Where Foxes Hunt with Wolves - K.A. Merikan Page 0,135

the boy can’t handle.”

To that Yev had no answer, and even in his massive werewolf form, he lowered his head. His face burned, but at least any flush of shame remained hidden under fur.

His gaze wandered to his brother’s body cooling in the snow.

Burian had always been after him. Jealous and petty, more focused on rules than people, he’d always been Yev’s enemy. But a brother nevertheless.

Nothing could have stung more than the way all of the men turned their gazes away from him on command. As if he no longer existed, and there was nothing of interest in the clearing beyond Burian’s bleeding body.

The snow stank of death.

Father’s gaze landed on Radek as he pulled Burian’s limp form into his arms. “Take your weapon,” he spat, and Radek stumbled to his feet to follow the order.

He approached without a word, wary of his every move, and so afraid that when he pulled the silver dagger out, he stumbled back fast, holding the bloodied thing to his chest.

The others were already leaving, but Father remained, hugging his firstborn, and looked up, shaking his head at Yev. “I will talk to the elders. Be ready.”

Chapter 25 – Radek

Radek was hardly proficient at cooking with one hand. Everything took him longer since the accident, and some tasks were impossible, but he’d learned to prepare a couple of dishes, and he’d use those skills today. Maybe that red string bracelet Mom had him wear to ward off evil spirits would help him prepare a decent breakfast. God knew he needed all the help he could get.

With a plate filled with scrambled eggs and a thick slice of toasted bread with butter, he made his way upstairs to the bedroom where Yev had still been sleeping when Radek had slipped out.

A few days had passed since the confrontation with Yev’s pack, yet despite the new status quo, nothing felt the same.

Yev had refused to clean himself before he’d packed the blood-soaked snow into a wheelbarrow and taken it to a large mound at the back of the house, where he’d buried it under layers of perfectly white fluff collected from around the shed. Radek had been too shocked to disturb him and had watched it happen while Burian’s blood dried on his skin and clothes.

Yev hadn’t eaten that day, and had spoken very little, refusing to acknowledge the scope of the tragedy at their very doorstep. The following day, he went to work as normal, and hadn’t mentioned the mysterious topic of mating, nor his brother’s death since.

They talked. They watched TV. They even had sex once.

Not once did Radek ask about the secrets of purification, unable to bring himself to bother Yev with his petty curiosity when his lover was mourning.

But life was not the same, and Radek had the sinking feeling that it never would be. That the prize they’d won smelled of rotting flesh and blood. And worst of all, that it was his fault, and that none of this would have happened if he hadn’t invaded Yev’s life.

And yet, he’d heard Yev loud and clear that day. Yev loved him and would fight anyone who challenged their relationship.

So despite the heavy heart, Radek walked into the bedroom with the breakfast on a tray, wary of Coal slipping between his feet. The little fox had gotten used to being around a top predator, though it was still wary of Yev whenever Radek wasn’t there to reassure him.

Yev lay on his stomach, exposing fresh scars cutting through the ridges of muscle on his back and shoulders exposed, but while the old Radek would have petted them as an interlude to sex, he was now uncertain whether he should initiate intimacy so soon after Burian’s death. Yev might not address it, but Radek knew him enough to realize that Yev now lived in limbo, not knowing if he had any future with his pack. And Radek didn’t know how to help him.

At least with the physical pain he could do something.

“Good morning. I’ve made breakfast. Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?”

Yev grunted and raised his head, sleepily looking over his shoulder. “Oh. Hey. No. I’m good,” he said, rolling over so his hairy chest was on display.

Radek sat on the edge of the bed with the tray in his lap. “Hope you’re hungry, because I can’t cut a thin slice of bread for the life of me.”

Yev blinked, staring at the food and snorted. Ah, it was good to