Strong One

Chapter 7 Unexpected

Ethan POV

We are flying for about an hour and have covered some great distance.  Soren slows and circles above some dense forest area.  As he does, I spot a small wooden hunter's cabin.  "I can sense 4 other people, two in the cabin and two just off to the side with our mate.  I will take care of the two with our mate.  Dante, please take care of the two inside the cabin" Soren says before he spirals downwards towards the forest floor.

As soon as he's touched the floor, Ry slips from his back stripping his clothes to shift again.  Once Dante is in command again.  Soren nods and Dante, moves silently towards the cabin. "Just what has the government been doing?  He doesn't look to be more than a young kid, but you saw those nails or claw's, right?" We hear one of the men watching over our mate say.

"Hey, I'm hear for the reward only.  I'm not going to ask questions or guess as to what the government have been playing at" the other answers.  I see out mate cowering in an electrified cage and feel my anger explode seeing the cuts and chains around his ankles and wrists.

"NOW!" Soren roars through the link.  For such a big dragon he moves very quickly and lightly on his feet.  He burns one of the men to a crisp as he grabs the other in between his talons and crushes him.  Out mate whimpers and tries to make himself smaller in the far back corner of the cage.

"It's alright little one, we are here to help" I link him, trying to reassure him that we won't hurt him.  He peeks out from his arms wrapped tightly around his knees.  His eyes seem to flash, yellow, then black and back to his amazing dark blue colour.

"M, ma, mate" he stutters.  Dante walks up to the cage, licking some blood from his mouth. "Sweet Jesus what have they done to him?" Ry asks seeing the condition of our mate.  "Dante, let Ry shift and hopefully that will reassure our mate, we aren't going to harm him" I say

We feel the air stare and then Ry is standing in front of the cage. He looks around and disconnects the battery that was being used to electrify the cage.  He then unlocks it and opens up the door.  "Hey, beautiful, we are here to help.  I need to get these chains from you, okay?" he says and waits a few beats before stepping into the cage.

"M, mate" our mate says.  "That's right we are your mate's.  We won't let anyone harm you again, ever" Ry states firmly.  He holds out a hand and lets our mate sniff it.  "Can you let me see your hands?" Ry asks.  But our mate seems to be checking Ry over.  "Er sorry my shorts are out there somewhere" he apologises realising he's naked.

Our mate looks at him and smiles, I feel Soren as well as Dante relax a little seeing it. "Your hands" Ry reminds him.  Our mate unwraps his arms from his bent legs and looks at the chains around his wrists.  Ry is careful to not make any sudden movements as he reaches for the chains. We watch as breaks them from our mate's wrists.

Our mate looks at the one's around his ankles and then up at Ry. He then extends them towards him.  Ry makes quick work of them and then holds out a hand to our mate.  I wait while holding my breath, to see if he will take Ry's hand or not.  As he goes to reach for it, his hand turns into a large furry paw, and out mate cries in pain.

Ry quickly pulls him into his embrace and the paw changes back into a hand again.  "Okay little one, I've got you, I've got you" Ry repeats backing out of the cage now carrying our mate. "I think he's been experimented on or made" Soren says sounding puzzled. "I sense that he is more than just a simple shifter, but can't quite workout what it is, he is" he continues.

"We need to get him back to the pack. The doc can have a look at him" Ry says as he puts our mate down on Soren's back and rushes back to where he threw his clothes.  Once he's dressed, he comes back and climbs on Soren's back. Taking our mate in his arms. Soren turns his head to check they are safely on, before pushing off the ground and flying up through the trees, careful that the branches don't go close to Ry and our mate.