The Mating Run

Chapter 78

In His Eyes: Adieu Zeke’s POV Awave of determination swept over me as | surveyed my companions, their faces set in grim determination.

Standing beside me, Alina’s face showed the evidence of a fierce battle, with bruises and scratches marring her features. A silent fire of determination burned in her dark eyes, reflecting her unwavering resolve. The moment our eyes met, she offered a warm smile and a subtle nod of recognition. Nearby, Ettie stood with a resolute expression, her arms crossed firmly over her chest. The dimly lit alcove revealed the haunting sight of bruises marred across her skin, some of which were self-inflicted, and a bandaged bruise on her neck provided an additional grim detail.

And then there was Victor, his face contorted with a mix of agony and fury, his nose visibly swollen and blood streaming down his face from Alina’s forceful strike. As he struggled against the ropes that bound him, his eyes burned with venomous anger, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Inhaling deeply, | braced myself, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness for what awaited me.

“We need to make this look convincing,” My voice, low and intense, conveyed my message, though | directed most of my words towards Victor. | fixed my gaze on him, studying his every expression, desperately hoping he grasped the gravity of the situation. “You might think this only helps us, but it helps you, too. The sooner you help us leave, the sooner we'll stop bothering you.”

Despite his muttered complaints, Victor’s weary expression betrayed his own longing to depart. Moreover, the scarcity of food in the forest was becoming increasingly apparent as the number of contenders diminished day by day. It was nothing short of a surprise that all four of us remained trapped and unable to get

out.

With a firm nod, Alina’s eyes sparkled with determination, her voice steady and resolute.

“We'll do whatever it takes to get out of here.”

Ettie stepped forward, her eyes darting back and forth between us. “I'll make sure it looks real. But we need to be careful. If we mess this up, it could mean the

end for all of us.”

The plan was simple. We had to make it look like we were fighting amongst ourselves, like we were willing to tear each other apart to get out of this hellhole. The key to everything lies with Victor’s father. With his power, he has the ability to free us from this ongoing nightmare, and finally bring an end to the Mating Run. However, in order to do that, Victor had no choice but to plead and beg him for his intervention on our behalf.

Victor, naturally, wasn’t too enthusiastic about the idea. He thought it was a lost cause, that his father wouldn't lift a finger to help us. However, we were left with no other option. Time was slipping away, and the urgency of the situation pressed upon us. If we didn’t take action soon, our fate would be sealed in this

place.

With careful coordination, we executed a staged fight that looked incredibly realistic. We put on a show for the cameras, our voices raised and faces contorted with anger, creating the illusion of a heated conflict. Swinging punches and spewing hateful words, we clashed in a wild brawl, our bodies entangled in the gritty soil. Naturally, it was a performance, but we had to ensure its authenticity to effectively deceive Victor’s father.

As | looked into Victor's eyes, | couldn’t help but notice the deep, seething hatred that consumed him. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut he knew that we were about to subject him to the humiliating plea for his father’s mercy, as the camera loomed ominously. But he had no choice. If he wanted to survive and experience the outside world once more, he had no choice but to play along.

With a swift motion, | seized Victor by the collar and hoisted him up from the ground, feeling the fabric of his shirt tighten in my grip. His limbs hung limply, as if they were made of lead, but | paid no mind. As | released the ropes that held him captive, | gave him a powerful shove towards the closest camera, urging him to face

It. Alina and Ettle trailed behind, their eyes ablaze with a resolute determination that matched their quick pace.

Gasping for breath, Victor stumbled forward, desperately trying to regain his balance. With his eyes darting around in a state of panic, the atmosphere grew heavy with unease. He could feel the weight of the impending spotlight, knowing he would have to plead for his life in front of a global audience.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

As he opened his mouth to speak, to plead with his father for mercy, a wave of panic washed over me as he suddenly bolted away. My anger surged through me, causing my blood to boll as | unleashed a torrent of curses and leapt forward, my hand outstretched to seize him before he could escape. | reached out to grab him, but he slipped through my fingers with ease.

“Ee

“What the f**k, Victor!” Ettle screamed, the sound of her footsteps pounding against the ground as she ran after him. She quickly turned her head, meeting my gaze, and then directed her finger towards Victor. “What are you waiting for? Run after the bastard!”

| nod, feeling the adrenaline rush through my veins as | chase after him. Much to my astonishment, the chase was disappointingly short-lived. Despite the rush of adrenaline in his veins, Victor’s running skills left much to be desired. After running for a few seconds, | could hear his breath becoming louder and more labored as he started to slow down.

Then Ettie pounced on him, her body a blur as she forcefully brought him down to the ground. The sound of Victor’s cry echoed through the air as his body crumpled beneath Ettie’s weight, hitting the dirt. With haste, | lunged forward, seizing Victor by the collar and hoisting him up with a swift, abrupt motion. | could feel his resistance as he strained against me, his muscles bulging with the effort to break free. But | refused to loosen my grip, determined to keep him from getting away again.

“Where do you think you’re going, huh?” My growl rumbled deep in my throat, a low and menacing sound as | locked eyes with him. “You thought you could just run away and leave us here to rot? Not a chance.”

| looked down at Victor, and his eyes glared back at me, seething with a mixture of anger and defiance. “You think I’m scared of you, Zeke? You think I’m scared of

any of you? You're all just a bunch of pathetic losers.”

As my anger intensified, | could feel my fists tightening at my sides, my body trembling with pent-up frustration. | made a conscious effort to stay collected, to prevent my emotions from overwhelming me. | couldn’t allow Victor’s words to penetrate my emotions, determined to hide their impact.

“Just shut up and do as you’re told,” | spat, my voice dripping with venom. “We're getting out of here, whether you like it or not.”

With a final burst of strength, | pushed Victor forward, sending him hurtling towards the camera. Alina and Ettie followed closely behind, their eyes focused and jaws clenched as they marched forward with unwavering determination. As we approached the camera, Victor's resolve faltered, his steps slowing and uncertainty clouding his face. With a moment's hesitation, his eyes darted around in a panicked frenzy, desperately searching for an exit. But there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. With no way to escape, he was cornered, like a helpless rat in a cage.

“Please,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd. “Please, just let me go. | don’t want to do this.”

But his words were met with silence, as if they disappeared into thin air. We had traveled a long distance, and there was no way we would turn back now or allow him to escape from our grasp. No matter the obstacles that lay ahead, we were unwavering in our determination to see this through to the end. And thus, filled with an unwavering resolve, we brought Victor to his knees, his hands tightly interlocked in a desperate plea for clemency.

| stood there, my heart pounding in my chest, as Victor's voice echoed through the air. “Victor Craft.”

He muttered under his breath, his voice a desperate yet determined whisper. | couldn’t believe my eyes as all the cameras suddenly swiveled towards him, their red lights transforming into a haunting, deep blue.

Startled, Alina and Ettie locked eyes for a moment, their expressions mirroring the disbelief that surged through me. As we stood there, caught off guard by the unforeseen camera change, a heavy sense of anticipation hung in the air, waiting to see how Victor would play this out.

“| have a message to my father.”

His voice, steady and resolute, pierced through the chaos as Victor declared. | could feel my jaw clenching and my muscles tightening as | listened intently, waiting for what would come next. This was the moment we had been waiting for opportunity to finally break free from this never-ending nightmare.

our

“Listen up,” Victor started, his voice ringing out with authority. “I want out of

here. Now.” The speakers emitted a crackling sound, and the voice that came through had a chilling and apathetic tone. “The game is not yet over, Mr. Craft.”

With a tight jaw and blazing eyes, Victor radiated an unwavering defiance. With a quick glance in our direction, he pinched the bridge of his broken nose and glared at us again.

“| don’t care!” Frustration consumed him as he snapped, throwing his arms up and letting out an angry, crackling voice. Waving his hand in a wide arc, he brushed away the sweat trickling down his face, then directed his wave towards us. “Look at

look at them! We're covered in bruises. | need to be hospitalized. | am the son of Alpha Craft! Listen to me!”

me

own

The forest was so silent that the only sound I could hear was my heartbeat, as if the tension in the air had swallowed all other noises. In that moment, it felt like our cry for freedom had been met with indifference, and a wave of hopelessness washed over me. Through the trees, Ettie’s sobs filled the air, their haunting echo amplifying the sense of despair in our makeshift prison. The weight of her anguish settled deep within me, dragging me into a pit of defeat.

Alina stood beside me, her hand tightly grasping mine as if she never wanted to

let go. Fear filled her eyes, and her breaths were quick and shallow, as if she couldn’t catch enough air. As | looked Into her eyes, | could see the swirling doubt and uncertainty that mirrored the turmoil within me. | used to belleve that everything would be fine, but now I’m not so certain, even if | wanted to tell her.

“We have to do something, Zeke,” In a hushed tone, Alina whispered, her voice nearly drowned out by the bustling sounds of the forest. “We can’t let them keep us trapped here forever.”

We have the freedom to go out, but unfortunately, Victor and Ettie are unable to accompany us. | doubt Alina would be willing to part ways with her best friend.

As | was about to accept our inevitable fate, a voice shattered the quiet, crackling and slicing through the darkness like a sudden burst of lightning. As the camera’s voice spoke, its cold and mechanical tone belied the unexpected hope

that filled me.

“Please wait,” The voice intoned, its resonating timbre causing a surge of adrenaline to rush through my body. “Helicopters will be picking all of you up shortly.”