Page 14

Birdie

Eliza opened the door looking like someone ran over her puppy and reversed to make sure.

I barely got two steps inside before she collapsed into my arms like a wet dish rag. My gut dropped.

“Eliza, what’s wrong, girl?” I asked, pulling off my sunglasses, bracing for the worst. Did Mark rise from the grave? Was Emma in the hospital?

She motioned for the couch, and I followed her to the living room where the TV hummed some home renovation show nobody was watching. I sat, back straight, prepared for anything… except what came outta her mouth.

“Knox told me he’s… a fox shifter.”

I blinked once. Twice. Waited for the punchline.

Nothing.

“Eliza,” I said carefully. “Did you hit your head?”

She shook her head, deadly serious. “No. He shifted. Right in front of me. ”

There it was. The punchline. Delivered with full commitment. I let out a bark of a laugh. “Oh, girl. That’s rich. I mean, I knew y’all were freaky but—”

“I’m serious,” she said. No smile. No hint of the joke.

My own grin faltered. “Wait. You’re not kidding.”

“Nope.” She looked pale as a ghost but dead sure.

I stared at her. “So you’re saying your fiancé turns into a... woodland creature.”

“A fox,” she repeated, like that detail made this whole thing make sense. “And there’s more.”

My brain barely held onto the first part, and now she was handing me more like I was at a damn buffet line of crazy. “Oh, do go on.”

She glanced toward the porch. I could hear Knox’s voice outside, low and soothing as he talked to Emma. Totally normal. Not at all... shifty.

“Eliza... if this is your way of dealing with engagement anxiety, we can just drink wine and watch rom-coms like normal people.”

“I’m pregnant, Birdie.”

Silence.

“With... with a fox?”

“Well, I’ll be damned. ”

Now, I’d been through my share of weird shit. My mama once dated a guy who thought Elvis was his reincarnated twin. I spent spring break in New Orleans with a tarot reader who swore I’d marry a man with two faces. But this?

This was a new tier of nuts.

Eliza sat there with her hands in her lap, eyes wide and shiny, like she expected me to either bolt or hug her.

And me? I didn’t know what to do with my hands. My words. My reality.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “But are you hearing yourself?”

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me,” she said softly.

“How am I supposed to believe you?” I hissed. “That Knox is some kind of... animal?”

She nodded slowly.

“And now you’re having his... litter? Eliza!” I whisper-shrieked, clutching my pearls, figuratively, since today’s look didn’t include any.

“Just one baby. Not a litter,” she added, trying to be helpful.

I blinked. “You have got to be joking. Tell me this is like, one of those bachelorette party games. Did someone put something in your drink?”

Eliza’s mouth pulled into a line. “He showed me. He changed.”

“Changed into what? A fox with a leather cut and a soft spot for bedtime stories? ”

Her eyes narrowed. “You think I’d make this up?”

“Not normally. But also, not normally do you talk about people shapeshifting like it’s a thing that happens between brunch and baby showers.”

She exhaled through her nose, the way she used to when Emma colored on the walls.

“Birdie,” she said, real soft. “There’s a world out there we don’t understand. I didn’t either, not till I saw it with my own eyes. And now... I’m gonna be part of it.”

I looked at her like she’d sprouted fur right there on the damn couch. “You’re telling me you’re fine with all this?”

“No. But I love him.”

Well, shit.

That part I couldn’t argue with. I’d seen the way Knox looked at her. The way he handled Emma like she was his own. Hell, if my best friend wanted to throw herself into the arms of a supernatural biker, who was I to say no?

But also... what in the actual hell? My friend was off her rocker. No wonder. She’d been through a lot.

I changed the subject. “You ever going to take your car in to get painted?” Club girl spray painted “Cunt” on the hood.

“Not yet.”

“Why don’t you borrow mine. Take it in tomorrow. No more reminders of bad times. ”

Later that night, Knox gave me a ride home on his Harley, and I clung to his waist tighter than usual. Not because I was scared of the speed, but because I kept waiting for him to sprout ears and a tail mid-ride.

Once home, I kicked off my boots and collapsed onto my couch, where I promptly stared at the ceiling and questioned every life choice that had led me here.

Shifters.

Biker shifters.

Pregnant fox-shifter girlfriends.

I laughed hard. Then felt bad for laughing at my friend who’d been through hell.

Then I thought of Rocky.

Rocky who’d been actin’ all... intense lately. Protective. Primal. Like maybe...

“Nope,” I said aloud, to the empty room. “Absolutely not.”

Rocky was a biker. A pilot. A pain in my ass. He was not a goddamn animal in leather.

Except the dreams I’d been having. The way he growled when Bandit got too close. The way I felt warm all over when he touched me, even just a brush of his hand.

Was that attraction?

Or something else ?

That thing in the woods. The wolf who saved me and then Rocky showing up. I groaned and flopped onto my stomach, shoving a throw pillow over my head.

“You’re losin’ it, Birdie.”

Still, I couldn’t shake the way Eliza had looked at me, earnest, scared, hopeful. And even though I thought she’d gone full loony tunes, a tiny part of me... had believed her. For a second.

Later that night, I couldn’t sleep. My head wouldn’t shut up. Every time I closed my eyes, I kept seeing foxes with Knox’s tattoos or Eliza with glowy eyes and claws. And worse, I started wondering again if maybe there was something off about the Wild Dog clubhouse.

I mean, how many times had I joked about the guys being animals? The growling? It smelled like wet dog sometimes. The fact that at times Rocky looked at me like he was fighting every damn instinct in his body? His wolf tattoo?

A day later, I sat at my vanity, swiping on red lipstick and telling myself I’d imagined everything. It was just a strange week. A weird conversation. Nothing more.

Then my phone buzzed.

Rocky: You busy?

I stared at the screen like it might bite.

Me: Define busy.

Rocky: Meet me at the Wild Dog. We got somethin’ to talk about.

My heart thudded.

I didn’t know if it was fear or excitement.

But either way, I texted back.

Me: Can’t Eliza has my car.

Rocky: I’ll pick you up.

I agreed. Because part of me needed to see him.

And part of me was scared that once I did...

I’d stop pretending this whole thing was a joke.

Because what if it wasn’t?

What if the wild wasn’t just in my head?

What if it was real...

And already under my skin?

Rocky picked me up on his Harley. And wouldn’t you know it? The second I walked in, the boys were nice .

Too nice.

Rocky went behind the bar, wiping down glasses like it was his actual job. Even TNT gave me a nod instead of his usual grumble.

“Birdie,” Rocky said like he was testing my name on his tongue. “You want some coffee? We got fresh brewed. ”

Fresh brewed? They hadn’t had coffee that wasn’t from a gas station thermos in months .

“I’m good,” I said, crossing my arms and raising a brow. “What’s going on with y’all? This place feels like Stepford Sons of Anarchy.”

Rocky chuckled, but it was nervous. “Ain’t nothing going on, sunshine.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Knox and Eliza just want to talk to us.”

Knox came around the corner with a warm smile that screamed he was hiding something. Eliza came in a few minutes later with Emma in tow, looking like she hadn’t slept either.

“Hey, Eliza. Knox.” Rocky said, sounding like a robot.

“Hey.” Eliza attempted a casual smile. “So, we’re here. You guys wanted to talk?”

She gave me a hug, her eyes searching mine, like she needed something from me. Like for me not to mention her crazy story from last night. I hadn’t said a word to anyone.

“Birdie, you doing okay?” Knox asked, his voice careful.

“Hey, Eliza,” I said. “How are you feeling today?”

The look on her face?

Pure panic.

Knox stepped in then, ushering Emma off to play with Uncle Doug, the bulldog, and giving Eliza a nod like he’d handle me. Then he turned to me, all somber and serious.

“Birdie,” he said, “I think maybe you misunderstood what Eliza said. She’s been goin’ through a lot.”

“I’m… better,” Eliza said. “Sorry about the other day. I was pretty out of it.”

“Well, you were talking about all sorts of bizarre things, about Knox being a…a…”

Eliza laughed, pressing her hand to her forehead. “Yeah, I know. I said some wild stuff, didn’t I? I’ve just been feeling so sick lately, nausea, headaches, the works. I was rambling, Birdie. I’m so sorry if I worried you.”

Who was this act for? Me? More likely she was putting on for the boys. “I guess you did sound… I don’t know, delirious. Are you sure you’re okay now?”

Rocky stepped forward, slipping an arm protectively around my waist. “Eliza’s been under a lot of stress,” he said carefully. “We all have. With everything going on, it’s understandable.”

Knox nodded his agreement, setting a hand lightly on Eliza’s shoulder. “She’s been pushing herself way too hard,” he explained, his voice too calm. “Between raising Emma, the new school term, dealing with Mark’s passing… it’s enough to make anyone say things they don’t mean.”

I struggled to hide my concern. This was a shakedown. They were shaking down my friend because she said they were shifters ?

“So, you’re not… serious about the, uh, ‘fox’ stuff?” I asked, in disbelief.

“No, God no. I—I don’t even remember half of what I said, but it was all nonsense. I promise.”

Holy shit. Were they seriously making her reassure me. Like I would believe such nonsense? Something was up. Something smelled. “Alright, if you say so. We were just worried you’d really lost it there for a minute.”

“I appreciate it,” Eliza said. Just following orders. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Rocky cleared his throat. “So,” he began, looking from my best friend to me. “I hear you two ladies had a talk about more than just that. Maybe about you needing some time off, or… something else you might need?”

Or maybe they were afraid she told me some club business?

“Just typical friend stuff,” Eliza peeped like she was a different person. “Girl talk and all.”

“Right,” I said, agreeing. “Eliza and I talk about everything, her weird dreams, nightmares, all that drama with Mark… but I guess not everything, right?” I gave her a look that said I had her back. No matter what was going on. “Next time, just let me know when you’re about to spin me some wild story. I’ll bring whiskey and chocolate.”

“Deal. Promise.”

Knox let out a long breath and shared a subtle look with Rocky, both men seemed satisfied that I now believed Knox didn’t change into a shifter. Emma chose that moment to dash over, clutching a coloring page decorated with neon crayons.

“Look!” she announced, holding it up proudly. “Uncle Doug said I did a good job!”

As I cooed over Emma’s artwork, Rocky whispered to Knox and Eliza. “We’ve got that officer meeting soon. Eliza, you’re welcome to come, but if you’d rather stay out here, we get it.”

“I’ll hang with Birdie,” she said. “We’ll keep Emma busy.”

I reached out and patted her hand.

“You sure you’re okay?” I asked again.

But it was clear Eliza was spooked. She wouldn’t be talking. Not here. “I’m… trying to be,” she said. “It’s just been a lot, Mark’s death, the stress with the trial that never happened, and now all this wedding stuff. My body’s not handling it well.”

She patted her stomach, reminding me about her talk of being pregnant. We had a lot to discuss, but I wouldn’t broach it here. Not tonight.

“You know I’m here, right?” I reassured her. “For anything.”

“I know,” she said. “Thank you.”

I decided to give her some space. I ushered Emma away. “Come on, kiddo, let’s show your mom what an awesome artist you are. ”

After church, Rocky was by my side as Knox was whisking Eliza and Emma to the kitchen. “Why don’t we get some fresh air? You and me.”

I knew what they were doing. And maybe I should’ve been madder. But I let him lead me outside, out to the bench under the giant oak where we’d talked before.

“Alright, Rocky,” I said, folding my arms. “Tell me the truth. What’s going on in this clubhouse? Y’all got a cult I should know about? A secret religion? Weekly blood rituals?”

Rocky let out a low laugh. “You’re something else, Birdie.”

I tilted my head. “And you ain’t answered my question. You and Knox have my friend scared. And it might not be about things that go bump in the night, because that’s crazy. But somethings spooked her and you are afraid she’ll talk.”

He leaned back on the bench, his eyes on the sky. “You ever think maybe some things are better not known? At least not until you’re ready?”

“I’m always ready,” I said.

He looked at me then, like he was weighing a decision that could change everything. But instead of answers, all I got was a rough sigh and a soft brush of his thumb over the back of my hand.

“You’re something special, Birdie Mae,” he said. “I just hope when the truth comes out, you still think I’m worth it. ”

I stared at him, heart thumping like a jackrabbit, but before I could press him, the clubhouse door creaked open and Eliza stuck her head out.

“Lunch is up!” she called.

Rocky stood first, offering me his hand.

I took it.

“The truth is your friend has been through a lot,” Rocky said. “Let’s talk about this later.”

And as we walked back inside, one thing was clear. I might not have believed in shifters. But I damn sure knew every one of them was hiding something.