After a long shower, I take the time to do my hair perfectly, apply some of the little makeup I do own, and dress in a sundress. I am going looking for my mate, and when I find him, I want him to be incapable of keeping his hands off me.

After leaving my house, I head toward the center of our small compound. People mill about, doing their regular chores and chatting to other pack members. The sun is bright in the noon day. If I wasn’t so hell-bent on finding Max and making him claim me, I might sunbathe. It is a gorgeous day out with not a single cloud in the sky.

“Hey, Raine,” Todd says from behind me.

I turn quickly, losing my balance. Todd catches me before I can go down and helps me to straighten myself. His hand remains on my hip as we face each other. I have no idea how to get him to move his hand without being rude, so I remain where I am.

“Todd. How are you today?” I smile.

“Great. It’s a beautiful day outside, and I am speaking to the most beautiful woman in our pack, so my day is magnificent.” He smiles broadly.

My skin feels tight, and I wish he would stop touching me. I don’t want any other man to touch me except for Max. I keep a smile plastered to my face but don’t reply to his compliment. A feeling of awareness skitters down my spine.

A growl crashes over me, causing goosebumps to pop up over my skin. Todd removes his hand and takes a step back as he glances warily over my shoulder. Letting my gaze follow the same trajectory, I see Max striding toward us.

“I will talk to you later,” Todd spits out quickly before taking off.

I don’t say anything as I turn to face what is a very pissed-off Max.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he says lowly as he invades every inch of my personal space.

“Going for a walk?” I try to sound sarcastic, but it comes out as a breathy question.

“Don’t play stupid, Raine. We both know you aren’t.” Max places his hand on my hip where Todd previously had his. But this is completely different. The light touch burns through my dress, every nerve ending lighting up. Wetness gathers between my thighs from just that small amount of contact, and a mewling sound escapes my throat.

“Fuck,” he rasps as he leans in closer to me.

He inhales my scent before stepping back and removing his hand. He stares at me for the longest time, his gaze roaming first my face and then down the length of my body. It feels like he is memorizing me, committing every detail to his memory for later.

“I can’t do this,” he says before stomping away.