Hours.

Hours upon hours upon hours and, well... upon hours I have been driving.

He has to be here... he just has to

I sit at the red light, mind fuzzy like TV static and eyes glossy as I wonder to myself if I mean 'be here' as in being in one of the adoption centers or as in alive in general.

I pull over to a hotel since I've been driving for the entire day and definitely cannot drive back. I've made it to all hybrid adoption centers on my list and am now at the furthest which is 9+ hours away from home.

Tomorrow I can drive back and look again but I need to rest.

I slouch back while shutting my car off, the red neon light from the large "open" sign dancing across my face as I do so. My strained eyes squeeze shut as tears threaten to spill.

I remember it like yesterday... the look on his face when I had arrived to protect him that night just like how I promised I would if he ever needed help again.

He felt safe in my presence

He needed someone to be able to help protect him because the tactics that they used on him is something only used on animals, hence why a total human and not a hybrid needs to help hybrids in those situations. They had gotten him whimpering in a ball by just playing a high pitch audio that humans can't really hear... that's what had happened when he was first beat up outside but to myself and other humans, it wouldn't even get our attention.

I run my fingers through my messy and partly knotted hair while sighing deeply, trying to calm myself down so I don't look like an emotional wreck while paying and getting to my room.

The look on his face when I had shoved him off so that I could jump over the kitchen island to tackle the men to give him time to run... he wasn't terrified for himself, he was terrified for me.

And I'll never unsee the pain on his face as he crumbled to the floor after being tased.

"FUCK!" I scream out while slamming my fists against the wheel.

Small sobs and sounds of me starting to hyperventilate fill the car as I lay my forehead to the wheel, my eyes squeezed shut and teeth gritting.

I'll save you...

I'll save you.

My head slowly tilts back up, my body relaxing.

"I'll save you. I will." I whisper, breathless and shaking slightly from all of the anger, frustration and mainly guilt brewing up inside of me.

I squeeze the wheel one last time, guilt pushing me to try hard while my anger fuels it. I can't help but feel so guilty since I was the one who had promised to help him whenever he needed it. I promised to protect him in situations like those and yet... I had completely failed him and now, the guilt that has suffocated me since that day has began fueling my anger and now both work inside me simultaneously, pushing me and giving me the courage to want to move forward, try harder and go faster than I ever did when trying to find Jungkook.

I grab my bag and purse and head inside, buying a room for the night and heading to it.

Throwing my bag onto a chair, I pull out the change of clothes I thankfully brought just in case this would happen- undergarments, black spandex shorts and a black oversized shirt- and head to the bathroom to shower.

I brush my hair out, hot tea brewing in the machine in the other room as I stare at my reflection in the large bathroom mirror.

"You will find Jungkook, don't worry." I smile, whispering to myself.

I can feel it.

I have to have hope and be strong for him in order to do my best. I can't think of the other bad outcomes and possibilities right now... just not yet.

I grab the tea that's finished and pull out some food I had packed and hit the lights except for the lamp that's next to the bed. After eating and forming somewhat of a plan for the next morning, I hit the lamp's off button and head to bed with a slightly more positive mindset even though the pain in my chest is telling me I'm just breaking my own heart by doing this all over again.

Fucking annoying ass birds wake me up hours before I should've to my alarm.

Don't blame the birds, Y/n...

I sigh, knowing that I'm right, that I can't blame anything else other than accepting the truth that I could barely sleep last night due to thinking and worrying about Jungkook and his whereabouts.

I get ready and grab my stuff, returning the key to the front desk before heading to my car. Driving back on the highway, I make sure to keep my eyes open for any adoption centers that I may have missed while I also go back to all the ones that I had went to yesterday. With no luck and the sun almost completely down, I head back onto the highway for good to go home all while cussing myself out and yelling, tears running down my face since I had no luck.

About an hour out from my house, a light and 'ding' sound comes from my dashboard.

"I am going to kill myself-"

My car starts to slow, almost completely out of gas.

Pulling off the road, thankful I'm in a small city and not on the highway still, I park off to the side on a gravel patch. Stepping out, I grab my bag and try pushing my car but it doesn't budge.

"Fuck you!" I kick the tire and it starts to deflate.

Oh nice, real fucking nice to add to the situation!

I start walking in the dark, only the nearby city lights lighting my path. Rain drops begin to hit my skin and I just shake my head.

"Of course. Of course it'd rain." I grin sarcastically.

Fuck

It starts to pour rain and I pick up my pace, running fast down the empty road and after 10 minutes I see a large seemingly empty building. I run to the door and to my luck, and the only luck that I've had all day today, it opens.

I pant, out of breath and drenched in rain as I rub my eyes before opening to look around. I spot a light that's on and decide to open the next door that leads to a bright room since it's almost pitch black where I'm standing.

What is this place?

The door swings open and I step inside, a receptionist desk with a scary looking man sits to my right.

"H-hello, I-" I nervously go to ask where the next gas station is but he cuts me off.

"Don't need to say a word, sweetheart. I know why you're here. How'd you hear about us?" He asks in a friendly voice, standing and leading me to another door.

"Uh... a friend?" I go along with him.

"Right, well lucky you for being told where we're located. You came alone, right?" He stops at the door.

"Yes." I smile.

"Perfect. Now, all the breeds of hybrids we have here are very dangerous and very rare. Since this place is illegal, we can't have just anyone else knowing but I'm sure you know that already."

My heart stops.

"Of course, sir. My friend has informed me." I grin.

He smiles and opens the door and allows me to walk into a very large room full of extremely large cages, all different rare breeds of hybrids in them.

"Go have a look, babe." He walks back to his desk, leaving me.

I nervously enter but keep my head tall as I walk past hissing and growling aggressive hybrids. I make sure to show that I'm not scared.

I look around seeing tigers and wolves and one cage catches my eye. I start to pick up my pace, walking closer until I get in front of the cage.

Large matted black ears lay flat against a malnourished and bruised man's head. Black messy and knotted hair frames his face, hanging in his eyes somewhat and ending halfway down his neck. His skinny body shakes as he pulls his knees in closer to his chest. I notice that the floor is covered with old and new blood from the marks on him.

His eyes that are full of tears slowly look up and lock with my own and we both freeze in place, tears pouring subconsciously from my eyes as they're as wide as they could possibly be.

"J-Jungkook?"

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This chapter and the next is dedicated to

^^^ Dedicated to my friend on here because I promise her 2 updates yesterday and then spent the whole night having to move out of my dorm IM SORRY AH💔💔💔

I got home around 11:00 pm and tried writing this chapter but couldn't keep my eyes open so I'm very sorry I didn't update yesterday twice like I should've so here's a long ass chapter.