Page 62 of Minnie

Chapter 32

Minnie

Dr. Ash Reddy turns to me. “Are you alright?” he asks. And the worst part is he sounds genuinely concerned.

How dare he sound like he cares? How dare he act like this kind, caring scientist with all this research to back his case, and make me look like some crazy lady claiming she can talk to animals while clutching her chest and hyperventilating like a pathetic, useless weirdo?

Pathetic. Useless. Weirdo.

The words echo in my head and I react on instinct. I run.

I race out of the room and stare around the mostly empty library. Natty’s laughter echoes from the children’s section—where we left him with Wes—and I race towards the aisle furthest from him. The romance section, where the little boy won’t notice I’m falling apart.

I collapse on the carpeted floor, and then Zoe’s suddenly there. “Here, let me take off the magic dampener.”

“No,” I cry, moving away from her. I can’t bear the thought of losing myself right now. Of letting Formula M take over, and being forced to shove my feelings down deep.

I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.

I let out a sob.

I feel like I’m going to explode.

Zoe kneels down on the carpet in front of me. “Take a deep, slow breath, Minnie,” she says softly. “You’re safe. It’ll pass. You’ll be okay. Just focus on breathing.”

And then Amber’s suddenly there too, slowly lowering herself to the ground. “Should I take off—”

“I asked,” Zoe jumps in. “Minnie said she wanted to keep it on.”

“Are you sure?” Amber asks. When I don’t reply, she adds, “We’re here for you, whatever you want to do, Minnie. If you want me to take it off, just say the word. If you want to keep it on, that’s fine too. I promise it’ll be okay.”

Zoe and Amber help me breathe, and I inhale then exhale and inhale and exhale until I don’t feel like my chest is about to explode, or I’m about to burst through my skin. Until I’m aware that despite the faux-concern the monster showed me in there, asking if I was alright like he actually cared, it was all an act.

If he was truly my fated mate, he would have come after me.

If Danny was my fated mate, he wouldn’t have left me when we were kids.

“No,” I whisper. “He can’t be my mate.”

I don’t even know if I’m talking about Dr. Reddy or Damien.

“Of course he’s not your mate,” Zoe pats my hands.

“Who’s not your mate?” Amber asks. “Danny?”

“Who’s Danny?” Zoe demands.

I shake my head and tears spring to my eyes. “I’m not a monster.”

“Of course you’re not.” Amber grabs my hands in hers.

“He’s the monster, Min,” Zoe adds. “Not you.”

Amber frowns. “He?”

I nod and hiccup. “There was magic. Pink magic. Between me and h-him.”

“Dr. Ash Reddy,” Zoe adds.