✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜໒꒱ ‧₊˚

───── Ｖｉｃｅ #１─────

️
✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

┆

𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘖𝘯𝘦: 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺

┆

┆

⋆౨ৎ ₊˚ 🌕・₊✧

꒰ ୨୧ 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 𑂂 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.

⋆౨ৎ ₊˚ 🌕・₊✧

┆

┆

┆

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Ｓｕｍｍａｒｙ: An alpha finds his omega in the most unexpected ways.

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

❦𝘞𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧: 𝘈 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧-𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯.

Ｔａｇｓ:

Alpha • Alpha Wolf • Alpha X Lone Wolf • Alpha/Omega • Bonding • Blood • Dark Fantasy • Dark Romance • Fantasy • Fantasy Creatures • Fantastical Curses • Gore • Heavy Angst • Hurt & Comfort • Instinctual Behavior • Lone Wolf • Mates • Nonhuman AU • OC Characters Mentioned • Omegaverse • Omega • Pack Dynamics • Primal Urges • Romance • Third Person Limited • Transformation • Violence • Werewolf • 2024

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

NSFW Tags: Alpha/Omega • Biting • Body Worship • Breeding Kink • Claiming • Clit Play • Clit Stimulation • Control • Coming Untouched • Desperation • Dirty Talk • Dom/Sub • Domination • Exploration • Foreplay • First Time • Fantasies & Fantasizing • Loss of Control • Mating • Multiple Orgasms • Mutual Pining • Outside Sex • Ownership • Power Differences • Power Play • Possessiveness • Praise Kink • Rough Sex • Scent Kink • Sensation Play • Sexual Tension • Size Difference Kink • Submission • Vaginal Sex • Waterfall Sex • Wild Sex • 2024

Ｗｏｒｄ Ｃｏｕｎｔ:

Part #1: 10.5K.

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Ｍｕｓｉｃ:

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴" - 𝘐𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘓𝘢𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘢

"𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘖𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵" - 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘋𝘶𝘩é

˚₊‧꒰ა 💜 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Ｅｎｊｏｙ!

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Serendipity

Naruto Uzumaki

It's time.

Long overdue, if he's being honest.

It's high time Naruto finds himself a mate.

The urge has been gnawing at him for many moons now, growing stronger and stronger with each passing day. He's thirty now, at the peak of his strength and power, and his entire being screams for him to find his omega, to claim what's rightfully his.

Yet, to his utter dismay, he hasn't found her.

And that, in itself, is a problem.

The others in the pack-those mangy pups-had no trouble finding their mates. They leapt at the first chance, falling all over themselves to bond and settle down.

But him?

He's not like them.

You see, Naruto wasn't just any wolf. He wasn't another howling fiend in the night or just another body hogging up space in the den.

He was an alpha-the alpha.

And being the alpha meant he didn't rush into things or settle for just anything. After all, mating among werewolves is a special event, far beyond mere pleasure.

Mating is a profound connection, where two souls merge into one, bodies become tied together.

When the time comes, and Naruto mates and decides to knot with his chosen one, his power, his strength, his very essence will flow into her, altering her fundamentally-making her stronger, faster, and even bolder.

She would become a new wolf.

His mate-his omega.

Likewise, she would impart her qualities to him during the mating process-her grace, her patience, her serenity.

This deep, transformative bond demands a mate worthy of accepting his gifts and matching his power. So finding such a mate isn't something he takes lightly. He needs to be certain about his decision, his instincts, and the timing.

But his pack doesn't understand that.

He knows what they whisper behind his back.

He knows their thoughts about him-the older wolves anyway.

He can feel their eyes on him all the time-the raised eyebrows, the hushed whispers questioning why he, of all wolves, has yet secured a mate.

"Why hasn't alpha-sama found his mate yet?"

"What's taking him so long?"

"Is something wrong with him?"

Their whispers always sound like the buzz of mosquitoes-persistent and irritating. They wouldn't dare say such things to his face, but that really doesn't matter-Naruto already knows what they speak.

And frankly, he couldn't care less.

They don't understand-can't understand-that for him, finding a mate isn't just about fulfilling a need or securing the pack's future. It's about finding someone who meets his standards, who is as extraordinary as he is.

He was different.

He was not like the others.

He isn't going to settle for just any omega.

No, he wants the best-needs the best.

He wants an omega who's more than just a pretty face, more than just a warm body to share his den.

He needs someone who can match him in strength, wit, and everything else. Someone who can keep pace with him, challenge him, stand by his side, share his burdens, and help strengthen the pack.

Someone who can push him to be better.

That's the kind of mate he needs, no, deserves.

It wasn't that the females in his pack weren't strong or beautiful. Many of them possessed a raw power that would make any lesser male wolf howl in admiration or had a beauty that could make a wolf drool and eager to knot up.

But to Naruto, they were all the same-predictable, familiar, and utterly beneath his standards. The thought of just settling down with one of those females made him scoff.

Finding a mate among them was like searching for a diamond in a pile of rocks-some might glimmer a bit brighter than others, but they were still just...rocks. Dull and not worthy of being his mate, a waste of his time.

So, he'll wait.

He'll wait as long as it takes to find the one who's truly worth it-the perfect mate he's been looking for. It didn't matter how long the search would last.

He didn't care what the others had to say, didn't care that their whispers grew louder with every moon that passed.

Let them wonder.

Let them gossip.

Because when he finally did find her, when he finally claimed his omega, they would all see. They would understand that the wait had been worth it, that an alpha like him didn't settle for anything less than perfection.

Until then, he would keep searching, his senses on high alert, his instincts sharp.

Because somewhere out there, his omega was waiting. And when he finds her, she would be more than just adequate...

She would be everything.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The crescent moon hung high in the night sky, casting a pale glow over the clearing where a handful of the pack had gathered. Fire crackled nearby, its flames flickering, casting shadows that danced across the faces of the gathered she-wolves.

The air was thick with tension, a quiet anticipation as a few female wolves of the pack stood in a line, each one perfectly still, waiting.

The forest around them was dense, trees towering above with leaves rustling in the gentle nightly breeze. The scent of pine and earth dominated the quiet clearing, filling the keen senses of the nocturnal beasts.

The clearing was a sacred space, reserved for pack gatherings, wolves shifting for the first time, the start of hunts, and tonight, for Naruto to evaluate the potential mates presented to him.

It was the mate selection ceremony, a ritual conducted each and every month.

With a silent stride, Naruto stepped into the center of the clearing, each step he took seeming to shake the earth beneath him.

His muscles bulged through his clothing, the firelight from the surrounding torches bathing his gorgeously tan complexion in a warm, golden glow, accentuating every defined muscle and bulging vein of his chiseled physique.

His vibrant blonde hair, tousled just enough to give him a rugged, wild look, brushed back and forth against his forehead and whiskered cheeks with each step.

His sharp blue slitted eyes, far more piercing than the moonlight itself, locked onto the line of she-wolves standing before him.

They could feel his presence before he even spoke-a force of nature, a predator among predators, the very definition of dominance.

The ultimate catch.

He was the crown jewel of the pack, the ultimate prize every she-wolf dreamed of-becoming the mate of the alpha.

The she-wolves tried to maintain their composure, to keep their thoughts tamed in the presence of such rugged perfection, but they could feel his gaze on them-watching, assessing, scrutinizing.

Naruto's blue eyes moved beneath his spiky blonde bangs, scanning left and right among the lineup of she-wolves.

They were young, strong, and beautiful in their own ways.

Each one of them stood perfectly still, their heads slightly bowed, eyes trained on his chest or fixed on some distant point in the forest behind him.

None dared meet his gaze directly.

They knew better.

That would be a mistake, one that none of them were foolish enough to make. To look the alpha in the eye was to challenge him, and daring to challenge the strongest wolf in the pack was a surefire way to end up on his bad side-or worse...

Dead.

Shikamaru stood a few paces behind Naruto, his right-hand man and trusted friend who had consistently supported him throughout his frustrating mate hunt.

His posture was relaxed but attentive as he flipped through a small leather-bound book, ready to introduce each she-wolf in turn.

Clearing his throat, he began.

"This is Kara Yamada," Shikamaru said, gesturing toward the first she-wolf with a wave of his hand, his voice steady and firm.

"Twenty-two years old, she first wolfed out three years ago. Height, five-foot-six. Brown hair, green eyes."

"Kara, huh?" Naruto remarked, stepping closer to the first she-wolf in the line. His imposing presence cast a long shadow over the young she-wolf, making her appear even smaller in comparison.

Instantly, his eyes swept over her, taking in every detail.

Head to toe.

Her long hair was a deep chestnut brown, falling in soft waves over her shoulders. Her scent was fresh, like a forest after the rain, but it did little to impress him.

He tilted her chin upward with a firm hand, his thumb brushing against her jawline as he examined her face. Her skin was a pale ivory, smooth and youthful, but the subtle quiver in her stance and the vivid redness flooding her face betrayed her nerves.

The poor girl looked like she was about to faint.

Naruto clicked his tongue.

'Too timid,' He thought, his lip curling slightly in disapproval. Kara's eyes stayed glued to his chest, not daring to rise to meet his gaze.

Smart.

Naruto dropped her chin and moved on without a word.

So, Shikamaru continued, flipping the page.

He presented the next she-wolf in line.

"This is Hana Takahashi. Twenty-four years old, first wolfed out seven years ago. Height, five-foot-nine. Blonde hair, blue eyes."

Naruto shifted his gaze to her. Hana.

But as soon as he saw her he could tell she was different from Kara.

Much different.

She stood tall, her long blonde hair shimmering in the moonlight, cascading in long, straight locks down her back. Her posture was confident, her figure curvaceous, with a notably large bust.

Her top was tight, struggling to contain her voluptuous breasts, which were practically on the verge of spilling out. And now that Naruto caught a glimpse, he wasn't sure that her little... display was a deliberate act or not.

But then there was her scent...

Naruto leaned in, taking a deep breath of her hair before nuzzling closer to her neck.

Sagebrush.

He wrinkled his nose.

Her scent was overwhelming, almost too much for his senses-strong and a bit excessive for his taste. It teetered on being obnoxious.

Naruto clicked his tongue, giving Hana another look.

She held her head high, her eyes drifting past him as if trying to seem aloof. But despite the show, Naruto remained unimpressed.

He felt nothing from her.

He reached out, his hand brushing along the side of her face as he took in her features.

Olive skin, seductive eyes, and red, rosy lips.

Naruto traced his thumb lower, brushing across her lips. He watched as she let out a breathless sigh and leaned into his touch, almost as if trying to kiss his thumb.

He raised an eyebrow.

He shifted his thumb from her lips to her jaw. There was strength in her jawline, a sharpness to her features that might have appealed to him once, but now?

'Tsk, she's trying too hard,' Naruto thought, his expression cold. Hana's eyes flickered toward his, just for a moment, but quickly darted away when she realized her mistake.

He wrinkled his nose again, but in disdain, his hand dropping away from her chin with a casual flick.

"Tch. Next."

He didn't have to tell Shikamaru twice.

He was on it.

"Next is Yumi Ishikawa. She's seventeen, first wolfed out last year. Height, five-foot-four. Black hair, blue eyes."

Naruto almost sighed as he looked at Yumi.

She was young, too young.

Her black hair was short, falling in a curtain around her slender face, her blue eyes wide and innocent. She smelled of fresh earth, her scent raw and unrefined.

Naruto took her chin as well, turning her face from side to side. Her skin was soft, untouched by time, but there was a nervous energy about her that grated on him.

'Hardly more than a pup,' He thought with a scoff, releasing her and stepping back. For a moment, he felt a twinge of offense that his pack would even consider he'd be drawn to someone so young.

A growl escaped his throat.

The nerve of them.

Yumi exhaled in relief as he moved on, her eyes fixed firmly on the ground as if she had been hoping for his rejection.

She didn't need to worry; she got her wish.

"This is Haruna Sato," Shikamaru continued as Naruto stepped in front of the next woman.

"She's twenty-two, first wolfed out five years ago. Height, five-foot-seven. Hair, brown. Eyes, hazel."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he took in Haruna.

Her hair was thick and coily, falling around her shoulders in a wild tangle down her back. Her scent was a soft, vanilla-like fragrance-mild and pleasant, not overpowering, and easier on the senses.

Naruto found it a bit more appealing.

He reached out and touched her, just as he had with the others, seeking a closer examination.

First, he focused on her hair.

He began by running his fingers through her thick, coiled locks, the textured strands slipping smoothly between his fingers. He lightly pulled on one curl, observing as it snapped back into place with a soft bounce.

Haruna's breath hitched, a soft, breathless moan escaping her lips as she instinctively gripped the edges of her skirt, her knuckles whitening under the tension. Her shoulders tensed slightly, and Naruto could feel the subtle tremor in her posture as she tried to maintain her composure.

He smirked, then let his fingers trail from her hair down her neck before cupping her chin firmly in his hand.

He tilted her head to the side, scrutinizing the curve of her jaw and the sharpness of her features.

Her skin was a rich shade of golden brown, like caramel. It felt smooth and warm under his touch. But as he raised his gaze to her face, he noticed something unsettling in her eyes-something concealed behind her lowered lids that he didn't like.

Too much defiance, perhaps?

Or was it just that she didn't show enough submission?

He couldn't tell which.

Either way, she didn't impress him either.

He released her and simply moved on.

Shikamaru continued his talking, but Naruto only half-listened, his mind already dismissing most of what he saw. Another brunette, another pair of brown eyes-this one too tall, that one too thin.

It all felt so... ordinary.

None of these women, no matter how strong or beautiful they might be to the rest of the pack, were what he was looking for.

It was all a waste.

Shikamaru glanced up from the book in his grasp, sensing Naruto's growing irritation like a simmering volcano.

Naruto's spaced-out expression, frequent yawns, low "tchs" of disappointment, and endless "nexts" made it clear he wasn't impressed with this line up either.

Shikamaru sighed.

It couldn't be helped.

Even so, he kept going.

There were only a few more to get through now.

"This is Akari Nakamura. Twenty-three years old, first wolfed out five years ago. Height, five-foot-eight. Red hair, gray eyes."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the introduction.

Akari.

Her red hair was striking, a rare trait in the pack but not unfamiliar to his mother's lineage, and it grabbed his attention for a moment. Her gray eyes were steady, her scent rich and full, with a hint of something spicy, something different.

She carried a confidence that was rare among the others-not flaunting, not overdone, not fake.

No.

Her posture was straight and proud, as if honored to be in his presence.

Naruto's hand lingered on her chin a moment longer than the others, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. There was something about her that intrigued him-perhaps it was the fire he felt just beneath the surface, her warmth, and her inner strength that seemed to beckon him.

But still, it wasn't enough.

He didn't feel that overpowering urge to pounce and rip her clothes off. There was no rush of certainty, no intense, undeniable sense of...

"Yeah, she's the one."

He didn't feel that.

Instead, he only felt a mild intrigue, a fleeting interest, but nothing that sparked that deep, primal urge he was hoping for.

'Almost, but not quite.' He thought, releasing her with a frustrated huff.

Shikamaru stood back and observed the scene with keen interest.

He couldn't help but gawk.

That was the longest Naruto had focused on a she-wolf, showing genuine interest rather than dismissing them immediately.

Shikamaru found it intriguing-something about Akari had momentarily caught Naruto's interest, if only just.

They're getting closer, even if it's just at a snail's pace.

Shikamaru cleared his throat once more and glanced back down at the book in his hands, his narrow brown eyes settling on the last name on the list for the selection.

"Last, we have Sora Fujimoto. Twenty-three years old, first wolfed out four years ago. Height, five-foot-seven. Black hair, gray eyes."

Naruto barely spared Sora a glance before stepping back from the line altogether.

'What a waste of time.' He huffed. His slitted eyes swept over the line of women one last time, a final test.

None of them had what he was looking for, what he yearned for. None of them ignited that deep, primal need inside him.

He tsked again. 'None of them. Not one of these women is worthy.'

Naruto didn't bother hiding his disappointment. His disdain was evident in his eyes and the disgust was clear from the way his nose wrinkled as he turned away from them.

"Is that all, Shikamaru?" Naruto's voice was low, edged with irritation.

Shikamaru closed the book and nodded, "That's all, Naruto-sama. These are the best the pack has to offer."

Naruto scoffed, shaking his head, "The best? Tch, I disagree." He spat, his tone sharp and disdainful.

At that very moment, the she-wolves' hopes and dreams of mating with potentially the strongest wolf in their pack, of scoring the jackpot, crumbled into a million pieces by their alpha's words, their sense of worth sweeping away like sand.

The she-wolves bowed their heads, their shoulders drooping in defeat. Their earlier confidence was gone, replaced by a visible sense of being crushed by their alpha's rejection.

They couldn't hide it.

Their self-esteem took a major hit, clear from their downcast eyes, the heavy sighs they tried to stifle, and the tears they struggled to hold back.

For Shikamaru, it was always a heartbreaking sight.

He had seen it countless times-the dejection, the sense of their world falling apart whenever Naruto rejected them-the she-wolves of the pack.

It truly tugged at his heart strings.

But, Naruto, on the other hand....

"If this," Naruto spat distastefully, gesturing toward them, "is the best the pack has to offer, then finding my mate is going to be damn near impossible-"

"Patience, Naruto-sama," Shikamaru urged, as always serving as Naruto's steady anchor amid his storm of rage and frustration, "We'll find her. We just need to keep searching."

"Tsk, I suppose." Naruto huffed, his expression flat.

With that, he turned away from the lineup, waving his hand dismissively.

"Dismiss them," Naruto said sharply, "I'm done here."

Shikamaru nodded.

The ponytail-haired werewolf watched as Naruto left the clearing, vanishing into the forest's shadows without a second glance at those he was leaving behind.

A worried frown formed on his face.

Shikamaru knew Naruto's standards were extremely high-perhaps impossibly so. But if anyone could find the perfect omega, it was Naruto.

Until then, the pack would just have to be patient.

Turning back to the women, Shikamaru's expression softened as he noticed their disappointed faces.

He sighed, "Don't be too upset, ladies. You haven't done anything wrong. The alpha's expectations are just..." He paused with a thoughtful hum, the she-wolves' heads lifting slightly at his words.

"...different," He finished with a gentle smile, offering his usual comfort.

"Just as he will find his mate eventually, so will each of you. I promise, the right match will come along. It's just a matter of patience."

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

|N|

"Tch, pathetic."

Naruto stormed through the forest in a blood rage, sinking further into his anger with each step.

His heavy boots crushed leaves, cracked twigs, and flattened the underbrush beneath him, each step hitting the ground like the relentless beat of a drum reverberating through the earth.

His claws were out, fully extended, slashing at anything that dared to get in his way-branches, vines, leaves-nothing was spared from his wrath. He swung his arms without a second thought, knocking branches and leaves out of his path like they were nothing; nothing at all.

His disheveled blonde hair draped over his slitted blue eyes, casting shadows on his whiskered face, and even at times, whipping across it.

But he didn't flinch.

He barely noticed.

His muscles tensed beneath his clothes, every inch of his broad, powerful build rippling with a rage barely contained. The sharp angles of his jaw were clenched so tightly that it made his head throb.

He didn't care where he was going-he just needed to move.

But no matter how far he walked or how hard he swung his arms to fend off the swinging branches, his anger remained. Frustration clung to him stubbornly, no matter what he did.

The cool air whipped past him, brushing against his heated, gooseflesh-covered skin, but it did little to soothe his anger.

It merely grew stronger.

His blue slitted eyes cut through the darkness like daggers, but even with his heightened senses, everything around him felt like a blur.

The forest was dense, its shadows thick, with even the crescent moon's light failing to pierce through the gloom.

But that didn't matter to Naruto.

He didn't need to see where he was going. Hell, he wasn't really going anywhere. He was just walking-storming through the woods-to blow off some steam.

He just needed to get away, to clear his head, to just... fuck.

Naruto groaned, shaking his head in frustration.

He just needed to get away from that damn clearing, the disappointment, the endless lineup of she-wolves who couldn't measure up-couldn't meet his standards.

His mind raced. It wouldn't stop racing, replaying the night over and over-a cycle he was sick and tired of.

It was always the same. Always.

Another failed mate selection. Another group of she-wolves who couldn't light a damn spark inside him.

They were beautiful, sure, but... nothing.

He felt nothing.

No connection, no thrill, no pull toward any of them.

"Why the hell is this so hard?" His deep voice growled low in his throat as he shoved aside a branch that dared to scrape against his skin. He didn't understand. It was like the universe was screwing with him, dangling what he wanted just out of reach, then yanking it away.

Why couldn't he find her? His omega? His mate? Why couldn't he find the one who would make everything click into place?

Where was she hiding? What had he missed?

He'd searched everywhere, met countless women, laid down with tons, but no matter where he looked, none of them were... her. It pissed him off more than he could put into words.

He gritted his teeth, his jaw so tight it felt like it might crack.

His mind was spinning in circles, flooded with bitter, angry confusion, hammering him with questions he didn't have the answers for. And that just made him even more furious.

"Fuck." He spat the word out like venom, his anger bubbling over as he ran a hand through his wild hair, tugging at the strands in frustration.

He was tired.

Tired of all the mate hunts, tired of all the disappointment, tired of being mateless.

Let down. After let down. After let down.

It felt like he was trapped in a never-ending loop.

Day after day, it was the same story: one disappointment after another. Every day felt like a repeat of the one before, stacking up a series of letdowns that only deepened the ache in his chest, heightening the loneliness he felt, the unchecked rage inside him.

He rubbed his temples, trying to chase away the headache pounding in his skull, and calm himself down. It was a useless attempt but he tried to push it all back-the anger, the frustration, the fucking emptiness.

But as soon as he took a step further, something caught his attention. His hand jerked away from his forehead, and he froze mid-step, snapping alert.

His body froze as his ears picked up on something faint.

A sound.

It was subtle at first, almost drowned out by the rustling wind and the whisper of leaves, but he caught it-a sharp, frantic noise, barely audible yet unmistakably there.

Naruto's blue eyes shot wide open, his head snapping to the side. His whole body went tense, his harsh breathing now steady as his instincts kicked into high gear.

His ears twitched, honing in on the noise.

Uneven footsteps.

Rustling.

Quick, panicked breaths.

He didn't move. He didn't have to. His senses were already doing the work for him, zeroing in on the source.

It wasn't long before he heard it again-this time louder, more desperate.

A struggle.

Panic.

A cry of distress.

He felt it-a jolt in his chest, his heart pounding not from anger or frustration, but from something else entirely. It was a pull, a need to investigate, an instinct he couldn't quite explain.

He didn't know what it was, but he didn't stop to question it.

Instead, he picked up his feet and ran.

Naruto charged toward the sound, his body blurring with enhanced speed as he soared over fallen branches and tangled roots. His breathing remained steady, even as he pushed himself faster, and faster.

He clicked his tongue, tilting his head up to the towering trees above.

He needed a better vantage point, a clearer view.

His feet barely touched the ground before he propelled himself into the air, springing effortlessly into the trees with a nimble leap. He grabbed the nearest trunk with a firm grip, his claws digging in for stability.

And then, with swift, powerful pulls, he began to climb.

Up, up, up he went, his claws anchoring him to the tree with every move until he reached a thick branch and settled on it.

From his high perch, Naruto's sharp blue eyes scanned the forest floor below, darting back and forth, up and down.

His heightened senses picked up on everything-the rustling of leaves from a startled animal, the faint hum of insects buzzing through the air, the soft trickle of a nearby stream, and even the distant flutter of birds taking flight.

He even smelt the scent of damp earth, fresh pine, and a faint trace of blood that lingered in the air.

He searched frantically, trying to lock onto the source of the distressing noises he heard earlier, his ears catching the subtle shifts in the wind that carried whispers of something-or someone-moving nearby.

And that's when he saw... her.

A woman.

She was running-no, fleeing.

Desperation and fear clung to her like a second skin, evident in every frantic, staggering step she took. Her midnight blue hair streamed behind her like a trailing shadow, catching the wind as she ran.

She was barefoot, wearing a white dress that was far from pristine. The once-bright fabric was now stained with dirt and blood, and the hem was tattered, hanging unevenly at her feet. The ends of the dress flapped against her legs as she ran, smudging her pale, glowing skin with grime.

Each glance over her shoulder was filled with raw panic, her breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. The amount of terror that radiated from her was almost tangible, so intense Naruto could almost taste it as she desperately tried to flee whatever was after her.

Naruto squinted, narrowing his focus on her.

Only her.

"Werewolf," He muttered to himself.

He could sense it immediately from her aura, from her scent.

The woman wasn't just some human stray lost in the woods; she was like him, another werewolf, though one he'd never seen before.

She clearly didn't belong to his pack, and the most confusing part-she wasn't even marked either. He couldn't detect any trace of a male werewolf in her scent.

Who was she?

Where did she come from?

What was she running from?

Lucky for him, one of his questions got an answer.

Naruto's attention was quickly drawn to the sudden rustling of leaves and the low murmur of voices in the distance.

Men.

Human men.

Two figures emerged behind the fleeing she-wolf, moving through the trees with heavy steps. They were armed with long, silver-tipped guns that gleamed ominously under the moonlight.

Hunters.

Naruto's muscles tightened, his jaw set in a hard line. It was obvious what they were after-and why.

His eyes shifted back to the midnight blue-haired she-wolf amid the rustling trees, and to his surprise, his heart actually... skipped a beat.

In that moment, everything else seemed to melt away-the hunters, the rustling of the forest, even the fiery anger that had been consuming him. It was as if the entire world had zoomed in, narrowing down to just her.

It was... strange.

He'd never felt anything like this before, not with anyone-no woman, no she-wolf from his own pack.

Yet, here he was, completely captivated.

Something inside him shifted, like a switch had flipped.

There was a fierce, primal pull stirring deep within him-a sensation unlike any other, something raw and undeniable. He couldn't make sense of it, but it was powerful, pulling him toward her with an intensity he couldn't ignore.

It wasn't just curiosity or concern anymore.

No, it was something much deeper.

Something primal.

He couldn't bring himself to look away.

He couldn't ignore her or deny her the help she desperately needed. He was drawn in, caught up in something he couldn't escape.

And so...

Naruto's instincts kicked in before his mind even had a chance to catch up.

He sprang from the tree, landing with the grace of a shadow on the forest floor. In an instant, he was a blur, cutting through the trees with a speed that rivaled the wind itself.

Something had changed within him.

This wasn't just another ordinary she-wolf from his pack or a random werewolf who happened to cross his path.

No.

There was just something about her-the mysterious midnight blue-haired beauty. Her scent, her very essence, pulled at him in a way he couldn't ignore.

All that mattered now was her-her safety, and nothing else.

A fierce grin spread across his whiskered face, so intense that not even the rushing wind could blow it away. Adrenaline coursed through him like wildfire, igniting the spark he had been yearning to feel for years.

The ultimate spark.

Naruto took a deep breath, savoring the mingling scent of lavender that danced through the forest air, comforting yet invigorating-her scent.

And for the first time in his life, Naruto didn't feel let down by such a scent.

Instead, he felt...alive.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Hinata Hyūga

Hinata ran like hell through the seemingly forever sprawling forest, her heart thudding in her ears and her throat.

Each breath she drew came in ragged, desperate gasps as she pushed her legs to their limit. Her midnight blue hair whipped behind her, a dark streak in the silver glow of the crescent moon and the cold, silent stars above.

She could feel her dress-torn, dirty-clinging to her skin in a desperate fit, the dirt smudging against her pale, trembling body.

Her bare feet barely felt the ground as she stumbled over roots and branches, the urgency of her flight consuming her every thought.

"I have to get away," She murmured through gritted teeth, battling the dread and fear that gripped her.

"I need to... I-I need to..." Her words were a mantra, a frantic effort to push aside the chilling truth that capture meant certain death.

But that was nothing new.

In fact, it has become the very motto she lived by-

Run or be killed.

Her whole life had been a constant chase, a relentless cycle of evading hunters who seemed to be always there, wherever she turned. They were one of the reasons she could never settle, never find a place to call home. Always running, always hiding, always searching for safety that seemed forever out of reach.

Her existence was a never-ending struggle, a pitiful, sad reality she couldn't escape.

She'd tried to fight back...once.

But that was ages ago. And the scars that were left behind from that pointless struggle served as harsh reminders of the bitter truth-

Fighting was pointless.

She knew better now.

Fighting would merely lead to more pain, increase her chances of capture or death, or, worse, result in the loss of someone else she cared about.

She'd learned that the hard way.

And...even if she wanted to fight back...

...she couldn't.

Her eyes drifted down to her right thigh, and a grimace twisted her face at the sight of the bullet wound there. Dark red blood oozed from the gash, trickling down her leg to form a growing pool of crimson beneath the sole of her right foot.

The silver bullet that struck her had not only pierced her flesh but also injected a searing poison into her bloodstream.

Wolfsbane.

She had been shot, and that single careless mistake had drained her strength, leaving her drastically weakened.

The wolfsbane injected into her wasn't a large dose, but it was enough to take effect. It crept through her veins, slowly but surely, and the harder she tried to summon her strength, the more it slipped away.

Every movement she made felt heavier, her limbs sluggish, as though her power was being drained little by little-second by second.

The supernatural strength she once relied on, so effortless and dependable, was now fading, leaving her as weak as any ordinary human.

She's at a major disadvantage now.

Her frantic thoughts were abruptly torn from their chaotic spiral when a voice cut through the forest's din, piercing her sensitive ears.

"We know you're out there, wretch!" One of the hunters shouted, his voice slicing through the dense foliage, "Just come on back. There's no need to make this difficult."

"Yeah, stop wasting our time and let us end your miserable life already, mutt." The other hunter added, his tone icy, mocking.

The harsh, derisive tones of the hunters jolted Hinata with a fresh wave of terror, causing her to stumble. She quickly regained her balance, but her head whipped over her shoulder, straining to catch the sounds of the hunters closing in behind her.

Hinata's keen ears twitched.

She could hear them.

She could hear their low murmurs growing louder, more distinct with each passing second. The sharp snap of twigs underfoot, the crunch of dead leaves, and the metallic clink of their weapons hitting their gear were all too clear. Her ears picked up the rustle of branches being roughly pushed aside and the swish of their coats as they moved.

Her heart raced.

Even their labored breathing reached her, steady and relentless as they grew closer and closer.

Hinata whimpered.

She turned back, but as she did, something caught her attention, causing her breath to hitch.

Something felt wrong-her hand!

"No, no, not now!" Hinata whispered frantically, her voice trembling with fear. Her heart raced faster as a sharp, searing pain flared in her right hand.

Glancing down, she saw her bones beginning to shift beneath her skin, cracking and bending in ways she knew all too well. White fur, the same that covered her wolf form, began to spread, creeping along her hands and arms, threatening to overtake her completely.

It all happened so suddenly-so fast.

One moment she was fine, and then the next... she was not.

She barely had time to react before the rippling effect took hold.

Another bone snapped, then another, and more after that, each one cracking with a sickening crunch. Hinata tried to keep moving, but the pain was just too excruciating. It was overwhelming, relentless-there was no ignoring it, no fighting it, no escaping it.

She never could.

"O-Oh no!" Hinata yelped as her legs suddenly gave way, collapsing beneath her.

She hit the ground with a harsh, jarring thud, her head bouncing off the earth several times before finally coming to a standstill, the impact only amplifying her agony.

Her midnight blue hair tumbled over her face in a tangled mess, mixing with the dirt and grass. She could hardly see through the strands, her vision blurring, as her body began to convulse uncontrollably.

Hinata knew-she knew exactly what was happening.

Her transformation was starting-again.

It was all because of her curse, a rare affliction that had marked her from birth.

Unlike most werewolves who only transformed with the full moon, she was cursed to shift at any moment, regardless of the moon's influence.

While many werewolves might view this as a gift-the chance to run wild and free as a wolf, to feel the ground beneath their paws, and to embrace their primal side whenever they pleased-her curse was far from a blessing.

Her curse was cruel, merciless.

She had absolutely no control over any of her transformations.

They struck without warning, transforming her into a beast at any hour, on any day, whether the moon was full or not.

It didn't matter.

And the devastation caused by such a curse, the things she had done during her transformations, were horrifying-unforgivable.

She had hurt so many people, and made so many enemies.

She did things she deeply regretted, and some she still struggled to remember.

She hated that side of herself so much.

Her curse was the very reason she was shunned, why her pack had branded her an abomination, and why she was constantly on the run, always alone.

A lone wolf.

The beast inside her was no ally. It was a constant threat, always lurking, ready to tear away her humanity the second she let her guard down.

And now, it was happening again-the very monster she had fought so hard to control was taking over, dragging her back into its wretched claws.

Another agonized cry tore from Hinata as her bones twisted and contorted grotesquely beneath her tattered dress. Each shift and snap felt like fiery daggers slicing through her flesh, a visceral, mind-numbing pain that seemed to rip her body apart from the inside out.

Her claws burst out from her fingertips beyond her control, tearing into the earth as she gripped the ground with desperation, trying to anchor herself against the relentless pain.

But it was no use.

Her teeth elongated, forcing their way out of her mouth, and the shift in her jaw felt like it was being wrenched apart by invisible hands. Her mouth twisted into a snarl, her cries muffled.

The transformation was a brutal assault on her senses-every crack and shift of her bones, every wave of ceaseless pain, felt like unending torture. The agony was so overwhelming that it drowned out all thought, leaving her only able to focus on the immediate, searing pain as her body contorted against her will.

Yet, despite the torment, she could still hear-faintly.

She could make out the hunters' voices again, slicing through the trees, their taunts growing louder and louder.

They were getting closer.

She needed to get away.

She needed to escape.

She needed to-

"There you are!"

"Gotcha!"

Hinata gasped, her body jerking around to confront the horrifying sight of the two hunters emerging from the woods, weapons ready.

Her teary eyes widened in sheer horror.

It was those very weapons before her now that had caused so much of her suffering-

Silver-tipped guns, loaded with silver bullets coated in wolfsbane.

They aimed their instruments of torment directly at her writhing form, cornering her. Hinata desperately tried to squirm away, to crawl across the grass, to do anything to escape, but her frantic efforts were in vain.

Besides, she could barely move.

Her transformation was still raging on, relentless.

Another bone in her arm snapped with a nauseating crack, and she let out a bone-chilling scream of agony, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Get away from me! Stay away!" Hinata screamed, her voice cracking with desperation.

One of the hunters snickered, nudging his partner with a mocking grin, "Aww, look at that," He taunted, his smirk widening as he looked back at her, "Your body's not holding up too well, is it? Didn't like the wolfsbane, did ya?"

"St-Stop," Hinata pleaded weakly.

The other hunter chuckled darkly, clearly relishing her suffering, "Good thing for us. Made her helluva a lot more docile. Maybe now she'll play nice."

"N-No!" She cried out.

The hunter's began to circle around her, their silver-tipped guns gleaming menacingly in the dim light of the crescent moon.

They poked at her shifting body with the barrels of their weapons, their faces wearing a mask of cold, cruel satisfaction, as if she were nothing more than an insect to be crushed. Each jab of the guns pierced through her gown and dug into her skin, their persistent poking only intensifying the pain she was already experiencing.

"Tsk, werewolves are such a pain in the ass," One of them spat dismissively, "Always such a hassle to deal with."

Hinata sobbed, helpless, "Pl-please, no, please," She begged, struggling to come to terms with the nightmare unfolding before her.

The crushing reality hit her hard-she had been caught, and the fear of what was coming next was overwhelming, throwing her heart in a pounding frenzy.

She was going to die!

Her heart raced as she struggled to move, instinctively swatting away their guns when they came too close. But her attempts only seemed to either anger or... amuse them further-she couldn't quite tell which.

"Did she just-?" The hunter to her right sneered, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his gun, "She actually pushed our guns away." His voice wavered between disbelief and rage, his face twisting into a manic grin as he processed the audacity of her action.

"Can you believe it? She actually had the nerve to lay her hands on our weapons!" His voice climbed to a frenzied pitch, revealing just how unhinged he was. The idea of her daring to touch their guns seemed to drive him to the brink of mania, as if she'd committed a personal affront, the ultimate insult.

"No, no! I-I didn't mean to-!" Hinata screeched, biting back tears as another bone in her body shattered amid her desperate struggle.

"Ooh, she's really asking for it now," The hunter on her left chimed in, a cruel grin spreading across his scarred face as he pulled his gun away and casually draped it across the back of his neck.

Suddenly, the hunter on her right crouched down, the metal of his gun cold and unforgiving as he pressed the barrel firmly against her chest, directly over her heart.

"No, no, oh kami!" Hinata sobbed in sheer terror, her body trembling violently as she tried to pull away, but her efforts were futile.

The hunter's eyes gleamed with a dark, sadistic pleasure, his expression twisted into a cruel grin. He pressed the barrel of the gun deeper into her chest, "Just for that, I want to see you squirm," He hissed, his voice dripping with venom and derision.

"Squirm like the worthless little bitch you are."

His face was now just inches from hers, his unshaven features rugged and scarred. And as Hinata breathed in, the stench of stale whiskey and tobacco on his breath struck her with a nauseating force.

At that very moment, Hinata found herself questioning who the real monster was-herself or him.

His expression twisted with rage, but there was a dark, unsettling intensity in his eyes that seemed to feed off her pain, her cries.

Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She couldn't contain them any longer.

She could feel it-death.

It felt imminent, its darkness looming so close she could almost see it, intensifying her terror tenfold.

Hinata's pleas grew more frantic and desperate, each word a cry for mercy that seemed to go unheard.

"Please, don't! I'm b-begging you!" Her voice cracked under the weight of her pain and fear, while her body twisted uncontrollably with each agonizing shift she desperately tried to resist, even now.

"Yeah, that's it!"

"Beg! Just like that, ya mangy mutt!"

Hinata's sobs faded to a quiet whimper as she cowered in despair, her tears flowing steadily down her cheeks, dripping off her chin.

There was nothing she could do.

Pleading was useless, merely lost amidst the hunters' mocking laughter and cruel taunts that echoed all around her, drowning out everything else.

There was nowhere to run, and with the wolfsbane coursing through her system, her strength was gone.

And, of course, she couldn't force herself to fight back or, worse, go through with her transformation.

She didn't want to, couldn't bring herself to become... a monster.

She was trapped.

And it was at that moment, a sudden, chilling realization hit her with full force, gripping her tightly.

Maybe, just maybe, death isn't so bad...

She has to face it-her entire life has been nothing but hell.

Pain. Despair.

Struggle. Suffering.

Loneliness.

That was her life.

Her life was torment, a living nightmare-a cycle of struggle and suffering that seemed to never end.

Constantly battling her own nature, always fleeing from hunters, she was trapped in a never-ending loop of letdowns, disappointments, and bloodshed. Barely surviving, merely escaping death by the skin of her teeth.

Never truly knowing what it felt like to be safe.

Maybe...she was losing her mind, or maybe it was the wolfsbane taking its toll, but in that desperate moment, the thought of escaping-of finally being free from her endless suffering through death-almost felt... comforting.

It felt...

But before Hinata could finish her thought, the hunter's harsh, mocking laughter before her was suddenly silenced.

In fact, everything went silent.

Hinata's tear-filled, glowing lavender eyes darted up to the hunter's face, and she watched in stunned horror as his body stiffened, his eyes bulging with disbelief and terror.

Without any warning, blood erupted from his mouth in a violent spray, drenching Hinata as it splattered across her face.

She screamed in terror as the hot, sticky blood momentarily blinded her, like sharp shards of it rushing at her with full force. She instinctively lurched backward as the blood splattered all over her, covering her hair, cheeks, eyes, and chin, mixing with her tears.

The second hunter's panicked scream pierced the night next, ringing in her ears. She quickly pulled herself together and snapped her head toward him, her lavender eyes cutting through the sea of blood.

Nervously, she swallowed as she saw him just...standing there, frozen, his widened eyes fixed downward. Hinata followed the second hunter's horrified gaze, and what she saw left her in utter disbelief.

A clawed hand, covered with blood, emerged through the man's chest before her, ripping through his heart with brutal force.

And in the next moment, the man's body was violently split in two.

The clawed hand inside the hunter's body was joined by another, and with a savage yank, the man's torso was wrenched completely apart. Blood gushed in torrents, splattering all over Hinata and the remaining hunter, soaking them in another horrific spray.

But what she saw next took her breath away entirely.

From the split body, a dark figure emerged, towering over Hinata's crouched form with a presence that was overwhelmingly dominating.

The figure was tall and broad, a relentless force of nature.

A man, no...

Hinata's chest heaved with ragged breaths, her vision blurring at the edges.

A werewolf.

She could feel the undeniable aura of it, clear and unambiguous now that it stood before her.

And in that very moment, all her pain and fear seemed to melt away as she locked eyes with the crimson slits of its gaze, amidst the wild, shifting dance of his blonde spiky hair in the night wind.

Those eyes gleamed with a predatory light, radiating the same raw, untamed power that had just been unleashed.

Hinata caught only a brief glimpse of the blonde werewolf before he vanished into thin air, leaving the remaining hunter in stunned disbelief.

"H-Holy shit-arghh!" The hunter's cry of horror was abruptly cut off, his voice fading into the night as he too was engulfed by the werewolf's wrath.

Hinata gasped, her head whipping to the left to face yet another gruesome sight: the remaining hunter's head was cleanly severed from his body, flying through the air before hitting the forest floor with a sickening thud.

The headless body crumpled to its knees, soon after, and its gun fell to the ground with a hollow clatter.

At that moment, the male werewolf from before slipped from the shadows of the fallen hunter's body, looming over Hinata once more.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, and she instinctively looked down, too intimidated to meet his gaze.

His presence was overpowering, and even with her gaze lowered, she could feel the intensity of his dominance-something so primal and raw that she hadn't felt in years.

Not since she was cast out from her own pack.

She could sense it, clear as day.

He was an alpha-definitely the leader of his pack.

Hinata shuddered, keeping her head lowered, not daring to meet his gaze.

She knew better than to look an alpha in the eye.

The air now was incredibly thick, heavy with a tense heat that seemed to press down on her, making it hard to breathe, to think.

He tossed what was left of the hunters aside as if they were nothing, their bodies hitting the ground with all the weight of discarded trash. He moved closer, closing the distance between them with an effortless grace that made her heart pound even harder.

She should've been terrified.

Everything about her current situation screamed danger.

Here she was, face-to-face with the alpha of another pack-she'd probably trampled into his territory by mistake, his pack's territory. She could have angered or insulted him just by being here.

The fact that she hadn't sensed his presence before, the violence and bloodshed he'd unleashed, and what he had done to those hunters were all warning signs of danger on their own.

But she wasn't terrified-not of him, not at all.

Instead, something else tugged at her-an intense, primal instinct she couldn't ignore or deny, no matter how hard she tried.

Hinata felt it in her bones, an attraction she couldn't fight, something raw and magnetic that made it hard to think of anything else but him. But even with the storm of emotions swirling inside her, she couldn't overlook the fact that he had just saved her.

She knew she had to show her gratitude.

"Th-Thank you-" She managed to whisper, but her words died in her throat and a yelp surfaced when she felt his bloody hand suddenly grab a hold of her chin.

He tilted her face up, forcing her to look at him, and she struggled not to faint right then and there.

The scent of him hit her like a powerful wave, no, like a tsunami. It was all-consuming, earthy and wild, and it made her head spin in the best way.

His thumb brushed across her cheek, smearing more blood on her face.

"You're shifting," He said, almost like an observation. His voice was deep, rough, vibrating through her chest.

Hinata's body shuddered, but not just from her slow transformation. The heat that surged through her had more to do with him than the change.

It was so... strange.

She'd never felt like this before, not with any other werewolf. Her body felt like it was on fire, every nerve buzzing, and she couldn't stop herself from trembling.

The blonde werewolf glanced up at the night sky, frowning at the sight of the crescent moon, "And it's not even a full moon," He muttered, clearly confused.

"How the hell is this happening?"

Hinata barely registered his words; she was mesmerized, her eyes locked onto him, unable to look away no matter how hard she tried.

The male werewolf before her felt almost godlike-a vision so mesmerizing it made her lightheaded. His skin was the perfect shade of tan, not too dark, not too light, just right. Every muscle in his body seemed to ripple beneath his bloody clothes, tight and defined, exuding so much power.

His crimson, slitted eyes locked onto hers with a warmth that seemed almost predatory, tracing every feature of her face with a relentless, scrutinizing gaze.

He took in the sight of her glowing lavender eyes, her midnight blue hair, her delicate button nose, her razor-sharp teeth, and her soft, plump lips. He even looked down, taking in the white fur that was beginning to cover her arms.

He clicked his tongue, before gently brushing the blood from her face with his thumb, letting it linger before moving down to trace her lips.

Hinata shuddered, the simple touch sending a shockwave through her body.

His touch felt like a breath of fresh air, filling her lungs with an unexpected mix of power, strength, and-strangely-comfort. She couldn't quite explain it, but his touch gave her something she didn't even know she needed.

There was an undeniable allure about him that drew her in, making her forget the pain, the fear.

She couldn't ignore the way he made her feel, how he made her experience emotions unlike anything she had before.

For the first time in ages, she actually felt... alive.

Safe. Comforted. Secure.

"What's your name?" He asked abruptly, yanking her out of her trance.

Hinata shuddered, caught off guard by his sudden question. Her grip tightened on the grass beneath her, her mind racing.

"H-Hinata," She managed to stammer.

"Full name," He pressed.

"Hinata Hyuga," She replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Mmm." He nodded, a low moan of approval escaping his lips, "Well then, Hinata, I must acknowledge once more that you're in the midst of a transformation. I'm not sure how or why this is happening, but I can help you."

"Help me?" She echoed, confusion and disbelief mingling in her voice.

"Yes," He said simply, "I can help you calm down and, hopefully, stop your transformation altogether."

Hinata gazed up at him, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in shock.

She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

She had never encountered anything like what he spoke of before, nor had anyone ever offered such help. Her encounters with her own kind-or with people in general-were so rare that she'd seldom been offered assistance, much less this kind of intervention.

Yet, she'd lived long enough to know that once a werewolf began their transformation, there was no stopping it-not for her, at least. Her unique, cursed condition had never allowed for any exceptions.

Still, his offer was...tempting.

"H-How?" Hinata blurted out, intrigued.

"Shh." The blonde werewolf gently placed a finger over his lips.

"Close your eyes."

Hinata's breath hitched, but she obeyed, closing her eyes with a trembling exhale. As soon as her eyes shut, she felt his strong hand sliding to the back of her head, guiding her gently into the warmth of his chest.

He hovered close to her seated form, wrapping her in a firm yet reassuring embrace that felt both unfamiliar but oh-so-comforting.

Hinata couldn't deny how good it felt.

She let out a sigh of bliss.

She soon found herself surrendering to the embrace, relaxing in his arms as his other hand began to gently pet her. His clawed fingers glided through her hair with soothing strokes-back and forth-each one calming her further.

His chest was warm and steady against her cheek, and she could feel the gentle rise and fall of his breath, the rhythmic pulse of his blood through his veins, and the steady, powerful thud of his heart.

Ba-bum.

Ba-bum.

It was pure heaven.

His lips hovered close to her ear as he spoke, his voice a low, soothing rumble that seemed to resonate through her very bones.

"Calm your senses," He whispered softly, each word wrapping around her as warmly as the embrace he held her in.

"Quiet the chaos in your mind."

The gentle warmth of his breath against her ear, coupled with his deep, steady voice, was exactly what she needed.

Hinata found herself drawn to the rich tone of his voice almost instantly, as if it were the only anchor in the tempest of her mind, the one thing she could cling to.

"Focus on me, on my voice, Hinata."

She let out a deep sigh, and in that moment, she settled, finally allowing her guard to drop.

The blonde werewolf's voice was like a calming lullaby, his words a lifeline. His voice was like a gentle hand, guiding her away from the pain and into a place of peace she hadn't known she could reach.

It felt as if his words were reaching deep into the heart of her chaos, gently easing it away, layer by layer.

"You're safe now," He murmured.

"You're going to be okay," He reassured.

"The pain is gone. The fear is gone. I've taken care of it for you, Hinata," He added.

Hinata whimpered softly, her arms instinctively reaching out to grip the blonde werewolf's shirt tightly, crumpling the fabric between her fingers.

She couldn't deny it-she was overwhelmed, hit with a flood of emotions she couldn't quite place-touched, comforted, and saddened all at once.

The flood of emotions pressed heavily on her, but there was something strangely soothing about it all.

It was something in the way he spoke-the genuine tone of his voice, the sincerity behind his words, and even the gentle way he stroked her hair-that made her believe him.

His words seemed to reach deep inside her, convincing her body and soul that they were true.

Those were words she hadn't realized she needed to hear until she heard them.

In no time at all, she could sense a significant change within herself.

The wild frenzy that had overtaken her began to gradually subside, her animalistic body responding calmly to the blonde werewolf's soothing presence. It felt as though his calming influence was unraveling her transformation, bringing her back to herself, bit by bit.

Her heart, which had been racing like a runaway train, began to gradually slow down. The frantic pounding phased into a steady, rhythmic beat, almost like it was catching its breath.

Next, the sharp, jagged pain in her bones began to fade. She could actually feel them shifting and realigning, sliding back into their proper positions as if nothing had ever happened. It was a gentle realignment, soothing the once unbearable ache she once felt throughout her entire body.

The white fur that had begun to cover her arms and legs gradually vanished, causing her limbs to shrink back to their normal size. And as the fur receded, her pale skin slowly reappeared beneath it.

Her teeth, once viciously sharp and elongated, pulled back to their normal, less threatening size. The intense, otherworldly glow in her eyes softened and dimmed beneath her closed lids, leaving them with a more natural, calming hue.

It felt like sinking into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Hinata's entire body, which had been tense and in agony, now felt completely relaxed. The throbbing pain from her once-broken bones seemed to melt away, forgotten.

She forgot about the searing sting of her wound and the burning wolfsbane coursing through her veins.

At that moment, she let it all just...slip away.

The primal force-the untamed beast within her that she had never been able to control-was finally tamed.

For the first time in her life, her curse felt genuinely under control, something Hinata had never imagined possible, all thanks to the strange but incredibly remarkable effect the mysterious blonde werewolf had on her.

It was truly extraordinary.

After a few tense moments, followed by a gradual calm, Hinata sensed a subtle shift in the air around them.

She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to clear her vision. She didn't need to look directly at him to feel the blonde werewolf's intense gaze, as if his eyes were penetrating through her.

She could tell he was watching her closely, noticing every detail of her condition-her heartbeat, her breathing, and the crackling in her bones that had now stopped. He also saw her once feral appearance beginning to settle as well.

Hinata glanced up, still feeling a bit dazed, but even still she saw his intense gaze soften as he realized she was all back to normal, and his plan had worked.

A look of relief spread across his tanned face, which seemed almost unusual for someone like him to show.

He leaned back slightly to get a better look at her, letting out a relieved chuckle, "Wow, that actually worked," He said, his voice carrying a mix of relief and amazement, as if he was mentally patting himself on the back for his successful intervention.

Hinata's eyes were heavily lidded, her body slumped against the grass. She felt calm and a whole lot better-better than she had in a long time.

Still, she couldn't shake her confusion.

She blinked slowly, struggling to find her voice, "H-H-How did you-?" She began to ask, but her words were cut off as he suddenly pulled his large hands forward, cupping her cheeks to tilt her head gently, back and forth.

His touch was oddly intimate for someone she had just met.

"Are you hurt? How do you feel?" He asked in a slightly frantic tone.

Hinata was about to respond that she was fine when his red, slitted eyes caught sight of the bloody wound on her right thigh. His expression shifted to one of deep concern, and he immediately reached out, gripping her leg with a firm hand.

"Shit, you're not healing." He head snapped up at her, his red slitted eyes blazing with fury, "Those fucking bastards did this to you, didn't they?" His voice was full of raw anger that took Hinata by surprise. She gasped, caught off guard by his hostile reaction, and found herself stunned, unable to respond.

No one had cared for her like this in so long.

For a moment, she was speechless, her mouth opening and closing, struggling to find words.

Finally, she nodded, admitting the truth.

She knew exactly who he was referring to-those damn hunters.

"Y-Yes. But I'm fine, really." She shook her head, "It doesn't hurt."

Naruto growled low in his chest, the sound rumbling through the air.

"Don't lie to me," He snarled, his red slitted eyes narrowing with suspicion, "You're bleeding, you're hurt, and you're not healing." His grip tightened slightly on her thigh as he glared at the wound, clearly unconvinced by her attempt to downplay the pain.

"You're not fine."

Hinata gulped, her body tensing up, "I-I-I-"

"And there's something else..." He muttered, mostly to himself, a look of confusion crossing his face. Without warning, he leaned down and sniffed her wound, making Hinata gasp in surprise and squirm.

"Wh-What are you doing?"

He growled, "Wolfsbane."

Straightening up, he continued, "There was wolfsbane coated in the bullet that hit you. It's now in your blood." He shook his head, his expression hardening.

"That needs to be removed immediately."

Hinata shook her head, protesting, "I-I said I'm fine-kyahh!"

Before Hinata could finish her sentence, she suddenly felt herself lifted into the air. Her lavender eyes widened in shock as she spotted her bare feet dangling just inches across from her, the ground far below. The blonde werewolf had scooped her up into his arms, cradling her like a child.

She gasped, her feet kicking in protest, "N-No, I-I can walk-!"

"No. I don't want you walking," He cut her off, leaving no room for any arguments.

Hinata fell still, pouting.

"You need to be cleaned up."

The blonde alpha wolf's face remained stern, but his eyes softened with a touch of amusement.

A faint smirk curved his lips.

"Lucky for you, I know just the place."

Before Hinata could even blink or react, he vanished in a flash, whisking her away into the night.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

End Of Part #1