The Pack (30 page)
Authors: LM. Preston
“Yes, I will. I love you too,” she smiled back at him. He quickly embraced her in another kiss as he held her tightly in a strong clutch.
“Um, you better stop before her parents show up, dude,” Manny said.
All the kids burst out in laughter as she and Valens broke apart, embarrassed. She couldn't believe everyone witnessed her first kiss, but the whole time, she felt like they were completely alone.
“It's about time. I got sick of him looking like a starving animal every time you walked by,” Mitch said, then came up and hugged a surprised Shamira. Before she could recover from that shock, the rest of her friends came up and embraced her and Valens in a huge group hug.
“We did it. Everyone, we did it. We bought Monev down!” She led them in a chant. Her eyes landed on her parents, who ran from their car as the skies around them filled with helicopters and the ground thundered with the Security Force Elite vehicles.
Her father ran up to her, picked her up, and threw her up in the air as her mother leaned down to hug David.
“I knew you'd do it. All of you. Our new trainees for the Security Force of the future!” her father yelled loud enough for all the kids around to hear.
“Dad, did you get him? Did you get Renu and save the real Cal?” Shamira asked, anxious to hear his answer.
“I'm sorry, but regretfully, Renu and what remained of his crew escaped. Our work is not done. As of next week, you will be training under Cal. You, Valens, will be training under your father, Jason Andrews. You, Hedi, will be training under your mother, Rachelle Goodwin. You, Anthony, will be training under your father, Peter Williams. And lastly, you, Mitch, will be training under your father, Carl Poole. The rest of you all will be training under Shamira, who will be the next Security Force Elite Leader!” her father yelled and threw his fist up in the air.
Shamira saw her friends cry as their parents came out of the cars surrounding them when her father named them one by one. With her heart filled with joy at their reunion, tears fell from her eyes.
Shamira's mother came up to her and gave her a hug and a kiss. “That's my girl. I love you.”
Shamira looked around her and realized that for the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged. She had a purpose, and it included every one of these new friends she had grown to love. She held her family close, and thought to herself,
Now this is home!
LM. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge, she attended college at Bowie State University and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a sci-fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel,
Explorer X - Alpha
was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, another passion that encourages her writing.
You may write to LM. Preston at Phenomenal One Press, Attn: LM. Preston, P.O.
Box 8231, Elkridge MD 21075
