Page 13

THIRTEEN

B ess’s skin tingled under Charov’s touch. “I felt it too,” she admitted, surprised by her own honesty. “That connection when we were falling through the sky together. I’ve never experienced anything like it.” She looked out across the rolling hills of Nova Aurora, the sunlight casting everything in a soft golden glow. “I felt more alive in those moments with you than I have in years.”

Charov’s intense blue eyes locked with hers. “Tell me more.”

“It was like...” Bess searched for the right words, taking a sip of the sweet wine that tasted like cherries and starlight. “Like I’d been sleepwalking through my life until that moment. Filing insurance claims. Saying yes when I wanted to say no.” She gestured to the picnic spread between them, the exotic fruits and breads unlike anything on Earth. “I never would have imagined doing something like jumping from an airplane. Or traveling to another planet. Or having a picnic with a bear shifter prince.”

Charov laughed, the sound deep and resonant. “And I never imagined my mate would be an Earthling who makes my heart race faster than any freefall.”

Bess felt warmth bloom across her cheeks. “Being in your arms, hurtling toward the ground... I should have been terrified, but I had never felt safer.”

“I would never let anything happen to you.” His voice dropped an octave, sending a shiver down her spine.

She nodded knowingly. “And I’m beginning to understand now what you’re facing,” she said, reaching for a purple fruit that looked like a cross between a peach and a star. “It’s not just your father’s illness. It’s knowing your whole life is about to change.” The fruit burst with flavor in her mouth—sweet with a hint of spice.

Charov nodded, his powerful shoulders tensing. “Freedom has always been everything to me. The ability to chase the next thrill and the next experience.” He poured more wine into her glass. “But duty comes for us all eventually.”

“It doesn’t seem fair that you have so little choice in the matter.”

“Life rarely is.” His hand found hers across the blanket. “But finding you in the middle of all this chaos... maybe the universe knows what it’s doing after all.”

Bess felt that magnetic pull again, stronger than gravity. The wind picked up, playing with the hair escaping her ponytail, and something primal flashed in Charov’s eyes as he watched.

“You’re completely different today,” he observed, his thumb tracing circles on her palm. “More... you.”

“I think I am more me,” she laughed. “Turns out the real me was buried under a mountain of paper and a boss who treated me like garbage.”

Charov leaned forward, his presence commanding the space between them. “I want to know every part of the real Bess.” His voice was a growl that sent heat coursing through her veins. “The parts you’ve shown the world, and the parts you’ve kept hidden.”

The sheer intensity in his gaze made her feel simultaneously exposed and protected. This wasn’t the rigid, polite prince she had met yesterday. This was a man—a shifter—who saw her. Really saw her.

The tranquility of their picnic shattered like glass when high-pitched screams cut through the air. Bess jerked her head toward the sound, her heart skipping several beats.

“Stay here,” Charov commanded, already on his feet. His relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced with something primal and fierce. Before Bess could respond, he was sprinting toward the edge of the clearing, his powerful body moving with surprising speed.

“Like hell, I will,” Bess muttered under her breath once he was out of earshot.

Kicking off her shoes, she followed at a cautious distance, her stockinged feet silent on the soft earth. The screams grew louder, punctuated by snarls that raised the hair on the back of her neck. She crept to the edge of a small ravine and peered down.

Three children—two boys and a girl who couldn’t be more than eight years old—were backed against a rocky outcropping. Facing them were five beasts that resembled wolves, but with elongated snouts and mottled purple-gray fur that rippled over muscular frames. Their eyes glowed an eerie amber in the sunlight.

“Don’t move,” Charov’s voice reached Bess, though she could no longer see him.

What happened next knocked the air from her lungs.

Where Charov had stood only seconds before, a massive bear now reared on its hind legs. It was at least ten feet tall with dense dark brown fur and shoulders broader than any Earth bear she’d ever seen in documentaries. The beast let out a roar that vibrated through Bess’s bones, and she knew—she just knew—it was Charov.

“Holy shit,” she whispered, gripping a nearby tree for support.

The wolf creatures turned as one, hackles rising as they faced this new threat. The largest of the pack lunged forward, jaws snapping. Charov swatted it aside with one enormous paw, sending it flying several yards away.

Bess tore her eyes away from the magnificent creature and focused on the children. Charov was creating a diversion, but the kids remained frozen in terror. Another wolf creature circled wide, trying to flank Charov, bringing it closer to the children.

Without thinking, Bess slid down the embankment. “Hey! Kids!” She waved frantically. “Come to me, quick!”

The little girl spotted her first, tugging at her companions’ sleeves. Bess crouched low, extending her arms. “That’s it. Run to me. Now!”

The children bolted toward her just as Charov charged into the remaining beasts, his bear form moving with shocking agility for its size. The sounds of battle—snarls, roars, the impact of massive bodies—created a terrifying soundtrack as Bess gathered the children against her.

“Up the hill, fast as you can,” she urged, positioning herself between them and the fight. One of the boys stumbled, and Bess scooped him up without breaking stride. His tiny arms wrapped around her neck as they scrambled upward.

Behind them, a wolf creature yelped in pain. Bess couldn’t help glancing back. Charov had one beast pinned beneath his massive paw while fighting off two others. His movements were ruthless and efficient, his bear eyes flashing with something both wild and intelligent.

Something primal stirred in Bess’s core at the sight of him defending them so fiercely—something that had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with raw attraction.

“He’s protecting us,” the little girl said in awe as they reached the picnic spot.

“Yes,” Bess replied, her voice slightly breathless. “Yes, he is.”

Suddenly, the sleek black royal transport tore across the landscape, kicking up dust before skidding to a halt near the picnic spot. Bess’s heart leaped with relief as Oberon emerged from the driver’s seat. His imposing frame tensed immediately when he saw the three wide-eyed children huddled against Bess.

“What happened?” Oberon demanded, his hand already moving to the weapon at his hip.

Bess pointed toward the ravine, her pulse hammering against her throat. “Wolf creatures attacked these children. Charov shifted to protect them. He’s down there fighting them off right now.”

Oberon cursed under his breath, his face hardening. “Get them in the transport. Lock the doors.” He tossed her a small device that looked like a key fob. “Press this if anything approaches. I’ll go help our prince.”

Before Bess could respond, he was sprinting toward the sounds of battle, his movements fluid and predatory in a way that suggested he might shift at any moment too.

“Come on, little ones,” Bess urged, opening the transport’s door. “Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

The smallest boy clung to her leg. “Are the gall wolves going to eat the prince?”

Bess’s stomach tightened at the thought, but she forced a reassuring smile. “No way. Did you see how big his bear was? Those wolves don’t stand a chance.” Her words were as much to convince herself as the children.

Once inside the luxurious vehicle, Bess tried to distract herself from imagining Charov’s massive bear form being overwhelmed by those creatures. The image of him rearing up, protecting them without hesitation, had awakened something deep within her. Her mate . The word echoed in her mind, foreign yet somehow fitting.

God, she had just met him, and already the thought of him being hurt made her chest ache.

“You’re shaking,” the little girl observed, her purple eyes—so alien yet expressive—studying Bess.

“Just a little cold,” Bess lied. “Hey, I’m new to Nova Aurora. Would you teach me some songs from your planet? I could teach you some Earth songs too.”

The children’s faces lit up, momentarily forgetting their fear.

“You’re from Earth?” The older boy gasped. “Do you really have oceans filled with just water? No luminite at all?”

Bess nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Just water as far as you can see. And our moon doesn’t change colors either.”

“Boring!” the little boy decided, making Bess laugh despite the tension coiling inside her.

“What about Earth animals?” the girl asked. “Can they shift like our people?”

“No shifting,” Bess explained while keeping one eye on the ravine. “Our bears are just... always bears.”

While teaching them “The Wheels on the Bus,” Bess couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting back to Charov. The fierce protectiveness in his eyes before he shifted. The raw power of his bear form.

She peered through the tinted windows, searching for any sign of movement. What was taking so long? Had Charov been injured? The thought of him fighting for his life made her physically ill. She barely knew him, yet she couldn’t imagine not seeing those blue eyes again or feeling that surprisingly gentle touch from hands that could transform into deadly claws.

Was this what Gerri had meant about true mates? This bone-deep connection that defied logic and time?

She imagined Charov’s powerful arms around her again, the way he had held her during their skydive jump. The intensity in his eyes when he had said he wanted to know every part of her. The commanding timbre of his voice that made her feel simultaneously protected and desired.

He had to come back to her. He had to.