“I finally realize why I’ve been so drawn to your pack to the point of obsession. Zak was the first to find his mate, but he wasn’t the last. That trail of love, of magic, of beautiful babies, of fated mates... It led me to you, Leveret.”
My heart beat so rapidly that the idea of it bursting from my chest seemed plausible. To ground myself, I wrapped my arms around Animus and buried my face in his sweet-smelling neck. His silky hair draped around me like a curtain, keeping me safe. His skin felt as warm and cozy as sitting next to a fire.
“I love you,” I murmured.
“I love you more.”
“Not possible.”
“Why don’t you test it scientifically?” he teased.
“I would if I knew how.”
He snorted in amusement and hugged me tighter.
A sudden flurry of feathers broke the comfortable silence. It was too loud to come from an animal—the creature sounded bigger than any species of bird in the wildlife reserve. Actually, it sounded identical to my cousin, Cloud’s, feathers...
At the same moment I realized that, Animus stiffened. We untangled from each other and sprang up.
We weren’t alone on the mountaintop anymore. Before us stood a frazzled-looking harpy with blue feathers.
“Mistral. How good to see you,” Animus said, not sounding pleased at all.
The harpy’s chest rapidly rose and fell as he breathed hard. I couldn’t tell if he’d exerted himself flying here, or if he was afraid.
“You!” Mistral panted. “I finally found you!”
“Finally found me?” Animus repeated, puzzled. “I wasn’t aware I was the target of a manhunt.”
Mistral scowled. He pointed an accusatory talon at my mate. “Don’t act all playful. You did something terrible and you know it!”
My hare soul’s pelt bristled. I didn’t like his tone. I took an instinctive step closer to Mistral so I was between the two spirits.
This apparently baffled Mistral, who blinked at me. “What are you doing?” he squeaked.
“Whatever you have to say to Animus, you can say it calmly,” I told him.
Animus grinned and crossed his arms. “Thank you for protecting me from this fiend, Leveret.”
Mistral’s feathers puffed up in annoyance. “I am not a fiend! If anyone’s afiend,it’s you, Animus!”
My mate sighed. “What did I do this time?”
“Stop screwing around. You know exactly what you did.” Mistral glared. “You kidnapped that alpha from his pack!”
“Oh, that,” I said mildly. “It’s okay.”
Mistral squawked like a chicken that had accidentally been stepped on. “What the hell do you mean, it’s okay!? Have you lost your mind?”
“No, and I don’t appreciate you insinuating I have.”
Animus put his arm around me. “Don’t let him get you down, Leveret. He’s a chronic mood-killer.”
“Stop touching him,” Mistral snapped at Animus. “Just—take a step away from the alpha so I can return him!”
“Return me where?” I asked.
“To your family!”