Page 67 of Fated By Fire

I push away from the desk. “I’ll handle Elena,” I say finally.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Dorian asks carefully. “You’re too close to this. To her.”

I shoot him a warning glance. “She’s compromised our security. Exposed us. Do you have a better idea?”

He sighs. “Just… be careful. Don’t let your emotions dictate your actions.”

I scoff. “You sound like Dad.”

“Maybe he had a point,” Dorian counters. “Emotions make us vulnerable.”

I turn away, memories of our father flooding back. His stern gaze, his constant warnings about the dangers of forming attachments. “A leader must remain detached,” he used to say. “Emotions cloud judgment, and judgment is the key to survival.”

But it’s too late for that. If Lydia is right, the bond is there, undeniable. Pushing her away might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I have to protect the clan.

“Dorian, I need you to manage things here,” I say, grabbing my coat. “There’s a clan meeting set within the hour. I want you to take it.”

“Me?” He looks surprised.

“You not up to it?” I cock my head, the challenge unmistakable.

He snorts. “Of course I am. Just wondering if you’re ready to have your baby brother step into your shoes.”

“Have fun with that,” I scoff. “While you’re at it, tighten security protocols, monitor any further leaks, and see if you can track down how Malakai’s gaining access.”

“That all?” He tilts his head. “What about this video?”

“Keep that on hold until I get back. I think it’s going to take some careful handling.”

“You don’t say,” he scoffs. “Where are you going?”

“To the cabin.”

He raises an eyebrow. “And what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to fix this.” The words feel hollow, even to me.

“If that’s possible, at this point,” he says.

I give a curt nod and exit the office. As I make my way to the elevator, my mind races. That strange connection tugs at me. The lingering warmth of the Heartstone bleeding into me. And for the first time in weeks, these strange sensations are beginning to make sense.

That chills me. Because I know this is a problem. Within the short space of time that Elena Ross has been in my world, she’s changed everything. Put us at risk. Compromised my leadership abilities. And her life is at stake.

I can’t have that.

My clan can’t have that.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. This has to end. For her sake, for mine, for the clan’s.

As I move forward, a final thought anchors itself in my mind, a thought that rips at my heart even though I’ve barely had time to process the idea of being bonded to her: I have to end this before it destroys everything.

Chapter 25

Elena

I flip through the worn pages of my mother’s journal, inhaling the scent of aged paper and faded ink. The fire crackles softly in the hearth, casting shadows across the cabin walls. I’ve read these entries a thousand times, but tonight, they feel different—charged with a meaning that had eluded me until now.

My fingers trace over her handwriting, as familiar as my own. I stop at an entry dated just a few weeks before she disappeared.

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