Page 3 of Rocky Top

“Thank you,” I whispered. Then I tilted my head up to press my lips to his. It was a slow, sweet kiss, the kind that silently said we’d stand together, even though I was still trembling inside.

Knox drew back slightly. “I never meant to shock you like this. But if we’re going to spend our lives together, I need you to know all of me. Fox side included.”

A delicate laugh escaped me. “From a rebel biker to a fox shifter… you’re a whole adventure, Knox. But I wouldn’t trade it.” I paused, searching his face. “No more secrets, okay?”

“Scout’s honor,” he murmured, solemn as any vow he’d taken on that knee the other night.

Later that evening, after Emma was asleep, we sat on the couch, sipping tea. Well, I was sipping tea, and Knox was half-pretending to enjoy it for my sake. I couldn’t help but smile as he made a face at the herbal taste.

“So,” I began. “Birdie brought up a good point. She was suspicious about the club for a while. But I had no clue. Are you sure Mark didn’t know?”

“Birdie? What did you tell her?” Knox asked, all excited.

“Just the basics.”

“Eliza, I thought it went without saying that you can’t tell anyone.” He was angry.

Suddenly, my mistake became more than obvious. “Oh, Knox, I just… I’m just in shock. I didn’t even think. She’d never tell anyhow. She didn’t believe a word of it.”

“You can’t tell anyone. Is that clear?” Knox shook his head. “Birdie, I’ll have to have a talk with her.”

“What kind of talk?”

“I’ll have to make sure she doesn’t believe you. As to your question, Mark wasn’t part of any of this, but the people he was tangled up with… I told you, they’re big players in the supernatural world. They probably recognized me and the club for what we are, and that painted a target on you, especially once I claimed you.”

My thoughts drifted to the trial that would never happen now. “It’s over, I guess,” I said. “At least that part. But what about… well, people who come looking for me or Emma or you? Because we’re different.”

His eyes hardened with protective resolve. “They’d be stupid to try anything. My club has your back now. No one messes with us Knoxville boys. Things are volatile right now, in the grander sense, butmy brothers are the true strength of the club.” Then, a hint of a smile. “Besides, it doesn’t hurt that we’re a bunch of wolves and foxes and all sorts of snarling beasts.”

Despite the grim subject, I felt a surge of reassurance. “Still,” I murmured. “I’d do anything to keep Emma safe.”

Knox set his empty mug down and pulled me closer, so close I could feel his heart beating. “So would I,” he whispered. “That’s a promise.”

I nodded, my eyes brimming with gratitude and a hint of fear. This was a bigger world than I ever thought I’d be part of. But I realized, too, I wasn’t as afraid as I could be. Because Knox was here, and with him came a sense of home.

With soft music playing from the radio, I curled up against Knox’s chest. Each breath felt less ragged than the last, each passing moment a step toward embracing what lay ahead. Our wedding, the shifting, the life we’d share, secrets and all.

Knox’s phone buzzed, and he glanced down at the screen. “Got a message from Rocky. We might have a club meeting soon, just routine stuff. You can come if you want,” he offered gently.

I hesitated. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “You’re going to be my ol’ lady, my fiancée. You’re part of this family.”

I felt proud and nervous. The club was no longer just some group of rough bikers. It was a society of supernatural beings and their allies. And I was about to be one of them, truly one of them, in body and spirit.

Leaning up, I pressed a soft kiss to Knox’s lips, heart fluttering at the promise of everything yet to come. “Then I’ll be by your side,” I said, holding his gaze. “Always. Apparently, for an eternity.”

It wasn’t a question anymore. It was our truth.

“See, you’re catching on,” Knox said with a cunning wink.

Knox and I locked up the house for the night, taking a moment to peek in on Emma, who was already sprawled across her bed, clutching her stuffed bear in sleep. My fiancé gave me a reassuring squeeze of the hand, and we headed to the bedroom.

Inside, the easy glow of the lamp bathed us in soft light. My head was still spinning with the possibilities. I wanted nothing more than to feel Knox’s arms around me, anchoring me. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing the chiseled planes of his body, mapping out the tattoos that only hinted at the fox within. His dark eyes met mine, full of worry and hope.

“You okay, Eliza?” he asked quietly.

“Honestly? I think so,” I admitted. A small, sheepish smile tugged at my lips. “Would it be crazy to ask… can you shift again? I just… want to see it, see you, so I can believe.”

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