"Help me! Duncan!". Her voice echoed in my head like torment. There was this panic building inside me, taking over as I desperately tried to follow her aiding cry. I yelled out her name. It soared out from the back of my throat in raw anguish. "Sienna where are you?!".

I kept running, following her voice but I simply ended up going in circles. It seemed like I was going mad. All I could do was fall to my knees in exhaustion as I clutched my head, trying to suppress her cry. It was never-ending suffering and all I did was shout from the tops of my lungs. " SIENNA!".

All of a sudden everything became silent and then, the sound of my name. "Duncan". Weary as tears drenched my face I looked up.

" This is all your fault", he said.

I shook my head as I denied the accusations.

"You were the cause of her misery and you will be the cause of her death".

Jax clenched Sienna by the throat, digging his fangs into her neck, devouring her like a starving beast.

"Nooo! Sienna!".

"Duncan! Wake up".

"Let her go!" I jolted upward from the bed as my eyes flared in bitter outrage.

"Duncan.."

I heard her soft melodic voice say my name. I blinked a few times as my breathing slowed down while her delicate arms draped around my neck. I realized it was all a dream. I took in a deep breath as I found comfort in her embrace.

"It's those nightmares again isn't it?" She asked.

I nodded as I closed my eyes, pulling her into my lap and burying my face in her chest. After the whole ordeal, these dreams kept haunting me every night. I couldn't seem to shake them off despite how much I tried to.

I felt her hands run her fingers through my hair in the most pleasing way possible. "Why don't you ever wanna tell me what those dreams are about?", she implored.

"They are too dark and not of importance" I replied as I finally met her gaze.

Sienna's soft blue eyes looked at me with such concern it melted my heart. But I couldn't tell her that the reason for these dreams was because I-

"They must be important if you keep having them every night", she said.

"What matters is that you are right here with me and once we find your brother we can go as far away from everyone and everything that threatens our very existence. I promised to protect you and your family and that's what I attend to do". I cupped her face in my hand, leaning in to meet her halfway. With one of her sweet smiles, she pressed her lips against mine. It sent waves of statics all over my body, ceasing every dark thought I had a moment ago.

I allowed myself to let go, leaning back as she ascended over me. We proceeded to passionately kiss before her lips drifted to my collarbone and chest. I could hear the sound of my heart as its rhythm intensified. I felt myself become erect and all I could think of was how much I needed her right this instant.

Our heated moment was cut short as a knock on the door immediately brought us to our feet.

"Rise and shine love birds! Breakfast is ready" Adira shouted from the other side.

Duncan and I bit our lips as we attempted to conceal what we were about to do.

"Ya can try and hide what ya were about to do but that passion and those elevated heartbeats can be heard from the kitchen", Adira teased.

I looked over at Sienna whose body stiffened slightly. I could tell she felt embarrassed or maybe even guilty that Cyan could be so near and hear all this commotion. She quickly began to slip out her nightgown and threw on a pair of jeans and a shirt. I soon followed.

"Hey, guys good morning", Sienna instantly said as we joined the rest in the kitchen. They all reciprocated a good morning with a mouthful full of scrambled eggs, toast, or bacon. I lingered at the side, stealing some bacon that Adira was placing on a plate. She eyed me while pointing a dripping spoon of oil at me indicating she was watching me. Sienna on the other hand was already preparing her plate.

She made her way around the island. The awkward tension built as she came near Cyan. I couldn't help but stare. I didn't trust him near her. Any wrong move on my part and he would swoop in to save the day.

"Excuse me", she uttered to him as she strived to make her path to the coffee pot.

I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of a grin forming on his lips before he stepped aside and granted her a pass.

I wanted to speak up. I couldn't let this lousy entitled ass treat my girlfriend in this manner before my very eyes.

"Hey man".

My stare shifted towards Lars who stood in front of me. I gave him a nod.

"So- Um there are no updates on the wear about of Sienna's little brother".

I leaned in towards Lars as my voice came to a low whisper. "Are you sure about that? Absolutely nothing?".

Lars nodded.

"Shit. Damn it". It's been approximately two weeks and we still haven't heard any sign of Sienna's brother. In some ways is good news because it means Darla hasn't found him yet but it's also terrifying for Sienna, despite how hopeful she is.

"Do you want me to let her know-".

I shook my head, "let me handle it".

We all gathered around the table as we usually did every morning to discuss any recent news we've come upon and if anyone had located Kaden.

Fastening her hair into a ponytail, Sienna stood up from her seat. With new clear determination on finding her brother, she said, "Now, I know you guys gave me time to grieve the death of my mother, and I also know you have been doing your best to find Kaden but there isn't much time".

Her gaze shifted to every one of us as she spoke. " Darla is out there and I know she's fully committed to finding Kaden before we do".

I noticed the heavy burden she had been carrying for way too long. Her shoulder drooped as she looked down, and her throat became parched as tears formed in her eyes. My instincts pleaded with me to just scoop her in my arms, hold her tight, and comfort her. I wanted to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

Sienna took a deep breath in before looking at us once again. "Are there any updates?".

We all stood silent, shaking our heads.

She slowly nodded, knowing better. "I want my brother by the end of this week or I swear I'll melt this city to the ground until I find him".

Everyone pulled themselves to their feet and scurried away, gathering whatever they needed to go on the next search. I stood behind, leaning back on my chair as I gazed at Sienna who stared down at her hands in thought.
 
My lips parted slightly as I struggled to mouth the right words to her. I yearned to know her more. Her thoughts, her feelings, her wants, her fears, her dreams, every bit of it. But on this part, we are the same. We tend to pull away from those who are just trying to help. She's been through a lot these couple of months and I don't blame her if she doesn't seem to want to talk sometimes. I believe at this very moment we are on the same boat. We both are struggling with grief, desperation, anger, and even so...guilt.

  As my mind wandered to the darkest part of my mind, her mumble brought me back. " I'm sorry what?".

"I know where he is," she said, her eyes finally meeting mine after a lengthy 20-minute period.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

Pushing her chair back, Sienna rapidly got on her feet. "Map now" she demanded. Tossing the books and other papers aside I pulled the map that was hidden under them and gave it to her. She spread it over the table, lightly brushing her fingers over crumbled and bent edges.

"Everyone back into the kitchen!" I shouted, "Sienna might know where her brother is."

Those that had their backpacks ready had set them down and joined us back at the kitchen table. 

Cyan rested his palms over the table, using them to lean over to peek at the map. A short glare was bestowed my way by his concrete grey eyes. All I did was provide a smirk in return.

Adira pushed strands of her wavy locks away from her face as she approached the table, uncertainty lingered on her face. Lars stood beside her, giving me a hopeful yet exhausted look. 

"Here" Sienna pointed, "are the places we have already searched. His favorite food restaurants, the park, homeless shelter for young kids, places my mom had taken us where we enjoyed ourselves, the hospital I worked at, Mr.Greg's book store, and to no avail was he found." Everyone nodded as they agreed with her.

"But", she said as she looked at every one of her friends. "Lars and Adira mentioned that they didn't detect any rearrangement at the book store. Mail has been piled up outside, book donations been left out and all the piled-up junk the old man usually leaves around hasn't been moved as if the shop has been close for a while now."

  "Yes and we came to the conclusion that the old man has either decided to close down for a short time or is sick." Adira reminded.

"I differ. Mr.Greg has finally realized that at his age he can't keep up with all that much work. Man is delusional okay? He must have come to his senses that... No one reads books anymore or cares for them. So he closed the shop and is sunbathing on the beaches of Hawaii", Cyan added before taking a seat and pulling his shoes on the table, leaning back as he pretended to be sunbathing. A minute had not passed before Sienna shoved his feet off the table.

" Don't be such an idiot! Hawaii is probably one of the worst places to be at now during this war. He is not there and he is neither at the hospital because we went there and there was no registration of his name or any patient who remotely looked like him" Sienna notified him furiously.

"Then he's dead," Cyan said, not being moved by Sienna's sudden outburst towards him.

   "Then where can he be? And what does he have to do with your brother's whereabouts?" Lars asked.

Sienna's raging eyes soften as she looked over at Lars. "The only place my brother would feel any safe is at Mr.Greg's. I know he's with him. I have this gut feeling." Sienna said before sighing and looking down at the map again.

"Do you know the address to his home?" Adira raised the question.

If there was any way of knowing this is true then we must know his address and find out for ourselves. We all waited for Sienna's answer as she thought for a moment.

"I don't".

"Oh", everyone let out as their hope was just shattered.

"But-" she said and a small gleam lit in everyone's eyes. "My mom took me there when I was young, while Kaden was still a toddler, and-" She quickly took a red marker and a ruler. "The distance from his shop to his house isn't much." Sienna aligned the ruler down on the area the shop was located then slightly tilted it upward-facing north. "It's about 2 miles off from his shop. So his house must be... In this neighborhood", she circled the area that seemed right to her on the map.

Everyone leaned closer to take a look.

"Well then," I said. "Everyone grab your belongings we bringing Kaden home".

With eager knew hope everyone started to pack and talk amongst themselves.

Sienna turned to look at me and a minor smile crept on her soft pink lips. I couldn't help but give a bigger one in return.

🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️🔸️

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? SHOULD Sienna trust her gut feelings or is she just tossing them into a bigger mess?