Page 26 of Fated by Fire (Dragonblood Dynasty #1)

Chapter 26

C aleb

The boardroom is eerily quiet, the kind of silence that presses in from all sides. I stand at the head of the long mahogany table, fingers splayed out on the cool surface, trying to ground myself.

I glance down at the reports Sloane has meticulously prepared—security updates, clan movements, details of the Circle of Fire’s likely members. As my most trusted employee, she’s probably the only human on the planet with access to this information. And I’m struggling to focus on it. The words blur together, letters twisting into incoherent shapes.

I blink hard, trying to pay attention, but it’s useless. Every time I attempt to read a sentence, a sharp pang shoots through my chest, followed by a surge of emotions that aren’t entirely mine.

Grief. Betrayal. Anger.

Elena’s emotions crash into me like waves against a rocky shore, relentless and consuming. The bond between us is strained, a taut wire pulling tighter with each passing moment. I clench my jaw, muscles tensing as I fight to maintain control.

“Dammit,” I mutter under my breath, pushing the reports away. Heat flares under my palms, and I realize the tabletop beneath my hands has grown warm to the touch. I inhale slowly, drawing in cool air to temper the fire threatening to break loose inside me.

This can’t go on.

I prowl to the window, staring out at the glittering expanse of Seattle. Traffic snakes through the streets below, oblivious to the dragons overlooking them from these towers. Oblivious to the war brewing beneath their feet.

My reflection stares back at me from the glass—sharp features etched with tension, dark hair disheveled from restless fingers. The amber of my eyes catches the city light, a reminder of the dragon lurking beneath my skin.

Another flash of emotion hits me—Elena’s defiance, tinged with hurt. I grip the edge of the windowsill, the metal warping slightly under my grasp.

“Get out of my head,” I whisper, knowing she can’t hear me. Knowing it’s not her fault. The bond is growing stronger, more insistent, despite my attempts to sever it.

The sound of the door opening pulls me from my thoughts. I turn to see Dorian strolling in, though his usual easy grace is missing. His shirt is untucked, tie loosened carelessly around his neck. There’s a shadow of stubble on his jaw, and his hair looks like he’s run his hands through it one too many times.

“You’re early,” I remark.

“Am I?” He glances at his watch, then shrugs. “Guess I am.”

He slides into a chair, immediately pulling out his phone and scrolling through messages. His leg bounces restlessly under the table.

I raise an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing,” he replies, not looking up. “Just tired.”

“Long night?”

He hesitates, thumb hovering over the screen before locking the phone and slipping it into his pocket. “I suppose you could say that.”

“Let me guess. It’s a woman.” Wouldn’t surprise me to learn that my brother’s screwing around while our species faces destruction.

“None of your business,” he says. There’s a tightness around his eyes I’ve seen before—the same look he gets when things are slipping out of his control.

My gut tells me things aren’t right. There’s an unease radiating off him that’s hard to ignore.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

He meets my gaze briefly before looking away. “Fine.”

I decide not to push further. We all have our distractions. God knows I’ve got mine.

The door opens again as Lydia enters, followed by a few other clan members—Luke, an imposing figure with a stern expression, and Serena, her sharp eyes missing nothing. They take their seats around the table, conversations murmuring softly.

“Caleb,” Lydia acknowledges me with a nod, her silver-gray hair pulled back into an elegant twist. She studies me for a moment, a flicker of concern passing over her features.

“Lydia,” I reply, taking my seat at the head of the table. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice.”

“Didn’t give us much of a choice,” Luke grumbles, folding his arms.

I glance at Dorian, who gives a slight nod. “As some of you may be aware, there’s been a… development.”

Serena leans forward. “This about the security breaches?”

“Partly,” I say. “But more pressing is the matter of a video that’s gone viral in the past few hours.”

I tap a key on the laptop before me, and the large screen at the end of the room lights up, displaying Mara’s video. As it plays, the room grows colder, realization settling over the clan members.

“Dragons among us?” Luke scoffs, but there’s a nervous edge to his voice.

“Who is this woman?” Serena demands.

“A conspiracy theorist,” Dorian answers. “But her reach is extensive. Millions of views already, and the numbers are climbing.”

“How did this happen?” Lydia asks, eyes narrowing.

I take a deep breath. “An information leak. Someone close to us shared sensitive details.”

Luke slams a fist on the table. “This is unacceptable! Our secrecy is paramount!”

“I’m aware,” I say tightly.

“Where were you when this happened?” Serena fixes me with a piercing stare. “Shouldn’t you have prevented this?”

“I was dealing with another situation,” I reply evenly.

“Another situation?” Luke sneers. “Your absences are becoming frequent, Caleb. Perhaps you need to reassess your priorities.”

Heat flares in my chest, but I force it down. “My priorities are exactly where they need to be. Our focus now should be on mitigating the damage.”

“He’s right,” Lydia interjects smoothly. “Pointing fingers won’t solve anything.”

Serena crosses her arms. “So, what’s the plan? Do we suppress the information? Issue denials?”

“Trying to erase it will only draw more attention,” Dorian says. “Streisand effect and all that.”

“Streisand effect?” Serena frowns.

“You know. When you try to hide something and just end up drawing more attention to it?”

“Perfect. Just what we need. So, what do we do?” Luke demands.

“Perhaps we control the narrative,” Lydia suggests. “Redirect the curiosity elsewhere. Flood the internet with conflicting theories to dilute the impact.”

“That could work,” Serena muses. “Use our resources to create noise.”

I nod. “And we need to strengthen our security.” I tap a folder on the table beside me, where Sloane had set out the latest updates. “There’s been increased activity around Craven Tower—suspicious figures watching the building.”

“Malakai’s access codes have been used again,” Dorian adds. “Even though we tried to block them.”

“Impossible,” Luke mutters. “He must have inside help.”

“Agreed,” I say. “We may have a mole within our ranks.”

A heavy silence settles over the room as everyone considers what this might mean.

“Could the Syndicate be mobilizing?” Serena asks quietly.

“All signs point to it,” I confirm. “All signs point to the NyxCorp deal being a front for their activities, as I’d suspected.” I don’t look at Dorian. He took his eye off the ball on that one. “One of their affiliates, Blackthorn Consulting, recently conducted an investigation into our company. There are just too many coincidences for it to be unrelated.”

The tension in the room escalates. Luke shifts uncomfortably in his seat, and Lydia’s gaze flickers to me, a silent question in her eyes.

Throughout the discussion, Elena’s emotions continue to batter at me—now a mix of determination and… fear? My focus wavers and I grip the edge of the table to steady myself.

“Caleb?” Lydia’s voice cuts through the haze.

I blink, realizing that the room has fallen silent. All eyes are on me.

“Is everything alright?” she asks, a knowing look in her eyes.

“Fine,” I lie.

She arches an eyebrow but doesn’t press. “We were discussing how to address the potential mole.”

“Right.” I clear my throat. “We need to initiate an internal investigation. Discreetly. If Malakai has sympathizers, we need to root them out.”

“Agreed,” Dorian says, though his gaze lingers on me, concern etched in his features.

“Meeting adjourned,” I announce abruptly. “Sloane will coordinate our next steps.”

As the clan members file out, Lydia approaches me. “A word, Caleb?”

I nod, waiting as the others leave the room. The door closes behind Dorian, leaving us alone.

She studies me for a moment before speaking. “You’re distracted.”

“I’m handling it,” I reply, avoiding her gaze.

“The mate bond is not something you can simply ignore,” she says gently.

I tense. “It’s complicating things.”

“That’s its nature.” She smiles faintly. “But it can also be a source of strength.”

“I can’t afford distractions,” I insist. “Not now.”

“Trying to sever the bond is foolish,” Lydia warns. “It’s a rare and powerful connection. Breaking it could have consequences—unintended ones.”

I meet her gaze. “I don’t have a choice.”

She sighs softly. “You’re making a mistake.”

“Perhaps,” I concede. “But it’s mine to make.”

She places a hand on my arm. “Remember, Caleb—the clan needs unity. Not isolation.”

I nod curtly, and she releases me, turning to leave.

“Take care,” she says over her shoulder.

As I exit the boardroom, Dorian is waiting for me in the hallway, leaning against the wall.

“Thought you might need a drink,” he says, holding up a flask.

I shake my head. “Not now.”

He falls into step beside me. “You looked like you were about to burst into flames back there.”

“Noticed that, did you?”

“Hard to miss when the temperature in the room rises ten degrees.”

We walk in silence for a moment before he speaks again.

“You’re making a mistake pushing her away,” Dorian says quietly.

I shoot him a sharp glance. “Stay out of it.”

“I can’t.” He stops, forcing me to face him. “You think I don’t recognize the signs? You’re tearing yourself apart.”

“Enough,” I warn.

He ignores me. “Remember what happened to Dad? His isolation, his refusal to let anyone in—that’s what led to… what happened.”

“This isn’t about him.”

“Isn’t it?” Dorian’s eyes bore into mine.

“I’m doing what’s necessary.”

“For whom? The clan—or your pride?”

My temper flares. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” He steps closer. “You’re not the only one who’s ever cared about someone.”

I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean? What would you know about love?”

Did I say love?

He hesitates, then shrugs. “It’s not important. Doesn’t change the fact that you’re screwing this up.”

I grind my teeth. “I have to protect the clan.”

“Maybe protecting the clan means accepting help. Accepting her.”

I turn away. “I don’t have time for this.”

As I walk off, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see a security alert flashing on the screen.

“Shit,” I mutter.

Dorian catches up to me. “What is it?”

“Malakai’s been spotted near the outskirts of the city.”

“Alone?”

“Unknown. But he’s too close for comfort.”

An uneasy feeling coils in my stomach. Elena’s emotions spike again—confusion, then a sudden jolt of fear.

I stop in my tracks. “I need to check on something.”

Dorian grabs my arm. “Caleb, wait.”

“I have to go.”

“You’re running to her,” he says.

“She’s in danger. I can feel it,” I snap, pulling free. “Something’s wrong.”

Without waiting for a response, I break into a run, heading for the nearest exit. Behind me, I hear Dorian curse before following.

By the time I reach the street, my mind is racing. I try calling Elena, but the call goes straight to voicemail.

“Come on, Elena,” I whisper. “Pick up.”

Nothing.

I climb into my car, the engine roaring to life as I speed away from Craven Towers. The bond pulses within me, a beacon guiding me toward her, even as dread settles heavy in my chest.

I left her vulnerable. In my anger, I pushed her away, and now she might pay the price.

“Hold on,” I murmur, fighting down the panic that wants to take hold. “I’m coming.”

I can’t lose her.