Jae was the one to break the kiss, pressing his forehead to the zeta's while Syri gasped for air. Tears filled the zeta's warm, brown eyes when he lifted his head to look at the true blood. Before Jae knew it, Syri had wrapped his arms around him and was crying into his chest. "I missed you so much!" The zeta's words were muffled into the prince's shirt, but Jae heard Syri clear as day.

"I missed you, too." Jae lifted his hand and began petting the zeta's pink head as he returned Syri's sentiment. The true blood tightened his hold around the zeta as Syri continued to hold onto him. "I'm sorry for evading you all this while. I didn't want to complicate your life. I thought you would be able to find love if I left." The zeta's words rippled from his lips between sniffles, but he did not mind his cries. He wanted to be completely honest with the true blood.

Jae's heart ached at the zeta's words, and he brought Syri to arm's length. The prince wiped a falling tear from the zeta's reddened cheek as he said, "Syri, I found my love the moment I found you."

The prince's confession made the zeta's heart soar. Both were aware of the connection that had formed in their first moments, and neither wished to deny it any longer. A smile came to Syri's lips as he looked up into the prince's tender gaze. "As did I."

The prince broke into the widest smile Syri had ever seen before trapping the zeta's lips in a sweet kiss. Syri's hands swam to the prince's neck as Jae cradled his face gingerly. Content happiness rimmed with excitement flooded the zeta as he let himself melt into the prince's comforting embrace.

The two were smiling when they broke for air. Syri was elated when Jae interlaced his fingers with his and pressed their foreheads together once more before turning to lead the zeta into the castle. However, the prince did not take but one step before freezing in his tracks. Jae sucked in his breath when he saw his mother, the queen, standing before him.

Armina's arms were down by her side, and her eyes were wet. The queen was silent as she approached the two, her expression grave.

"So..." The Luna's voice was low as she began. "...You've found your mate."

"Ae...I have." Jae was firm in his response, not lowering his head in shame and, instead, standing proud with the zeta's hand in his. Armina's gaze trailed down to the two's interlaced fingers before moving back up to lock eyes with her son. "I assume you are aware it is against the law for a common wolf to mate with someone who is not their fated one." Jae was silent at the queen's words. The true blood grit his jaw at the mention of the law that had existed since the beginning of Crimson Night's history.

Armina moved her gaze to the pink-haired werewolf standing beside her son before inquiring, "You know this, do you not, Omega?"

"Ae, I am aware, Luna." Syri had turned his gaze to the ground at the appearance of the queen and had remained silent, only speaking when spoken to as was the custom during interactions between common wolves and royalty.

"And are you willing to suffer the consequences?" The queen inquired further.

Syri's grip around Jae's instinctively tightened as he processed the Luna's question. After determining he was willing to take on all responsibility, Syri opened his lips to speak, but Jae was faster. With confidence, the true blood spoke, "I will not let that happen."

"And how do you propose to evade the law?" The queen asked her son, raising a brow in anticipation of the prince's reply.

"There will be no need to evade a law that is no longer relevant." Syri whipped his head to look up at the true blood at Jae's words. The worry radiating from the zeta indicated Syri knew the implications that were paired with the prince's solution.

The queen was impressed with the prince's answer, but the repercussions of his solution were momentous. Armina took a step toward her son and asked, "Are you aware of the implications of your words?"

"I am," Jae answered solemnly. He knew what he would have to do to keep Syri safe, and he was willing to give his all.

Armina swallowed dryly as she gazed at her son for an extended moment before releasing a sigh and saying, "Then, I wish you luck, Prince."

Jae bowed his head in gratitude. "Thank you, Luna."

Armina's eyes moistened as she placed her hand on her son's cheek and smiled at him affectionately. The Luna lowered her hand from her son before turning to face the zeta, who had remained with his head bowed. The Luna placed her hand on Syri's shoulder before requesting, "Please support him well, little omega."

Syri lifted his head at the queen's request before taking a low bow. "Ae, Luna, I shall."

"You have my gratitude," Armina returned sweetly before giving a gentle squeeze on the zeta's shoulder. The queen took a step back to look at the true blood and zeta standing before her. "I wish you both luck. May the moon goddess be with you."

The true blood and zeta bowed to the Luna in thanks before hurried footsteps broke onto the breezeway. The three turned to see Yehwa rushing their way. "My queen! You are needed in the hall!" The beta's chest heaved as she hurriedly came to a stop and bowed to the Luna and prince.

"What is it?" Armina was quick to go to the beta's side, her brows furrowed in worry; Yehwa was hardly ever flustered.

"The crown prince of Eternal Dawn has attacked a wolf of Black Moon!" Yehwa explained through deep breaths. The queen's eyes slanted at the beta's answer. Yehwa would not be so flustered if two wolves from foreign packs got into a brawl. There is something more. "What else is the matter?" The queen inquired of her second-hand.

Yehwa took two deep breaths before revealing, "Kace is injured."

Jae stepped forward at the beta's words. "Do not worry; he was not one of the two in the fight," the beta added to calm the prince and queen.

"Take me to him," Jae ordered the beta, who bowed in compliance and turned to lead the Luna, prince, and zeta into the castle.

>>>>>>

1 Hour Before Jae & Syri's Confession

WARNING: Violence

Kace slowed his pace when he was sure the true blood was not following him. The male released a breath and came to a walk as he replayed his interaction with the prince of Eternal Dawn; he could not stop recalling the tenderness in the prince's emerald orbs. No one had looked at him so gently, and Kace almost wanted to turn around and find the prince, so he could look up into those deep green eyes, but the moment the desire formed, the wolf forcefully removed it from his heart. He would not allow himself to become vulnerable to any wolf other than Jae. Jae was his rock, his safe place, and Kace did not want to lose that.

The blue-haired released a long, slow breath as he made his way through the garden and let himself get lost in the moonlit petals covering the ground. The wolf cleared his mind of the events of the day and found a quiet corner of the garden in which to sit and rest. The visiting packs would be leaving in four days, so all Kace had to do was avoid the prince of Eternal Dawn, and everything would return to how it was. And Kace was excellent at avoiding things, so it would have been a simple task had he not been found by his hunter.

The wolf's sensitive ears detected the quiet breathing of a predator stalking its prey. Kace remained still and closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath and studied his hunter. The scent was strong, most likely alpha. The footsteps were quiet and determined; the predator was not taking this lightly and most likely had the intent to kill or severely maim. Kace recognized the scent the moment the hunter leaped into the small corner.

The blue-haired was quick to avoid the black wolf that lunged at him and lifted his fists in defense as he faced his hunter. He's come for his revenge. Kace's eyes narrowed as he studied the wolf's movements. They were slow and calculated. He had been following Kace for a while and had waited for this moment to strike.

Kace prepared to defend himself from the wolf as it charged him, but the wolf shifted into his human form just before reaching Kace and brought the blue-eyed to the ground. Kace let out a groan as his breath was knocked from him.

A wicked laugh radiated from the man above him as Ganz pressed his forearm to his prey's throat. The alpha raised a brow as his eyes trailed over the scars on the blue-eyes male's neck. "Looks like I'm not the only one who gets to mark you." An evil glint entered the alpha's red eyes as he added, "Not in that way, of course," and bared his claws.

Kace gasped for air and tried to rip the man's arm away from his throat, but Ganz grabbed both of the blue-haired's wrists with his free hand and pinned them above his prey's head. The blue-haired released a cry of pain when Ganz dug his claws into his wrists.

"Why didn't you shift?" Ganz inquired of the man beneath him. "Not that it would have helped," the alpha added with a smirk. The man furrowed his brows as he lowered his head and sniffed Kace's scent. "What are you?" Ganz suddenly became curious as to what rank his prey was. "You smell like an alpha, but then again...not." The alpha tilted his head as he pondered the rank of his prey.

"There's no chance you'll tell me, right?" Ganz released a crackle at his question before tightening his grip around Kace's wrists. Blood now trailed down the blue-eyed's arms and stained the purple flowers beneath him. "How silly of me to even ask. I haven't heard you utter one word, you know. Can you even speak?"

Kace released a growl in response to Ganz's question, and his eyes filled with flames. "That's better. Now, let's see how loud you can scream," Ganz snarled as he removed his forearm from the blue-eyed's throat and hovered his clawed hand above his prey. Kace stifled his cry when the alpha dug his claws into his shoulder.

"Hmm, not loud enough." The alpha was not concerned about being discovered as he had watched the true blood head back to the castle before following the blue-haired deeper into the garden. And Ganz knew the guests in the banquet were too intoxicated to register his prey's screams even if they penetrated the palace's thick, stone walls and somehow made their way into the lively hall.

Keeping his hold around Kace's wrists, Ganz ran his claws from the shoulder up the blue-haird's arm, tearing streaks in Kace's pale flesh. Kace shut his eyes tightly as he fought the scream that clawed at his throat. Tears formed in the blue-haired's eyes as the cry broke through his lips and echoed into the night.

"That's better!" Ganz praised the man trapped beneath him as he relished Kace's cry of pain. "Now...what should we mark next?" Ganz asked with crazed eyes when his prey's cry had died down. "Hmmm, how about this pretty face of yours? I'm surprised no one has marked it yet. Maybe it's because you are too pretty." A vile look entered Ganz's eye as his gaze trailed over Kace's elegant yet masculine features. "Shall I change that? Then, the strong true blood wouldn't want you anymore. Wouldn't that be a pity?" The alpha snarled as he pressed the top of his claw against the line of Kace's jaw.

Kace grit his teeth as the alpha dragged his claw along his jawline, tearing into the blue-eyed male's soft flesh. A tear fell from Kace's eye as he endured the torment being bestowed on him by the ruthless alpha. The blue-haired fought the urge to shift into his wolf form and resigned to the fact he would have to fight the alpha in his human form. Kace had vowed to never shift into his wolf form without the protection of the mask that veiled his eyes, and he would hold to his word even if it meant taking this torment until he could force the alpha off him. He had promised Jae, and he could not bring himself to break it.

So, he endured the pain inflicted on him by the cruel alpha until he caught an opening. The blood seeping from the wounds in his wrists had covered his arms and made Ganz's hold on him slick. The moment Kace felt the alpha's hold slip, he took the chance to break free and push the alpha off him.

Kace was no weak wolf, so he had no problem throwing Ganz onto the ground. But as soon as the alpha hit the earthen floor, he shifted into his wolf form and wriggled out from Kace's grasp. Slipping in his own pool of blood, Kace found himself on the ground watching as a ferocious werewolf charged him.