Page 26 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Fixer

I pulled back from Levi, my heart racing."What is it?"

"Troy Mercer's dead," Garrett said, his words hanging heavy in the air."They just found his body."

The news hit me like a punch to the gut.Troy had been a nuisance, sure, but he'd also been a potential lead in our investigation into Dante.Now,he was just another casualty in a game that was growing deadlier by the minute.My mind raced, trying to process what this meant for us, for the case, for everything.

Levi's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he turned to Garrett."How?"he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

"Looks like a hit," Garrett replied, his tone clipped."Same MO as Selene.Dante's cleaning house."

I felt a chill run down my spine.Troy's death wasn't just a warning.It was a declaration of war.Dante was removing anyone who could connect him to Selene's death, and if we didn't act fast, we'd be next.

Chapter 10

LEVI

Anxiety thrummed under my skin as I paced across the spacious conference room.The fallout from Troy's death felt like an incoming hurricane that I was helpless to stop.It wouldn't be long before Dante directed the media in my direction and tried to connect me to Troy's death.My legal team was seated around the table, eyes darting over the pages of prepared notes.Most of them were looking to me for leadership, but all I felt was a gnawing sense of dread.

"We need to secure an emergency injunction against the media," I said, breaking the silence.My voice sounded steadier than I felt.

Alan, my lead attorney, adjusted his glasses and nodded."That will buy you time, but it won't be enough.The media is already speculating.Dante is a savvy opponent.He's going to use this chaos against you."

Frustration simmered in my chest."We need to stop the bleeding before it starts.If we can restrict them from publishing anything until we set our own narrative, it'll give us room to breathe."

The room filled with murmurs of agreement, but beneath the surface, I felt the anxiety rising.I could sense it in every glance exchanged, every scribble of notes.Everyone knew the stakes were higher than they had been.Selene's death had marked us, and now Troy was gone, another pawn sacrificed.My instincts screamed that Dante was ready to strike again.

I wrapped up the meeting with a sense of urgency, giving my team final instructions as they prepared to move forward with the injunction.We had to be rational and strategic.Still, as I exited the conference room, the tight knot in my stomach pulled tighter.

As soon as I stepped into the car, adrenaline coursed through my veins.The mansion felt like it was both a sanctuary and a prison, and I needed to get back to Krista.She was my focus now, more than the looming shadows of Dante, more than the media chaos.

When I arrived, a familiar warmth greeted me as I entered the house."Krista?"I called out.I headed toward the kitchen and found her sitting at the counter with her laptop open and papers scattered around her.She looked up, her expression a mix of concentration and relief at seeing me.

"There you are," she said, a smile breaking across her face."How did the meeting go?"

I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms."We secured an emergency injunction, but it's only a temporary fix.They'll find another way to hit us, I'm sure."

Her brow furrowed, concern etched across her features."We need to go public with our findings.The sooner we call out Dante, the sooner we can take control of the narrative."

I opened my mouth to protest but stopped myself."It's too dangerous, Krista.You don't understand what he's capable of."

She leaned closer, her tone growing passionate."It's exhausting playing defense all the time!We're giving him the upper hand by staying silent.Don't you want to fight back?We need to make a move before he makes one against us."

Caught between her fire and my instinct to protect her, I exploded."And what if that move puts you in his crosshairs?"

Her eyes flashed with anger and frustration, and I could see her resolve harden."I'm not a fragile little bird you need to protect, Levi!You hired me to fix the burning mess that's your reputation, remember?We can't keep tiptoeing around him forever."

The air thickened with an intensity that felt electric.I opened my mouth to argue further, but the words caught in my throat.She wasn't wrong.I was trying to shield her from the danger, but in doing so, I was inadvertently belittling her strength.

"Krista, you're stronger than you know," I conceded, my voice softer now."But rushing in without a plan could jeopardize everything we've worked for."

She shook her head, determination etched on her face."And what about Troy?He's dead because we're not being proactive.We need to expose Dante and put an end to this before anyone else gets hurt."

"There are better ways to handle this," I argued back, though my own confidence was waning beneath the weight of her passionate plea.

"The longer we wait, the more power we give him," she stated, frustration bleeding into her tone."I refuse to sit back and let him control our narrative."

Her eyes shone with frustration, and I felt the weight of everything we faced pressing down on us.I could see how much this meant to her, how desperately she wanted to make a difference.But my wolf stirred within me, letting out a howl of warning, sensing how reckless this could be.

At that moment, the combination of fear and fierce determination twisted in her chest, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears."I feel trapped, Levi!Trapped as we helplessly play defense to his attacks.I don't want to be left in the shadows.I can't go on being your mouthpiece while we slowly drown."

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