Page 9 of The Chosen One Universe: Volume One

Brooks adjusted his step and moved beside Sam. He didn’t say anything, just grabbed Sam’s arm on occasion to guide him around something on the ground. They walked for what felt like hours. Sam hadn’t thought to grab his cell and gave himself a mental kick for wandering off into the woods in the middle of the night without any form of communication.

Vaughn kept a steady pace, occasionally speaking quietly to different pack members as they appeared from between the trees. Sam realized after a while that they were scouting the area by running ahead to find the next item of clothing Ollie had dropped and reporting back to Vaughn. Finally, more and more of the pack stayed with them, and they seemed to be set on their destination.

Before too much longer, they slowed and the rest of the pack appeared in front of them.

“About a hundred yards ahead,” Travis said softly to Vaughn. “I’m getting a pretty big whiff of magic. Didn’t get close enough to suss out much more than that. Didn’t want to trigger any alarms.”

“Understood,” Vaughn said. “Brooks, take Ollie. Stay close, but out of the way. If things go bad, get him the hell out of here.”

He handed the boy over, and Ollie barely made a sound as he cuddled against the other man’s chest. Vaughn touched his hair gently, smoothing the damp strands away from Ollie’s forehead. Then he turned around, and Sam watched as he readied himself for whatever it was they were facing.

“Travis, how much of the place could you see?”

“Enough. Windows are all barred over. I think I saw the spot the little guy told us about. Looks like an attic vent.”

“Okay, find me a way in.”

They all nodded and jogged away, fanning out as they went. Vaughn then turned to Sam.

“I don’t suppose I can convince you to stay back here with Brooks and Ollie?”

“Highly doubtful.”

Vaughn sighed. “Then I need you to stay behind me and do what I say without argument, okay? I don’t know what we’re walking into.”

“I get it. I’ll stay back until it’s safe.”

Vaughn nodded and reached out for Sam’s arm. “Come on. I want to get close enough to see for myself.”

Sam let Vaughn guide him through the last stretch of woods before a clearing appeared. In the center of it sat a run-down, old farmhouse. Even in the spotty moonlight, Sam could see the peeling paint and sagging wood on the back porch. Vaughn stopped and a couple pack members appeared beside him.

“Looks like the windows are spelled in addition to the bars, but I think I can fit through the attic vent.” The woman was petite, but Sam doubted even she was tiny enough to fit through an opening that had only managed to fit a small child.

Vaughn stared at the house for a long moment. “Try. Travis, go with Karen. I’m going to try the direct approach. If that doesn’t work, I want a hole torn in that roof big enough to get those kids out.”

Several of the pack members nodded and darted toward the house. Sam hung back as Vaughn started walking around to the front of the house, but he made sure to keep the alpha in his sight. Calm as you please, Vaughn walked up the steps to the front porch and knocked on the door. He waited about three seconds then pounded about twenty times.

A light came on in one of the downstairs windows, and when Sam glanced up, he saw the faces of several children peering through the glass of an upstairs window. He waved, unsure if they could even see him, but he hoped he looked friendly. If he’d heard pounding like that on his door as a child, he’d have been scared half to death. Then again, from what Ollie had told them, these kids were already terrified.

When the door finally jerked open, Sam’s eyes about bulged out of his head. Half of his brain had been expecting some Miss Hannigan type of woman in Mrs. Foote, but nope. She looked like your average soccer mom next door. Sam dared to take a step closer.

“You can’t be here,” she hissed at Vaughn.

And there it was. The darkness Sam had expected made an appearance in just a few short words.

“I would advise you to open this door and get out of my way.” Vaughn’s voice deepened into a low growl that sent a shiver of fear down Sam’s spine. Mrs. Foote didn’t seem to be affected by it.

“You’ve made a mistake, Alpha. You need to leave before I make you leave.”

Vaughn laughed. Actually laughed like she’d said the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. For all Sam knew, she had.

“That’s the approach you’re going to take? You know, I have the alpha of the hellhounds on speed dial, and last I heard they have agreements with a few of the most powerful of your kind. I wonder how long it would take Meshaq to get here when I tell him you’re abusing cubs. You want to find out?”

She hissed, and Sam nearly called out a warning to Vaughn when he noticed blue sparks forming at the end of her fingers.

“Don’t,” one of the pack whispered from behind him. Sam nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn’t realized anyone had stayed with him, but of course, Vaughn would have made sure he was safe, too. The spoken warning from the pack member worked and Sam stayed silent, waiting and keeping a close eye on the woman in the doorway.

“Brooks,” Vaughn called out. “You mind hitting speed dial for me? Because Mrs. Foote here doesn’t seem to think I’m serious.”