Page 124 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

Henry

Waking up plastered to the front of an extremely hot guy wasn’t exactly a hardship. Realizing there was a puddle of drool on said hot guy’s chest? Priceless. Henry wiped at his mouth and began the process of untangling himself from Andvari’s hold. He wasn’t surprised when the vampire tried to tug him back down beneath the covers. For all of his fierceness, Andi wasn’t exactly a morning person.

“I need food,” Henry whispered. “Let me up.”

“Humans,” Andvari growled in reply. But he loosened his hold and let Henry climb from the bed.

Usually, the morning after a vision was spent with his head hanging in a toilet. The thought of food wouldn’t cross his mind for hours, sometimes even an entire day, depending on how tight a hold the resulting migraine had on him.

This morning, however, wasn’t like that at all. Not even the dim light from the bathroom was bothering Henry’s eyes. He carefully opened the bedroom door, waiting for the light to be too much. But nothing happened.

Henry followed the sound of voices to the kitchen and found Eduard standing at the stove while Draco and Sawyer cuddled against each other. He missed cuddles, and he was man enough to admit it. Growing up in a pack with five shifter siblings meant that Henry had rarely woke up alone. Even before he’d been rescued by his dads, his brothers and sisters had always been with him.

Ignoring that he barely knew the two men, Henry stumbled forward and managed to wiggle his way between them. When Draco tried to pull away, Henry grabbed his arm and kept him in place. Then he leaned against Sawyer, letting the coolness of his being null wash over him.

Sawyer chuckled and leaned his head against Henry’s for a moment. “Morning,” he said softly.

Henry grunted a reply. No one moved for a long minute, then Draco pressed up against his back and Henry let himself lean more heavily. This was the life. He’d much rather have these two hot guys curled around him than his brothers. It wasn’t the same at all and he liked that a whole lot.

The smell of bacon finally convinced him to open his eyes, at least long enough to find a piece for himself. He spied a pile of cooked slices on some paper towels and reached out his hand to steal one. He couldn’t reach. With a pitiful groan, Henry pushed away from Sawyer and leaned back against Draco. “I can’t reach the bacon,” he whimpered.

Draco chuckled and snagged one of the crispy strips for him. He dangled it in front of his face until Henry chomped off a bite. Sawyer began to laugh and Henry mock-glared at him.

“Oh come on, you’re pitiful. I thought I was bad in the mornings.”

“How are you feeling?” Eduard asked quietly.

“Surprisingly good,” Henry answered. “And hungry. Which is a first.”

“Sawyer brought food from his home. We will have to supply the house and repay his generosity.”

“Bacon,” Henry said and grabbed another slice. “And thank you, Sawyer. Everything was kind of crazy last night. I meant to go online and get food ordered so we could pick it up today.”

“We need to hire staff,” Eduard said.

“Staff?” Sawyer asked. “Why? I mean the place is big, but not that big.”

Henry laughed and hopped up on the counter so he was sitting thigh to thigh with Sawyer. “Eduard isn’t used to doing menial tasks himself. Cooking is beneath him, but since Andi and I are both helpless at it, he’s had to help out. My Nana made them promise they wouldn’t let me eat fast food all the time. And oh my God, I’ve got to call them back! Dad’s going to kill me.”

“Andvari called your fathers last night and told them of your vision. They will not be expecting a call from you this early.”

Now that Henry was beginning to wake up, he could see the hurt in Eduard’s stance. He shouldn’t have acted like such a brat the night before by sneaking out. As much as he chafed under their constant protection, he knew they were doing it for his own good. Until they found the Chosen One, Henry was extremely vulnerable.

It grated on his nerves but it was the truth. Once all the guardians were gathered, he’d be safer, but without their advanced strength and other powers, he was a sitting duck. And without his visions, he didn’t know how they would all come together to keep the Chosen One protected. Until the Chosen One came, Henry was the one they had to keep safe, no matter how much it annoyed him.

Henry slid back off the counter and walked the few steps to Eduard. He nudged him with his forehead, and kept his head lowered as his alpha and father had taught him. Apologies were more than words, they were actions, too. Griffins may not follow the exact same protocols as his shifter family, but Henry hoped his point would be made. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you last night.”

Eduard cupped his hand around Henry’s neck and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You’re still learning to trust me, oh Seer mine.”

“Nah, I trust you,” Henry said with a smile. He looked up at Eduard, making sure he understood his seriousness. “I really do. I just… I know I’m the weakest link and all, but it doesn’t mean I’m powerless. My magic has always protected me.”

“I know. You have survived more than I can imagine.”

“I have,” Henry said. He tried not to think of the years he’d been held captive, the years before his dads found him and his siblings. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t need you. I won’t run off again.”

Eduard nodded and gave Henry’s neck another soft squeeze. “Now, back to hiring staff…”

Henry laughed and moved back to his spot on the counter by Sawyer. “I’ve never seen anyone here in the house in a vision, so I don’t know what that means. Then again, I’ve never even seen us here either, but I know we’re supposed to be here. Does that make sense?”