The creature turned toward the darkness beneath the tower.
Creature: "Stay behind me, Mason."
Zack immediately stepped between them.
Zack: "No."
The creature blinked.
Creature: "No?"
Zack: "He's staying with me."
Mason sighed.
Mason: "Zack..."
Zack: "I'm just saying."
Inside Zack's mind, his wolf suddenly growled.
Wolf: Absolutely not.
Zack: Seriously?
Wolf: That oversized lizard just confessed its love to our bonded.
Zack: It's not a lizard.
Wolf: I don't care what it is. It has claws. That's already suspicious.
Zack tried not to laugh.
Wolf: Tell it to back away.
Zack: And how exactly am I supposed to do that?
Wolf: Threaten it.
Zack: We're fighting an ancient monster.
Wolf: Then threaten it after we're done fighting the ancient monster. Priorities.
Zack glanced at the creature.
Creature: "Why are you staring at me?"
Zack: "I'm not."
Wolf: He is.
Zack: Be quiet.
Wolf: I'm watching you, claw-boy.
Zack almost choked.
Mason looked at him.
Mason: "Are you okay?"
Zack: "Perfectly fine."
Wolf: Tell him I said he's on thin ice.
Zack: You realize he can't hear you.
Wolf: Good. Keeps the intimidation mysterious.
The creature stepped closer to Mason.
Creature: "You should stay close to me."
Zack immediately stepped closer too.
Zack: "He can stay close to both of us."
Creature: "Why?"
Zack: "Because I'm his bond."
Creature: "I know."
Zack: "And you're in love with him."
Creature: "Yes."
Zack: "And that's weird."
Creature: "Why?"
Zack opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Mason covered a smile.
Zack: "Because you're... you."
Creature: "That makes no sense."
Wolf: I like this creature less every second.
Zack: You don't like anyone.
Wolf: I like Mason.
Zack: That's me.
Wolf: Exactly.
Mason suddenly laughed.
Mason: "What?"
Zack looked at him.
Mason: "Why are you smiling?"
Zack: "My wolf."
Mason: "What did he say?"
Zack hesitated.
Wolf: Tell him.
Zack: "He says the creature has five seconds to stop looking at you like that."
The creature stared at him.
Creature: "What happens after five seconds?"
Zack grinned.
Zack: "Apparently, my wolf plans to challenge you."
The creature looked genuinely interested.
Creature: "To a fight?"
Zack: "Probably."
Wolf: Definitely.
Zack: You cannot fight an ancient monster.
Wolf: Watch me.
Mason burst out laughing.
Mason: "Your wolf is jealous!"
Zack's face turned red.
Zack: "He's not jealous."
Wolf: I am extremely jealous.
Zack: "He's... protective."
Wolf: Jealous.
Zack: "Protective."
Wolf: Jealous.
Zack: "Can you stop talking?"
Mason laughed even harder.
The creature stared at Zack for several seconds.
Then, unexpectedly, it smiled.
Creature: "Your wolf is amusing."
Zack: "Don't encourage him."
Wolf: I accept your challenge.
Zack: There is no challenge!
The creature looked toward Mason.
Creature: "Do not worry. I will not take him from you."
Zack relaxed slightly.
Creature: "I will simply love him."
Zack's eye twitched.
Wolf: Five seconds are back on the clock.
Zack: Oh, come on.
Mason shook his head, laughing as the ancient monster beneath the tower roared again.
Mason: "Can we please save the world first?"
Zack and the creature looked at each other.
Zack: "Fine."
Creature: "Agreed."
Wolf: Temporary truce.
Zack: Thank you.
Wolf: But I'm watching him.
Zack: I know.
And somehow, facing an ancient monster was now the second-most dangerous thing happening in the tower.