The Mating Run by Leeka

Zeke’s POV

“Alina!”

In His Eyes: Dreams

The words come out in a choked scream, the syllables stretched and strained.

But there’s no response. Her empty gaze seems to pierce through the darkness, detached and unfazed by the struggle beneath her hands. My chest tightens with fear, as if sharp claws are digging into my ribs, demanding to be set free from the crushing grip that looms over me. Desperation and confusion mingled in my eyes as I wrestled against her tight grip.

“Alina, please!” Struggling to speak, I managed to rasp out my words, my plea echoing in the void that separated us. “Let me go!”

And then, as if jolted awake from a dream, her eyes widen with recognition. In an instant, the vacant look on her face is replaced by a surge of realization, as she comprehends the magnitude of what she is doing. The tightness around my throat loosens, allowing me to take a gasping breath and feel the immediate relief of fresh oxygen entering my lungs.

“Zeke?”

As she speaks, her voice wavers, conveying a sense of confusion and deep remorse. Clutching my throat, I could still feel the lingering sensation of her hands, like a ghostly touch.

“What… What happened, Alina?”

Horror and guilt immediately wash over her face, causing her to recoil. Her hands tremble uncontrollably as she gazes at them, her entire body filled with a sense of unease.

“I don’t… I don’t know. I just… I thought I was dreaming.”

As I sit up, the bed feels even colder than it did moments ago.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she says, her voice a fragile apology in the quiet darkness. “I’m sorry.”

“Alina, it’s okay,” I murmur, my voice an attempt at reassurance. “It was… just a bad dream, right?”

As she looks at me, her eyes, clouded with remnants of the night’s confusion, well up with tears, revealing a blend of fear and sorrow on her face.

“I’m sorry, Zeke,” she whispers, her voice trembling, eyes never wavering from my neck. “I’m so sorry, sorry, so sorry…”

My hand reaches out, delicately cupping her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin.

fell.

“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t cry, come on.’

But her tears kept streaming down her face, leaving gentle pathways as they

I guide her to sit beside me on the bed, the cold reality of the night enveloping us in its presence. “Alina, you can’t blame yourself. We’re both trying to figure this out, and sometimes things get a little messy. It doesn’t change how I feel about

you.”

nod, her face, streaked with tears, remains a poignant display of sorrow. As I pull her into a comforting embrace, I

this, Alina.

and I don’t want to hurt you

revealing the fragile admission of

“We can’t predict what’ll happen, but we can face it together. And I’m not giving up on

up, her gaze meeting mine with a mix of gratitude and longing. “I don’t think I

from her cheek. “You’re worth every bit of patience and understanding. We’ll find a way

fingers make contact with my skin, a grimace forms on my face.

“Zeke, you’re bleeding!”

wound left behind by the strength of her grip during the nightmare. Alina’s eyes welled up with tears at the sight of blood, her hands shaking

As I reach for the first aid kit, I notice the

you calmed down,

carefully unravel it, feeling the soft fabric and seeing the adhesive side that will soon adhere to

slightly, clearly still affected by what happened. Her eyes remain fixed on me, flickering between the bandage and my face, as if searching for

in place on my neck, I am

okay, Alina. Don’t worry about

blend of gratitude and guilt reflecting in her eyes. As she tries to maintain her

of me,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the quiet hum

gently brushing her hair away from her face. “Besides, it’s

gently caressing the fabric as if trying to unravel the secrets hidden within the plain white

“We’ll find a way to manage it, Alina. And I won’t let you push yourself away because of this. We face

the weight of uncertainty, enveloping us in a shared vulnerability. My words, spoken with a quiet determination, act as an anchor, keeping us grounded in the

of hesitation. “Maybe it’s better if

not allowing her to bear

alone.

If anything, I should be the one

you serious right now?” Her eyes meet mine, a mixture of surprise and frustration flickering

her hands, feeling their soft warmth in my grasp. “Alina, I can’t be angry at you.

bed, encouraging her to lie back. This time, there’s no distance between us. Instead, I pull her close, my arms

say, my fingers gently running

the night’s events still

the words spoken in the quiet of the room. “You won’t, Alina. We’ll

in her eyes, and I feel the need to lighten the atmosphere. “You know what we need? A distraction. How about a funny story?”

scoff,

think you can be

know, when I was younger, I tried to cook dinner for the pack. Let’s just say, it ended up being more of a bonfire than a meal. The Alpha was so mad at me, he told

in the story, Alina’s laughter grows more genuine, erasing the lines of worry etched

smiles, her eyes reflecting gratitude. “Thank you,