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TWELVE

C harov materialized a sleek jumpsuit from a compartment near the plane, holding it out to her. The black fabric matched his own with subtle Mavac Territory insignia embroidered at the collar.

“Put this on over your clothes. It’ll keep you warm up there.”

She took it, running her fingers over the material. “It feels different than anything we have on Earth.”

“Thermal-regulating nanofabric. One of the perks of dating royalty.” He winked, reveling in how that blush spread across her cheeks.

He watched as she slipped into the jumpsuit, the material hugging every delicious curve of her body. His bear growled with possessive satisfaction at the sight. When she zipped it up, he stepped forward to adjust her collar, deliberately letting his fingers brush against the sensitive skin of her neck.

“Perfect,” he murmured, feeling her pulse quicken beneath his touch.

Oberon, his best friend and head bodyguard, waited for them at the aircraft stairs.

“Your Highness,” Oberon nodded. “The weather conditions are optimal. I’ll meet you at the Basin landing zone after your jump.”

“This is Oberon,” Charov told Bess. “Best pilot in the territory and the only man I trust with both our lives.”

“That’s reassuring,” Bess said, extending her hand to Oberon.

Oberon’s stoic expression softened slightly as he took her hand. “First time jumping, Miss Campos?”

“First time doing a lot of things this week,” she replied with an unexpected spark. “First interstellar travel, first alien planet, first royal dinner. Why not add plummeting from the sky to the list?”

Charov’s chest swelled with pride. She had more fire in her than she let on. His bear approved.

Inside the aircraft, Charov guided Bess to a seat alongside the viewing window. As they climbed into Nova Aurora’s stratosphere, he watched her face transform with wonder. The dual suns cast a golden-crimson light across the mountain ranges below, illuminating the crystalline lakes that dotted his territory.

“It’s breathtaking,” Bess whispered, pressing her palm against the glass.

“Wait until you’re free-falling through it,” Charov replied, securing her harness to his with practiced movements. “Believe me, there’s nothing like it.”

When they reached jumping altitude, Oberon’s voice came through the intercom. “Opening bay doors, Your Highness.”

The floor beneath them slid open, revealing the vast expanse of sky. Wind whipped through the cabin, and Charov felt Bess tense against him.

“Still game?” he asked, his mouth close to her ear.

She turned and stepped closer to him, their lips inches apart. “Absolutely.”

He secured her tightly against his chest, their bodies pressed together in an intimate embrace. Her curves fit perfectly against his hard frame, and his bear roared with pleasure at her proximity.

“Three,” he counted down, feeling her heart race against his chest. “Two.” He tightened his grip around her waist. “One.”

They plunged into the open air, and Charov’s spirit soared. The rush of wind, the breathtaking view of his kingdom below, and the warm body of a beautiful woman pressed against him—this was living. But something was different this time. The thrill was heightened, the colors more vivid, and the sensations more intense.

Bess’s laughter rang out, pure and uninhibited, as they cut through the clouds. She wasn’t cowering or screaming in terror—she was reveling in it, arms outstretched like wings, embracing the free fall with a joy that matched his own.

“This is incredible!” she shouted over the rushing wind, her green eyes wild with excitement.

In that moment, watching her come alive in his arms thousands of feet above his kingdom, Charov felt something within him shift. This wasn’t just another adventure. This was connection—raw and real.

His bear knew it before he did. Perfect mate.

Charov soon tightened his grip on the ripcord and yanked hard, feeling the satisfying jolt as the parachute deployed above them. The free fall transitioned into a gentle glide, and he immediately wrapped his arms more securely around Bess, pulling her against his chest. Her body molded perfectly to his like she had been designed specifically to fit there.

“We did it!” Bess laughed, the sound carried on the wind. Her eyes sparkled with exhilaration, more alive and vibrant than he had seen since her arrival.

“You did it,” Charov corrected, his mouth close to her ear as they floated toward the green expanse below. “Most people scream their first jump. You laughed.”

He breathed in her scent, now mingled with adrenaline and pure joy. His bear practically purred with satisfaction deep within him. This was right. This was perfect.

Charov guided their descent with practiced ease, steering them toward the landing zone while keeping Bess securely tucked against him. She gasped as they floated over a crystalline waterfall that cascaded down the mountainside.

“I’ve seen this view hundreds of times,” he admitted, “but watching you experience it for the first time makes me see it all so differently.”

And it was true. Through her eyes, his kingdom transformed from familiar territory to something magical. The suns reflected off the lakes below, creating bursts of golden light that danced across the landscape. The ancient forests, the jagged peaks of the northern mountains, the sprawling plains—all of it felt new again.

“Ready for touchdown,” he warned as the ground rushed up to meet them. “Legs up!”

The landing was smooth, and Charov absorbed most of the impact, keeping Bess steady as they touched down. He didn’t immediately release her from his embrace, savoring the warmth of her body against his for a moment longer than necessary.

When he finally disengaged their harnesses, he caught her staring up at him with flushed cheeks and bright eyes. The wind had teased several strands of hair from her ponytail, framing her face with wild wisps that he itched to brush away.

“That was amazing,” she breathed, still riding the high of their jump. She spun in a small circle, her arms outstretched. “I’ve never felt so alive!”

Charov couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. The jumpsuit clung to her curvy body, emphasizing the dip of her waist and the fullness of her hips. His bear growled possessively inside him.

“Look,” he said, gesturing toward a grassy knoll where Torborn had outdone himself.

A plush blanket laden with an array of delicacies stretched across the ground beneath a flowering tree. A bottle of Sidaii wine, a Nova Aurora staple, chilled in a gleaming silver bucket. Crystal glasses caught the sunlight, throwing rainbow prisms across the setting.

“Your timing is impeccable,” Bess noted with an appreciative smile.

“One of my many talents,” Charov replied, guiding her toward the picnic with his hand on her back.

They settled onto the blanket, and Charov poured the wine, handing her a glass. Their fingers brushed during the exchange, sending electricity up his arm.

“To new experiences,” he toasted, clinking his glass against hers.

“And to perfect landings,” she added before taking a sip.

Charov watched her throat work as she swallowed, transfixed by the delicate column of her neck. He forced himself to look away, gazing instead at the vast territory spread out below them.

“This might have been my last jump,” he admitted, the words coming out before he could stop them.

“What? Why?” Bess set down her glass, genuinely concerned.

He leaned back on one elbow, his powerful frame stretched out beside her. “Kings don’t typically hurl themselves from moving aircraft. Not good for national security.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she protested. “You can’t just stop doing something you love.”

“It’s part of the responsibility.” He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant despite the weight of his future pressing down on him. “I’ve been trying to pack in all the experiences I can before the crown becomes mine. Skydiving, cave diving, canyon racing—anything to feel alive.”

He suddenly reached out, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “But today was different. Getting to experience that moment with you... that was what I’ve been looking for all along.”