The Mating Run

Chapter 62

In His Eyes: Fear Zeke’s POV I... | couldn't stop myself. —

The rage pulsed through me, roaring like a hurricane in my thoughts. She threatened Alina, tried to hurt her. My hands tightly clung to her head, relentlessly pounding it against the unforgiving floor. With each strike, | could feel her bones yielding beneath my fists, the sickening thud resounding in my mind. | felt a wet and metallic substance splatter on my face, chest, and arms, covering me completely.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Alina... she was there, right beside us.

| couldn't stand by and watch harm come to her, so | took it upon myself to be her protector. The world faded into a blur, leaving me with one goal: keeping her out of harm’s way. | spat on the broken mess I’d made of that woman’s face, feeling a mix of satisfaction and disgust.

| turned back to Alina, her head resting against my chest as | cradled her. Her open eyes stared into nothingness, devoid of any expression. | shook her softly, desperately trying to get her attention. No response. Nothing.

Panic took hold of me, paralyzing my thoughts and sending shivers down my spine. | held her tighter, my words of reassurance mingling with the scent of her

hair. Was she hurt? Was it something the woman did to her? | don’t know. I’m scared shitless. 1/7 His Eyes Feat 1.me. | had no idea | could even feel this much, the rush of emotions overvintring | hold Alina close, her fragile form trembling within my arms.

The cold reality of the situation bites at my soul, and | feel the weight of guilt pressing down on me like a thousand-ton boulder. Her body feels so small against mine, and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest is the only sign that she’s still breathing.

| press my forehead against hers, the warmth of her skin sending a shiver down my spine. It's as if | can feel the fever radiating from her, a scorching heat that matches the flames of regret burning within me. The air is thick and suffocating, a constant reminder of the weight of my guilt.

She looks ahead, her eyes vacant and distant, as if lost in her own thoughts. It’s a sight that pierces through me, and | feel a lump forming in my throat. | want to reach into the depths of her soul and pull her back from wherever she’s gone, but |

know it’s a place only she can navigate.

“Alina,” | whisper, my voice barely audible as it cracks. “| messed up, Alina. I'm so sorry. It’s my fault, all of it. | should’ve been there for you, protected you.”

She doesn’t react. She’s not looking at me. It's like she’s lost in some place | can’t reach. “Please, please come back to me.”

Her breaths are heavy and strained, filling the room with an uncomfortable sound. It’s a painful reminder of what I’ve done, of the consequences that | can’t escape. If only | had been there for her, things might have been different. That was the responsibility | took on for myself. | had the freedom to do one thing, and | couldn’t seize the opportunity to do it as best as | could.

| blink repeatedly, trying to clear my blurry vision, only to realize that tears are streaming down my face. Words escape my lips in a hushed whisper as | press gentle kisses on the side of her head. “I know you won't believe me, but | never

2/7 In His Eyes: Fear

wanted this for you. | never wanted any of this. | should have been more careful, more aware. It’s because of me that they did this to you.”

| lift my head, my eyes searching hers for any sign of recognition. But all | find is emptiness, a void where her vibrant spirit used to reside. “Til fix this,” | mutter, my voice barely audible. “I promise.”

The room echoes with the heavy sigh that escapes my lips. It feels like I’m drowning in my own inadequacies, the weight of my failures pulling me under. But | can’t let her see my weakness. | have to be strong for her, even when | feel like the

weakest link in the chain. “I'm sorry,” | whisper one more time, the words carrying the weight of a thousand regrets. “I’m so sorry.”

| carefully lifted Alina into my arms, her frail body resting against mine. The weight of her is both unbearable and necessary. The lifeless bodies of those who brought about this chaos lay before me, their eyes locked in a haunting emptiness as | carefully step over them.

The air is heavy with the scent of blood and the bitter taste of my own guilt. | glance at her, hoping for a sign that she’s still with me. Nothing. | sigh.

As | carry her out of the cabin, | feel the gaze of unseen eyes upon us. Hidden cameras peer from behind the trees, capturing our every move. The anger builds within me, a fire fueled by the violation of our privacy. My glare meets each lens, a

silent warning that they won’t break me. “Leave us alone,” | growl, my voice low and fierce. “Even just for now.”

But the cameras continue to watch, indifferent to my plea. Their unblinking gaze follows us, a reminder that we’re trapped in a twisted game we have no choice

but to be in.

I step over the small robots, their screens displaying our names and details. In His Eyes Pear

| don’t need anything. Not from sponsors. Not from the Alpha,

What | need is Alina, and she’s slipping away,

The forest is eerily silent, as if mourning the tragedy that unfolded within es depths. The path ahead is treacherous, and | navigate it with a determination ton from desperation. The sensation of Alina’s body against my chest offers solace tinged with the bitter taste of regret,

The trees cast long shadows, and the distant sounds of nature are drowned out by the echoes of our footsteps. The weight of Alina in my arms becomes heater with each step, a burden | willingly bear, | stumble over roots and rocks, my foous solely on Alina.

In that moment, everything else becomes a distant blur, and all | can feel is the warmth of the woman in my embrace, How did | not realize this sooner?

The familiar path to our cabin, lined with tall trees and fallen leaves, serves as a bittersweet reminder of what we once shared. Finally, the cabin emerges through the foliage, a small haven that once held echoes of our laughter and shared moments. | tenderly settle Alina onto the makeshift bed we constructed, the warmth of the blankets embracing her. The worn blankets and pillows carry the weight of the countless nights we spent here.

| lie down next to her, wrapping my arms around her tightly. | hold her delicate body in my arms, nuzzling my face into the softness of her hair. Her scent lingers in the air, a sweet and intoxicating fragrance.

“I'm sorry, Alina,” | whisper, my voice choked with regret. “I should have realized sooner how much | need you.”

As | place my chin on top of her head, the tears flow, burning and impossible to control. They fall onto her hair, mingling with the strands. My apologies spill out between sobs, a desperate plea for forgiveness.

“| don’t know why it took me so long to understand,” | confess, my voice a

In His Eyes Feat

broken murmur. “I can’t live without you, Alina. | should have known it from the start.”

| hold her tighter, as if my embrace could erase the scars of the past.

“| missed you so much,” | admit, my voice barely audible. “Every moment without you was torture. | should have come for you sooner.”

The weight of my guilt hangs heavy in the air. | replay the moments leading to her abduction, each second a missed opportunity to save her from this nightmare,

“| thought | could live without you,” | continue, my words a desperate confession. “But every breath felt like a betrayal. | can’t do it, Alina. | can’t live without you.”

My fingers glide in circular patterns on her back, as if trying to erase the emptiness reflected in her eyes. As | gaze upon her bruises and scars, | am reminded of the unimaginable horrors she has faced, and | yearn to wipe away every trace.

“Why did it take me so long to realize?” | murmur, my voice breaking. “I should have seen it in your eyes. | should have known you needed me. Just as much as | needed you.”

| press my lips against her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine, a gentle kiss that speaks volumes of the love | couldn’t put into words.

“| love you, Alina,” | say, the words a solemn vow. “I won't let you go again. | can't.”

With tenderness, | hold her face in my hands, my fingertips tracing the contours of her cheeks. Her eyes, once full of life, now hold an empty gaze. | lock eyes with her, my gaze filled with the profound regret and overwhelming affection | have for

her. “| can’t lose you again,” | whisper, my voice raw with emotion. “I can’t bear it, Alina.”

In His Eyes: Fear Nothing. “| can’t change what happened,” | admit, a heavy truth hanging between us. “But I'll do everything to make it right. | promise.”

| pull her into another embrace, acutely aware of how delicate she feels in my arms. She lies still, her fragile form resembling a shattered porcelain doll. | cradle her in my arms, swaying softly in an attempt to soothe the nightmares that linger.

As | finally succumb to sleep, darkness engulfs the cabin, making me hold onto Alina tighter, as if afraid she might disappear in the night. My tears have left salty trails on her hair, silent witnesses to the pain etched in every breath. As the night grows quiet, it wraps around us, providing solace for our shattered souls. As | drift off to sleep, | am reluctantly pulled into a realm teeming with nightmares.

Startled, | wake up abruptly, my body jolting upright from the makeshift bed.

| can feel the pounding of my heart, like the distant beat of a drum, filling the silence around me. The lingering effects of a nightmare cling to me, dissipating into thin air as | desperately inhale.

Suddenly, | am struck by the cold and emptiness of the space beside me. “Alina?”

I call out, my voice barely audible in a raspy whisper. My throat constricts with panic as | desperately scan the darkness, searching for any sign of her.

“Shit!”

With a desperate urgency, | curse aloud, the word escaping my lips like a bolt of lightning. | struggle to stand up, my mind overwhelmed by a whirlwind of fear. My breaths escape my lips in ragged gasps, as if each one is desperately seeking

reassurance.

Leaving the cabin behind, | sprint into the open, the chill of the night air awakening my senses. The trees stand tall, silent sentinels that guard our isolated sanctuary. With wild eyes, | scan the surroundings, desperate to catch even the

617

In His Eyes Fear

slightest sign of her presence. “Alinal”

I scream her name, the piercing sound shattering the calm of the night. My desperate plea is met with a mocking echo that reverberates in the air. | can feel my heartbeat thumping in my ears, masking the sound of leaves rustling and an owl hooting in the distance.

Each fleeting shadow seems to taunt my senses, creating a constant state of uncertainty and suspicion. Tripping over the uneven ground, | frantically glance around, trying to take in every detail. | feel the forest pressing in, the towering trees creating an intimidating presence like dark giants in the night.

| press on, my legs propelling me deeper into the darkness, fueled by a sense of urgency that defies logic. My clothes get caught on the branches, creating a constant tug and pull as | navigate through the uneven forest floor.

The realization crashes over me like a wave

she’s been taken again.

The nightmare that haunted my sleep has come true, and now | am living in a waking nightmare. The anguish in my chest intensifies, a burning sensation that engulfs me completely.

“Alina!”

I scream again, my voice echoing through the empty silence, a raw plea that hangs in the air. Tears stream down my face, distorting my view, as | lurch forward, consumed by reckless desperation. The world around me becomes a swirling mass of shadows and shapes, each one concealing the potential hiding place of the monsters that took her.

And then, | hear a faint sound a branch breaking.