The Mating Run by Leeka

In His Eyes: Puppet

Zeke’s POV

“No way, I’m not doing that.”

The air in the hidden alcove of the tree was heavy with tension as we huddled together, seeking refuge from prying eyes and surveillance cameras. Bound tightly with rope, Victor sat on the floor, his face a mask of defiance and anger. Every time he opened his mouth to speak, a wave of irritation crashed over me, and I couldn’t resist giving him a firm slap on the back of his head.

“You think you’re tough, don’t you?” A menacing growl escaped my lips, my voice vibrating with intensity. “You think you can just sit there and insult us while we’re trying to save not just us but your sorry ass too?”

Looking up at me, Victor’s eyes blazed with a fiery animosity, his sneer twisting

his face.

“I’d rather die than do what you want!”

My frustration grew so intense that I couldn’t help but clench my fists, my anger bubbling up and radiating as I glared down at him. Alina’s worried expression never left her face as she kept glancing at me, her hands suspended in the air as if attempting to soothe my nerves.

“You’d rather die, huh?” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well, I’m afraid that’s not an option, Victor. Not for cowards like you.”

“Yeah, motherf**ker. I’d rather die than help you,” With a snarl, Zeke repeated the words, his voice filled with contempt. “You and your pathetic little friends.”

In the dimly lit alcove, Victor’s intense glare bore into the room, his eyes ablaze with resentment and anger. With a scornful sneer, he shifted his attention to Ettie and Alina, his voice filled with venom as he hurled a string of curses in their direction. His words spewed venom, laced with betrayal and a deep sense of hurt,

as he hurled accusations of treachery towards them.

“I thought we were friends!” he spat, his voice dripping with bitterness. “But here you are, ratting me out to Zeke and forcing me to do something I don’t want to

do!‘

With a voice full of disdain, Ettie scoffed in reply. With a sigh of frustration, she folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes dramatically. It brought me a bit of comfort that she treated Victor just as badly as she treated me. There were no favorites in her eyes – the bitch harbored a strong dislike for everyone, except for

Alina.

“You’re such a f**king loser,” she retorted, her tone dripping with contempt. “What they’re asking isn’t even that hard. Grow a pair of balls and stop acting like a child.”

Alina’s lips stayed sealed, her face a mask of inscrutability as she locked eyes with Victor, a blend of remorse and sadness in her gaze. I have no idea what she’s thinking, and that uncertainty creates a rift between us that I despise. The absence of those shared memories has driven us further apart than I’d prefer.

With slow and deliberate movements, Alina silently approached Victor, and a thick silence filled the alcove. Ettie and I exchanged wary glances, cautiously taking a step back to allow them room, while remaining vigilant of the unfolding scene. The cramped space amplified Victor’s harsh words, his voice dripping with venom as he hurled one cruel insult after another at Alina.

“Goddess, Alina, I thought we were over this. But you’re proving me right again. You’re nothing but a lost cause,” The tense atmosphere was shattered as Victor spat, his words landing like daggers in the air. Without uttering a word, Alina observed him intently, her face displaying a thoughtful expression. “You’re weak, pathetic, and you always have been. You’ll never amount to anything.”

of Victor’s words was visible in her eyes, as if they were bearing down upon her. His cruel taunts may have been relentless, but she remained resolute, refusing to let them weaken

217

TRA, TEMar

latin Fyes Puppet

of the mating mark on Alina’s neck, Victor’s eyes narrowed and a cruel smirk twisted his lips. Right away, a surge of defensiveness washed over me. Vietor understood the weight of his words, fully aware that a single slip–up could result in me swiftly ending his life for disrespecting my

you,” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “You’re nothing but Zeke’s bitch now, aren’t you? Just another puppet on

heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to maintain control. As I stood there, my fists clenched at my sides, I could feel my muscles tightening, ready to unleash my

I glared at her.

Ettie wasn’t even acknowledging my presence, as she would typically be giving me a piercing glare

fist connecting with Victor’s face, the impact echoing with a sickening thud. Her blow landed with a sharp crack, instantly crumpling

up inside me, witnessing her remarkable bravery. Even without her memories, her resilient spirit continued to shine, especially in moments like

anguished screams reverberated through the narrow alcove, his desperate struggles causing the bindings to

you broke my

the situation, Alina’s calm demeanor prevailed as she stood over him, her tightly

a whisper, but the icy tone in Alina’s voice was unmistakable. Moving slowly, she extended her hand and firmly seized

surpassed our greatest imaginations, revealing a power within her that she had yet to discover. And in that

as I stepped forward to join her, my

at the sight of us, her hand covering her mouth, as she walked towards Victor to inspect his bloodied nose. Then, she glanced towards Alina, her eyes widening in awe as she nodded in agreement, a newfound respect for Alina evident in her gaze. “But… Shit yeah, he’s right. I didn’t know

small alcove was filled with Victor’s piercing cries, creating an atmosphere of agony. Growing more and more irritating, I fought the urge to silence him by shoving a random sock into his mouth, grateful that I had

fist trembled with a mixture of regret and frustration. Her gaze fell upon the broken man at our feet. As she sighed heavily, I pulled her closer and held her tightly,

comfort.

her face buried in my shoulder, she murmured, her words muffled and barely discernible. With a slow, deliberate

like that.”

shook my head, an attempt to provide reassurance,

of what we

I said firmly, my voice tinged with frustration. “Victor deserved what he got. We can deal with

later.”

make contact with his father using one of the cameras, in a desperate plea

his precious son in harm’s way, his father’s resistance grew

we going to do, Zeke?”

out,” Even as doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind, I said, forcing myself to sound confident. Despite my growing worry, I couldn’t help but smile as I leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. “We’ll find another way to get out

can salvage the plan, if we make some

a confused glance, both of us shrugging helplessly, our expressions mirroring our shared confusion. Rubbing her chin in contemplation, Ettie made her way towards us, lost in her own world.

“If we want to

“How?”

as she turned to face me,

rough rock from the ground, her eyes fixated on it as she turned it over and over in her