Mateo shifted his muscles uncomfortably but was grateful at least that he could now move his legs more freely.

He was standing by a tree trunk waiting for the humans to clear the area to be their camp ground for the night. Mateo watched carefully as the hunters moved about, their weapons still drawn. Of all the shitty luck, it had to be hunters that they had run into.

He was surprised they hadn't just killed him on sight. It was the hunters’ code to kill any Alpha capable of giving the bite and it was unlikely they would normally be able to capture an Alpha anyway, given that the werewolf could transform into his or her wolf form.

It was wise of Kashvi not to let on about her hex. Mateo knew hunters didn't take kindly to magic. He could have called her out on it, but what would have been the point? Ending up solely in the hands of hunters wasn't exactly an attractive proposition either.

The green haired hunter though, Mateo knew she knew. He had heard Ruby talking to Kashvi and she had frowned at his already healing injuries like she had realised he could still transform with them. Ruby seemed more knowledgeable than the other hunters. She also didn't carry their smell, Mateo guessed because she was new to their group.

Devon swallowed beside him, it was clear that the younger boy was equally both excited and anxious about having company. Devon hadn't shut up all day, regurgitating chunks of his life to the hunters in excruciatingly minute detail. Nothing too informative though, nothing that would explain the witch marks or his blindness. The blindness which Mateo had deduced was clearly not from birth given the way Devon described things, always mentioning colours.

"What do they look like?"

Mateo looked up when he realised that Devon was addressing him. Kashvi was off collecting firewood with Ruby.

Mateo considered not answering. After all, the kid was keeping him hostage and planning on selling him, but right now the blonde boy looked pretty harmless, stood off awkwardly to one side.

"The hunters?" Mateo asked.

"Yeah," Devon whispered and drew slightly closer to Mateo. Mateo frowned at him and shook his head. He really didn't understand these kids and their lack of survival instincts. Mateo looked up at the hunters.

"Butt ugly."

Devon snorted, "Seriously? All of them? Even Ruby? She sounded pretty. I mean I know you can't always tell from a voice but she didn't sound butt ugly."

Mateo huffed, "She's okay I guess, the others though look like they've been on the receiving end of hexes."

"What, like you?" Devon retorted with a grin. Mateo looked around quickly to make sure none of the hunters had heard.

"What's your full name?" Devon continued. "Do you have a surname or do you just all call each other 'Wolf' like in comrade fashion or something?"

Mateo rolled his eyes, "We have names."

"And yours is?" Devon gestured his hands out in front of him emphatically.

"Mateo Romero."

"Mateo Romero," Devon repeated, rolling it across his tongue.

"Great. Now we've bonded, fancy setting me free?" Mateo asked drily.

Devon cocked his head and pulled a thoughtful expression, "Hmm, promise not to rip our throats out?"

"Scouts honour," Mateo replied monotonely as Devon laughed. A moment later, Kashvi arrived back into the camp and shot them a sharp look.

The hunters managed to catch a pair of rabbits to roast. It was risky lighting the fire, the hunters knew that, but they seemed to be confident enough in their numbers to do it anyway.

Devon was handed a chunk of charred bunny rump when he promptly turned around and waved the meat in Mateo's direction.

"You can't be serious," griped the hunter called Cameron, "That's decent rabbit!"

"If we don't feed him, he'll walk slower," Kashvi stated, picking fur from her own meat, "Also if he wastes away before we get to the settlement he won't be worth a dime and all this effort will have been for nothing."

"Give him some bones to chew on then," growled Bill, "Not good meat." The hunter moved to snatch the rabbit away from Devon but the younger boy somehow sensed it and jumped up out of reach.

Devon stumbled backwards with an indignant frown on his face. Suddenly a wave of tension sparked over the camp. Mateo looked up, all eyes were trained on him.

"Devon don't move," Trudy instructed, her hand was creeping along the floor towards her bow.

Mateo suddenly realised with grim amusement what they were all staring at. Devon had walked back too far and his hand was currently dangling right by Mateo's mouth, still holding the rabbit meat.

Mateo rolled his eyes, why the hell did they think he would bother trying to attack now when he’d had two days with ample other opportunities to maul the kid? It wouldn't do him any good anyway. Kashvi would kill him immediately and now with hunters – there would definitely be no getting out alive.

Mateo breathed out slowly and reached forwards to take the rabbit flesh in his teeth. Devon flinched, clearly surprised, but remained rooted to the spot as Mateo pulled the meat back and began to chew, shooting the camp a satisfied glare.

"Waste of fucking meat," Cameron rasped as Devon walked forward again. The tension eventually dissipated and Mateo caught Kashvi rolling her eyes at him.