Chapter 36 Maverick
Maverick
Fucking security mages . Two of the assholes watched me as I strode toward the gym to prepare for my first class. Montgomery must have hired these idiots from Goons-R-US because they didn’t act like legitimate security operatives.
Neither wore actual uniforms, for starters, and each time a pretty female crossed their path, they spent more time ogling them than scouring their surroundings for threats. Unsurprisingly, Montgomery hadn’t been interested when I expressed doubts about their professionalism.
He told me Tiberius Vane was overseeing recruitment, which did nothing to reassure me, and he said if I had concerns, to fill out an online feedback form.
The two clowns standing outside the pool building raised their weapons when Kai emerged, his blue skin steaming from a morning swim. He eyed them warily, no doubt wondering what their fucking problem was. The minute I stormed over, the idiots backed off.
“Is there an issue?” The mage security teams all knew my reputation. I’d spent several years working for the Shifter Council. Even now, I worked as an independent contractor when needed.
Only last week I’d been called in to help bring down a feral mountain lion shifter who’d attacked a church. It was one of many recent incidents. As with demon attacks, feral shifter cases were rising.
“No,” the gray-haired mage said with a sneer in Kai’s direction. “Just making sure the merman has permission to swim.” The younger mage stood silent, but his fist curled, ready to cast an attack spell if needed.
“He’s an aqua-magical. Of course he has fucking permission, you moron.” Kai shuffled uncomfortably, but I was over this elitist bullshit. If the mage assholes wanted a fight, they’d get one.
The older mage puffed his chest out, full of self-importance.
“It’s our job to verify students. Especially the lesser magicals who are only here because of the Mage Council’s benevolence.”
“You do realize he’s the crown prince of the mer kingdom, right?” The asshole mage paled. He hadn’t realized he was in danger of triggering a diplomatic incident.
“Um, well, that changes things.” The two mages cleared their throats, nodded at Kai, and hurried away.
Kai raised an eyebrow at me and blinked. “I didn’t need your help, but thanks anyway,” he said in his usual quiet way.
“No problem.” I slapped him on the shoulder. “We’re pack mates now. I take care of my own.”
He mumbled his thanks again and jogged away toward the crumbling vampire dorm, which was still a shithole, but at least my uncle and his crew had fixed the roof and some of the worst issues.
Uncle Patrick and his bears had left for Diamond Peaks a few days ago. Even though the lumberyard had closed at the beginning of the enforced lockdown, they were doing small jobs for locals and friends, mostly to stay busy until the Supernatural Council lifted trade restrictions.
With every day that passed, ever more inflammatory hate speech appeared online, no longer confined to the darkest corners of the internet.
Boon believed some factions of the Mage Council were fanning the flames by encouraging hardcore magist influencers to post hate speech and racial slurs.
He was likely right. The rising tide of hatred toward lesser magicals was gathering pace at the same time as the increase in feral shifter cases.
The sun painted the melting snow warm gold as I unlocked my office.
Raven would be in my mixed-year-group class this afternoon.
With the rising threat from demons, Montgomery had instructed me to teach the students how to fight them.
And since all year groups were at risk, I’d begun combining classes for maximum benefit.
The call from my father came as I was writing up some lesson notes.
“Everything okay?” Putting my cell on speaker, I opened my emails. I smiled when I saw my little mate had placed another order on Magizon. This time she’d ordered some books. Smutty books about monsters, judging from the titles. She probably hadn’t realized I monitored her purchase history.
“It’s your mother. She’s showing signs of feral shifter disease.”
The words on the screen faded into a jumbled mess as Dad’s words penetrated my brain. Mom sick? No way. My mother was never sick. She was a hale and hearty bear, like Dad. Like all of us. Bears didn’t get sick. Not even a sniffle.
“How? I don’t understand.” Everything I’d read said the feral shifter virus was sexually transmitted. My mother and father had been mates for decades, so no way they had fucked other people. No two bears were more in love than my parents.
“Nor do we.” Dad’s voice broke, and I heard him sob quietly. My father never cried. Like most male bears, he was stoic and steady—the eye of the storm. He’d not even shed a tear when Seamus passed, so for him to show emotion, things must be critical.
“How bad is she?”
“Bad, son. You need to come home before she passes.”
“I’m on my way.” I ended the call.
I cursed under my breath. It would take fucking hours to drive home. Time I didn’t have. But first, I needed to tell Montgomery so he could cover my classes.
Zane materialized into view, making me jump.
“Need a lift?” For once, there was none of his usual smirking or innuendo.
“Lift?”
“I’ve been to the Diamond Peaks before, so I can teleport you straight there. And assist if necessary.”
I nodded, thinking fast. If he could get me to the town, then I’d be back home in less than an hour. Whether my mother would last that long was unknown, but I clung to the hope that perhaps the goddess would grant me this one favor.
“Can you go tell Raven so she doesn’t worry? I need a minute to change and call Montgomery.”
“Of course. I’ll instruct vampy and fish boy to watch her while we’re gone.”
He disappeared while I muttered a second prayer to the goddess to watch over my precious little mate while Zane and I were gone.