Page 7 of Monster. Me.

"I hope you had a pleasant trip. The weather is still quite nice this time of year…" He trails into the kind of generic small talk people make with strangers. But I have zero interest in talking about any of that. The only thing on my mind is why I came here in the first place.

"Everything was fine," I say, cutting the subject short.

"Ready for the next chapter of your life?" he asks in a strange tone that somehow manages to be slightly formal, and just a little overdramatic all at once, if that’s even possible.

"Absolutely. I can't wait."

I offer him a fake smile. I'm here because of him, but we've never actually spoken face-to-face before, so it's not like there's much for us to chat about.

Dr. Lee glances at the luggage I’ve already pulled out of the car. Since I look like an alpha, he doesn’t even offer to help. Of course.

If I were an omega, he’d probably be rushing over to take a couple of bags off my hands, but instead I get to carry all four myself, which looks ridiculous. Not that I’m surprised. People only ever see what’s on the surface.

"Let's head inside," Dr. Lee says, leading me toward the guard booth. "We can talk comfortably in my office."

The security booth isn't huge.

Two bored-looking middle-aged alphas sit inside, and the whole thing takes maybe thirty seconds. They punch my name into the system, remind me in the flattest voice imaginable that weapons and other dangerous items aren't allowed on the grounds, but I'm only half paying attention.

A moment later, Dr. Lee swipes his badge and the gate slides open.

We follow a concrete path toward the main building. Huge glass doors lead into a lobby that feels way too big for how empty it is. Every footstep echoes. Aside from a tiny reception desk shoved into one corner, there's basically nothing there.

The beta behind the desk gives me a slightly more interested look than the guards did, but he doesn't stop us. Dr. Lee heads straight for the elevators. There are six of them lined up against one wall.

Neither of us says anything as we step inside. After a short ride, the doors slide open again.

More emptiness.

Just a long hallway with rows of identical doors stretching in both directions.

Dr. Lee walks to one of them and stops. A room number is mounted beside the door, along with a small plaque bearing his last name.

We step inside.

Carrying so many suitcases feels awkward, so I set them down.

The office is spacious and surprisingly modern, furnished with an examination table, an ultrasound machine, several computer stations, and a collection of medical equipment whose purpose I can't guess.

Yellow afternoon sunlight streams through a narrow rectangular window, drawing a long glowing stripe across the floor. I step over it as Dr. Lee takes a seat in front of one of the monitors.

As far as I know, he's one of the lead scientists here, specifically the deputy to the head researcher, Dr. Lomax.

Dr. Lee used to work in another fertility program that specialized in betas, one owned by my brother-in-law.

He's already got plenty of experience when it comes to activating fertility in betas, but what he's working on now is a whole different beast.

Shifting an alpha into an omega hormonal profile is way out on the edge of what science can currently do, which is why they're relying on… mutants in the first place.

I take a seat across from his desk while Dr. Lee spends a moment clicking through something on his computer, the dry tapping of keys carrying through the office.

There's a small organizer on his desk with a cup full of pens. One of them has a long chain hanging from it with a fluffy pink ball attached to the end. My eyes keep drifting back to it, and I have to fight the intense urge to bat at it.

A moment later he turns back toward me, wearing that same odd smile of his, the kind that looks like somebody printed it out and glued it onto his face.

"I'll admit, you're the first participant who's shown up here without knowing who he'll be paired with. Most people are extremely picky. They want to review candidates, compare them, reject unsuitable ones, and they’re rarely fully satisfied."

I stay quiet for a second because I simply don't know what he's expecting me to say, then I decide to just tell the truth.