The forest blurs around me, wind rushes past my ears, blowing my hair back as my feet rapidly thump against the damp earth. With every inhale, my lungs fill with heavy, smoky air that only seems to get worse as I continue forward.

Another heart wrenching scream pierces through the night, pushing me to move even faster while I dodge random obstacles that block my path.

Narrowly missing a long tree branch by twisting away from it, I barely feel the end of another one snap against my cheek, most likely cutting the flesh.

A single drop of blood trickles down the side of my face despite my almost immediate healing, but I ignore it, and continue to race forward through a copse of tall trees.

Pushing past the treeline, coming to an quick stop, my eyes fall on the first cabin belonging to the pack.

Or, at least what used to be a cabin.

Angry, violent flames swallow the wooden structure, crackling and popping loudly while a small group of panicked people helplessly stand in front of it.

Clouds of smoke pour out of the cabin, rising toward the sky and filling the air. The flames are visible through the windows as they consume the interior of the house, destroying all sentimental belongings that lay inside.

A booming crack echoes through the night before the roof of the building suddenly collapses, falling into the house and feeding the fire right before my eyes, a mass of red ash flying up and twirling at the impact.

A frantic, middle-aged woman, wearing a large soot covered shirt, lets out a scream as she fights and struggles against a few people who have latched their arms around her, stopping her from running into the burning building. Her hazel eyes, glistening with tears, reflect the flames as they destroy what I can only assume is her home.

"Casey!" she screams. "We have to get him out! Please, please!"

Dreadful realization washes over me, and quickly, I search the remains of the building for a heartbeat, only to receive nothing in return, indicating that the damage has already been done, and it's left just her as a survivor.

The woman drops to her knees, sobbing and pleading between the sounds of her friends who are whispering reassuring words as the structure continues to burn. I glimpse the tears that streak down her face before she falls foward, curling in on herself while her whole body shakes with heartbreak.

I numbly stare at the scene in shock, unable to process the destrustion before me. My lips part and my heart aches for the woman that I don't even know.

"Victoria!" a familiar voice calls out, directing my attention away as I take a few steps back from the horrific disaster that I just witnessed.

"Zeke," I breath, eyes lingering on the crying woman before I eventually rip them away and start toward him.

His hair is caked in the same ash and soot that's littered over his skin. Breathing erratically, he keeps an arm wrapped around Cayden's torso as they stumble out of another building that's being consumed by orange and red flames.

Cayden's head is lulled forward to match his slouched posture while his feet drag across the ground as Zeke fully supports him. Both of them are disheveled and covered with black streaks as remnants of the fire.

As soon as I reach them, I wrap an arm around the other side of Cayden, helping them to move faster from the inferno that was once a house.

As soon as we're far enough away to not feel the direct heat from the fire, we lower Cayden to the ground, letting him lay on his back. Zeke bows forward, resting his hands on his knees while he breaths heavily.

"Zeke, what the hell happened?" I question, my disbelief evident.

My eyes move to the burning building they just stumbled from before snapping to another cabin engulfed in flames, and then another, and another. I spin around, looking over at least six different houses that are currently being reduced to ash.

"Oh god," I breathe, eyes glued to the firey structures that are almost unrecognizable. More shouts and screams pierce through the air from panicked, scared people as they frantically run around, trying to save what they can or who they can. My ears pick up every heart breaking sob and cry that lingers in the heavy air, all of the noise almost overwhelming.

"We were attacked in the middle of the night," Zeke starts, voice low and hoarse. He breaks out into a fit of coughs before he eventually begins talking again. "It was quick, almost all at once most of the pack houses caught fire. Our reaction was delayed since we were all asleep."

My mind reels and I stay quiet for a long moment before I ask, "Do you know who did it?"

He shakes his head in response, sad eyes glued to his unconscious best friend.

I crouch beside Cayden, resting my palm on his forehead and closing my eyes. Waves of my power swiftly work through him, clearing his smoke filled lungs and healing his deep burns.

It only takes a few seconds to heal him completely, and as soon as I do, his eyes snap open. He rolls over to his side, coughing vigorously while he pants out quick breaths.

Zeke leans next to him immediately, patting his shoulder as he says, "Cayde? How are you feeling?"

"Like I almost burned to death," Cayden retorts, flopping onto his back, chest still heaving while he squeezes his eyes closed.

"I'm glad to see your humor is still intact," Zeke mumbles sarcastically. He turns slightly, looking over the chaos and frantic people before his eyes fall on me. "I need to go find my parents."

"I'll come with you," I say with a nod of finality.

"Cayden, are you gonna be okay by yourself?" Zeke asks, looking down at him with a concerned expression.

Cayden lifts his hand and lazily waves us off, giving no verbal response and not bothering to open his tired eyes.

Zeke nods, looking back to me as I step around Cayden and we both quickly start running in the opposite direction, helping anyone we can along the way.