"Thea," she sputters out, moss colored eyes wide, and fixated on my outstretched hand. "You can call me Thea." She gingerly shakes my hand, plastering on an uneasy, small smile in an attempt to hide her initial shock.

Her eyes linger on my face, and I can't help but feel slightly amused when she turns to Zeke with an expression that demands answers.

He chuckles nervously under her scrutinizing gaze, lifting a hand to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck. The room remains still and tense, which a stark difference from the bustling, constant movement that was happening only moments ago. My keen ears pick up every hushed whisper that circles through the group surrounding us, and I can feel their stares as they watch every miniscule move that I make.

Staying tense and alert, I have a sinking feeling that the worst is yet to come, but I force myself to keep the majority of my attention on Zeke and his mother, which proves to be difficult with all of the questions flitting through my thoughts.

"I promise, I'll explain all of this later when everything settles down again," Zeke murmurs lowly, discreetly looking over the crowd hovering around the kitchen, before he looks back to his mother.  

Thea narrows her eyes at him in contemplation, eventually letting them flick in my direction to scan over my features again. After a beat of tentative silence, she lightly nods at Zeke with a brief sigh of resignation.

Zeke releases a relieved breath before his eyes once again trail over the crowd and he asks, "Where's everyone else?"

"Your dad took a group with him to make sure the houses are empty, and they're going to try to put the fires out," Thea answers, inhaling sharply and running a hand through her short hair.

Zeke nods in realization before he casually asks, "Is Willow upstairs then?"

My brows furrow slightly at the unfamiliar name, curiosity brewing in my mind as I wonder who he's referring too.

Thea shoots him a look of puzzlement, before her face suddenly drops into a terrified expression that makes my spine stiffen and gives me a dreadful, foreboding feeling.

"No," she rushes out, panic flooding her features. "Didn't you leave her with Noah?" she questions, voice rising with every word as her heart starts to race.

Thea's distress draws everyone's attention, forcing the room to somehow get even quieter when they hear the fearful tone in her voice.

"Noah went back to check on Cayden's parents. I gave her to Aiden, and told him to find you!" Zeke exclaims, every muscle in his body pulling tight with worry.

"Who's Willow?" I ask suddenly, stepping closer to them.

Zeke turns to me with a worried, frantic expression as he mutters, "My little sister."

My face falls as his words sink in and I understand their sudden urgency and panic.

"Maybe they're upstairs, and I just didn't see them come in," Thea offers, rounding the wooden table and starting for the stairs before she even finishes her sentence.

I abruptly jolt forward, catching her wrist in my hand before she can get very far. She spins around in surprise, shooting me an incredulous expression.

"No," I say, softly shaking my head before my nostrils flare and I inhale sharply. "I remember Aiden's scent and it's at least a day old in this house." My voice stays steady, a hint of underlying sympathy bleeding into my tone toward the end of my sentence.

She gulps and I release her wrist gently, allowing her to pull away as her eyes fill with a storm of emotion.

"Where else would Aiden take her?" I inquire, keeping calm in the hopes that it will prevent further panic while I rack my brain for logical answers.

Lips parted, she shakes her head, prepared to speak, but Zeke's voice promptly cuts through the air before she can utter a word.

"Our house," he says, seeming confident with his answer. "He probably thought that we would all be there instead."

I look at him over my shoulder, noticing the tinge of fear that's just barely audible in his voice.

"Okay," I say with a tone of finality, working out a plan in my head. "We'll check there first then, and if they aren't there, I can probably track them with just Aiden's scent alone."

Zeke studies me for a few moments, and I find myself wondering whats going through his head. His expression morphs into an appreciative one and he slowly nods in agreement, raking a hand through his hair and sucking in a deep breath. Quickly, he pulls his mother into a brief hug, whispering reassuring words before releasing her with a sad smile.

I lead the way with Zeke following right behind me, swiftly passing through the same dim hallway before pulling open the squeaky door. A rush of air hits me as soon as the door is open, smoke prominent with every breath and thick as it sits in the sky.

With Zeke's directions, we sprint north toward his house, navigating through various trails and paths that weave between the trees in the forest.

After only a few minutes of continuous sprinting, the trees break away at the edge of an empty, gravel road. Straight across from us sits a large, tall cabin at the end of a long, wide driveway. The wooden walls are a rich, dark brown, and the roof is slate gray, forming a tall point over the entrance of the home.

While we push forward, closer to the building, I use my enhanced senses to search for any sign that Aiden and Willow are here, and finally, I pick up a familiar scent and the faint, rhythmic sound of heartbeats.

"They're in there," I confirm with a nod. "I can hear two heartbeats on the third floor, and Aiden's scent is fresh, not even an hour old."

Zeke breaths a sigh of relief, shoulders dropping slightly with the sudden lack of tension and stress. Our pace slows, becoming less hurried and frantic when we realize that they're not in any danger.

"Thank god," Zeke breathes. "We should get them back as quick as we can. I don't want my Mom to get any more panicked than she already is."

I part my lips, prepared to speak, but they quickly shut again when something on the front porch catches my attention. I narrow my eyes, heart starting to pound in my chest as my footsteps steadily increase until i'm running toward the house.

"What happened? What are you doing?" Zeke calls from behind me, rushing forward to match my quick pace.

"Fire!" I shout, unable to tame my panic. "The house is catching on fire!"