Chapter 78


    In His Eyes: Adieu


    Zeke’s POV


    Awave of determination swept over me as | surveyed mypanions, 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 mutteredints, Victor’s weary expression betrayed his own longing to depart. Moreover, the scarcity of food in


    the forest was bing 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 n 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


    ce.


    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 shed 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 y along.


    With a swift motion, | seized Victor by the cor 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 aze with a resolute determination that matched their quick pace.


    Gasping for breath, Victor stumbled forward, desperately trying to regain his bnce. 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.


    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 bing louder and morebored 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


    cor 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 red 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 prate 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 thaty 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 y this out.


    “| have a message to my father.”


    His voice, steady and resolute, pierced through the chaos as Victor dered. | could feel my jaw clenching and my muscles


    tightening as | listened intently, waiting for what woulde 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 zing eyes, Victor radiated an unwavering defiance. With a quick nce in our direction, he pinched the


    bridge of his broken nose and red 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.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    “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 apany us. | doubt Alina would be willing to


    part ways with her best friend.


    As | was about to ept 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.”