~ ZEV ~

Zev was aware of the pain first. He tried to roll into the warm scent of Sasha at his shoulder, but his body gripped him and he had to lay still and breathe for a moment.

He settled for turning his head.

Her dark hair was scattered across his shoulder and chest, a sticky patch on his shoulder under her cheek. Her cheeks were pink, but the rest of her looked a little pale.

Zev winced when he realized she was seated in a chair at the side of his bed, leaning onto him, her hand in his. Her back was going to regret that when she woke up.

He sighed, testing the pain in his side.

It was bad, but not as hot as the day before. He felt weak, but as if he was coming more alive, not less.

Healing. Thank God.

His bad side ached when he didn't move, but was only sharp when he tried to shift his weight.

Sasha sucked in and sat up, her hair falling over her face as she blinked, bleary-eyed, then rubbed her mouth.

"Gross," she whispered, her voice husky with lack of sleep. "Zev! You're awake!"

He smiled and reached for her with his good arm. "Good morning. You should have gone home and slept. You're going to be tired today."

"Oh, Zev. You're okay. Thank God. Thank you, God!" She reached for his face and leaned forward to kiss him, her shoulders slumping with relief. "You scared me so bad," she said, her voice tight with unshed tears.

"Hey, hey, I'm fine. I'll—"

"You are not fine, Zev-dan," a voice said from the doorway next to his bed. They both turned to find the young healer who had treated him at the Ritual, now looking down at him sternly. "You will heal, but you should have come back to us two days ago. You took a great risk."

Zev grimaced. "I honestly didn't think it was going to be as bad as it was."

The healer shook his head. "I'm glad that you're back, and grateful for Sasha-don. But you must care for yourself first, to lead. If you fall, your Clan will be thrown into chaos."

"I know, I know."

As the healer circled the narrow bed to check his side, Sasha stared at him, half-angry, half-pleading.

"I'll be fine," he murmured. "I'm sorry I scared you."

She clicked her tongue, but just watched the healer as he raised Zev's arm—an exercise that hurt far worse that Zev wanted to admit—then peeled back the bandage to check the wound.

The healer worked in quick, efficient movements, asking Sasha to hold the bandage back while he took some powders from the table next to the bed and blew them onto the wound.

Even that tiny pressure—the male's breath, the pattering of the herbs—sent jolts through Zev's side. But by the time the healer had replaced the bandage and was pouring something into a small cup, Zev could breathe again.

"You will stay here today and tonight—only standing to relieve yourself. Tomorrow, if your pain is manageable, you may go home. But no shifting. And no work. If there are meetings to be had, you will have them come to you. We'll replace your dressing and powders daily. But you do not return to shifting and running until you're cleared by one of us," he said with quiet authority.

Zev rolled his eyes, but when he caught Sasha's stern look, he nodded. "Yes, yes. Of course," he said, taking her hand.

She really did look afraid.

When the healer left them alone, Zev turned back to her, squeezing her hand. "I'm sorry I scared you," he said again. "I… misjudged."

She nodded. "You can't do that again, Zev. Seriously. It was… it was terrifying. I can't do this without you."

She wouldn't do anything without him, he thought grimly. But that thought just made his stomach sick, and one of the helpers was bringing bowls of thick gruel for them both. Sasha helped him sit up, which made him want to pass out. But once he was propped on pillows, Zev found the arm on his sore side didn't want to move. He used it only to keep the bowl in his lap, eating quickly with the other, surprised by how weak he felt.

The infection must have been worse than he thought.

But he got through the meal, then laid flat again, with some relief, holding Sasha's hand as she stroked the hair back off his forehead.

"I'm fine, Sash. Seriously. You don't need to worry. This will heal."

"I know," she said quietly. "They keep saying that. But they also keep saying that you were in real danger. That if they hadn't gotten you here when they did, it could have killed you. Zev… why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't realize how bad it was," he said. "I didn't even suspect until the day before, and I thought I'd get home, take some herbs and be done. It… it got worse quickly."

Sasha sucked in a breath and sat back, but didn't loose his hand. "You know, when I was struggling—really struggling—with you being gone, I went and talked to a woman for a while who was a specialist… and she told me that my tendency to ignore my own needs was a form of self-destruction. That it revealed how I really thought of myself."

Zev frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying, I need you to take as good a care of yourself as you do of me," she said simply. "I have big plans for us, Zev. And I can't do them without you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You might not plan to, but if you don't take care of yourself, if you don't value your own wellbeing… it won't matter what you give to help me, Zev. Nick, the team, they're going to take advantage of that with you. They already have. We have to be strong."

"I'm not giving in anything to them, ever again," he growled. "You need to believe me on that Sash."

"I know you wouldn't on purpose. But… Zev, I had a lot of time last night to think and try and figure out this whole picture. We can't get the females back without dealing with the Team—and that means Nick, too, right? It's obvious he knows you really well and knows how to motivate you. He'll use me against you, Zev. He already has. And I don't know about you, but now that we're… connected this way, I feel more frantic about keeping you close, not less."

She reached a hand back to the back of her neck, and her cheeks flushed.

Zev smiled and said in her head, I love seeing you blush for me. Everywhere.

Sasha's cheeks went beet red, but the look she gave him was a caution.

Then get better, she sent firmly. I'm not doing anything with you until they tell me that it's safe for you to… move.

The color in her cheeks deepened and Zev chuckled.

Then I'll will my body to heal even faster, he sent, making sure his voice was low and husky in her head. Because I need you.

She leaned forward and kissed him and Zev hummed into her mouth, cupping her face with his good hand.

But his nose twitched and he went still as she pulled away.

Catching his expression, Sasha looked alarmed. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Zev's jaw rolled. "Sasha… why do you stink of my brother?"