Where Foxes Hunt with Wolves - K.A. Merikan Page 0,144

was with relief or worry.

He leaped on the mattress, and she touched his furry stump. In this form, he could hear the thudding of her heart, but she wasn’t freaking out and just watched him, as if she were seeing him for the first time. In some sense, she was.

“All your life, I thought I was crazy. Your father dismissed the color of your hair, said that it had to be a recessive gene, and that we just got lucky to have a baby this time.”

Talking to his mother was so hard, but with the ability to speak taken away, the only means of communication was straightforward, so he nuzzled her cheek, showing his affection in ways he hadn’t since being a child.

Petting him came naturally to her, and moments later, she enfolded him in a firm hug that smelled faintly of her favorite perfume. “I missed you.”

Radek’s heart twisted, and he pressed his forehead to the underside of her chin, overwhelmed by this reconnection he’d never expected and words he’d never thought he’d hear. Their relationship would never be perfect, but this was the beginning of something new, of a much-needed understanding. Because he’d missed her too, missed what their lives could be if they were open with each other.

They cuddled for a while, and Radek felt as if he were a baby again, receiving his mother’s affection without anything demanded in return. Eventually though, it was time to talk in earnest, so he shifted back, fumbling to get dressed.

He was putting on his hoodie when Mom spoke again.

“Wait. A fox with no paw. I remember you. You were Yevhen’s pet!”

Radek groaned and turned to face her. “He took me in after I got caught in snares. I shifted for the first time right before Christmas last year. He didn’t even know who I was but did his best to help me.”

Mom exhaled, blinking as if she were trying to get rid of tears. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. But it’s a good thing you didn’t come home. Since I found you in that cage… I couldn’t stand the sight of foxes. I was afraid of what they could be. That one of them could steal you away,” she whispered.

Radek sat on the stool by her bed, and they once again held hands. “I understand. I can see it must have been difficult to second-guess yourself all those years.”

Mom licked her lips, holding his gaze despite her eyes getting red again. “It’s so strange, but I’m happy I didn’t dream it. I know I’ve been strict, but I kept worrying for you, and now everything makes sense.”

“I want to make things work, Mom, but you have to let me do things my own way. Now that you know what I am, you must understand I can’t keep the farm the way it is. I’ll be buying the Golonkos out.”

Mother swallowed hard and clutched at her injured arm. “I… I understand. Of course I do. But what will we do? If you let all the foxes loose, how will we survive? We’ll have to sell… everything,” she said, her pitch growing ever higher.

“No. You have trust me. No matter what, I’ll take care of you. I’ve got this plan to turn the farm into a fox sanctuary, I’ve seen some videos of something like that in Japan. We’ll have tourists come over and make an income that way. I’ll ask Emil to help me get a grant, and I’m already thinking of running a hostel or a B&B alongside it all. I want to stay in Dybukowo and make a life there. For you, for me, for Yev, and for the foxes.”

Mother swallowed and brushed her tears away again. “Just… if you could, please talk this through with our financial advisor. Just in case.”

“I will!” Radek smiled, despite his heart aching every time he looked at her bruised face. Because that request meant she didn’t outright hate the idea, that she could see he was a grown-up and had a plan that could succeed.

The door handle rattled, and Radek jumped to his feet to unlock the door.

Yev smiled at him from behind a tray of steaming paper cups. “I’ve got the wafers too, Mrs. Nowak,” he said and placed the tray on the side table, next to the chocolates. “Can I steal Radek for a second?”

Mom nodded, likely still chewing on the revelations of the past fifteen minutes.

Radek whispered as soon as they were out in the corridor,