The Mating Run by Leeka

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“Ettie,” With a measured but firm voice, I start to say, capturing her attention. “We both signed up for the Mating Run to find ourselves a mate. You can’t just–Jay claim to me like that.”

Frustration and urgency etch across her face, her brows furrow deeply.

“Alina, you just don’t get it. This isn’t about the Run anymore. It’s all about staying alive. Getting back to how things used to be.”

I shake my head, my hands instinctively curl into tight fists, ready to defend myself.

“We don’t have to forget everything we’ve been through to survive, Ettie. All I want is to find someone to be with; I don’t ask to be treated like your possession.”

Ettie’s narrowed gaze transforms from desperation to a determined resolve.

“This isn’t about… ownership, Alina! We’re talking about keeping you safe. If I mark you, we can leave this madness behind. We don’t have to keep running anymore.”

“But at what cost?” I retort, my words laced with anger as I jab her on the chest. A hint of hurt flashes across Ettie’s face, but I choose to ignore it. “If you do that to me, Ettie, there’s no turning back. You’re not even bothering to ask if I want that; it’s all about you.”

The silence that follows is punctuated by the lingering echoes of our contrasting perspectives. Ettie’s eyes, once pleading, now glisten with a determined fierceness.

“Alina, you’re missing the point. This is how we’ll get out. An opportunity to take back control of our lives.”

I breathe out a sigh, feeling stuck between two things. Disappointment washes

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“I won’t let fear make me do something that I’ll regret in the end.”

Ettie’s piercing gaze tells me everything I need to know – her frustration is reaching its boiling point. In frustration, she throws her hand up in the air and lets out a low growl.

“What do you even want, Alina? Wanna keep running, keep fighting until one of us goes down to this crazy shit?”

“I want to find a mate, Ettie,” I assert, my voice unwavering. “And I won’t compromise on that goal. We can navigate the challenges without you claiming me.”

Ettie’s fists clench at her sides, a visible struggle within her as the clash of desires wages war on her resolve. “You’re being stubborn, Alina. This is a chance for us to be free.”

“I won’t exchange one form of captivity for another.”

Right now, as I stand, my mind goes crazy, picking apart every little thing about her expression and where she’s looking.

I know Ettie really well, maybe even better than I know myself. We go through so much together, face our demons, and come out stronger, connected by the language of shared struggles.

Ettie’s eyes tell a different story than her words. She’s always an open book to me; you can see how she feels just by looking at her. But today, today is different. Her gaze has this sneaky little dance, like she’s hiding something.

She says it’s for my own safety. Claiming me to keep me safe. It seems selfless at

better. I think I know what Ettie really means, the things she’s not saying.

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the point of pretending to be selfless when she’s actually up to something? We go through some rough times together the Hunters, the unforgiving Mating Run – and now Ettie wants to keep things a secret.

–

to all the challenges we face as a

my eyes, trying to block out everything around me and concentrate on what’s going on inside. My stomach all twisted up, it’s a clear sign

on a distant point, her silence filled with the frustration of unexpressed thoughts. Her unspoken motivations hang heavy around us, creating a suffocating atmosphere that makes it hard to decipher

intentions.

my voice tinged with frustration and a touch of annoyance. “Why are you so fixated on claiming me? There has to be more to it

soft, deliberate whisper. “Yeah, you’re right, it’s not only about safety.”

and disbelief etch my features

“What?”

can see a torrent of emotions churning in

by someone,

༈༙

laden with significance, causing an eerie chill to run down my back. As I take a step back, my mind races to process the implications of what

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to get rid of the uneasy feeling Ettie’s words give me. The air feels heavy, suffocating, as the weight of unsaid things hangs over us. Ettie’s proposal, hidden behind the idea of safety,

Don’t say that.”

my voice barely making a sound in the awkward silence. Her eyes hold secrets, and I

apart right in front of me, losing her

so fed up,

can’t talk to you when you’re like this,” I declare, my words escaping my lips with a hint of irritation rather than

on my arm startles me, causing me to momentarily lose my train of thought. The air

refused to let go, her grip unyielding. I watch in terror as her eyes transform, shifting from a tranquil blue to an ominous black. “Don’t walk away from me, Alina. It’s the wrong decision.

what to do; I have mixed emotions. Ettie’s desperation is intense, and I can feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. But the fear of watching someone I thought I knew come undone makes me want to

voice trembling with a mix of fear and uncertainty. I make an effort to loosen her grip on me, but all I receive In return is a fierce growl from Ettie. “You’re freaking me out. I have no idea what’s going on. This claim and talk about safety, it’s just not adding up. And holding onto me like this, begging me not to go because you can’t

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glimmer of understanding. It’s as though she’s trapped in a battle between opposing worlds, struggling

have the strength to guide us through this

a noticeable vulnerability in her voice as she says it, a departure from the typically fierce and unyielding Ettie I’ve known. “I can’t lose you. I can’t let anyone else claim you. It’s dangerous out there, and I need to keep you safe. You’re

suspend in the air, a turbulent confession that sends a shiver

Mine.

that utterance sends shivers down my spine, and I sense a creeping unease nibbling away at

not yourself. If you’re gonna keep acting like this desperate, possessive – I can’t stay. I won’t. I need the Ettie I know, the one who faces