Page 62 of Monster. Me.

I have this strange feeling he did it for me, because he wants to look well-groomed.

He’s only wearing hospital pants, and his bare, massive chest draws the eye, powerful slabs of muscle shifting slightly as he turns toward me.

Dr. Lee is beside him, giving me his usual detached look.

But I go straight to Fenn.

"Marlow…" he says, his face brightening instantly, as if a spark ignites inside him.

It has to be obvious to everyone in the room, the shift in his energy, his smile, the light in his eyes.

He’s so happy to see me, he appreciates me… Something tightens in my chest.

I’ve never seen anyone look at me like that. Not once in my life.

I remember a couple of my unsuccessful dates, when I showed up and the guys I was meeting kept looking around nervously, convinced that someone they knew would spot them with me, like I was some stain on their reputation or a reason for shame.

But Fenn Drax… His aura transforms, softens, as if the whole room is filled with sunlight now. I move toward him, almost carried in on a wave. The markings across his body seem to burn with a deep purple glow. Our eyes meet. Fuck. He’s so handsome. And sexy. And he… likes me, he's into me. So sweetly and so intensely.

Ignoring everyone else in the room, I reach out and rest my hand gently on his shoulder, saying just one word, as softly as I can.

"Fenn…"

In response, his hand lifts and wraps around my wrist. His fingers slide gently along the inside of my forearm, brushing over my scars. For some reason, I don’t react the way I usually do, no nervous flinch, nothing.

I let him touch that intimate part of me, the place that represents my failures, my pain, and my sense of not being accepted.

It feels like he’s pouring something mending into it, soothing it with his acceptance. It’s powerful, all-encompassing.

"Marlow…" he repeats, even quieter this time.

We hold eye contact. There’s something in this connection that makes me feel dizzy, as though I'd just downed a few drinks in quick succession, my head filling with a pleasant buzz.

Only then do I notice Dr. Lee staring at me, his eyebrows subtly raised, like he’s somewhat shocked.

Reed is still there too, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His face twists into something between disgust and contempt.

"Can we begin the procedure?" Dr. Lee asks in a tentative tone, looking between us.

"What are you going to do to him?" The words slip out of me, even though it’s not really my business. I’m not some kind of watchdog over Fenn Drax’s medical care, but for some reason I feel entitled to know the details of the procedure.

"We’re taking a sample from his neck gland."

My eyes widen, I'm fully aware that this is one of the most painful procedures for any AO. The glands are an extremely intimate area for us; during a mating bite, they’re capable of turning pain into pleasure, but outside of that one exception, they’re highly sensitive to touch and to any kind of damage.

A chill runs through me as I think about what he’s about to endure.

For now, I step back from Fenn as Dr. Lee begins preparing the extraction site. He adjusts the articulated exam lamp and studies the scan hovering beside Fenn’s chair.

But he has to pause his work for a moment because he lets out a powerful sneeze.

"Excuse me," he murmurs and shoots me a sharp glance. Does he still think I have a feline allergen on my clothes? Well, guilty as charged.

In the meantime, the image of the neck gland rotates slowly, layers of tissue highlighted in pale blue.

"We only need a core sample," the doctor says. "Three millimeters in diameter. Depth approximately twelve."

His voice stays flat. "After the procedure, you’ll likely sleep for about an hour. Your accelerated regeneration will handle the rest."