Epilogue
Epilogue
Eliza
So many months had passed since Knox and I had weathered the storm of accusations and dangers that once threatened to tear us apart. Now, as we prepared for the high school prom, I always chaperoned, there was a lightness and joy that seemed almost bizarre compared to those dark days.
I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the deep emerald green satin dress that hugged my curves just right. The fabric shimmered under the lights of my bedroom, the color setting off the red undertones in my brown hair and the sparkle in my eyes. Beside me, Knox was straightening his black suit, nothing like his usual rugged attire. The suit was tailored to perfection, accentuating his broad shoulders and the muscular build of a biker who had lived a life of hard roads and tougher choices.
Then he scooped up Emma, whisking her away for her bedtime story. My biker read to my little girl every night, and Knox didn’t just read the books to her, he acted them out. We employed a babysitter for the night as I was no longer letting Mark’s mom watch Emma. And Mark, that was something I resisted thinking about. His trial had been set for next month, but tragedy struck just last week. Mark had died in prison. Birdie asked me if Knox had anything to do with it, and I didn’t think so. The warden claimed it was a freak accident. Knox said we couldn’t let it ruin our plans.
We decided to make a grand entrance, arriving at the prom on Knox’s Harley. There was a high split on my dress just for the occasion. The roar of the engine was a thrilling prelude to the evening as we arrived at the school. My fellow teachers and some of the parents turned to watch, their expressions all surprise and admiration. Pride swelled in my chest as Knox helped me off the motorcycle. I was feeling every bit like the queen of the prom with my biker king.
Walking into the prom, I caught the eyes of old high school friends, some of whom had kids attending the prom themselves. I could see the shock, and perhaps a hint of envy, in their glances as they took in my transformation from the “fat kid” they remembered to the confident, curvy teacher who was unapologetically rocking her look and her striking biker boyfriend. Knox may have been wearing a suit, but he couldn’t hide the delicious tattoos on his hands and neck.
None of that mattered much. Everyone had heard how Knox’s club had saved me from Mark. And the Royal Bastards MC, under Knox’s leadership, had recently been featured in the local paper, a feel-good story highlighting the charity work they did in Knoxville. The article had warmed my little community to the club, smoothing the way for us tonight even more. Even though I had adopted Knox’s motto. I didn’t really give a fuck what they thought anymore. But having support was nice, too. Even the high school principal gave us a nod of approval as we entered.
As chaperones, we watched the punch bowl. Unlike the movies of my youth, kids rarely tried to spike it, but some of the older teachers swore it was a necessity. We did get a chance to dance as the night wore on. Lost in the music and each other, the world surrounding us began to disappear. Knox’s hands were gentle on my waist, his eyes locked on mine with a look that hinted at something more than simply a dance. As the song ended, he pulled away slightly, reaching into his jacket. I held my breath. The unbelievable happened. Knox dropped to one knee, his gaze never leaving mine.
The room held its breath. I had no breath. Only butterflies.
“Eliza, from the moment we met, I’ve admired your strength. You’ve brought me peace and softened my heart,” Knox began, his steady voice thick with emotion. “I’ve faced many battles, but the biggest one was winning your heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, fighting any battles that come our way together. Will you marry me and be my ol’ lady?”
Tears blurred my vision as joy overwhelmed me. Around us, the room erupted in cheers and applause, but all I could see was him—my Knox. “Yes,” I whispered, my voice choking with tears. “Yes, I will.”
He slipped a ring on my finger. Bringing it up to study it, I saw the most beautiful shining butterfly. Birdie had to have told him about the butterflies because I never did.
Later that night, we returned to the Wild Dog, the buzz from the prom still electrifying our senses. Knox wasted no time. As soon as we walked in, he gathered everyone around.
“Brothers, sisters,” Knox announced, his voice carrying over the crowd. “Tonight, Eliza agreed to ride with me for life, be my ol’ lady. We’re engaged!”
The clubhouse exploded in cheers and whistles, the family we had forged here enveloping us in their raucous congratulations. As I looked around at the sea of faces, each marked by lives boldly lived, I knew we were right where we belonged.
Birdie sauntered up to me on Rocky’s arm before bringing me into a full hug. She was the first of many women who followed. Even Tara congratulated us. I thanked her although I didn’t trust it.
The night became more than a celebration. We declared our future together, embraced by the brotherhood and sisterhood of the Royal Bastards MC. I was going to be Knox’s ol’ lady, and together, we would ride into whatever future awaited us, ready for anything, with the love and support of our chosen family lighting the way.
The next night, the cool evening breeze brushed against my skin, carrying the faintest hint of jasmine from the backyard. Knox and I were sitting on my back porch, our back porch, watching the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky in all manners of colors, like oranges that reminded me of his motorcycle. The excitement of his promposal, that I jokingly referred to it as, still lingered between us. It was a moment I’d always cherish.
Then Knox turned to me, his expression more serious than I’d ever seen. “Eliza, there’s somethin’ I need to tell you, something important,” he began, his voice unusually steady.
Urging him to keep going, I raised my eyebrows. “What is it, Knox?”
He took a deep breath, then stood up before me. “This might shock you, but it’s time you knew the full truth about me—and about the club.”
My heart started to race with anticipation and a twinge of anxiety. Glancing down at my ring, I had no idea what other secrets he could be keeping.
“I couldn’t tell you before, not until you were all in,” he explained as he started removing his clothes.
“What is this about? Is this about the tattoo?” Knox had been saying I had to get one, proclaiming I was his property. So far, I’d refused.
Knox was nearly naked. Whipping my head around, I made sure the neighbors were inside. I licked my lips, thinking Knox was ready to show me some more moves out here in the yard.
“Get your mind out of the gutter,” Knox said with a grin.
Before I could ask how he knew my thoughts, his body began to contort right before my eyes. After a horrible second, in place of the man I loved, a beautiful, sleek fox stood, its fur a fiery orange that seemed to glow in the darkening light. My mouth fell open in disbelief, my mind struggling to piece together what I was witnessing.
Knox, now in this fox form, let out a soft sound, then shifted back into his human form as smoothly as if he’d merely changed clothes.
“Eliza,” he said gently, from the ground. He got up and stepped closer. “I’m a shifter, a fox. And not just me. Many of the club members are shifters too, wolves, and other creatures.”
My hand shot to my mouth as I recoiled from his outreached hand. Getting to my feet, I planned to run, but Knox caught me easily. He held me tightly, his naked body against mine, trying to calm me.
It was a long time before I uncovered my mouth to ask, “Shifters? Like… like in the stories?” The sound that escaped my lips was barely a whisper as I tried to reconcile the man I knew with the creature I’d just seen.
“Yes, exactly like in those stories,” Knox replied, his eyes scanning mine for any further sign of fear or rejection. He gently let me go.
“I’m dreaming,” I said, pinching myself. “This isn’t real.
Knox held both my hands and looked me square in my eyes. “It’s real. I’m so relieved I can finally tell you.”
“But why didn’t you tell me before?” I managed to ask, my mind so confused and racing with a thousand questions.
“I couldn’t, not until I was sure… sure that you’d stay with me. And you made a comment last week about ‘not being sure if I was human,’ remember? It was time.”
I remembered the joke, a playful jab about his almost superhuman patience with Emma during her tantrums. It was meant to be light-hearted, not a revelation of this magnitude.
“You were getting suspicious about my monthly trips, too. During the full moon. Remember?”
I’d asked if he was a werewolf or something, but never in a million years did I think the answer would be yes.
“What does this mean for me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, although my world was spinning.
Knox reached out, brushing my hair back. “Eliza, when I said I wanted you to be part of my world, I meant it fully. I’ve already bitten you. You’re going to become like me, regardless. You’ll transition for the first time in a year from that bite.”
My hand flew to my shoulder, remembering him biting the shit out of me and making me show off the mark to his club. The reality of his words hit me like a tidal wave.
“I… I’m going to change? Become a shifter?” The world seemed to spin around me, a mix of fear and intrigue battling within. “How could you do this to me?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, his tone soft yet earnest. “Listen, everything we were investigating, I didn’t tell you at the time, but I recognized so many of the names associated with Mark. Big players in the supernatural world. I thought you were in real danger. Claiming you as my own, before it was even time, I was doing my best to protect you from forces you couldn’t possibly understand. I should’ve told you sooner, but I was scared. Scared of losing you. Besides, our rules don’t allow me to tell you until you agree to be my ol’ lady.”
“So, everyone in the club is a shifter?”
Knox laughed. “Not by far. But most the officers.”
I pulled my hands away, needing a moment to process everything. “I need to think about this, Knox. This is a lot.”
Knox nodded, his expression one of complete understanding. “I know it’s a lot, and I’m here, whenever you’re ready to talk more. I love you, Eliza, and I’m hoping you’ll see this as the gift it is. We can be together in ways most can’t even dream of. Forever.”
Forever? As he spoke, the initial shock began to give way to a bizarre sense of wonder. The world I thought I knew had just expanded infinitely, revealing depths I had never imagined. Knox was still Knox, the man I loved.
I looked at him, this biker, this fox, and realized that no matter his form, he was still the Knox I loved. “Okay,” I finally said. “Okay, let’s talk about this. I have a lot of questions.”
Knox smiled, relief washing over his features. “Ask me anything, Eliza. I’m an open book from now on.”
“Are you sure? Any other big secrets to tell me?” My voice was climbing.
“Fuck, Eliza. I just promised. Fuck.”
“What is it, Knox?” I asked, bracing myself for anything.
“I think you’re pregnant. My senses aren’t great in human form, but somehow, I just know.”
Crossing my arms, I complained, “So, that’s why you proposed.”
“No, I always planned to at your prom,” the biker held his hands up and swore.
“What about Emma?” I asked, on pins and needles.
“A regular human but will have a special little brother or sister.”
As we sat back down, the night no longer just a night but a beginning of something extraordinary, I started to ask my questions, one by one. Each answer unraveled more of the mysterious tapestry of the life Knox had led—and the life that awaited us both.
The End for Now