Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 130955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 655(@200wpm)___ 524(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
The floor felt hard under his knees as soon as he was back in his human skin, but he managed to tie the checkered wool around his hips before Radek stepped inside.
The boy watched him with so much hope in his eyes. As if Yev held all the answers. He pulled off his woolen hat and took off the jacket, but kept glancing at him as he placed everything on the rack by the door.
“Do you know any others like us?”
Yev took a deep breath of the warm air that was such a pleasant change after being outside, and stepped toward him, unsure how much he should reveal. On one hand, Radek had no choice but to keep all those secrets to himself or he might end up seen as crazy, but on the other, the laws of secrecy were so ingrained in Yev that ignoring them would feel like betrayal of not just his pack, but also of his family.
“We’re not… exactly the same. That is why I don’t look like a regular wolf. As a changeling, you are essentially… a magical fox.”
“And you are…?” Radek cocked his head, pushing off the wet shoes. Even his feet were freckled. Yev wanted to turn back into his wolf form and lick them without it being weird.
“A werewolf.”
Radek’s lips parted and closed several times, so Yev stayed silent to let him gather his thoughts. “But… aren’t werewolves these humanoid creatures? What do I know, though?” He shook his head and pulled down the wet pants. It was either fortunate or unfortunate that Yev’s sweater was long enough to cover his hips and reached halfway down his thigh.
“We only transform into that form when we’re extremely agitated. When you see a werewolf like that, better run, because it means, he’s ready to fight to the death,” Yev said, unable to take away his eyes from the cuteness of Radek in the baggy sweater. It made Yev imagine Radek drowned in his scent. “I was born human and turned for the first time when I was twelve.”
Radek didn’t even blink, watching him with golden eyes just like Ember’s. He soaked up every word and stepped closer, but he didn’t act like the confidently seductive man he’d been when they first met and hovered his fingers over Yev’s hand instead of touching it.
“Tell me everything. When’s the next full moon? Can I see it happen?”
Desire sank into Yev’s core as if Radek had pushed his slender hand into his chest.
Damn it. He shouldn’t have bonded with Radek, but, how was he to know what kind of man hid under all that soft fur when he’d taken care of the disabled little fox? It was too late to turn back the clock on emotions that already existed.
“Tonight. And that’s why… well, you can’t be around me.”
“Oh? Do you get big, bad, and scary?” Radek winked, stepping so close his toes kissed Yev’s. If Yev chose to, he could reach for him, and he bet the sweater was the only piece of clothing on Radek right now. It would have been so easy to—
No.
Yev cleared his throat, stepping back to break the sparking eye contact. “Yes. I don’t want you in danger. Maybe it would be best if I drove you to your mom’s after we talk about all this,” he said, motioning at Radek.
Radek looked to the floor, playing with the empty sleeve. “Could we… not do that? I can’t control it and I’m afraid I could transform at the dinner table. Just a few more days, so I can adjust? I won’t bother you, and you’ve been feeding me anyway, right?”
It wasn’t what Yev had expected, and he froze, staring at Radek while his flesh slowly caught fire and might become an unstoppable blaze if he didn’t do anything to stop it. “I… it could be dangerous. Don’t wanna hurt you by accident.”
The golden eyes were so innocent when Radek met his gaze. “What do you mean? You’ll turn into a monster and wreck your own house?”
Yev exhaled. “I usually don’t have prey in my house,” he said softly and approached the fridge, because all this tension was making him hungry.
“Where did you go last month? That was right before you found me, right?” Radek asked with the underlying question being can’t you go there again? Still an entitled brat then.
“Deep into the woods, but that’s not fool-proof. People might come across me, because they’re idiots and sometimes camp out in the wild. Nobody would hear them scream if a werewolf tracked them down,” Yev said, pulling out butter for the eggs he intended to prepare.
“I don’t get it. How is it safer in the house then? It’s close to Dybukowo, and I bet a werewolf is perfectly capable of breaking down a door.” He stilled, swallowing as he gathered his thoughts. “Yev… I… If it’s at all possible, I don’t wanna see my mom yet. I don’t know what to tell her about the hand. I actually wish I could just be Ember again and not have to deal with any of this.”