"Syri!" Estan called as he saw the masked man carry the zeta out of the building. The gamma was empty-handed as he ran up to the man. The man kept his hold on Syri as he knew Estan would be too tired to be able to carry the zeta.
"Is this your friend, Gamma?" The man inquired of Estan.
"Yes, he is. Thank you for saving him," Estan said to the man holding Syri.
"Do you have somewhere he can stay until he regains consciousness?" The man's voice was courteous and polite.
Estan nodded his head. "I do, but it is quite a ways away."
"Where is it located?"
"Just outside Alia. We are in Gern, so it will be about a half day's walk."
"It's just your luck, Gamma. This place is located between Gern and Alia. It is only a two-hour walk to Alia. I am actually headed to Alia myself. I am willing to accompany you and your friend, but I must find someone first," the man offered.
"That is very kind, but I would like to leave this place as soon as possible," Estan responded.
The man inclined his head. "Very well. Then, do you have a place where I can set your friend down until he regains consciousness?"
"I do. Follow me, please," Estan said as he began leading the man to the nook where he had set the girl.
The man kept Syri in his arms as he followed the gamma to a corner formed from two buildings interlocking. The rustling of the girl met the gamma and man. Estan let out a breath of relief as he saw the girl was awake and looking around with wide eyes. The man immediately set down the zeta and took off his mask as he called the girl's name, "Rosie!"
The girl looked up at the man, a smile coming on her face. "Inso!" Rosie called as she reached her arms out to the man. The man took Rosie into his arms, tears filling his eyes as he held his little sister.
Estan smiled at the happy reunion between siblings as he checked on his precious zeta.
"How are you? Are you okay?" The man asked softly as he inquired on his sister's health.
Rosie shook her head as big tears streamed down her face. "I want to go home."
"It's okay. We'll go home," the man said as he pulled his sister back into his arms. "We need to leave here now. I am certain reinforcements are on their way," the man voiced as he looked around at the compound.
Estan nodded in agreement. "I can carry Rosie if you would carry Syri."
"Very well," the man agreed. "Rosie, Inso has to help that man over there. Can you go with the gamma?" He asked his sister.
Rosie nodded. "Thank you for saving me, Estan," Rosie thanked as she stood to her feet.
Estan smiled at the girl before crouching and letting her climb onto his back. Estan watched as the man gently scooped Syri into his arms and made sure the zeta was in a comfortable position. 'He seems like a nice guy.' Estan followed the man as they exited their nook of safety and made their way back into the chaos.
The man had put his mask back on before lifting Syri into his arms, covering his dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. The other masked men continued in eliminating the captors and rescuing the victims as the four made their way out of the complex.
"Your friends won't mind you leaving?" Estan inquired as they exited the compound.
A slight chuckle left the man as he said, "I'm not actually one of them. I snuck in with them to find my sister." The man bent down as his sister took off his mask, revealing a soft face and hazel eyes.
"Ahh. I must say, that is quite intelligent," the gamma complimented.
"Thank you."
"Where did you acquire your skills, then? If you are not a pann?"
"My father was a pann. He trained me."
"I see."
The next few minutes were walked in silence until Estan inquired, "May I know your name?"
"Brenton. My name is Brenton, and my sister is Rosie."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Brenton. I am Estan, and the man in your arms is Syri."
Brenton looked down at the werewolf in his arms fondly and said his name, "So, your name is Syri."
Estan noticed the look in Brenton's eyes and cleared his throat as he thought of a potentially pissed-off true blood glaring at him and quickly changed the conversation. "So, what do you do, Brenton?"
"Hm?" Brenton reluctantly drew his gaze away from the male in his arms and focused on Estan's question. "I hunt and sell game."
"So, you're a rho?" Estan assumed based on Brenton's occupation.
"Correct. And you are?" Brenton's voice raised at the end of his question signifying that he was not sure if it was appropriate to ask about Estan's rank.
Estan smiled at the kind rho and answered, "I am a gamma, and Syri is an omega."
"Ah, I thought so. He smelled sweet," Brenton said as he glanced down at the "omega" in his arms.
"Yes, Syri is a sweet little thing," Estan agreed as he looked at the sleeping zeta.
"So, where were you coming from? Do you live outside this region?" Brenton inquired after a moment.
'And so the lying begins.' Estan took a breath and prepared to tell the story his had concocted. "Syri and I live in the village outside the castle. I bought the cabin outside Alia with my mate when we first got together. He's busy right now, so I thought I'd take Syri, and we would have a little vacation together and get away from the worries of life. Little did I know that we would be kidnapped by a trafficking ring."
"Yeah, no one would have guessed such a thing could happen. They've been getting worse, especially in the west. But they have slowly expanded their reach to the eastern region. If only the king would do something about it. I doubt he even cares." Brenton's eyes turned hard as he talked about the disinterest of the king in the happenings of his people.
"I'm sure the king is busy. I don't think he is even here right now."
"But the prince is. Why isn't he doing anything?" Irritation could be heard in Brenton's voice as he continued, "His people are being captured, killed, and separated from their families, and he isn't doing anything about it!"
"I am sure the prince is doing his best," Estan defended his friend. 'He has to worry about more things than you could ever know. It is not easy being a prince.'
"Yeah...I'm sure you are right, but it is frustrating being so disconnected from the people who are supposed to keep order. It's like they're in a whole other world. I could never even dream of seeing the castle."
Estan nodded even though he was one of those who was in a whole other world. "I get what you mean." 'There is no way I can tell him that Syri and I are from the castle, now.'
The four walked in silence the rest of the journey to Alia. Rosie had fallen asleep on Estan's shoulder and was snoring softly, extracting quiet laughs from the gamma and rho. Syri remained in a deep sleep as he and his wolf recovered their energy.
Pann - League of trained werewolves which are loaned out to accomplish jobs. The league consists of betas, deltas, thetas, and rhos.