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

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,

did

with my blood. A vacant look settled in her eyes, as if she were watching the scene unfold from

Eyes:

the periphery of 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

contrast to the

fierce intensity. Her claws graze my cheeks, causing a sharp sting as I stagger back. Ignoring the

desperation in my

feral glint in her eyes undiminished. Her claws flash, and in a split

I can’t

scream, my voice hoarse. “What did they do to

she looks at me with a vacant stare, 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

my heart thumping loudly in my

stronger than this! Fucking fight it!”

eyes vacant and distant, a mere

I once

to do? It breaks my heart to see

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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

S x x

stagger backwards as my vision blurs. I fall. The sensation of the cold ground

myself up, my muscles straining

darkness.

“Alina!”

pierces through 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

her next swipe, narrowly escaping her grasp. With a swift motion, I grab her wrist, my fingers closing

of

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 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.

the situation bearing

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

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 shoulder, leaving me

“Fuck!”

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, to

there’s no way I

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

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.

though she wants to kill me, she’s