"Are you ready?" Reem's inquiry drew Syri's gaze to the rho.

Pursing his lip and nodding, Syri responded, "Ae."

Reem looked at the determined zeta for a moment before releasing a breath and adding, "Besides us four, the pann have been sent to aid Alpha Jae at the border. Once we leave, there will be no additional aid."

Syri lowered his head at Reem's warning. The rho had made it very clear that if they were to move through with the plan, they would be on their own should their plan be stunted. "I understand." Syri looked back up at the rho, his gaze hard. "Even if it was just me, I would go. Aki is my responsibility; he was captured due to me being a zeta."

Reem's expression softened at the zeta's determination to save his brother. Not many wolves would be willing to walk into the lion's den to save another. To say Reem was impressed by Syri's selflessness would be an understatement. To be able to serve such an Ante Luna was an honor.

Have you linked the Alpha? Reem turned to Brenton who had inquired about the Alpha's knowledge of the situation.

Nodding at his brother, Reem sent his reply through the silent link. Ae, he is aware. If he makes it in time is up to him.

"It's time," Brenton alerted, breaking his silent conversation with his brother. If they were to leave, it would be then. The messenger from Black Moon would not be willing to linger for too long for fear of being discovered. They needed the spy to see Syri set out for Black Moon if they wanted Aki to last the night.

Nodding to the four pann for their help, Syri set off down the corridor and to the stables where Kip was waiting with a saddled horse. Haikon had gone ahead and alerted the beta to Syri's departure, so Kip had readied a horse for the zeta's travels.

Kip had no idea where the zeta was going or why he was leaving in the dead of night, but he knew it was urgent, so he helped Syri mount without any questions and merely said, "Be safe," as Syri took the reins.

"Thank you, Kip." Without hesitating any longer, Syri tapped his heels into the horse's side and clicked his tongue to spur the steed into a quick trot. Kip watched the zeta leave the stables and head toward the south gate before heading back into the stables to finish his night shift while lifting a prayer to the moon goddess to keep Syri safe.

Reem, who had gone onto the roof of the palace, watched the zeta leave the palace grounds and spur the horse into a gallop as he entered the vast fields. As expected, a few moments after Syri exited through the gate, a figure in a black cloak emerged from the fields just beyond the gate. Reem watched carefully as the figure shifted into its wolf form before disappearing into the tall grass.

The messenger has departed. Let's head out.

Reem quickly descended from the palace's roof and met Brenton, Haikon, and Xander at the south gate. Once together, the four shifted into their wolves before sneaking into the fields and following the sweet trail of the zeta. Xander was reminded of his and Haikon's chase of Syri's fated one as he and Haikon followed Reem and Brenton into the dark night. They had set out on a mission to save the zeta by defeating his unstable fated mate. And now, they had a mission to protect the zeta by rescuing his brother.

Xander thought that fate was a funny thing. Both of his most dangerous missions were in regard to the zeta. Except, this mission had higher stakes because he now had a mate to protect. So, Xander knew he would need to be on high alert and extremely cautious; he could not lose Haikon, not when they were just now able to love out loud.

Syri clung to the reins as his steed galloped across the rolling hills that separated Crimson Night from the Black Forest where the border with Black Moon was located. Syri had been riding for four hours without resting. His muscles had begun to tighten due to the cold and stationary position atop his steed, but he continued to ride over Crimson Night's beautiful land. If he was to make it in time for the dinner that had been prepared by Black Moon, he would have to ride through the days and nights with minimal rest.

Kip had packed a bag of food and several waterskins per Haikon's request, so Syri was not concerned when it came to sustenance. However, he was pressed for time, so the food remained uneaten for the first day and a half until Syri feared he would be too weak to stay on the horse's back. The only times Syri stopped to rest was when his horse could not go any further. Syri did not wish to torture the steed as it was helping him to save his brother and he had fed and bathed him many a time back when he worked in the stables.

The steed Kip had prepared for him was young and strong, so Syri knew Kip was aware of the urgency, and he was thankful for the beta who was caring enough to also include a blanket. The windchill during the night was extremely cold, so Syri made good use of the blanket and could keep riding thanks to it. The zeta trusted that the four pann were close behind him, so he pushed onward even when he was exhausted and his every fiber screamed for rest.

When the sun rose on the second day, Syri had finally made it to the edge of the Black Forest. Riding through the forest was less taxing due to the windchill being lessened from the thickness of the trees, however, it was more difficult to navigate between the trees rather than barreling over the expansive hills. Using the map that Reem had provided, Syri made his way through the forest as quickly as he was able.

By midday, the trees had lessened to be thin woods before breaking out into a plains area. Syri used the map to find he was nearing the capital of Black Moon as it was situated in the center of the plains region. The zeta rode for four more hours until the skyline of the capital appeared on the horizon. Unlike Crimson Night's palace which was very expansive itself had villages surrounding it and some a short walk away, Black Moon's castle was situated in the center of a busy city.

Syri pulled the hood of his cloak lower to hide his pink hair and the upper portion of his face to avoid drawing attention as he neared the city gates. Stopped by the guards, Syri pulled the letter from Black Moon's messenger and showed the seal to the guard who had walked up to the zeta and inspected his bags for any potential weapons.

"Where are you traveling from?" The guard asked as he took the letter from Syri's hands. His brow lifted when he read the contents, and he reached out his hand to lift the zeta's hood, but Syri instinctively shrank away from him. "Are you the one this letter is addressed to?"

"I am," Syri confirmed, his voice low. The last thing Syri wanted was for word to spread of the zeta from Crimson Night visiting the castle of Black Moon.

"So, you're the zeta, eh?" The guard sneered as he leaned in closely and peered beneath Syri's hood. Syri scrunched his nose at the guard's close proximity, and, if he could have leaned farther away without falling off his horse, he would have. However, unfortunately, he was already barely managing to not fall off. Closing his eyes, Syri prayed beneath his breath that the guard would not force him to remove his hood.

"Zeta Syri?" The foreign voice caused the guard to back away from Syri and clear his throat before handing the letter back to the zeta and turning to see who had addressed the traveler.

The guard's eyes widened when he saw who was approaching him, and he immediately bowed his head. "Prince San!"

Syri looked at the male who was approaching to see the youngest prince of Black Moon standing before him. The prince was accompanied by his advisor and two guards who stood behind him about two paces. Recognizing San to be the one who had stopped Seth that time in the palace corridor when Black Moon's crown prince had threatened to forcefully mate the zeta, Syri dismounted his steed and removed his hood.

San swallowed as he looked at the zeta standing in front of him. Images of Seth dragging Syri down the corridor with his claws digging into Syri's skin flashed through San's mind causing the omega to falter for a moment before greeting his clan's guest. "Welcome to Black Moon, Zeta Syri. We have been expecting you. Please, follow me. I will take you to the crown prince."

One of San's guards approached Syri and bowed before taking his steed's reins. Syri watched the guard lead the horse away as San walked up to the guard who was interrogating the zeta. "Speak nothing of this. No one is to know Black Moon has a guest." The guard kept his head lowered and nodded in acceptance of the prince's command as San returned to stand in front of Syri.

The omega looked at the zeta's exhausted expression and heard his strained breathing as they faced each other. "You've had a long journey. Come, I'll take you to your room." San's voice was soft as he addressed Syri, but Syri shook his head and kindly refused.

"I appreciate your concern, but I would like to fulfill my side of the deal as quickly as I can. Please take me to your brother."

San released a sigh and lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment before answering, "Very well. Follow me."

Although Syri was aware San always acted strangely when the omega saw him, he pushed his curiosity to the side and silently followed the youngest prince through the city and to the castle where he was led to the doors of the Alpha's Hall.

San and Syri were announced as they walked through the black iron doors and proceeded down the long aisle leading to the Alpha and Luna's thrones. Surprisingly, the thrones were empty; Alpha Greem and Luna Aihnae were not present. However, on the steps leading up to the thrones, Syri saw a form sitting on the lowest steps with his head lowered and his elbows resting on his knees.

"Welcome, Syri." Shivers ran down Syri's spine as he heard the voice. There was no mistake as to who its owner was. Syri swallowed dryly as he stopped before the steps, and Seth raised his head to greet the zeta with a sly smile. "Like your throne?" The alpha gestured to the seat behind him. "I just had it made." A wicked chuckle followed Seth's comment, but Syri's eyes were glued to the hand Seth had used to gesture toward the throne where the Luna would sit. He could care less about the chair; he was more concerned as to whose blood was on the alpha's hands.

"Ah, this?" Seth said with a sigh when he saw where Syri was looking with wide eyes. Turning his hand before his face and admiring the red stains, Seth added, "I just couldn't wait any longer. It was taking you too long to arrive."

"What have you done?" Syri's heart pounded in his chest, and his head became light as the stench of fresh blood invaded his senses. The zeta frantically looked around the throne room in search of the source of the rancid smell, his eyes catching the figure of a hand lying on the ground behind one of the thrones. "Aki?!..."