Chapter Seven – Estelle
My turn. The words echoed inside Estelle’s head.
Estelle’s dragon roared with joy. This is it. Time to show our mate our true selves.
And hope he doesn’t turn tail and run for the hills, Estelle replied dryly.
He won’t.
Her dragon was so sure, so certain of their mate. Estelle wished she could share that same certainty. She looked at Leo, standing bathed in moonlight. He had revealed himself completely, trusted her with his most intimate self, and now waited for her to do the same.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. She had come to Bear Creek to disappear, not to be seen. Especially not like this.
“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “A dragon isn’t like a bear or a wolf. It’s...” She searched for words that wouldn’t sound like warnings.
Her dragon huffed impatiently. Stop stalling. Our mate deserves to see us.
Leo stepped closer, not touching her, but near enough that she could feel the heat coming off his body. “Estelle,” he murmured. “I want to see all of you.”
The simple honesty in his voice gave her courage. She had spent so long hiding, controlling, calculating every risk. But standing here, in this moonlit clearing with this man who had shown her his truest self without hesitation, Estelle made her choice.
Not because the mate bond demanded it. Not because her dragon was pushing her. But because, for once, she wanted to be wholly herself. Her mate deserved that much.
“Stand back a little,” she said, her voice steadier now. “I need space.”
Leo nodded and moved several steps away, his eyes never leaving hers.
Estelle took a breath, centering herself.
It’s been too long since we’ve flown free, her dragon murmured, stretching beneath her skin.
It has. Estelle closed her eyes, feeling the ancient magic stirring in her blood. She had held it back for so long, gripped it so tightly, that the thought of letting go made her tremble.
“My dragon is... ready,” she warned Leo, opening her eyes to find him watching her with such reverence that it made her breath catch.
“So am I,” he replied simply, the corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile.
The unexpected humor broke through her last hesitation. Estelle let her lips curve in answer, then stepped back and finally let go.
The air popped and crackled with electricity. For one suspended heartbeat, she released the world, and then her human form was gone.
In the next instant, her dragon stood in her place.
The night came at her sharper and richer through dragon senses.
Cool air skimmed over her scales. Moonlight gleamed brighter.
The scents of forest, earth, pine, and mate surrounded her.
She stretched her wings, feeling the glorious pull of muscles too long confined, and lifted her head to meet Leo’s gaze.
He’s so small, her dragon observed with something like wonder. Our mate. So small and yet so strong.
Leo stood absolutely still, his eyes wide, his lips slightly parted. For a heartbeat, Estelle saw the instinctive flicker of awe that crossed his face.
He’ll run, Estelle said with a pang of resignation.
But Leo didn’t run. Instead, he took a step forward, then another, his expression shifting into something that made her heart stutter.
Awe. Recognition. Acceptance.
“You’re magnificent,” he breathed, reaching out one hand.
See? her dragon said smugly. Our mate knows what we are.
Estelle lowered her noble head, bringing herself to his level.
Her dragon form was midnight blue, her scales catching the moonlight like scattered stars.
She was not as massive as some dragons, but she was still imposing, with elegant wings folded against her back and intelligent eyes that held the same gray-gold hue as her human form.
Leo’s hand trembled slightly as it hovered near her muzzle. “May I?” he asked, his voice hushed with reverence.
Instead of answering, Estelle pressed her snout gently against his palm. The contact sent a jolt through her whole body, as if some circuit had finally closed. Her dragon hummed with pleasure, a sound that rumbled deep in her chest.
Leo’s fingers slid over her scales, exploring the texture with wonder. “I’ve never...” He shook his head, words failing him. “I knew you were special, but this...” His eyes met hers, and the emotion in them made her breath catch. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”
The simplicity of his gratitude, the complete lack of fear or revulsion—it was almost too much. Estelle closed her eyes briefly, overwhelmed by what she saw in his face. When she opened them again, she made her decision.
The air crackled once more as she shifted back, the dragon vanishing until she stood before him as a woman again. Her legs felt unsteady, her breath coming in quick gasps. The shift had taken more out of her than she had expected. It had been too long since she had let herself change fully.
Leo reached for her as she swayed, his hands steadying her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” Estelle said, and was surprised to find it true. She felt lighter somehow, as if showing him her dragon had lifted something she had been carrying for far too long. “I haven’t shifted in... a while.”
His hands remained on her shoulders, grounding her to this place. To him. “Why not?”
“Too dangerous,” she said simply. “For me. For Adara.”
Leo’s eyes darkened with concern. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” she replied, then before she could overthink it, Estelle leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
Leo went still for a heartbeat, then his arms wrapped around her, pulling her against his chest as he deepened the kiss. There was nothing tentative about it. This was recognition, claiming, the physical acknowledgment of what they both already knew.
Mates, her dragon whispered.
His mouth was warm and insistent against hers, his hands strong where they pressed against her back. Estelle felt herself yielding to him, the careful distance she had kept beginning to melt away. She slid her fingers into his hair, holding him closer as the kiss turned from exploration to hunger.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Leo rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve wanted to do that since I first sensed you.”
“I know,” Estelle replied, surprising herself with a small smile. “I felt it too.”
His hands moved to cup her face, thumbs stroking her cheekbones with a tenderness that made her throat tighten. “What now?” he asked, the question hanging between them.
Estelle hesitated.
The responsible answer would be to step back, to remind him of all the reasons they should be careful.
But for once, she didn’t want to be responsible.
She had shown Leo her truest self, and he hadn’t turned away.
Maybe, just for tonight, she could allow herself this—not only the physical connection, but the deeper surrender of letting someone in.
“Now,” she said, her voice low and certain, “I think we should go inside.”
Leo’s eyes darkened, his pupils widening as her meaning settled in. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Estelle said, and she was. Whatever came tomorrow, tonight she wanted—needed—this connection. “Adara’s a sound sleeper, and I...” She took a breath. “I want you.”
The simple admission seemed to unlock something in Leo. He pulled her close again, his kiss deeper this time, more urgent. Estelle answered in kind, her body arching against his, seeking more contact.
They barely made it back to the house, stumbling up the porch steps between kisses. Inside, Leo paused, his hands on her waist.
“Which room?” he asked, his voice rough with want.
“Mine,” Estelle replied, leading him toward the stairs. “Second door on the left.”
They moved quietly past Adara’s room, where the soft sound of her even breathing confirmed she was still deeply asleep. In her own bedroom, Estelle closed the door and turned to face Leo, suddenly nervous despite her certainty.
He must have sensed her hesitation, because he approached slowly, giving her time to change her mind. “We can stop,” he said softly. “Any time.”
“I don’t want to stop,” Estelle whispered. “I just... It’s been a while.”
Leo’s smile was gentle as he cupped her face again. “Then we’ll take it slow.”
But slow wasn’t what either of them needed. The first touch of his mouth against hers lit something hot and immediate in her. Estelle’s fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt as he slid his hands beneath her top, palms warm against her skin.
“You feel so good,” he murmured against her neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive spot below her ear. “So right.”
Estelle gasped as his mouth moved lower, her head falling back to give him better access.
She let herself feel everything—the heat of his mouth against her collarbone, the strength in his hands as they lifted her, the firmness of the wall against her back as he pressed her against it.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer, reveling in the hardness of him against her.
“Bed,” she managed between kisses, and Leo complied, carrying her the few steps to the mattress and laying her down with surprising gentleness, given the urgency thrumming between them.
He stood for a moment, looking down at her with a hunger that made her breath catch. Then he pulled his shirt over his head in one fluid motion, revealing the broad expanse of his chest and the dark trail of hair that disappeared beneath his jeans.
“Your turn,” he said, his voice rough with desire.
Estelle sat up and removed her top, then her bra, acutely aware of his gaze following every movement. The cool air pebbled her nipples, and she resisted the urge to cover herself.
When she met his eyes, she saw the hunger there, raw and unmistakable, matching her own need.
“Beautiful,” Leo breathed, his gaze moving over her.
Estelle felt heat rise under his stare, but there was no urge to hide. The walls she had built so carefully over the years were crumbling, and she could not find it in herself to care.