Periculum

5.

I headed off with Mateo to his house which was a small little cabin in a clearing. It was honestly pretty cute.

Looking around, there was also a rack for drying meat and skins, a fire-pit and a small creek trickling through.

Mateo headed up to the cabin and pushed inside with me following, the man gesturing to a couch and a chair,

"Sit wherever you'd like"

I sat down on the couch, watching as Mateo went to the kitchen.

"Do you like tea?" Mateo asked and I nodded,

"I do...do you have Chamomile?" I asked and Mateos lip twitched, nodding.

"We do"

As Mateo made the tea, we talked.

"What's it like being a lone wolf?" I asked and Mateo chuckled,

"Lonely, what's being a prince of vampires like?"

I rolled my eyes, "Do not get me started, it's awful! I hate it, my fathers the absolute worst"

Mateo nodded and listened to me as I ranted. It was probably unwise to rant to a semi-stranger and so I left a few important details out but Mateo just seemed to listen, bringing my tea over and sitting beside me on the couch to sip at his.

"And I'm usually not allowed out" I said glumly, Mateo raised an eyebrow,

"Not allowed out?"

"No...father says it's to keep me safe"

"Safe" Mateo scoffed, "no ones ever truly safe"

"...I suppose" I said, taking a sip of my tea, "do you believe that because you're..."

"Feral?" Mateo shrugged, "I guess...".

I stared at Mateo. I wondered what it must've been like, knowing you could potentially lose your mind and harm people you loved without even meaning too.

Almost as if he'd read my mind, Mateo sighed,

"It's awful...our pack disbanded because none of us could really keep it together, if we got angry enough, we'd snap and..."

"Surely there's a way to help you?" I said, biting my lip. Mateo chuckled,

"There's no cure for being feral, the only thing you can do is find your rock"

"A rock" I said plainly and Mateo nodded,

"A rock, an anchor if you will...someone who'll help you, love you, care for you. Someone who can snap you out of your feral state because you care for them that much"

"Oh..."

"My brother Zach found his, his boyfriend Awsten" Mateo said, chugging the last bit of his tea.

"Do...do you have an anchor?" I asked and Mateo shook his head,

"Not yet..." He said and ran a thumb over his mug, "I sometimes fear I'm never going to find one"

I stared at Mateo, "an anchor can be a friend too...right?"

"I guess so?" He said, looking at me, "why?"

"I can try to help"

"That's sweet of you Sebastian but-"

"No buts, I want to help you..." I said, gently placing a hand on Mateo's shoulder which made him shiver, I wondered when the last time he'd had any contact was.

"...fine, but if you get hurt-"

"We'll end it, I know" I said, smiling, "don't worry..."

Mateo smiled at me, I couldn't help but smile wider back.