"Kip Inso!" The zeta stood dumbfounded as he stared at the beta smiling before him. "You should be resting! What are you doing here?" Syri's voice lifted an octave or two as he emphasized his want for his mentor to rest, making Kip chuckle softly and ruffle the zeta's pink hair.
"Thanks for the care, but I'm okay, Syri. Estan okayed me to do some light work today," Kip answered as he smiled down at the concerned zeta.
"Does 'light' work entail raking hay?" Syri inquired as he crossed his arms and glared at the cleaning tool in Kip's hands. The beta let out a light laugh when he realized he had been caught. "I'm fine, Syri. A few scratches aren't going to stop me from doing my job."
"A few scratches?!!" A high-pitched voice rang out at the entrance to Ajax's stall. The zeta and beta turned to find Ibbi standing at the doorway with wide eyes as he stared at the wounds that were still healing. "Inso! What in the moon goddess' beautiful butt are you doing here?!"
Kip let out a huff as he stood the rake upright with his left hand and pointed at his two fretting teammates. "Y'all are just overreacting. I. Am. Fine."
The zeta and omega opened their lips to disagree, but a stern voice stopped them. "Syri, Ibbi, go help Wyx shine the saddles." Bevy stood at the entryway to the stable with her arms crossed as she ordered the two younger males. Syri and Ibbi fell silent at the alpha's tone; it was firm and solemn. Knowing Bevy had something to discuss with Kip, the zeta and omega obediently lowered their heads and answered, "Ae," before exiting the stall and making their way down the corridor.
Having a mind of what the contents of the beta and alpha's talk would be, Syri made sure to hurry the omega up and herded Ibbi down the corridor as quickly as he could. What Bevy had to say to Kip was for Kip's ears and Kip's alone. It would only pain Ibbi if the omega knew what Bevy was going to say.
Kip shifted his weight and took the rake out of its up-right position as the alpha entered the stall. The beta remained silent as he waited for the alpha to begin. Bevy took a deep breath before slowly releasing it as Kip went back to raking the trodden hay.
"I had to take Calix to the sigma," Bevy began, her voice solemn. Kip stopped raking when he heard the alpha's words and turned to look at Bevy as he swallowed dryly. "Estan couldn't do anything for him, so he sent Calix to the sigma's hall." Bevy sucked in her breath before she added, "He lost his bond."
A shaky breath escaped Kip's lips, and he hung his head. Tears formed in the beta's eyes as he processed the news.
"He lost his fated one, Kip," Bevy repeated as a tear escaped the corner of her eye. The alpha's lower lip quivered as she said, "He'll be forever alone, mateless."
"Where is he?" Kip's eyes were closed when he inquired of the alpha, a silent tear falling as Bevy replied, "I don't know. Syri said he saw him run out the gate yesterday-"
"And no one has looked for him!?" Kip's eyes snapped open as he realized Calix had been missing the entire night. Kip had only woken an hour prior, so he had not been aware of the green-eyed beta's situation.
"I'm sorry, Kip-"
"Why didn't you tell me when I woke? That should have been the first thing you did." Kip let the rake fall to the floor as he rushed past the alpha and hurried out the stall. "Don't take them to the fields until I get back," Kip ordered the zeta and omega as he passed the two younger males on his way out of the stables. The beta's stern tone caused the two youngsters to freeze in their seats.
Wyx looked up from the saddle he was shining as the grey-eyed beta rushed out of the stables, his brows furrowing when he heard the beta's tone. Syri swallowed dryly as he watched Kip shift into his wolf form and disappear into the foggy dawn. "What happened?" Ibbi inquired quietly as he turned to Syri with an anxious expression.
"He's going to find Calix," Bevy answered the omega as she came to stand beside the three. The alpha folded her arms across her chest as she gazed into the direction down which Kip disappeared. "I thought he would need some time, but-" Bevy broke into tears and squatted to the ground as she berated herself for not making sure Calix was alright. "I should have looked for him. He was all alone in the dark after...after..."
Tears dripped onto the soft dirt as Syri went to the alpha and began to comfort her as best he could. He also felt guilty for not checking on the beta and instead sleeping away his exhaustion and pain. "He'll be alright; Kip will find him," Syri said in an attempt to soothe the crying alpha.
Bevy opened her glistening eyes and gazed out of the stables through tears. "Please, Kip, find Calix."