Graeme called Lucas to see if Zoe had any ideas about where Andreas may go. It was urgent, he said. Andreas had been in Zoe's lab looking for something, and now they believed he had masked his scent and disappeared to hide somewhere on pack land.

"Oh yeah, he can do that,

" Zoe nodded emphatically once Lucas relayed this theory to her.

"He used to brag about it to me all of the time. He said it so arrogantly like it made him superior.

"

"Well most lycans can't mask their scent like that, because it is extraordinarily hard. Instead, we tend to work on offense. There's a stigma associated with masking your scent as well.

"

"What stigma is that?

" Zoe tilted her head in curiosity. She was batting her lashes less and less, much to Lucas' relief. It made her seem less creepy and manipulative. And not quite as young.

"If you mask your scent, then you are considered a coward,

" he explained.

"And someone who can't be trusted.

"

"I would say that's accurate,

" Zoe replied in her matter-of-fact scientific voice, causing Lucas to laugh out loud.

Zoe's eyes went wide at the sound of Lucas' laughter.

"W-was I funny?

"

This made him chuckle more, and he nodded.

"I was funny? Me?

" a genuine smile spread across her face at the surprise of making someone laugh. Especially someone who she thought hated her.

"So do you have any ideas about where he might have gone after making it so no one could follow him?

"

"I think so, yeah. There is one good place. One really good place. Andreas was the one who suggested it to me when I wanted to test August's alyko abilities to see if she would show up on the map,

" Zoe thought aloud.

"When was that?

"

"The bears.

"

"The bear attack in Maggie's basement?

" Lucas gaped, mouth hanging open.

"That was you?

"

"Yes!

" she beamed proudly.

"That's not something to proud of, Zoe,

" he scoffed.

"But…

" her smile slowly fell.

"But it worked. It accomplished what Andreas wanted,

" she whined.

And then the smile slowly came back along with the excitement in her voice.

"And it was brilliant. Do you know how hard it was to lure that mama and her cubs into the basement? I had to call in some of my old team members to help me, because that is not a job I would have been able to do by myself. It was so exciting too, because that was one time when I was finally able to actually do some work outside as long as I made sure no one saw me. I got to run through the woods and taste the air and see bears up close… Why, why are you looking at me like that?

"

"I'm sorry that you have been locked up unable to interact with anyone, but you need to learn how wrong it is to execute some of these scientific curiosities of yours,

" he groaned.

"So the place you think he might be is at Maggie's cottage?

"

"Yes,

" she said softly, feeling the sting of his disapproval.

She liked Lucas. He listened to her and took the time to explain to her when she was behaving in a way that was distasteful or 'wrong.' She still didn't get it, but she was willing to learn if he was the one teaching her and if it meant she might have a chance to stay in the pack after the elders were disposed of.

"Well, I have good news for you, Zo. We are going on a field trip. Come on, grab a coat.

"

"Where are we going?

"

"Back to the cottage. We're going to see if you're right.

"

When they approached the cottage through the woods, Lucas heard the hushed, alarmed voices of the pups up ahead. What he couldn't understand is why they would be out here at this time of night on Samhain. Had someone come across the human custom of visiting haunted houses online or something? Whey else would be be hanging around the abandoned house?

But then he recalled how August had gotten them started on some kind of art project out here before her and the pup Isaac were attacked by the bear. Why would she have chosen this place to have them do those sculptures?

"Zoe, did any of the pups help you in this assignment to get August out here?

" he finally asked her once the pups had left.

"Yeah, yeah I told Andreas I needed a pup in on it,

" she nodded, confirming his suspicion.

He grunted in reply as he walked across the bridge toward the dark cottage. How could Andreas do something like that? And bring a pup into it?

"All right, shhh,

" he turned back to her, showing her the finger covering his lips that indicated she should not speak.

She nodded and followed him quietly as they approached the house. Lucas froze, his ears perked toward a noise that came from the basement. Zoe wanted to giggle at how much he looked like a dog right at that moment.

Then without any warning, Lucas jumped from the bridge into the creek and bounded up the bank into the backyard. He was chasing something.

Excitement bubbled up through Zoe watching him take off on the hunt, and she jumped off the bridge into the water, too. Unfortunately, her head went under, and she paddled in a panic to try recovering. Finally, her feet found the muddy bottom of the creek where she was able to push herself above the surface.

Wow, Lucas sure made that look easy. She gasped, coughing out the water she swallowed and climbed up the bank as he did, fully drenched now. While Zoe might not be able to die, she certainly didn't want to be choking on water and gasping for breath like that again. That was awful.

Sounds of a struggle drifted from the backyard, and she heard Lucas snarl. She was right, then! Andreas must have been here. Hopefully Lucas would be pleased that she actually proved to be helpful at something.. Maybe then the Alpha and Luna would be pleased, too.