Meeko stomped towards me. "Are you saying I can't do it?"
I blinked at the suddenness of Meeko entering my personal space. He pushed himself up on his toes to look taller as he glared daggers at me. The rush of movement brought along a whiff of his scent, flooding my nostrils with its musky sweetness and overwhelming me. I had to take a step back. Meeko let out a smug scoff, apparently pleased that I stumbled back from him, though it wasn't for the reason he assumed.
"Don't underestimate me just because I'm a mouse shifter," he stated.
"I won't."
"Good."
Silence swallowed up the space between us. Meeko kept shooting me a nasty stare while I simply looked at him. His aroma scrambled my brain, making me forget what we were even discussing a moment ago. Why did he smell so good?
"So… Now what?" I asked.
Meeko worked his jaw. My eyes traced the gentle slope of it. "You can't carry me like this, can you?"
"In human form? I could for a short period of time, but not for a high-speed chase…"
Meeko huffed like this was a massive inconvenience. He chewed the inside of his cheek as he glanced into the trees, mulling over what to do. As I watched him mentally struggle, I realized that he was still scared of me. That was why he wanted to remain in human form while I carried him. In mouse form, he was simply too small and vulnerable, especially in the talons of a harpy he barely knew.
A wave of sympathy hit me. I'd never been in his position. I was born an alpha and identified as one my whole life, and unlike my twin brother River, I had no qualms about my 'animal' form. I loved being a harpy shifter. The ability to fly was unparalleled, and my talons could cut through anything.
But seeing myself from Meeko's point of view changed my perspective. As both a human and a mouse, his skin was fragile, easy to cut through with an accidental swipe of my talons. He was soft and vulnerable. And I was a complete stranger. We’d only just met, and not under the best circumstances.
"Hey," I called out gently. "I know that you haven't had the best experience with harpies today. And I know that it can be hard for omegas to trust alphas."
Meeko faced me. "How would you know that?"
"I've got a huge family with lots of omegas in it. We're all pretty close. I don't have any lived experience, obviously, but I'm not some alpha asshole."
I thought that would help, but Meeko only narrowed his eyes. My words didn't seem to sway him.
"Do you have a big family, too? Being a mouse and all?" I asked.
"No."
"Oh. Sorry for assuming."
"It's fine. And I'm not scared of you, if that's what you're thinking."
I said nothing, but I wasn't sure I believed that. The hesitant glint in his narrow black eyes said otherwise.
"It's not a crime to be scared," I said with a shrug.
Bristling, Meeko snapped, "I'm not scared!"
Crap. Meeko was pissed again. My great big plan to make him trust me wasn't working. In fact, I thought it was making things worse. I wished he would just calm down, but it wasn't that simple. Shifting into mouse form and letting me carry him was a big leap of faith, and Meeko wasn't the type to trust just anyone.
"Okay, how about this?" I suggested. "What can I do to make you trust me?"
Meeko crossed his arms, then regarded me warily. I figured he was struggling between his desire to chase Mistral versus balking at the idea of trusting me.
A long moment passed. I was beginning to wonder if Meeko would just call the whole thing off. But he'd made it clear that the sword was his obsession and he'd do anything to get it back. Yet the longer the silence went on, the more my heart sank. Was I really that terrifying? Was Meeko that scared of me?
I took a step towards him and opened my hands palm up in a welcoming gesture. I didn't know why I was so keen to earn Meeko's trust but the urge simmered inside me like lava. The thought of him turning around and leaving forever made my stomach lurch with dread. It didn't make any sense. Meeko was a stranger to me the same way I was to him. I didn't understand where these strong emotions were coming from, but I couldn't shake them.
And honestly, it was freaking me out a little.
"A feather."
