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Wolf Heart
It was a quiet night, almost restless. Or so Zed thought as he walked around aimlessly through Zombie Town. The town still had some damage and debris from when the alien invaded in search of Seabrook’s most special thing.
Why did the aliens have to come here? Sure, Seabrook was some sort of nexus for strange things to happen. First zombies, such as himself, then werewolves, which were apparently here first, and then aliens. What next? Vampires?
Zed let out a sigh. None of that really mattered. He was just devastated. He wishes he could say the aliens took away the love of his life, the first person to make him feel truly alive. But that wasn’t the case. Addison chose to go with them. She chose to leave. Leave him.
Addison was always looking for herself, jumping into any group that would take her, claiming she finally fit in. Didn’t she know or understand she already had a group she belonged to? Didn’t she know she just attracted people to her and formed her own group of people who love and accepted her no matter what?
Zed cursed himself for being so supportive of her. Maybe if he was just a little more selfish, a little less of Exceptional Zed, he might have been enough to keep her around. No. He couldn’t let himself think like this. She wouldn’t want this. Besides, he’s off to college, albeit alone, so it’ll be a fresh start for him. He has to move on?
He has to move on.
Zed ended up in the town square. It was empty. Not a surprise, considering how late it was. Even though the curfew wasn’t in effect for years, everyone kind of kept to it outside of special occasions. The routine gave them a sense of normalcy, and, if he was honest, a sense of community.
A lone shadowy figure was sitting on a bench directly across from the moonstone. It looked like someone from the wolf pack. Strange. They do everything together. Everything. Why would one be by themselves? With little thinking, Zed went to go see who was there.
It surprised Zed to see Wyatt sitting alone, gazing longingly at the moonstone. Wyatt was usually always around his Alpha, Willa, or his twin, Wynter. The lone wolf boy looked up and saw Zed. Saying nothing, he patted the seat next to him. An invitation to sit?
“What brings you out here, alone?” Zed asked, breaking the few minutes of peaceful silence between them.
“I like to gaze at the moon when I need time alone to think, to process.” Wyatt said.
“Isn’t the moon up?” Zed said, with a small smile on his face.
A small smile appeared on Wyatt’s face as well. “Yes, but it’s been a while since the moonstone has been around. I’m still not used to it just being there. Plus, this way I don’t have to hurt my neck.”
The two boys shared a laugh. To anyone listening in, it rang hollow.
“What brings you out so late?” Wyatt asked. “Aren’t you zombies usually in bed by this hour?”
“I haven’t been sleeping much at all,” Zed looked down, “and when I do sleep, it isn’t well.”
“You miss her that much, huh?”
“So much,” Zed said, but it barely came out as a whisper. Everyone in town could tell how he felt about the whole situation, but something about Wyatt made him want to spill his guts. Made him want to actually talk about his feelings.
Wyatt gave him the nod, as if saying it’s okay to continue.
“I get why she left, kind of. She found out she had alien DNA in her and needed to explore that side of her. Like she did when she thought she was one of you. Not only that, she is the last hope of an entire species.”
“Just like when I thought she was Great Alpha.”
“Exactly like that. I know I couldn’t go with her, that was made clear. But it feels like I’ve been left behind, abandoned, forgotten like an afterthought. Like I don’t matter. Like she was just with me until something better came along.”
“You know that isn’t true!” Wyatt wanted to say, but Zed was venting. He could tell the other boy needed to get this out, otherwise the feelings would grow bigger, get worse, and negatively affect him. All Wyatt could do now was listen. Too bad he could just grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him.
Zed felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. It felt so warm against his cold skin, and so safe.
“We were planning our life together, our future. We were even trying to get into college together. They say high school romances don’t last, but we were different.” Zed felt himself tearing up. “We’ve been through so much together and I gained this sense of hope that the future would be bright for us and everyone else. Then she left, and my heart just shattered. I feel so empty inside, like a huge piece of me is missing. A small part of me doesn’t even want to go to college anymore because I don’t want to be constantly reminded of her. Then there are the eyes. Everyone around town looks at me with pity on their eyes.”
Wyatt gripped tighter. He could feel himself getting misty-eyed.
“Like their big strong zombie leader is now a, now a, now a…” Zed tried to choke out the words, but the tears were too strong now. Instead, he just started bawling.
Wyatt wrapped his other arm around the boy, pulling him close to his chest, and full on embracing him in a hug. Zed needed this, but a small part of Wyatt felt like he needed this as well.
Historians would later go on to say this was just two best friends helping each other through an emotional time.
Wyatt gently rubbed Zed’s back, while keeping alert of their surroundings. He couldn’t let anyone see them in such an unguarded state. Couldn’t let anyone see Zed this way.
The sobbing gradually died down until it faded away. Zed removed himself from the embrace, wiping away his tears.
“Sorry about that,” Zed looked away, “and thank you.”
“No need to be sorry. It’s healthy to express your emotions,” Wyatt said. “Plus, it’s what friends do.”
“Still, I really appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it. Besides, I may not understand exactly what you’re going through, but I do get it. I am in a similar situation.”
“Right, Eliza.” Zed remembered. Wyatt had a thing for his best girl friend, which blindsided him when he first revealed them. “How are things between the two of you?”
“That’s a good question.” It was Wyatt’s turn to let out a sigh. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know.”
“Didn’t you guys confess your feelings for each other around the time we were trying to fix the mother ship?”
“Yeah, but not much has progressed since then. We still have this distance between us. Physical and metaphorical. It’s like I’m an afterthought. She is constantly doing something or another for her internship. Even when we do video chat, she doesn’t give me her full attention. It’s easy to admit your feelings to someone when you don’t have to actually do anything about them.”
Zed wondered what advice he could give his friend, but his mind was coming up blank. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, his own problems, he couldn’t see that his friend was hurting just as much as he was.
“So that’s the processing I interrupted tonight?” Zed asked. He gave a sympathetic look, wishing he could help more.
“Yeah.” Wyatt nodded. “Though I am glad you did. We both needed it. When I am alone with my thoughts for too long, I spiral and the thoughts get darker. You got to me before I reached that part.”
“When did you develop feelings for her?” Zed asked. “It came as a surprise to all of us.”
“I’m not sure when exactly. It just kind of came out of nowhere.” Wyatt rolled his head. “Maybe it’s because she is gone. I subconsciously think she is safe to like. Can’t exactly get hurt. Plus, I can keep my thoughts about not being worthy enough to love at bay.”
Without thinking, Zed cupped Wyatt’s face. Slowly, his left hand brushed the long strands of black and white hair out of the other boy’s face. He didn’t know Wyatt felt this way about himself. Wyatt is great. He knows it! Now he had to make sure Wyatt knew it himself.
“You are worthy of love,” Zed said in a soft tone of voice, his face showing a warm and loving expression. “More so than anyone else I know.”
“I..” Wyatt couldn’t speak. He couldn’t find the words, or any words, for that matter. All he could feel was his heart racing, pounding against his chest. Was Zed’s heart beating just as fast? Do zombies have hearts that work the same way as his?
“I really like how your eyes glow when you go wolf,” Zed continued in his soft voice. It's rare for him to have prolonged, direct eye contact with the wolf boy. He was definitely going to take advantage of it.
“They’re just like the rest of the packs,” Wyatt whispered. He could feel his face heating up. He didn’t know what feelings were coming over him. He didn’t even feel like this, to this extent, with the zombie girl. Why couldn’t he remember her name right now?
“No, they’re different. They shine with a brilliant intensity. A warm golden color like the sun, complemented by the glow of the moonstone you wear around your neck.”
Has Zed always paid this much attention to him? Even when he was with Addison?
“I’ve always liked,” Wyatt’s eyes looked more intently at Zed’s, and his hand found the cold steel that wrapped the other boy’s wrist, “I’ve always liked how vein-y your arms get when you zomb-out. You look really jacked.” Did he just say that?
Zed’s hands were still cupping Wyatt’s face. Everything around them slowly started to fade away as they continued to stare into each other’s eyes.
Within seconds, their lips found each other. Both boys were just enjoying the moment for as long as they could. All their thoughts and feelings can wait. Right now, all they need is this and each other.