Page 133 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

“I told you to call me Vaughn. Where is Henry?”

“In the restroom,” Draco said. “His uncle just left.”

“I passed Meshaq going out. He said he’d found something. I hope he finds out who did this sooner rather than later.”

As he spoke, Vaughn sat the oxygen tank beside the bed, then attached a plastic tube. He unrolled it and placed the cannula in Sawyer’s nose. He adjusted the tubing and secured it before beginning the flow of the tank.

Once he was finished, he turned back to Draco. “Henry knows how to check the tank and adjust things if he needs to. This tank should get you through the day and I’m hoping that’s all we’ll need. Listen to his heart and breathing carefully. Have Henry call me if his condition changes. Otherwise, I’ll be back in the morning.”

Draco placed his fist over his heart and bowed to Vaughn. “Thank you. If there’s anything I can do for you or your pack, name it.”

“You can keep my son safe,” Vaughn said.

“I will,” Draco promised.

“Henry! I’m leaving. Get your butt out here and say goodbye!”

Henry opened the bathroom door and came rushing out. He tripped over his feet and landed against his dad’s chest with an oomph.

“You take care of yourself,” Vaughn said. “And if you need anything—”

“I’ll call.”

“You better.”

“Bye, Dad. Hug Papa for me.”

“I will. Call your Nana so she doesn’t yell at me.”

Henry grinned. “I’ll call her tonight.”

Vaughn left and Henry leaned against the bed with a quiet sigh.

Draco couldn’t resist moving closer, even though he should. He leaned in and wrapped his arm around Henry’s chest, pulling him in so Henry’s back was against Draco. “You okay?”

“It’s weird not being with my pack,” Henry said. “But I guess we’re kind of a pack now, huh?”

It wasn’t exactly the way Draco thought of them, but he could see that it would make sense to Henry to call them a pack. The more little tidbits were revealed from Henry’s past, the more curious Draco became about him. How, exactly, had a mage been raised by a pack of shifters? And he’d referred to multiple siblings in a time when most clans were struggling to have children.

Instead of disagreeing, Draco pulled Henry closer. He leaned in and pressed his cheek to Henry’s. “You’ll have two packs fussing over you now. Just imagine it.”

His teasing had the desired effect. Henry snorted out a laugh and gently elbowed him in the stomach.

“Jerk,” he said with another chuckle. “I can barely manage the one I’ve got.”