Page 116 of Hoarded By the Dragon

“Kalos.”Ben looks up from his phone. He sits on the other side of the couch from Stella as we work to track down Katarina. So far it’s been casually calling allies, not asking about my mate, but leaving the line open for them to confess any details.

This quiet searching is something that I’d have done with no issue prior to reuniting with my dragon but now chafes. The plan to keep the people who know who Katarina is to me few is a logical one. Logical and slow.

And it feels wrong to my newly awakened instincts.

I want my mate and young in the arms of my embrace. I want to ensure their safety. I wish to trumpet to the rooftops what she means to me.

And to apologize for losing control.

“Yes? Have you found Katarina?” I ask.

Ben stiffens. “No, Lorenzo Leonid is calling. Do you want me to answer it?”

I taste dragon fire but gesture for him to pass me the phone.

“What could he possibly have to say?” Stella asks. She refused to leave us to our calls, reaching out to her own contacts in search of her friend.

Ben’s lips thin. “Nothing good.”

I silently agree with him. The Leonids have been a thorn in my side since this all began. I will have their blood on my talons one way or another. Their fate was sealed when they attacked the manor. They can only dig themselves deeper now.

I accept the call and place it on speakerphone. “What do you want, Lorenzo?”

His smug laugh is staticky and Ben and I share an annoyed look. He’s put a spell in place to scramble any attempt to record his words.

“Is that any way to greet another territory leader?” he asks.

“It is when that territory leader mounted an attack on my home.” I keep the words calm even as I burn on the inside.

“You would be hard-pressed to prove that we did any such thing. You weren’t there, and will the Council really listen to anything your employees say?”

I grit my teeth and don’t respond.

“I thought not,” he answers for me. “We never wanted to be enemies. You should have given us what we asked for and all this unpleasantness could have been avoided.”

“Does this call have a point?” I ask.

He doesn’t quite hide his snarl before his voice is smug again. “You seem to have misplaced something you’re attached to. A man’s legacy is worth any weight in gold, don’t you agree? It’s the future itself.”

Stella curses softly even as ice spreads through my spine.

“Speak plainly, you know we can’t record this call,” I bite out, wanting there to be no mistaking their meaning.

“We have your mate.” His words are sharp like he’s annoyed that I’m not allowing him to toy with me. “If you want her back, meet us at the northern fae gate with the appropriate magics to transfer ownership of it by seven p.m.”

“I don’t believe you,” I say, trying to get more information even as I want to roar and tear him to pieces.

Lorenzo hums. “Just ask her employer.”

His voice fades as another starts babbling in its place. “They have Katarina! She came to me, and I gave her up.” The phone is pulled away as the speaker, who must be Nemo with how Stella rears in shock, howls in pain.

“Let’s make this business as clean as possible, Kalos. Be there at seven or your mate will be the one who pays for your obstinance.” Lorenzo hangs up.

“I hate him so much,” Stella says, shaking in anger.

Smoke rises from my nostrils, and my scales rustle in rage. I’m on my feet, slamming my fists against the desk.

“They have her,” I whisper the words into silence. The air of tension is deadly. My body aches to transform and retrieve her. I crave to destroy everything in my wake.

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