“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.