Page 6 of Purrfectly Outfoxed

I want to yowl. I want to hiss. I want to shift right now and march out there and tell him to get his mangy fox ass off my property.

But I can’t. Because Bea doesn’t know. And if she finds out, I lose everything.

So I stay on the sofa, vibrating with rage, as I watch through the window while Bea feeds this interloper my chicken.

That was supposed to be my dinner, you furry bastard.

And he’s eating it. Looking up at her with big, grateful eyes. Sitting pretty like he’s auditioning for a role in ‘World’s Saddest Fox.’

“Would you like to come inside?” Bea asks him. “It’s getting cold out here.”

NO. No, no, no?—

But he’s already limping toward the door. Already crossing the threshold into my house.

I get up from my spot on the sofa and position myself on the armrest, tail lashing, every muscle tense.

The fox steps inside, and for a moment, his ears swivel and his nose twitches.

Yeah, that’s right. Smell that? That’s another shifter. That’s me, you asshole. And you just walked into my territory.

He turns his head, and our eyes meet.

Gold to my green.

I see the exact moment he realizes. The way his ears flatten. The way his tail drops.

Good. Be scared.

My tail swishes. Once. Twice.

I stare him down, putting every ounce of territorial fury into my gaze.

You just made the biggest mistake of your life, fox boy.

His eyes widen slightly.

That’s right. I know what you are. I know what you’re trying to do. And I’m going to make you regret ever stepping paw in this house.

“Oh, look!” Bea says, oblivious to the silent war happening in her living room. “Whiskers, we have a guest! Isn’t he sweet?”

Sweet? Sweet?!

I hiss—just once, just enough to make my point—and the fox has the audacity to look worried.

He should be.

Because he might have fooled Bea, but he hasn’t fooled me.

And this? This is war.

Chapter 3

Jasper

‘Get. Out. Of. My. House.’

The voice slams into my head, and I freeze, my fox body going completely still.