"Do you think he'll be alright?" Estan asked Yejin as the gamma and alpha watched the brooding true mate march down the hallway.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Yejin replied with a slight shake of his head. "I've never seen Jae be so affected by someone."

"Mm," Estan sounded in response. "Me neither." The two mates continued to observe the moody prince as Jae made his way to his office. The morning sun shone into the corridor from the tall, wide windows, lighting the hallway in a warm glow.

"He's back to how he was before Syri."

"Mm. I hadn't seen him smile so much." The gamma's expression fell as he recalled how distant the prince was before he had met the zeta.

"He'll come around soon," the alpha said as the two let their gaze linger on the prince as Jae turned the corner. It was more a prayer than a statement.

"Hopefully," the gamma agreed before turning to face his mate. "I better get going."

Yejin nodded in response as he stole a kiss on his mate's cheek. Estan's face turned red as a small smile came to his lips. "Have a good day, Love," Yejin said as he smiled down on his mate.

"You, too," Estan returned bashfully as he began walking away from his mate. Yejin lifted a brow as he watched the gamma walk off. Estan slowed in his tracks as he felt the alpha's eyes on him and turned around to see his mate looking after him longingly. The gamma shook his head at his mate's adorable habit of watching him walk away before going about his day. You better hurry your butt up or else your soldiers will get all rowdy and will begin causing all sorts of trouble. Estan linked his mate as he continued on his way.

Ahh, I've been caught. Yejin smirked as he heard the gamma's voice in his mind.

Mm-hmm, red-handed. Now, hurry up. You don't want the boys to be left alone too long.

Duly noted. With that, Yejin made a one-eighty and started toward the opposite end of the corridor.

This was the first day after the disappearance of the zeta, and the prince was only growing moodier. The true blood was silent as he went about his duties, and his brows were almost constantly slightly furrowed no matter what task he was completing. The workers and servants inside the castle were quick to notice the prince's dark demeanor and took note to avoid him as much as possible.

The prince worked endlessly throughout the morning, reading numerous contracts, business proposals, and reports. The true blood had decided to try his best to acclimate to how his life was without the zeta and knew it was not working, so he decided to bury himself in his duties. It would be nearly impossible to forget the one who brought him such happiness and light.

Jae's world felt incredibly bleak without the zeta and came to realize just how bright Syri had made his life. The prince's heart fluttered when the true blood's sensitive sense of smell detected the slightest trace of vanilla and roses wafting into the study from the opened window. Pain was quick to erase the short-lived excitement when the prince remembered Syri was no longer near. He had gone far away.

Hope entered the prince when he recalled catching the same scent the night before only to shake his head at his hopeless yearning. I must be crazy. There's no way Syri is here.

Jae let out a breath as he returned to concentrating on the report before him as the sun continued to rise.

>>>>>>

The sun had nearly reached its peak when the five rounded up the grazing steeds and began herding them back to the stables.

"Whew! That was a good run," Ibbi exclaimed as the five caught their breath before putting the steeds into their select stalls.

"Thanks for prepping the stalls, Wyx," Kip said to the leader of the evening team.

"No problem, Kip. It's my job," Wyx replied with a chuckle. While the morning team watched the steeds in the field, the evening team prepped the stalls. And likewise, for the evening team, the morning team would prep the other half of the stalls whilst the evening team was out in the fields. "Is this the newest addition?" The delta inquired as he saw the small pink-haired standing beside Ibbi.

"Yes," Kip responded as he went to stand beside the zeta. "This is Syri. Syri, meet Wyx, the mentor for the evening team. Wyx, meet Syri." The delta and zeta bowed to each other respectfully in greeting upon the introductions.

"Nice to meet you, Syri. Glad to have you on the stable squad," Wyx greeted politely as he rounded up his team. "This is Hern, Danny, Valri, and Rin. Everyone, meet Syri." The four members of Wyx's team inclined their heads to the zeta who returned the greeting.

Once the greetings had been given and Syri was officially introduced to the entire squad, the two teams split and began tending to their designated steeds.

"Syri," Kip called the zeta's name, grabbing the small male's attention. "Follow me. I'll introduce you to Ajax," Kip said with a smile as he began leading the zeta down the corridor on the left of the second row of halls to the very last and largest stall. The vorst lifted its head at the approach of the two werewolves and let out a snort when it eyed the zeta. Syri gave a secret smile in greeting to the vorst as he followed Ajax into the stall.

We meet again, Zeta. Ajax's proud voice sounded in Syri's mind as Kip introduced the vorst to the zeta. "Syri, this is Ajax. He will be the one you care for the most. I will handle the saddling and bridling, and you will do the feeding and pampering. We will clean him together once a week, but you will brush him every day." Kip took a pause in case the zeta had any questions before saying, "Why don't you come up and let him get used to you?"

The zeta nodded in response as the beta stepped away from the massive steed and allowed Syri to slowly approach the vorst. Well, this is a turn of events. Ajax greeted his new caretaker as Syri reached up and stroked his muzzle.

It most certainly is. Syri responded to the vorst as he pretended to greet Ajax for the first time. "Hi there, Ajax. How ya doing? I'm Syri, and I will be your new caretaker. Please be nice to me and don't kick me too much." The zeta released a sheepish laugh toward the end.

What are you doing here, Zeta? Ajax nudged the zeta affectionately as Syri continued to stroke his nuzzle.

I am paying my debt to your prince.

Is that so?

Yes. I would appreciate it if you would help me keep it secret from the prince. He does not know I work at the stables. It would only burden him should he find out.

I see. Have no worries; your secret is safe with me. The vorst smelled the top of Syri's head, extracting a small laugh from the ticklish zeta.

Thank you, Ajax.

Kip smiled softly as he watched the vorst and zeta greet each other. "He likes you," the beta commented as he and the zeta exited the stall.

"Really?" Syri asked with a knowing smile.

"Mm," Kip sounded with a nod. "The vorsts are really picky about who they like. It is good that Ajax took a liking to you." Syri silently nodded in response as the two regrouped with the others.

"How'd it go?" Bevy inquired as she sat on a stool and munched on a carrot.

"Very well," Kip answered as he gave a pat on Syri's back before going to lean against the wall next to Calix. "How's Tran doing?" The beta inquired of the green-eyed.

Calix took a bite out of the apple he was holding before answering, "He's good. Getting his energy back. I'm sure he'll be all rowdy again by dusk."

"That's good," Kip responded as he took the apple from Calix's hand and took a generous bite. The original owner of the apple chuckled and rolled his eyes as the grey-eyed helped himself to the ripe fruit.

"You may not want to finish that," Ibbi warned Kip as he entered from the awning area just at the entrance to the stables.

"What?" Kip inquired as he scrunched his brows.

"You may want to save your appetite," the omega said before adding, "Lili is here."

Kip's eyes immediately lit up at the mention of the epsilon's name. "Lili's here?" The grey-eyed tossed the apple aimlessly toward the green-eyed as he immediately stood straight and headed for the awning. Calix was left fumbling with the nearly-finished apple as the beta rushed out.

Ibbi shook his head as he watched the grey-eyed leave. "That's all it takes: her name. Ai yai yai," the omega exclaimed under his breath as he crouched down into a squat and began drawing shapes into the soft dirt with a stick he had snatched from the ground somewhere outside.

"That boy is whipped," Bevy commented as she, too, shook her head. Calix remained silent as he gazed at the apple in his hand. Curious Syri poked his head out into the awning to see a petite female smiling up at the beta. She had long lilac hair and light silver eyes that shone whenever she looked up at the heart-eyed beta. "Her name is Lili," Bevy informed Syri as she came to stand beside the zeta. "She is the apprentice to the royal scientist and is noble born."

Syri's eyes widened at the alpha's last sentence. Bevy noticed the zeta's reaction and said, "You wouldn't have known, right? She dresses like us and hangs out with us. She is our friend and drinks with us. She truly is a gem."

"She's beautiful," the zeta commented as he gazed at the radiant epsilon. Her lilac hair flowed in the wind and framed her slim body perfectly while her eyes shined like the stars against the night sky.

"Ae. That she is," Bevy agreed as she, too, admired the beautiful female. "And she has her eyes set on that one," the alpha added with a gesture to the beta smiling down at the epsilon who had just offered Kip a box containing an assorted meal.

So, she is your present love... Syri smiled softly as he watched the two love birds for a few more moments before Bevy called out, "Oi, Lili!! What about us? Wanna leave some love for your friends?"

Calix and Ibbi stifled a laugh as they heard the alpha's call. The silver-eyed female covered her mouth as she turned and laughed cutely. The beta followed the epsilon into the stables as the apprentice greeted the morning team. "Oh, I see there is a new addition. Hello there," the epsilon greeted kindly as she spotted the zeta. Everything about the apprentice was elegant and feminine; she emitted grace with every move and word.

Syri bowed as he greeted the epsilon. "I'm Lili," the apprentice said as she inclined her head toward the zeta. "Syri," the pink-haired responded politely. "Nice to meet you, Syri," the epsilon returned before turning to Kip and asking, "Could you help me with something?" Kip nodded and urged the epsilon to continue with a sweet smile. Lili pursed her lips before explaining, "My mentor wants a new desk in his study, but he is too old to exchange the two, and I am not strong enough. I was wondering if you would be available to help?"

"Of course!" Kip responded quickly, much to Lili's excitement and his teammates' horror. "Do you have to flirt with all of us here?" Bevy asked before faking a silent gag. Syri tried his hardest to not laugh at Bevy's frankness but noticed the other beta's silence throughout the whole ado. Calix had turned his gaze to the ground after kindly greeting Lili and hardly looked up as the epsilon and grey-eyed beta were being lovey-dovy.

The omega continued to draw in the dirt as the other members began to joke around. Soon, Kip was leaving with Lili, and Calix was walking down the corridor to the right to make sure Tran had enough hay and water. Bevy let out a light sigh as she watched the beta disappear down the row of stalls before following him, leaving Syri and Ibbi in the main corridor of the stables.