Page 7 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Fixer (My Grumpy Werewolf Boss #5)

KRISTA

I groaned as I sat up, my body sore from another sleepless night. My mind was a whirlwind as I replayed Levi's lingering gaze on the balcony, the way his hand had brushed my cheek, the electric tension that had crackled between us. I pressed my palms to my eyes, trying to push the memories away. I couldn't afford distractions, not with Dante circling like a vulture and Levi's career and maybe his life, hanging by a thread. But try as I might, I couldn't shake the growing pull I felt toward him.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Zane: We've got a problem.

I sighed, running a hand over my face. Of course we did. I forced myself out of bed. The house was quiet as I made my way downstairs, the remnants of last night's tension lingering in the air. Levi's door was closed, and I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering over the knob. I shook my head and turned away. Whatever was happening between us would have to wait.

Zane was already pacing the inside of our makeshift office like a caged animal.

"Okay," I said as I walked in. "What's the crisis now?"

Zane turned his open laptop toward me. "These." His browser had multiple tabs open, all of them with similar headlines blaring at the top of each page.

LEVI STORM: FROM HOLLYWOOD HERO TO DANGEROUS LIAR?

INSIDE THE DARK SECRET PAST OF HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN BOY.

The articles were filled with speculation, half-truths, and outright lies, painting Levi as a manipulative, violent monster.

"This is bad," I muttered, collapsing onto a chair next to Zane.

He nodded, running a hand through his already messy hair. "No kidding. Dante's been busy. These hit the internet at midnight, and they're already trending."

I sank into a chair, my mind racing. "Okay, we need to counter this. What's our play? More animal shelter footage? A heartfelt interview?"

Zane shook his head. "We've leaned on the shelter angle too much already. People are starting to see it as a PR move. We need something bigger, something that shifts the narrative entirely."

"But what?" I asked, frustration creeping into my voice. "We're running out of options."

Zane sat across from me, his expression softening. "Krista, you've been working nonstop. Maybe it's time to take a step back and let someone else handle this for a bit."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you saying I can't handle it?"

"No," he said quickly, holding up his hands. "I'm saying you don't have to handle it alone. You're not indestructible, as much as you pretend to be."

His words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I looked away, my throat tightening.

"I just need to fix this, Zane," I said quietly. "It's my job, my reputation."

"And Levi's life," Zane added gently. "But you're not going to help him by burning yourself out."

Before I could respond, a knock at the door interrupted us. Garrett stood in the doorway, his usual stoic expression in place.

"Boss wants to see you," he said, his gaze flicking to me. "Says it's urgent."

I frowned. "Levi? What's wrong?"

Garrett shook his head. "Didn't say. Just asked me to bring you down to the training room."

I exchanged a glance with Zane, who shrugged. "Go. I'll keep working on damage control here."

I followed Garrett down to the training room, my stomach in knots. Levi was pacing with his hands stuffed in his pockets when I walked in. His expression was dark. The moment I stepped inside, his gaze snapped to me, and I felt the air shift.

"What's going on?" I asked, crossing my arms.

He stopped pacing and turned to me, his eyes scanning my face. "Dante's making his move. We need to be ready."

"Ready for what?"

"For anything," he said grimly. "And that includes making sure you can defend yourself."

I blinked, my initial irritation flaring. "Levi, I don't have time for this. I'm in the middle of trying to save your career."

"And I'm trying to save your life," he snapped. His eyes burned with an intensity that made my breath catch. "Dante isn't playing games anymore, Krista. If he thinks you're a threat, he'll come after you. I'm not taking that risk."

His words hung heavy in the air, and despite my frustration, a part of me softened. He was scared for me. I could see it in the tightness of his jaw, the way he moved restlessly. Still, I wasn't about to let him boss me around.

"So what, you're going to have Garrett teach me how to throw a punch?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Levi's lips twitched, the ghost of a smirk. "If that's what it takes, yes."

I glared at him for a moment before huffing out a breath. "Fine. But don't think I'm going to go easy on you, Garrett."

Garrett smirked, a rare flicker of amusement in his usually stoic expression. "Wouldn't expect anything less."

The training room was spacious, lined with mats and equipment. Garrett started with the basics, showing me how to block, how to use my body weight, and how to aim for weak spots. I listened intently, my determination outweighing my initial skepticism. When it came time to spar, I wasn't as helpless as I expected. I landed a few decent hits, though Garrett countered effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise.

"Not bad," he said after I managed to dodge one of his strikes. "You're a quick learner."

"Years of dealing with egomaniacs in the industry," I quipped, catching my breath. "Trading blows in the media is not all that different from physically fighting."

Garrett chuckled, the sound low and gruff. "You're tougher than you look."

"Looks can be deceiving," I shot back, wiping the sweat from my brow.

Levi watched from the sidelines, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. His presence was distracting, and I found myself glancing at him more than I'd like to admit. His gaze was intense, focused on me with a mix of pride and something else I couldn't quite name. It made my stomach flutter.

After one particularly hard hit left me sprawled on the mat, Levi stepped forward, his jaw clenched. "Enough," he said firmly.

Garrett hesitated, then stepped back, giving Levi a nod. I sat up, glaring at Levi. "I don't need you to rescue me, you know."

He crouched down in front of me, his eyes softening. "I'm not trying to rescue you. I'm trying to keep you alive."

His words were quiet, but they hit me like a punch to the gut. I held his gaze for a moment, the unvoiced tension between us crackling like lightning. Finally, I looked away, my cheeks burning.

"Come on," he said, standing and offering me his hand. "You've had enough for today."

I took his hand, trying to ignore the way his touch sent a jolt of desire through me. As I stood, I caught Garrett watching us, his expression thoughtful. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes made me wonder what he was thinking.

Back in the main living room, I collapsed onto the couch, my body aching. Levi handed me a water bottle, and I took it gratefully, draining half of it in one go.

"You did well," he said, sitting down beside me. His voice was soft, almost intimate, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

"Thanks," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Though I'm pretty sure Garrett was going easy on me."

Levi's lips twitched in the ghost of a smile. "He wasn't. You've got grit, Krista."

Our eyes locked, and for a moment, the room felt too small, the air too thick. I opened my mouth to say something, anything to break the tension, when my phone buzzed loudly, shattering the moment.

I pulled it out, frowning at the unknown number. "Unknown caller," I muttered, debating whether to answer.

"Put it on speaker," Levi commanded.

I hesitated but hit the button. "Hello?"

A distorted voice crackled through the line. "If you want to take down Dante, you're looking in the wrong places."

My heart skipped a beat. "Who is this?"

The voice ignored my question. "He's not just a drug dealer. He's into something bigger, something darker. Look into his shipping company."

Before I could respond, the line went dead. I stared at the phone, my mind racing.

"What the hell was that?" Levi asked, his voice tight.

I looked up at him, my pulse quickening. "I think we just got a lead."

Levi's expression darkened. "Or a trap."

"Either way, we can't ignore it," I said, standing.

I turned to Levi. "Can you trace the call?"

He nodded, already pulling out his own phone. "I'll have Dean on this."

Levi grabbed my hand, his touch warm and firm while he pinned me with his intense gaze. "Krista, be careful. Whoever this is, they're playing games. Dante's dangerous, and if he thinks you're onto him…"

"I know," I said, cutting him off. "But we don't have a choice. We need to follow this."

Before I could respond, Levi's phone rang. He frowned at the screen before answering. "Dean? What's up?"

I watched as his expression shifted from confusion to shock. "You're sure? Okay. We'll be there."

He hung up and turned to me, his eyes blazing. "Dean found something. Dante's drug ring is a front. He's running a human trafficking operation."

The words hit like a punch to the gut. My stomach churned as the pieces fell into place. Dante wasn't just a villain; he was a monster. And we were in way over our heads.

"We'll stop him," he said in a deadly steady voice. "But we need to be smart. We can't afford any mistakes.

I nodded, my resolve hardening. "Then let's get to work."

Levi's gaze softened, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "You're incredible, you know that?"

My cheeks warmed, but I held his gaze. "Incredibly stubborn, maybe."

"Incredibly brave," he corrected, his voice low and steady. "And infuriatingly brilliant."

I laughed, though it came out shaky. "And here I thought you only saw me as a nuisance."

His expression turned serious, the kind of seriousness that made my heart stutter. "I see you, Krista. More than I think you'd like me to."

The room seemed to shrink around us. I opened my mouth to deflect, to make a joke, anything to break the tension, but nothing came out. Instead, I just sat there, trapped in the warmth of his eyes, the unspoken words hanging heavy between us.

"I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you," he said quietly, his voice rough with emotion. "I can't lose you."

My breath caught. For a man who prided himself on control, on keeping his walls high and impenetrable, this was as close to a confession as I'd ever get. And it terrified me. Not because it was too much, but because it felt like exactly what I'd been waiting for. What I'd been afraid to admit I wanted.

"Levi," I started, my voice trembling.

But the words wouldn't come. How could I explain what I barely understood myself? Somewhere between his gruff exterior and the vulnerability he only showed in rare, fleeting moments, I'd started to fall for him. That his protectiveness, his intensity, his quiet acts of care, like bringing me coffee just the way I liked it, had chipped away at the walls I'd built around my own heart.

He leaned closer, his hand still holding mine, his other coming up to brush a stray lock of hair from my face. "You don't have to say it," he murmured. "I can feel it."

And maybe he could. Maybe he saw it in the way my breath hitched when he was near and in the way I always sought him out in a crowded room without even realizing it. Or maybe it was just that connection between us, the one that had been there since the moment we'd met, that neither of us had been able to ignore.

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest.

He shook his head, his thumb brushing over my cheek. "Just stay with me."

And there it was, the unspoken truth, the thing I'd been running from. I wasn't falling for him. I was already there, tumbling headfirst into something I couldn't control, something I wasn't sure I wanted to.

But as I looked into his eyes, I realized I didn't want to run anymore. For the first time in a long time, I was exactly where I wanted to be.

"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered.

He pulled me into his arms, and I let myself sink into the warmth of him and the safety of his embrace. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't easy, but it was real. And for now, that was enough.