I let out a derisive snort. "No."
But as usual, Cloud had a point. Did Animus share that same sense of loneliness that Cloud felt? I had no trouble seeing why anyone would find his appearance terrifying, but his actions were the worst part of him. Cloud didn't purposely push people away, but Animus did. That was his problem.
"There's no helping people who don't want to be helped," I said bluntly. "If Animus wants blossoming friendships, he has to stop acting like an asshole."
"Can't argue with that," Cloud said, grinning.
I nuzzled aggressively closer to Cloud. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about spirits. I want to cuddle my mate."
"Done."
14
Cloud
Our initial planwas to set out the following morning, but Meeko woke up just as nauseous as he'd been the night before. There was no way he could handle a long flight in his state. At first he cursed and complained, insisting he was fine, but when he threw up, all bets were off. He finally relented and let me take care of him. He wouldn't admit it, but I could tell he secretly enjoyed being doted on.
His upset stomach lasted for a few days until one morning it miraculously disappeared. Seeing him healthy again was a huge relief. Despite all my talk about not worrying, seeing my mate suffer through morning sickness awakened some primal alpha instincts in me. I knew I'd do anything to make him feel better, to protect him in any way I could.
When the sickness was gone and the strain left Meeko’s expression, we set off. The few days of rest were good for my wings as well, and I was itching to fly.
Meeko had pointed out a peculiar landmark on the way to Mistral's house, a small lake in the shape of a frog. I didn't know what the hell he was talking about until we passed over it again and Meeko shouted excitedly, "There! Do you see it?"
I flared my wings and came to a stop, hovering over the water. "See what?" I asked, squinting. "It's just a blob."
"It's clearly a frog. Look, there is its head and those are the back legs."
"If you say so."
"Cannot believe my fated mate thinks Frog Lake looks like a blob…"
I angled my wings and descended into the forest, careful not to hit any trees. The air was crisp and fresh. When I touched down on the soil, I asked, "Do you know how to get there?"
Meeko jumped down but didn't shift into human form. "Yep. I know exactly where we are. Follow me."
I wondered why he didn't shift until he reached the base of a huge oak tree. Above my head there was a hole the size of an apple in the bark. Meeko scurried effortlessly up the tree and disappeared into the hole. A few minutes passed in silence except for the rustle of leaves and the songs of birds hidden in the canopy. I fiddled with my hands, not knowing what to do. It wasn't exactly like I could go inside the hole. Meeko hadn't invited me inside anyway. Maybe he was giving his dads a heads-up about me so they didn't scream when they saw a harpy outside their den.
Soon enough, three mice exited the hole. I recognized Meeko because he leapt towards me and shifted. I caught him and eased him to the ground. There was a joyful look on his face.
"Cloud, these are my parents. Da, my omega father, and Pa is the alpha."
His dads scurried to a lower branch on the tree so they were at eye level with me. His Da had darker fur while his Pa was larger with pale fur.
"Hello," I said, trying not to sound as awkward as I felt. Though there was clearly human emotion in their mouse eyes, I couldn't tell exactly what they were thinking. Were they upset that I was a harpy? Were they afraid of me like Meeko had been? What could I do to ease their anxiety? It wasn't exactly like I could extend my talons for a handshake. My palm was bigger than both of them combined.
Instead I used a greeting I'd learned from my own alpha father, Nishiki. I bowed.
"I'm excited to finally meet Meeko's dads," I said. "I hope we can, um… get along."
A second later, both older mice chuckled. I blushed. Were they laughing at me?
When I raised my head, I saw two men in their place standing in front of me. Their resemblance to Meeko was uncanny. I felt like I was seeing an older version of him in both their faces. My appearance took after my omega father Weston, but Meeko was a perfect mix of both his parents.
"There is no need to be so formal," his Da said with a smile. "Come here."
To my surprise, Da opened his arms and hugged me. I wanted to return it but there was the problem of my hands.
"Are you, um, okay with my talons?" I asked.
