Most people said he was perfect to a fault, but Maverick Nightshade hardly found that surprising when he had a perfectionist for a father. Scratch that. One of his fathers.

Unfortunately, he had inherited a variant version of the man’s powers as well, powers that demanded absolute control.

He simply couldn’t help it. No one did things better than he did. That was confirmed when he asked his cousin and beta for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You still haven’t gotten Caelis’ location?"

Dimitri let out an exasperated sigh.

"That would be a no. Again." He shook his head. "You need to relax, Maverick."

"I need to be thorough. Nothing can go wrong." Maverick said, impatiently tapping his foot against the ground.

"I have all the wolves in House Therion on the lookout for the basilisk. I even asked the other beasts to keep an eye on the dragon asshole should he make a move. For all we know, Caelis has slithered off to one of his nests and is shedding skin somewhere while you’re standing here worrying over nothing." Dimitri tried to assure him.

That could very well be the case. But if there was one thing Maverick had learned from his father, it was to trust his instincts.

"It’s too quiet," he muttered. "Something doesn’t add up."

"That is why we have backup." Dimitri gestured toward the security personnel stationed nearby. "Even as powerful as Caelis is, he can’t take on all of us."

Perhaps Dimitri was right and he needed to take a chill pill.

Maverick glanced at the sky before checking his watch. "What’s taking them so long? They should have arrived by now."

It was safer for them during the day than at night. He needed them settled down, then he could assign beasts to patrol the residences and keep the girls away from the creatures that would gladly make a meal out of them.

No sooner had he finished speaking than his sharp hearing picked up the sound of approaching engines.

"They’re here," he said more to himself than anyone else.

He stood on the steps leading to the Central Hall and as soon as he witnessed the buses rounding into the grounds, he stepped down with Dimitri right behind him.

The girls were already climbing out by the time he approached them, and he saw the exact moment they recognized him.

Screams and shrieks assaulted his sensitive hearing, making him wince internally. One would think he would have gotten used to the attention his presence garnered, but that wasn’t the case. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Maverick Nightshade stood awkwardly with his hands behind his back, waiting for the commotion to die down.

He was dressed in a tailored black coat worn over a charcoal shirt. Dark trousers and polished boots completed the look while black gloves covered his hands completely. At least with the gloves on, he wouldn’t have to worry about an overeager student touching him without permission and nearly freaking out.

As usual, his brain went to work instantly, analyzing and filing away every detail he could gather about the girls. Then his gaze collided with hers and his world tilted.

As the eldest son of the most powerful hybrid in the United Dorminia, Maverick had fame attached to his name long before he learned to walk. That meant women were naturally drawn to him and threw themselves at him whenever given the chance.

He had seen them all. Human females. Beast females. Some of the most beautiful women in the country. None of them had ever intrigued him, especially not after the accident.

Until now.

Until her.

He remembered the girl. She was the one who had caused a scene during the selection and sent shockwaves across the Novara region. Physically, there was nothing extraordinary about her. Sure, she was pretty. Her brown hair fell around her shoulders in loose waves, slightly disheveled from the journey, while bright blue eyes stared back at him.

But he had seen better.

Weirdly enough, there was surprise in those eyes. Unlike the excitement and desire he usually inspired, she almost looked puzzled.

Why?

Was there something about him she didn’t like?

Whoa.

Maverick was caught off guard by the thought.

He was used to reading people quickly without even relying on his powers, but for once, he found himself stumbling.

So Maverick reached out with his gift, oddly curious to know what she was thinking. The thoughts of the other girls were far too loud in his head as they gushed over him. One of them was already planning their future together and deciding how many children they would have.

Disgust stirred inside him and Maverick immediately cleared the noise away, pushing the thoughts into the deepest part of his mind as his father had taught him.

Then he focused on one person. Except when he brushed against her mind, there was nothing. Just silence.

Huh? Maverick frowned.

At first he thought he wasn’t trying hard enough and tried again. Yet no matter how much he pushed or attempted to slip into her thoughts, he couldn’t.

Except there was no mental barrier. He could tell that much.

Mental barriers always felt like something. Depending on the individual, they could resemble concrete walls, or steel doors. For her, there was simply nothing.

Maverick’s eyes widened. No way.

She couldn’t be immune to his mind-reading ability. This was a first.

If Maverick’s initial interest had been ten percent, it was safe to say it had just jumped beyond a thousand.

He didn’t even realize he had been staring until Dimitri awkwardly cleared his throat beside him.

Maverick snapped out of it immediately. He straightened, his back ramrod straight, control returning to him.

His voice boomed across the courtyard.

"My name is Maverick Nightshade, and welcome to Bestiaris Academy."

The applause and cheers that followed cut off whatever he had intended to say next, forcing him to wait until the celebration died down.

He continued.

"While I would have given you a tour of the school, I’m afraid there isn’t enough time. The sun is going down, and trust me, you do not want to be outside while the beasts are playing."