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.

causing my eyes to widen in

pooled and spread across my skin. Waves of panic surge through me, overpowering my senses

did

as I see her, her piercing gaze 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

His Eyes:

I can’t hide. She lifts her hands, and her sharp claws are

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 the turmoil consuming her.

in my

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

self–defense, I can’t

“What did they do

recognition dances in their

heart thumping loudly

this!

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

I once knew.

to do? It breaks my heart to see her

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a battlefield, where reason has 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 I can feel the tension in the air, thickening with each passing

S x x

to stagger backwards as my vision blurs. I fall. The

I push myself up, my muscles straining as I strive to reach her and

darkness.

“Alina!”

moment, I see a spark of familiarity before it disappears. It’s

a surge of desperation, I deftly dodged her next swipe, narrowly escaping her grasp. With a swift motion, I

out of it,

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

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

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it control you. Remember who you are.

response from her, she twists forcefully in my hold and slashes her sharp claws in my direction. I stumbled backward, taken aback by the unexpectedness of her attack and I

“Fuck!”

in the empty forest around us, a cry of 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 my wounds, my vision becomes increasingly blurred. I am left with no other option but to evade,

way I

sound of her claws cutting 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

my face, leaving behind stinging pain. I steal a glance over my shoulder, my eyes barely catching a glimpse of her fleeting figure. With an

kill me, she’s