Xavier carried me all the way to his truck and grabbed couple towels from the back, giving me one. I wrapped myself up and sat in the passenger seat. "Thanks."

He smiled and started the vehicle. "Will you let me bring you home and maybe I can meet your family?"

I shook my head immediately and he frowned. I tried to turn it around. "I mean, not yet. I promise you'll get to soon. But right now, we're soaking wet." I pointed out, gesturing to our sopping clothes.

"Alright. I just thought we were closer than this." He looked down, embarrassed and hurt.

Act human! I told myself. "We are, I just don't like to move so fast, okay?" I lied. the truth was, I wanted to already be living with him, wearing his mark on my neck. But because I'm a stupid fox, that can't happen. Thanks a lot, Scarlet!

No problem! I wanted to growl at her.

He nodded, "I understand." I could tell how much he wanted to mark me and claim me as his. I could see it in his eyes; he was restraining himself because he thought I was human. Another wave of guilt crashed over me, and I nearly blurted the truth. I covered it with a small cough.

"You okay? I hope the water didn't give you a cold or something!"

"I'm fine," I chuckled. "And soon," I promised, "you'll get to meet my family." Little did he know, he'd already met them.

"Okay," he said satisfied. He pulled up at the school and helped me out before handing me the basket of apples.

"You don't want some?"

He shook his head, "nope, they're for you!"

I smiled and said thanks with a wave before walking into the woods. I made sure not to go in the exact direction as the pack house just in case he might try to follow me home.

Five minutes later, I was deep in the woods and about halfway home when a twig snapped behind me. I stopped and strained my ears.

I spun around, scanning the area around me. My heart sped up and I was very close to just shifting when I spotted a big black wolf with blue eyes I could pick out in a crowd. Xavier.

You're human! Scarlet reminded me before I could react to the wolf.

Right. How would a human think about a wolf in front of them? Well, in truth, a human probably wouldn't think, they'd just react. So I did just that.

A high pitched scream escaped my lips and I purposely dropped the basket. I spun on my heels and bolted in a random direction, making sure it wasn't towards the pack house. I heard a guilty whine and soft pawsteps trotting after me.

Deciding a human's instinct would be climbing, I dashed to a tree with low enough branches and heaved myself up until I was probably ten feet off the ground.

Xavier stopped at my tree and sniffed around before glancing up at me. He whined through his teeth, his eyes wide. I knew he meant no harm but a human would be frightened out of her mind. So that's how I acted.

I gripped the branch I was sitting on, making my eyes go wide. "Don't eat me please." I told the wolf.

Xavier whimpered and stepped away from the tree, his blue eyes showing guilt and shame. He lowered his head and sat down. So, I came down a few feet. "You aren't going to hurt me?" I asked.

The wolf shook his head. I pretended to be shocked that he had understood me, but my acting was so good I nearly fell out of the tree for real. I shrieked and regained my grip on the branch, my heart pounding so loud I was sure Xavier could hear it. Well at least that little scare made the human act seem more real!

I crawled down even further until I was on the lowest branch. I stared as Xavier rolled onto his back, an obvious submissive position. Even a human could figure that out. Right?

Deciding they could, I swung out of the tree and kneeled on the leaf-covered ground. Xavier gave me a wolf-grin, his tongue hanging out.

I giggled and crawled closer. "Hi there, wolf." Wow, I sounded so stupid!

He slowly rolled over and sat up. I stood up and tentatively reached out my hand. He stayed still, letting me run my fingers through the soft fur in between his ears.

I smiled. Up close his coat was beautiful. With the sunlight dappling through the trees, the fur appeared to be almost a dark blue color.

He reached his muzzle up and licked me on the face. I shrieked and leaped back. He froze and his eyes flashed with guilt. I squeaked out a laugh and he cheered back up, wagging his tail.

I giggled and pet his head again. "I have to go now, wolf." Xavier drooped his tail and then shot off into the woods. Confused, I nearly followed him, but thought better of it and started to head towards home.

But he came back a few minutes later, my basket of apples hanging in his teeth. I smiled in surprise and gratitude, I had forgotten I'd dropped these. "Oh, thank you!" I grabbed the basket and he gave me a low bark before disappearing into the trees. I waited until he was gone before I started the opposite way. It was nearing dinner time and my mom would be wanting me home.