip, but for once, he doesn’t argue. “I get it,” Gray murmurs, voice a little rougher, a little lower, like the way Puma is holding him like this does something to him.

Puma’s fingers tighten just a fraction before he leans in and presses a kiss to Gray’s mouth—a possessive, claiming kiss that tells all of us that Puma isn’t playing around.

Gray exhales against Puma’s lips, his smirk curving lazily when Puma pulls back, his voice gravel-rough. “You’re a hot commodity,” Puma mutters, fingers brushing over Gray’s jaw before finally releasing him. “But you’re not irreplaceable. Someone else can do the jobs that fall through the cracks, or they can wait for you.”

Gray drags a hand through his hair, lips curling up. “Knew you loved me.”

Puma huffs, eyes narrowing. “Don’t push your luck. I’m serious Gray. I’ve been worried about you for longer than you realize. Burning yourself out isn’t the answer.” What he says next isn’t what I expect. “I wasn’t sure why you thought tiring yourself out was a good thing. And maybe I was selfish the few times you stumbled into my room, silently asking me for comfort. I didn’t want to understand. I loved that you liked to lean. I love that you all do. But I understand now.”

“Understand what?” Hawk cuts in but I’m still looking at Gray’s expression, a sort of hopeful despair that doesn’t make any sense. He’s the most lighthearted out of all of us. But the look in his eyes right now is one of longing.

And then it clicks.

“Violet,” I push out. “You’ve been searching for her ever since that weekend. I think we all figured you were mates but then nothing came of it so we never brought it up. And in a wonderful sense of fate, she was brought right back to us. You’ve been trying to fill the void she left, haven’t you?”

Gray’s brows furrow as he seems to curl into himself, the Alpha nervously chewing on his lip ring. “How would you know that?”

“Because I’ve been doing the same thing with the both of them. Why the fuck did you think I’d so eagerly go over to Ash & Ivory? It wasn’t for Xavier, Gray. The few times I had them in my bed was everything . I can only imagine the tug on your instincts for how long you’ve been separated. It must have been torture.” I’m seeing Gray through an entirely different lens now.

He manages a small frustrated sigh, flopping back in his seat. “I didn’t even know why I was so goddamn interested or why she was in every one of my thoughts. I hadn’t had a mate and I didn’t know what a scent match felt like. But Jesus, yeah, it’s been a bit of torture.” He faces Puma, squeezing the Alpha’s arm. “I’ll cut down my hours, promise. The most important part of our pack is in that room. Those women will take precedence over everything else.”

I snort. “Well, they better but we’re going to have to make some kind of damn schedule when they aren’t actively shutting us out of the nest.” Gray frowns so I explain it a little better. “I have a feeling that all of us, at least once, are going to suffer their wrath and get kicked out. I’m banking that it’s either Gray or Hawk first.”

“My bet’s on Gray,” Hawk adds.

Gray sticks his tongue out at us and points to me. “Definitely going to be you.”

We all look to Puma for his choice and he just grins. “If you all think Sofie isn’t going to kick all of you out so she can be with her Beta, you’re sorely mistaken. We might all have our claims on those women but Sofie’s claim on Violet is much stronger than I’ve ever seen.”

That sets us into soft laughter, my mind racing as the fantasy of Sofie kicking all of us out sets in. She can be adorably fierce so I’m all for it.