A woman who has declared she cannot be his mate attempts to escape her fated partner in the midst of a storm. He forcefully carries her away for protection, despite her protests and pleas to break their bond. As she continues to resist, he proposes a deal: she must pretend to be his mate to appease his family elders. She questions whether this role requires physical intimacy. His answer, revealed through a touch on her chin, shows the arrangement may not be as simple as an act.