Page 21 of Asking Fur Trouble

“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. Hermate. 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.

FOURTEEN

Charov reared up on his hind legs and towered over the largest beast of the pack. His massive bear form cast a long shadow in the suns of Nova Aurora, his fur rippling with muscle as he roared a challenge that echoed through the ravine. The beasts—wolf-like creatures with split jaws and elongated limbs native to the outer territories—had cornered the children in a perfect ambush spot. Now they were the ones being hunted.

The alpha beast lunged at him again. Charov batted it aside with a swipe that sent it backward into the rocky cliffside. His bear growled with satisfaction deep in his chest.

A dark blur crashed through the undergrowth—Oberon, his massive black fur a stark contrast to Charov’s dark brown. His friend had arrived in full bear glory and immediately tackled two of the beasts that were trying to circle around.

About time you showed up, Charov projected telepathically, a skill bear shifters shared when both in animal form.

You looked like you were having too much fun without me, Oberon’s thoughts rumbled back.Left flank.

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