Leaves crunched under his sneakers. He couldn't hear anything other than his own pounding heart and his desperate cries of her name. He was running on nothing but pure instinct, losing sight of Addison the second she had run through the broken gate of the Forbidden Forest. Every muscle in his body burned but he kept pushing, harder, faster, refusing to stop.

He stopped after nearly tripping over a root, panting in the middle of the forest. Trees stretched for miles on end, blue sky peaking between the canopy. Birds flew across the sky, screeching and chirping overhead. Wind rustled the trees, his hair, sending a chill down his spin.

"Addison!" he cried, his voice echoing through the trees. She couldn't have been far. She had to hear him. He had stumbled upon her and her den on accident, he could find her on purpose.

Leaves and sticks broke under some boots behind him and he whipped around, relief flooding his veins. He thought it was Addison. It had made sense to be Addison.

Something glinted in the sunlight, a flash of white shining against his eyes like reflective metal. The person clicked their tongue, walking slowly toward him. Zed blinked, white spots obstructing his vision, but he made out two figures—'Not Addison.' The men were big and burly, dark and sleek weapons drawn, pointed at Zed.

His stomach sank. Monster hunters.

He'd only ever seen them in Zombietown after dark. All zombies knew tricks and tips to avoid getting caught up with monster hunters, but this was different, this was wildly different.

He threw his hands up in surrender, trying to ease them. If he complied and gave in, maybe they wouldn't hurt him too badly. The two hunters started to circle him, going in opposite directions. Zed knew he was screwed, there was no way he was leaving this unharmed. His fingers tightened around Addison's journal; he would go down fighting for her. Anything for her.

The hunter to his right whistled. "Look what we got here, Travis," he said. "A rogue zombie."

Zed swallowed, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on edge. His options raced through his head: run. But he couldn't. He was lost in the woods and no one knew where he was. He could die and no one would know for days.

No. He couldn't do that to his dad. To Zoey.

The hunters taunted him but he tuned them out, trying to think of an escape plan. His only option was to run—run as fast and as far as he could. If he ran in a zigzag it'd be harder for them to shoot at him.

The other hunter clicked his tongue in a sort of animal calling, taunting him. "Wha'd'ya got there, Zombie?"

Zed tightened his grip on Addison's notebook. He didn't know what exactly was in it, but Addison had entrusted him with it. Something flared within him, something he couldn't quite identify. He would fight the hunters because he didn't deserve to die in the woods, because it was unfair to himself and his family, and because he swore on his undead heart that he'd see Addison again.

One of the hunters inched forward and Zed took a step back, causing both men to cock their weapons. "Don't move!" one of them bellowed.

"Drop the book, and maybe we won't blow that head of yours off," Travis spat. "Do you understand, Rotter?"

Zed didn't move, silently praying for a miracle, for a way out of the situation. He had to run, it was the only way out, but they could easily kill him and break off his Z-Band and claim he went rogue in the woods. He had to be smart about it.

The unnamed hunter fired into the trees and Zed jumped, using everything in him to not scream. That could've been it, they could've hit him. His heart sank to the ground. His eyes landed on the hunter, a deranged, psychotic look on his face.

"Answer the fucking question!" he raged.

Zed swallowed, then ran, turning on his heels, dirty converse pounding against the dirt and grass. Wind whistled past his ears. The hunters shouted and shot at him, but he pushed, his heart pounding, legs burning, weaving through trees and bushes. He ran like a madman. Their shots hit the trees, sending bark and dirt and dust raining down over him.

A tree exploded to his right and he slid through the mud, nearly falling. He shot a hand down, sliding around in the dirt and making a hard left. He barely regained footing, slipping and sliding in the mud. Later, his dad would yell at him for getting so dirty, but the thought barely mattered to him now. Run run run run. He'd reached the edge of the forest at some point, and would either end up in Zombietown or Seabrook or the road, somewhere familiar at least.

He vaguely registered the dip in the ground, dirt giving way under the sole of his sneaker. Then there's no ground, just darkness, and he's falling, screaming, dirt and mud and leaves and twigs scraping his skin. He fell for what felt like forever, until he slammed into the ground, sharp, stabbing fire ripping through his right arm and side. His vision went red, a blood curdling screaming ripping from his throat. Black spots danced in his vision and he blacked out momentarily, his body throbbing, pain echoing in every cell.

Oceans away, he heard voices, dark, mocking, laughing. "Looks…caught…zombie…wolf trap…" Zed's head was swimming, pounding as he fought to stay conscious. It was hopeless, he was caught, trapped, probably with broken bones. He brought his left hand over his torso, trying to dull the pain that was everywhere, vaguely registering the warm, sticky liquid coating his stomach.

'Nonononono.'

"…see what…bie Patrol says…find a dead rogue zom…," one of the voices sneered.

Zed turned, a silent wail trembling his lips. He got one last look at the white sunlight, far, far above. The beeps of his Z-Band shutting down flooded his ears and everything went numb. Every breath came out labored and painful, his senses diluting to almost nothing. His brain emptied, not enough blood moving in his body for him to think clearly. One word weighed heavy on his mind:

Brains.

Slowly, he stumbled to his feet, his right leg limp like it was barely even there. He didn't care, letting out a guttural roar, the ground shaking around him. His mouth was dry, the craving for brains and flesh overtaking him. His nose twitched, picking up the scent of humans not too far away.

"NO!" He could control it, he had to. He was stronger than his zombie, he didn't need brains, didn't need to hurt anyone.

"Brains!" he roared, whipping around, trying to find the source of the smell.

His muscles spazzed, twitching, achingly numb. He needed brains, more than he needed air. He beat against the dirt walls caging him in, frantic for a way out. Rocks and dirt rained down on his head and he looked up, hissing in the sunlight.

Sunlight.

Sunlight meant outdoors. More space to roam, to find humans, to find brains. Follow the light, follow the smell, and get rewarded.

His thoughts turned to nothing, determination set in his every bone. He was weak, hurting, and the only thing that could make any of it better was…brains. Still, he pushed, needing food. He could barely feel his right arm, but grunted through the pain, scaling the dark, dirt walls around him. His fingers scraped against jagged rocks, damp dirt sticking to his pale skin. The closer he got to the top, the more the scent overwhelmed him, taking over his every sense.

He stopped a few feet from the opening, a bone chilling howl startling his brain. Humans didn't howl.

He didn't get a second to think about it, a head full of white hair popping over the opening, face washed out by the sun. He growled, low and quiet in his throat. But a voice broke through his anger and rage; it was frantic, but still startled him to a calm state, achingly familiar.

"Zed!" she cried above him. "Zed! Take my hand!"

She wasn't human, her scent was too feral. The woods around him emanated off of her, stronger, more intense than actually being in the woods. Yet there was something so comforting, so warm and loving about her. He could trust her, he knew it in his barely beating heart, his foggy, messed up brain, everywhere.

He grabbed her outstretched hand, using her help to climb out of the hole. The scent of the humans was gone, lingering in the grass that he rolled through with a grunt. Sun burned his eyes and he rolled into his stomach, only to bolt up and roar into the air, sharp, stabbing pain ripping from his abdomen and flaring through his body.

"Zed?" The girl shuffled in the grass and he whipped his head around, panting, grunting.

She's pretty, dark eyebrows drawn together in concern. For him? He didn't know. White hair cascades around her shoulders, big and wild but perfectly tamed, with bronze barrettes and brackets holding twists and braids in place. Her pale skin looked soft, softer than anything he'd ever seen, and he wanted to hold her close, never let her go. He knew her, it was nagging at the back of his brain. But everything's too foggy, his head swimming with rage and pain he could barely tell which way was up.

"Zed…"

Her small, pale hand reached for him and he looked down, gauging something thick and brown sticking out from his stomach, piercing his skin and soaking his clothes. His breathing intensified, both out of fear and rage, knowing there was no way he'd done it to himself and bloodthirsty humans had to be involved.

"You're okay," the girl reassured him, her voice calm and steady. He looked back up at her, barely able to breathe. "I can help, okay? Do you trust me?"

He stared at her and she took it as an answer. She reached behind and removed her rock necklace, holding it in the palm of her hand. She held the rock part out, then pressed it into his Z-Band, sending it into complete shut down. Sparks flew from the metal, irregular shocks vibrating up his arm. His muscles twitched and spazzed in response and he roared, trying to jerk away from her.

She yanked her necklace away and his Z-Band screen flashed green, the pulses returning to regular. Everything hit him at full force and he doubled over, screaming in pain, clutching his stomach and his arm and his side. Everything hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth, barely able to maintain the pain. Every breath hurt, every small movement making him want to sink into the ground and never ever move again.

"Zed!" Addison cried.

She grabbed him by his shoulders, sending white hot fire through his body. "Hey, hey," she said softly, a stark contrast to the burst of angry fire ripping through his body. He forced his eyes open and found he was laying in her lap, looking up at her. "It's okay, you're okay."

Her voice was strangely soothing. She ran her fingers through his hair, her sharp claws tracing patterns in his skin that slowly drew his mind from the pain.

"Those guys are gone now," she assured him. "You're okay."

"It…hurts," he wheezed.

She pushed his hair from his forehead, giving him a soft smile. "We're not too far from the den," she told him. "I'll help you up, okay?"

He swallowed, but nodded. "Okay."

Addison kept her arm wrapped tightly around his middle. She helped him climb down the rocky step formation into the den. He pushed the pain to the back of his head, focusing on Addison and the wolf den. It was like an underground rock cave, with dark walls and intricate designs carved high in the ceiling. They stopped at a doorway and Addison said quickly, without looking up at him, "I'm gonna take you back to my private cot but no one can know you're here so you're going to have to speed up."

"Uh, okay?"

"Most of the pack is still out with Willa, so we just need to go unnoticed past the pups and the elders."

Zed nodded. They both look around the entryway, into the empty, giant space. It was…mesmerizing, really, and if Zed wasn't in so much pain, with a piece of wood protruding from his stomach, he'd have marveled at the sight longer. The room was empty, and after a second, she urged him forward.

"Come on," she whispered.

He bit his tongue, ignoring the intensifying ache spreading through him. He couldn't even feel his right arm, but it was twisted and bent in the worst way possible. She held him tightly, his left arm draped over her shoulders, their fingers tangled together. He held her hand tighter, every moment straining and paining him.

"It's okay, almost there," she muttered.

His head spun. He let her guide him through another doorway, going down a dark hall. Soft chatter surrounded him, all sorts of smells of food and heat flooding his nose, a sticky warmth penetrating his skin. It was insanely humid and moist in the den, an awful feeling when he was so out of it. They turned another corner into another large, circular room, purple decorated drapes hanging from floor to ceiling. In the middle was a white drape, decorated with silver and gold intricate designs.

Addison rushed him to the white drape, pulling it back and revealing a dimly lit smaller cave. There were a lot of caves in this one cave…

"This is my room," she told him as they entered. She let the drape fall behind them, and led him in the near dark space until she was pushing him down. His butt landed on a cushion and he huffed, falling back onto her bed.

"I'll be right back," she told him. "Don't move an inch."

He didn't answer, but the next thing he knew, Addison was kneeling beside him. Her fingers were cool and moist, sending shivers through his body. "It's okay, you're okay," she soothed. "Open your mouth." He did as he was asked, and she put a cloth inside. "Bite on this, okay?"

He nodded, biting down just before his first howl of pain.

Addison smiled at him, fingers threading through his hair. She sat on the floor beside him, her other hand rubbing his bare chest, tracing over the patch of bandages. "Hopefully our werewolf healing remedies work," she mumbled. "Can't have you dying on me."

Zed hummed in agreement. "Agreed," he whispered.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired," he muttered.

Her fingers pushed back his bangs and she gave him another soft smile. "I can get you something to drink. It'll give you lots of energy."

He shook his head. She raised an eyebrow, but he shook his head again. He propped himself up on his elbows, wincing at the pain in his right arm. Addison predicted he'd broken both his arm and a couple of ribs, not to mention he'd fallen and gotten stabbed by some wood in the hole. But she was a pretty good medic.

"Zed…"

"I want you to stay," he told her. "Mostly because I'm terrified of your pack finding me here." She gave a little laugh that made him smile. "But…I really enjoy having you around."

"Then I'll stay." They exchanged sweet smiles again. "But you should really let your arm rest."

He huffed. "I can handle a sore elbow. I played ten straight games, two full hours, both sides."

Addison's eyebrows went up with amusement. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?" she teased.

Zed chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Yes! It means I'm an awesome football player."

Addison giggled. "I don't know what that is," she told him. "But I did see your trophies in the hall. Very impressive."

He scoffed, falling onto his back. "You're not impressed."

"Can't say I am."

He huffed, rolling his eyes. Addison just laughed, ruffling his hair. "Don't be all pouty," she said, "if you like it, then I like it."

"You don't have to…I wouldn't like you any less if you didn't."

She smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead. Warmth spread across his face and he lets out a blissful sigh. Her fingers sift through his hair. It's nice, a simple, domestic action that made him feel at home.

He really liked being around her. It was the first time all week he wasn't worried about the election or stressing over Prawn. It was the first time in a long time he didn't feel out of place because humans were afraid of his very existence.

"I can't believe you fell into a werewolf trap," she said, a playful smile on her lips, "and survived."

"Should I…not have?"

She giggled, shaking her head. "Zed. You fell ten feet into a trap designed to immobilize or kill a wolf. And you walked away with a broken arm and a couple of busted ribs."

"I also got stabbed."

Addison beamed, a strange reaction to the discussion they were having. "Exactly! And you're fine now—"

"Mostly because of my beautiful medic."

"Ssh!" she hushed him. "Most of us are pretty good at avoiding traps, but last year Wallis fell into one that was only, like, seven feet, and he lost his legs!"

Zed couldn't help but stare at her in terrified amazement. Here she was, talking about something that was pretty terrible and honestly kind of tragic, with the brightest, most excited smile he'd seen. It was bigger than when Eliza would scheme, bigger than when Bonzo found out he'd made the cheer team, and it was nearly as big as Zoey's when he'd first told her about the werewolves in his school.

"You're a little scary, you know that?"

Addison scoffed. "I'm just saying how amazing it is you came out practically unhurt! Is it some sort of cool zombie thing?"

"I don't think it is," he said, smiling. "But…I probably—no, definitely would've been a lot worse if my Z-Band hadn't crapped out."

"Why?"

Zed shrugged. "Going rogue it like…stops everything. Like my heart isn't beating and my brain isn't really working—nothing is. So I wasn't like, bleeding out or really feeling anything except like…I dunno, it's hard to explain." He gave her a sheepish smile. "Being a zombie is weird, I guess."

"Wait, I thought your Z-Band was like…like my necklace. Like it made you more zombie."

"Z-Bands help us have more control over ourselves," Zed explained. "Otherwise we'd just be moaning groaning monsters, trying to eat everyone's brains."

Addison giggled a little. "That'd be no fun, right."

Zed nodded in agreement. Slowly, he sat up. "Eliza thinks that without the Z-Bands, we'd have evolved to this—" he gestured to himself— "naturally, but I dunno. Seems like a stretch, but I'm not a science guy, so." He shrugged.

Addison nodded as well. She moved from the floor to the bed, sitting next to him. Like, right next to him. Her leg was pressed against his, her arm looped through his—not the broken one, the one with his Z-Band. And even though they'd just spent the last hour or so with her mending his injuries, which required him to be shirtless, he still felt…awkward, a little embarrassed even. But Addison laced her fingers through his, completely unfazed, smiling even. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure you don't want something to eat?" she asked. "They're cooking up a feast, they won't miss a few plates here and there."

"No I'm okay," he assured her. "What's the feast for? Or do you guys just party every night?" He gave her a joking smile which made her giggle, shaking her head.

"It's the First Moon Feast," Addison explained. "The beginning of our lunar period, marked of course by a full moon."

"Okay…"

She gasped, an idea clear in her mind. "You should come!" Zed laughed, albeit bitterly, shaking his head. Addison's smile turned to a frown and she asked, "Why not?"

"Because your pack hates me."

"They don't…hate you."

Zed just stared. Addison winced and nodded. "Okay, maybe they hate you." She smiled up at him, practically bouncing. "But I want you there, and I'm the Great Alpha, so you can come!"

Zed laughed, shaking his head. "I doubt Willa and Wyatt would be okay with that," he said.

"Then…" She trailed off, pouting slightly as she thought. He watched her with a raised eyebrow, waiting for whatever crazy plan she'd come up with to get him into the feast. Finally, she looked up at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Then I'll sneak you in."

"You'll sneak me in?"

"Yeah! I'm not letting you miss out on the First Moon Feast," she told him. "I mean…" Her entire mood shifted and Zed frowned. Her shoulders slumped and she continued, "You probably won't get another chance like this. This-this might be the last one we ever have."

Her fingers fiddled in her lap. The air around them was tense and awkward, like she'd just shared a secret that he didn't understand. Well—she did, but he wasn't going to let her sit and dwell on it the entirety of their time together. He reached over with his left hand, placing his fingers on her wrist. Addison looked up at him, eyes big and soft, and he laced their fingers together, giving her a gentle smile.

"If you wanna talk about something, you can," he told her. "I'm always here to listen if something's bothering you."

She returned his smile. "I know," she whispered. "I just—this pack, we're a family. This is my family. We live together, we eat together, we protect one another. No matter what. But…our moonstones are almost out of charge, and without them—"

"You'll be nothing," he whispered. She looked at him, her mouth parted in an almost sad smile, eyes staring at him. "I-I mean, you'll die."

She nodded, then leaned, slowly, until her head fell on his shoulder. "If we don't find this moonstone soon, then we all die," she whispered. "And it'll be all my fault. I can't let them die because of me."

"Why? I-I don't understand why—"

"Addison!"

They both jumped apart, Addison leaping to her feet with a renewed sense of panic. She spun around and pushed Zed down, sending pain glaring through his shoulder. "Get down!" she whispered quickly. "Wyatt will kill me if he knows I snuck you in here."

Zed was sure that the more likely outcome would be Wyatt killing him, but knew it wasn't the time to argue about that. He let Addison push him down and frantically cover his body with a ton of blankets and cloth. She pulled the edge over his face just as heavy footsteps stopped outside the entrance, and Wyatt pulled back the sheet and said, "Oh good, you're here."

Addison turned around, giving him a nervous smile. "Of course I'm here. Where else would I be? It's like, nighttime. Almost. Wolf curfew and all that." she rambled, arms folded behind her back.

Wyatt smirked, raising an eyebrow at her almost unusual behavior. Everything she did was pretty unusual, honestly. He kind of just rolled with it most times.

"Yeah, it's almost time for the feast to start," he said. "Can't have a First Moon Feast without the Great Alpha."

Addison nodded along. "Of course, I'll be right out. I just need to…take care of something." Wyatt nodded, watching, waiting for her to move. "I meant alone."

"Oh, right." He nodded, then turned, heading back out. But he stopped before he could pull her drape aside and leave, turning back to her. "About earlier, Addison, at school—"

"It's fine," she told him. "I'm fine."

He tilted his head down and asked, "Are you sure?" She nodded, but he went on. "My sister didn't really mean what she said. I know she can be awful sometimes, and it's okay if she hurt you."

"I'm fine," Addison stressed. "It's nothing I haven't heard before, Wyatt."

"She shouldn't treat you like that, though."

"Again, it's fine."

He nodded, rocking on his heels. He looked like he had more to say by the twist of his mouth and the look in his eyes, and Addison's heart pounded the longer he stood there, Zed hidden bedside her. She wondered what Wyatt could possibly want to say, in private, away from the rest of the pack. He was usually so open, the calmest of them all, resolving before fighting, and she never had a problem with him in all the years she's been in this den. Willa on the other hand…

"Addison I wanted to say something to you real fast," he started, carefully, his eyes locking with hers. He didn't look uncomfortable with what he was about to say, relieved almost, like it's something he'd always wanted to say to her and just never got the chance to. "I know my sister can be harsh, and sometimes cut deep, but I just wanted you to know, all of this pack cares for you. Including me. I've always looked up to you, admired your braveness in things I couldn't even fathom and—"

Zed moved slightly from where he was hidden under the sheets and Addison slid over in front of him, chuckling nervously when Wyatt eyed her suspiciously. "Sorry, sorry," she said, smiling nervously. "Leg cramp."

His eyebrow rose, but he accepted her words, even if they're unsteady like they're a lie.

"What I'm trying to say is that I'm glad you're a part of this pack. We all are. We couldn't do this without you." His words were soft, and sincere, and something warm—and possibly happy—spread in her gut at the impact they had on her, that she actually smiled.

"Thanks Wyatt," she whispered, and again Zed moved, which she attempted to hide as she jumped to the side. "I'll see you at the feast?" she asked him, and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, see you out there." He smiled at her once more and then disappeared through the doorway, finally leaving her and Zed alone.

She took a breath, then turned around, saying to the zombie hidden in her room, "He's gone now."

Zed sat up and frowned—it was actually more of an upset pout. It was kind of adorable.

"What was that about?" Zed asked.

"Wyatt, being Wyatt." She shrugged, walking over to her chest in the corner.

"That's…he always talks to you like that?"

"Yes?" She glanced back at him, her brows furrowing even more at his perplexed and surprised look. What was going on in that head of his?

"So what you're saying is…he's always flirting with you."

Addison whipped around with a frown. He was…jealous. Of Wyatt. Wyatt, of all people. He was pouting and it would have been cute, if the whole thing wasn't insanely bizarre. Wyatt rarely talked to her, but when he did, he was just as nice with everyone as he was with her.

…Okay maybe he was a little nicer, but that was because she was the Great Alpha.

"Wyatt isn't flirting with me," she stated.

Zed nodded. "He definitely is," he said. "I may not understand a lot about wolves, but I do know guys."

She raised an eyebrow at that. It was hard to even take him seriously at this point. Besides him being jealous of Wyatt (of all people!), his reasoning was just as ridiculous.

"The over apologizing, the 'friendly' tone, his stupid smile." Zed nearly growled the last part and Addison covered her mouth, trying and failing to hide a laugh. It was official, jealousy was adorable on him. Zed noticed her failed attempt at hiding her smile and pouted, though his cheeks hinted at the slightest amusement. "You think I'm crazy don't you."

"Just a little." She giggled and crossed the room, bending over and patting his head. "It's cute though."

"I still think he likes you."

She smiled, looking him in his eye to the point where his eyes widened in some surprise. "Well that's too bad for him, because I like you."

"Do you now? I had no idea."

She moved into a squat, crossing her arms on his knees. "Yeah, it's one of my big secrets," she said casually. Zed chuckled quietly. Addison couldn't help herself. She didn't want the banter or flirting to end, not wanting to have to get ready for the feast that was quickly approaching. The quicker the night went on the sooner she'd have to say goodnight to Zed, something she didn't want to do. Not yet.

A random thought came to mind, leading her to ask, "You wanna know my other big secret?"

"Of course."

She glanced around dramatically, pretending to see if anyone was listening purely for his amusement, then stage whispered, "I'm a werewolf." Then she snarled, her moonstone warming on her chest, eyes glowing yellow and fangs bared. Zed jumped back in surprise, but his smile remained, and after a beat he even laughed.

"Who knows," she added, "might just gut you. Splatter your blood. The works."

"I'm one Z-Band malfunction away from eating your brains," he joked.

"Oh you haven't heard? I don't have any."

Zed barked out a laugh, making Addison laugh just as hard, falling back onto her butt while he fell back against the bed. "You're ridiculous," he wheezed.

Addison laughed too. But too soon, her moonstone got hot, too hot, and her throat went dry, the power draining from her body again. She wanted to hide it from Zed but was coughing and spluttering before she knew it, rolling onto her side, away from him.

It was worse than it usually was. Her lungs burned, eyes watered, her nerves an icy type of numb that made her ache all over. She couldn't stop it no matter how much she prayed for it to pass, for it to be over and for her moonstone to stop killing her.

The coughing didn't let up—it got worse, if that was even possible, a heavy, crushing fire that dragged her lungs to the ground. This was it, this was what the elected felt while they laid in the death beds, fighting off a sickness with no cure. Deep in the distance, she heard her name, panic in the voice that carried it but no recognition because the only thing her brain could process was that she was dying she wouldn't survive this, not this one, and the pack would die with her because she failed, she failed them all, there was no moonstone and they were all dead.

Then her body lurked backwards, bones pressing into her side and something cold hitting her chest. Whatever it was did the trick, cooling relief starting in her middle and spreading through her lungs until she could catch a goddamn breath. Her moonstone went cold and idle.

Zed held her tight, arms wrapped around her from behind. "It's okay, it's okay, deep breaths Addy," Zed whispered. "Just take deep breaths."

She closed her eyes, falling back into his chest and sucking in ragged breaths of air. She wasn't sure how many more close calls she could survive, how many more chances she'd get at life. She had to find the moonstone though. Not soon. Now.

Zed loosened his hold on her, whispering words of encouragement in her ear while she breathed hard. Unbeknownst to them, his Z-Band hummed away on his wrist, pressed into her chest and working doubly hard to suppress the rogue urges.