Page 15 of Unruly Hearts
"Won't lose." He pulls me close, and I breathe in his forest scent. "I protect what's precious to my mate."
I can feel his absolute conviction, his unwavering devotion. For the first time since my parents died, I feel truly safe. Protected. Loved.
If only they could have met him. Dad would have loved his quiet strength. Mom would have appreciated his gentle way with the animals.
A wolf pup tumbles over to investigate us, and Agis scoops it up with one hand. The pup licks his face and makes him laugh - a deep sound that vibrates through me.
"See?" he says, letting the pup gnaw harmlessly on his finger. "Even little ones know friends from foe."
I watch him with the pup and my heart is full. How could I have gotten so lucky? After Ethan's betrayal, I'd thought I'd never trust again. But Agis... he's different. No more looking over my shoulder. No more waiting for the other shoe to drop.
We spend the rest of the afternoon checking on the animals. Agis finishes the fence while I update medical records and feed schedules. The easy rhythm of working together, punctuated by shared glances and brushing touches, feels like a dream.
As evening falls, we head back to my cabin. He builds a fire while I make dinner, and we move around each other like we've done this forever.
Later, I lay in his arms, tracing the bold tattoos that wind across his chest. The fire has burned low and casts dancing shadows across his green skin.
"I'll fix this," he promises, his deep voice vibrating through me. His massive hand spans my entire back, warm and somehow gentle despite its strength. "I'll save your center."
"We'll fix it together." I press a kiss to his chest, still amazed at how this fierce creature can be so tender. "But first, I need tea. Want some?"
He shakes his head. I slip from bed, pull on his discarded shirt, and breathe in his wild forest scent. The shirt falls nearly to my knees—everything about him is massive.
In the kitchen area, I fill the kettle and reach for the tea tin. Dad always said tea could fix anything. Even when Ethan first approached us about selling the land, Dad would make tea and we'd talk through solutions.
The memory makes my hands shake. If Dad were here, he'd know what to do about Ethan's threats.
The tin catches on something as I pull it forward. A small cloth bag tumbles out, spilling its contents across the counter and floor. Casino chips scatter like drops of blood—red, blue, green. Paper markers flutter down, bearing names like The Royal Flush and Fortune’s Gate.
My stomach lurches as I pick up one of the IOUs. The amount... It's staggering. More than enough to save the center.
Memories flash through my mind - Ethan at the poker tables, that predatory gleam in his eyes. The way gambling had changed him and made him cruel. How it had made him see people as things to be used and discarded.
"It's just a game, baby," he used to say. "Until it isn't."
"Agis?" My voice cracks. "What is this?"
He sits up in bed, instantly alert. When he sees what I'm holding, his face falls. In that moment, he looks exactly like Ethan did when I caught him cheating—at cards, and on me.
“I didn’t want you to find out like this,” he says, “I can explain.”
But I'm already backing away, clutching his shirt around me like armor. The mate bond screams in protest, but I can't listen.
Not again.
Not another gambler.
Not another liar.
"Have you been playing me this whole time?" The words taste like ash. "Was any of it real?"
"Serenity, no—"
"Get out." Tears spill down my cheeks. All that talk of mate bonds and traditions—was it just another con? "Just get out!"
He stands and pulls on his sweatpants. "Please let me explain."
"GET OUT!"