Chapter 86: The Point Of A Quickie
"The hardest doors to open are rarely locked. They’re simply the ones we’re afraid to walk through."
~ Rebel Beast
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Maverick didn’t bother climbing down this time, he simply jumped.
The drop from the second-floor balcony lasted only a heartbeat before he landed lightly on the ground, his knees bending to absorb the impact. He straightened—
"Goddess!" Maverick nearly stumbled backward, one hand flying to his chest.
Dimitri stood directly in front of him, arms folded, wearing the unmistakable expression of someone who had just caught another red-handed.
"Why are you so startled, Maverick Nightshade?" he asked with infuriating calm.
Then, without a word, Dimitri slowly lifted his gaze toward the second-floor balcony before lowering it back to Maverick. He gave his nephew a long, deliberate look.
Maverick already knew that expression.
"It’s not what you’re thinking."
"Really?"
Dimitri’s face scrunched in exaggerated disbelief. "You practically reek of her."
He muttered under his breath, "So much for courting the poor girl the human way."
Maverick rubbed a hand over his face.
"We didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re implying."
Dimitri merely raised an eyebrow.
"We didn’t even have time to do anything," Maverick added, sounding far less convincing than he intended. Mainly because Dimitri’s phone call had interrupted everything.
"You don’t need much time, Maverick Nightshade. That’s the entire point of a quickie." A wicked grin spread across his face. "You, of all people, should know that. Or have you forgotten how your sister Sage came into existence?"
And yes, how could he possibly forget? That story had become legendary within the family. His other father, Roman Draven, had never been allowed to live it down.
Shortly after Maverick’s birth, Roman had returned to the South Pack following his coronation. Between reorganizing the South Pack and dealing with the unrest in the Novara Region, he’d barely seen his wife Violet for weeks.
By pure coincidence, both of his parents had official meetings with the president around the same time.
Though the more explicit details had been kept from him when he was younger, he eventually learned the truth from the mouths of his relatives.
Apparently, neither of his parents had intended to waste the rare opportunity, and they ended up doing it in one of the empty offices.
Just like that, one impulsive decision and one remarkably ill-timed quickie later, Sage Draven happened.
It was a good thing Sage hadn’t been born until late January of the following year. Had she arrived a little earlier, Maverick would’ve spent the rest of his life explaining how he and his little sister had somehow been born in the same calendar year.
The thought alone was enough to give him a headache. Not that Sage needed any additional reasons to torment him. She already managed that perfectly well.
Still, it was probably safe to say his mother, Violet, had learned her lesson. Father Roman, on the other hand, had simply gained another story to add to his ever-growing collection.
"That’s not going to happen. I’ll be more careful from now on," Maverick grumbled, already moving on.
If Dimitri could smell Aria on him, then others could too. He couldn’t risk drawing attention to her yet. He needed to get back to his room as soon as possible and definitely not because he wanted her scent clinging to his room instead of fading into the night air.
Feral growled inside his head.
If the wolf had his way, he’d probably seal the shirt inside an airtight bag just to preserve her scent for as long as possible.
Dimitri, however, wasn’t finished.
"So, in the end, my prediction came true and you ended up stalking the girl in her room. Since there was no screaming, I assume the two of you were busy..." His gaze drifted to Maverick’s swollen lips. "Kissing and whatever else hopelessly smitten mates do."
Maverick let out a low growl.
"You’re beginning to annoy me, Uncle."
"Well," Dimitri said, completely undeterred, "I have to know whether sneaking into her room in the middle of the night instead of proudly announcing she’s your mate is going to become a daily habit. That way, I can make the necessary arrangements."
"It won’t be a daily thing," Maverick said. "Tonight... just happened."
"Hmmm." Dimitri hummed thoughtfully. "That’s exactly what you said a few moments ago before you ended up stalking the poor girl in her room. Still, I’ll take your word for it. Just don’t get the girl pregnant before telling her the truth."
"Dimitri!"
He merely shrugged.
"I’m just saying, your mother has four husbands and doesn’t seem remotely interested in being done having children. Explaining our family tree is already difficult enough. Let’s not make it any more confusing than it already is."
Maverick finally stopped walking. He was officially done with Dimitri.
With all the resignation of a man accepting his fate, he asked, "Is this why you called me?"
"Of course not." Dimitri looked almost offended. "I’m not such a sadist that I’d interrupt my cousin just to leave him with blue balls."
The smug look on his face completely contradicted his words.
Maverick answered him with a blank stare.
Taking the hint, Dimitri cleared his throat, the amusement slowly fading from his expression.
"Principal Warrick wants to know how the human students will be identified now that you and the other princes have decided to split them among your Houses."
Maverick immediately understood what he meant.
Each House had always been recognized by its own colors and insignia.
Therion bore navy blue with the beast insignia.
Aetheris claimed crimson alongside the winged insignia.
Ophidian wore green with the serpent insignia.
According to the academy records, the human students from two years ago had worn brown with a human-shaped insignia.
Unfortunately, the humans were no longer housed together and had been divided among the three Houses.
There was absolutely no way Maverick intended to make his mate wear that dreadful shade of brown.
Then inspiration struck him.
"I think I have the perfect idea," he said, the corners of his mouth lifting. "One not even Caelis or Rhydian can refuse."