The Mating Run by Leeka

In His Eyes: Karma

Zeke’s POV

My heart raced as I followed the sound, the pounding echoing in my ears.

As the trees part, a small clearing is revealed, and in its center stands a figure, concealed in darkness.

“Alina!”

I gasp, feeling a rush of relief wash over me like a tidal wave. I rush towards her, feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins with each clumsy step. There is a distant look in her eyes as she stands there, lost in her own thoughts. My hands shook uncontrollably as they made contact with her face, desperately searching for any evidence of bruising. Luckily, there’s none.

“Alina, are you okay? What happened?”

She keeps quiet, her focus unwavering as she looks past me. I can’t help but notice the feverish heat that engulfs her skin as I run my fingers over it, sending shivers down my spine.

“Alina, talk to me.” I pleaded, my voice trembling with desperation. Her lips part, but no sound emerges from her mouth. A heavy silence fills the space between us, making it unbearable. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

I wrap my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine.

“It’s okay, Alina. I’m here. You’re safe.”

The memory of losing her resurfaces in my mind, the raw fear flooding back. I press my lips to her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin and the softness of her hair against my face.

“I thought I lost you again,” I admit, my voice breaking. “I can’t bear it, Alina. I

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can’t lose you. Why don’t we go back to the cabin? You have to rest to let the fever subside.”

Her eyes flicker with a glimmer of recognition, giving me a surge of hope. Without saying a word, her body eases into mine, offering a sense of solace that I desperately grasp onto. I feel her head resting gently on my shoulder, and with that simple touch, my panic begins to dissipate. Her scent reminds me of home, and it’s where I long to be.

“…-Ke-”

Just as quickly as the calmness spreads through me, I hear her voice, soft and melodic.

I stiffen, feeling a wave of relief wash over me as my lips twitch into a smile.

“Alina?”

“…get…away from…me-”

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through my stomach, blinding me momentarily.

I stumble back, the pain causing a sharp groan to escape my lips.

cloud of confusion descend upon my mind, causing my eyes to widen

nausea through me, as it pooled and spread across my skin. Waves of panic surge through me, overpowering my senses and threatening to drown out reason. Glancing at Alina, I could feel the warmth of my own blood seeping

what did

claws stained crimson with my blood. A vacant look settled in her eyes, as if she were watching the scene unfold from afar, detached from her own actions.

His Eyes: Karma

from her, my hand instinctively clutching the wound, my face betraying the desperation I can’t hide. She lifts her hands, and her sharp claws are aimed directly at me. She stares at them as if they belong to someone else. Apart

the gentleness they once held. I raise one of my hands, palms out, feeling the sweat trickle down my trembling fingers,

intensity. Her claws graze my cheeks, causing a sharp sting as

my voice escalating. “Snap out of it!”

the shadows of her own mind, the feral glint in her eyes undiminished. Her claws flash, and in a split second, I duck, narrowly escaping the attack, the rush of air grazing my face. I can’t bring myself to

can’t bring myself to hurt her.

scream, my voice hoarse. “What did they do

of recognition dances

my heart thumping loudly in my

than this! Fucking fight it!”

and distant,

once

am I supposed to do? It breaks my heart to

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no role to play. There’s no more room to evade her, and I can’t keep finding ways to avoid her. The inevitable clash draws near, and

x

my vision blurs. I fall. The sensation of the cold ground meeting my back amplifies the

myself up, my muscles straining as I strive to reach her and break through the suffocating

darkness.

“Alina!”

Our eyes meet, and in that fleeting moment, I see a spark of familiarity before it disappears. It’s a cruel sight, a fleeting

grasp. With a swift

of it,

is evident, a silent war being waged. I cling to the hope

please,” I bég, the weight of the situation bearing down on

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Remember who you are. Remember us. Remember

in my direction. I stumbled backward, taken aback by the unexpectedness of her attack and I let her go.

“Fuck!”

the gaping wound in my stomach and my shoulder. As blood continues to pour from my wounds, my vision becomes increasingly blurred. I am left with no other option but to evade, to distance

no way I can

my back. The sound of her footsteps reverberates in my ears, a clear indication of her determined pursuit. My chest tightens

stinging pain. I steal a glance over my shoulder, my eyes barely catching a glimpse of her fleeting figure. With an ethereal grace, she glides

me,