“What do you mean he took you? When?”
“I don’t know. It felt like ten hours ago—”
“Ten hours ago I was sitting by your bedside while you slept.”
I swallowed. “No. That doesn’t make any sense. I was following Vivian and Saoirse just before the pack meeting and—”
“What do you mean Vivian and Saoirse?” Donovan’s anger filled the room.
I shook my head. The sight of my crooked forearm turned my stomach, so I tried to not look at it. “We have to go.”
He stopped me. “If you were taken underhill, time can run differently there. I could feel you through the bond until about five minutes ago. You disappeared. I was on the hunt for you, but I’d only started to gather people when I felt you come back. Now you’re here and you’re bleeding and half dead. And you think you’re doing anything but going straight to the medic?” His rage and anger were there boiling under the surface, but he was scared. The fear was taking over.
I must’ve looked worse than I felt. “Saoirse’s responsible. We need her brooch. That nasty rose necklace is what controls Bhrunyz.”
He sat back as his eyes flashed to blue. “What?” It was half a growl.
I took a shaky breath. “Bhrunyz knows I came back to the stronghold. I don’t know how long I was passed out, but he could be here any second. We have to go. I can’t—” My voice sounded a bit frantic, but I was frantic. More than. “I can’t face him again. We have to go. Like right the hell now.”
Donovan put a hand on my shoulder, holding me in place. “You were out maybe a minute. Not long enough to even catch your breath.” He paused for a second as if to be certain I was paying attention. His fear was there, pounding at me. “Meredith. You’re bleeding. The wounds aren’t healing. We need the medic. You can’t go anywhere like this. You’ll die.”
I’d noticed. Every inch of me hurt, but fear and adrenaline helped me push past the pain. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. “I’ll live. I’m too stubborn to die. Not now. We have to find Saoirse.”
“I can do that. You stay here—”
“Did you not hear me? What part of Bhrunyz is coming aren’t you getting? The only reason I’m alive right now is because of Cosette’s stupid coin.” I took a shaky breath. “If you can’t track Saoirse through the pack bond, then we need a car so I can get gone. Then you can get the brooch and I’ll come back when that fucking monster is out of the picture.”
Then the beast’s cry reverberated through the air.
Donovan tore off his clothes as he shifted and raced out the door on four paws.
If he was going after Bhrunyz, then I had one thing to do. Find Saoirse before Donovan got himself killed.
My limbs burned as I forced them to move. I limped, but I was moving. If I survived this, I was going to treat myself to the longest spa day ever. Spa month. Yes. That would make this worth it. Maybe.
I moved through the hallways, away from the snarling of the wolves and Bhrunyz’s cries as he froze them.
Where is she? I asked Donovan. As Alpha, he was tied to each Were in the pack. If he concentrated, he should be able to tell me exactly where Saoirse was. I didn’t have forever to search through this stupid place. If he didn’t answer me, we were both dead.
He shot me a mental picture of the receiving room.
Thanks. I wasn’t sure how to get there exactly, but I had a vague idea. And if I lived through this, someone was going to make me a goddamned map.
Limping, I moved through the halls as fast as my legs could carry me. My broken arm hung practically useless at my side. I tried to make a fist, but my fingers wouldn’t close all the way.
Bitch was going to pay for that, too.
Each step took too much time. I could feel Donovan fighting. Pain lanced through his side. He was hurt. I wanted to reach out to him, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t distract him again.
Saoirse’s scent grew stronger, and I knew I’d almost found her. Then I heard her voice. She was pleading for backup.
“—done, I’ll hand Bhrunyz back over. But only if I have your support as Alpha.”
“The Lunar court cannot and will not back you as Alpha.” Helen’s voice rang clear. “You’ve committed a crime against our court, stealing a fey artifact and risking our peace with the Council of Seven. If you become Alpha of the Irish pack through deceit, your rule cannot last. I’ll gladly support any Were who rises against you.”
“Cousin, please—”
“Ah, yes. Please do play the family card. Let’s see where that gets you. The fact that your second cousin once slept with my great grandaunt and produced a single offspring does not amount to us being family. Let us be quite clear. You’re no relation of mine. If your blood didn’t prove that, your actions have.”