"Aren’t you looking good as always, Professor?" purred a student, her words anything but innocent.

Maverick Nightshade did a double take, slowing as he glanced toward the girl eyefucking him from the corner of her locker.

From the flick of her forked tongue and the gleam in her eyes as she took him in, he didn’t need the insignia on her uniform to know she was from House Ophidian, the court of serpents.

Sneaky little things.

Maverick grunted when her thoughts slammed into his head.

’I could do so many things to you.’

That was promptly followed by a very graphic image of her snake form wrapped around his—

"What the hell?"

Maverick’s eyes flashed with annoyance as he shoved the image out of his head with a curse under his breath. He stared at the girl, who smiled knowingly, clearly aware he had caught the thought.

It was moments like this that Maverick Nightshade truly hated his powers. And the students in this damn institution.

Still, he had a reputation to uphold and couldn’t let some reckless kid get away with messing with him.

He approached her slowly, his expression unreadable.

"What is your name?"

Her face looked vaguely familiar, though he couldn’t place it exactly. Then again, he rarely paid attention to the females here. His role at Bestiaris was to educate the beasts and prepare them for integration into human society.

As well as stop the school from tearing itself apart. Whatever else the students got up to was none of his concern.

Student-teacher relationships weren’t exactly forbidden here. But discipline had been drilled into Maverick since childhood, and he wasn’t about to throw away years of self-control for a few minutes of pleasure and the stupid games these kids liked to play.

The girl perked up instantly, hope lighting her features.

"Nadia," she said quickly.

"Nadia," Maverick repeated, mentally classifying her under students to avoid.

Unfortunately, Nadia mistook that for interest. She stepped closer, trying to close the distance between them despite the crowded hallway and the dozens of eyes now fixed on the scene.

Then again, this was Bestiaris. Everything went here. Her expression changed when she encountered the invisible barrier around him, stopping her from touching him.

If Nadia truly knew him, she would know one thing: Maverick Nightshade did not like being touched. Not by females. Not after what happened years ago.

At this point, Maverick had already made peace with the fact he would never love—or be loved—properly. Which made Nadia’s persistence all the more irritating. Still, he couldn’t entirely blame her.

Most of these creatures had only recently left the barrier behind. Civilization was still something they were learning, their instinct ruled them far more than logic ever would.

"Nadia," he said, drawing her attention again.

Her brown eyes lifted toward him with fascination.

"I think I have a solution for both of us."

"You do?"

All Maverick did was flick his fingers and Nadia gasped as freezing water materialized out of nowhere, drenching her from head to toe.

"That should help you cool down," he said with cold satisfaction as jeers and laughter erupted around them. Hopefully, that would discourage anyone else thinking of trying the same thing.

Then his expression darkened.

"Detention after class."

Nadia threw her hands up dramatically. "Oh, come on, Professor! That was nothing! I was only trying to help. Especially when you’re this tight-knit." Her voice lowered teasingly. "You should loosen up sometimes."

Yeah. Not happening.

"Two hours," Maverick added, already walking away briskly.

As much as he would have liked to stay and crack down on the rest of the students openly flaunting the rules, there were more pressing matters right now.

The students parted instinctively for him as he passed, one of the perks of being at the top of the food chain. Here at Bestiaris Academy, all that mattered was your beast and the amount of power you possessed.

As Maverick approached Principal Warrick’s office, it wasn’t hard to see the reason for the tension thickening the air.

Human security lined the path leading to the office and the moment he approached, they visibly stiffened, hands shifting closer to their weapons as one of them stepped forward.

"Maverick Nightshade?" the man said, more confirmation than question.

It wasn’t difficult to recognize him. Not with the signature purple hair and slitted gray eyes. Perks of having notoriously famous parents.

"The one and only," Maverick replied in a bored tone.

The security leader stopped in front of him and despite the stacks of muscle on the man, Maverick still towered over him with his height and the dangerous power rolling off him in waves.

"Routine check," the man said carefully.

With a sigh, Maverick stretched out his arms as he was patted down from top to bottom.

"Clear," the man spoke into his device.

Maverick would have thought that was the end of it until another guard stepped forward carrying a metal briefcase.

The moment it opened and revealed a suppressor collar, a dangerous snarl escaped Maverick’s throat.

"I’m not wearing that."

"It’s only for the duration of the meeting," the guard explained cautiously. "The advisor wants to feel safe."

"Then he shouldn’t have stepped into Bestiaris City!" Maverick almost said it aloud, but held himself back.

Still, he was having none of it. He would not be chained like some rabid animal because a human politician was nervous.

"Tell your advisor this," Maverick snapped. "Either I walk into that room without a damn collar or he can forget this meeting entirely."

Conflict flashed across the guard’s face, but he relayed the message anyway. After a brief exchange through his earpiece, the man finally stepped aside.

"You may enter."

Maverick gave him one long, intimidating look before walking toward the office. The doors opened swiftly.

Principal Warrick sat at the center of the room alongside Morgan, the president’s advisor. Several guards stood motionless in the corners, weapons strapped to their sides.

Maverick’s nose twitched instantly, overwhelmed by the concentration of human scent packed into one room. It made the air feel suffocating.

"You’re here," Warrick said, gesturing toward the empty seat beside him.

All the while, Maverick felt Morgan staring,

studying him. The moment Maverick sat down, their eyes met.

"Good lord," Morgan murmured in disbelief. "The resemblance is uncanny."

Maverick didn’t react, already used to it. The comparisons had followed him his entire life.

"Are we here to admire my face," he asked dryly, "or start the meeting?"

There were far better things he could have been doing with his time.

Morgan cleared his throat quickly, professionalism snapping back into place.

"Thank you for honoring this meeting. President Callum sends his regards and appreciates your efforts in helping the Novara region through this crisis."

United Dorminia wasn’t a single country. It was a federal union formed after the Great War forced human nations together. Every region still operated independently with its own ruler, laws, and now, its own monsters.

"Thank you," Maverick replied politely, though his blank expression revealed nothing.

Morgan continued. "I’m sure you’re aware the Concordia program has officially resumed."

Of course Maverick knew. It was impossible not to. Every news channel, every social platform, every conversation somehow circled back to it. Even his algorithm had become flooded with reactions, debates, and outrage.

And already, he could feel the effect it was having on the beasts. The restlessness, excitement and predatory anticipation.

"I am," he answered simply.

Morgan’s expression suggested he wanted more than a two-word response.

"Well?" he prompted.

Maverick pinned him with a dark stare.

"History should be enough to remind you what happens when humans play dangerous games like this."

"You’re right," Morgan agreed smoothly. "History also taught us to take better precautions this time. We’re properly educating the girls beforehand. Anti-venoms will be provided in case of fatal bites and they’ll carry defensive devices capable of alerting school authorities if attacked. Their survival chances are significantly higher now."

Maverick almost laughed. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Do your survival devices protect them from dragon fire?" he challenged coldly. "Do you tell those girls there are creatures here capable of incinerating them before they can even scream?"

Morgan remained silent.

Maverick continued.

"Or snakes powerful enough to suffocate them before help arrives?" His expression darkened even further. "Better yet, do you mention the existence of a basilisk capable of turning them to stone with a single careless glance?"

Morgan finally spoke. "The girls are aware of the dangers."

"Are they?"

Maverick thought about the video of the terrified girl who had thrown herself down a porch trying to escape selection. Already, protests had begun erupting across several human districts. Families were calling the program legalized sacrifice while activists accused the government of disguising exploitation as coexistence.

And yet the program continued.

Morgan adjusted the lapels of his suit. "The girls understand their sacrifice is necessary for this country and for the future of human-beast integration."

Then he looked directly at Maverick.

"Or what would you have us do instead?"

"Shut it down."

"Excuse me?" Morgan said sharply.

"Maverick," Warrick warned quietly, but Maverick ignored him.

"You’re sending those girls to die."

"No great achievement has ever been made without sacrifice," Morgan countered immediately. "Look at Lunaris Academy. Look at the Asterion region and the progress humans have made with wolves."

Maverick cut him off.

"We’ve had over two hundred years to adapt to the wolves and even now conflicts still happen."

His gaze hardened.

"But these aren’t wolves. They’re beasts from uncivilized realms. Some of them are feral and still view humans as prey." His voice lowered dangerously. "Trust me when I say those girls will become nothing more than entertainment for creatures far stronger than them."

"And whose fault is that?" Morgan snapped.

Maverick stilled, the words hitting harder than they should have. So they were doing this again. The blame.

The same endless argument thrown back and forth for years. The same reminder that his mother had been the one to destroy the barrier and change the world forever.

It was the entire reason he was here in the first place, trying to clean up the mess.

Maverick’s voice turned cold.

"It seems you’ve already made your decision, Advisor Morgan. So why bother asking for my opinion?"

Morgan exhaled slowly.

"Because we need this to work. This is our only chance to prove humans and beasts can coexist peacefully. Otherwise..." He hesitated. "We may be heading toward another war."

Silence settled briefly before he continued.

"Several factions are already demanding that all beasts be removed from human territories entirely, but the United Dorminia Concord Laws prevent any forced expulsion."

Maverick tilted his head slightly.

"So what exactly do you want from me?"

Morgan held his gaze.

"Two years ago, you weren’t here, but now you are. Protect the humans from the beasts. Save them...."

His voice lowered.

"Even if it’s only one."