"Chetan, I don't think it worked. You have to let her go," Ajay says with a crackling voice.
"No, no no, it has to, it just has to." He cries.
"I know, I did it right," Zero says.
"I should have paid more attention to Zare," Ajay says.
"Aanya would have died," Cricket remarks.
I start coughing. I don't feel any pain. Opening my eyes, I knew exactly where I was: a cave at the bottom of the river.
"Zare," Chetan scoops me up in his arms. I look down. Why am I not wearing a shirt?
Looking between my chest, I begin to panic. Touching all over my chest. I hear myself start to hyperventilate.
"Zare just calm down," Chetan tells me.
"What's that?" I point to a patch of skin that wasn't my own.
"Zombie Skin," says Dev.
Chetan gives him a death stare. "Let's just say you're a Zombie now."
"So, I am a part werewolf, part vampire, and now part Zombie."
"No, you're a special hybrid," Dev gives me thumbs up.
Chetan chuckles a little. He rubs my face with his hand. "Everything is fine."
"How? What happened?"
"AB ripped out your heart. We then found Zero, who told us we needed to gather authentic Zombie skin and blood. We did. Then we went back to Zero's cave where we placed your heart back, ejected you with Zombie blood, and stitched you back up with a special potion," Ajay explains.
"Why didn't you just leave me dead?" I feel so angry beyond words. I don't want to be a part of Zombie too.
"You know that's not an option," Ajay says.
"Why? Because I'm your responsibility?" I yell.
"No, because I love you, everyone in this pack loves you. Chetan needs you," Ajay says.
"Well, now I don't even love myself." I break free from Chetan's arms and swim out of the cave.
"Zare," Ajay yells.
"Give her some space," Chetan says.
Shortly, I find myself in the Cemetery. I just feel like I belong there. I sit on the bench next to a tree. I am in my wolf form because I wasn't wearing a shirt. Maybe I will just live in my wolf form. I feel normal this way. My fur is my fur and no one else's.
I hear a howl. I know it was Ajay. He was in pain. I know it was hard for him watching my heart being ripped out and then having to create a zombie, the very thing we're trying to destroy.
"Zare," I hear Chetan.
"What do you want?"
"I am sorry, and I love you so much, but it was an easy choice to bring you back as a zombie," he tells me.
"For you, now I'm three types of monsters."
"No, you're just Zare, and that's all," he replies, holding my paw.
He takes off his sweater and hands it to me. "Change into your human so that I can kiss you."
"You mean Vampire Slash Zombie?"
He laughs. "You are so difficult."
I change into my once human form and quickly put on the sweater. I hate looking at my chest like that. I have light tan skin, and the Zombie skin they used was gray. You can clearly tell the difference.
"You know the hell I went through today? I held your lifeless body in my arms, and I thought I would lose you again Zare, that would kill me. I would die from heartbreak," Chetan says.
"I know." I grab his hand.
"Now maybe it was selfish to turn you into a zombie, but you are going to have to deal with it because I can't lose you," Chetan tells me.
I smile. "I love you."
Chetan brings his lips to mine. He kisses me warmly, pulling me into his lap. I run my fingers through his hair. He carries me and lays me under a tree. He takes off his shirt. I run my finger over his abs.
"Here?" I smile.
"Why there's no one here," he says, taking off his sweater that I wore.
I cover my hands over my chest. I felt so embarrassed. That must look so unattractive.
"Zare, why are you covering your chest?" Chetan asks, rubbing my cheek with his finger.
"It looks awful."
"It's a symbol of your life, that you're alive," he tells me.
"But what if it disgusted you like you don't want me anymore?"
He laughs slightly. "There's nothing in this world that would keep me from wanting you."
I undo his pants. " That's my girl,'' he says.