Page 113 of Monster. Me.

I can’t hold back any longer.

A shaky breath tears out of my chest, as I see tears running down Marlow’s pale cheeks, and something in me breaks.

I drop to my knees, the pâté bag slipping from my hands. I’m staring at him with wide eyes as if I were looking at the sun itself.

But he’s the one who has to take the final step, and he does.

Marlow runs down the stairs and throws himself into my arms with such momentum that we almost tumble to the ground.

I catch him, lifting and spinning him in my arms.

This moment is everything.

Everything.

MARLOW

That day, I’m standing on the porch of my new house, purchased at a truly insane pace.

The last three days have been incredible. After Blue called me, I called the bastard, Rupert, and said to him that I’m staying in Rainbow Springs.

He took it pretty well and dryly informed me that he was returning to the facility because he had ‘unfinished business’ there.

Then I talked with Mr. Davos cautiously, asking for the house price… and it was surprisingly affordable! He even let me spend the night there so I could, as he put it, get used to the idea of living there.

The house exceeds my dreams, and the fact that it’s surrounded by an orchard is just… the cherry on top, pun intended.

Since yesterday, I’ve been impatiently waiting for news from Blue’s lawyer, and today it finally arrived.

I’ve been standing on the porch for two hours straight, staring at this road, my eyes moist from intense focus, waiting impatiently.

Yes, I know! I jumped onto this shaky path of life at a crazy pace, made impulsive decisions, but rarely have I ever been so certain of something.

My own little house, my own monster. One who loves and cherishes me, and now he’s coming to stay.

I barely remember the moment he hugs me because it takes my breath away and makes my head spin.

They got him back!

They tore him out of that damn facility, and he can be mine now. My very own, but properly tamed monster, aka… mantis shifter!

The attorney says goodbye soon afterward, leaving behind a copy of Fenn's contract with Blue before driving away.

Fenn and I are left alone on our new property. He looks around for a moment, but really he just wants to hold my hand, so we sit together on a comfortable bench outside the house, and he keeps looking at my face with disbelief and admiration.

There’s only one thing that keeps distracting me, the delicious smell drifting through the air. I glance down and spot a package lying on the path.

"What’s that?"

Fenn blushes. "Well, I promised you ham at first, but it was an insult to a cat as amazing as you. So I brought you a more proper treat instead: French pâté!"

I burst out laughing as he picks up the package and unwraps it. Good Fate, that smell. My senses instantly come alive, and I’m already leaning in, ready to start stuffing bite after bite into my mouth, but I quickly get my inner cat under control.

"Okay, thank you, I’ll eat that in a minute because first…" I cock my head. "There are more important things." I grin at him and give him a wink.

Fenn chuckles and nods. "Yeah, there are."

Then his expression turns serious.