Page 1 of Rocky Top

Prologue

Eliza

I couldbarely sleep after Knox’s confession. I was caught in that twilight between disbelief and acceptance, replaying his transformation over and over in my head. A part of me was brimming with excitement, like I’d been granted an exclusive peek into a magical world. The other part was utterly terrified. Knox had said I was going to become a shifter and, apparently, I might already be pregnant with his child. It felt like I’d stepped into some fairytale turned real, but I still wasn’t sure if I wanted the starring role.

The next morning, I pressed a cool palm against my forehead as I stood in front of my bathroom mirror. I was burning up. My reflection showed someone who looked the same on the outside with brown hair, faint freckles, a tiredness beneath the eyes of a single mom, yet I knew I was irrevocably changed. My engagement ring sparkled in the morning light, reminding me of last night’s revelations and what they meant for my future.

Suddenly, I heard a small knock. Emma, up earlier than usual, slowly pushed the door open. She was in her princess pajamas, hair a wild mess, rubbing her eyes.

“Mommy?” she said sleepily. “I heard something last night. You okay?”

I couldn’t exactly tell my five-year-old that her soon-to-be stepfather had revealed himself to be a fox shifter in the moonlight.I knelt down to her height and smoothed a hand over her hair, steadying the swirl of emotions inside me.

“I’m fine, baby.” I forced a reassuring smile. “It’s just grown-up stuff. You know, wedding plans and all that.”

The flash of excitement in her eyes reminded me that she, too, had experienced a whirlwind of changes, losing her father’s presence, gaining a new father figure, and everything in between. For all her resilience, I still worried how this new, even bigger secret would eventually affect her. But for now, I wanted to protect her innocence a bit longer.

“Knox said he’d take me for donuts,” she said, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, sweet girl. That’s okay.”

She scampered off, and I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Whether or not I was ready, my life had taken a sharp turn into uncharted territory. I just prayed my heart and mind could keep up.

By midmorning, I found Knox in the kitchen, quietly sipping coffee and browsing through his phone like any ordinary biker fiancé. You’d never guess he had fur and a tail tucked away somewhere inside him. He gave me a crooked grin when our eyes met, then set his phone aside and patted the stool next to him.

I settled in, and he slid a fresh mug of coffee toward me. There were so many unspoken truths we still needed to unpack. But my stomach growled, all too human, and he chuckled.

“You want some eggs?” he offered. “Bacon?”

“A piece of toast is fine,” I murmured, not quite meeting his eyes. My appetite was still overshadowed by the revelation of the night before.

Knox took a breath. “Eliza,” he began gently. “I know you’ve got a million questions. Fire away.”

I listened for Emma first, finding no sign of her little ears. “Where do I start?” I managed a brief laugh. Then I decided to dive in. “You said I’ll turn into a fox, like you. How soon? What exactly does that look like?”

“You’ll go through your first shift when your body’s ready. Might be months… might be a year. Everyone’s different. It can be difficult the first time, but I’ll be with you. I’ll guide you. The club will.”

My pulse quickened. “I have Emma to think about, too. She’s just a child. How is she going to handle this?”

He reached out and covered my hand with his own. “We’ll make it normal for her, just like any other family. Believe it or not, there are plenty of kids out there who grow up around shifters. We won’t hide it from her forever, but we can keep it quiet until she’s ready to understand.”

My stomach twisted, half from dread, half from wonder. How does someone’s life change so dramatically in under twenty-four hours?

“And… about me being pregnant,” I whispered, my voice barely carrying the words. “How do you know?”

Knox shrugged, his dark eyes searching mine with sincerity. “It’s a sense, a smell, a… vibe, I guess you could call it. We foxes can pick up changes in hormones or something. It’s not exact science, but my gut’s telling me it’s true.”

I swallowed hard. “And if I am pregnant, that means the baby might be?”

“Half shifter, full-shifter,” he finished, shrugging.

“Half?”

Knox shook his head. “Means he won’t shift all the way.”

“Like part man, part fox? He?” I had so many questions.

“We can figure it out. If that’s the case, I’ll make sure you both are protected. And ‘he’ is just wishful thinking. Only because we have a girl.”

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