I grinned. "Yeah!"
He quirked a playful brow. "You're telling the truth about your cousin, right? This isn't just some ploy for me to meet your family because we're dating now?"
I laughed, pulling him closer. "No way. And by the way, we're notdating. We're fated mates. Our connection is deeper than just a pair of boyfriends."
The way Meeko's face lit up made me smile. I kissed his cheek.
"I'm all rested and ready to fly if you are," I said.
"I'm ready. Let's go."
* * *
Even though Ihadn't been gone long, I felt nostalgic as I circled around our loose territory, composed of the grove and my cousins' cabin. There was an extra prickle of excitement beneath my skin. Not only was I returning, but I was doing so with Meeko.
They'd welcome him with open arms, of course, but I wondered if my family would be too much for Meeko. His was so small I couldn't even imagine it, so mine must've seemed massive by comparison.
"See that ring of trees down there? That's the grove where most of my uncles live," I explained.
Meeko poked his mouse head out of my hands. His whiskers blew back in the wind. "That's it? I expected their territory to be a huge forest or something."
"We don't need much except each other."
"You aresosappy."
I grinned. "Get used to it, fated mate. Hold on."
Flapping the wings on my back, I banked in a different direction to reach the cabin area. After my cousins started families of their own, most of them built smaller cabins nearby. That way they'd have privacy with their mate but also be close enough to stay with the family.
I touched down in front of Farley and Quinn's place. Meeko leapt out of my hands and shifted into human form.
"I hope they're home," I murmured, knocking on the door.
"Hi."
The small, high-pitched voice above us startled me until I realized it was Celeste, their daughter. As usual, she was causing mischief on the roof. She was a fox shifter like Quinn, but Animus had blessed her with a pair of spirit wings that she could retract at will. Right now they waved behind her like black plumes.
I still didn't understand why Animus blessed her, but was so violent with me. Had I personally offended the guy or something?
"Does... that fox have wings?" Meeko asked, blinking. His eyes had a shining quality in them I'd never seen before, but I had a feeling it had more to do with seeing a cute child than being surprised by her wings.
"Yeah, she does. I'll explain later. That's my niece. Hey, Celeste," I called, smiling. "What'cha doing up there?"
She giggled. "Spying on you!"
"Well, you're not doing a very good job. I can see you."
That made her laugh harder. Then the door opened to reveal Quinn, who quirked a good-natured brow. "Oh, hey Cloud. Is my daughter bothering you?"
"No, she's apparently fixing your shingles," I teased.
Quinn chuckled and leaned against the door frame, unbothered by the fact that his daughter was on the roof. "She does that. She was supposed to have flying lessons with her dad, but I think she escaped Farley's grasp again."
I smiled at the mental image. Farley was a great dad, but it must've been hard to keep tabs on his kid when her shifter form was so much bigger than his. I was grateful my wings were human-sized and not tiny like a finch’s.
Celeste leapt off the roof with an excited yelp and landed in Quinn's waiting arms. They did it so casually it made me think this happened all the time. I noticed Meeko smiling brightly from the corner of my eye.
It occurred to me that I'd never seen Meeko interact with a child before. The way his face lit up warmed my heart. He was going to be an amazing father, I just knew it. That quick-tempered, eager-to-fight persona was hiding a big softy underneath.
