"Is this really okay?" I asked, holding the bag with the giant burritos inside.

Matteo cupped the back of my head. "Yes, Anwyll. It's fine."

I breathed out a sigh and kissed the inside of his wrist by turning my head. Matteo's tanned skin flushed with pleasure and he smiled to himself. I had kissed his cheek when he buckled me into the seat a few minutes ago. We were already on the plane, but people were still coming in. I felt a bit weird about eating while they walked by, so I bit back my hunger and waited patiently.

Matteo sighed and reached for the bag. I let him have it. He pulled out a box that had something called "fries" that had a spicier cheese sauce on top with bits of meat. My stomach roared at the nice smell, which made Matteo freeze. I blushed when he began to laugh. He tried to muffle it, but pushed the box onto my tray table.

"Just eat it."

I glanced back to the people walking by, but a hand blocked my vision. Matteo stared at me expectantly. I giggled and took a light gold colored "fry" with some meat and cheese on it, and carefully lifted it to my mouth. When the flavors hit my tongue, I felt like I wanted to cry. It tasted so yummy.

"I'm guessing you like it." he said, his gaze dropping to my happy tail.

I blushed and nodded, taking the napkin he was offering me. "Thanks, Mattie."

He smiled. "Anything for you, Anwyll."

I leaned back and into his side, so he wrapped an arm around me. He hugged my shoulders, then slipped his fingers between my arm and my side. I snuggled closer and breathed deeply of his scent and relaxed into him.

"Mattie, what's the plan for when we get to Kentucky?"

Matteo hummed. "My younger brother should be waiting at the airport for us as per his mother's instruction. I haven't seen him since I left the house at age eighteen and traveled west. We weren't close back then, mainly because he's my half-brother. His mother is my father's current wife."

I stroked my hand over his chest, my tail flopping lazily across our laps. Matteo sighed and got a bit more comfortable.

"Plans, right? Well, my stepmother wants us to stay at the house, so we will stay in the same room. Once we get settled, my stepmother may try to get me to visit my father, but I need time to prepare."

"Mmhm. Do your scars ache thinking about him?"

Matteo stiffened. "Y-yes," he whispered.

I looked up at him and pressed my hands on his body, pushing up to peck his lips. He blinked, his cheeks turning red. I giggled and settled back down.

"I'm here for you, Mattie."

"I-I know." he murmured, his choked whisper making my chest tighten. "Thank you, my little wolf."

He took hold of my tail and gently kissed the white tip. I reached for a fry with just cheese sauce and offered it to him, so he chuckled and carefully ate it from my fingers. I blushed when I caught sight of a young man watching us intensely. I offered more to Matteo, but he said he was okay for now.

I kept eating until Matteo warned me that the flight attendants would come by soon. I closed up the box and gave it to him, and he put it inside the food bag. He stored it away in his backpack and lifted the tray tables. I remained snuggled against Matteo until I was told to stay upright. I pouted a bit, but made sure my tail was flopped over our laps.

"Does your half-brother know about your other side?"

Matteo played with my tail, flicking the tip around. "I'm not too sure. He was five years old when I left. It's possible that he caught sight of our father beating me until I shifted, but I doubt it."

I reached for his hand, so he smiled and took mine. I rested my head on his bicep. "Tell me more. Anything is fine."

"My stepmother is a nice lady, but I am unsure that she was able to change my father. She apparently came from a noble background in England, but when she married the abusive bastard, her family cast her aside. She somehow manages to love that cruel piece of shit. I hope my brother has not had to go through as much stuff as my mom and I did."

The talking stopped for awhile as the plane began to move again. I squeezed his hand, shutting my eyes as the engines began to roar. Matteo turned slightly to hug me as the plane jerked and moved faster. It took a moment, but the sick sensation I feel in an elevator hit me as the plane bounced and headed into the air. I managed to peek out the window and gasped as I watched the ground fall away.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

"Yeah, for humans to be able to fly. If you want a ride on my back someday, I'd be happy to fly for you." I whispered, kissing his cheeks.

Matteo blushed with a small smile. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Are you scared of my other form, Mattie?"

He shook his head and nosed my cheek. "No, Anwyll. Not at all. To me, you're the most beautiful hybrid in the world."

My face burned. "Th-thank you."

It took about ten to twelve minutes for the seatbelt sign to shut off. Matteo pulled out the bag of food again, then lowered the tables. I lifted the arm rest and grinned up at Matteo while he set out the food and napkins. There was a fork for the fries as well.

I stared at the burrito. I guess I have to eat a quarter of it and save the rest. I unwrapped one half and nibbled on it, glancing over at Matteo's vegetarian one. He eyed me and smiled, patting my head.

"Good?"

"Mmhm." I answered through closed lips, a smile on my face. "Thank you." I said, after I'd swallowed the little bite.

The rest of the meal went well, and Matteo helped me pack up my leftovers. I unbuckled the seat and crawled into his lap, which made Matteo happy, especially when I snuggled into his firm embrace.

"Are you sleepy, Anwyll?"

I hummed and nosed his throat. "A bit. Do you mind?"

He cupped my cheek and kissed my head. "Of course not. Sleep well."

"Mm, you too." I mumbled, my breathing evening out.

Matteo chuckled. "I probably won't be sleeping, but thank you."

__________________________

"Stay close to me." said Matteo, since we got off the second flight of today about ten minutes ago.

"Okay, Mattie."

"I should be getting a call soon." he muttered, so I took his right hand with my left.

I lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles, and then I sensed Matteo's stress draining away. We were standing near the exit, but hadn't left the terminal yet. I looked around at the people milling around and the ones who were spilling from the doors.

I looked up at Matteo's face and he looked down at mine. I smiled up at him and bounced on my toes, my tail swishing behind us.

"You're so cute." he chuckled.

"You're so handsome." I responded with a grin.

He blushed and looked away, but flinched when his phone rang. He fumbled with it and it slipped between his fingers. I caught it and answered it, since Matteo was in no position to talk.

"Hello?" I asked, then heard a nice voice come through the line.

"Huh, I thought Mom gave me Matteo's number."

"She did." I giggled, still holding Matteo's hand. "I'm his companion. He was kinda nervous and dropped his phone."

Matteo's younger brother grunted. "You sound like a child. Are you his son?"

"Nope! I'm his friend's son, but Mattie and I are really close. Besides, I am a full-fledged adult, despite my childlike stature, features, and voice."

He hummed. "All right. Where are you?"

"Still inside the terminal at the exit, but I think I can see that we're at pillar B-Two for the Americano Airlines."

"Okay, thanks. I'm in a dark CUV."

"Are you pulling up?"

"In a minute."

I smiled. "Okay, I'm looking forward to meeting you."

He grunted and the call ended. I tilted my head back to look at Matteo, who had a dark expression on his face. I handed back his phone.

"Are you mad, Mattie? He's almost here."

Matteo shook his head. "All right, thank you."

He put his phone away and led me out of the terminal. We waited at the pillar, then a dark CUV pulled up. It stopped and I saw an intimidating form emerge from the driver's side. He wasn't as big as Matteo, who was smaller than Daddy and Uncle Andros, but the younger brother was different. He had a dark aura once his gaze landed on Matteo.

Matteo stiffened when dark blue eyes met slightly lighter blue orbs, which were hard as iron as the younger man approached us. Everything stood still, until I popped in between them.

"Hi!" I exclaimed with a broad grin. "My name is Anwyll."

Hardened sapphire blue eyes snapped down to meet my violet eyes with the silver rings around my pupils. I grinned up at him. "What's your name?"

He snorted and turned away, popping the trunk like magic. Matteo took our suitcases, putting them away. He took my backpack, too.

"How old are you?" asked the man.

"Eighteen." I beamed, spinning around. "And you?"

"Twenty-six."

My jaw dropped and I looked around him to stare at my handsome bull. "You're thirty-nine!"

Matteo looked up with a blush. "Uh, yeah."

"Wow, you look so young!"

His cheeks warmed as he closed the back. Matteo's brother stared down at me with an unyielding gaze, but I didn't mind. It felt nothing like my mother's gaze.

My broad smile was turned towards him again, but he whirled away and got into the driver's side. I climbed in the backseat while Matteo awkwardly took the front passenger seat. I gently stroked my fingertips over the leather seats, following the seam with a smile. My tail wiggled in my lap.

"H-hey," croaked Matteo's brother. He cursed himself, then sighed. "Is he really eighteen?"

Matteo nodded with a small smile. "Yes, he is. The airport hassled him a bit at first, but the confusion was cleared up."

"Oh, is that so?"

I nodded, pouting a bit. "Being like this has its perks and some obvious disadvantages. I love getting cuddles from my family, but I can't really travel or go anywhere without someone asking me where my parents are."

Matteo twisted around and reached back to pat my head. I grinned at him and kissed his palm as he retracted his hand. Matteo's face flushed again, but he managed to calm himself down a bit as he returned to a safer position. Matteo's brother eyed me with obvious suspicion in his sapphire depths.

"Markus..."

Matteo's brother visibly jolted and I gripped the door when the car swerved on the road. Matteo bit his tongue as Markus began to lecture him about surprising him while he's driving.

"I'm sorry. I won't say it again."

Markus paused, then clenched his jaw and focused on the road again. Matteo was deadly silent. I quirked my lips down.

"Geez, Mattie... Markus was surprised, but happy."

Matteo flinched. "What?"

"Yeah, I saw his smile for a second. He must have missed you, Mattie!" I grinned, my tail wiggling next to me.

When I looked over at Markus, he was giving me a death glare through the rear view mirror. I yawned and hugged my tail, curling to cuddle with it. Markus sneered, but I didn't care. There was something superficial about the way he acted.

"How is Sara?"

Markus bit his lip. "Mom is exhausted from worrying about Dad."

"Oh, okay."

"Okay?" hissed Markus. "You came back here after all these fucking years to say 'okay'? You abandoned us!"

Matteo's body tensed. "It's not—!"

"No, don't deny it! Dad treated you so well and you left us!"

My eyes snapped open as Matteo's aura shifted. I removed my seatbelt and immediately flopped myself into his lap. Markus grunted, but Matteo was still in the middle of holding back his shift.

"How long until we get there?" I asked, my tone panicked.

"Another twenty minutes. Why? What's wrong with him?"

I clambered fully into Matteo's lap and cupped his cheeks, noticing how dark his eyes had gotten. "Mattie, stop. This isn't the time."

He snorted, his head dipping down. I used a tiny bit of my dragon strength to tilt his head back and hold it in place.

Matteo clenched his jaw. "Let me go."

"No, Matteo." I whispered.

"Let me go!"

"No, Matteo. Now is not the time."

"Fuck that! He just—!"

I sighed and rubbed my thumbs over his cheeks. "He doesn't know the truth. Breathe for me, my beloved."

Matteo's whirling eyes began to calm down. His breathing began to even out. I pressed his head into the crook of my neck, and sighed with relief as Matteo's arms wrapped around me. I gently kissed dark waves and held him to me until he drifted off to sleep.

"What was that?"

I turned my head and glared at him. "That was because of your shouts of insensitive thoughts. Have you ever thought about why Mattie left?"

Markus growled. "Of course I have! He's my fucking brother! He was caring for me, teaching me things, and suddenly he was gone. I'm pissed off—have been for twenty-one years."

I glared at him with such a fierce intensity that his face paled. "Pissed off? You have no idea what he went through—what his mother went through with the cruel bastard you call 'Dad'. Matteo is the one who deserves to be pissed off."

Markus bit his lip.