Jae exited the castle to find Yejin, Xander, Haikon, and Kace standing just outside the gates. Kace stood straight from the wall of the gate he was leaning against and came to join the now-complete hunting party. Each of the men was dressed in stealth gear with an ample supply of moonflower to disguise their scent.

"Can you shift?" The prince inquired of the man with his hood down. Kace nodded shortly in response. "Do you have your mask?"

Kace pulled a half-mask from his belt and placed it over his eyes in response to the prince's inquiry. Jae looked at the mask and let his gaze linger on the blue-eyed man before turning to address the rest of the party. "Ready?" Each member nodded his head as Haikon stepped forward and stood behind the prince and the alpha. Once the party was in formation, the hunt began.

The five wolves sprinted across the wide fields and entered the forest north of the castle. To our three o'clock. Haikon instructed through the party link as he picked up the prey's scent. Jae turned toward his three o'clock and began sprinting through the trees. Yejin followed suit with Haikon, Xander, and Kace behind him. The hunting party ran for the entire day, only stopping to take a quick drink from a few streams.

The sun had nearly when the party had taken a short breather. The men had shifted back to their human form to let their wolves rest. Yejin and Xander were drinking from the stream, and Kace was leaning against a tree while Jae and Haikon were standing by the stream's edge.

"How much farther?" Jae inquired of the theta.

"We can reach him by morning if we don't stop after this," Haikon informed his prince who nodded in acknowledgment of the theta's answer.

"What's his stability?"

Haikon let out a breath and glanced at his mate by the stream before turning back to Jae and answering, "In the negative forties."

Jae's brows raised, and his eyes widened. "The negative forties? The lowest recorded is N-50!" The prince's voice was quiet as he responded, but, being the leader, each wolf was subconsciously keen to their prince, and, therefore, every member of the team heard Jae's response.

Xander stood from the stream and came to stand next to his mate. "Wh-What's in the negative forties?" The delta's voice was quiet and slightly quivering as he looked up at his mate for a response.

Haikon closed his eyes as Kace and Yejin approached them. The theta wrapped an arm around his delta's waist as he informed the team, "The alpha's stability is in the negative forties."

A shuddering breath left the delta as he heard the news. "It's almost to the point where they were," Xander said in a low voice. Each member looked at the delta with concern as they knew Xander's past with unstable wolves. Haikon released comforting pheromones to calm his mate, but, to his surprise, when Xander lifted his head his eyes were cold and determined. "Then we just have to catch him before he gets any lower." The delta's voice was hard and steady. He had made up his mind. He would not allow himself to be affected by his past. He would overcome his trauma and push forward. "It's a kill order, right?" Xander inquired of the prince, who nodded in confirmation. "Good."

Seeing that the delta was alright, Jae determined is was time they continued their hunt. "Let's go," the true blood instructed as he shifted. The members followed their prince in shifting and heading back into the thick of the forest.

>>>>>

"Noooo!!" The zeta woke up in a panic. Arms immediately wrapped around the zeta and began to sooth him.

"Shhhhh. It's okay," Estan's soft voice reached the zeta as the gamma began to rock Syri in his arms. The gamma released soothing pheromones which immediately relaxed the zeta.

"Estan?" Syri's small voice sounded as the zeta looked up at the man holding him.

"Hey, Little One," Estan smiled down at the zeta softly.

"What...what happened?" Syri inquired. He did not remember anything except the fact that he woke in a sweat.

"You had a nightmare. That's all. It's nothing to worry about," the gamma answered as he brought his hand to Syri's head and began to pet the zeta.

"A nightmare? It wasn't...my mate?"

Estan shook his head. "No." Telling him it's a nightmare is better than telling him the truth that his mate was tormenting him...right? There was nothing I could do except hope he'd wake up.

Syri relaxed in the gamma's arms and closed his eyes as he released a deep breath. Estan continued to sooth the zeta and release comforting pheromones as Syri grew calm.

After a few minutes when the zeta had regained his composure, Syri sat up straight and looked around. He was in Jae's room, but the prince was nowhere to be found. "Where's Jae?" The zeta inquired of the gamma.

"He has duties he as to tend to. He won't be back for a few days."

"Oh...okay."

"Syri," Estan began. The zeta looked up at the gamma as he waited for the doctor to continue. "Would you like to go somewhere?"

Syri's eyes widened, and a smile came to his lips as he nodded.

"Jae wanted me to take you somewhere while he is gone. Is that okay?"

"If Jae wants me to go, then I will go," Syri answered. "Plus, I love exploring and seeing new places."

"Perfect," Estan smiled. "Are you hungry? You slept for a whole day."

"A whole day?" Syri asked in disbelief. The zeta looked out the window when the gamma nodded his head in confirmation. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the windowsill and white curtains billowing in the night breeze. The zeta turned back to the gamma and lowered his head. "I'm not really hungry. Thank you, though."

"That's alright. I will bring some snacks for the walk to the cabin."

Syri lifted his head, a smile on his face. "We're going to a cabin?"

Estan nodded. "Mm hmm. It's next to a river to the west of the castle. It will take a little under a day to get there, but the walk is beautiful, so it won't feel as long."

Syri's eyes widened in excitement. "It's next to a river? Wow...I bet it's really pretty."

"It is." Estan smiled at the zeta a ruffled the boy's fluffy pink hair. "I would like to leave as soon as possible. Can you be ready in an hour? If we leave soon, we should get to the cabin around sunset. It will be beautiful then."

"I can be ready in ten minutes!" Syri said with a smile. "I don't have much anyway. Just the clothes Jae gave me."

"Do you have a bag to pack your stuff in?"

Syri shook his head in response.

"Okay. I'll come back with a bag."

Syri nodded at Estan as the gamma stood to his feet and exited the room. The zeta let out a breath and looked out the window. He watched the stars twinkle next to the big, bold moon and thought about the true blood dashing under the light of the celestial object that gave so much meaning to the werewolf world. The zeta closed his eyes and offered up a small prayer. Stay safe, Jae...please.

>>>>>

A knock on the door sounded, and Estan poked his head in to see Syri sitting on the edge of the bed dressed in comfortable traveling clothes. The zeta had chosen a light blue shirt that had a short collar and hid the healing mark. It was rare for werewolves to wear clothes that would intentionally hide their mark, but in Syri's case, it was completely understandable. A dark blue pair of pants and black laced-up boots completed the zeta's outfit. The gamma smiled as he looked at the pink-haired male. He's so cute.

Syri smiled when he saw Estan approach him. The gamma was outfitted in a light green top with forest green pants and brown boots. The light green shirt contrasted with the gamma's emerald eyes and enhanced their color. A backpack was slung over the gamma's shoulders, and another was in his hands, which he promptly offered to Syri.

"Thank you," Syri accepted the bag and began to fill it with his clothes.

"Water and food are already in there as well as some essential items for traveling," Estan informed the zeta who thanked him for his efforts.

"How long will we be gone?" Syri inquired as he closed the bag and looped his arms through the leather straps.

"Until Jae gives us the signal to come back."

The zeta nodded his head in understanding before stepping away from the bed fully geared and ready to go.

"Ready?" Estan inquired as he made sure the zeta had everything he would need. Syri promptly nodded his head with a smile and followed the gamma to the door. Estan held a finger to his lips as he quietly opened the door to the prince's chambers.

Syri watched as the gamma poked his head out and observed the hallway. After making sure the corridor was empty, Estan exited the door and motioned for the zeta to follow. Syri closed the door carefully as to not create any sound, and the two set off on their adventure.

Estan led the zeta to the end of the hallway, down a flight of stairs, and through several corridors until they reached the western gate. Estan stopped their small party and instructed the zeta to take off his pack. Syri did as he was told and watched as Estan set down his pack and rummaged through until he pulled out a dark blue cape.

"Put this on until we pass through the gate," Estan instructed as he gave the cape to the zeta. Once Syri clasped the cape around his neck, he pulled the hood over his head and returned the bag to its place on his back. "Stay close to me and keep your head down," the gamma directed the zeta in how to act when approaching the guards stationed at the gate.

Syri nodded in understanding and followed Estan as the gamma rounded the corner and crossed the courtyard. The four guards stationed at the gate waited for the pair to approach them before two went out to halt them.

"Ho there, what business have you at this hour?" The front guard questioned.

"I am Estan, physician of the Crimson Night pack, and wish to pass through this gate. I have a patient in the town Gern who is in dire need of medical attention."

"I am aware as your status as physician, Gamma. However, I will need to know your friend's identity," the guard said as he gestured toward the hooded figure behind the doctor.

"He is my assistant and will be aiding me in treating my patient," Estan informed the guard.

"I understand, but I need his identity."

"Omega," Estan answered promptly.

"I can tell that by the scent, but-"

"Then we are done here, are we not?" Estan inquired with dominance. "If you know that he is an omega, what fear have you?"

The guard's mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to come up with an answer. After attempting for a few moments and failing, the guard waved them through. "Permission to pass!" The guard called to his comrades as he walked the pair to the gate. The sounds of mechanics accompanied the raising of the gate, and the gamma and zeta walked through unhindered.

Estan released a breath as he and the zeta put some distance between themselves and the gate. "That went a lot smoother than I was expecting."

Syri pulled the hood back and breathed in the summer night air. The two walked next to each other in silence as they entered the forest. The gamma and zeta's wolf eyes activated as they went deeper into the forest allowing them to see clearly in the darkness. The moonlight barely reached the forest floor, but the two continued with no problem.

Estan kept his pace steady as he led the zeta through the trees and over small streams. They were following a well-traveled path, but it was deserted as it was night. The gamma and zeta were the only travelers. The two stopped to take breaks every three or four hours, but other than that, their journey was non-stop.

Syri deactivated his wolf eyes as he caught the first glimmer of the sun. The zeta turned the gamma's attention toward the rising sun, and smiled as he saw Estan's face light up. The gamma seemed relieved to see the sun. He had remained tense and on high alert the entirety of the night as it was dangerous for a gamma and zeta to travel alone; they were both from the social class and had no experience in combat. Yejin had taught Estan some defensive moves, but they certainly did not make the gamma combat-ready.

Truthfully, the gamma did not want to begin their travel during the night, but it was the best option for sneaking out of the castle undetected. And Estan did figure into account that the path they would be taking was known for being deserted during the night, so no bandits or rogues hardly every set up shop alongside it. And he was right, they made it through the night unharmed.

Estan let out a pent-up breath as he watched the sun rise behind the trees. The gamma's eyes lit up as he recalled a certain vantage point. "If we hurry, we can watch the sun rise from a hill," Estan told the zeta walking beside him.

Syri nodded in excitement and followed the gamma as he picked up his pace. Soon, the two were running through the trees, their laughter floating through the air. A wide smile covered Syri's face as he ran after the laughing gamma. A small laugh escaped his lips as the two broke through the trees and found themselves running toward the peak of a rolling hill.

The gamma and zeta were panting by the time they reached the top, but they had made it in time. The sun had barely poked it's head out and was beginning its ascent. Syri's eyes glistened in wonder as he watched the sun rise above the rolling hills and vast fields. Small streams and brooks snaked through the fields and between the hills while trees topped the rolling mounds and dotted the horizon.

Once the two had caught their breath, they waited for the sun to be roughly ten degrees in the sky before continuing on their journey. Estan gave a small prayer that the remainder of their journey would pass quickly and end with them safe and unharmed.