Emil nodded and touched one of the long picnic tables stacked with bread, vegetables, and sauces to eat with the pork. “I’m happy you found someone who’ll stand by you. I know it’s been hard.”
Radek exhaled, almost embarrassed how soft the relationship has made him. “He’s… he’s so thoughtful and caring. And helps me with the sanctuary so much. It’s such a responsibility, but my heart feels lighter since I decided to change things up. You know what I mean? Like I can feel I’m doing the right thing.”
He glanced at the tables again, worried he’d missed something, but no matter how carefully he searched for things that might offend Yev’s pack, he couldn’t find any. He hoped werewolves liked mustard on their meat.
He smiled when Adam approached from the fox enclosure and hugged Emil from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder, and grinned.
“It’s getting late.”
And it was. The sun was about to disappear beyond the mountains, and once their guests arrived the party would start for real.
Radek had been preparing for a long time to host Yev’s pack but still felt so intimidated by the prospect of having to convince them all their relationship wasn’t just some fleeting fancy that he wished it wouldn’t be happening tonight. But maybe Yev was right, and it was better to jump off the deep end already?
Adam let go of Emil and squeezed Radek’s hand. “Gotta go. Hope everyone has fun.”
“Are you going to your aunt’s again?” Radek asked to prolong the conversation that moment longer.
Emil and Adam stalled for a second, as if they hadn’t expected the question, but in the end it was Emil who spoke. “I’m going with him tonight. So be a good boy while the village head is out.”
Radek rubbed his hands together with a grin. “The wolves and foxes play when the shepherd’s away.” So it was an inside joke only he understood. But he still enjoyed it.
He and Yev walked their friends to the gate and said their goodbyes before returning closer to the fire, where mosquitoes were less active.
“Look,” Yev whispered into his ear, and discreetly pointed out Mom, who was feeding Coal by hand, her face pensive as if she expected a bite, but when Coal let out a little bark of joy, she smiled.
Radek’s eyes watered, and he looked away, feeling like the biggest sap.
“He’s growing so fast,” Yev mocked, earning himself a nudge from Radek’s elbow.
“Have all the foxes been fed?” Radek asked, trying to occupy himself with everything but the upcoming party, but the sight of the hog steadily turned by Iga, who had grander plans for the sanctuary than Radek himself, reminded him there was no escape from reality.
He’d already met the parents, but it was time to convince everyone else that he was perfectly suitable as Yev’s partner.
“All taken care of. Stop worrying. Mom got all the women on board. It’ll be fine,” Yev said and draped his arm around Radek’s shoulder while they breathed the scent of burning wood and hog.
“What about the men” Radek asked. That deadly fight with Burian still haunted him some nights, and Yev’s father would surely never forget it was Radek who’d stuck a silver knife in his son’s flesh. But on the other hand, if he hadn’t done it, his other child would have been dead instead.
Two months have passed 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.”