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 eyesbriefly, 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.”
