A fox in the wolfs den. That’s exactly what my life is like, with danger around every corner. It’s not easy, but here I am.

I’m the first known red fox shifter to live amongst a wolf clan. Actually, if I’m being honest with myself, I’m probably the only fox ever to live with wolves of any kind. I don’t even know any other red fox shifters because our kind is almost extinct due to the California forest fires.

I was adopted as a child by the wolf tribe’s Beta couple when my parents were killed in a forest fire. I was about three years old when they moved me to the Ohio Valley in a little river town about half an hour from the city. My birth parents were traditional wilds and didn’t live amongst humans like most shifters. Wilds live the majority of their lives in the forest and stay in their true animal form. I can’t imagine foraging for berries and chasing rodents the rest of my life, so I guess in that sense I can be thankful. Much respect for my hippy parents, but I much rather have a cozy warm bed and be able to have pizza delivery any day of the week.

The downfall of being a wild, I can’t fully shift so my tail and ears stay completely visible in my human form, which as you can imagine, gets unwanted attention from guys in the kink scene. They think I’m like a prize pony or something, but I use it to my advantage. Due to my shifting issues, I can only go out in human society at night, or if I attend some sort of event where my tail looks like a costume. Other than that, I’m stuck on the wolf compound so humans don’t find out I’m a real fox. Wolves in this area work hard to stay unidentified by humans because it’s not an indigenous wolf area.

The most fun I have is when I go into the city. I’m a burlesque dancer as my night job, and guys love the cute little fox girl who can also shake her ass. The tips are great and I’m a headliner in my dance troupe. The club I work at is wolf-owned, so it’s not like I’m exposing our kind. I don’t think humans even come near that place. As a matter of fact, I’m fairly sheltered and haven’t been outside the wolf community much, but on a few rare occurrences.

Here’s the downside of living as a fox in the wolf world. I may be a hit on stage, but I’m a loser in my tribe. My dream is to be included in the Alpha upper circle, but I’m not even accepted in the regular wolf community, more-less be on the council with the new Alpha, whose head is so far up his own ass he can’t breathe. He’s so smug and self-righteous that he only wants the best of the best on his teams of wolf elites. It’s bad enough that I’m constantly teased in the pack houses, and I have a group of mean girls who make my life miserable, but I can’t get attention from the council either. I know I can be worthy of more than they allow me. I’m a sly fox and I could really be an asset. Maybe, undercover spy or something cool.

Oh, yes. Let’s get back to the mean girls who make things even worse for me here. I call them the pack puppies. The girls who hang around the Alpha’s warriors just hoping to get mated and become some sort of wolf hierarchy. And if they strike gold, they could get mated to the Alpha, Beta, or Omega themselves. These bitches already think I should worship them like the moon goddess. I really can’t stand those girls.

Sitting at the clubhouse for a pack meeting is my least favorite thing to do each week. I never get a good job and end up doing dishes or folding linens at the Alpha's packhouses. They can’t freaking accept me, but they don’t mind me being their little servant girl… stupid jerks.

The riverfront compound, deep in the woods, is secluded with a five-star luxury hotel feel, mixed with amongst a few office spaces surrounding it. The outlining area is average homes, shops, and everyday things you would see in the human communities that keep the outside world from finding us out.

Today, I’m in the main gathering hall waiting for the new warriors for the Blue Moon tribe to be announced. They just arrived from the training grounds and most of them usually come back looking like hell after fighting daily at the battle compound to get their spot in the pack.

Sitting alone, I hear the click of heels tapping on the tile floor and cringe. It’s like that sound has become a trauma response at this point.

“Ooouch!”

Damn it! That one hurt. I grab my tail, protecting it from whoever pulled it this time. It’s either people wanting to pet me because I’m fluffy and cute, or bullies pulling it. My tail is so bruised that I can barely stand to use it when I dance. All I wanted to do today was read my book in peace, but nope, someone has to ruin it.

“Daydreaming of being Alpha again, Foxy?” she says, yanking the book out of my hand. “Ew. Are you reading wolf erotica again? You’re so gross.”

“Leave me alone, Sable. Give me my book back,” I say, jerking it from her hand. “Why are you bothering me? I was just sitting here minding my own business.”

She and her three minions are standing there looking like they just came off a stripper pole and they’re judging me on reading romance novels. I dress sexy during my performances at my shows, but not here. They have no self-respect for the tribe leaders. It’s all about gaining the attention of some asshole wolf with the biggest ego. I just want to get this over with so I can go home and work on my new dance costume.

Sitting across from me, she taunts. “This is our table. You need to move.”

“What are you, twelve? The mean girl act went out in high school. Besides, I don’t see your name on it.”

Taking my pen, she writes her name on the table. This bitch. I want to knock her out.

“It is now,” she says, throwing the pen back at me and hitting me in the face with it.

Grabbing my purse, and the book I was reading. I move across the room to another table. As usual, she follows, doing the same thing.

“Sable, I’m not playing this game today. Go back to your table.”

“I want this one.”

“Yeah, well, I want you to go fuck yourself and leave me alone. But somehow that never seems to happen.”

“Bitch, I’ll fucking kill you for talking to me that way!”

“Oh, yeah. If you feel froggy bitch, jump!”

I shouldn’t have said that because I know she could rip me to shreds in seconds. The only reason she hasn’t all these years is there was a rule set by tribe elders for shifter wolves to not attack me. It happened often as a kid and I still have the scars to prove it. No one tried to kill me, but some of the dominant wolves used me as bait to practice their attack instincts.

Quickly, she shifts to wolf and shoves me out of my chair. I tumble backward and she jumps on top of me, snarling and her lips showing her teeth. I think she needs to brush those choppers because her breath smells like she’s been sucking dick. I can see a hint of slobber drip from her jowl and I’m not so sure she won’t act on her threats this time.

I try to scamper away, but I’m too scared to shift to my fox and I can feel Red trembling inside me. She’s scared as much as I am. Calm down, girl. It will be okay.

I hate Sable. I know she just does this to be mean and scare me, but she’s twice my size and it’s not fair. I grab my tail, holding on as I close my eyes, afraid this time she may actually go for the kill.

Behind her, I hear her friends laughing. These bitches are grown-ass women in their early twenties and act like a childish pack of teen she-wolves.

Before I know what happened, I see the pack’s head warrior standing over her. He snatched her up by the scruff of her neck and threw her two tables over. I want to laugh, but I don't want to make this worse for me.

Pointing at her, he yells, “Shift back, now! You know our rules. No shifting in the main hall!”

Shaking off her enchantment, she rolls her eyes at me, straightening her mini skirt. “She threatened me.”

“Bullshit. I saw you harassing Francis again. She’s smaller than us. You can’t just try to dominate a fox. She’s too little. You’ll hurt her.”

Whimpering, I pull my body against the cold cement wall, grabbing my ankle that is now throbbing. “My ankle! I won’t be able to dance.”

“Well, maybe if you got a real job instead of acting like a whore and shaking your ass, you wouldn’t have to worry about that,” Sable’s friend Jenny snaps.

“Jenny, get your friend and go find your table. All of you; leave her alone.”

Turning back to face me, the warrior, Damon, looks sympathetic. Leaning down, he picks me up as if I’m weightless and puts me back in my chair. “Can you wait until the announcements are made before going to see the doctor?”

I nod, trying to put on a brave face.

“Good. I’ll help you there myself.”

“Why are you always taking up for her, Damon? Are you trying to get some fox pussy?”

“No, bitch. I’m trying to be a decent fucking shifter by treating my pack with respect. Something you have no idea about. Francis did nothing to deserve all the bullying everyone gives her. Sure, she’s a fox, but she’s one of us. So, get back to your table and shut the fuck up before I banish you to your quarters for a week.”

“But…” the other friend Tiffany chimes in, “she started it.”

“I did not!” I blurt out. “I was just reading my book and you four--“

“Enough. I know who started it. Sable did, as always. Now, get going. If I see you bothering Foxy… I mean Francis, you all four will be sent to your quarters and doing KP duty for a month. Understand me?”

Sable rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her fake tits. “Yes, sir. Come on, girls. We have new warriors to greet.”

Damon has always been a great guy. There’s a reason he’s the lead warrior wolf on the Alpha’s council. He watches out for everyone, even me. He’s an older gentleman, but no one messes with him. Not even Sable and her band of pack puppies, because if she did, she knows he’d rip her in two.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” he asked, sitting beside me.

“Why are they always so mean to me?”

“You’re a weaker animal, doll face. I know you hate to hear that, but it’s our instinct.”

Shaking my head, I hate when people say that. I’m not weak.

“No, it’s because I can’t shift like everyone else. My tail and ears make everyone laugh at me. I’m twenty-two years old and treated like a child.”

“Well, have you tried to shift completely? Maybe if you just shifted the rest of the way, it wouldn’t be so bad.”

Narrowing my brows, I scowl at him. “Oh wow! You know what? I never thought of that. Thanks for the overwhelming insight, Mr. Obvious.”

“Stop with the sarcasm. I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, you’re not. They will announce the new warriors for the Alpha today, and it'll be just more people I have to prove myself to. More dominate wolves who treat me like a lower life form.”

“I know it’s hard, Francis.”

“Stop calling me that. My name is Foxy Wild. Get it right.”

“No. Your stage name is Foxy. Your real name is Francis Wilder. When your adoptive father and I found you in that fire, your mother told me your name just before she died in my arms. I won’t disrespect her. She told me to take care of her daughter, Francis.”

“Well, I like Foxy because that’s what I am, a fox. One day, this tribe will see exactly who I am. I’ll be the first fox Alpha in wolf history with a mate who sees me for who I really am. One day, I will rule this place.”

Dropping his head, he gives a slight chuckle, patting my leg. “Baby girl, I don’t doubt that for a minute. I need to get back to work. I’ll come to take you to the infirmary after the meeting.”

“Oh, Daddy wants you to have dinner with him and mother. So, you might as well just take me home.”

“Sure thing, Fran… Foxy,” he said with a kind smile.

“That’s better,” I say, smiling back.