The Mating Run

Chapter 12

Fear

The metallic glint of his machete above me triggers an instant surge of adrenaline.

| can hear the sharp whistling of the machete as it comes closer, and | instinctively sidestep, narrowly avoiding having a few strands of my hair sliced off. As he runs after me again, a startled scream erupts from my throat, echoing through the air. His grip on my neck tightens, and he forcefully pushes me down onto the ground.

Zeke wears a gray tracksuit like the others, but his hoodie is tied around his waist, leaving his chest exposed for all to see. | can’t see his number, possibly because his hoodie is soaked in blood, and he’s chosen to tie it around his waist instead of wearing it. His face is streaked with splatters of blood, and his eyes gleam with a manic bloodlust.

The blood

on his face seems too fresh to be his own.

Zeke forcefully pins me to the ground, his weight pressing down on my stomach. | can already feel my chest tightening, my breaths becoming labored. He raises the machete, its sharp blade glinting menacingly in the light, and takes aim at me. But | react swiftly, evading it with a quick move to the side. The machete sinks to the ground with a thud, barely missing my head, and | can’t help but let out a surprised burst of laughter.

Atingling sensation runs down my spine, my body responding with pure enjoyment. It adores the presence of a captivating, dominant Hunter above her. If it weren't for this extreme insanity, Zeke would have been an ideal mate.

He possesses both striking looks and an aura of strength, a formidable contender for the Alpha position. Literally, what else could a Hider possibly desire?

Being this close to him, | can clearly see the jagged scars etched across his face and chest. Sca ttered across his chest are countless scars, while his face bears a few cuts and bruises. The fresh scars on his face stand out, while the ones on his

Ill

16:27 Wed, 6 Mar

Fear

Fear

The metallic glint of his machete above me triggers an

adrenaline.

ant surge of

| can hear the sharp whistling of the machete as it comes closer, and | instinctively sidestep, narrowly avoiding having a few strands of my hair sliced off. As he runs after me again, a startled scream erupts from my throat, echoing through the air. His grip on my neck tightens, and he forcefully pushes me down onto the ground.

Zeke wears a gray tracksuit like the others, but his hoodie is tied around his waist, leaving his chest exposed for all to see. | can’t see his number, possibly because his hoodie is soaked in blood, and he’s chosen to tie it around his waist. instead of wearing it. His face is streaked with splatters of blood, and his eyes. gleam with a manic bloodlust.

The blood on his face seems too fresh to be his own.

Zeke forcefully pins me to the ground, his weight pressing down on my stomach. | can already feel my chest tightening, my breaths becoming labored. He raises the machete, its sharp blade glinting menacingly in the light, and takes aim at me. But | react swiftly, evading it with a quick move to the side. The machete sinks to the ground with a thud, barely missing my head, and | can’t help but let out a surprised burst of laughter.

Atingling sensation runs down my spine, my body responding with pure enjoyment. It adores the presence of a captivating, dominant Hunter above her. If it weren't for this extreme insanity, Zeke would have been an ideal mate.

He possesses both striking looks and an aura of strength, a formidable. contender for the Alpha position. Literally, what else could a Hider possibly desire?

Being this close to him, | can clearly see the jagged scars etched across his face and chest. Sca ttered across his chest are countless scars, while his face bears a few cuts and bruises. The fresh scars on his face stand out, while the ones on his

0

177

16:27 Wed, 6 Mar 6

Fear

chest appear aged.

As he tries to kill me, | can’t help but check him out.

| must be out of my mind too.

Suddenly, he comes to a halt, raising his head and inhaling deeply, his eyes. transforming into a deep shade of hazel. Then, with a firm grip on my chin, he forces. me to meet his intense gaze, while | remain trapped beneath him.

me.”

“You having fun, Hider?”

My face fills with a manic smirk, revealing my excitement. “I don’t know, you tell

“Are you actually into this?”

Zeke chuckles, the disbelief evident in his tone. | choose not to reply, as | find myself at a loss for words because, to be honest, | don’t have the answer. | don’t think I’m into this, | don’t really know what kind of s hit I’m into. My reaction’s purely fueled by the fumes lingering in the air and the surge of adrenaline pulsating through my veins.

As he tightens his grip around my chin, | let out a stifled giggle, escaping through my lips.

Zeke looks at me again, his eyes widening as if I’ve grown a second head.

“Are you losing it, Hider?”

It suddenly dawns on me that he’s not gripping my arms tightly, so | instinctively clutch onto his wrist. He looks at me with wide- eyed disbelief, his gaze fixated on my hands as they make contact with him. He remains completely still, not even flinching as | involuntarily begin to purr beneath him.

“Just so you know, | do have a name.” | whisper, feeling the warmth of my breath against his skin, as my hands move from his wrist to his muscular arms. | let out another contented purr, and my tongue darts out to moisten my lips. “Seriously,

Fear

wed, b Mar

why do you keep using that name for me?”

Zeke’s motionless, but his gaze doesn’t fixate on me like the previous Hunter did. The feeling of shame and annoyance fills me, creating a heavy weight in my chest. It’s annoying to see him looking bored.

“| have no idea who you are.”

His words hit me like a slap, causing me to flinch. | scowl at him, digging my nails into his skin. Even though he hisses in pain, he refuses to back away from me.

“Yes, you do.”

“No, | don’t.” Zeke repeats, his voice filled with frustration as he pushes my hands away. | scowl, but my resistance weakens as he lowers his head, his nose grazing my neck, causing a whimper to escape me. “I came here because you! smell like Victor Craft. Hider, tell me, where’s that motherf ucker hiding?”

As quickly as it came, the feeling of arousal dissipates, leaving me with a sense of disappointment. My brows furrow, and a low, guttural growl escapes from my throat. It’s surprising how Zeke suddenly springs into action at that moment. His intense gaze lingers on me, studying my expression as if searching for answers to my peculiar behavior.

As | remain silent, his face contorts into a frown, and his hand rises threateningly towards my cheek. “Hider, I'm waiting for an answer. Where's that ba st ard at?”

“| told you.” With a disgusted expression, | spat forcefully, directing my glare at him. | start twisting under his weight, longing to stand up and forcefully shove him aside. The thought of Victor’s actions ruining my chance of having fun at the Mating Run is something | want to forget. “I have a name! It’s Alina! Alina Mockett!”

Zeke’s face slowly lights up with understanding. He sneers at me, his eyes. narrowing as he lowers his head to glare. “I knew | caught a whiff of that f ucker’s scent on your nasty one. You're his little bit ch, right? How come you're here all by yourself? Is he dead? Who took him out?”

Fear

Irritation boils within me, causing me to smack and push his head away. With a grunt, he drops the machete to his side, and | unleash a barrage of punches, striking anything within my reach. My punches land, but they seem to have little effect on him.

“| don't stink!”

| let out a piercing scream as | thrash my legs, causing him to stumble right off me and lose his balance. Seizing the opportunity, | swiftly drive my knee into his stomach. The sound of Zeke’s grunt fills the air as he clutches his stomach, his face losing color.

| roll onto my stomach, the forest floor’s rough texture scraping against my skin, preparing to crawl away. But before | can move, a strong hand latches onto my ankle, yanking me back.

Astartled scream escapes my lips, echoing through the air. Pinned to the ground, Zeke’s weight feels as heavy as a boulder pressing onto me. An intense, fiery rage consumes me from within. | squirm and wriggle, desperate to break free from his suffocating grasp.

He’s so close, impossibly close. The machete lies just out of my reach, taunting me on the ground.

“Get off me, you ba st ard!” yell, my voice cra ck ling with fury and frustration. Being on the ground makes me feel completely powerless and enraged.

“You think you can just bark orders at me, Hider?” Zeke sneers, his e

filled with a deep, disdainful darkness. His grip tightens around my arms, keeping me pinned to the ground. Every muscle strains as | fight against him, but he’s unmovable.

“G od! Hunters just have to ruin everything! | just wanted to go on a simple Mating Run and find a safe hiding spot where only the best Hunter can find me. | don’t wanna be fighting with any of you bloodthirsty maniacs!” | scream, my voice resonating with exasperation.

Zeke’s laughter is humorless, grating on my already worn-out nerves.

[e)

Fear

“Maniacs? You think you can have a love fest without us Hunters spi cing things up? Sorry, sweetheart, not happening.”

The realization that he’s here to stir chaos ignites a surge of anger in me. “Why are Hunters always so determined to mess everything up? Can’t you just stay away from hurting anyone? You're supposed to find us, not kill us!”

Zeke’s eyes burn with anger, reflecting my own intensity. “We're called Hunters, not Finders.”

Frustration consumes me, a relentless fire burning within. | wriggle and convulse, hands flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to break free. My arm stretches out, reaching for the mocking machete just out of reach.

The fight wears me down, draining my strength, and kindles a blazing anger. But Zeke remains stubbornly unyielding.

“Get the hell off me!” | snarl, a raw, primal emotion in my voice.

Zeke’s face twists in anger, his gaze venomous. “You think I’m just going to let a Hider like you have your way?”

The thought of Zeke tra mpling my anticipated joy infuriates me. | spit in his face, and with an arrogant smirk, he brushes it away. “F uck you!”

Emotions swirl within me like a turbulent tornado. Anger consumes me, frustration builds, and | struggle against Zeke’s unyielding grip. It feels like being trapped in the eye of a storm, relentlessly thrashing but making no progress.

My rage is a tempest, roaring with the fury of a thousand storms. The relentless frustration of not finding a moment of peace amidst the pandemonium gnaws at my

core.

It's a fight that extends beyond the physical, a clash of determination and longing, and it’s consuming me with its overwhelming intensity. Yet, no matter how hard | try, this ongoing fight continues to chip away at my sanity.

Fear

Wed, Mar

Each agonizing second under Zeke’s weight feels like an eternity, stretching the minutes into hours. No matter how hard | struggle, scream, or fight, | am still held down, the machete mocking me from a painfully close yet unreachable distance.

Zeke turns abruptly, his eyes locking onto the same sight that has captured my attention. He throws his head back, his laughter filling the air, as he sna tches the machete from the ground, never once breaking eye contact with me.

Panic seizes my chest, and | taste the metallic ta ng of fear at the back of my throat. Zeke’s fingers coil tightly around the handle of the machete, causing his knuckles to pale, and | involuntarily loosen my grip, feeling the cold metal slip from my fingers. In the moonlight, the glint of the blade creates an eerie reflection, casting a foreboding shadow across my face.

With each beat, my heart pounds furiously, a constant reminder of the fear and urgency that grips me.

“Zeke, wait! No!”

My desperate plea slips from my lips, but it’s immediately engulfed by the turbulent undercurrent of chaos and frenzy. Zeke’s seething anger is written all over his body, each muscle flexed in anticipation, as the machete draws nearer, its presence casting an ominous shadow,

“Can you f ucking shut your mouth?” Zeke’s sudden outburst makes me freeze, his hand immediately clamping over my mouth. I try blinking away the tears that slip past my eyes, but they stubbornly cling to my lashes. “Cut it out with the screaming, just die already!”

The machete hovers above me, its sharp edge directed menacingly towards my throat, regardless of my desperate attempts to evade it. | can see some cameras discreetly positioned on the branches of the trees, and | can’t help but question why nobody is taking action to stop this.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

| thought they were trying to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation?

Everything around me seems to freeze in anticipation, as if time is suspended, holding its breath before the impending impact. 6/7

[e)

Fear

Zeke’s penetrating stare remains locked on me, his resolute determination. eclipsing everything, his mouth forming a firm, unwavering line. In that split second, | catch a glimpse of the veins protruding from his neck, a silent warning of the imminent danger that awaits me.

“No! Don't-P

Just as he’s about to bring it down on me, a blaring siren pierces through the air, bringing everything to a sudden halt.