The Chosen One Universe Volume Three: An MM Paranormal Fantasy Shifters Series

by Macy Blake

  Henry closed his eyes and focused, finding his magic easily. He’d been so afraid it was gone, having been drained out of him, but it was there and stronger than ever, sparkling with life. He opened his eyes.

  “That’s weird.”

  “What, love?” Ever the doctor, Vaughn had his stethoscope against Henry’s chest and listened to him breathing. Henry didn’t even have to be asked to take the deep breaths his dad wanted him to take with each movement of the little metal circle on his chest. He waited to answer the question until his dad pulled away and popped the earpieces out of his ears.

  “I think… I think I’m stronger? No, not that exactly. Something has changed though.”

  “Something good?”

  Magic bubbled happily inside him. “Yeah,” Henry said. “Something good.”

  SAEWARD

  Henry’s voice pulled him out of slumber. Ward opened his eyes first, glancing at the unfamiliar white ceiling over his head. Then his memories came rushing back, and he sat up.

  “It’s okay. Ward, I’m here. It’s okay.”

  Henry fought with the blankets covering his legs. Sam came around the bed to help him. “I’m fine, Papa.”

  “You’ve been unconscious for three days. Don’t argue with me.”

  Henry grunted but let his father help him up. He stumbled over to Ward’s bed and sat down beside him. “Everyone’s fine. Sawyer’s fine. We’re all okay.”

  Ward let out a breath and pulled Henry to him. “I was so scared.”

  “I know. Me, too. Papa says everyone’s been taking good care of us, and that Sawyer got back earlier today. Draco woke up pretty quickly and didn’t sleep for days taking care of us, so Sawyer made him go rest.”

  Ward nodded and turned his face into Henry’s neck. He breathed him in, never so thankful to have one of his mates by his side.

  “It’s okay,” Henry whispered. “I’ve got you.”

  “I couldn’t… I couldn’t stop it. You were all down, and Sawyer was left and… I couldn’t stop it.”

  “No, Ward, you couldn’t have stopped it. Let’s have Sawyer explain it all, okay? But I know you did everything you could.”

  Ward couldn’t shake that feeling of fear. It crawled over him, sending a shiver down his spine. Henry clung to him, holding him more tightly than ever.

  “My Nana’s going to be here soon. She’s bringing me something to eat. Dad went to call her. Be prepared. She’s gonna hug you and feed you.”

  Ward nodded, unwilling to lift his head. “The others?”

  “In rooms beside us. We’ll go check on them in a minute, okay? Let’s get your bearings back. Papa? Will you go check on them for us?”

  Ward lifted his head and glanced toward Henry’s father. “Thank you, Sam.”

  “You’re welcome. Don’t let Henry get up, okay?”

  “I’m not planning on letting him move.”

  Sam grinned and touched Henry’s head for a moment before walking out of the room.

  They sat quietly for several minutes, listening to each other breathe. When Henry’s great-grandmother walked into the room with a large tray in her arms, they finally separated.

  “Henry,” Nana Jerrick gasped. She put the tray on his abandoned bed and came up to them both with her arms outstretched.

  “Nana,” Henry laughed as she squished him in between them.

  Ward couldn’t help his small smile. He’d always wanted a family like this. His fears eased with the comfort he found holding his mate and being squeezed by an older werewolf who’d clearly forgotten her own strength. Not that he cared. He could stand it for as long as she’d continue showing how much she cared.

  “Nana,” Henry coughed. “Oxygen.”

  She grumbled but let them go. Henry turned around in Ward’s arms, managing to get himself across Ward’s lap with his back against Ward’s chest. Ward kept his arms around him, keeping him close.

  “You boys hungry?”

  “Starving,” Henry said. “Please tell me that is your potato soup I smell. Please, please tell me.”

  “What else would I have made for you?”

  Henry bounced a little and turned to look over his shoulder at Ward. “You’re gonna like this. It’s so good. Nana always cooks when she’s worried.”

  “I always cook, period. Don’t you sass me.”

  “I’m not. Honestly tell me that you didn’t peel a hundred potatoes to vent your worry about us.”

  She glared but even Ward could see she wasn’t really upset. “It really is soothing. You shush and eat. You, too, Ward. You aren’t too big and strong to listen to your Nana, you hear me?”

  “Yes, Nana.”

  “Good boys, both of you. I’ll sweet-talk Vaughn into letting you both go into the room with your mates once those bowls are empty.”

  Henry nodded. “Thanks, Nana.”

  She patted him once more before walking out, leaving them both with warm bowls of soup in their hands. Ward pulled in a breath, the savory aroma of potato and cheese filling his nose. The scents grounded him in warmth and home. They were going to be okay. He hadn’t lost them after all.

  EDUARD

  Eduard moved back to consciousness slowly. He heard sounds and movements around him, and for a brief moment, he thought he was at home with his mates. Andvari had probably gotten up early again, likely to do some fancy zen workout thing with the sunrise. He smiled and opened his eyes, finding himself in an unfamiliar room.

  “What—“

  “Eduard!”

  His father’s face appeared above him. He looked exhausted. “Dad?”

  Augustus leaned down and pressed his forehead to Eduard’s. “Thank the goddess you’re okay.”

  It all came back to him in a rush. Eduard grabbed his dad’s arm in a panic. “My mates.”

  “They’re fine. I promise. All of them are fine. Sawyer made a trip to the god realm, but he’s back now. I’ll let him tell you all about it.”

  The panic began to ease. “Where—“

  “Andvari is here with you.” Augustus glanced toward Eduard’s side before turning back to him. “The others are in different rooms. They didn’t have one big enough to accommodate all of you.”

  “Okay. Okay. They’re okay.”

  “I promise you, son. They’re okay.”

  “I need to get up. I need to see for myself.”

  Augustus nodded and patted his arm. “Hold on, then. Let me get Dr. Jerrick. I don’t want you moving until he gives you the all clear.”

  Luckily, it didn’t take long for the doctor to walk in. Henry’s dad met his gaze with a pleased smile. “Henry and Saeward are awake as well. They will be coming this way in a few minutes. Let’s check on you, first.”

  Eduard allowed the examination but only because it was his mate’s father. He wouldn’t insult him, no matter that he itched to throw a tantrum and find his mates immediately.

  His father began to fuss over him the moment Vaughn finished his exam. “Dad, I’m fine. You said so yourself.”

  “Doesn’t mean you boys didn’t take ten years off my life with this stunt.”

  “Tell me about it,” Vaughn added. “I’m just glad Sawyer managed to convince Draco to sleep. I thought I was going to have to get his cousins to pin him down so I could give him a shot and knock him out.”

  “That wouldn’t have gone well.”

  Vaughn grunted. “Rather that than the lecture I’d have received from my son because I’d let his mate run himself into the ground. I’d rather face a pissed off dragon.”

  Andvari gasped next to him, bolting upright and reaching for his sword. It wasn’t there.

  “You’re okay,” Vaughn said quickly. “Your mates are fine. Everyone is fine.”

  “Dad, help me up,” Eduard demanded.

  It took both Vaughn and Augustus to help him. His legs buckled at the first attempt but he forced himself forward to Andvari’s side. Andvari was pale and trembling.

  “Has he had blood?” Eduard
asked quickly.

  “No,” Vaughn answered. “We didn’t want to give him anything until we knew more. I didn’t want to risk drawing from any of you, and I didn’t want to give him a stranger’s blood either.”

  It made sense.

  “I’m fine,” Andvari said weakly. “You need to—“

  “Dr. Vaughn, can you do a small transfusion from each of us? It doesn’t have to be a lot, but he won’t be able to regain his strength otherwise.”

  “Eduard—“

  “Son, I’d recommend you stop arguing with him,” Augustus said, cutting Vaughn off. “I’ve seen that look in his eyes before, and it’s not one to be messed with.”

  “Eduard,” Andvari said softly.

  “They’re okay. My father wouldn’t mislead us. Neither would Henry’s.”

  “I need to see them.”

  “You will. Henry and Ward will be here soon.”

  “Let me get some blood drawn, Eduard. We’ll see what we can do to get him feeling better.”

  “Thank you.”

  Vaughn left the room. Andvari weakly squeezed Eduard’s hand. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know. Dad?”

  “They said it was some kind of magical explosion or something,” Augustus explained. “Palinourous pulled magic from all of you to use against Sawyer from what we can gather. His plan backfired.”

  “Literally,” Andvari said, rubbing his chest. “I feel terrible.”

  Eduard lifted his wrist to Andvari’s mouth.

  “I can wait, love. Doc will take care of me and keep me from taking too much. You need your strength, too.”

  But Eduard needed Andvari to be strong more than he needed his own strength. He hated seeing his mate like this. It brought back too many memories of nearly losing him after the raven attack a while back.

  “The ravens,” Eduard said suddenly.

  “What about them?”

  “They’re gone. I hadn’t really thought about it. Where are they?”

  Andvari looked concerned. “I don’t know. But we need to find out.”

  “Andi,” Henry gasped from the doorway.

  Ward had his arm around Henry’s waist and held him secure. Their mage clearly felt as weak as Eduard and Andvari. Ward didn’t seem quite as affected, but then, he was also quite good at hiding his pain. Eduard vowed to keep a close eye on him to make sure he got the care he needed, along with the rest of them.

  PIP

  Something was wrong. Pip opened his eyes and looked around the unfamiliar room. He was in a hospital bed. Dakota and Loch were in beds beside him. Pip’s heart began to race. He felt like shit. Weak and tired. He’d never been so tired. He wasn’t even sure he had the strength to stand.

  A familiar bubble of panic reached his chest. He didn’t like feeling trapped, especially after not being able to leave the room he’d been held captive in for months. The room that Dakota had been able to get into. Pip forced his legs over the side of the bed and clung to the monitor beeping away beside him for support. He stumbled slowly over to Dakota’s side before climbing onto the bed next to him. He shivered, the ridiculous hospital gown he wore covering nothing and letting a draft in.

  “Dakota?” Pip needed him to open his eyes. “Please, Dakota. I’m scared.”

  With a gasp, Dakota pulled in a breath and opened his eyes.

  “Thank the goddess,” Pip said. He tucked his face into Dakota’s neck and breathed.

  “Where are we?” Dakota asked.

  “I don’t know. I just woke up and… I don’t know what happened. I feel terrible.”

  Dakota grunted. “You’re shivering.”

  “I’m cold.”

  “Come on. Get under the blanket.”

  “Are you sure?” Pip asked. “I know you don’t like—“

  “Get in.”

  Dakota tugged the blanket while Pip lifted up enough to get it free. He gasped the moment it covered him. Dakota was really warm. He sighed, snuggling closer. “Thank you.”

  “You’re okay now.”

  “I wasn’t scared once I saw you. I knew you could get us out,” Pip confessed. “And Loch will wake up soon. I’m sure of it. And then we’ll find the others and… everything will be okay again. Won’t it?”

  “Everything will be fine,” Dakota said. “This place smells… well, like a hospital, but familiar. Can you smell it?”

  Dakota pulled in a deep breath, his chest expanding under Pip’s head. He did the same, breathing in and out with Dakota. “It does.”

  Pip heard footsteps coming their way and froze.

  “Shh. I’ve got you.”

  An unfamiliar face appeared at the door.

  “Hi.”

  He was big. Really big, actually. But he looked kinda nice?

  “Hi,” Pip said. Dakota practically vibrated beneath him, coiled and ready to attack. It somehow made Pip breathe easier.

  “I’m Ben, Henry’s brother.”

  Pip let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the goddess.”

  Ben smiled. “You’re at our clinic. My dad and grandpa have been looking out for you while you recovered.”

  “Our mates?” Dakota asked.

  “Everyone is safe and starting to wake up. Dad sent me to check on you guys. We’re prepping for blood transfusions for Andvari.”

  “Is he—“ Pip didn’t know what to ask so he stopped.

  “He’s a little weak. Vampires often require blood to recover. We held off giving him a transfusion, though, because we weren’t sure how it would affect you guys. Eduard said to do it, though, so we’re trusting him to know.”

  “Yeah, it’s fine. Anything he needs,” Pip said. “Is he here?”

  “Next door with Eduard. Henry and Saeward are here, too. Draco and Sawyer are down at one of the guest houses. Draco woke up first and needless to say, he needed to sleep. He didn’t sleep for days watching out for you guys.”

  Pip gulped. “Days?”

  Ben nodded, prepping a tray with some tubes and needles beside the bed. “Three days. Now technically, I’m not licensed to do this, but if you’ll trust me, I’ll get this done super quick.”

  Pip glanced at Dakota who nodded. He held out his arm and Ben wrapped the plastic band thing around him. His arm throbbed, but the vein popped up in the crease of his elbow. Pip closed his eyes and tucked his face back into Dakota’s neck while Ben finished doing the task. He only hissed a little when he the needle bit into his skin, but it was over before he knew it.

  “How about you?” Ben asked.

  Dakota must have nodded or something because Ben moved to the other side of the bed and repeated the action on Dakota’s arm.

  “I wouldn’t touch Loch,” Dakota advised. “Not yet, anyway. If we’re all awake, it shouldn’t be much longer. And trust me, you don’t want to be the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes.”

  Ben nodded. “He knows me at least, but I get it.”

  “We’ll take care of him,” Pip said.

  “I’ll let the others know you’re awake. Is there anything else I can do?”

  “No,” Dakota replied. “We need our mates.”

  “I’ll send them to you,” Ben said.

  Pip clung a little tighter once Ben left and Dakota rearranged them so he had an arm curled around Pip’s shoulders. “You need to rest.”

  “I wish Loch would wake up.”

  “What makes you think I’m not awake?”

  “Loch!”

  Pip jerked back into a sitting position and might have accidentally kneed Dakota in the balls. His mate grunted and paled. “I’m so sorry. I just got excited and oh my god, should I get you some ice or something?”

  “For my nuts? You want to freeze them off next?”

  Pip patted the bulge, then groped it a tiny bit when he realized it was bigger than he’d been expecting— he was mated to a horse, after all.

  “Are you seriously trying to figure out how big my dick is right now?”

  Pip looked up g
uiltily.

  “Not as big as Draco or Saeward. But close,” Loch replied.

  Pip bit his lip and glanced over at the pretty blue eyes he’d hoped to see. “You’re okay?”

  Loch didn’t reply. “Where are the rest of our mates?”

  “Draco and Sawyer are sleeping. The others will be here soon,” Pip explained.

  “You need to rest,” Dakota said again. He tugged Pip back down against his chest, being careful to guard his groin against another attack.

  Pip settled in, his eyes already fighting to remain open. “Don’t leave me,” Pip whispered.

  “One of us will stay with you,” Dakota promised. “You are not alone.”

  Pip tightened his hold on Dakota’s body, the sincerity in his mate’s voice the only thing allowing him to close his eyes and give into the call of sleep.

  Dakota

  Dakota opened his eyes when someone cleared their throat at his door. One of Draco’s dragon cousins stood there. It took Dakota a second to remember his name.

  “Yes, Coal?”

  “We have intruders.”

  Dakota eased Pip off of his chest before sliding off the bed carefully. “Tell me,” he demanded. “Where are the others?”

  “Well, that’s the thing. I didn’t get the others because they claim they are your siblings and are demanding to be let inside the wards. We have them contained, but I thought it best to come get you.”

  Dakota closed his eyes and groaned. “I’m coming. Loch?” The fae climbed from his bed, ready to help. “I promised him one of us would stay.”

  “I will not leave him.” Loch touched Dakota’s arm fleetingly before climbing into bed beside Pip and holding him close.

  Dakota waited a moment for them to settle then followed the dragon down the hall, as much as he didn’t want to. Outside, as he suspected, his family stood just outside the wards, surrounded by dragons and vampires.

  It wasn’t a surprise when Nyx began yelling the moment she caught sight of him. “Where the fuck have you been? Why aren’t you answering our phone calls? Asshole move, Dakota. Total asshole.”