BEYOND THE DEAD ZONE | COMPLETE

TEN |

(POV should always be assumed to be Eero's unless a specific chapter is said otherwise. So the POV is back to Eero's as NINE was from the POV of Mira)

TEN |

I stared at the large circular beehives built like domes. There was six of them, and you could hear the buzzing of bees in the area. I hadn't seen a hive before, and I had never been around a hive mind. Dr. Lilith had suggested that maybe the zombies had a hive mind which is why they didn't attack other zombies, but this was heavily argued against too. I think there was a sort of intelligence hives had—zombies just didn't have that. It would be cool, if there was a zombie who could speak, and then maybe we'd get some better answers.

"Hungry," Rose whispered in the back of my mind.

I shook the memory away and turned around back towards the road. Standing behind me a few feat away was Alpha's son, Valen. From what I'd remembered from what Ben had told me, he was a year older than me—Ben's age. My eyes narrowed on him, at his side a large grey dire wolf. He looked to be up to no good. Standing there from neck down in tattoos, his grey eyes full of interest.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked, walking away and towards the Wolf manor.

He followed behind me, "No. I'm just watching you."

I stopped in my tracks, turning to glare at him, "That's creepy."

"You're an outsider, how is that creepy?"

My eyes rolled, and I kept walking, "Just stay out of my way."

"You're not what I was expecting," he said, still following me.

"And what were you expecting?"

"Not you," he laughed, "Why are you using your sister's name?"

I looked over at him with a heavy sigh, "Why do you care?"

"Curious. Nothing ever happens around here," he laughed, "I'm bored."

"You're annoying," I snapped, "Fuck off."

His eyes narrowed, "You're in my home. I thought I was being welcoming, and yet you're over here being a complete bitch. I was even going to offer you my assistance to the Town of Roses if you were nice enough. You're out of your league island little girl."

"Don't," I snarled, "Call me that."

"Why?" he laughed, "You won't do shit. Do you even know how to throw a punch?"

My anger snapped and I curled my fingers into a tight fist. Then, I threw it forward, slamming my fist into his nose, the satisfying crunch sounding through the air. He let out a loud yell, falling backward onto his ass, blood splattering down his face as he grabbed his nose. His wolf, let out a growl, moving to crouch behind him, her teeth snapping.

"How was that?" I sneered.

He glared up at me, "You fucking c—"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence."

I turned slowly, my eyes wide. There stood Alpha, his hands crossed over his chest and a look of pure disappointment settled on his face along with the mix of anger. I shivered slightly, embarrassed that I had been so quick to throw a punch, the dull throbbing in my knuckles a reminder of my short fuse.

Valen scrambled to get up, "Dad I—"

"No," Alpha growled, "Apologize."

My eyes widened and I stepped back, "He doesn't have to I shouldn't have—"

"Be quiet."

"Yes sir," I said instinctually, shutting my mouth.

Valen just glared at me, blood seeping through his fingers, "Sorry."