For now though, Ember was here with him, and the longer Yev looked at him, the stronger grew the need to lean closer and taste the full yet pale lips, regardless of Radek's transgressions. He didn’t know whether the loss of articulate speech had allowed Radek to express his true personality, or if a fox simply couldn’t be as rotten as a human, but the new form changed nothing in the bond Yev had with him.

He could no longer think of Radek as someone other than his Ember. The boy didn’t even smell of any cologne humans used, and instead carried a faint scent of his fox form. But here he was—naked, freckled, lovely, and all Yev could think of was that moment Radek had asked Yev, “Where do you want me?”

There were so many more layers to why Yev couldn’t have him. He’d been supposed to get rid of Radek because he’d seen too much, to push him away because Yev was supposed to give up men, but it was too late for that. They shared secrets, they had inside jokes, and were used to spending time together. Only that Radek wasn’t a pet, and never had been.

What was he to do? Throw away their friendship? Push Radek away so the pack wouldn’t realize his heart was still pumping blood?

His mouth had gone dry as he stayed deathly still, just watching Radek swallow, briefly open his lips, the golden threads he had for brows lowering. Radek’s eyeballs were so round Yev wanted to slide the tip of his tongue along the crease where his eyelid folded.

But then the pattern of Radek’s breath changed, and he looked at Yev with pools of liquid amber. Air got stuck in Yev’s throat, and he stared back, unable to utter a sound.

Radek’s gaze dove between their bodies as he curled his shoulders. “Oh. Human again, I guess,” he mumbled, pulling more of the comforter over his naked body. That arrogant, mean attitude he’d expressed when they first met was a distant memory, despite him remaining a playful little prankster in the body of a fox.

Yev nodded, swallowing as he struggled to form a smile. “Feeling better?”

Radek glanced at his stump but then quickly hid it under the covers. “I’m fine—” he said but didn’t even manage to produce those two words without his voice breaking.

Yev shouldn’t get any closer, but the despair passing through the boyish features prompted him to squeeze Radek’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard. But you’ll work something out.”

Radek avoided his gaze, deathly pale. “Something. Probably. A fox didn’t need to button up pants, drive, or write on a keyboard. It’s gonna be shit,” he choked out.

Yev cleared his throat, his gaze gravitating to where the stump rested against Radek’s thigh, but he also caught a glimpse of fiery pubic hair and Radek’s cock, so he frantically looked back up. “I… don’t know what else to say.”

He knew how to cuddle a pet. How to comfort a fox whining from pain, feed it warm milk and coo at it, but human relations? Those had always been a minefield.

Radek met his gaze, but the moment his eyes watered, and his features scrunched up as if he was about to sob, he rolled away from Yev and hid his face in a pillow. Not that he remained motionless, it was impossible to not notice that the freckles were everywhere. From the expanse of his slim back, down his spine, ass, legs… they dotted him like bluebells did a forest at the start of summer.

Should he… cuddle Radek? Stroke him? Comfort him? Maybe treat him like he would have Ember?

A loud knocking at the door downstairs was just what Yev needed. An excuse to delay any and all decisions in that regard.

He swallowed a curse and rolled out of bed, glad that whoever was bothering him this early in the morning took the difficult choice out of his hands. “I’ll deal with it,” he said curtly and ran downstairs, still in his pajama pants.

It was cool in the living room, so the wood in the fireplace must have burned out long ago, but he ignored it, struck by the familiar scent.

Burian.

And someone else. A werewolf he couldn’t recognize by scent alone.

He almost stumbled when he realized there was no hiding the scent of Ember clinging to every surface. He steadied himself, raised his head, and opened the door, hoping Radek’s presence would remain undiscovered.

“Morning,” he said to his brother and walked outside right away, even though the cold pinched his skin all over.

The other man was Fedir, Burian’s right-hand man, as set in his ways as his bestie. Unlike Burian, he was an ugly fuck with one eye. He answered in a grunt, as if talking to Yev was beneath him.

Burian had to take a step back and cocked his head. “Hm. What’s that smell?”

Tags: K.A. Merikan Folk Lore Paranormal
Source: readsnovelonline.net