Page 101 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

“They have really powerful senses. And they’re super strong for their size. Did you know that?”

“I did,” Vaughn said.

“Good. It’s important to know things.”

She went back to the couch and curled up with the others. Vaughn made his way into the kitchen where Sam was warming up a pot of soup at the stove. Vaughn inhaled and let the aroma waft through him. “Nana’s potato soup.”

“Yep. She made it yesterday and left it for us. I told her we could manage for ourselves for one day, but she won’t listen.”

“Speaking of managing for ourselves, Mom and Dad are watching the kids tonight so we can go out to dinner.”

“Yeah?” Sam looked up, intrigued.

“Yep. I’ll be back around six.”

“I can’t wait.”

Vaughn grinned and grabbed soup bowls down from the cabinet. They managed to get everyone fed and back on task within forty-five minutes. It was a new record.

“Come on, Ben. Let’s get back to the clinic. You guys be good for your Papa. And Papa, I’ll see you at six.”

Sam winked at him as he and Ben went out the back door. Ben had his kit in his hands, and Vaughn could sense his excitement. The afternoon passed quickly with Ben letting the kittens climb all over him while Vaughn did charts and paperwork. They handled Vaughn’s patients together and Ben charmed all the pet owners with his sweet smile and kind heart. He’d not seen a pet yet that didn’t calm down when Ben was around.

They’d just settled down in an empty exam room to start working on the grasshopper dissection when Vaughn heard the sound of a portal opening, and then his name being shouted. He took off for the front door and found Meshaq and Solomon hurrying through the yard, each with a severely wounded wolf shifter in their arms.

“Shot by hunters,” Shaq said quickly. “They’re in bad shape.”

“Take him to exam room one, Shaq. Dad’ll be there in a sec. Sol, follow me.”

“Dad, what can I do?” Ben asked.

“Wash up, son. Quickly.”

Ben nodded and ran for the back room.

His parents heard the commotion, too, and both of them came running. “Dad, take room one. Mom, assist.”

“What about you?”

Vaughn looked over his shoulder. “Ben’s helping me.”

Stuart made another of his complicated faces before hurrying into the exam room. Time seemed to slow then. Vaughn knew it hadn’t, but it was always the way when he dealt with true emergencies. Everything went in warp speed, but in his mind, he could take his time and make decisions. Sol stayed with them, pitching in to help as well. The bullet had gone into the female wolf’s shoulder and she was losing a lot of blood. He checked for an exit wound and didn’t find one.

“Ben, get me one of the surgery kits, son. And hurry.”

Vaughn washed his hands and pulled on a sterile gown and gloves. His focus narrowed on his patient, and he concentrated all of his energy into getting the bullet safely out of her and the bleeding stopped. She’d lost a lot of blood, and Ben helped him get the supplies he needed to get a line started for her. He also ran the blood type test on his own and got the stock they needed.

It wasn’t until he clipped the last stitch and straightened up that he realized hours had passed. Ben looked a little shocked, and Vaughn realized he’d just sat through his first surgery. “Son?”

“That was amazing, Dad. You just… you saved her.”

Vaughn stripped out of his dirty gown and gloves and encouraged Ben to do the same. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Ben. I’m really proud of you.”

Ben blushed, but his back straightened.

“I just did what you said.”

“Exactly. You did what I said, and you helped me save her.”

“Really?”

Vaughn pulled Ben into a hug. “Really, son. I am so proud of you. Let’s go check on Pop-pop and Grammy.”

His dad was just finishing up surgery on their second patient, so Vaughn turned to Meshaq. “We should get their pack here. They’ll need them when they wake up.”

Shaq nodded and he and Sol left. Karen came in for her night shift, and it was only then that Vaughn realized he’d missed his promised date with Sam. He left his patient in his dad and Karen’s capable hands and walked home with his arm around Ben while his son rehashed everything he’d seen and asked a couple hundred questions.

Sam was dozing on the couch when they walked in, his tie pulled loose and the top button of his shirt undone.

“Papa?” Ben said quietly.

Sam opened his eyes and sat up. “How are they?”

“Papa, we saved them. I helped. We had to get a bullet out and do a blood transfusion and…”

Ben rattled on, recounting the entire process again for Sam, who listened raptly to every moment of the play-by-play. Goddess, he loved his mate more than anything. He couldn’t have found a more perfect companion. Even though he hadn’t been able to have the romantic evening he’d hoped, he’d find a way to make it up to Sam. No one deserved a special night more, and Vaughn was determined to make it happen.