Page 11 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Fixer (My Grumpy Werewolf Boss #5)

KRISTA

The library was deadly still, with the only sounds being the soft rustle of papers as Zane sorted through a stack of files. Levi paced the room, the anxiety rolling off of him in waves. Garrett leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp. Dean made a rare outing from his office to come to the mansion. He sat at the desk, his fingers flying across the keyboard, pulling up every scrap of information he could find on Dante's latest moves.

The grimness of the situation was overbearing, but I refused to let it crush me. This was it. The moment we'd been working toward. The moment we could finally take Dante down.

"He's making his move," Dean said, breaking the silence. His voice was calm, but his eyes were fierce. "I intercepted a kill order. Dante's hired assassins to take out Levi, and you, Krista."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I didn't flinch. I'd expected this. Dante was desperate, and desperate men made reckless decisions. "Then we make ours," I said, my voice steady. "We use everything we've got to lure him out. He'll come for me if he thinks I'm vulnerable."

Levi froze, his eyes snapping to mine. "No," he said firmly. "Absolutely not. I'm not putting you in danger."

I stood, meeting his gaze head-on. "You're not putting me there. I'm volunteering. This is the only way we'll get him to slip up."

Garrett straightened, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. "She's right," he said after a moment. Levi pinned Garrett with a glare that could have burned a hole through him. "Dante's cocky enough to take the bait if it's her."

Levi's jaw tightened, and I could see the war raging in his eyes, the instinct to protect me battling against the need to end this. "It's too dangerous," he growled.

"Levi, we don't have a choice. If we wait, he'll come for us on his terms. This way, we control the narrative."

Dean leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him. "I'll monitor the situation remotely. Once he starts confessing, I'll trigger the live feed. Zane's already rigged a hidden camera in your bag. The world will see everything."

Levi's eyes flicked to Dean, then back to me. The conflict in his gaze was raw, unfiltered. "If anything happens to you—"

I cut him off, stepping closer and grabbing both of his clenched hands in mine. I unfurled his fists until both of our hands were entwined. "Then shift and rip his throat out," I said. "I'm not going down without a fight, Levi. But I need you to trust me."

He stared at me, his jaw working as he struggled with the decision. Finally, he exhaled sharply, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "Fine. But you stay within my line of sight. No unnecessary risks."

I nodded, relief and determination coursing through me. "I promise."

Later, in Levi's bedroom, the tension between us was thick enough to cut with a knife. He stood by the window, his back to me, the moonlight casting long shadows across his tense frame. I approached him slowly, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Levi," I said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He turned, his eyes dark and filled with a storm of emotions. "If anything happens to you—" he started again, his voice breaking.

I stepped closer, cutting him off with a kiss. It was fierce and desperate, pouring all the fear, determination, and unspoken words between us into that single moment. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me tight against him as if he could shield me from the danger with his body alone.

When we finally pulled away, I rested my forehead against his, my breath coming in shaky gasps. "I'll be careful," I whispered. "But this is our chance, Levi. We can't let it slip away."

He kissed me again, softer this time, but no less intense. "Stay safe," he murmured against my lips. "That's an order."

I smirked, pulling back slightly. "You're not the boss of me."

The corner of his mouth twitched, a ghost of a smile breaking through. "Unfortunately for you, I am."

I laughed, the sound light and freeing, even as my stomach churned with nerves. "Let's end this."

The warehouse was dimly lit, and the inside smelled of dust and decay. I stood in the center of the large open space, my heart pounding in my chest. The weight of the bag with the hidden camera pressed against my side and I clutched it tightly like a shield. Levi and Garrett were hidden in the shadows, their presence a silent reassurance, but I couldn't afford to glance their way. I had to play my part.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the cavernous room, and I turned to see Dante stride in, flanked by his men. His smile was cold and calculating as he surveyed the scene.

"Well, well," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "I didn't expect you to walk into the lion's den so willingly."

I crossed my arms, forcing a smirk onto my face. "You're not a lion, Dante. You're a cockroach, and I'm here to squash you."

His smile faltered for a brief moment before he chuckled, the sound hollow. "Brave words for someone who's outnumbered."

"Brave or not, you're not leaving here with your pride intact," I shot back, my voice steady. "You've made too many mistakes, and I'm here to make sure you pay for them."

Dante's eyes narrowed, his amusement fading as he stepped closer. "You think you can take me down? You're a nobody, Miss Fortune. A pawn in a game you don't understand."

"Maybe," I said, shrugging. "But I'm the pawn who's holding all the evidence. I have all of it, Selene's death, the trafficking ring, the drugs. And when I release it, the world will know exactly what kind of monster you are."

His jaw tightened, a flicker of panic crossing his face before he masked it with a sneer. "Nobody will believe you. I could kill a hundred more Selenes and Troys and sell you to a brothel in Romania. It still wouldn't matter. I covered my tracks and I have every judge and cop in town in my pocket. Besides, you're bluffing."

I stepped closer, my gaze locked onto his. "Am I? Then why are you sweating?"

Dante's men shifted uneasily, but he held up a hand, keeping them at bay. "You're playing a dangerous game, little girl. One you won't win."

"The only game here is yours," I said, my voice sharp. "And it's over. You're done, Dante. The police are on their way, and the whole world is watching."

His mask of confidence cracked, his anger boiling over. "You think you can ruin me? I'll destroy you before you even have a chance to—"

His words were cut off by a low, guttural growl that echoed through the warehouse. Dante's men froze, their heads snapping toward the sound. Levi stepped out of the shadows, his eyes glowing with a feral light as his form shifted. The air around him seemed to crackle with raw power, and I could feel the primal energy radiating from him as his wolf emerged.

Dante stumbled back, his face pale as he registered the threat. "What the hell—" he started, but Levi didn't give him a chance to finish. With a snarl, he lunged forward, his massive form moving with terrifying speed. Dante's men scrambled to react, but they were no match for Levi's wolf.

The warehouse erupted into chaos. Levi tore through Dante's men with brutal efficiency, his claws and fangs flashing in the dim light. Garrett joined the fray, his own wolf form moving in tandem with Levi's, their combined strength overwhelming the opposition.

I stayed where I was, my eyes locked on Dante as the fight raged around us. He backed away, his bravado crumbling as he realized the gravity of his mistake. "You think this changes anything?" he spat, his voice shaking with fear and anger. "You think you've won? This isn't over."

"It's over for you," I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. "The world knows what you are now, Dante. There's nowhere left for you to hide."

His eyes flicked to the bag at my side, and I saw the moment he made the connection. "You're broadcasting this?" he hissed, panic lacing his words.

I smirked, holding up my phone to show the live feed Zane had set up. "Every second of it," I said. "You've just confessed to murder, human trafficking, and God knows what else. The police are already on their way."

Dante's face twisted with rage, and he lunged at me, his hand reaching under his jacket for his gun. But before he could aim the gun at me, Levi was there. To my surprise, he shifted back to human form mid-motion. As much as all of us wanted to rip Dante to shreds, we were on a livestream, and Levi couldn't be seen as a murderous monster. Levi's hand clamped around Dante's wrist with bone-crushing force.

"Don't," Levi growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You lay a finger on her, and I'll finish what I started. "Dante's eyes widened in fear, but the defiance didn't leave him entirely. He sneered, struggling against Levi's grip. His finger pulled the trigger, sending a bullet toward the ceiling.

Levi's free hand shot out, grabbing Dante by the collar and slamming him against the wall. "You're done, Dante," he snarled, his face inches from Dante's.

In the distance, the sound of sirens echoed, growing louder with each passing second. Dante's men were either unconscious or fleeing, leaving him alone and cornered. His bravado faltered, and for the first time, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.

"You're finished, Dante," Levi repeated. "The world knows what you are. There's no coming back from this."

Dante's lips curled into a snarl, but there was no bite left in him. His confidence had shattered, and the man who had once been a predator now looked like nothing more than a cornered animal. "This isn't over," he spat, though his voice trembled. "You'll regret this, Storm."

Levi leaned in closer, his eyes burning with intensity. "The only thing I regret is not taking you down sooner."

The sound of boots pounding against concrete filled the air as the police burst into the warehouse, their guns drawn and voices barking orders. Levi stepped back, releasing Dante and pushing him toward the officers. Dante stumbled, his face pale and his hands raised in surrender. The police swarmed him, cuffing him without hesitation.

I stood frozen, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps as the police swarmed around Dante. The adrenaline that had kept me upright was ebbing, leaving my limbs heavy and my hands trembling at my sides. The scent of dust and sweat clung to the air, but it was the sharp bitter smell of his fear that lingered in my lungs.

My eyes locked onto Dante's as they led him away, his face pale but his gaze still sharp. He met my stare, and for a moment, I saw the bitterness, the rage, the unyielding promise of revenge. My stomach churned, a cold knot of dread tightening in my chest.

"This isn't over." His words repeated in my mind like a curse. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, trying to steady myself. But even as the police dragged him out, hauling him into the waiting police car, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

Levi's presence snapped me back to reality. He was at my side in an instant, his hands gripping my shoulders as his eyes searched mine. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded, though my body was still humming with the aftershocks of the confrontation. "I'm fine," I said, forcing my voice to be steady. But the truth was, I didn't feel fine.

Levi pulled me into his arms, his embrace so tight it almost hurt. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him and letting it calm my nerves. His warmth seeped into me, but the tremors in my hands wouldn't stop. I clenched his shirt in my fists, anchoring myself to him.

The warehouse fell silent, the only sound the distant hum of police radios and the echo of our breathing. The air still smelled of dust and sweat, but the tension had shifted, replaced by a strange, fragile calm. I stood there, Levi's arms around me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to breathe deep, slow breaths that filled my lungs and pushed out the lingering fear.

"It's over," Levi murmured. His hand cradled the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair. He pressed another kiss to my forehead, his lips warm and grounding. "You're safe. We're safe."

I nodded against his chest, my fingers tightening in the fabric of his shirt. The adrenaline that had fueled me was fading, leaving me exhausted but strangely at peace.

Levi exhaled, his grip tightening around me. "Now, we make sure Dante can't hurt anyone ever again. He's going to prison for a long time. The evidence we've gathered and the live feed, it's all out there. The entire world knows what kind of monster he is. He's done, Krista. It's over."

As if sensing my unease, Levi pressed a kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering for a moment. "We'll be ready for whatever comes next," he said.

I tilted my head, a teasing smile tugging at my lips despite the heaviness of the moment. "Admit it, Levi. You're just glad you didn't have to clean up my mess for once."

The corner of his mouth twitched, that sly smile that lit up movie screens worldwide. It was now mine and it made my pulse quicken. "You're lucky I didn't have to," he shot back, his tone light but his eyes serious. "But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'm cuffing you to my side. Permanently."

I laughed, the sound bubbling up unexpectedly, and it felt like a weight lifting from my chest. "Oh, so now you're the boss of me?"

His hand cupped my cheek, his touch warm and grounding. "Always have been, whether you admit it or not."

I leaned into his hand, the banter fading as the intensity of his gaze drew me in. "I'm not going anywhere, Levi," I said quietly. "Not without you."

He exhaled sharply, as if he'd been holding his breath, and pulled me closer. "Good. Because I'm not letting you go. Not now. Not ever."