Born to former leaders of Two Rivers Isle Ulrich and Adylaide, Matteo and his siblings enjoyed a rich and peaceful life. When the pups were little over a month old, however, his parents left along with Manias and Everarda, and he and Ines were left in charge of the Isle alongside the new leader Iseul. The arrival of the rest of Colt's gang brought a shift to leadership, with Iseul promoting Colt to deputy. Later that summer saw the Isle disband, with Colt and his gang disappearing south, and Matteo and Iseul being the last ones remaining. The two travelled to Moontide where they met Heph and were accepted by the ocean pack.

Matteo quickly found a brother in Raiyuk and a father figure in Chakliux. The boys would grow and hunt together until Matteo was invited to join the lodge of Chakliux and his seal hunter family. Following Raiyuk's right of passage, Matteo made the decision to travel north to a seal hunter village where he would learn the ways of their people and eventually take on the name Taggak.