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.”

a comforting embrace, I can feel her body relax against mine, seeking

this, Alina.

hurt you, and I don’t want to

barely audible, revealing the fragile admission of the turmoil within.

gentle murmur. “We can’t predict what’ll happen, but we can face it together.

you always like this?” She looks up, her gaze meeting mine with a mix of gratitude and longing. “I don’t think I

tear from her cheek. “You’re worth every

the air, her widened eyes reflecting pure horror, as her hands instinctively reached out to touch my neck. The moment her fingers make contact with my skin, a grimace forms on my

“Zeke, you’re bleeding!”

eyes 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

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 glistening tears streaking down her face, revealing the depth of her inner turmoil. With a gentle

you calmed

bandage in hand, I carefully unravel it, feeling the soft fabric and seeing the adhesive side that will soon

me, flickering between the bandage and my face, as

my neck, I am relieved to feel the coolness

okay, Alina. Don’t worry about

guilt reflecting in her eyes. As she tries to maintain her

over the quiet hum of the night. “I could have killed

reach out, gently brushing her hair

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 happens again? What

the birds chirping in the distance. “We’ll find a way to manage it,

the air intensifies the weight of uncertainty, enveloping us in a shared vulnerability. My words, spoken with a quiet

touch of hesitation. “Maybe it’s better if I sleep outside. That

not allowing her to

alone.

anything, I should be

now?” Her eyes meet mine, a mixture of surprise and frustration flickering within. “Why aren’t

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

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

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

night’s events still pressing on her. “I don’t want

the room. “You won’t, Alina. We’ll find a

traces of fear persist in her eyes, and I feel the need to lighten the

a small scoff, a hesitant smile

can be funny, even if

younger, I tried to cook dinner for the pack. Let’s just say, it ended up being more of a bonfire than

each passing moment in the story, Alina’s laughter grows more genuine, erasing the lines of worry etched on her face. Her beautiful laugh fills the

“Thank you, Zeke. I needed