Dante's face twisted with rage, and he lunged at me, his hand reaching under his jacket for his gun.But before he could aim the gun at me, Levi was there.To my surprise, he shifted back to human form mid-motion.As much as all of us wanted to rip Dante to shreds, we were on a livestream, and Levi couldn't be seen as a murderous monster.Levi's hand clamped around Dante's wrist with bone-crushing force.

"Don't," Levi growled, his voice low and dangerous."You lay a finger on her, and I'll finish what I started."Dante's eyes widened in fear, but the defiance didn't leave him entirely.He sneered, struggling against Levi's grip.His finger pulled the trigger, sending a bullet toward the ceiling.

Levi's free hand shot out, grabbing Dante by the collar and slamming him against the wall."You're done, Dante," he snarled, his face inches from Dante's.

In the distance, the sound of sirens echoed, growing louder with each passing second.Dante's men were either unconscious or fleeing, leaving him alone and cornered.His bravado faltered, and for the first time, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.

"You're finished, Dante," Levi repeated."The world knows what you are.There's no coming back from this."

Dante's lips curled into a snarl, but there was no bite left in him.His confidence had shattered, and the man who had once been a predator now looked like nothing more than a cornered animal."This isn't over," he spat, though his voice trembled."You'll regret this, Storm."

Levi leaned in closer, his eyes burning with intensity."The only thing I regret is not taking you down sooner."

The sound of boots pounding against concrete filled the air as the police burst into the warehouse, their guns drawn and voices barking orders.Levi stepped back, releasing Dante and pushing him toward the officers.Dante stumbled, his face pale and his hands raised in surrender.The police swarmed him, cuffing him without hesitation.

I stood frozen, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps as the police swarmed around Dante.The adrenaline that had kept me upright was ebbing, leaving my limbs heavy and my hands trembling at my sides.The scent of dust and sweat clung to the air, but it was the sharp bitter smell of his fear that lingered in my lungs.

My eyes locked onto Dante's as they led him away, his face pale but his gaze still sharp.He met my stare, and for a moment, I saw the bitterness, the rage, the unyielding promise of revenge.My stomach churned, a cold knot of dread tightening in my chest.

"This isn't over."His words repeated in my mind like a curse.I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, trying to steady myself.But even as the police dragged him out, hauling him into the waiting police car, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

Levi's presence snapped me back to reality.He was at my side in an instant, his hands gripping my shoulders as his eyes searched mine."Are you okay?"he asked.

I nodded, though my body was still humming with the aftershocks of the confrontation."I'm fine," I said, forcing my voice to be steady.But the truth was, I didn't feel fine.

Levi pulled me into his arms, his embrace so tight it almost hurt.I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him and letting it calm my nerves.His warmth seeped into me, but the tremors in my hands wouldn't stop.I clenched his shirt in my fists, anchoring myself to him.

The warehouse fell silent, the only sound the distant hum of police radios and the echo of our breathing.The air still smelled of dust and sweat, but the tension had shifted, replaced by a strange, fragile calm.I stood there, Levi's arms around me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to breathe deep, slow breaths that filled my lungs and pushed out the lingering fear.

"It's over," Levi murmured.His hand cradled the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair.He pressed another kiss to my forehead, his lips warm and grounding."You're safe.We're safe."

I nodded against his chest, my fingers tightening in the fabric of his shirt.The adrenaline that had fueled me was fading, leaving me exhausted but strangely at peace.

Levi exhaled, his grip tightening around me."Now, we make sure Dante can't hurt anyone ever again.He's going to prison for a long time.The evidence we've gathered and the live feed, it's all out there.The entire world knows what kind of monster he is.He's done, Krista.It's over."

As if sensing my unease, Levi pressed a kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering for a moment."We'll be ready for whatever comes next," he said.

I tilted my head, a teasing smile tugging at my lips despite the heaviness of the moment."Admit it, Levi.You're just glad you didn't have to clean up my mess for once."

The corner of his mouth twitched, that sly smile that lit up movie screens worldwide.It was now mine and it made my pulse quicken."You're lucky I didn't have to," he shot back, his tone light but his eyes serious."But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'm cuffing you to my side.Permanently."

I laughed, the sound bubbling up unexpectedly, and it felt like a weight lifting from my chest."Oh, so now you're the boss of me?"

His hand cupped my cheek, his touch warm and grounding."Always have been, whether you admit it or not."

I leaned into his hand, the banter fading as the intensity of his gaze drew me in."I'm not going anywhere, Levi," I said quietly."Not without you."

He exhaled sharply, as if he'd been holding his breath, and pulled me closer."Good.Because I'm not letting you go.Not now.Not ever."

Chapter 12

LEVI

I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, staring out at the ocean waves crashing in the distance.The sunlight streaming in felt almost mocking, too bright for the heaviness in my chest.The adrenaline of taking down Dante had faded, leaving behind a hollow ache.Winning hadn't felt like a victory.It felt like the start of another battle.

My phone buzzed incessantly on the coffee table, but I ignored it.The media frenzy was relentless, and every headline felt like a knife twisting in my gut.

LEVI STORM: HERO OR MONSTER?