Page 40 of Asking Fur Trouble

The vehicle hummed as it sped away from the city. Charov watched Bess’s face as she gazed out at the passing landscape, illuminated by the planet’s two moons.

“Tell me something,” she said suddenly. “If you weren’t king, what would you be doing right now?”

The question caught him off guard. “Exactly what I’m doing. Taking a beautiful woman on an adventure.”

The transport wound along the coastal road, the rhythm of the engine vibrating against Charov’s back as he watched Bess’s silhouette against the window. His bear prowled under his skin, pleased to have his mate so close to him after days of tedious royal duties. When the vehicle finally slowed, he caught the first glint of moonlight on the water—the famous pink sea that surrounded his territory, shimmering like a pool of rose quartz under Nova Aurora’s twin moons.

“We’re here,” Charov said, not waiting for Oberon to open the door. He stepped out first, extending his hand to Bess with a possessive flourish. The way her emerald gown clung to her curves made his throat tighten. “Your chariot awaits.”

His royal boat gleamed at the dock—sleek, powerful, and ready. The crew stood at attention, but Charov waved them off.

“No crew tonight,” he commanded. “Just prepare the vessel and leave us.”

The captain looked uncertain. “Your Majesty, protocol dictates?—”

“Protocol can go to hell,” Charov growled, his bear surfacing just enough to make his eyes flash. “I captained this boat long before I wore a crown.”

Bess raised an eyebrow, and he caught the hint of a smile. That small gesture sent heat flooding through him.

Within minutes, they were alone on the water. Charov steered them away from shore, enjoying the familiar vibration of the engines beneath his feet. With each passing moment, the immense weight of the crown seemed to lighten.

“So this is what bear shifters do for fun?” Bess teased, coming to stand beside him at the helm.

“This one does.” He cut the engines when they reached a secluded spot far from shore, where the pink waters stretched uninterrupted to the horizon. “Look up.”

Bess tilted her head back, and her soft gasp was exactly the reaction he had hoped for. Without city lights, Nova Aurora’s night sky exploded with stars—bright pinpricks of blue, silver, and gold unlike anything visible from Earth.

“It’s absolutely incredible,” she breathed.

He moved behind her, his chest pressed against her back. “I used to come out here whenever I needed to escape. Whenever I felt trapped by what was expected of me.”

He guided her to the bow where there were plush cushions and blankets. They settled side by side, looking up at the vast expanse of cosmos.

“I always thought I needed to get it all in—every adventure, every thrill—before the crown came,” Charov admitted, his voice rough. “I believed that once I became king, there would be no more of this. No more freedom. No more fun.”

His finger traced the line of her jaw. “And I was right. Two weeks as king, and this is the first time I’ve breathed free air.”

Bess studied him, her eyes reflecting the starlight. “Is that true of all kings? Because Emesyn tells me stories about King Alyx and Queen Bella that suggest otherwise. They seem to find time for adventure.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

The observation struck something deep in Charov’s chest. He had never considered that. Alyx was respected throughout Nova Aurora, yet the stories of his exploits with his mate were legendary.

“Maybe...” Bess continued, shifting closer, “your father wasn’t serious because of his duty, but because that was who he was.” Her eyes locked with his. “Is there room for you to be your own kind of king?”

The question hung between them as vast as the starry sky above. His bear rumbled thoughtfully.

He stared into Bess’s eyes, her words striking a chord deep within him. His own kind of king. The concept settled into his mind with surprising comfort, like a key sliding into its perfect lock.

“You know something?” He brushed her hair from her face, his fingertips lingering against her skin. “For someone who’s only been on Nova Aurora for a short time, you understand more than most who’ve lived here their entire lives.”

His bear surged forward, recognizing the wisdom in her words. King Alyx wasn’t trapped by his crown—he had made the position work for him, not the other way around.

“My father ruled the way he needed to. But I’m not him.” The realization allowed him to shed a burden he’d carried his entire life. “I never will be.”

Bess’s eyes reflected the twin moons, her curves silhouetted against the starlit sky. “Would he want you to be?”

“No,” Charov said with sudden certainty. “He wanted me to rule, but he never asked me to become someone else to do it.”

---