Mateo woke up to hear arguing.

"He saved my life Kashvi! He killed the Chimera!"

"Or the Chimera would have killed him! For fuck’s sakes Devon, we get back to see him dripping blood with golden eyes making a beeline for you!"

"He was coming to check I was alright."

The girl snorted, "He killed the Chimera Devon, but trust me, you were next. He is not on our side!"

Mateo tried to sit up, wincing as the puncture wounds in his torso attempted to knit themselves back together. He looked up, Ruby was staring at him, still holding her crossbow. It was the morning already and the bloodied body of the Chimera was sitting feet away from them. The smell made Mateo feel like he was going to be sick.

"Need to move," he gritted out. Kashvi and Devon turned sharply to him and Ruby raised her eyebrows. Mateo gestured to the Chimera with his newly tied up hands, "Scent will attract others."

"See!" exclaimed Devon. "He wants to help!"

"To save his own skin Devon," Kashvi sighed, but she stood up and grabbed at her pack, "Let's go." She huffed and took Ruby's hand, helping her up. Kashvi shot a look back at Devon who was wrapping the rope around his wrist, "And for fucks sakes, keep him on a tight leash today."

Devon grumbled but gave the rope a hard yank. Mateo hissed as he tripped up, drawing closer to Devon. The younger boy pulled again and Mateo was forced to walk even closer behind him. Mateo frowned as Devon slowed down to further narrow the gap. Devon turned his face slightly and whispered,

"Thank you. I don't think you were going to kill me were you?"

Mateo grunted in reply, the ropes were straining painfully against his throat.

Devon nodded. "That's what I thought," he stated solemnly, then released the leash so Mateo could fall behind again.

They walked for another few hours before Ruby turned around and called out, "We're nearly off the plains Devon."

"Thank god," Devon muttered before dropping back. Mateo paused but then realised Devon was trying to walk beside him. He raised an eyebrow and stepped forwards to match his pace with the other boy's.

"I'm not as weak and helpless as I seemed last night," Devon breathed out after a while of silence.

"I just...Chimeras dude, I kind of have a thing about them. Kashvi thinks it's from the poison I got when one bit me, they just affect me in a really bad way, like I can't breathe. Or maybe it is just panic and I'm pathetic." Devon sniffed and then sighed, turning his face up to the sky.

Mateo chewed his lip for a moment before replying, "It's not pathetic, Chimeras are terrifying."

Devon jerked his head round with a surprised expression, he was staring at a point just in front of Mateo's face but he smiled softly, "Yeah, guess so. But I just want you to know, I'm not always like that in the face of danger- I have moves."

Mateo snorted, "Believe it when I see it."

Devon cackled and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it in tufted blond spikes. "So...in your pack - were any of them your 'mate'?" Devon’s cheeks flushed slightly pink as he asked the question.

Mateo narrowed his eyes, wondering what kind of werewolf lore the kid learned with the witches?

"No, just my Betas," Mateo answered truthfully. 

"That's good," Devon replied, before adding, "I mean it would have been sad to lose your mate. Not that it's not sad to lose your Betas...I...yeah, I'm sorry."

"You didn't kill them," Mateo replied grimly.

"But witches did. I mean don't you hate us on principle?" Devon frowned.

Mateo looked at Devon, his lips were parted slightly as he waited for a reply, the tip of his red tongue poking out.

"You seem to hate witches as much as me," Mateo shrugged.

Devon nodded, "Not wrong there. We're pretty much at odds with every territory species there is now."

Mateo curled his lip, "Not to worry - I'm a free pass remember?"

Devon swallowed nervously, "Yeah, hopefully you'll be a good enough bribe, maybe we should feed you up and brush your coat - get it all silky looking?"

Mateo huffed a grim laugh, he stopped himself before he could raise his hand to cuff Devon round the back of the head like he would do with one of his playful Betas. It was an affectionate gesture that had no place in this situation, that and his hands were still bound.

"I pulled Ruby's arrows out of you," Devon told him, "Kashvi and Ruby were fussing over the Chimera and standing guard, so I felt my way and did it, to be honest I think they were considering leaving them in you."

Mateo puffed air out his nose and flicked his eyes up to the back of the two girls. One with a bow slung over her back, the other a machete.

"But Ruby said she might need the arrows if there were any more Chimera out there," Devon paused, "It felt pretty gnarly, ripping them through your flesh like that, have they...have they healed?"

Mateo stretched as they walked, cracking his back, "They're healing. Wolfsbane wounds always take longer to heal, I presume you extracted the poison somehow."

Devon nodded and said, "Kashvi," by way of explanation. "But she left a little in, to keep you more..."

"Docile" Devon finished at the same time Mateo bit out, "Weak."

"Yeah..something like that I guess," Devon whispered. "She doesn't exactly trust you're not going to rip our throats out and run at the first opportunity you get."

Mateo squinted at the younger boy. Did Devon not realise that that's exactly what any werewolf in his situation would be planning to do? What did Devon think? - That Mateo would just keep trotting along happily with them to be sold?

"I was you know," Mateo replied. He could feel Devon tense beside him, so he continued, "coming to check that you were alright, after the Chimera."

Devon relaxed and his face turned into an easy smile, "I knew it!"