Where Foxes Hunt with Wolves - K.A. Merikan Page 0,152

since then, and Yev’s father hadn’t come over once, even though he’d approved of their relationship enough to facilitate the ritual, so maybe he just needed time. Yev had seen his mom several times on neutral ground. Olek had visited a few times too. He’d been rattled by Burian’s death but wanted to keep in touch with his remaining sibling and always brought news. Neither of those meetings should have been happening without Yev’s official reintroduction, but a lot had changed in the pack, and news of Radek being Yev’s mate had spread like wildfire. Radek expected some of the werewolves might come out of curiosity, regardless whether they truly accepted them as a couple. Though the idea that they’d be coming to smell him was weird as fuck.

“As you surely noticed, he’s not an expressive man. He’s been that way since I can remember, but he never thinks one thing and does another. He likely wanted to give himself time to think, but he will be here,” Yev said a bit more quietly and smelled the May air.

“Burian was the one to attack.”

Yev’s smile fell, and for a moment his eyes held a deep sadness Radek wanted to take away, yet would never be able to. “I know. But it still hurts. His wife won’t be here. She doesn’t want to see me.”

Radek glanced at Coal tapping at Mom’s shoe when she showed him hands empty of treats, but the little one would be all right without his help. Right now, it was Yev who needed his support. “I understand that.”

He couldn’t imagine losing Yev even before they achieved a magical bond, but their love had become more overwhelming since the ritual. He loved feeling needed despite not being as capable as he used to be when he still had both hands.

On days when he wasn’t working at the sanctuary, he’d still accompany Yev to the forest. Sometimes as Ember, to brighten up his man’s day. Cooking was among the challenges he gladly took on. His repertoire was limited, but he loved being able to surprise Yev with something homemade at the end of a long day. But the fact that Yev’s favorite potato pancakes came from a packet would remain Radek’s sweet little secret. He did whip the sour cream himself though.

Yev stilled and spun around just as Radek noticed the faint rumble of engines. His stomach plummeted.

“They’re coming,” Yev said and grabbed Radek’s hand, leading him to the gate, which they’d left wide open.

“And this is okay?” Radek pointed out their joined hands with his heart in his throat. He’d only met Yev’s mom once since the whole ritual, and it had been awkward as fuck because he couldn’t forget the fact that they’d had sex in front of her, the witch and Yev’s dad!

The air became colder once they stepped away from the fire, and he sought the warmth of Yev’s body when they spotted several cars moving down the road across from the farm. The first was already taking the turn toward its goal.

“You’re my mate, remember? We should do anything werewolves can do with their female partners in public,” Yev said, though his voice remained very quiet, as if he were afraid to say it out loud.

It was hard to say how much of it relied on custom, and how much on Yev’s need to stick it to everyone who dismissed his sexuality, but Radek would go with whatever his man chose to do. Especially since Yev holding his hand made him all bubbly inside as if he were a teenager having his first beer.

The cars all stopped at the side of the driveway before spitting out a swarm of bodies that all congregated in the dark, as if they needed to wait for someone’s sign to enter Radek’s den of homosexual depravity.

At last though, the whole group started toward the open gate, and Yev pulled Radek with him, so they could greet the guests. Emil had put forward the idea of doing it the traditional way and welcoming the pack with bread and salt, as if this were a wedding, but Radek was positive Yev’s family would have seen it as mockery, and there was no point in provoking them when they showed good will and came over in the first place.

It would take baby steps, but Radek believed he could make the pack members warm up to him with enough pork and beer.

Until the cars had arrived, he’d half expected to find