Page 14 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

Sam

As they drove away from the old house, Sam tried to concentrate on his breathing. Ollie was sitting with him since there weren’t enough seats for them all otherwise, even with the infamous back seat of Vaughn’s SUV sitting up. The little guy had barely lasted five minutes before he fell asleep in Sam’s arms. Vaughn and Meshaq were in the front seats, and Ben was in the middle row beside Sam. The other kids were seated in the far back row of the Suburban.

Sam glanced over at Ben, who looked terrified, so he reached over and laid his hand on Ben’s arm. The boy looked over at him then glanced down at Ollie before reaching over with his other hand and carefully setting it on top of Sam’s. Sam looked into the back and the other kids were all leaning against each other.

None of them had any idea where they were going or what to expect. Sam wished he could offer comfort, but he was so far out of his element he barely knew which end was up. They drove to the other side of town and into a heavily wooded area. It took about twenty minutes before Vaughn slowed and followed the others down a long drive bordered by a pristine white fence.

Sam had seen pictures of big horse farms in Kentucky that looked like this. His dad was a big fan of horses, and even though they’d never been able to afford one, Sam had been on a couple camping trips where they’d ridden. That was a long time ago, before his dad’s back injury meant he couldn’t do any of the things they used to enjoy, but his dad’s dream house had always looked something like this.

The house itself was much bigger than Sam had expected, even though he really hadn’t had time to think about where they were going at all. But the place was big, had every window lit up, and had room for the half dozen cars that pulled into the driveway with extra space to spare.

The younger kids all leaned forward and looked at the place in awe. It was night and day different from the hovel they’d just been in.

Ben squeezed Sam’s hand and looked both concerned and hopeful.

The pack members in the lead cars climbed out first. Meshaq opened his door and the sudden light made Ollie whimper and curl closer into Sam’s shoulder. He rubbed Ollie’s back slowly even as Vaughn got out and opened Sam’s door for him. He maneuvered his way out of the SUV with Ollie in his arms and waited for the rest of the kids to follow. Ben slid over and climbed out on Sam’s side as well, and then they all huddled near Sam like he had all the answers.

He didn’t, but he spent all day, every day reassuring a classroom full of hormonal preteens, so he could handle a few anxious kids. All he had to do was stay calm, keep talking, and get them distracted.

“Everything’s going to be fine, guys. I promise. Now, I’m pretty sure Alpha Jerrick said something about sandwiches, and I don’t know about you guys, but I could really use a sandwich and maybe some milk. Ben?”

The older boy nodded. “I… I’d like a sandwich.”

“Me, too,” Henry said timidly. “We didn’t get to have dinner because we were bad.”

Sam ignored the angry noises he heard from the surrounding pack members and focused on staying calm and in control for the kids. “Then let’s go inside and check this place out. Okay?”

He began to walk forward, and the kids all kept close to his side. Vaughn and Meshaq led the way and stopped beside an older couple on the porch.

“Sam, these are my parents, Stuart and Joanne. Sam helped us tonight.” Sam smiled at them, unable to move closer because of the wall of kids surrounding him.

Vaughn paused and gestured Ben forward next. “And this is Ben.”

Stuart pulled Ben forward and they rested their heads together for a moment. He moved to Joanne next, who repeated the gesture, and then she began to coo over Ben. The boy immediately began to blush.

Henry came next, and then the rest of the kids. Ollie was still asleep against Sam, but they touched his head softly as well before they all went into the house.

Sam only thought the outside of the house was big. But the inside? The inside was huge. Most of Vaughn’s pack members as well as the hellhounds stayed outside while Vaughn and his parents led Sam and the kids through to the large kitchen. An older woman bustled around by the stove, but she paused once they entered the room.

“Hey, Nana,” Vaughn said. “Dad called you?”

“Of course, he did. And, oh my, who did you bring home? Look at these young ones! Vaughn! What are you waiting for? Get them in a seat. They must be hungry after all that excitement.”

Vaughn grinned over at Sam as he led Henry and Jack over to the large wooden table at one end of the room. “Better listen to Nana. She won’t let us have dessert if we don’t have our listening ears turned on.”

Sam hung back, making sure they all got a seat, trying not to be charmed by Vaughn and his sweet Nana. He kept his attention on the kids, watching as they fidgeted a bit, not entirely sure what was happening. The adults in the room were trying to set them at ease, no one making any sudden movements and everyone speaking in quiet voices.

Nana put a plate of sandwiches on the table before passing around a stack of paper plates. She had each of the kids take one, and then placed a sandwich on each of their plates. She had five sets of eyes locked on her but didn’t seem to notice. “Go on now,” she said. “Eat up.”

They didn’t need to be told again. Even as she poured glasses of milk and set them in front of their plates, the kids devoured the sandwiches like they hadn’t eaten in days.

Sam instinctively tightened his hold on Ollie, wondering if he should wake him up and offer him something as well.

“You okay?” Vaughn asked. “Want me to take him?”

“I’m fine. Just not sure if I should wake him up to eat. He’s really out.”

Vaughn smiled and placed his hand on Ollie’s head. “Let him sleep. If he needed to eat, he’d have woken up when he smelled the food.”