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.”

into a comforting

through this, Alina.

I don’t want to hurt

revealing the fragile admission of the turmoil

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

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

that,” I reply, my thumb brushing away a stray tear from her cheek. “You’re worth

eyes 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!”

shift downward, and I see a mark on my neck, a tiny wound left behind by the strength of her grip during the nightmare. Alina’s eyes welled up with tears at

the warmth of her presence next to mine. As I reach for the first aid kit, I notice the

you calmed down, okay?”

unravel it, feeling the

eyes remain fixed on me, flickering between the bandage and my face, as if searching for answers. “I’m sorry, Zeke. I don’t know why I

bandage securely in place on my neck, I am relieved to feel the coolness providing some comfort.

Don’t worry about

at her, I could see a complex blend of gratitude and guilt reflecting in her eyes. As she tries to maintain her composure, there’s a lingering sense of vulnerability

hurt because of me,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the quiet hum of the night. “I could have killed you.”

can’t kill me.” I reach out, gently brushing her hair away from her face. “Besides,

wavers from the bandage, her fingertips gently caressing the fabric as if trying to unravel the secrets hidden within the plain white surface. “I could have really hurt you, Zeke. What if it

setting the first aid kit aside, 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 yourself away because of this. We face it together.”

enveloping us in a shared vulnerability. My words, spoken with a quiet determination, act as

she begins speaking, her voice trembling with a touch of hesitation. “Maybe it’s better if I sleep

shake my head, adamant about not allowing her

alone.

I should be the one

now?” Her eyes meet mine, a mixture

hands, feeling their soft warmth in my grasp. “Alina, I can’t be angry at you. We’re navigating uncharted territory, and I won’t abandon you when you need support the

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

my fingers gently running through her hair. “We’ll figure this out, step

shaky breath, the weight of the night’s events still pressing on her. “I don’t want to hurt

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

to lighten the atmosphere. “You know what we need? A distraction. How about

scoff, a

be

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 me to run around the pack’s perimeter for

Alina’s laughter grows more genuine, erasing the lines of worry etched on her face. Her beautiful laugh

her eyes reflecting gratitude. “Thank you, Zeke. I needed