CHAPTER 1 - Wolves - Steak With Blue Cheese Sauce

My unusually restful sleep was rudely awakened by a sudden thump in the ribs.

“Fuck!” I shouted, clutching at my side and rolling around in my sheets.

“Get up!” a voice called out. “It’s urgent!”

I slowly managed to slide my eyelids open and the blurry figure of the young kitchen assistant, Joe, appeared before me.

The boy struck me in the side with his tiny fist again which shot an alarming amount of pain through my chest.

“Knock it off!” I swiped his hand away. The boy was a bit foolish but knew how the kitchen hierarchy worked. It was nowhere close to dinner prep and this was not my shift; all emergencies were to be routed through the Master Chef Rousseau. So even though I was as angry as I could be, I also knew something must have gone wrong.

But I was still pissed of course.

“The hell are you thinking!?” my eyes adjusted to my room, a tiny cell with gray stone walls and a bunk bed I shared with my breakfast counterpart and rival, Leo. “You want me to throw your ass back on latrine duty!?”

“It’s an emergency and Rousseaus drunk, passed-out drunk!”

Not unexpected, in fact it was the norm, but I also had expectations for the breakfast team to be able to work without him just as we did. Rousseau was a buffoon but we expected him to be this way and acted accordingly.

“If the Chancellor’s boiled eggs are a bit late, that’s fine…” I moaned, rolling to the side and curling up against the cold wall, “...he’s not a prick about it.”

“No! It’s not that, the wolves are coming!”

I threw my sheets off and jolted out of bed.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” I rustled under the bed and pulled out a leather knapsack full of essentials for an emergency, “...what are you standing around here for!? We’ve got to evacuate towards Hilltop before they surround us!”

“Wait!” Joe grabbed me by the arm before I could flee. “They’re here under a flag of truce! They’re demanding a meal to arrange peace talks with!”

“Very funny!” I rolled my eyes and stepped behind a screen, changing into my uniform. “I’m going to have a word with the High Secretary about this, you’re in for it now.”

“No, it’s true!”

I emerged from the screen in a black uniform, the standard for all chefs working under Rousseau in the palace. I tied up my long, brown hair into a bun and slipped a round cap atop it.

“You’re a good assistant but a terrible jokester!” I pointed at the boy. “So off we go, let’s have a chat with Ilysa why don’t we?”

“But-”

“No buts!”

I stormed out into the hallway. The walls were brightly lit with battery-powered lights mounted on stone, some of the few still functioning, which illuminated the tapestries depicting events long past. The Ancestral Arrival, The Homesteading, and The Wars of Fur and Scale.

Instead of turning towards the savory odors of the kitchen, I turned right and stomped up a spiral staircase etched in stone. A mix of candles and electric lights lined the narrow tunnel. There was one light burnt out, due to be replaced by a candle by tomorrow no doubt.

Joe followed behind me, babbling all sorts of excuses. I was too annoyed to give him another moment of my time. I needed sleep to do my duty and fantasies about a truce with wolves, let alone one that came at such a sudden time, were a joke and a very bad one at that!

After reaching the top of the staircase, I pivoted to the right, stepped past a pair of guards and exited into the courtyard.

The Vessel towered over us as it always did in the morning, blocking the sunrise and casting a cool shadow across us. It was hard to believe such a static building, firm in its foundation, had once taken our ancestors here long, long ago.

Our ancestors did not come here to conquer or colonize, nor was this their destination to begin with, but they had to land and they had to survive. Without any means of talking with the native species, of which there were numerous of sentience, this led to conflict.

And although we had some success communicating with some, such as the foxes, this also led to other conflicts. We had just locked up one fox who slipped into the palace kitchen for food and although we both spoke the same language, he seemed almost confused as to why we would be angry at his burglary.

As such, a sudden peace? Ridiculous!

However, as I reached the stone arch leading to the entrygate of The Vessel, I saw Ilysa appear seemingly out of the morning mist and walk towards me. She was wearing a typical blue business dress with matching pants, but she also had a steel vest and leg plates on. A saber was sheathed at her hip, not normal attire for the High Secretary.

“Karl,” Ilysa bowed quickly but politely. “You must report to the kitchen immediately. The wolves are demanding talks, the Alpha and his five most trusted generals will be dining with the Chancellor as soon as you can get a meal ready.”

“I told you!” Joe tugged at my sleeve.

I began to sweat.

“From what little we know of wolven culture, a satisfying meal is essential to peace talks. If one is not provided to their taste, it could call the whole thing off.”

That did nothing to assuage my anxiety and perspiration. The wolves had been a persistent enemy of humanity since The Arrival and although there had always been a desire to make a treaty, there would always be an inciting incident that put it off. A few raids here and there, captives ransomed, and sometimes fatal skirmishes. Attempts were made to arrange ceasefires but the other side never truly trusted us to meet at the table.

Until now.

“We…” I blinked, “...were not informed of such a thing. I’ve never cooked for wolves before, I wouldn’t…”

“It happened suddenly and must be approached suddenly,” Ilysa explained. “This could be a wolven way of doing things, we do not know, just that the Chancellor has demanded you adapt and perform.”

Ilysa patted me on the shoulder.

“I believe in you.”

I could never tell if she was condescending or supportive. She was a strange one but served very effectively as the Chancellor’s Number One.

Just as suddenly as she had appeared, Ilysa was gone, leaving me with Joe.

“Joe,” I patted the boy on the shoulder and got down on eye level, “what do you know of wolves?”

“My older brother was held prisoner by them in the last war.”

“Mmhm,” I nodded, “and what did they feed him?”

“Dripping and gravy. Broth if he was lucky.”

“I see,” I shook my head, “that probably won’t do.”

“The wolves were always on the move, they’d often only have one meal immediately after setting up their yurts. Meat heavy, my brother could smell it from the stake he was bound to, but he only got the drippings and broth left over from the meat they cooked.”

“So he never saw what the warriors had prepared for them?”

“No.”

“Shit,” I stood up and muttered to myself, looking at the towering Vessel. 

There had to be some way I could learn about their culture and how to adapt to their tastes. There was even the danger of serving them something that might be poisonous. If that happened, no doubt the Chancellor would throw me to the wolves, literally.

“What about the fox?”

“Huh?” I was snapped out of my thoughts.

“What about the fox, the one the guards threw in the dungeon?”

I rubbed my chin, stroking my short beard, “He’s not a wolf but…close enough?”

“Yeah!”

“Could be he’s had talks with the other anthros too.”

“Yeah!”

“Good thinking, lad!”

I slapped Joe on the shoulder lightly and jogged towards The Vessel, but took a sharp right along its rounded sides. A wooden door was laid into the ground, one side of it open. I pushed the other side open and crept down the stone steps into the dungeon.

The lights were all candles here, no sense in wasting our limited and declining electric lights on criminals. There was a pungent odor in the air, stronger than the usual smell of the often empty dungeon.

Two guards were sitting at the entryway to the cells, throwing cards across the table and playing a game I knew nothing of. Both had handkerchiefs across their noses.

“Here to see the prisoner,” I said.

One of them nodded and said nothing more.

I went down the corridor, checking each dingy cell’s bars for any sign of life. It was only when I reached the final cell that I was greeted with flaming orange fur, brighter than any torch or candle.

“Well, well…” the fox’s voice had a purring tone to it, “...here to break me out?”

The pungent smell suddenly invaded my nose and I wrinkled it. I tried not to groan or gag so as to not offend the prisoner, but his own muzzle wrinkled up in disgust.

“Yeah? Well I don’t like the smell of you humans either! You all smell of salt and smoke, and not in a good way! You think I get baths down here?”

“Sorry,” I relaxed my face and breathed. It grew tolerable quite quickly, “I am the Head Chef of the Dinner Shift of the palace and I need your advice. My name is Karl.”

“Yasghith,” the fox had a slight growl to his voice as he said his name.

“Pleased to meet you, Yas-hith.”

“Yasghith,” the fox repeated, growling again on the middle part.

“Yasgggith,” I tried again, putting my hand through the door and waiting for him to shake it.

“This some kind of trick?” he sniffed in the direction of my hand cautiously.

“This is how we greet, you grab my hand and we shake.”

Yasghith pounced forward, grabbing my hand between his two paws and leaned in close. His fangs were inches away from my ears and he whispered.

“You know how foolish that was, right?”

I froze in place, waiting for the fox to bite or take me hostage, but he just loomed there, purring slightly with contentment and holding my hand firmly in his soft, padded grip.

Then he broke away, matted tail swishing behind him, “It’s a good thing I have no desire to take advantage of fools! What do you need?”

“The Wolven Alpha is coming to dinner and we need advice on what to feed him. It’s a matter of peace or war.”

“And what would a fox know of that?” Yasghith tilted his head with a smile, he was mocking me.

“Well, you’re…” I cleared my throat, “...you’re closer to them than us.”

“Ah!” Yasghith ran his paw along his muzzle, squished his nose, and pulled at his whiskers. “You think because we look somewhat, and I must add, SOMEWHAT, similar, that we are the same and know each other’s ways?”

“Look-”

“They live on the steppes and shit on the ground! We live in cities and towns, thank you, not so different from you invaders!”

“Our anc-”

“And maybe, maybe I’d be fine with the wolves continuing being at war with you? Why not? We’re the same as them, right?”

I began to feel like an asshole for even being here and I turned to the side, looking down at Joe who simply shrugged his shoulders.

Something wet tapped against my cheek and I spun around just as the fox pulled back away from me.

“It’s a good thing I’m a fan of peace, not war,” Yasghith grinned, looking at the spot on my cheek he kissed. “I have spent some time with the wolves, I can help.”

“Ah, thank you!”

“But!” Yasghith held up a finger. “I want out of here. Immediately.”

I looked over at the guards, “Ilysa would be pissed.”

“You want to talk about pissed?” Yasghith picked up a bucket that had an acrid smell wafting from it. “This is what they got me pissing in, so don’t talk about pissed with me! You want my help or not?”

“Hey!” I called over to the guards. “Can I borrow him?”

A ring of keys flew through the air, landing on the hard floor with a rattle.

“Thanks!”

Joe passed me the keys and I got lucky on the first try, clicking the lock open and swinging the door.

The fox bared his fangs in a smile and for a moment I thought he might pounce atop me and escape, but instead he skipped across the floor. His body rubbed against mine and only now did I notice he was naked from head to toe.

“Well, lead the way!”

“Okay, but first we need to get you dressed.”

“How do you wear these things?”

Yasghith was wearing a spare line cook outfit. He constantly had to push his sleeves back so his paws weren’t buried beneath the cloth, the trousers belt was crooked along his waist with the rear side of it tilting down so his bushy tail could be free. The white uniform was baggy in just about every part of the fox’s thin frame.

A tiny cap was placed atop his crown, a completely useless part of the uniform for him, for his entire body was covered in fur.

“It’s just for one day,” I chastised him. “You’d rather be back in the dungeon?”

“I’d rather be free.”

“Then come along.”

I pushed open the doors to the palace kitchen, the true beating heart of the government. Steam from boiling water, smoke from the wood-fired ovens, all of these were part of the machine that fueled the system. Both the breakfast and the dinner crew were at their stations, wildly preparing a variety of dishes without any sort of control or orders. 

Rousseau’s absence was to be expected, but the Second of the breakfast crew, Leo, was also oddly not present and taking advantage of the situation for his own glory.

“Where is Leo, anyways?” I asked Joe.

“Keeping the wolves distracted with refreshments and appetizers to buy us time,” the boy nodded. “Volunteered for it. He got the mobile station moved beside the dining room.”

“Bastard,” I muttered, “he’s gonna fill them up with junk.”

Or try to outshine our meal.

“Stations, halt!”

I clapped my hands together. It was an obnoxious display of authority that I despised doing, but this was an emergency situation.

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Joe stood beside the nearest station. Pans were removed from flames and save for a few of the bakers nervously looking at their bread in the ovens, all eyes locked in on us.

Or rather, they locked in on Yasghith, who clearly stood out as the only non-human in the room.

“You’ve probably heard the news that a Lupine delegation is here and demanding immediate peace talks.”

“Yeah!” Lia shouted from behind her tall sauce pot which covered up the short statured Saucier. “They got a lot of nerve barging in here and putting up demands!”

“Wolven culture can be like that,” Yasghith explained. “They put a big emphasis on open social interaction including showing up without warning. It’s how they do things.”

The room was silent, staring at the fox dressed in ill-fitting clothes.

“What?” Yasghith asked.

“These are trying times, so I’ve grabbed Yasghith here to help, he’s been among the wolves and knows them better than us, who at best, have only seen them at the end of a spear or sword,” I said, nodding politely. “I know this is quite a change, but-”

“Keep him away from my sauces! If a stray hair ends up in it-”

“Wolves don’t care as much as humans do about that,” Yasghith politely interrupted. “It’s-”

“Away from my sauces!” Lia repeated.

“Look!” I raised my voice. “Station masters, assemble. Rousseau is not here and we need a meal plan and fast! Come!”

Lia stepped out from behind her pot, making her the first to join us. Next came Pierre, master of meats, and then Olivia the vegetable chef.

We did not have as many station masters as we should have, but we made due with what the palace had.

“Alright, so I was thinking something meaty,” I looked over at Yasghith. “Steak?”

Yasghith snorted, his nostrils flaring, “I thought chefs were creative? Steak? You think you can beat them at cooking steak?”

Pierre crossed his arms over his round belly, “Do they even cook their meat?”

“Yes!” Yasghith rolled his eyes. “Not as much as you do, but they, we, do.”

Yawning, Olivia pressed her palm to her lips, “Am I really needed for this?”

“Yes!” I insisted. “We can’t just serve them meat, wolves…eat vegetables too, right?”

I looked over at Yasghith, pleadingly.

“There’s some that are poisonous to us both, where’s your station?”

Olivia motioned over to her long station, which had baskets full of fruit and vegetables.

The fox went over and began pointing at various things.

“None of this,” he pointed at an onion and then picked up a bulb of garlic, sniffing it and wincing, “or this.”

Olivia yawned again, “No onions or garlic, might as well just close up shop then.”

“Mushrooms, potatoes…” Yasghith pressed his nose up against the produce, sniffing and causing the other chefs to cringe, wondering where his nose had been and when it was last washed, “...these are good.”

“Those work excellent with steak!” I added.

“Again with the steak,” Yasghith moaned as he moved back to the group, his claws clicking on the tiles. “Can’t you think of anything better?”

“It’s quick, hearty, and we have enough sirloin in stock for all the attendees,” I fired back, “we’re stressed for time here, we can’t waste time on a cut that takes longer!”

“But you need it to stand out! You can’t just grill meat and expect them to view it as anything more than just the same-old they cook at their camps!”

“We’ll season it!”

“They have seasonings too!”

“Not as good as ours!”

As we bickered, our faces were nearly pressed up against each other’s, Yasghith’s fangs bared. His breath smelled of old meat and I was the first one to break from the stare-down due to it, eliciting a sigh of relief from the crew.

“What don’t they have?” I asked. “Milk? Cream?”

“Their horde is full of cows and goats, they have plenty of those.”

“Cheese? They know how to make cheese then?”

“Yes.”

“But they’re wandering all over the place right? So it’s fresh cheese?”

Yasghith blinked at me, tilting his head slightly. A smile curled up on his lips ever so slightly, which I could not help but copy.

“You’re going somewhere with this,” Yasghith said with a touch of wonder in his voice.

“Damn right I am!”

I looked down at Lia, small though she was she hated it when I lowered myself to eye level, “Get a basic white wine sauce started and-”

“What kind of wine?” Yasghith asked.

“Grape.”

“What’s a grape? Is it poisonous to us?”

“Uh…” I rubbed my chin. “I had a pet cat that got really sick after eating one.”

Yasghith frowned at being compared to an animal, “Best to ditch it then.”

“Apples? What about apples?”

“Yeah, we can both eat those.”

“Lia,” I looked back down at her, “make the sauce with apple cider vinegar and dilute it with beef stock until it’s as close to wine acidity as you can get. Get moving on that until I return with our secret weapon.”

“Yes, Chef!” Lia immediately hobbled over to her station and got up on her step-ladder.

“Olivia,” I had to shake her awake, “get your crew slicing mushrooms. Saute them in butter, olive oil, salt, pepper…what am I saying, you know the drill! Just leave out the garlic!”

“Yes, Chef!” Olivia broke out of her daze and began leading her team, their knives chopping away.

“Pierre, I got two tasks for your team,” I walked with him towards his station, my hand on his shoulder. “The steaks, of course, season them with salt and pepper as you would normally and cook them. Rare, would rare work?”

I looked over at Yasghith.

“A little less than rare, I’d say,” he replied.

“A little less than rare,” I repeated. “And your other task: get someone on your team to slice and prepare carpaccio immediately, I’m not going to let Leo outshine me on the hors d'oeuvres!”

“And you, my vulpine friend!” I clapped Yasghith on the shoulder, smiling. “I have a special task for you.”

I put my pen to my lip, pondering to remember my correspondence with Chef Karl earlier.

I brought the tray of…those thin slices of meat that smelled of lemons. I warned Chef that wolves and foxes alike were not fond of citrus smells, but Chef insisted.

The guards stopped me approximately four times and I had to ask for help reaching the dining room. Once I arrived, I found that the Alpha and his generals were eating skewers of quick-marinated meat that smelled of soy sauce and vinegar. Quite filling, it was a smart move for Karl to focus on one entree.

The Chancellor arrived and the Alpha greeted him, pressing his snout to his nose and licking at his teeth. The Chancellor was quite confused and disgusted, leading to an awkward silence.

One of the generals, a white wolf with a black stripe across his muzzle bridge, sniffed my rear with interest. The others showed curiosity towards the meat I was carrying.

They seemed to prefer the skewers that Chef Leo had made, though did not hate the slices of meat as much as I expected and finished the plate. A brown wolf spoke to the white wolf in their tongue, seemingly unaware that a “Fox Slave,” as they referred to me, might speak their language. The Alpha seemed to be sincere about peace but these two wolves wanted to look for any excuse to take offense at the food, including remarking that fox fur might be found in the meal.

I hated to admit it, but Lia was right about keeping me away from the sauce. I suggested Karl have the vegetable crew rewash their vegetables for any trace of fur or scent I left behind.

A winning entree would be essential to save the day. The wolves were content for now but not overly impressed and the Chancellor had made things uncomfortable when greeting.

This is what I relayed to Chef Karl.

The double doors leading to the dining room stood before me. I took out a handkerchief and patted down my brow, removing any trace of sweat.

Growls and barks were echoing past the door. I could not tell if someone had gotten angry or if that was just how wolves talked.

Regardless, it was time.

I pushed the doors open and led the serving staff inside.

“Pardon me for the delay,” I bowed politely, not knowing how to properly greet wolves, as the staff entered with silver trays covered by lids atop their palms.

As I lifted my head up, I was suddenly met by stunning pale blue eyes that caused a jolt of lightning to run down my spine. More surprising was finding they belonged to a gray wolf sitting at the end of the table closest to me. The Alpha smiled at me, a steel cap lined with arctic fox fur resting atop his brow, a silk robe of brown adorned his chest with gold embroidery showing wolves hunting atop horses with their bows drawn.

I hadn’t seen many anthros in my time and the few I did were often threats, so I hadn’t ever considered being attracted to one. I felt like a kid getting his first crush and naturally it was on someone completely out of my league.

“-Karl?”

I broke out of my daze and looked over to the other end of the table. Chancellor Turan sat there as stiff as a board. Though young and fit with healthy tanned skin, the Chancellor had fallen victim to male baldness and covered up his scalp with a leather cap.

“The entree, Chef?” Turan repeated.

The dishes were set on the table before the wolves and the Chancellor. The Alpha stared at me patiently, his generals were not quite the same way. A white wolf with a black stripe on his muzzle, one that my vulpine assistant warned me about, had his teeth clenched beneath his jowls. A brown one was looking at me and licking his chops, the meaning of which I cared not to guess at but I could assume was bad.

“Yes!” I stood up straight and put my hand across my waist, linking my fingers together. Master Chef Rousseau has prepared a true delight for our guests. Though he does not have intimate knowledge of wolven cuisine, he hopes this dish integrates both of our cultures into one and may serve as the beginning of a new friendship.”

The servants lifted the lids all at once.

The wolves and the Chancellor all leaned in, eyes wide and nose sniffing.

“Sirloin with blue cheese sauce.”

The wolves all tilted their heads, save for the Alpha, and their noses twitched, some nearly squishing their noses into the dish.

For his part, the Alpha waved his paw delicately over the steam wafting from the plate of meat and mushrooms. It did not look like he was sniffing at all until I really looked closely, noticing the very slightest twitch of his nostrils.

My face reddened.

“Blue cheese!?” the white wolf suddenly barked in the common language, a tiny bit of drool flecked at the corner of his lips. “You dare serve us rotten cheese!?”

“It smells really good though,” a shorter black wolf whined next to him.

“Aye, and some of the worst poisons taste the sweetest!” the white wolf turned to the Chancellor. “What is the meaning of this!?”

Turan cleared his throat and opened his mouth to explain but struggled to catch the first word of his sentence. The man was respectable as the leader of the government, but he knew nothing of the world of food and tended to get caught flat-footed in awkward encounters like this.

I didn’t vote for him, okay?

I stepped forward, “This blue cheese is aged carefully in a natural, cool cavern located adjacent to the castle cellars. It is not only safe to eat, but is a delicacy among humans.”

I avoided mentioning the fact we intentionally let it get moldy in a controlled environment. The sauce covered up most of the mold veins and it was better not to confuse them any more at this point.

“Aged!?” the white wolf barked again. “For how long?”

I swallowed, “Approximately four months.”

“My Alpha!” the wolf growled at me and then turned to the Alpha. “The humans seek to poison us! The parlay has been broken!”

The brown wolf at the table bared his fangs and his eyes glinted towards the Chancellor, who was now sweating profusely. The white one glanced over at my direction, signalling his intention to take me down first.

“I’ll taste it!” I exclaimed and the rumbling chorus of growls ceased. “If that’ll assuage your worries.”

“Come then,” the Alpha finally spoke, his singer-smooth voice made my legs quiver, and he beckoned me towards him. “But be hasty, I am eager to try your Master Chef’s creation.”

Bowing my head, I marched over to the Alpha who took hold of his knife and form and began cutting. Once he had gotten a cube free of the steak, he skewered one of the mushrooms onto the end of the fork.

I began to reach for the fork but a sudden eruption of growls told me to go no closer to the respected Alpha. Instead, he reached towards me with his free paw, gently pinched my chin and pulled my mouth open, and placed the meat onto my tongue.

Biting down, I pulled the food free from the fork and closed my eyes.

The sauce was smooth with a sharp bite, not overwhelming; Lia had managed to dilute the acidity of the vinegar perfectly and it accented the savory seasoning of the meat perfectly, though it was a little undercooked for the human palette. 

The mushrooms were a perfect companion, having its own blend of seasoning while also soaking up the blue cheese and cream sauce.

An argument had broken out between factions in the kitchen. Pierre wanted to encrust the steak in blue cheese crumble, Lia wanted a sauce; and Yasghith wanted both.

Yasghith had insisted that the strong noses of the wolves would appreciate the searing and the sauce mixed together, but all the humans agreed it would be too overpowering. The winning argument Lia made was that a sauce for this could be mixed with the mushrooms as well and now that I had it in my mouth, I was more sure than ever she made the right call.

Swallowing, I opened my eyes. The wolves were leaning forward, the closest one except for the Alpha almost pressing his nose against my side.

“It is fantastic, Alpha,” I nodded at the royal wolf. “Please, enjoy as you will.”

I stepped back until I hit the wall, patiently watching. The Alpha was the first to begin and once he had cut his first piece, the others followed suit.

The short black wolf threw caution to the wind and did not even sniff his portion before ripping it off his fork. He chewed with his maw open, mashing and chomping it in a way that would offend even the poorest mannered human.

Of course, the other wolves were no different. Their teeth clicked together as they openly chewed my food while the Chancellor politely held his lips shut and delicately chewed. The Alpha, for his part, covered his face to little success with his paw, sensing that the humans were a tad off put by their manners.

 “I have never tasted anything like this,” the black wolf stared off at the wall vacantly. 

“Once…” the brown wolf tapped his claw on the plate after swallowing his first portion, “...once long ago on my first campaign. We had captured a camp and the captured humans prepared us a victory meal with a strange, hard cheese…”

The wolf smiled, remembering victories long past.

“...I had forgotten about that,” the brown wolf chuckled, “...met my first love there too and-”

“I must confess…” the white wolf frowned, standing up, “...I came here expecting a disaster. I was against the very idea of this meeting!”

The wolf paused, grumbling under his breath.

“I did not expect so much effort to be put into the food. It does not even come close to us considering forgiveness for the history of violence between us, but…”

He sat back down.

“...Maybe it can be a good starter.”

The Chancellor raised his glass of ale and spoke, “I do not intend to solve every grievance we have had with each other today nor would I ever pretend a good meal solves anything in the long run. But it is our wish that we can use this as a chance to learn more about each other and focus more on what we have in common than what we don’t, so that we might come to an agreement on peace.”

I was surprised, blinking aghast at the Chancellor. It seemed at certain times he knew exactly what to say and the table seemed to nod along with agreement.

The Alpha lifted his own glass and announced, “On behalf of ourselves: Alpha Rulio, we would like to express the same common desire. The sword and spear have gotten us nowhere, we must seek out the open paw instead.”

“But first,” the Alpha looked over at me with his dazzling blue eyes, “a toast to the genius behind our meal!”

I blushed.

“To Chef Rousseau!”

“Come in.”

I stood up and approached the heavy oak doors. The carvings on them showcased the fall of the Royal House of Earth and the ascension of the Chancellor, along with ballots pouring down from the heavens.

Pushing the door open, I found myself in Chancellor Turan’s office. It was simple but elegant. His desk was dark wood with a shiny varnish, signifying luxury but not ostentatiously like the Kingdom was. Turan had his feet kicked up atop its surface, leaning back in his chair.

“That was a hell of a job you did there,” Turan whistled, shockingly casual for his position.

“I couldn’t have done it without Yasghith.”

“Yasghith?”

A fox burglar, I had him released from the dungeon so he could advise me on the wolves.

Turan clicked his tongue, shaking his bald head, “You just admitted to a crime there, it’s a good thing the dinner went far better than expected. I think we can ignore that.”

Pushing his chair back, Turan removed his feet from the desk and sat up straight.

“The Alpha has signed a ceasefire with eagerness to sign more pacts to come. He had one condition though.

“Oh?”

“He demanded that we send the genius behind tonight's dish to serve as his personal chef and we accepted.”

My chest grew heavy. I was to be sent to serve that handsome wolf?

Visions of riding atop a horse amid a field of wild grass filled my mind. The Alpha holding me tight in his arms as he commanded the reins. My head buried into his coat of fur as I whispered up to him, asking him what he wished for dinner.

“You,” he whispered back. Pressing his mouth against my lips.

“Rousseau accepted, so the position of Master Chef will be vacant.”

My fantasy came to a screeching halt and I was once more back in the plain office of the Chancellor.

“Oh…” I cleared my throat, “...right, yes. Rousseau.”

“Of course, we know who really was behind tonight’s meal,” Turan grinned at me. “But you have to understand, Leo also did a really good job with his appetizers. Those pork skewers were-”

Turan kissed his fingers.

“-Oustanding! I think they stopped the wolves from leaving after the Alpha nearly choked me when he greeted me with his tongue!”

Turan shuddered, remembering the incident.

“It may seem rather silly, but I think your food might have made everything possible today,” Turan got up and looked out the window of the Vessel, down at the courtyard.

“Perhaps the same is not possible but…” Turan paused and held his hands behind his back, “...I have a vision, you know? I want peace with every species on this planet. Every single one. Humanity once came together as one after many years of war before our Ancestors left, I want to go further. I want every species here to at least have peace and at best, come together as one in mutual cooperation.”

Turan turned around with a crooked smile, “I’m aware this seems childish, even foolish.”

“It’s an honorable goal,” I said stiffly. I was hesitant about the goal but it seemed noble.

“I will be inviting more envoys with the wolves assisting to make contact. There will be more dinners like this, this is only the beginning.”

“So I’d like to offer you something as a reward…”

Interim Master Chef!

The words echoed in my head. Though the Interim bit bothered me as I knew myself to be superior to Leo in every way as a chef, it was still a sign of confidence that we both excelled this day and I was given the position before a permanent decision would be made.

And best of all, it meant I no longer had to share a room with my rival!

I waited several hours for the maids to turn down Rousseau’s old room, to get the stench of old wine and sweat out from it. I sat in the courtyard until they called me, writing down ideas in a notebook and imagining what future species might visit.

Eventually I was called to my new chamber, my own private chamber. My feet were exhausted and I intended to have a good night’s sleep for once.

I pushed the door open.

The smell of fox immediately hit me.

The room had indeed been cleaned up but it seemed I had a roommate that no one had informed me of lying underneath the bedsheets.

The bedsheets on the only bed in the room.

Yasghith yawned, his maw wide open, “There you are! It’s late, blow out the candles and get to bed!”

I blinked at the fox lying in my bed, “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been released into your custody in lieu of prison time,” Yasghith stretched his legs underneath the blankets. “So here I am!”

‘There’s…only one bed?”

“Yeah, the maids asked if I wanted a second but I didn’t want to trouble them.”

My face turned red with embarrassment, “This is…not proper for humans unless…”

“Unless what?”

Coughing, I headed over to the dresser and pulled out some pajamas, “Nevermind! It’s no big deal!”

I’ll just request a second tomorrow.

I ducked behind a screen and changed into my plain, gray pajamas.

The fox had his eyes closed when I emerged but his nose was sniffing in my direction.

“Good night,” I said as I blew out the last candle.

“Good night!”

The room was still lit by the full moon coming in through the sole window. As such when I climbed into bed and had a peek under the covers, I could tell the fox was indeed fully naked.

With my face still burning, I laid back and closed my eyes.

A warm arm suddenly wrapped itself around my shoulder and a cold nose poked at my neck. Yasghith snored lightly, deep in sleep already.

I did my best to ignore the snores and the fox’s odor, focusing on my own sleep.

And imagining his arms to be the Alpha’s.

Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce:

2 Steaks of your choice of cut

2 Sticks of Celery, chopped fine

2 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

½ Cup Heavy Cream

6 oz Blue Cheese - crumbled

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat up a cast iron pan  with butter on medium high heat.
2. Cook the steaks, exact time will vary depending on thickness but roughly 5 minutes each side for 1 ½ inches.
3. While cooking, chop up the celery.
4. Remove the steaks and cover in aluminum foil
5. Lower heat to medium and melt more butter in the same pan (Do not clean the pan), add chopped celery and cook until softened, about two minutes.
6. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for about a minute.
7. Add the cream and half the blue cheese. Stir and then wait for it to bubble, then wait five minutes for the cheese to melt and the sauce to thicken.
8. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the cheese. Stir and season with salt and pepper
9. Put the steaks on plates and pour the sauce over them.
10. Enjoy.

Fopfox’s Notes: While in this story the wolves eat blue cheese without any ill effects, many dogs and cats can have negative reactions to the mold in blue cheese. These are not known to be fatal but please consider avoiding feeding blue cheese to any furry friends you encounter, four-legged or anthro.

CHAPTER 2 - Wolf Cub - Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese

Having accepted the role of Interim Master Chef, I proudly began my reign with a slight bit of trouble.

Though the position brought prestige and honor, along with the ire of Head Chef Leo, it also brought on new challenges: namely, dealing with Head Chef Leo.

I no longer was forced to share a bunk with him but instead I found myself in his presence far more often as I had to manage the breakfast staff and perform as the head chef in the dinner shifts until we found a new second for me, napping between the two and leaving the kitchen on their own for any unusual noontime food requests.

In fact, sometimes the heat of the kitchen and the sheer effort that took place were so bad that I found myself napping beneath a willow tree in the courtyard before even making it back to my room.

This was one of those days. It was summer but the air was mild, a little chilly even, and I tilted my head forward, dozing off to sleep.

And there, he appeared.

That blue-eyed Alpha whose tongue I delighted and who made my heart quiver! The fantasies I had of him carrying me away to some far-off land had invaded my brain, much as they had invaded our palace to discuss the peace treaty that day! I had never, ever imagined myself entranced by one of the anthros, not until meeting him!

The one part that always had me hung up in the dreams was how to kiss him. Did they use their lips or did they rub noses together?

I leaned in close to the subject of my dreams, vanishing in the pools of his eyes, and gently pressing my nose against him. It was cold and wet, it squished up against mine and…

HNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKK!

I woke with a start only to find nothing more than an orange blur in my vision. I shoved it away, a small wet nose coming off of my face.

“What the hell!?” Yasghith got on all fours and raised his hackles, growling.

I wiped the moist part of my nose, finding it smelled of fox now, “What the hell, yourself!?”

“You said I could nap with you!”

“I didn’t mean on top of me!”

“I thrash in my sleep, you know that!”

I did. We were sharing a bed. I had been so busy with work that I kept forgetting to request a cot for him to sleep on. I did ask about getting him sent to another room to share a bunk with him but no one wanted to share a room with a fox and I didn’t want to go back to a bunk room, finding the private room better even if it was not so private.

“Nevermind,” I kicked myself up to my feet. The sun was starting to go down past the walls and behind the Vessel; the dinner shift was starting.

Yasghith took a step closer and sniffed, “You need to take it easy.”

“What makes you say that?”

The fox twitched his ear, “Your blood pressure has increased by ten points over the course of the last month, you’re working too hard.”

“How the hell can you tell?”

He twitched his ears again, “I can hear your heartbeat and I can count.”

“Kaaaaaaaarllllllllll!”

A shrill voice echoed through the yard. I didn’t need this right now.

“Oh Interim Head Cheeeeeefffff!”

Leo appeared. He was a puzzling man, his lower body was wide and his upper body was thin, creating a man of dualistic contrasts just by looking at him. His inner self was similarly divided, being a chef of undeniable talent but a grating, irritable prick to such a degree I wished to fire him and be done with it any moment I had to deal with him.

“A very urgent request has come in and it’s for youuuuuuuuuu!” Leo grinned, his bald head shining in the sunlight. “Someone named…Ruliooooo?”

I froze, my skin turning red.

“Twenty points now…” Yasghith muttered, focusing his ears at me.

“And he wants a special meal,” Leo chuckled, “I guess the breakfast team is off the hook for this one!”

“Good!” I grinned proudly. “Where is he?”

“The dining room, obviou-”

I took off without waiting to hear another word. My dream was coming true, perhaps he had realized that Rousseau was not the real master behind that steak dish, perhaps he knew it was me and came back to enjoy my company once more.

Perhaps…

I bumped into a clerk on the way into the Vessel, apologizing to her as I charged forward. Soon I was outside the dining room and I threw open the door and…

“Ah, look Prince! It’s a chef!”

A leather ball bounced off my forehand and landed on the ground, thumping twice before going still.

Ten wolves were sitting at the dining table. None of them were armed or even dressed to fight, instead they were in rather expensive and decadent robes made of soft fabric with embroidered designs on them.

But it wasn’t them who commanded all the attention. It was the tiny little ball of fluff at the head of the table.

I didn’t know how fast wolves aged but if he had been a human, he would have been about eight or so. His eyes were blue, identifying him without anyone saying so as the child of my crush. His body was covered in gray fuzz and he wore yellow robes that were far too long for his small body, covering his legs up entirely.

Yasghith appeared by my side, hunching over and panting.

“You are in the presence of Prince Rulio, he of his father’s name!” a white wolf with thin eyes stood up proudly. “You may bow gracefully.”

Yasghith and I bowed deeply. This was a formality we had been spared with the Alpha but it was better to go along with it and not question it, lest we anger his child.

“To what do we owe the pleasure?” I asked.

The white wolf stepped away from the table, fanning at his face with his paw, “Great Alpha Rulio has requested you treat his dear child and heir with the same hospitality you served him!”

The wolf grabbed me by the hands suddenly and leaned in, pressing his nose against my cheek.

I was not sure if he was kissing me or greeting me until he whispered.

“The Prince has been refusing to eat his meals. He has been making impossible demands of the new chef and to punish him, the Alpha sent him here. Don’t tell the Prince.”

“I WANT GARLIC!” the Prince slammed his fist onto the table.

“You can’t have garlic!” The wolf attendant turned from me and lectured. “It’s poisonous!”

“BUT IT SMELLS SO GOOD!” the Prince punched the table again. The courtiers all wrinkled their muzzle in disgust at the thought of smelling garlic. “I WANT IT, I WANT IT, I WANT IT!”

“We’ll make you something just as good!” the wolf turned to me, pulling me close and whispered. “You have to help me out here.”

“I don’t think I can feed him garlic but…”

“But?”

“Maybe we can trick him.”

“Alright, everyone stop what you’re doing!” I announced as I entered the kitchen with Yasghith trailing behind me.

“Yes, chef!”

I felt a bit woozy as all the chefs under my command broke away from their stations to come before me. The heat of the kitchen flashed across my skin as a wave of fatigue hit, a consequence of the restless sleep I was getting.

“Karl?”

Yasghith tugged at my sleeve and I snapped myself to attention.

“Alright folks, we got a weird request,” I inhaled slowly. “Alpha Rulio has sent his son here for being a brat and now he’s our problem.”

Pierre, Master of Meats, curled his lips inward with a smile, “I’ll get a plate of smoked meat there right away. That should solve that.”

“Good thinking but there’s another problem. He wants garlic.”

“Chef, you wound me,” Pierre’s smile grew even more proud. “You spoke so highly of my smoked garlic bacon last season and now you forget all about it?”

Olivia, the Vegetable Head, rubbed at her temple, “And you’ve clearly forgotten garlic is poisonous to wolves.”

“And foxes,” Yasghith added.

“How poisonous?” Lia stepped atop a stool to lift herself up on level with the rest of the chefs.

“Enough to make him puke and piss off the Alpha at best, death at worst,” Yasghith crossed his arms. “If you want the wolves besieging us again and throwing all we did last time in the garbage, go ahead and serve him it.”

“So…we’re going to have to trick him,” I said.

“How?” Olivia asked.

I blanked.

I had an idea before, back in the dining room. I was so confident of it but…

What the hell was it?

I tried to think back to the Alpha and how he enjoyed my steak so much, but then I got caught being dragged into a fantasy with him that I shall not elaborate on further here. By the time I finally got my mind back to thinking about the cub and what he might like, my mind went blank again and I was back to square one.

“Yasghith…why don’t you share what childhood snacks you enjoyed?”

The fox raised his brow.

“Why?”

“We’re brainstorming and you’re the closest thing to a wolf here! So come on, what did your mom make for you as a treat?”

“Well, one time she stole a jar of honey and dipped some freshly caught mice into it and grilled it over charcoal and-”

The air seethed with disgust. I had forgotten that Yasghith might not have been living under the best circumstances before his arrest and ignored the fact that even among the poorest of us in the kitchen had exposure to luxury meals beyond many people’s means.

I was not disgusted, rather I was embarrassed at myself for putting him on the spot and putting the fact he was the outsider here on full display.

“Do you think a wolf noble would like that treat?” I asked, trying as politely as possible to take the pressure off and give him a way out of the conversation without humiliating him.

“No, most likely not.”

“Damn,” I looked around the room. “Anyone else? Come on, what did you like as a kid?”

The team murmured among themselves.

“Pierre?”

Pierre’s face went red, “You’re not going to like my answer.”

“Come on.”

“Roast garlic.”

“You’re right, I hated that,” I pointed to Olivia. “Come on, help me out here.”

“Roast corn with fresh cheese.”

“Thank you!” I nudged Yasghith. “That sounds good doesn’t it?”

“It does, but corn is tough for me to eat as an adult, let alone as a kit,” Yasghith bared his teeth. “Our fangs get in the way.”

I slapped my forehead and cursed at myself.

“Lia, what about you?” I looked over to the short chef, proudly standing up straight atop her stool.”

“Tomato soup.”

I imagined the wolf cub lapping up hot soup and burning his tongue, then all of it spilling atop the Chancellor’s furniture. No, even if it was chilled, it would be a mess no doubt and I couldn’t imagine it pleasing the Prince, let alone thinking of how to incorporate garlic without poisoning him.

“What about mac and cheese?”

I turned to the right. Joe, the young assistant in the kitchen, was standing beside one of the stations with a broom and sweeping away.

“What?” I asked.

“Macaroni and cheese,” Joe continued sweeping away at a dusting of spilled flour as he talked. “Learned about it in class. Kids used to love that stuff, never had it myself.”

I stepped over to my desk and pulled out a recipe book, one that had been passed through the castle in generations ever since the initial landing on this planet. There was no glossary and the table of contents was spotty at best, so all eyes were quietly on me as I tried to find a recipe that I was certain I had seen before.

And there it was, complete with an old, faded photo. I pulled Yasghith over and made him look at it.

“What do you think? Would you like this as a child?”

“What the hell is that?”

“It’s pasta mixed with a milk and cheese sauce, and baked.”

“I repeat, what the hell is pasta?”

“Noodles.”

“Again, what-”

“Okay, you know bread?”

Yasghith nodded.

“You know how it’s made from dough?”

“I’ve seen it made from…something. Never knew what the hell you humans were making it out of, but I’ve seen them make it.”

“Right, now imagine that but pressed into a thinner shape and boiled. You think he’d like that?”

It was a simplified explanation of what pasta was, but I didn’t have time to get into the history of noodle-crafting let alone explain the differences between styles or the inclusion of durum semolina to make Western-style pasta.

“I like bread, yeah,” Yasghith nodded. “Some other species have it too, herbivores. You’re gonna need some meat though to make it better.”

I smiled, “I got a plan.”

Clapping the book shut, I addressed the crowd.

“Lia, start prepping bechemel sauce!”

“Yes, Chef!”

“Pierre, we’re going to need your best bacon that has no garlic in it, none at all!”

“Can do, Chef!”

“Olivia, you’re gonna need to start crushing garlic. As much as you can get!”

“Yes, Chef!”

“Joe! Get bags of charcoal from the cellar!”

“Will do!”

Chef Karl mostly left me to my own devices as they prepared this strange meal. At first I was very curious how this was going to come together, the meal looked alien to my eyes and nose, I could not even imagine the final result.

Karl went straight into the action, grabbing a few lower ranked cooks from other stations and getting them to mix and then knead the dough before rolling and cutting it into a tubular shape. I suggested just making it into a little round ball would suffice and save time but Karl shot that down, saying the shapes are part of the fun.

Lia poured milk into her mixture of melted butter and flour, and began to stir until it was smooth. I was told that what she was making was a sauce that was the basis of all “French,” sauces, whatever that meant.

Once Olivia had started to smash garlic, my nose told me it was time to leave the kitchen. I covered it up and, having no standing orders, left the action.

Last time, Karl had told me to spy on the nobles and get a read on the room, so I decided to do the same thing. I proceeded to the Vessel and with a quiet knock, gained entry into the dining room.

The cub greeted me as if I were some kind of clown sent for his amusement, that seemed to be what he assumed foxes were for. Thankfully, I learned how to juggle and that placated him, even though he said that the jugglers in the Alpha’s domain were much more talented.

The white wolf attendant offered me countless apologies for the Prince’s behavior, which I did not expect from a wolf. It grew to nearly comedic levels after I got struck with a ball while standing on one foot atop the back of a chair and fell harmlessly onto the carpeted floor, when the wolf started offering me luxury goods as a means of apology. Bolts of cloth, spices, and other such things.

It was only then that I realized the wolf was attempting to buy my heart. I politely said that I could not accept such personal gifts.

He apologized once more and clarified that he intended to offer the gifts as an incentive to join the Alpha’s court as a consort to the Alpha. I, again, politely refused, and suggested that while visiting a human court that he might offer that to one of the humans.

The servant explained that the Alpha, while enjoying the company of humans, was not attracted to them.

The conversation ended here and when the Prince became distracted with throwing his ball at a wall over and over, I slipped back out and headed back to the kitchen.

The macaroni and cheese came out of the oven in a black iron pan. The cheese atop it was golden brown and bubbling. Mixed in with it were thin bits of bacon. The smell was intoxicating and my nose led me towards it, desiring for a stronger smell.

However I was averted by Karl lifting it up with two mitted hands and rushing it out the back door of the kitchen. I followed him silently, standing by the doorway as he headed to a shack attached to the stone walls with smoke seeping out of a thin chimney. He opened the door and the smell of burned garlic rushed out, it was enough to make me gag, and put the pot in there, closing the door while he rested outside.

His rest only lasted a few breaths and he opened the door up, taking the pot out, and heading back to the kitchen.

I took this chance to slip out of sight.

It felt a bit silly carrying a steel plate with a cover from the kitchen, across the courtyard, and towards the Vessel. I looked as if I was carrying the first course of a grand meal but in reality this was merely one dish of comfort food for a spoiled visitor.

Not that I looked down upon comfort food. Every chef knows that there is a craft to both high-end and low-end food. It never served to be snooty towards one at the expense of another, even if one had a specialty.

Chancellor Turan enjoyed caviar, whenever we had it in stock, but he also enjoyed fried rice equally. It is our duty to provide either with a smile and without complaint. Even Leo, whom I have made it clear I loathe, understood that.

So I marched proudly with my creation ready to be unveiled with Yasghith at my side in his modified white uniform with the tail-hole. Although he did not help in the kitchen directly, I considered him an invaluable assistant and advisor when dealing with the wolves.

Turan believed in an equal world, why not show that by taking Yasghith with me as an equal before the representatives?

When we entered, the Prince was pounding his fists on the table clamoring for food. The white wolf servant dabbed at the cub’s lips whenever a fleck of drool escaped and he’d scold the Prince for his manners to no avail.

“Presenting our most esteemed envoy with a human classic…” I placed the dish atop the table before the cub. “Macaroni and cheese with Mock Garlic!”

I lifted the lid and unveiled the dish. I opted to serve the entire dish in the pot it was cooked in, giving the young wolf more food than his stomach could manage so he’d report to his father on generous portions.

The wolf’s blue eyes went wide and he lowered his nose, sniffing intensely. He licked at his lips.

“Be careful!” I added, pointing to the iron rim of the pot. “The sides are hot.”

“Young Master,” the white wolf picked up a fork. “I shall assist you.”

The servant pushed the fork through the crust of parmesan cheese, scooping up a chunk of it along with the gooey pasta within. Blowing on the steaming hot food gently, he then put it into the cub’s wide-open mouth.

The cub chewed noisily, some bits of food landing on the side of his lips which his servant would then wipe away.

“Do you taste the garlic, your Majesty?” I asked. “We soaked charcoal with smashed and minced garlic, then smoked it in a smokehouse to give the dish a rich flavor.”

A rich flavor that would not poison the Prince. Not only did I call it Mock Garlic to not alarm the servant but I insisted on making it very clear that there was not a single bit of garlic in the pot, to a point where I seemed a bit defensive perhaps.

“We used charcoal made from delicate applewood so it does not overpower the flavor of the garlic.”

Actually I was very defensive indeed. I waited for the Prince to give his feedback as if he was an expert and not merely a child. I felt a bit proud about this creation even if it was a simple meal and I didn’t want to disappoint the Alpha’s child.

After all, in your dreams you’d be his step-father, wouldn’t you?

I fanned my red face, feigning heat from the kitchen, as the wolf ate another bite.

“Good!” he suddenly exclaimed with mashed food in his maw. “You may go.”

The white wolf quietly apologized and thanked us as we were waved away.

An envoy picked up the Prince the next morning before I had woken up and like that, he was gone. I received no further feedback on what I made and went back to work as normal.

The days passed uneventfully until a week later I was suddenly called into Turan’s office.

The Chancellor was leaning back in his chair with a smile on his face, waving a rolled-up scroll with a wax seal on it towards me.

“A letter for you,” he chuckled. “The Alpha had quite a bit to say.”

Blushing, I snatched the scroll quickly before bowing in apology.

“All good things, I hope?” Turan crossed his legs.

“As long as I didn’t poison the royal brat…”

“Oh, you did actually, in a way!”

My blushing skin suddenly went as pale as a ghost, I could feel it.

“Oh my god, Chancellor, I’m-”

“Read the letter, don’t worry. It’s all good. Maybe go back to your room and read it in private, you look like you’re about to die from anxiety!”

I needed no other urging. I was out of the Vessel in a flash and then back in my room as if I had teleported.

I was alone. Yasghith was out doing whatever fox things he desired now that the late shift was over. I saw on our bed and looked at the seal: two wolves in profile with the back of their head against the other.

Tearing off the seal, I unrolled a paper and a bundle of cloth spilled out onto my lap. I ignored that for now, opting to read the letter itself.

Dear Chef Karl

My son greatly enjoyed your strange meal that you made for him for a day or two. After that he began to get nauseous and stumble around whenever he tried to walk.

It was over. I ruined everything.

Were it not for the Chancellor’s urgings, I would have been too anxious to continue.

Our surgeons listened to his digestive tract and found that the dough, as you called it, got stuck in his stomach. Rousseau added that it might be stuck inside his intestines and fermenting, making him intoxicated.

I got the Alpha’s son drunk…I slapped myself across the head.

We gave him a purging tonic and I will spare you the details, but he is much better now.

He has sworn off of human food and has been less picky now that his stomach has recovered.

I know that it was not your intention to cause him injury but I believe this taught him a good lesson and so I would like to leave you a token of my gratitude.

Alpha Rulio

I put the letter to the side and picked up the cloth that had fallen. It was a scarf made of black wool, as dark as my chef’s uniform, and it was dotted with stray strands of fur that clung to it for dear life.

Lifting it up to my nose, I sniffed. It smelled like the Alpha, like a wolf.

I breathed in deeper.

“What are you doing?”

Yasghith stepped in, tilting his head at me.

“I received a gift from the Alpha,” I unfolded the scarf and showed it off to Yasghith.

“Oh,” Yasgith leaned over and sniffed, “it has his scent on it.”

“This is quite a personal gift, right?” I held it to my chest, some of the fur stuck to my uniform. “I must confess I’ve been thinking of him a fair bit.”

“How so?”

I blushed, “Do you think, uh, that humans and wolves could ever…”

“Oh.”

“No?”

“No, no,” Yasghith bit his lip, flattening his ears behind his head, “uh, there’s plenty of wolves who would like humans. I mean, one of the Alpha’s generals has a human consort but…”

“Well, I mean, not like that but,” I rubbed the scarf. “God damnit, I’m acting like a teenager with a crush! I’ve never felt this way towards a non-human but it’s so…exhilerating!”

“There’s uh…” Yasghith was nervous, “...there’s a rank difference here. I mean…”

“What else could a gift like this mean? Do you know something I don’t?”

Yasghith paused.

“No, I don’t.”

Sighing, I laid back in bed, stroking the scarf.

“I thought it might just be an idle fantasy but…” I held the scarf tight to my face and breathed in the powerful musk, “...this might be something real, you know?”

“Yeah…”

“Is everything okay?” I sat up and asked my assistant. “You sound a little taken aback?”

“No, it’s just…” Yasghith cleared his throat, “...it’s just such a surprise. I don’t know how to react.”

“The next time he’s over…I’ll have to make something special.”

Yasghith sat in a chair and looked out the window while I drifted off to sleep early. For the first time since getting my new position I slept like a baby.

And all I dreamed about was the Alpha.

Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Smoke

375g Cut Macaroni

1 stick Unsalted Butter

60g All-Purpose Flour

700ml Whole Milk

2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar works excellent but you can experiment with all kinds.

4 slices of bacon, torn apart after cooking

Black pepper to taste

Smoked Paprika to taste

Shredded Parmesan Cheese to cover the surface

Wood Chips or Charcoal mixed with Garlic (SEE NOTES)

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C
2. Cook bacon in a pan until desired readiness. Remove and cover with paper towels.
3. Melt butter in a pot on medium heat and add flour, mixing until a blonde roux.
4. Add milk to roux and mix. Add pepper and paprika. Let simmer until thick.
5. Cook pasta according to instructions and drain.
6. Add shredded cheese to sauce and remove from heat. Mix until melted into the sauce.
7. Add pasta to a pot. Shred up bacon into small pieces by hand and add. Then pour the sauce over it and mix well.
8. Pour macaroni mixture into an oven-safe dish. Scatter parmesan cheese atop its surface and then bake for 35 minutes or until top is golden brown.
9. Add dish to a smoker or grill with a smoking pan filled with the garlic wood chips. Smoke for just a few minutes (SEE NOTES).
10. Serve.

Fopfox’s Notes: Step 9 might have limited to no effect on the human palette. There are full recipes where mac and cheese is cooked entirely in a smoker but I felt this would be too strong for a picky wolf cub anthro and that too much garlic smoke would be toxic to a wolf. I have not done Step 9 as a result and can’t guarantee any results. You can also try using it with a Breville Smoking Gun as well.

I usually add a bit of horseradish mustard to the sauce when making this for myself but mustard seeds are poisonous to dogs and thus wolves.