Zagan kept replaying the loop of what had occurred on the map. He couldn't understand what his eyes were seeing. He had never witnessed anything like this before.

"You called for me?

" Seth appeared behind him, and they both watched the map illuminate with streaks of light that resembled something more like lightening than a typical alyko event. There was no singular light source. It began with a flash that spread over the entirety of the island.

Zagan paused the recording and traced his fingers over the light paths that spread and interconnected. Where had he and Zosime been when this occurred? His finger hovered over one point that should have been about where they were both walking in the bent forest. Light illuminated that area. It was like it swept past them in that shock wave and spirited Zosime away.

"Where did they go?

" he muttered to himself.

His long, elegant fingers spread out along the map, seeing how the light was heavily concentrated around the containment facility.

"We have not found any trace of those who went missing,

" Seth reported.

"Don't they usually show up as little pin points of light? What is this?

" He ventured the question.

He didn't usually try to speak casually with Zagan, but what he was witnessing on the map was bizarre. He could tell Zagan was puzzled by it as well. The vampire made a noise in his throat somewhere between a growl and a death rattle that would have made Seth instinctively shiver if he wasn't already so used to it.

Zagan changed views on the map, this time bringing into focus the expanse of North America and replaying that feed during the time of the event on the island. Points of light appeared briefly across the map, some concentrated in familiar areas, before they immediately went out.

"They went back,

" he hissed.

Just then, a phone rang on his desk and his eyes narrowed in its direction. Seth watched as he walked swiftly over to answer it, his expression remaining unreadable as he listened to what was being said on the other line.

"Keep her there until we arrive,

" was all he said before placing the phone back on its receiver.

Zagan stared at the desk. Nothing about his expression or posture changed, but Seth could feel the air get heavier in the office.

"Zosime,

" he said, his voice that eerie death rattle.

"It seems she is back in her original pack.

"

"What?

" Seth scoffed.

A muscle feathered in Zagan's jaw, and he curled his knuckles on the desk. Should he go after Zosime or stay here with the Luna and Winter alyko? What other unexpected events could occur if he left?

"They recognized her after all this time?

" the lycan in his office asked.

"They recognized her simply because she is an outsider alyko who reappeared in the dungeon from where she was originally taken,

" he replied.

"Which means the others may have also returned to where they were taken.

"

"How is that even possible?

" Seth's mouth hung open.

"Power like we have not seen,

" Zagan's eyes slid up to Seth's.

"I will need you to go retrieve Zosime. You will only need a few others. It should not be difficult.

"

"Consider it done,

" Seth gave a curt nod and turned to exit the office.

"Seth,

" Zagan stopped him,

"she is not to be harmed.

"

The lycan's eyebrows threaded together at the apparent emotion in the vampire's voice. It was out of character, and it surprised him. But he nodded and left to gather his team.

Once Seth left the office, Zagan continued staring at his desk. If all the alyko who went missing returned to their original packs, it would be a painstaking process to retrieve them. Not all packs were complicit in their alyko's departure, which would make retrieving some of them nearly impossible. Many of them were assumed dead or runaways. The pack's leadership might kill them or welcome them back—it was hard to say.

At least the most powerful alyko in his collection had remained. He was going to need one of them to help him with the Luna. She may not remember anything, but clearly she was still a huge threat.

Zagan picked the phone back up and dialed his second.

"Before you leave, bring me Nedra.

"

Nedra.

Seth sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He wished there was a better life for Nedra rather than the prison of this island. But there was no escaping Zagan for someone like her. She was the most powerful alyko they had ever come across, and for that reason she was also the most precious. Zagan had used her to make the harvesting of alyko more successful, and she did it because she felt it would at least make their lives better. That and the fact that Zagan held something else over her head as a constant, tacit threat.

Seth arrived at the door to her cottage, which was perched overlooking the sea. She enjoyed a lot of freedom on the island, because Zagan knew there was no issue with her. She would not run. She would not fight. She had agreed to work with the vampire, because she realized the inevitability of his pursuit once she was unable to kill him.

Instead, she did what she could to make the island as hospitable and pleasant as it could be, allowing Zagan his gloomy bent forest and crumbling castle. And she stayed as far away from him as she possibly could. They may need to exist in the same dimensional portal, but that didn't mean she should need to see him. And because she was so helpful, Zagan agreed to allow her the space she desired.

She answered the cottage door with worry already welling in her eyes. The vampire was calling for her again. That was the only time anyone came to see her anymore.

"Nedra,

" Seth bowed his head respectfully to the breathtaking female in the doorway who had long, flowing black hair and emerald eyes..

"He summons you.

"