Page 33

THIRTY-THREE

C harov signaled for the check. Their lunch was completely ruined by his new royal status. The taste of the meal—some local delicacy he ordered without thinking—lingered bitterly in his mouth, though not as bitter as his disappointment.

His gaze drifted to Bess, who sat across from him, her shoulders slightly hunched. The vibrant green dress she wore highlighted her curves in all the right ways, but her smile had faded hours ago. Now she merely nodded politely whenever someone approached their table, which had been approximately every three minutes since they had arrived.

“King Charov! My sister’s son works in the northern mines. Perhaps you could review the safety protocols there?” An elderly woman placed a wrinkled hand on his shoulder.

Charov’s inner bear growled with frustration. He tamped it down and flashed the practiced royal smile his father had perfected.

“I’ll have my staff look into it immediately. Please, have your nephew contact the castle administrator.” He motioned to the waiter. “We really must be going.”

The small restaurant had become increasingly crowded as word had spread of the new king’s presence. What had started as a quaint lunch venue was now packed wall-to-wall with citizens eager to bend his ear. Charov had spent the entire meal navigating political requests, personal grievances, and awkward congratulations on “finding his mate,” while Bess had barely touched her food.

“Ready?” He stood and extended his hand to Bess. His fingers closed around hers, savoring the warmth of her skin. Her touch still sent electricity through him, a constant reminder of their connection that transcended the chaos around them.

They weaved through the crowd toward the exit, Charov using his broad shoulders to clear a path. His protective instincts flared as people pressed in from all sides.

“King Charov, about the eastern trade routes?—”

“My lord, when will the coronation?—”

“Is this your future queen? When’s the wedding?”

Charov placed his hand on Bess’s back, guiding her forward while keeping the crowd at bay. He felt her tense beneath his touch.

“Almost there,” he murmured close to her ear, inhaling the faint scent of citrus in her hair.

At the door, a young bear shifter blocked their path, eyes wide with excitement. “My king! I’ve waited all day! Could you please sign this for my cub?” He thrust forward a small wooden carving of a bear.

Bess subtly shifted away from Charov, stepping into a pocket of space near the door.

His bear roared inside. She’s pulling away. Fix this.

“Just one moment,” he told the eager father, quickly scrawling his signature. Then he reached for Bess’s hand again, threading his fingers firmly through hers.

“No more delays,” he announced loudly enough for everyone to hear. “The king has personal matters to attend to.”

A few knowing chuckles rippled through the crowd, and Charov watched a blush creep up Bess’s neck. The sight stirred something primal in him.

As they stepped into the bright afternoon sunlight, Charov felt the heavy weight of the crown press down on him. He failed today. Failed to give Bess the attention she deserved, failed to balance his public duties with his private desires.

And his grandmother’s ring in his pocket felt heavier with each passing minute.

Charov guided Bess through the throng of people, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. His inner bear was itching to growl at anyone who dared step too close to his mate. When they finally reached his silver hovercraft parked at the edge of the town square, he took a deep breath.

“Finally.” He tapped the biometric scanner, and the sleek vehicle’s doors slid open with a soft hiss. “Allow me.”

He helped Bess into the passenger seat, unable to resist brushing his fingers along her arm as he did. The way her green dress hugged her curves made his mouth water, and he had to force himself to focus on the moment.

Once settled in the driver’s seat, Charov engaged the privacy shield, tinting the windows to prevent any more curious onlookers from peering in. The hovercraft hummed to life, rising a few feet off the ground. He guided it away from the town center, heading back toward the castle through a scenic route along the river.

“Bess, I’m sorry,” he said softly. “That was a disaster. I had no idea we’d be mobbed like that.”

She stared out the window, her profile illuminated by the afternoon sunlight streaming through the glass. The golden rays caught the highlights in her wavy brown hair making it shine.

“It wasn’t what I expected either,” she said quietly.

Charov’s grip tightened on the steering controls. “I promise it won’t happen again,” he said firmly. “Now I know, and I’ll be better prepared in the future.”

Bess turned to him, her emerald eyes searching his face. “What does that mean exactly?”

The vulnerability in her expression made his chest tighten. He had never felt this protective of anyone before—this desperate to make things right.

“It means that when we go out next time, we’ll have options.” He reached over and grabbed her hand gently, his thumb caressing her soft skin. “We can either arrange for more privacy—I know secluded places where we won’t be disturbed—or we make it an official royal appearance where the expectation is that we’ll mingle with the people.”

Her shoulders visibly relaxed. “So not every outing has to be a royal circus?”

“Not at all.” He flashed her the roguish smile that used to win him admirers across Nova Aurora. “I know how to disappear when I want to. Been doing it my whole life.”

A hint of a smile played at her lips, making his heart race. “That sounds... really good actually.”

Charov squeezed her hand. “I want you to be comfortable here, Bess. I know this isn’t what you signed up for.”

The hovercraft glided smoothly above the water, creating ripples on the surface below. The castle appeared in the distance, its spires gleaming in the sunlight. Charov noticed the worried crease between Bess’s eyebrows deepen as the hovercraft glided further over the water. Her fingers fidgeted with the emerald fabric of her dress.

“Charov,” she said, her voice barely audible over the engine’s hum. “Will our life always be this way? The constant attention, the people, the demands?” She looked up, her eyes wide with concern.

His inner bear wanted to pull her into his arms, to show her through touch rather than words that whatever life threw at them, they would face it together. Instead, he eased back on the throttle, slowing their approach to the castle.

“No,” he said firmly. “That’s not how this works.” He flashed her another grin. “I never paid attention before, but I understand now why my parents maintained the country cottage—why they insisted on getting away regularly.”

The hovercraft veered away from the main river channel, heading toward a less-traveled tributary.

“They knew that to rule effectively, they needed time alone. Time to be mates, not just king and queen.” Charov’s voice deepened. “I have responsibilities, duties I won’t shirk. But I also have something they taught me was even more important.”

“What’s that?” Bess asked, leaning closer.

“The duty to make sure my mate feels loved and adored.” His eyes locked with hers, unyielding in their intensity. “You deserve nothing less, Bess.”

Before she could respond, Charov spotted the hidden inlet he was searching for—a secluded cove where the river curved around an outcropping of ancient, moss-covered rocks. Trees with trailing purple blossoms lined the banks, their reflections rippling in the crystalline water.

“We’re making a detour,” he announced, steering the craft toward shore. His grandmother’s ring pressed against his thigh through his pocket, and a burst of inspiration struck him. This place—this moment—felt right.

The hovercraft settled gently on the soft sand of the shoreline. Charov jumped out and extended his hand to Bess, his touch lingering as he helped her onto the bank. The scent of wildflowers mingled with her natural sweetness, making his bear rumble with pleasure.

“What are we doing here?” Bess asked, taking in the secluded beauty of their surroundings.

Charov’s heart pounded as his plan crystallized. He wouldn’t just give her the ring—he would create a moment worthy of the mate who had already changed his life. A moment that showed her she was more than a royal obligation.

“I want to show you something.” He led her toward a small clearing where sunlight dappled through the purple canopy overhead.

His inner bear was restless, eager to claim what was his. Charov breathed deeply, channeling that primal energy into something more controlled but no less powerful. He would make this perfect for her.

“The royal appearances, the crowds—that’s just one facet of this life.” He tucked a strand of her wavy brown hair behind her ear, allowing his fingertips to trail along her jawline. “But this—” he gestured to the private cove “—this is what matters. The moments that are ours alone.”

Charov’s heart thundered in his chest, each beat hammering against his ribcage with primal force. This was it. The perfect moment in the perfect place. He’d faced down savage beasts without flinching, ruled a territory of powerful shifters, but now his hands trembled ever so slightly as he reached for Bess’s soft fingers.

“You’ve seen what this life demands of me,” he said, his voice deeper than usual, thick with emotion. “But you haven’t seen what I’m willing to give for you.”

The sunlight filtered through the purple canopy, casting a violet glow across Bess’s face. Her eyes widened as Charov lowered himself to one knee, the sand cool beneath him. His inner bear roared with approval, urging him to claim what was his.

“The moment Gerri brought you to Nova Aurora, something shifted inside me.” He pulled the ring box from his pocket and opened it, his grandmother’s heirloom catching the light.

“I tried to fight it.” His blue eyes locked onto hers, unwavering. “Tried to protect myself from feeling what my parents had, from risking that same devastating loss.”

Bess’s lips parted slightly, her breath quickening. The reaction sent heat coursing through him, stoking the fire within him.

“But you, Bess Campos...” Charov’s voice rumbled with certainty. “You dismantled every defense. You organized my chaos. You challenged me to be more than just my father’s son—to be the king I was meant to be.”

He held the ring higher between them, its brilliance eclipsed only by the raw intensity in his gaze. “I love you. Not because some shifter instinct tells me you’re my mate, but because I’ve seen your heart. I’ve watched you take charge when everything around me was falling apart. I’ve felt your touch heal wounds I didn’t know I had.”

The breeze stirred her wavy brown hair, and Charov fought the urge to reach up and run his fingers through those soft strands. His bear was growing impatient, demanding he finish this and claim her completely.

“My life as king begins now. And I don’t want to rule a single day without you beside me.” His voice dropped to a possessive growl. “I need you, Bess. Not just as my mate, but as my queen, my partner, my everything.”

He drew a deep breath, savoring the perfect mix of her scent with the flowers surrounding them.

“Will you marry me? Will you be my queen?”

His words hung in the air between them. Charov watched Bess’s face, waiting for the smile to break across her beautiful features, for her to throw herself into his arms as his bear expected.

But seconds passed, and Bess remained frozen, her green eyes wide and unblinking, her lips slightly parted but silent. The breeze stirred her hair again, but otherwise, she might have been carved from stone.

Charov’s heart sank like a stone in the river beside them. His inner bear growled in confusion. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. His mother’s words echoed in his mind: humans operate differently than shifters .

Had he moved too fast? Had he misread everything between them? The passionate nights they’d shared, the way she’d helped him through his grief, the perfect way she fit against his body—had it all meant something different to her?

“Bess?” he prompted, his voice rougher now, vulnerability bleeding through his alpha confidence.

Still, she stood there, staring at the ring, her chest rising and falling rapidly. But not a single word escaped her lips.