"Are you lost, Omega?" The foreign voice caused Syri to freeze in his tracks. The zeta slowly turned to see a man standing behind him. The man was dressed in a stealth outfit with a black long-sleeved cloth shirt and black pants with numerous pockets and sheathed knives strapped to the thighs and calves. A black leather guard protected the man's right shoulder, and leather straps with small pockets were wrapped around the man's upper arm and forearms.
Black lace-up boots were donned on the man's feet and lower calves, and a black belt containing several blades and throwing knives was wrapped around the man's waist. The man's pitch-black hair that hung in his eyes completed the outfit, and his hazel eyes shone against his pale skin. The zeta's eyes widened as his gaze fell to the mask that hung from the man's leather belt. 'He's a pann!'
Syri cleared his throat as he prepared to address the man. The zeta was surprised, however, when Ajax came to stand over him protectively. The vorst hung his head in front of the zeta as the beast gazed at the man. 'Don't let your guard down, Zeta. It is rare for pann to approach strangers, especially in broad daylight while dressed in their stealth gear.'
The zeta swallowed dryly as he heard the steed's warning.
"Don't worry, I do not intend to harm you," the man said as he sensed the pink-haired grow tense. The pann lifted his hands in front of his chest to show he was unarmed. "It's only that it is dangerous for an omega to be out alone. I am sure you have heard of the recent increase of traffickers."
"I appreciate your concern, but I believe I will be alright," Syri answered defensively as he stepped closer to the prince's steed and turned to leave.
"You just had your heat, did you not?" The man inquired with a raised brow as he continued to look at the zeta, who stopped and turned back to face him.
"H-how did you-"
"If I can smell the remnants of your heat from here, don't you think an alpha would be able to as well?"
Syri blinked his brown eyes as he gazed at the man standing before him.
The pann could sense the zeta's hesitation, so he added, "If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so by now. I can get you out of here safely."
"What are you?" Syri inquired after a moment as he debated the man's offer.
"I am a rho." The man was truthful as he answered the zeta. The pink-haired narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized the man. 'Should we trust him? He doesn't seem to be lying. Plus, he could have easily hidden his identity as a pann and just dragged me off to some dark place.' Syri looked up at the steed as he inquired of Ajax's opinion.
'It is your decision, Zeta.' Ajax's response was short as he had determined the man was speaking truthfully. Ajax would have preferred to lead Syri back to the castle by himself, but the steed knew that having a pann could serve as an extra layer of security. The steed determined to not be completely against trusting the man as his prince would want the zeta to remain as protected as possible.
Syri turned his gaze back to the pann before addressing the rho. "Do you know the way to the capitol?"
The rho lifted a brow at the zeta's request. "I do. Shall I lead the way?" Syri nodded his head in response as he remained close to the vorst. The pann kept his eye on the massive steed as he slowly approached the pink-haired male. 'This 'omega' is certainly no normal wolf. Why would a seemingly ordinary wolf be traipsing around Gern with a vorst?' The rho pondered on the zeta's origin as he reached the pink-haired. 'As a pann, I need to make sure this wolf reaches his destination safely; he is part of a larger picture, a picture the world has yet to see.' The rho's trained nose was quick to detect the small male's scent and correctly categorize it. 'By the scent, he is no omega. He is the lost zeta. I must make certain he remains unharmed.'
The rho's expression remained distant as he trailed his gaze to the vorst. 'Who is your master, Steed? And why are you so protective of the zeta? Does the royal family know of the zeta's identity? Or are you hiding him, Vorst?'
"How long will it take to reach the castle?" Syri inquired as he saw the man observe the massive steed behind him. The rho turned his gaze to the zeta before answering, "Six hours by trot."
"By trot?" Syri's eyes widened when he realized the man's intention. The zeta watched silently as the man leaned down and interlaced his fingers to create a mounting boost. "Let me help you mount," the rho said as he offered his hands to the zeta. Syri swallowed as he looked at the man who was so eager to help him. 'Why are you going to such lengths to help a stranger?' The zeta eyed the man curiously as he slowly raised his foot and set it in the man's interlaced hands.
With the help of the rho, Syri soon found himself sitting atop Ajax. The vorst, however, jerked his head up when the rho approached his side. "Do not fret, Vorst. I have no intention of mounting you. Your master is your pride," the man assured the steed as he stroked his hand along the side of Ajax's neck.
Syri's heart calmed when he heard the rho's words. Any man who respected the rider of a vorst was a good man. The zeta watched as the man's eyes flashed a deep crimson as he shifted into his wolf form. Syri was taken aback by the rho's beauty. His fur was black and silky, and his hazel eyes shone against the dark fur, creating a charming contrast. The elegance of the wolf matched the man's human form. He was by no means a rugged man even though he was a trained warrior and mercenary-for-hire.
When the rho realized he could not link the zeta in his wolf form, he motioned with his head for the steed to begin moving forward. Ajax gave a short snort as he began following the black wolf down the path that led out of town. The two werewolves remained silent as they made their way down the road. The zeta refrained from asking personal questions as he knew pann preferred to keep their identities hidden, and he was not certain how the rho was even supposed to respond since he did not have the ability to link anyone. So, the rho and zeta kept to themselves as they continued on their way.