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.”

remains a poignant display of sorrow. As I pull her into a comforting embrace, I can feel her body relax against mine, seeking solace in

through this, Alina.

don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

barely audible, revealing the fragile admission of the

I say, my voice a gentle murmur. “We can’t predict what’ll happen, but we can face it together. And I’m not

a mix of gratitude and longing. “I don’t think I deserve someone as patient and understanding

cheek. “You’re worth every bit of patience and understanding. We’ll

reflecting pure horror, as her hands instinctively reached out to touch my neck. The moment her fingers make contact with my skin, a

“Zeke, you’re bleeding!”

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 she

touch, I guide Alina to sit beside me on the bed, feeling the warmth of her presence next to mine. As I reach for the first aid kit, I notice the

you calmed down,

speak softly, my voice a calming murmur. With a bandage in hand, I carefully unravel it, feeling the soft fabric and seeing the adhesive

flickering between the bandage and my face, as if searching for

on my neck, I am

Alina. Don’t worry about it.”

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

her voice barely audible over the quiet hum of the night.

her hair away from her face.

her focus never wavers from the bandage, her fingertips gently caressing the fabric as if trying to unravel the secrets hidden within the plain

taking a moment to listen to the birds chirping in the distance. “We’ll find a way to manage it, Alina. And I won’t let you push

My words, spoken with a

her voice trembling with a touch of hesitation. “Maybe it’s

shake my head, adamant about not allowing her

alone.

anything, I should be

right now?” Her eyes meet mine, a mixture of surprise and

grasp. “Alina, I can’t be angry at you. We’re navigating uncharted territory,

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

overwhelmed, Alina,” I say, my fingers gently running through her hair. “We’ll figure

night’s events still

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

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

a small scoff, a hesitant

can be funny, even if

pack. Let’s just say, it ended up being more of

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

eyes reflecting gratitude. “Thank you,