Where Foxes Hunt with Wolves - K.A. Merikan Page 0,80
even if he didn’t stand a chance against the weakest of werewolves.
Electricity sparked in the air, humming in Yev’s ears as he stared into the golden wells Radek had for eyes, ready to take a plunge, but the moment doors opened somewhere in the background, he pulled away. Just in time, because Karolina entered the waiting room the moment he unwound his hand from Radek’s.
“Thank you for waiting so long,” she said, exhaling.
Yev rose, stuffing his hands down his pockets as she approached. “S-so, how is he?”
She bit her lip, and her shoulders slumped as she met his gaze. “He’s in very bad shape. The tail might be salvaged but that eye? That’s a tough one. Same thing as last time, Yev, a decision needs to be made, because the poor guy needs extensive treatment and we don’t even know if he’ll pull through. Do you want to—?”
Radek shot up to his feet. “I’ll pay for whatever’s needed.”
“We’ll take him in,” Yev said, and Karolina stalled.
“Oh, you have a roommate now, Yev?”
Shit. Fuck. No one knew Radek had moved in with him. How the hell had it come out of his mouth in the first place?
“Ah… temporarily.”
She laughed and gave Radek’s stump a meaningful glance. “Like the fox. How’s the other guy doing? You found him a new home yet, fox daddy?”
Was she… flirting with him? Yev had never been good at telling those things with women.
“He’s staying,” Radek said.
“Oh, he’s great. Half-dog, half-cat, right?” Yev said, rubbing his hands together. “Shall we wait?”
Karolina shook her head. “We want to run some tests, clean him up, and see if we can save his eye. You might as well come back tomorrow. Does he have a name yet?”
“Coal,” Radek said, and it took all of Yev’s willpower not to pet his head.
They dealt with all the formalities, but the atmosphere changed, and when they finally reached the car, Yev didn’t know how to react to Radek’s silence. The little detour into McDonalds’ Drive Thru didn’t improve the mood one bit, and once they were done with the burgers, fries, apple pies, and ice cream, they left the parking lot in uncomfortable silence.
“You not cold, Ember—Radek?” Yev asked, noticing how unusually pale the boy’s skin was.
Radek shrugged, but his shoulders remained slouched.
Yev bit his lip. He’d never been good at reading emotions that didn’t make a person’s scent stronger. Fear, aggression—that he could recognize—but Radek’s behavior was spiking his sense of unease. “Your coat should be behind your seat,” he tried on the way through the outskirts of the town.
Radek’s eyes snapped to him as if Yev had insulted him. “I don’t want the jacket!”
Yev stilled, returning his gaze to the road when a car approaching from the other direction shone its headlights straight into his eyes. “What? Why not?”
Radek breathed faster now, and Yev had no idea why. If an animal was hurt or hungry, it was easy enough to work out the reason behind his distress. But this?
“Is it the zipper?” he tried. “We can pull over, and I’ll close it for you.”
“No!” Radek croaked, as if something was blocking his throat, preventing him from taking enough air. “Look at it. The hood is lined with fox fur. I’ve been wearing it for so long, and it could as well be my mother’s skin. I’m sick just thinking about it!”
Yev’s heart sank, but his brain was already coming up with solutions. “We can go back. Get you another jacket at the strip mall. We haven’t gotten that far away from town. Wait, don’t you still have the one I gave you? The red one.”
Radek hugged himself. “It’s in the back.”
“Okay, hang in there,” Yev said and stopped on the side of the road soon after. He jumped out of the vehicle with a sense of purpose. The red jacket felt bitterly cold after resting in a box on the bed of the truck, so he didn’t think twice before offering Radek his own coat instead.
“Take this one. I’m warm anyway.”
Radek slipped on the jacket and rubbed his eyes. “Thank you. I’m sorry I’m such a mess. This isn’t like me. I usually have my shit together. But it’s these revelations, and the arm, and I just feel like I’m losing it.”
Yev slid into the truck and took hold of Radek’s hand, looking straight at him, as if he’d been hypnotized by the freckles dotting his skin. “You will be fine. I promise.”