Page 15 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Fixer

"You're late," he said without looking up.

"Traffic," I lied, leaning against the doorframe."What do you have?"

He finally turned to me, his expression serious."I've been digging into Selene's financials like you asked.Found some interesting transactions."

I stepped closer, my interest piqued."Go on."

"Monthly deposits to an offshore account.Started about six months before she died."

I frowned."Blackmail?"

"Doubtful," Dean said, shaking his head."She wasn't the one initiating the payments.Someone was funneling money to her."

My stomach dropped."Dante."

"Bingo," Dean said, leaning back in his chair."Looks like she was on his payroll.But here's the kicker, the payments stopped two weeks before she died."

I clenched my fists, the pieces falling into place.Dante had been using Selene, and when she was no longer useful, he got rid of her.The realization didn't surprise me, but it fueled the fire burning in my chest.

"What else?"I asked, my voice tight.

"That's not all," Dean said, his tone grim."I found a deleted email chain between her and Dante.He was pressuring her to do something she didn't want to do."

"Poison herself?"I asked, the words bitter on my tongue.

Dean shook his head."Not exactly.He wanted her to frame you for something.She refused, and then..."He trailed off, letting the unspoken truth hang in the air.

I swore under my breath, my wolf snarling in frustration.Dante had Selene killed because she wouldn't play along with his scheme.And now he was trying to pin it all on me.

"We need to keep digging, Dean.There has to be more."I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees."What else do you have?"

Dean turned back to his computer, pulling up another file."Her phone records.I've been going through the calls she made in the weeks leading up to her death.There's a pattern.She was calling the same number almost every day."

I frowned."Dante?"

"No," Dean said, shaking his head."The number's unregistered, but I traced it back to a burner phone.Whoever it is, they're careful."

My gut twisted uneasily."Do you think it's connected to her death?"

"It's possible," Dean said, his tone cautious."I'm still working on it, but it's a lead.If we can figure out who she was talking to, we might be able to piece together what happened."

I nodded, the pieces of the puzzle slowly coming together."Keep digging.I want to know everything."

"I will," Dean promised, his eyes meeting mine."But Levi, you need to be careful.If Dante catches wind that we're onto him, he's not going to hesitate to come after you.And he's got no problem playing dirty."

"I know," I said, my voice grim."But he's not the only one who can play dirty."I stood, turning to leave."Keep me updated.Let me know if you find anything else."

"I will," Dean said, his voice trailing after me as I headed for the door."And Levi, don't forget to look out for yourself while all of this is going on.I know what's at stake, but you have to take care of your own head.Otherwise, it's going to get all messed up."

I paused in the doorway, glancing back at him."Thanks, Dean.I'll keep that in mind."

The road ahead was treacherous, and the stakes were higher than ever.But I couldn't afford to falter now.Selene's death, Krista's safety, and my own future were all on the line.I climbed into the car, the engine roaring to life as I pulled away from Dean's office.

I couldn't shake the image of Krista standing on that balcony, the soft glow of the lights inside the party earlier illuminating her face.She had this way of grounding me, of making the chaos around me feel manageable.But she was also a distraction, and I couldn't afford distractions right now.Not with Dante breathing down my neck and the media ready to pounce on any misstep.

Still, as I drove back to the mansion, I couldn't ignore the pull I felt toward her.It wasn't just my wolf reacting to her.It was something deeper, something I wasn't ready to name.She was strong, fearless, and relentless, but beneath that bold exterior was a vulnerability she tried so hard to hide.I saw it in the way she looked at me sometimes, like she was waiting for me to let her down.And maybe I would.I wasn't exactly known for my emotional availability.

I parked the car and stepped inside the mansion.The house felt empty, too quiet without her presence.I made my way upstairs, pausing outside her door.My hand hovered over the knob, but I hesitated.What would I even say?Hey, I know we're in the middle of a life-or-death situation, but I can't stop thinking about you?Yeah, that'd go over well.

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