𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 - 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞

10

Henry Russels 

The prisoner gasps. Surprised and falls to the ground.

Safety first. I go for the man with the gun. Since he can't see a damn thing I go for his gun first. Otherwise, he might kill his prisoner by mistake. Even this big buy, I think he's 6'2 tall, goes down pretty quick. He never saw me coming.

'Thanks for not making a sound.' I take the man up. When I notice I'm being pulled towards him. It's something weird. Mostly because I know that I will not find my mate. 'Are you okay?'

He nods carefully. His eyes lock on me. Beautiful clear brown eyes. He is a bit taller than me but not by much.

'What's your name?' I break his chains by his ankles first. Even though I can feel it burn. Silver. Well, I suppose it's better than that they find other alternatives for us. Then I break the ones around his wrists.

'Tomas.' He answers.

I take him with me. 'I have some water for you and you can get some rest. You're safe now.'

Tomas looks around. 'Dead?'

It seems like he answers with one word only. What did they do to him? 'Of course, otherwise, they'll come after us. This way.'

Arriving at the cave, I can see Keaton jumping up.

'I heard a gunshot. 'Worried he looks at the man next to me. 'I thought you were injured.'

I shake my head. 'No, but the hunters are all dead.' I give my water bottle to Tomas. Which he accepts thankfully. Careful I feel his legs and arms to see if there's a wound I overlooked. 'They just chained you up and that's it?' I take the water bottle quick. 'Not all at once, okay. I don't know when we reach a river or the land of a pack.'

'Do we stay here for the night?' Keaton wants to know.

It will be better because we all had some rest, I suppose. 'Yeah.' I lay my bag down. 'Get some rest.'

Keaton makes it himself easy and comfortable for as much as possible. It doesn't take long or his breathing becomes quieter.

I give Tomas a muesli bar. To see that it disappears really fast. He must have been quite hungry. 'It's something, okay. Get some sleep.'

With just a nod he lays down.

***

Because of a movement, I wake up. Not knowing what it is, I sit up straight. Looking for any sign that someone found us. But my eyes get pulled to the man next tome. Tomas. His dirty blonde hair is messy and with some dirt in it from the ground. It seems that he sleeps restlessly.

I hush him immediately and put my arm around him. To calm him down but also that he won't expose our position. 'Calm down, Tomas. It's me, Henry.' I say with a soft voice. 'Ssh. Calm down.' Without thinking, I give him a light kiss on his temple.

Finally, he stops moving. Except for turning around and hiding in my arms.

'It's okay.' A bit cuddling helps him to calm down. Only to fall asleep again. This time with Tomas in my arms. I even feel something to my right and I turn my head. Keaton moved a little closer in his sleep. I can't believe thatTomas, as a big guy he is, is a cuddler and likes to be in someone's arms.

By the time I wake up the second time, I can see some sunlight coming through the trees. Even now I still have Tomas in my arms. Safe and sound asleep. Which makes it easier to look at him.

His dirty blonde hair all over the place. Brows are not too thin but quite normal with a small bow over his eyes. For a man, he has long lashes and high cheekbones. Soft skin too. Just like light pink plump lips. Again the feeling that pulls me to him. What is this? My mind takes me back to last night and that I couldn't resist the urge to kiss him. I kissed him on his temple. What the hell is wrong with me? He's not my mate. So what then?

I try not to wake him while getting my arm underneath him away. Grabbing my water bottle to fill it by the river. I can sure use it by now. When I'm there, I throw some in my face to actually wake up. That's better. I drink some water as well. Then, with a full bottle of water again, I go back to the cave.

Just in time to see that Keaton wakes up. 'Do you even sleep?'

I grin because of it. 'Yeah.' Maybe it's a good thing to be able to talk to him. 'Keaton, I don't understand something. I always felt a sort of emptiness inside.Like I knew that I wouldn't find my mate.' I look at Tomas in the cave. 'But somehow I'm drawn to him and yet he's not my mate. I would know otherwise, don't I?'

'Yes.' Keaton nods. 'If you would find your mate, you would be able to feel something, smell something and feel a pull towards each other. But most of all, your wolf would instantly recognize him as your mate. He could say it to you in your head.'

It's quiet as I look at the man in the cave. He might be taller but he's definitely a cuddler. Thinking about it how I woke up, makes me smell his scent again. Anice combination of sandalwood, apples and the forest on to him. It suits him.

'You know how it went in the past?' Keaton starts softly. 'In the old books, you can read that alphas or future alphas could claim someone being their mate with a single bite. Then again, we know nothing from Tomas. Or why you're drawn to him.'

I keep my eyes on Tomas. 'I've heard about it.' Last night comes back to me. 'Last night... he was quite restless and I calmed him down within a minute.' For a second, I close my eyes and I can feel him in my arms again. 'I had him in my arms, Keaton.'

Now he hums. 'Maybe there's this connection between you two because you can help each other. Just try to talk with him and find out. You feel this for a reason, Henry. Follow your heart.'

Well, I wasn't planning on letting him go. I think I felt this last night... this pull to him and that that is why I found him. Strapped in chains but I freed him. Whatever it is, it intrigues me. But Keaton is right that I don't know this guy. I still need to be careful. 

*************************

Just a quick summary for those who don't know or forget what this story is about; Henry found out about the Gifted and the Deadpool. Now he's traveling with Keaton to alert other Gifted and tell them about the Deadpool. Along the way, he just found Tomas. 

I hope it's enough because I don't want to spoil to much about the story and what's to come. :) 

Enjoy.