Julius felt a wave of relief as the boy clinging to his back finally let go and darted away. But that relief lasted only a heartbeat.
The moment Julius saw Wolfgang shift his attention toward Maverick, his temper flared again.
Wolfgang approached Maverick with a bright, boyish grin and threw his arms around him, nuzzling his face against Maverick's chest like an affectionate puppy.
Maverick chuckled, his voice warm as he said, "Seems like you've gotten taller since the last time I saw you."
Before Wolfgang could respond, Julius swooped in, yanking him back by the collar. Wolfgang dangled in midair, kicking and squirming, but Julius' iron grip didn't falter.
Narrow-eyed and sharp as a blade, Julius growled, "I won't allow you to lay a hand on Maverick so casually, you little brat!"
Maverick couldn't help but smile as he watched the two of them bicker. It was like stepping back in time, a memory replaying before his eyes.
