Page 27 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Chef

"You can't go back to work." The words came out sharper than I intended, a command, not a request.

Ivy stilled. "What?"

"Boris has a target on you. He sent men to the warehouse to sabotage our orders. He's trying to ruin the company, andhe's going after you to get to me." I pulled out my phone and showed her the photo of her sleeping in our bed. "He has people watching you, People inside my warehouse."

Her breath hitched, fingers tightening around the edge of the counter. For a heartbeat, she just stared at the screen, her pulse jumping in her throat. Then her jaw set.

"So what's the plan?" she asked, voice steady.

"You stay here. Full-time. No leaving the penthouse without security."

Her eyes flashed. "No."

I clenched my jaw. "Ivy."

"No." She shoved the phone back at me. "You don't get to unilaterally decide what I do. We're partners, remember? That means we figure this out together."

My wolf bristled at the defiance, the challenge in her tone. But beneath it, I caught the tremor in her hands, the way her scent shifted with something raw, fear, yes, but also something deeper.

It was the bitter smell of betrayal.

"This isn't a negotiation," I said, stepping closer. "He threatened you. Explicitly. I won't risk anything happening to you."

"And I won't be locked away like some helpless damsel!" Her voice cracked, and she swiped at her cheek before I could see the tear fall. "You don't understand what this feels like. My whole life, men have tried to control me my ex, my old boss, even some perverted food critic. They all decided what was best for me without asking. And now you're doing the exact same thing."

The words landed like a blow.

I reached for her.

She stepped back. "Don't."

The space between us widened, swallowing us. My wolf howled, claws raking at my ribs, desperate to close the distance, to fix this. But the bond between us which was still so new and so fragile, pulled taut with her pain.

I forced my claws to retract and swallowed the growl in my throat. "Ivy, please. This isn't about control. It's about protecting you, keeping you alive."

"Then talk to me." Her hands fisted at her sides. "Tell me the plan. Let me help. But don't you dare shut me out and call it protection."

I exhaled, dragging a hand through my hair. She was right. I knew she was right. But the thought of her in danger made my vision bleed red.

"Denver's coming," I said finally. "I called in a favor."

Ivy blinked. "A favor?"

"Pack law. He'll help me hunt Boris down." I met her gaze, letting her see the truth in mine. "But until he's dead, you're not safe. And I can't think straight when it comes to you."

She let out a shuddering breath. For a long moment, she just stared at me, searching. Then, slowly, she closed the distance between us, her palm pressing over my racing heart.

"Then let me be your partner," she whispered. "Not your prisoner."

I caught her wrist, pulling her closer until our foreheads touched. "If anything happens to you—"

"It won't." Her free hand cupped my jaw. "Because we're smarter than him. And we're not doing this alone."

I swallowed hard, my wolf settling at her touch, at thewein her words. She wasn't yielding. But she wasn't pushing me away, either.

"Alright," I murmured, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Together."

"Together," she agreed. She stared up at me, holding my gaze with steel in her eyes. "But my terms too, no more decrees. We plan. We fight. Or we don't survive."

---