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The sound of my Hunter’s watch blaring a warning, accompanied my pounding heartbeat as I rushed into the damaged building. The roar of a Wanderer and the screams of civilians could be heard up ahead, spurring me on.
I clutched my gun tightly in my hand, the only thought in my head was: Zayne is in there.
Zayne and I had been helping out after a Wanderer attack had left several public buildings in central Linkon damaged. Multiple civilians had been injured in the attack and some had still been trapped inside a department store. Zayne had gone in with a rescue team to help get them out while myself and several other Hunters had finished off the Wanderers.
However, another spawned inside the building just as we were finishing up.
The left part of the building had collapsed and I could see the Wanderer up ahead, stalking through the debris Several figures were trapped beneath some concrete slaps and one of the store displays, trembling.
I raised my gun, but before I could aim, a wall of ice shot out over the area just as the Wanderer lunged toward the trapped civilians.
Zayne rushed into view, forming spikes of ice and shot them at the Wanderer.
“Zayne, get down!” I shouted, taking aim.
The Wanderer howled at the ice pierced it in the flank and whipped around, giving me a clear shot.
I took aim, but just as I shot, it swept it’s claws at Zayne and sent him crashing into a pile of building debris.
“Zayne!”
The Wanderer roared and I fired off several shots, doling out critical damage.
As the Wanderer dissipated into ash, I turned to the huddle of rescue workers.
“Free those civilians,” I told them.
As they rushed over to get the trapped civilians out, I hurried over to find Zayne.
“Zayne! Where are you?”
“H-here…”
I rounded the pile of building debris and halted in horror.
“Oh god.”
Zayne lay among the wreckage, slabs of broken concrete and rebar. The latter sticking out dangerously in multiple places. One of the iron rods was stuck through Zayne’s side where it must have impaled him as he fell.
I shakily stepped forward to grab his hand, feeling like I wanted to vomit as I looked more closely at his injury.
Zayne gave a shuddering breath and squeezed my hand before offering a wry smile. “It’s fine…didn’t…hit anything vital.”
“You’re still stuck on a piece of rebar, Zayne!” I shouted, panic tinting my voice.
He swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut. Sweat ran down his face even as frost started to creep over his skin and clothes, his Evol acting up again.
I resonated with him to try and get it to calm down a little.
“I’m calling in the paramedics,” I said.
“Make sure they take care of the civilians first. I’ll be fine,” he said.
“You are a wounded civilian right now,” I snapped and turned on my comms, detailing the situation.
Zayne was still shaking slightly and I carefully sat beside him, still holding his hand and stroking his hair to try and calm him.
“Are you injured anywhere else?”
“A few contusions, but I don’t think anything serious.”
“Good.” I didn’t know what else to say, I was terrified and feeling incredibly helpless. Zayne twitched involuntarily, muscles spasming from the trauma, and he let out a soft whimper.
“It’s all right, it’s gonna be all right.”
He nuzzled his cheek into my hand as I attempted to wipe the sweat from his face. “I love you,” he whispered.
I felt my heart stutter. “Tell me that when you’re out of here.”
He took a shuddering breath, but I heard footsteps rushing forward and looked up with relief to see the paramedics hurrying over.
I moved aside so they could have room to work, but didn’t release Zayne’s hand.
“Dr. Zayne, we’re going to get you out of here,” one young man said as his teammates brought over a gurney. “Just try to relax as much as possible and we’re going to lift you up.”
“I can help,” I told them.
“Thank you, Miss Hunter,” the Paramedic said. “If you could brace under his neck and left shoulder…
I gave Zayne’s hand a final squeeze before releasing it. Zayne rested his hands across his chest as everyone got into position.
I tried not to shake as the head paramedic started the count.
“On three we’re all going to lift him straight up together. One…two…three.”
I lifted with the others and tried to ignore Zayne’s unavoidable cry of pain. I didn’t look at the bloody rebar as I helped lay him down on the gurney, simply held his hand as the paramedics packed his wound to slow the bleeding.
Zayne was pale as a sheet, fingers cold in my grasp.
“Let’s go, he needs immediate surgery.” The Paramedic turned to me. “Will you ride with him to the hospital, Miss Hunter?”
“Yes, of course.”
I rushed toward the waiting ambulance with them and climbed inside after they loaded Zayne in, resuming my position at his side to hold his hand.
Zayne’s eyes fluttered open and he gave my hand a weak squeeze. “I’ll be fine, Ari. But can I…ask you a favor?”
“Of course,” I replied, leaning in.
“I’d like you there when I…wake up,” he whispered, consciousness seeming to fade.
I squeezed his hand tighter and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Of course, Zayne. I’ll be there.”
We got to Akso at record speed, and I watched them take Zayne away for surgery.
I paced in the waiting room where Yvonne found me, bringing me tea and a snack.
“Can I get you anything else, Ariadne?” she asked kindly.
“No, but thanks.”
She smiled. “Dr. Zayne will be fine. He’s in good hands, and he’s very strong.”
“I know,” I replied, smiling back tentatively.
Yvonne squeezed my shoulder before she went back to work and I waited for news.
Finally, Greyson found me and gave me a smile.
“Dr. Zayne is in recovery. The surgery went great.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
He led me back to the room Zayne was staying in and let me sit with him. I pulled a chair over and sat next to his bed, listening to the monitors as I took his hand and kissed his knuckles.
“I’ll be here when you wake up, Zayne, don’t worry.”
I didn’t realize I had dozed off until I was woken by a soft groaning and something stirring in my hand.
I opened my eyes and saw Zayne blinking at me blearily.
“Ari?”
“Hey, how are you feeling?” I asked softly, reaching out to stroke his hair away from his eyes.
“Ask me again when I can even feel my body,” he huffed.
“That’s probably a good thing,” I said with a smile. “They have you on the good meds.”
Zayne snorted softly, but squeezed my hand clumsily. “Thank you. For staying.”
“Like I would be anywhere else,” I replied.
He smiled, meeting my eyes. “You’re exhausted.”
“A little,” I replied nonchalantly, trying to hide a yawn.
Zayne tugged my hand. “Stay with me.”
“But I don’t want to hurt you…”
“Who’s the doctor here?” he asked. “I think I know what’s best for my own treatment, no?”
I melted, unable to resist and crawled into bed with him, curling against his uninjured side. Zayne wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close, resting his head against mine as his lips brushed my forehead.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Are you happy that I said it now?”
“Yes,” I replied with an exhale of relief. “I love you too.”