The Mating Run

Chapter 77

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 | 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 | couldn’t help but clench my fists, my anger bubbling up and radiating as | 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?” | 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.

“| 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 | 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. | have no idea what she’s thinking, and that uncertainty creates a rift between us that | 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 | 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, | 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.”

Remaining silent, Alina crouched in front of Victor, her gaze unwavering as a combination of determination and sadness filled her eyes. The heaviness 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 her resolve.

217 TRA, TEMar latin Fyes Puppet

Catching sight 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 mate. Ignoring all reason, he recklessly continued to engage in a dangerous game of fire, revealing a stunning level of stupidity.

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

My blood seethed with rage at his words, my heart pounding in my chest as | struggled to maintain control. As | stood there, my fists clenched at my sides, | could feel my muscles tightening, ready to unleash my anger on him once more. Just as | was about to take action, Ettie boldly stepped forward, her eyes filled with determination, and firmly grasped my arm to hold me back.

“What the f**k.” | snapped, my eyes narrowing as | glared at her. “Let me go, I’m punching the bastard.”

It was unusual that Ettie wasn’t even acknowledging my presence, as she would typically be giving me a piercing glare by now. Ettie’s eyes remain fixed forward, never wavering from Alina and Victor, her eyes widening with excitement.

With a sudden burst of fury, Alina lunged forward, her fist connecting with Victor’s face, the impact echoing with a sickening thud. Her blow landed with a sharp crack, instantly crumpling his nose and causing blood to spurt from the wound as he cried out in pain.

Shocked and bewildered, Ettie and | exchanged gasps as Alina’s unexpected outburst left us speechless. Despite everything, a surge of pride welled up inside me, witnessing her remarkable bravery. Even without her memories, her resilient spirit continued to shine, especially in moments like these.

Victor's anguished screams reverberated through the narrow alcove, his desperate struggles causing the bindings to strain. “You bitch... you broke my nose!”

Despite the intensity of the situation, Alina’s calm demeanor prevailed as she stood over him, her tightly clenched fists a testament to her inner strength.

“You deserved it,” Her words were barely a whisper, but the icy tone in Alina’s voice was unmistakable. Moving slowly, she extended her hand and firmly seized Victor by the hair, ensuring he was facing her. “And if you ever call me Zeke’s bitch again, | won't hesitate to do it again.”

Pride swelled within me as | heard her defiant words, refusing to let Victor’s cruel taunts intimidate her. Her strength surpassed our greatest imaginations, revealing a power within her that she had yet to discover. And in that moment, | knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together.

“Damn, Alina,” Unable to contain my excitement, a grin spread across my face as | stepped forward to join her, my arm instinctively wrapping around her waist, drawing her closer to me. “That was... f**king hot.”

“Okay, ballsack, keep it in your pants.” Ettie gagged 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. | didn’t know you had it in you.”

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

As Alina stood beside me, her clenched fist trembled with a mixture of regret and frustration. Her gaze fell upon the broken man at our feet. As she sighed heavily, | pulled her closer and held her tightly, hoping to offer a small measure of

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“| ruined the plan, Zeke,” With her face buried in my shoulder, she murmured, her words muffled and barely discernible. With a slow, deliberate movement, she raised her head and fixed me with her beady eyes. “I shouldn't have lost my temper

like that.” As | shook my head, an attempt to provide reassurance, my mind raced with the potential ramifications of what we had done.

“No, Alina, you did what you had to do,” | said firmly, my voice tinged with frustration. “Victor deserved what he got. We can deal with the consequences

later.”

The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach persisted, despite my attempts to convey my thoughts through words. The plan had been straightforward: rely on Victor to make contact with his father using one of the cameras, in a desperate plea for our freedom. Undoubtedly, his father, who adored his son, would agree to our request and allow us to go. But now, with Victor bleeding and injured, that plan was in shambles.

With his precious son in harm’s way, his father’s resistance grew stronger, leaving no room for negotiation. “What are we going to do, Zeke?”

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

“| think there is a chance we can salvage the plan, if we make some adjustments.”

Ettie’s voice, unexpectedly, caught both of us off guard and momentarily diverted our attention from the mounting concern. Alina and | exchanged 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.

“We need to act fast,” she said, her voice urgent. “If we want to salvage the plan, we have to make a move now.”

“How?”

Pausing in her pacing, Ettie’s eyes narrowed as she turned to face me, her gaze

filled with intensity. With a slow and deliberate movement, she picked up a rough rock from the ground, her eyes fixated on it as she turned it over and over in her

hands.

“The plan to get out of here,” she said cryptically, her voice low and intense. “To escape this nightmare once and for all.” “What?”

“Yeah, this will work,” Ettie muttered under her breath, her words barely audible. With a sly grin on her lips and determination shining in her eyes, she turned to face me again. “Sorry, Zeke.”

“Sorry for what-”

My face was suddenly engulfed in pain, exploding like a burst of fireworks, its intensity searing through me. Clutching at my throbbing cheek, | stumbled backward, my vision filled with dancing stars. Alina’s piercing scream reverberated in my ears, slicing through the fog of pain surrounding me.

“What the hell, Ettie?!”

| managed to choke out the words, my voice raspy and strained from the overwhelming shock and pain. As | stared at Ettie in disbelief, | blinked rapidly, my eyes struggling to adjust to what | was seeing. | couldn’t decipher Ettie’s thoughts as she stood before me, her eyes piercing and calculating, giving nothing away. As | looked into her eyes, | saw no hint of remorse, only a cold, unwavering determination that made me uneasy.

“Don't worry, Zeke,” Her voice, calm and steady, resonated through the silence. as she dropped the stone to the ground. “I know what I’m doing.”

The pain was unbearable, causing me to clench my teeth tightly. Beneath the surface, my anger simmered, making it difficult to process the shocking turn of

events.

“What the hell do you mean, you know what you're doing?” | demanded, my voice laced with frustration. “You just smashed a rock into my face!”

With a sense of urgency, Alina hurried to my side, her hands fidgeting anxiously as she examined the rapidly worsening condition of my cheek, her voice filled with trembling concern.

“Are you okay, Zeke?”

As her fingers brushed against the tender skin, a wince escaped my lips, but | managed to force a reassuring smile despite the throbbing pain in my skull.

“I'l live,” | muttered, my voice strained. “But seriously, what’s Ettie’s deal?”

“We can continue with Alina’s plan,” Ettie closed the distance between them, her steps purposeful, and grabbed Alina’s arm, making Alina’s fingers curl into a tight fist. “The Alpha will still listen to us because we didn’t hurt Victor, not really.”

With suspicion, Alina narrowed her eyes and scrutinized her closed fist. “What do you mean, not really?”

“We can call it the aggression formed during a Mating Run,” With a firm grasp on Alina’s wrist, Ettie instructed her to hold her fist firmly and position it parallel to her own face. “We can just make it look like we all fought each other.”

Then Ettie just slammed her head directly at Alina’s fist.