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

KRISTA

The driver pulled up to my apartment building and stopped the car. I hadn't been home in days, and my duffel bag was running on fumes. All I had left to wear was a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt that smelled faintly of Levi's cologne. I didn't have time to dwell on that particular detail. I needed clean clothes, a fresh notebook, and a moment to breathe without his brooding presence filling the room.

The key turned in the lock with a soft click, and I pushed the door open. The sight that greeted me stopped me cold.

My apartment had been ransacked.

The couch was overturned, cushions slashed to ribbons. My bookshelf had been toppled, its contents scattered across the floor like confetti. My desk was a war zone. Drawers hung open, papers were strewn everywhere, and my computer workstation was gone.

"Oh, hell no," I muttered, stepping gingerly over the wreckage.

My first thought was Levi. Had he sent someone to search my place? But no, even he wasn't that much of a control freak. A pang of guilt hit me for even thinking he was behind this. This was something else. Someone else.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Zane. "Krista? Where are you? You were supposed to be back an hour ago."

"Change of plans," I said, crouching to examine the mess. "My apartment got broken into. They took everything, my laptop, my files, even my damn toothbrush."

"What?!" Zane's voice shot up an octave. "Are you okay? Did you call the cops?"

"I'm fine," I lied, my stomach churning. "But this wasn't a random break-in. They were looking for something."

"Levi's case," Zane said grimly. "They're coming after you, Kris."

I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into fists. "Looks like it."

"You need to get out of there. Now."

"I'm not backing down," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "This just proves we're on the right track. Whoever did this is scared."

"Scared people are dangerous people," Zane shot back. "You're not invincible, Kris."

"I'll be fine," I said, cutting him off. "I always am."

The line went silent for a moment before Zane sighed. "Be careful."

"Always."

I stuffed clean clothes, toiletries, and the photo of me and Mom that I kept on my nightstand into my bag and headed for the door. My hands were steady, but my heart was pounding. Whoever had done this had sent a clear message. They were watching me.

By the time I got back to Levi's mansion, the sun was fully up, casting a golden glow over the sprawling estate. I parked my car and headed inside, my boots clicking against the marble floor. The house was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Levi was nowhere to be seen.

I made my way to the kitchen. The scent of coffee filled the air, and I followed it like a homing beacon. Levi stood by the stove, shirtless, muscles rippling under the morning light as he flipped pancakes. My breath caught in my throat.

"Morning," I said, my voice steady despite the chaos in my head.

He glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes narrowing. "Where have you been?"

"My apartment," I said, leaning against the counter. "Someone broke in. They trashed the place."

Levi froze, the spatula hovering mid-air. "What?"

"Yeah. They took my computer, my files. Everything."

His jaw tightened, tension rolling off him in waves. "You're staying here. Permanently."

I rolled my eyes. "Levi, I don't need a babysitter."

"This isn't about babysitting," he snapped, slamming the spatula onto the counter. "They're targeting you. This is my mess, and I'm not letting anyone else get hurt because of it."

I crossed my arms, meeting his glare with one of my own. "First of all, it's not just your mess anymore. I'm in this. Second, I don't need you ordering me around. I've been handling crises long before I met you, and I'll handle this one too."

Levi stepped closer, his towering frame blocking the light from the window. "You don't get it. These people don't just play dirty. And if they think you're a threat, they won't hesitate to come after you."

I held my ground, even as my pulse quickened. "I'm not afraid of them."

His eyes flickered with something I couldn't quite place. "You should be."

We stood there for a moment, the air crackling with tension. Then Levi exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But you're not leaving this house without Garrett."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. "That's not negotiable."

I scowled, but deep down, I knew he was right. I might be stubborn, but I wasn't stupid. Still, I couldn't let him think he'd won. "If Garrett starts calling me ma'am, I'm out."

Levi's lips twitched, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Deal."

Before I could respond, the sound of footsteps interrupted us. I tensed, glancing toward the hallway. Levi's instincts had kicked in, too. He moved in front of me, his body shielding mine, as Garrett appeared in the doorway.

"Boss," Garrett said, his expression serious. "Someone's been here."

Levi's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Garrett shook his head. "Don't know. The security cameras caught a figure driving to the front of the house, but they were wearing a hood. They threw something through the gates and sped off before we could intercept."

Levi cursed under his breath, and I stepped around him, my curiosity piqued. "What did they leave?"

Garrett held up a manila envelope. "This." He handed the folder over to me and then left to continue searching for clues about our mysterious visitor.

I turned the envelope over in my hands. It was unmarked, with no labels or identifying features. My stomach churned. This couldn't be a coincidence.

"Let's see what's inside," Levi said, his voice low.

I opened it, my fingers trembling as I did so, and pulled out the stack of papers inside.

It was Selene's autopsy report. I skimmed the document, my stomach dropping as I realized what I was looking at. "This isn't right."

Levi leaned over my shoulder, his breath warm against my cheek. "What?"

I pointed to the toxicology results. "She wasn't on drugs, Levi. She was poisoned."

His body went rigid beside me. "What?"

I turned to face him, my heart pounding. "Whoever killed her wanted it to look like an overdose, but they botched it. The poison didn't metabolize the way drugs would. It's all here. They planted the drugs to frame you, but this is the real cause of death."

Levi's jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. "Dante."

"If we can connect the poisoning to him, then you'll be a free man."

He stared at the report, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he turned and strode to the window, his shoulders tense. "This is my fault."

I could hear the guilt in his words, raw and aching. It wasn't just Selene's death weighing on him. It was the idea that he'd brought this into her life, into mine.

"If I hadn't pushed back against Dante—" He cut himself off, his voice thick with guilt. "She didn't deserve this."

I crossed the room, standing beside him. "Levi, this isn't your fault. Dante did this. He's the monster, not you."

He turned to face me, his eyes dark and stormy. "I won't let him hurt anyone else. Not you. Not anyone."

For a moment, we just stood there, the weight of everything hanging between us. Then Levi reached out, his hand brushing against mine. The contact sent a jolt through me, and I looked up to find his gaze locked on mine.

"Krista," he said, his voice low and rough. "I can't lose you."

My breath caught in my throat. "You won't."

He didn't say anything else. He didn't need to. The look in his eyes said it all. There was fear, determination, and something else.

"We're in over our heads, aren't we?"

He didn't answer right away. When he squeezed my hand, it wasn't just a gesture of comfort. It was a promise, one I wasn't sure I was ready to accept. "Maybe. But we'll figure it out together."

But as much as I wanted to believe him, I couldn't shake the nagging doubt in the back of my mind. Levi was used to fighting his battles alone, and I wasn't sure if he knew how to let someone else in. And honestly, I wasn't sure if I knew how to let someone else in either.

The report sat on the counter between us, a silent reminder of everything we stood to lose. Selene's face flashed in my mind, her death was no longer just a headline but a warning. Dante was coming, and I could feel the noose tightening. I didn't know if I was ready for what came next. All I knew was that backing down wasn't an option. Not for me, and not for Levi.

Levi's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "We'll figure this out."

I nodded, forcing a smile.

But as I looked at him, the weight of his hand still lingering in mine, I couldn't shake the doubt creeping in. Levi's world was a storm I hadn't asked to step into, and I wasn't sure I could weather it. How long before the danger caught up to us? How long before one of us got hurt, or worse?