Page 6 of Asking Fur Trouble

The king’s hand trembled as he reached for his son. Charov clasped it, shocked by how cold the skin felt. Bear shifters ran hot—always. The chill in his father’s fingers was more alarming than any medical diagnosis.

“Mavac Territory needs stability,” his father said, pausing for a labored breath. “And you... need a queen.”

Charov’s muscles tightened. “With all due respect, Father, I think Mavac Territory needs a strong king first. Let me establish myself before?—”

“No.” The king’s voice strengthened momentarily. “Our people need to see continuity. They need to know our line is secure. I need...” He faltered, rare emotion breaking through his kingly facade. “I need to know you won’t be alone.”

Charov felt trapped, perfectly cornered. The bear inside him snarled at the constraint. “Father, finding a mate takes time. It’s not something?—”

“I’ve taken care of that,” his mother interjected softly. Her elegant hand stroked her mate’s arm, but her gaze fixed on her son. “I’ve contacted Gerri Wilder.”

The name hit Charov like ice water. Gerri Wilder—the paranormal matchmaker whose reputation extended across worlds. The woman who claimed 100 percent success in finding true mates.

The woman who would effectively end his freedom altogether.

“You what?” Heat flushed through him, his bear rising dangerously close to the surface. “Without consulting me first?”

“Your father is dying,” his mother snapped, fire flashing in her eyes. “And his last wish is to see his bloodline secure. Is that too much to ask, Charov? Is your...lifestyle... worth denying him peace?”

Charov recoiled as if slapped. The barb found its mark. His “lifestyle” as she delicately put it—the string of willing partners, the avoidance of commitment, the constant chase for the next thrill—suddenly seemed trivial against his father’s mortality.

“She’s found someone,” his father rasped. “A human woman. Your match.”

“Already?” Charov didn’t bother hiding his dismay.

His father’s grip tightened with surprising strength. “Promise me, son. Promise you’ll meet her. Wed her. Continue our line.”

Charov stared into his father’s golden eyes, seeing both the king and the father who had taught him to shift, to hunt, and to lead. The man who had shaped him into who he was.

“I promise,” Charov said finally, the words tasting extremely bitter. “I’ll meet this woman. I’ll...” He swallowed hard. “I’ll wed her for Mavac.”

Relief flooded his father’s face, and his mother’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

Inside, Charov’s bear howled in protest. He silently vowed to keep emotional distance from this arranged mate. He would fulfill his duty, but he would fortify his heart against the kind of love his parents shared—the kind that was destroying his mother as his father slipped away.

There was no possible way he would ever allow himself to be so vulnerable.

FIVE

The crisp night air hit Bess’s face as she stepped out of the restaurant with Gerri. Her stomach was full of incredible food, but her mind was spinning faster than a tornado.

“What the hell am I doing?” Bess whispered under her breath, tugging at the hem of her sensible blouse. “I just quit my job. In an email. To go to... another planet? With a stranger?”

Gerri glanced over her shoulder with a knowing smile that crinkled the corners of her bright eyes. “Having second thoughts already, dear? Most people do. It’s completely normal.”

“Normal? There’s nothing normal about this!” Bess’s voice pitched higher than intended. “Aliens? Shifters? Wormholes? Thirty minutes ago, I thought all these things only existed in movies!”

“Life is certainly full of surprises.” Gerri’s petite form seemed to glide rather than walk as she led them away from the restaurant, her designer heels clicking with renewed purpose against the pavement. “But trust me when I say, the universe has much more in store for you than processing insurance claims for a man who doesn’t appreciate you.”

Bess followed obediently as her mind raced through all the responsibilities she had just abandoned. “My apartment... my plants... my phone payments...”

“Details we can sort out later.” Gerri waved her manicured hand dismissively. “First adventure, then logistics.”

They soon arrived at the city power plant, a hulking concrete structure that hummed with electricity. Gerri approached a side entrance with unexpected familiarity, punching a security code into a keypad with practiced ease.

“You have access to a power plant?” Bess hissed, looking over her shoulder as if expecting security to descend upon them.

“I have access to many things, dear.” Gerri winked, holding the door open. “Harold! We’re here!”

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