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.

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

blood spilling from my gut from four holes sent a wave of 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 through my

did

fixed upon me, her 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

His Eyes:

step back 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

glint ominously, a stark contrast to the gentleness they once held.

in her vacant eyes as she unexpectedly swipes at me with a fierce intensity. Her claws graze my cheeks, causing a sharp sting as I stagger back. Ignoring the blossoming pain, my focus remains fixed on

I call out, the desperation in my voice escalating. “Snap out of it!”

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

hoarse. “What did they do to

as if lost in thought. In a fleeting moment, a spark of recognition dances in their eyes, before disappearing without a trace. With a predatory gleam in

my heart thumping loudly

than this! Fucking fight it!”

unresponsive, her eyes vacant and distant, a mere shell of

once

to do? It breaks my heart

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a swift motion, she lunges again, her claws slashing through the air like a deadly weapon. With each step I take back, the forest transforms into a battlefield, where reason has no role to play. There’s no more room to evade her, and I can’t

S x

she charges forward. Anguish and helplessness collide, causing me to stagger backwards as my vision blurs. I fall. The sensation of the cold ground meeting

I can’t afford to stay down. Fueled by determination, I push myself up, my muscles straining as I strive to reach

darkness.

“Alina!”

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

With a swift motion,

out of it,

my voice strained and filled with raw emotion. Her vacant eyes lock onto mine, and for a moment, a glimmer of recognition flickers within them, reminding me of the Alina I love. In her eyes, the turmoil within is evident, a silent war being waged. I cling to the hope that she’ll break free, that the woman

weight of the situation bearing down on me. “You can’t

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it control you. Remember who you are. Remember us. Remember

slashes her sharp claws in my direction. I stumbled backward, taken aback by the unexpectedness of her attack and I let her go. Waves of intense pain shoot through

“Fuck!”

anguish and desperation. My breathing becomes erratic as I clutch both the gaping wound in my stomach and my shoulder. As blood continues to pour from

I’m dead, there’s no way I

through the air sends chills down my back. The sound of her footsteps reverberates in my ears, a clear indication of her determined pursuit. My chest tightens as panic takes hold. I can’t keep running from her indefinitely, and the mere idea of her injuring herself in pursuit

dense foliage, the branches scrape against my face, leaving behind stinging pain. I steal a glance over my shoulder, my eyes

me, she’s never looked more