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“Sorry, Annabelle.” Castor glances back at me. And I get it. She’s doing so well it’s easy to forget how little she knows.
I close the passenger hatch.
“Holter, wait.” She comes running to me and stops at the side of the wet vehicle.
“Yes?”
“I want to give you a hug.”
I get out, and she wraps her arms around my neck.
“I’m sorry about your dad.”
“Thanks. You’re going to do great.” The warmth of her hug covers me, fuels me for the rest of whatever I find when I get to the hospital.
She pulls back and nods.
“Good luck, Belle.”
“Don’t you mean good luck to Nico?”
“Nico makes his own luck.” I raise my chin at her and wave to Castor. “I’ll be back to wait out here for you in a few hours.”
And before I lose it, I close the hatch and head for the hospital.
16
Annabelle
“I’m not sure what to do?”
“There’s an administrator on the other side of this door. Tell them who you are.” Castor smiles at me.
“Right.”
“They will point to the courtroom. Make sure to answer the questions and nothing else.” Castor’s dimple is extra deep when he purses his lips.
“Nothing else.” I’m kind of wishing Bass had prepared me for this. But that seems like such a long time ago now. It was only a handful of days.
I need Nico free. It’s an absurd thought, really. But I think he’s coming around to me. That if he truly loves me, he’ll be able to let me go.
If I have to mate with another male, how will I ever get out of here?
“My heart is beating even faster than when I had my interviews for the graduate program.”
Castor squeezes my hand. “You’re a smart one. You’ll do great. Ignore everything, including Nico’s growling. Focus on the judges.” He puts his finger to his lips like he’s holding something else back.
“What? What is it?”
“If you can make the judges believe you love him, it might be helpful.”
“Love him?” I don’t even like him. He stuck a trident in my ass. My stomach tightens because I might have liked it, a little. I thought I might have loved him. For a minute. But...no, no, no.He kidnapped me, took me to a battle, and turned me into a mermaid. I don’t want to love him. But I nod at Castor like a good, polite little girl. With the hormones pumping through me, I’m not sure I know who I am anymore. But I’m not that polite little girl anymore, or a vixen in love with a killer, and I’m not a mermaid. At least, not a full-blown one. But I’m going to have to make them think I am.
Castor’s eyebrows are raised. He settles his hand on the side of my arm. His heat brings me back briefly into the moment. “It’s a lot. I understand. Whatever you can do... not having a mate could leave you with lost pod illness.”
Which I’m guessing is the same as shifter widow illness. “Well, that’s not a lot of pressure or anything.” If he dies, I could get horrible cancer and die. I’ve read some about shifters. Scientifically, they are fascinating. But if Nico dies, I could die too. Unless I get another mate. Which I don’t want, not if I’m going to get back to Boston. My thoughts are swarming my brain like a bee looking for a hive, buzzing around but never landing anywhere for too long.
“It’s the truth.” He pulls me close and kisses the top of my head.
