Page 10 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

“Yes, Alpha.”

Sam didn’t need to see Brooks to know he’d followed Vaughn’s order.

With another sound that didn’t seem natural, Mrs. Foote threw open the door and stepped aside.

“Wise choice, ma’am. Now, I’m not sure what kinds of magic you have on this place, but it reeks in here so I’d advise you to drop all of these spells before I decide to think of you as an imminent threat. I’m sure you’re aware that when cubs are involved, alphas aren’t known for their patience.”

“Which is exactly why you aren’t supposed to be here,” Mrs. Foote hissed again.

“Hmm, I have no doubt you were counting on that. Ben, Natasha? Emily, Jack, Henry?” All the names Ollie had managed to tell them earlier. Vaughn remembered every single one of them. Another piece of his anger toward Vaughn chipped away.

After Vaughn called out, Sam couldn’t wait any longer. He hurried over to the base of the steps with his shifter shadow at his side. Sam looked past Vaughn to the stairs inside and saw several sets of legs appear on the uppermost steps. He couldn’t see them any more clearly because of his angle, but Vaughn obviously could.

“So, I hear you guys were looking for me,” Vaughn said. Several of the children gasped loud enough for Sam to hear them, and then a stampede of little legs ran down the steps and surrounded Vaughn.

Sam couldn’t believe how bedraggled they all looked. He fought back tears at the state of them. Then he saw the boy who must be Ben. He’d stopped half way down the steps and was staring at Vaughn with such desperate fear and hope that Sam nearly lost control. The kid was well over six feet tall, but Sam only had to look at his face to realize how young he was. His eye was swollen nearly shut, and Sam couldn’t stand back any longer.

He started forward with a growl of his own. The pack member grabbed him and stopped him before he reached the first step.

“Let me go right now,” Sam demanded.

Vaughn glanced up from the huddled mass of bodies around him and nodded. Sam’s arm was released, and he tore up the steps. Ben stood there looking so lost, clearly unsure of what to do. Sam could see the worried question in Ben’s eyes, though, so he went right up to him and pulled the boy into a hug. Ben’s breath caught, and he leaned down into the embrace. “You did well,” Sam whispered. “Ollie’s fine, okay? He’s just outside and he wants to see you.”

“He made it,” Ben breathed, his voice barely above a whisper, and some of the tension left his young shoulders. “The storm came faster than I thought, and it was so bad, and he was already so scared.”

“He was, but he did exactly what he was supposed to do. We’re here now, okay? Everything is going to be fine.” Ben nodded and his breath hitched. Sam squeezed him again then pulled back. He left an arm around the boy’s waist and guided him down the remaining few stairs. “Vaughn, this is Ben.”

Vaughn reached out a hand to Ben, and when Ben took it, Vaughn pulled him closer. The rest of the kids were small enough that Vaughn could lean forward and press his forehead to Ben’s. The boy had to lean over a bit— Ollie hadn’t been kidding when he said Ben was really tall— but he seemed to know exactly what the alpha wanted from him. They both closed their eyes and breathed.

“Ben!” The pack member who had been holding Ollie carried him into the room. The little boy wiggled his way down and ran to the others, throwing himself against them.

Sam watched for a second as the kids were reunited, the emotion of the moment nearly overwhelming him. Then he spun on his heel toward the woman who was glaring at them from the other side of the room.

“Get out,” Sam demanded. “Leave. And don’t come back, or so help me God, I will find a way to end you.”

She scoffed, but Sam didn’t care. He’d never hit anyone in his entire life, but he wanted to in that moment. He stormed over to her and leaned into her space.

“These kids are precious, and you have abused them horribly. You need to run and don’t stop. Because I fully intend to make sure you pay for this.”

She spun around and stomped back toward a room at the back. Sam watched her go, only to see her appear a moment later with a purse in hand.

“Take them,” she snarled. “See if I care.”