Teo sat on one of the log benches, and Alex sat on the opposite one, behind the cold, ugly-looking campfire. It was all dirty from the rain washing all the ashes and coal away.

Alex kept looking at it, at the grey ashes, and black wood covered with a slight black hue. He saw Teo in his peripheral vision.

It felt really awkward. Alex didn't know what to ask first. Who are you? What's the real reason you're here? Why me? But all of a sudden, it felt too…..awkward to ask. 

As he was opening his mouth to say at least something, Teo interrupted his stream of thoughts. 

"I guess I'll start." Alex looked up and saw Teo clasping his hands together.

He looked collected. He must've known something like this was going to have to happen eventually.  Well, I mean, no shit.

“....can you listen…? I have a lot to explain…..”  Teo quietly said. He looked at the ground while fidgeting with his fingers. Alex didn’t know what expression Teo had on, as his hair now covered most of his face. 

“...yeah, okay.” Alex felt the anticipation of what was coming next. A strange tightening in his chest. He couldn’t imagine Teo’s reasoning for all this. He felt that it was going to be just…..really strange. 

“I’m not…human. Or, I mean, I am but…..not really. Like half-human.” He started. “I have…. another form I can change into.” 

Okay….so he’s a shapeshifter.

“I can change into a….like a big dog.” 

….oh.

Teo continued. “We can change whenever we want, but we’re bound to when there’s a full moon.” 

Oh.

“We’re not violent or anything, but normal people have always been scared of us. My clan has been living out of people’s grasp, so there are no unnecessary conflicts, and-”

Alex interrupted him. “So you’re werewolves.” It was pretty clear.  At least he’s not some unknown beast or something. I guess.

Teo quieted down. “.....yeah.” It was obvious he was trying to make his tone of voice sound normal, but a slight bit of worry still got out.

I mean, werewolves are kinda cool.

“So what about, like, me?” Alex asked. This was the last thing he wanted to ask no matter what. He has some sort of clue now, of what they both might be, because this guy's a fucking werewolf, but still. Things like that might be a bit different from the stupid young adult enemies to lovers werewolf books he read. 

“Uh…so you’re my….or I am….” Teo took a deep breath. “We’re fated mates.” 

The tone of his voice………….it felt like he was telling him their prison sentence. I guess it kind of is. Teo doesn’t have any choice in this matter as far as Alex guessed.

 “.....I was kind of scared when I found out you were my mate. It’s normally just between werewolves, and they share the same feelings…….but you don’t feel like the same way as me.” Teo made such a sad face, Alex had to look away. Geez, don’t make me feel so guilty dude...

“My family was kind of against it too….but you can’t do anything about it.”

“Is it really just one person? Can’t it change over time or something?” Alex asked. He shouldn’t care, but he felt bad for him. 

“....yeah. It’s gonna be just you. Until I die.” Teo replied in a small voice. 

Silence lingered between them. Alex didn’t dare to look at Teo’s facial expression. 

“I mean………I didn’t reject you yet.” Alex tried to lift up the mood. Nothing’s final and done yet. 

Teo chuckled after a few seconds. “Yeah, I guess that’s right. I should show you how cool I am then.”