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.

mind, causing my

spread across my skin. Waves of panic surge through me, overpowering my senses and threatening to drown out reason. Glancing at Alina,

what did you-

my words falter as I see her, her piercing gaze fixed upon me, her claws stained crimson with my blood. A vacant look settled in her

Eyes: Karma

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 from the flicker of profound sadness in her eyes, there was an overwhelming sense of

she takes unsteady steps towards me, her body moving in an uncoordinated manner. The claws on her hands glint ominously, a stark contrast to the gentleness they once held. I raise one of my hands, palms out, feeling the sweat

is no recognition 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

out, the desperation in my voice escalating. “Snap

in a split second, I duck,

I can’t bring

my voice hoarse. “What

recognition dances in their eyes, before disappearing without

backward, my heart thumping loudly in

than this!

and distant, a mere shell of the

once knew.

heck am I supposed to do? It

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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 keep finding ways to avoid her. The inevitable clash draws near,

x

frustration crashes over me as 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 my back amplifies the overwhelming

stay down. Fueled by determination, I push myself up, my muscles straining as I strive to reach her and break through

darkness.

“Alina!”

a spark of familiarity before it disappears. It’s a cruel sight, a fleeting glimmer of

a surge of desperation, I deftly dodged her next swipe, narrowly escaping her grasp. With a swift motion, I grab her wrist, my fingers closing around

of it,

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

the weight of the situation bearing down on me.

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who you

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 let her go. Waves of intense pain shoot through my

“Fuck!”

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

way I can

indication of her determined pursuit. My chest tightens as panic takes hold. I can’t keep running from her indefinitely,

against 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 ethereal grace, she glides through the night, her claws shimmering in the moonlight.

to kill me, she’s never