The thought hit with enough force that she had to look down at her tea, now cooling in her hands. Across the table, Leo stayed where he was, giving her space even now. No demands. No pressure. Just presence.
And that was what frightened her most.
Not Fiona.
Not the past.
Not even the danger still circling at the edges of her life.
Him.
Because for the first time in years, Estelle wanted to stop running.
Chapter Six – Leo
The silence after her confession felt fragile, as if one wrong word might send her retreating behind her walls again.
Our mate is a little intense,Leo’s bear said as Estelle studied him from across the table. Her gray-gold eyes were guarded, but he could sense the shift in her.
She’s starting to trust us,his bear said hopefully.Just a little.
Maybe,Leo thought,but there’s still so much fear there. So many walls.
Leo reached for the bag he had brought, pulling out a bottle of wine—a Thornberg red, full-bodied and rich—and held it up with a small smile. “Would you like some? It might help us both relax a little.”
The suggestion seemed to surprise her, as if she had been bracing for something else entirely. Her shoulders lowered a fraction.
“Wine?” A flicker of curiosity replaced some of the wariness in her expression. “That would be... nice, actually.”
Leo stood and rummaged through the drawers for a corkscrew. His bear paced anxiously inside him.
Don’t push too hard,his bear cautioned.But don’t be too careful either. She needs to see us—the real us.
I know,Leo replied.But I can’t rush her. You saw how she reacted when Fiona showed up.
His bear grumbled.The old dragon was testing her. Testing us.
With a quiet sound of triumph, Leo found what he was looking for and returned to the table, uncorking the bottle.
“I don’t have wine glasses,” Estelle said as she went to the cupboard and took down two clean coffee mugs.
“I won’t tell my aunt and uncle,” Leo said, the scent of the wine filling the air as he poured.
“Your family makes wine, too?” Estelle asked, accepting a mug.
“Yes,” Leo said, settling back into his chair. “Thornberg Vineyard. It’s tucked into a valley just up the mountain. It’s been in the family for generations.”
She took a small sip, then a longer one, her eyes closing briefly as she savored it. Leo smiled at the sight of her enjoying this small moment, as if she had forgotten how.
“It’s good,” she said, opening her eyes. “Very good.”
“I’ll tell my cousin Kris you said so. He’s the one with the real talent for winemaking.”
They sat in silence for a moment, and Leo watched as Estelle’s fingers traced the curve of her mug, her gaze growing distant.
She’s thinking about running again,his bear said with a pang of distress.
Leo took another sip of wine, letting the richness linger as he considered what to do next. Patience had always been one of his strengths. But his bear was right. With Estelle, patience alone would not be enough.
