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

of panic surge through me, overpowering my senses and threatening to drown out

did

fixed upon me, her claws stained crimson with my blood. A

His Eyes:

dancing on 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 sharp claws are aimed directly at me. She stares at them as if

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 trickle down my trembling fingers,

recognition in her vacant eyes as she unexpectedly swipes at me with a fierce intensity. Her claws graze my cheeks,

out, the desperation in my voice escalating. “Snap out

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

can’t bring

voice hoarse. “What did they do to you?!”

a spark of recognition dances in their eyes, before disappearing without a trace. With a

backward, my heart

than this! Fucking fight

her eyes vacant and distant, a

once knew.

I supposed to do? It breaks my heart to

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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

x

Anguish and helplessness collide, causing me to stagger backwards as my

myself up, my

darkness.

“Alina!”

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 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

of

top of my lungs, 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 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

the situation bearing down on

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it control you. Remember who you

aback by the unexpectedness of her attack and I let

“Fuck!”

echoes 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

no way

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

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

me, she’s never