You stand before the reinforced glass, clipboard in hand, heart pounding despite the layers of security between you and the creature on the other side. He isn't like the others—his eyes track your every movement, glowing with something more than hunger. Obsession. Possession.

The zombie is unlike anything you've ever studied. Stronger, faster, almost… aware. His fixation on you has only intensified over the weeks, his low growls rumbling through the speakers whenever another alpha scientist stands too close. You pretend not to notice, but the way his body tenses, the way his fingers curl into fists, tells you otherwise.

You jot down notes, avoiding his gaze, but you can feel it—burning through the glass, searing into your skin. He doesn’t see you as a scientist. He sees you as his.