The Mating Run

Chapter 52

Fake My eyes flutter open, and | am met with the comforting sensation of being held. by Zeke.

In any other circumstance, being held in such an embrace upon waking up offers a sense of comfort, a quiet reminder of our strong connection. As my consciousness fully returns, a disconcerting truth settles heavily on my shoulders.

Zeke’s arms, which were once a comforting embrace, now feel constricting and suffocating. It isn’t the gentle embrace | expect upon waking; it's a hold that leaves. me feeling confined.

| shift, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as my senses pick up on the presence of another camera. The camera’s unblinking lens is fixed on us, as if freezing the vulnerability of the moment in time. It’s as if a punch to the gut, the realization washes over me — we are being watched again, our every intimate moment exposed to unseen eyes.

And | just know that it is Zeke’s idea, as the sound of his voice echoes in my mind. Anger and betrayal surge through me, overwhelming my emotions.

| carefully untangle myself from Zeke’s embrace, the once gentle motion now filled with a hint of desperation. The weight of my emotions threatens to spill over, creating a heavy atmosphere around me. | crave distance, a breath of air to bring clarity to my thoughts.

| feel manipulated, like a pawn on a chessboard with every move carefully plotted. The sound of something shifting beside me causes me to tense up, and | let out a quiet curse. “Alina, what's wrong?”

Through the silence, Zeke’s voice rings out, carrying a palpable sense of worry. Standing there, | can feel his gaze on me, his eyes filled with confusion. With a tired sigh, he rubs his eye and lets out a quick yawn. Although | despise it, a surge of concern for him floods my being.

At first, | remain silent, not answering. As he continues to stare at me, | let out a frustrated sigh. | mumble under my breath, the words barely escaping my lips.

“| just need to get out and get some air.”

As | speak, my voice trembles with the same intensity as the brewing storm within.

Zeke’s voice echoes through the air once more, tinged with both anxiety and perplexity.

“Alina, please. Tell me what’s wrong.”

In that fleeting moment, the weight of my emotions makes me contemplate opening up to him, as if the words are begging to be released. | want to ask the question that lingers in my mind — what are we? And what does this mean for us? | fall silent, that we are still being watched, and that someone or something is

aware observing our every move. And the fact that he probably orchestrates all this, making himself appear like a concerned potential mate, fills me with anger.

“| need a moment to myself,” | mutter, unable to tear my eyes away from the rain—soaked ground. “Just, you know, think about things, alright?”

Zeke lets out a sigh, his tone filled with a frustrating and helpless blend of emotions. “Alina, we're already in this together, so let’s stick together. If things aren’t right, we should face them together.”

I can hear the authenticity in his words, and in any other situation, | would welcome the sentiment. However, things are anything but normal, and judging by

Fake

his appearance, he seems far from sincere.

| turn to him, our eyes locking in an intense gaze. “Can you just please give me some space, Zeke?”

Reluctantly, he nods, his face etched with a frown. The unspoken tension hangs in the air, and with each step | take away from him, it feels as though an invisible barrier is forming, separating us both physically and emotionally.

| find a hidden nook, shielded from the intrusive gaze of the cameras, and allow the rain to drench me. As the rain pours down, my tears blend with the raindrops, silently releasing the emotions that have been suffocating me. Like a bitter aftertaste, the feeling of being used as a pawn in an uncontrollable game lingers

within me.

As | stand there, thinking to myself, | can’t help but wonder — is there anything real about our connection? Even when Zeke and | have tender moments, it feels wrong because we are just part of a messed-up drama.

I return to the camp, soaked to the bone and feeling exposed, and Zeke’s worried eyes lock with mine.

He stands there, his figure casting a striking silhouette against the backdrop of the shelter, his eyes mirroring a mix of worry and tenderness. | can feel the stark difference between the comforting warmth of the shelter and the biting cold of the rain-soaked world outside, intensifying the emotional storm brewing within me.

With a sense of urgency, Zeke swiftly covers me with a warm towel, likely sourced from another sponsor.

The gesture, so small yet so powerful, surrounds me with a soothing sense of security. | hug myself tightly, feeling the dampness seep through my clothes.

“Alina, what happened?” Zeke’s voice, dripping with genuine concern, pierces through the heavy silence of the rain. With a gentle touch, he reaches out and brushes away my tears, his thumb leaving a comforting warmth on my cheek. “What’s the problem? What's making you cry?”

Under my breath, | whisper, careful not to disturb our surroundings. My voice falls on deaf ears. “What?”

| take a deep breath, the weight of the unspoken truths pressing on my chest. “Zeke,” | begin, my voice a fragile whisper. “What are we?”

His eyes, once filled with warmth, stiffen. There is a brief flicker of uncertainty on his face as he opens and closes his mouth, unable to find the right words. The heavy weight settling between us is palpable in the silence that follows.

Frustration surges through me, the intensity of my emotions becoming palpable.

“Zeke, we can’t keep running away from this. | can’t keep ignoring this or I'll lose my mind. Give it to me straight. Tell me, what exactly are we?”

As the rain falls like a cascade, | feel the dampness seeping into my bones, mirroring the storm inside me. Facing Zeke, my emotions boil over with anger, frustration, and the acrid taste of betrayal.

Emotions surge through me like an unstoppable flood, and | can no longer keep them in check.

Each blow | land on Zeke’s chest carries the weight of my frustration, confusion, and anger as | unleash my pent-up emotions. As raindrops fall, they mingle with my tears, distorting my view of the person who has become both my comfort and my

torment.

“Is any of this actually real?” Each word | ask him is accompanied by the impact of my punch to his chest. “Stop doing all this stuff to me if you can’t even learn to like me in return!”

Zeke stands there, stoic and silent, taking in every blow without uttering a single word. The combination of understanding and regret etched on his face makes the silence all the moré infuriating. As if in sync with our emotions, the rain

intensifies, pounding on the ground and drowning out any other sound.

“Answer me!” Tears stream down my face as my voice cracks with a blend of frustration and hopelessness. “Is anything between us even real?”

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Zeke’s lips part, but all that fills the silence is the sound of his shallow breaths. Instead, he just takes all my punches, silently watching as all my hidden emotions come pouring out. | feel lost, realizing that the answers | want are as hard to find as the raindrops falling around us.

“Say something!” | plead, my fists pounding against his chest. “Tell me this is real. That you’re not acting!”

As our eyes meet, | can see a whirlwind of emotions brewing within Zeke’s

intense stare.

In the midst of chaos, Zeke’s arms encircle me, creating a moment of calm. The sudden embrace takes me by surprise, causing me to momentarily stop in my tracks. As he holds me close, | can feel the comforting warmth of his touch, providing solace from the cold deluge around us. Instantly, my senses are greeted by the calming pheromones he emits.

“Calm down, Alina,” Zeke’s whispered words flow like a soothing melody, harmonizing with the sound of the rain. “We'll figure this out.”

But my anger, the frustration that has fueled my outburst, refuses to be tamed by the call for calm. | push against him, desperation creeping into my strained voice, burdened with unspoken questions.

| let out a forced chuckle, the sound strained and unnatural, while shooting him a piercing glare. “Tell me, Zeke. Is this real, or are you just acting again?”

Zeke pulls away, and | can’t escape the intensity of his gaze.

Instead of answering, he cups my face in his hands, his thumbs delicately brushing away the tears that mix with the rain on my cheeks. Even with the tender gesture, doubts continue to haunt me, refusing to fade away.

“| care about you, Alina,” Zeke finally speaks, his voice a soft murmur that barely reaches above the rain’s steady drumming. “I do.”

| want to tell him that his response doesn’t address my question. But then his gaze flickers to my lips, and | feel a sudden tension in the air, unsure of what his unspoken invitation means.

In an instant, Zeke closes the distance between us, leaving me startled. His lips gently brush against mine, creating a tender, cautious kiss. His lips unexpectedly brush against mine, sending a jolt of electricity through my body.

I stand frozen, completely caught off guard. | never see it coming, the kiss that comes out of nowhere.

When Zeke’s lips meet mine, they feel warm, but instead of bringing me comfort, a wave of discomfort and confusion floods my senses. | feel the impulse to pull away, my mind racing with questions about the boundaries that have been crossed.

But right as | am about to pull away from the surprise kiss, something changes. inside me. It is like something inside me wakes up, a strong desire that doesn’t make sense. In that moment, my initial instinct to pull away vanishes as my arms. embrace Zeke’s neck, his hair entwined with my fingers.

The kiss deepens, and in that moment, we share an unspoken understanding. It goes from awkward to a rollercoaster of feelings | can’t even describe.

Zeke’s lips collide with mine, conveying a desperate longing and a hunger that consumes us both. As our kisses become hungrier and more intense, the air seems to crackle with electricity. His mouth parts, and our tongues entwine in a passionate struggle.

Astifled cry claws its way up my throat as he unleashes a low growl, hungrily nipping at my lips.

With a bold move, Zeke effortlessly lifts me off the ground, and | instinctively wrap my legs around his hips, feeling the intimate connection between us. Zeke’s hands end up on my lower back, pulling me closer like he wants to get rid of any doubts. | grip his hair with my fingers.

The kiss goes wild, his hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer as our mouths meld together. | am curious about what this means, and | want to see if there are any cameras watching us. However, there is a part of me that is unbothered. That part is desperate to cling tightly to Zeke, as if it never wants to let go.

Zeke’s head lowers, and | can feel the touch of his lips on my shoulder as he moves away. | can feel the warmth and dryness of his lips as they travel up my throat, leaving a trail of delicate kisses in their wake. | feel the slight pressure of his canines grazing against the side of my neck, reminiscent of a mating bite.

| throw my head back, pulling him further against the crook of my neck, feeling the tingle of electricity jolts coursing through my body.

It dawns on me. | want more.

I need more.