"Drop him. Now."
Meeko's furious voice came from behind Animus, who went utterly still. I couldn't read the spirit’s expression as he lowered me to the ground and withdrew his claws. The second I was out of his grip, Meeko thrust himself between us. I saw a kitchen knife clutched in his fist. The tip of it was coated in an inky liquid.
Animus touched the back of his neck, then examined his hand. Even though his hands were black, I still noticed the glistening liquid on his fingertips. His mouth curved into a cruel yet amused smile.
"Why am I not surprised?" Animus said to nobody in particular. He clenched his fist and the liquid disappeared in a puff of dark smoke. "Well done, omega. That's the kind of behaviour that will keep your ilk alive."
I got the feeling his praise was genuine, but Meeko—in his typical Meeko fashion—didn't give a shit.
"Stay away from Cloud," Meeko warned. "Next time I'll cut your head right off."
Animus laughed. "That's cute. I like your gall." He turned around as if to leave, but not before glancing over his shoulder at Meeko one last time. "But you should know not to bother. Spirits can't be killed that way."
11
Meeko
I was livid.
How dare that spirit act like we were supposed to be friendly and then turn around and attack Cloud like that? Why was his demeanour so different with me compared to Cloud?
But I wasn't just enraged. I was also confused.
There was simply no way I was going to accept orders from an alpha, kiss or no kiss. I refused to stay put when Cloud asked me to, not when I knew he was going to get himself into trouble.
And I was right—he did.
But I didn't expect that level of danger. Seeing Cloud in Animus's grip, terrified and unable to move, shook me to my core. I was afraid and furious all at once. It felt like my emotions couldn't be contained in my small body.
I knew my own weakness. Without the sword, I had no weapon. So I had to improvise. Thankfully there was a rusty old knife lying in a drawer of the cabin’s kitchen. I didn't hesitate to thrust it past Animus’s hair and into his neck. A warning shot.
Good thing it was enough for Animus to let go. Because despite my bravado, I sensed how powerful Animus was. I knew a little kitchen knife wouldn't be enough to stop him if he really wanted to hurt Cloud. And the thought of that was gut-wrenching.
Was that why I'd rushed in to save him without a second thought? My actions were automatic, practically instinctive. I was fuelled by the knowledge that I couldn't lose Cloud. I absolutely could not.
But then it dawned on me what I’d done. I'd risked my own life to save an alpha, and a harpy no less. The old Meeko would've scoffed at me. He was selfish because that was the only way to be truly safe. Only trust yourself, never display vulnerability, and definitely never put your neck on the line for someone else.
I didn't know if I thought like that anymore.
In a few short days, Cloud had already changed my view of the world. And then I went and kissed the damned guy.
What was wrong with me?
When Animus disappeared in a wall of smoke, we returned to the cabin. We were both shaken and tired from all the confrontations with spirits, so having a place to rest was appreciated.
I collapsed onto the ratty old couch. I wasn't used to human furniture, but it was about as comfortable as a bundle of old straw, though it didn't smell nearly as sweet.
And speaking of sweet smells, Cloud’s scent was becoming difficult to ignore. I should've been used to it by now since we'd spent so much time together, but the opposite was true. I couldn't tell if his scent was getting stronger or if my nose was getting more sensitive to it.
I liked it more than I wanted to admit.
Cloud sat next to me on the couch. His feathers were still ruffled from the incident. I ignored the urge to reach over and smooth them down. Despite our kiss earlier, that seemed too intimate. I wasn't sure if Cloud would appreciate it given what he'd just been through.
"I'm sorry I wasn't faster," I muttered, clenching my hands on my knees. "I wish I'd slammed the door in Animus’s face when I had the chance."
Cloud chuckled. "It wasn't exactly like we had the opportunity to do that. He walked right in." He tilted his head. "And it's okay, Meeko. I knew I was taking a risk by talking to him alone."
I whipped towards him. "Then why did you?"
