"I thought I told you to stay away from my mate," Den released in a growl as he glared at the two wolves from Black Moon.

"You can't seriously still be denying Ganz medical treatment. Even after all this time?" Seth returned slyly with a raise of his brow.

"Not at all," Den replied. "Please wait outside. The gamma will be with you shortly." The true blood then motioned toward the door under which Seth and Ganz currently stood. A scoff sounded from Seth's smirk, and the alpha slowly nodded his head in agreement. "Very well, we will wait outside, but if the gamma does not come out to tend to Ganz within ten minutes, I shall have to take action, Prince." With that, Seth and Ganz retreated through the door, leaving the wolves of Crimson Night alone in the infirmary.

"I'm coming with you, babe," Yejin said to Estan as he watched the gamma begin to gather his supplies. "There's no way I am letting you be alone with those two."

"Thanks, love," Estan returned with a smile before placing a quick kiss on the alpha's cheek. The gamma then ruffled the zeta's pink hair as he passed Syri with his medical kit. After making sure Estan was ready, Yejin opened the door of the infirmary for his mate before following the gamma into the corridor. Once the gamma and alpha had disappeared into the corridor, Den immediately returned to his mate's side leaving Syri standing alone beside Estan's desk. Releasing a small breath, Syri resumed his sitting position in the chair beside the physician's work station and resorted to silently watching Den carefully brush a fallen strand of hair from his mate's sleeping face.

Exhaustion and stress from the events that had occurred over the past twenty-four hours from prepping stalling and caring for the guests' horses, to being taken to wait the wolves at the banquet, to helping in the kitchen before being found by the white-haired male and being dragged off by Crimson Night's prince and confessing his love to rushing to the infirmary and seeing the aftermath of a ruthless attack on a close friend of Jae suddenly came weighing down on the small zeta causing his heart to feel heavy. And now to add on top of these events, Syri was currently worried about what could have caused a commotion severe enough that it required Jae's presence in the hall.

Due to the exhaustion coursing through the zeta, Syri's body felt heavy and spent, but the worry over the event in the hall kept Syri from being able to rest. So, the zeta remained in the chair in the infirmary with swirling emotions and a heavy heart while Den worried over his mate and Estan tended to the wolves of Black Moon.

>>>>>>

Jae released a silent sigh as he walked down the corridor with closed fists. Yehwa trailed behind the true blood, her head turned to the ground. The two were solemn as they made their way through the palace and to the infirmary where they found Estan tending to an injured Ganz while Yejin stood guard and kept a watchful eye on both of Black Moon's alphas. Upon the approach of the prince and Luna's right hand, Estan stood to his feet and have a short bow in greeting. Yejin quickly walked to Jae and inclined his head to his prince before inquiring, "Is everything alright?"

Jae scanned his eyes over the two wolves from Black Moon and the evidently worried gamma before motioning toward the end of the corridor and replying, "Come with me; there is something we must discuss." Yejin complied to his prince's command with a short bow before following the true blood to the end of the corridor and out of range of the other wolves.

Estan looked at Yehwa with wide eyes as the beta came to stand beside him. "Inna, what's going on?" The gamma inquired before switching his gaze to the prince and his mate as they advanced down the corridor.

"Continue your work, Estan," Yehwa answered shortly before adding in a low voice, "I'm sure Yejin will tell you later."

"Ah...ae..." Estan sounded as he turned his attention back to the beta before returning to his crouching position and continued tending to the injured alpha. Both wolves from Black Moon had their eyes glued to the prince and his right hand as Jae and Yejin reached the end of the corridor. Seth closed his eyes and focused his range of hearing toward the location where Jae and Yejin stood in an attempt to overhear the two males' discussion. After a few moments, the prince of Black Moon was able to pick up the true blood and alpha's hushed voices, but a curt voice cut his focus. "These matters concern Crimson Night and Crimson Night alone. Black Moon has no need to overhear my prince's conversation."

Seth opened his eyes to see the beta glaring at him coldly. A half-smile curled onto the alpha's lips as he nodded his head and said, "My apologies, beta. I do not intend to pry...especially since it does not concern my pack."

A silent scoff caused one corner of the beta's lips to lift as Yehwa raised a brow and bowed at Seth in thanks for his understanding before shifting her focus back to her younger brother's mate as the gamma concluded his session with Ganz. "Okay, you are good to go," Estan addressed the injured alpha as he rose to his feet and took a step back to stand beside Yehwa. "Refrain from any strenuous physical activity for a few days. You are healing well, so you should be fine in a few days."

A scoff escaped the alpha's mouth as Estan 'forgot' to bow to the high-ranking patient. "Took you long enough. Guess you're not all the hype they say you are," Ganz complained unpleasantly as he used the wall as support to stand to his feet. "Can you walk?" Seth inquired of his right hand as he watched the alpha rise to his full height. "Ae," Ganz replied with a nod of his head. "It is not something that would keep me down that easily."

"Good," Seth answered with a chuckle as a smirk came to his face. The crown prince of Black Moon turned to the beta and gamma and said, "Thanks for your efforts," before leaving the entrance to the infirmary and walking down the corridor in the direction of the hall where the commotion had just taken place. Yehwa watched the two wolves of Black Moon carefully until they were out of sight before turning to face Estan who already had his eyes on the true blood and his mate as they concluded their conversation.

Estan watched silently as Jae and Yejin made their way to the gamma and beta who remained just before the entrance to the infirmary. Both male's expressions were grave, causing Estan to reach out and take Yejin's hand in his upon their arrival. Yejin gave his mate's hand an affectionate squeeze and smiled down on the concerned gamma softly before turning to address his sister. "I shall go with Jae. Thank you for escorting him thus far."

Yehwa gazed at her brother kindly before inclining her head and saying, "Then I shall take my leave. There is something I must tend to," before turning to the prince and bowing. "I wish you luck, Prince. May the Moon Goddess be with you." Jae nodded toward the beta shortly in response before Yehwa turned on her heel and began walking in the direction of the hall, leaving the gamma, alpha, and true blood standing in the corridor in tense silence.

"I'll be back in a moment," Jae told his right hand in a low voice before entering the infirmary. Yejin and Estan remained in the walkway hand-in-hand while the true blood closed the door behind him and released a quiet breath upon seeing the zeta sitting in a chair beside Estan's desk with his hands clasped together tightly. Syri's eyes drooped, but they remained open indicating the zeta was awake. Upon hearing the door open, Syri lifted his head and turned to the entrance to see Jae standing just before the doorway.

The zeta was quick to his feet and met the true blood in a sweet hug not caring that the blanket that had been laid over his lap had fallen to the ground; his attention had been fully given to the prince. A soft smile came to Jae's lips when he felt Syri's arms wrap around his waist, and the true blood did not hesitate to reciprocate the zeta's embrace.

"Is everything okay?" Syri inquired quietly, so he would not disturb the true blood who had fallen asleep next to the binate who remained in deep slumber.

Jae shook his head in response as he answered truthfully, "No. Something happened, and I will be gone for a few days." Syri remained silent to the prince's response and showed his support for the true blood by tightening his hold around Jae's chest. Jae brought his hand up to the zeta's neck and began petting Syri's pink hair in response to the zeta's tightened embrace before planting a sweet kiss atop the zeta's head. "I'll be back," Jae voiced quietly before closing his eyes and bringing the zeta closer to him. "So, don't worry, hm? Everything will be alright."

"I'll be waiting, so do what you need to do," Syri voiced softly as he began to run his hand up and down the prince's back. "I'll be here when you get back."

A small smirk came to the prince's lips at Syri's words, and Jae took the opportunity to tease the zeta. "So, my first stop wouldn't be the stables then?"

"Aoosh," Syri released in sigh with a shake of his head as he leaned away from the true blood and tilted his face to look up at the man before him. It was not long before a smile painted the zeta's face and Syri was gazing up at the prince lovingly. "Be safe...Jae."

A sad smile pulled on the corners of Jae's lips as he gazed down at the beautiful wolf in his arms. Knowing 'being safe' was the last thing that was going to happen, Jae nodded his head in agreement before bringing Syri back into his chest and resting his chin on the zeta's head. Letting out a breath, Syri buried his face into his prince and tightened his hold around the true blood's waist as Jae began running his fingers through the zeta's soft hair. The two were silent as they remained in each other's arms, one shielding the reality of his upcoming absence, and the other slightly aware everything was not as it seemed.