He sighed in relief, then scowled and raised his own clawed hand. "Dammit, that sword I gave to Meeko would've been helpful right now..."
I remembered the sword Meeko started wearing at his hip after Jace was born. He told us Animus had forged it, and that he wanted Meeko to pass it down to his omega son.
Animus really was too generous.
Terranus lowered his sneering face so we could see it through his claws. Animus thrust a hand in front of me. I noticed a crackling sensation running up his arm. Tiny tendrils of black smoke rose from his pale skin.
"I let them slip away before, but this time the magicwillbe mine. Where is this alpha's fated mate?" Terranus demanded.
I didn't know what he meant. Was the 'alpha' he spoke of me? It must've been. Besides Animus, nobody else was here.
Before...I suddenly realized Terranus had intended to harvest Ashe and Bear's magic—by force. A cold feeling swirled in my stomach. I should've heeded Animus's warning about him. Terranus was not like my friend at all. He was a terrible brother.
I thought of Lupa. She was looking for me right now, because she cared deeply for me. That's how siblings were supposed to act.
"Answer me!" Terranus roared.
Animus glanced at me over his shoulder. The wispy smoke surrounding his arm grew bigger, like a living tentacled creature.
"Well, Leveret?" Animus said, breathing hard. "Answer the stupid brute."
Disappointment washed over me. "I don't have a fated mate."
My reply angered Terranus, who roared again. "Don't you lie to me, mortal. Why else would Animus take interest in you?"
"Oh, you know me," Animus interjected quickly. "Always getting involved with mortals for my own silly purposes, like you said. There's no special reason, Terranus, so you can let him go."
I couldn't figure out why, but I suspected Animus lied to him. He acted strange.
Was he worried about me?
The ground beneath us shook as the cage of claws closed in. It forced Animus and I together. There was barely enough space for us to stand. My hare soul didn't like being caged in, but it was distracted by Animus's scent. He smelled good up close, and his silky hair brushed against my skin.
Despite Terranus threatening me, I wondered why I wasn't afraid. Maybe it was because I didn't think he could hurt Animus.
If he threatened Animus, that was a different story. Just thinking about it made that anger flare inside me again.
"Enough of your lies, wretch," Terranus snarled. "Bring this alpha's omega or I will kill him."
"But I don't have an omega," I said.
When he ignored me, I realized he didn't care about anything I said. Earlier, Animus told me he used me as a tool. But that wasn't really true. If I was just a tool to him, he wouldn't care about my feelings or safety, yet, he did.
Terranus, on the other hand, only wanted one thing—and it didn't matter if he hurt me to get it.
The black tendrils on Animus's arm suddenly sharpened to a single point, like a giant thorn. We stood close enough together that his back pressed against my chest, and I felt his body's every motion.
He glanced at me expectantly. "Your hare form can easily fit through that gap, yes?"
I nodded.
Animus breathed out a laugh. "Terranus has a one-track mind. He's only dealt with a buck deer and a bear shifter, so he thinks this trap will hold you. Let's have fun proving him wrong."
He grinned, so I did, too. There was no sense of danger anymore—the two of us were playing a game. We had this under control.
Animus readied his arm, then thrust the giant black thorn into Terranus's palm.
As the massive earth dragon roared in pain, my hare soul took over. My body transformed in a split second and I dashed out through the narrow gap like a bolt of lightning. My paws didn't stop until I was on a high ledge, far from the fray.