Where Foxes Hunt with Wolves - K.A. Merikan Page 0,114

freezing limbs, and Yev carried him inside. “They spotted me in the woods and I didn’t know what else to do but run here.”

Yev kicked the door shut behind them and placed Radek onto the sofa, stretching out on top of him and hurriedly covering them with blankets when he realized his teeth were starting to clatter. “Good. I knew you shouldn’t be walking around on your own!” Yev said, looking down on the beautiful face framed by red locks. He was suddenly struck by the sense that he wouldn’t mind seeing that same face every single morning, and his throat tightened with the regret of knowing it wouldn’t happen.

“He wanted to kill me, Yev. That’s insane.” Radek’s arms tightened around him, and the sound of his steadily beating heart had a calming effect on Yev and prompted him to exhale in relief.

He made sure they were covered and raised himself on one elbow, his gaze finding Radek’s golden eyes. “But now you’re safe. I wouldn’t let him hurt you.”

Radek rubbed his face, his hands still blue from the cold, and Yev fought the immediate instinct to kiss them until they were warm. “It felt like the snares all over again."

Yev huffed, frantic at the vision of massive Burian on top of Radek, with teeth deep in his flesh. "You need to get a silver knife and always carry it with you." He despised having to say this. His whole being snarled and bristled at the idea of silver anywhere near him, but the boy's safety was far more important than Yev's irrational fear. Fire could hurt him too, yet he used it every day. It wasn’t like Radek would use the weapon against him.

Radek nodded. "Why do they hate me so much? You kinda told me you were banished, but you didn’t say you have a psycho brother.”

Yev exhaled and placed his cheek on the pillow of Radek’s hair, just above the pale shoulder. The familiar scent of his lover was enough to make him calmer. “He’s not a psycho. He just blindly follows rules. And our rules… well, people like me shouldn’t exist within our community, because they upset the order of things. I either stop seeing men or I’m out permanently.”

Radek nuzzled his ear. “Um… You know you can’t go back they can’t accept you.”

Yev stiffened, and a hole opened inside him so fast he lost his breath. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Okay, but, it’s not gonna work if your family literally wants to kill me. I’m… that was fucking scary.” Radek’s hug tightened. “Just think about it. You could move to Cracow with me, and—”

“No,” Yev said, maybe a bit too harshly, and rolled his face into the smooth, fragrant hair while their bodies slowly gained warmth. “Don’t you understand? I need my pack.”

He could feel Radek stiffen under him. “What are you saying?” he whispered, his voice like a whine for help.

Yev shut his eyes, already hurting. “What I’ve always been saying. I’ll go back home once my time here is over, Radek. We can still stay in touch, but no, I won’t come with you to Cracow. It’s not natural for me to live in the city.”

Radek huffed, silent for a prolonged time, but he kept stroking Yev’s neck. “What if I moved back to Dybukowo?”

He could have as well punched Yev in the heart. It was unreasonable. Whatever they shared had no future, no matter how much Yev wanted it in moments of vulnerability just before falling asleep. But reality was no fairy tale, even if werewolves and changelings were real.

“They might still try to kill you. And my place… my place is with them.”

“Are you dumping me?” Radek asked and the tremble to his voice didn’t escape Yev’s attention. Now, swallowing was painful too.

“It’s not like that. I’ve been telling you from the start I’ll go back there.”

Radek stirred and pushed at Yev, trying to crawl from under him. “You told me you couldn’t do this at all. And then you did. Excuse me for making assumptions!”

Yev clenched his teeth so hard they briefly hurt but didn’t try to stop him. “A werewolf without a pack is nothing. Don’t you understand this?”

Radek got to his feet, looking forlorn without clothes, and with reddened eyes. “I clearly don’t, because I’m on my own. None of the foxes are like me!”

Yev pulled the blanket over his shoulders while he watched Radek, already knowing their time together was over, even though Radek hadn’t said it yet. “We