The Mating Run by Leeka

In His Eyes: Choice
Zeke's POV
“She's lost her memories.”
“oh.
The cabin loomed just a meter away from us. Alina is far enough away that she
can't hear us, but I can still keep a watchful eye on her to ensure her safety.
Shock and understanding were both evident in Ettie’s eyes. She seemed to
already be aware of the information I shared with her; she simply needed some
reassurance.
What surprised me was the audible exhale of relief that escaped her lips as she
ran her hand down her face, a content smile spreading across her lips.
“You can't be serious.” My actions spoke volumes as I spat and crossed my
arms, staring her down with intensity. She barely spared me a glance, her eyes
filled with a chilling indifference. She went from being frustrated and confused to
brimming with delight. “Are you seriously happy about her memory loss?”
“Of course I'm not!” Even as Ettie defended herself, a wide smile remained on
her lips. With another chuckle, she nodded to herself, a mischievous smile
playing on her lips as she absentmindedly curled a strand of her blonde hair
around her index finger. “How much memory did she lose?”
I lack any substantial information about Ettie, and I don’t feel any inclination to
uncover more about her. Despite my initial instincts, I haven't left her to perish or
taken her far away from our cabin because of Alina’s compassion towards her.
Leaving her best friend out here to fend for herself would undoubtedly upset my
mate, and I couldn't bear to do that. The thought of her eternal resentment
haunted me, and I questioned whether I could go through that pain again.
Even I, who grew up mainly alone, understand that a genuine friend wouldn't
wear a smile upon hearing such heartbreaking news. Ettie showed no curiosity
about the origin of Alina’s memory loss, her recovery, or the impact it had on her.
With a smile on her face, Ettie’s main curiosity was the amount of memory she
had lost. It was easy for me to realize that there was an ulterior motive behind the
bitch’s smile — it carried a hidden agenda, as if Ettie wanted Alina to forget a
certain memory desperately.
“I don't think that's important to know.”
“Come on, don't be such an asshole,” Ettie let out a frustrated groan before
giving me a hard shove. It wasn’t hard enough for me to take a step back and
stumble, but the force would have sent any other Hunter crashing into the
nearest tree. One thing's for certain: Ettie is not to be taken lightly. “I just want to
know so that I know where we stand.”
“You're her best friend,” I remind her, as she seems to have overlooked that
particular detail. It was almost instantaneous — Ettie’s eye started to twitch with
irritation, indicating that my tone or the specific word I used had clearly bothered
her. I couldn’t give a shit what she thinks, anyway. “Shouldn't you already have a
sense of where you stand without needing to ask her?”
“What memories did she lose, Zeke?” Ettie’s voice sliced through the thick
silence, like a sharp knife, demanding answers that lurked in the shadows,
skillfully shifting the focus of the conversation. Glaring at me with sharp intensity,
her lips twisted into a snarl. “It's not like it’s such a difficult question!”
Hesitation seized me, and my words became entangled in my throat like thorny
vines.
“What does it matter?” I retorted, a flicker of frustration coloring my words. “She
lost her memories. Isn't that enough? You should just be there for her!”
Ettie’s eyes narrowed, a spark of defiance igniting within her. “It's not like I'm
asking for something huge, you're so f**king frustrating. I'm just curious about
how much she remembers, that’s it. It's not rocket science!”
I felt my jaw tighten as I fought against the overwhelming anger threatening to
consume me.
“Because you crazy bitch, it's not about the memories she lost,” As I replied, my
voice remained steady, but there was an underlying raw intensity to it. “Right
now, we have to focus on who she is now. I'm here for her, no matter what she
remembers or forgets. I hope the same goes for you.”
“Oh, I see.” Ettie’s chuckle is laced with mockery as she nonchalantly flips her
blonde hair over her shoulder. If she had done the action after fully bathing and
applying makeup, her appearance would have been stunning. But right now, she
just looks unhinged, especially with the massive bandage wrapped around her
neck. “You think you're the only one who cares about her, Zeke? You think you're
the only one who's been there for her?”
Moving one foot in front of the other, the mounting tension became almost
unbearable.
“I'm not claiming to be the only one. But what's important now is helping her
remember-"
“And I don’t want her to remember anything!” With a sudden burst of terror, Ettie’s
screams shattered the stillness, leaving me frozen in place. She seemed taken
aback by her own words, as if even she couldn't believe what she had just said.
Frustration fills her as she mutters curses under her breath, pinches the bridge of
her nose, and paces back and forth. “That's not what I- UGH! Look, there must
be a reason why she forgot such things, right? So like... All 'm saying is, I don’t
think it would be too bad if she doesn’t remember it anymore... Right? You get
me, don’t you? Surely there's some memories inside of her that you don’t want
her to remember anymore-"
“Do you even hear yourself right now?” I ask, my voice unexpectedly amplifying
to a level that surprised even myself. Despite her usual stubbornness, Ettie’s
abrupt silence is a much-needed break from her ceaseless yapping, for which I
am grateful. “ want her to remember me, not act like we've never met. Like I'm
some f**king stranger she picked up from some dirty street. Yeah, I've made my
fair share of mistakes, but I never want her to forget that. She needs to know how
much I messed up, and how hard I'll try to make it right. How much I would crawl
on the floor, lapping at the path she walked, begging for her forgiveness,
because she f**king deserves that and more. I want her to go back to her old
self, “cause she wants that too. She’s working on getting them back. Why the hell
do you want her to stop trying and be someone else? You're a real piece of shit
friend, huh?”
With a fierce intensity in her eyes, Ettie raised her arm, threatening to unleash a
stinging slap on my cheek. I stood my ground, feeling the tension in my jaw as I
clenched it with unwavering determination, unwilling to back down from the
impending confrontation. And then, like a sudden storm breaking through the
stifling air, Alina emerged from the cabin, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock
and frustration. Sprinting towards us, her face etched with desperation, she
pleaded for
help.
“Stop! Both of you, just stop!”
Despite the urgency in her raised voice, Alina’s fragile tone resonated and
intensified the growing tension. Just in time, she reached Ettie and caught her
raised arm before it could come crashing down. Alina’s sudden intervention
caught Ettie off guard, and she responded with a glare that held both defiance
and
frustration.
Ettie.
“Alina, this isn’t what it looks like ”
With a stern expression, Alina cut her off, her eyes shifting towards me and
“You're both acting like children fighting over a toy, and I won't have it. I lost my
memories, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat me like some prize to be
won
or lost.”
With a flicker of remorse, Ettie let her arm fall, the anger that had consumed her
fading away. Caught between the gaze of the two women, I could sense the
weight of their unspoken grievances, pressing down on me like an invisible
burden. Her eyes, filled with disappointment; met mine as Alina turned towards
me.
“Fighting with her, really?”
“She started it.”
As Ettie tried to speak, she was met with a stern gaze from Alina that shut her
down before she could say anything. “Ettie, I know you've been my best friend for
as long as I can remember, but this is not how you usually handle things. Starting
a fight with someone? Seriously?”
Ettie, shifted uncomfortably under Alina’s scrutiny. Her eyes darted back and forth
between Alina and me, desperately searching for a response that remained just
out of reach.
“And you,” Alina turned her attention to me, her expression a mixture of
disappointment and frustration. “I thought we could build something here, but if
you're going to let this tension fester and affect us, then maybe I was wrong.”
“You see?! Alina, don’t you see he’s not good for you? He’s making us fight!”
Ettie finally spoke, her voice softer than before. “I've known you for so long, and I
can’t stand seeing you with someone like him-"
Alina’s gaze transformed from one of hurt to one of resolute determination, her
eyes narrowing as she prepared to face the challenge of her best friend. With my
arms crossed tightly, I sense my heart thumping in my chest, filled with
admiration for the woman who seems poised to defend me.
“Ettie, you don’t get to decide who is right for me. Zeke is my mate, and whether
you like him or not, he’s staying.” Alina stated, her voice devoid of emotion,
eyebrows raised in a challenge, daring Ettie to oppose her. Ettie hesitated before
speaking, but the firmness in Alina’s voice left no room for debate. “No, Ettie. This
is not up for discussion. I've lost my memories, and I'm trying to navigate this
mess, but I won't let the two people I care about the most tear each other apart.”
Ettie and I exchanged a glance, our eyes conveying the unspoken
understanding that we were about to face an inevitable confrontation. Alina’s
voice had a captivating power, and whenever she spoke, we couldn't help but
listen.
“Apologize.”
Alina’s unwavering gaze locked onto Ettie as she confidently placed her order.
Avoiding my gaze, Ettie shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting around the forest.
“I, uh, sorry.”
Alina’s eyes narrowed.
“That's not an apology, Ettie. Look at Zeke and say it like you mean it.”
Her hesitation was palpable, but in that moment, her eyes fleetingly connected
with mine as she mumbled, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
“Sorry.”
He expression stern, Alina turned to me and crossed her arms.
“Your turn, Zeke.”
I let out a weary sigh, resigning myself to the fact that there was no point in
resisting.
“Sorry.”
Alina’s eyes darted back and forth between us, her hand waving in the empty
space between. “That was pathetic. You're both acting like stubborn children. I
want a proper apology, and I want you both to mean it.”
Another uneasy look passed between us, a silent acknowledgment that Alina was
not going to back down without a fight.
“Sorry, Zeke.”
Ettie muttered again, her voice carrying a stronger sense of determination.
With a deep inhale, I exhaled slowly, the words reluctantly escaping my lips.
“I'm sorry too.”
Alina nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips, seemingly
satisfied.
“Now, was that so hard? You two are idiots, honestly.”
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A moment of silence followed, the
heavy apology lingering in the air.
. ¥ . )
With a hint of skepticism, Alina’s
gaze swept between us, as if trying to
assess the honesty in our words. She
) ay .
couldn't hold it in any longer. Finally,
she sighed, the sound echoing in the
stillness. The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
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Good Now, we can move forward
without this constant tension. Zeke,
Effi ’
Ettie is aw best band, and I won't let
anything jeopardize that. Ettie, Zeke
o , 7
is my mate, and 1 won't set anything
jeopardize that either. You two need
to figure out how to coexist, and I
) : ”
won't accept anything less.” The
content is on Novelxo.org! Read
the latest chapter there!
And then, Alina clapped her hands.
“But before that, while you guys were arguing, I came up with a plan in the cabin
that's gonna get all three of us the help we need. Medicine, freedom, my
memories. All Pm saying is, choose wisely.”
I raised my brow in surprise, my curiosity piqued.
“Choose?”
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I ’ : ” :
Yeah. Choose. It's simple,” Alina
smirked at both of us, her
mischievous grin instantly reminding
me of the Alina from before, the one
: “
who hadn't lost her memories. “Trust
)
me or don't. How about that for an
A ii 4
easy choice?” The content is on
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chapter there!