Donovan took the steering wheel and jerked it. The car skidded, and I could’ve sworn we were up on two wheels for a second.

I glared at him as I corrected. “Don’t do that again.”

“Follow my directions then!” He snapped at me, his voice low and gravelly as his wolf rose up.

He was losing it. I got it. Apparently, he was close with his mother, even if he didn’t talk about her. “We’ll get there in time,” I said as the car bumped over ditches and rocks. “Can you feel her?”

He shook his head. “She’s not part of the pack. Hasn’t been for a while.”

“Why not?”

“She claims she didn’t like the drama, but it’s not that. Or not only that…” Donovan trailed off. “No. That way.” He pointed across the field.

By the time we hit a real road again, we were already at the row houses, which meant we were less than a mile away from town.

Donovan rolled down the window and stuck out his head. “I don’t hear anything.” That was a very good sign. The beast had been loud. If he were in town attacking Donovan’s mother, we would’ve heard something.

“Maybe I’m wrong.”

I kind of wanted to be wrong, even if it meant that I was the beast’s next target. Knowing that Bhrunyz was coming after me made me want to hide in a cave somewhere until all of this was over, but I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t be a coward. And for some reason, protecting myself seemed easier than protecting someone else.

My knuckles turned white as I gripped the steering wheel. “The fey beast could be coming after me next like we thought.”

“No. I think you’re right. Losing my mother would weaken me. Losing you would kill me. Whoever is doing this would want me weak first.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. “If something happens to me, you can’t let that thing kill you. We haven’t had our ceremony. You can find another mate.”

“What?” Donovan growled the word. “You think that’s so easy? I’ve waited my whole, extremely long life to find you. And you think I’ll just move on?”

“I wasn’t…” Shit. It was so messed up that we even had to consider this.

At least his anger overrode some of the panic I’d been feeling from him. Anger I could deal with. But panic? From Donovan? That freaked me out.

We passed the Tesco and went through the roundabout, taking the second exit. Shops, cafes, and little stands lined both sides of the street. Up ahead I saw a light blue awning. In white letters it said L’Ami.

“It’s there. On the left.”

“Yeah. I see it.” I parallel parked across the street and turned off the engine.