Page 34 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

“You’re doing great,” Vaughn said. “I’m going to take a quick shower, and then I could really use some cuddles if anybody is up for it.”

The tension eased, although now they were looking at him in a hopeful and suspicious way.

“Back in a few.”

The whispers started before he made it across the hall and into the bedroom next door. He didn’t listen, purposefully tuned them out so they could work together to figure out his intentions. A quick shower later, where he ended up smelling like some weird form of soapy watermelon— he’d not thought about bringing body wash for himself upstairs and had to use the kid-friendly scented one Nana had left upstairs— he pulled on his pajama pants and a T-shirt and went back into the other room.

Sam walked up behind him and they stood together in the doorway. Sam smelled like him, like the cedarwood and juniper body wash he preferred. Vaughn breathed it in, his wolf prancing once more.

Mate. Mine. Happy.

After a moment, Sam brushed by him, crossing to the kids and squatting down beside them. He was a natural and didn’t even realize it. His hand brushed Natasha’s back gently, and he gave Jack’s hair a tousle. Scenting them, subtly, without understanding what he was doing with each touch. They were his cubs, their cubs now, and anyone from their community would recognize it as such the more their scents intermingled.

Ollie pushed his way into Sam’s arms and tucked his face into Sam’s neck. Vaughn’s wolf knew that Sam was his mate; his instincts were pure and strong and had never led him wrong. Ollie’s were just as strong, instinctively leading him to trust this human, to be vulnerable with someone who would never hurt him.

“Anyone want to read a story before bed?” Vaughn asked.

Henry and Emily both looked at him eagerly.

“Pick one and come on.”

They didn’t need to be asked twice. Sam lifted Ollie and followed Vaughn into the living area between the rooms. They settled on the overstuffed couch. Jack squeezed in between them while Henry sat on Vaughn’s open side. Ben tucked himself in close to Sam while Natasha curled up on Vaughn’s lap. Emily squeezed in beside Ollie on Sam’s lap and handed Vaughn one of the books she’d carried in with her.

Vaughn’s dad had read to him for as long as he could remember. Still did, on occasion. Stuart Jerrick had a rich voice that he could twist and turn into different accents while also making the funniest sound effects. Vaughn couldn’t do that, but he’d always imagined carrying on the tradition with his cubs. His heart filled as he opened the book and turned to the first page.

They were captivated from the first words and the moment he finished, Henry pushed another book into his hands. Vaughn continued reading until the fourth and final book they’d brought had been read. “Okay. Time for bed.”

“Teeth brushed and faces washed,” Sam added. “Come on.”

None of them seemed to know what to do, but they followed Sam and did what he asked. Vaughn took the moment of distraction to try to figure out exactly how to divide them all up for sleep. The beds weren’t really big enough for all six of them to sleep together, and they wouldn’t get a lot of rest that way anyway.

The rooms were close enough that if they left the doors open they’d be able to hear each other. He really needed to make it a priority to get new furniture in the rooms for them, and tonight would be a good test to see how it would work.

He paired them up, Ben and Ollie, Henry and Jack, Emily and Natasha, and tucked them into bed as they finished washing up. “I’ll be in that room right there,” Vaughn said as Ollie pouted a little at not getting to stay with him and Sam. “So if you need me, I’ll be really close, okay?”

“He’ll be okay,” Ben said quietly.

“I know. But it’s okay if he comes to get me, Ben. I promise.”

Ben chewed his lip nervously but nodded. Vaughn leaned down and brushed his lips against the oldest boy’s hair then scented him by rubbing his cheek along the still damp from the shower strands.

“Alphas don’t break their promises, Ben.”

“Okay,” Ben whispered.

He and Sam made the rounds, reassuring them all and getting everyone as settled as they could be. Sam finished first and went back to the couch to sit down. Vaughn stood in the doorway of Henry and Jack’s room for a moment, watching him and wondering how he was going to begin to explain it all. He could see the questions forming in Sam’s mind as he stared, but when Sam glanced up at him and their eyes met, he made one more promise he wouldn’t break: he’d convince Sam that this was where he was meant to be.