Mateo cursed as they drew nearer the walls of the settlement. He had hoped the travellers Kashvi had gotten directions from had been wrong or lying, it would have bought him more time to figure out a plan for escape.

He could taste the nerves emanating from Devon and Kashvi as they approached the gates. He figured most encounters with humans hadn't gone down well for them.

"How should we do this?" Devon asked, fidgeting with the drawstrings of his hoodie, forgetting about the rope tied to his wrist. As he moved the fibres were pulled taut across Mateo's neck, making him wince, but Mateo remained silent.

"Hoods up," Kashvi instructed. "Hide the marks for as long as possible, they'll see Ruby's a hunter, maybe they'll assume we are too."

"I'll talk to them," Ruby said. "I’ll explain we have an Alpha werewolf for trade, but Devon you should probably keep him drawn back behind us or they might kill him on sight in panic or something."

Devon nodded and gave the rope a slight pull, "You with me Mateo?"

"Bound by rope," Mateo growled. The smell of densely packed humans was coming across the grassland. It was making Mateo uneasy, the last time he had scented this many humans together it was a trap by the witches and he had lost his entire pack.

A call from the gates went up and there was a winching sound as they started to swing open. A group of heavily armed men and women came running out, they were holding guns and crossbows but Mateo couldn’t smell any wolfsbane, bar what was already on him.

"Humans!" Ruby shouted across to them, holding up her hands. "Hunters!" Ruby pulled back the sleeve of her shirt to reveal a large inked bow and arrow, the symbol of the hunters.

"Why is one of you bound?" A woman called back, aiming her gun at Mateo.

"He's a captured werewolf," Ruby replied. There was a rush of muttering from the group.

"An Alpha," she added. A man walked forwards, leaning his crossbow on his shoulders.

"A real Alpha?" he asked with a disbelieving frown.

There was a yank on Mateo's ropes and he flashed his eyes bright gold in response.

There were more gasps and shouts but thankfully no firing of weapons.

The man gave them a large toothy smile, "Just in time for the Forest Markets!"

They were permitted in to the town but given a wide berth. Kashvi and Devon were instructed to pull their hoods down and there was a flurry of hushed whispers as the townsfolk spotted the witch-marks.

So much for that plan.

"You can turn us away," Devon said, cocking his head, "but the Alpha goes with us."

They were begrudgingly allowed to stay but the crowds parted as they walked down the street with the Chief of the settlement. He introduced himself as Philip. He told them that in a few days there would be a convergence of traders coming into the settlement for the start of the Winter Auctions.

"An Alpha will be quite a prize," Philip remarked, looking back at Mateo. He didn't ask how they captured him, or how they were controlling him. Mateo was pretty sure Philip figured it was something magical and therefore didn't want to know.

"You can keep him in the holding pens in the animals' area with the other livestock, we've got chains there." Philip gestured down a dirt street hemmed with tightly pack houses. “Then you'll be set up in guests' living quarters, where you can make yourselves comfortable."

Kashvi nodded and thanked him. They started walking ahead, discussing the possibility of an extended stay with Ruby, whilst Devon and Mateo fell behind. Although not before Devon asked Philip if there was anyone in the settlement by the name of Martin Ramirez.

"No, sorry son, no one by that name here," the Chief shook his head.

Devon's face fell and Mateo could see the disappointment mirrored in Kashvi's face. Ruby took her hand and they walked forwards as Devon stepped back. They passed groups of young men and girls staring and pointing at them, eyes flitting nervously between the werewolf and the witch marks.

"Witch-spawn!" one lanky boy called out, spitting at the ground in front of Devon. A menacing growl ripped through Mateo before he could control himself. It did the trick as the kids shrieked and started to scatter.

Mateo looked up to see Philip eyeing him anxiously and Ruby's crossbow raised, but Kashvi wasn't glaring quite as intensely as she normally did, she almost looked pleased.