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 shock as I

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

what did you-

see her, her piercing gaze fixed upon me, her claws stained crimson with my blood. A vacant look

His Eyes: Karma

my vision. I take a 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 from the flicker of profound sadness in her eyes, there

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

unexpectedly swipes at me with a fierce intensity. Her claws graze my cheeks, causing a sharp sting as I stagger

the desperation in my voice

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

if it’s in self–defense, I can’t bring

hoarse. “What

me with a vacant stare, as if lost in thought. In a fleeting moment, a spark of recognition dances in their

heart thumping loudly in my ears.

stronger than this! Fucking

and

I once knew.

the heck am I supposed to do? It breaks my

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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

S x

me to stagger backwards as my vision blurs. I fall. The sensation of the cold ground meeting my back amplifies the

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

darkness.

“Alina!”

stillness of the air. Our eyes meet, and in that fleeting moment, I see a spark

her grasp. With a swift motion, I grab her wrist, my fingers closing around it

of it, Alina!”

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 I adore will emerge from the shadows with a newfound strength and resilience. But the vacant look returns, and the weight of disappointment settles in my chest. Holding onto her wrist, frustration coils in my gut, tightening with every passing moment.

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

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Remember who you are. Remember

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

“Fuck!”

blood continues to pour from my wounds, my vision becomes increasingly blurred. I am left with no other option but to evade, to distance myself from the woman I love, as her claws lunge through the air with

I’m dead, there’s no way I can

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

the branches scrape 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

wants to kill me, she’s never looked more beautiful.