"Keep your head down," Kip told the zeta as the two turned to face the Luna before lowering themselves. Syri kept his gaze turned to the ground as he heard the Luna approach the three. The zeta grew extremely worried as he saw blood drip into the dirt from Kip's body.

"Answer me, woman. Why are you ruthlessly beating these workers? How have they wronged you?" Armina demanded of the noble who was clutching a bloodied riding whip in her hands.

"They took too long and made me wait," the woman answered meekly as she hung her head.

Armina raised her brows at the woman's response. "They took too long for what?"

"To saddle my horse."

A scoff left the Luna as she heard the woman's reply. "So, you whipped them for it?"

"They shouldn't have made me wait." The noblewoman's response was more a pout than anything else.

Anger filled Armina as she looked at the two bloodied stable workers kneeling on the ground. "I can't believe this. After all the efforts I have put in place the ensure the palace workers are treated well, a noble of all people dares mistreat them?!" The Luna's eyes flashed red as she turned her gaze to the cowering woman.

Armina had linked the palace guards the moment she heard the screams, so they had already arrived at the scene and were waiting for the queen's orders. The Luna gestured to the woman with her head as she addressed the guards, "Get her out of my sight and take these two to the gamma."

Syri sensed Kip slump slightly at the Luna's words. The beta's body began to lightly shake as the guards approached the two workers and helped them to their feet. Syri let out a breath of relief when two of the guards supported Kip between them and began leading the beta toward the castle. Syri made sure to keep his gaze on the ground as he followed the guards in passing the Luna.

"Wait," the Luna commanded when she caught the zeta's scent. Syri froze at the Luna's firm voice. Kip kept his gaze to the ground, but his brows furrowed in concern. Why had the Luna taken notice of the zeta? "What is your name, Omega?" Armina inquired of the pink-haired male.

"Syri, Your Majesty," the zeta answered respectfully as he remained still.

"Where are you from?" The queen asked as she looked the zeta up and down. She was certain she had smelled his scent before, however, she could not place where.

"Herth, Your Majesty."

"When did you come to the castle?" Armina's voice was firm, but it was not domineering in any way.

"I arrived last week, Luna."

Armina studied the 'omega' for a few moments before determining the young werewolf was speaking truthfully. Hmm. Then, he couldn't be the one I was thinking of. I smelled that scent two months ago. "Very well. I wish you luck in your new position. Carry on," the queen said as she gave a nod to the guards in signal for them to continue on their way to the gamma. Both the beta and the zeta released mental sighs as the guards returned to escorting them to the physician.

Estan's eyes widened when he saw the zeta be brought into his clinic. "Syri? What are you doing here? Wait, WHAT HAPPENED?!!" The gamma's heart dropped as he saw the blood on the zeta's face, shoulder, and arms. Estan instantly ordered the guards to place the bloodied beta on one of the examination tables while he rushed to the zeta.

"What happened, Little One?" Estan inquired as he looked over the zeta's wounds.

"We had a run-in with the crankiest woman I have ever seen. The Luna stopped her, but my mentor took the brunt of it," Syri answered as his eyes glistened. "Please help Kip, Inso," Syri pleaded of the gamma as a tear streamed down his bloodied cheek.

"I will, Little One. He'll be better before you know it," Estan assured the zeta before kissing Syri on the top of the head and going to check on the injured beta.

Syri managed to get his tears under control as he looked around the room. The guards had left, leaving Syri and Kip with Estan. The zeta's brows furrowed as he realized a certain someone was missing. Where is Calix? He should have made it by now. And Bevy too. Syri took one more look around the clinic before determining the alpha and beta were not present. I wonder where they could be.

The zeta quietly meandered over to the back left corner of the clinic to sit in a chair stationed against the wall and waited while Estan cared for Kip. Exhaustion crept into the zeta as he continued to wait, and soon, his eyes drooped closed, and the zeta fell into a very much-needed nap.

Syri's wounds were cleaned and bandaged by the time he woke up. He had been placed in the bed next to Kip's and was underneath a soft blanket.

"Hey, Little One." Estan's voice greeted the zeta as he opened his eyes. Syri turned his head to see the gamma sitting beside his bed.

"Inso," Syri voiced sleepily as he blinked his warm brown eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Estan inquired softly.

"I'm okay," Syri replied before inquiring, "How is my mentor?"

The gamma turned his head to check on his second patient to find him fast asleep. "He's resting right now. I'm sure he'll already be a lot better when he wakes up," Estan responded with a soft smile.

"Thank you, Inso," Syri said to the gamma as he felt sleep take over his body once again.

"You're welcome, Little One. You should rest more, now," Estan replied when he saw the zeta's eyes droop.

"Mm, I think I will," Syri mumbled in agreement as he let his eyes fall closed and retreated into the sweet bliss of slumber. Estan brought his hand to the zeta's healthy cheek affectionately before standing to his feet and returning to tend to his other duties as the physician.

>>>>>>

"Oh, the beta? Yes, he came a few minutes before you and your mentor arrived," the gamma informed the zeta as Syri sat up and swung his legs off the bed. "His pain was something I couldn't help him with, so I sent him to the sigma. She should be able to tell him what happened," Estan added as the zeta slipped off the bed and stood to his feet.

Syri looked over to the other patient's bed to make sure Kip was still fast asleep before turning to the gamma and revealing, "I think I know what happened." Estan raised his brows at the zeta's words and waited for Syri to continue. "I felt the same way when my fated died."

"Ahh, I see," Estan sounded and slowly nodded his head as he went deep into thought. "So, you believe the breaking of the bond was the cause," Estan concluded in assumption. Syri nodded in confirmation. The gamma leaned against his desk and folded his arms across his chest before letting out a breath. "Thank the moon goddess that Jae had been rejected. I know it's an awful thing to be rejected, but it made the passing of his fated one much easier." The gamma's voice was low as he talked about the recent news regarding the prince.

Syri turned his gaze to the floor and slowly nodded in agreement. The rejection was brutal, but Syri was relieved Jae did not feel the pain he had when Jisue was killed. And Syri's connection with Jisue was unwanted, so the zeta could not even imagine the pain of losing a fated one who was loved. At that moment, Syri was grateful Calix had not yet met his mate.

"I should go find Calix," the zeta told the gamma as he stepped away from the bed.

"Okay, you are cleared to begin work again. I'll continue to monitor your mentor. I will release him when he wakes up. The lacerations were small and shallow since the perpetrator wasn't very strong, so he should not have too hard of a time recovering since he is a beta," Estan informed the zeta to ease Syri's worry.

"Thank you, Inso," Syri smiled as he began toward the door. "I'll come to check on him once I find Calix."

"Okay, be safe, Little One. Don't do anything too drastic for a few days. Your wounds are still closing."

"I'll keep that in mind." Syri gave the gamma one more smile before slipping out of the door and beginning his hunt to find the green-eyed beta.

>>>>>>

Jae was making his way down the corridor that housed the gamma's clinic when he caught a whiff of the sweet scent he had been craving. Syri? It had to be Syri. The scent was too potent for the true blood to have mistaken it. The prince broke into a run down the hall until he came to the clinic where the scent was strongest.

Estan whirled around as the door swung open and a frantic true blood entered. "Jae," the gamma greeted the prince with slight confusion. Estan then recalled Syri leaving just a few minutes prior and realized the prince must have picked up the zeta's scent through all of the servant and workers' scents that intermingle throughout the entire castle. Estan had hoped there would be enough variation in the scents that it would mask the zeta's aroma. Apparently, it was not.

"Is everything okay, Jae?" Estan inquired as he attempted to hide the fact he knew exactly why the prince was there.

"Was Syri here?" Jae inquired as he fervently searched the room.

Estan shook his head as he answered, "No, I don't think so. I haven't seen Syri since he left with his cousin." Okay, control your breathing. Hopefully, Jae is too occupied with finding Syri that he won't notice.

"He's here somewhere. I am sure of it," the prince declared as he scanned the room once more to find only the gamma and a sleeping beta lying in a patient bed. "I have to find him," was all Jae said before he rushed out of the clinic and began following the trail of the zeta's vanilla and roses.