“No, I don’t,” I say to the weathered porch boards. “I didn’t come to your house. I didn’t howl outside your window. I didn’t start any of this, and I—” My voice breaks just a little. “I don’t have any problem leaving.”

I turn toward the door so quickly that I catch Mari’s wide eyes as the curtain falls back into place.

I stop mid-stride and take a deep breath. I’m not going to run away like I’m scared. I force myself to look him in the eye. “I’m not your mate. You said so yourself, and you’re the alpha. And I don’t want a ‘with benefits’ kind of thing....