Visually, I'm going by the manga, NOT the anime (E.G: Youichi's hair in the manga is more of a brownish color compared to the anime, etc.)

This is odd to say, but a movie that has NOTHING to do with wolves or werewolves inspired me to write this LMAO

Gakuen Alice owned by Higuchi Tachibana

Canine Domain: Trilogy Bundle [Story 1]

Chapter 1. Happenstance

Mikan

My eyes opened up. The light from the moonlight on the other side of the room barely hit the covers on my bed. The blue tint on the walls showed a dim glow. Just like I left it last night, the dresser near my bay window had every drawer opened while the small amount of makeup packets that Sumire left yesterday still messily laid near the mirror. My clothes were scattered everywhere, dirty linen mixed in with my clean ones. A small light breeze wafted through the partially opened window, making the beige, heavy curtains sway around.

I let out a groan as my hands traveled behind my body to stretch. I looked at the digital clock mounted on the wall right behind my bed and moaned in misery. It was only five in the morning, another hour until I really had to get up and get ready for school. A loud thud from outside my window caught my attention. I furrowed my brows, throwing my body back onto my bed, praying to go back to the deep slumber I was in before.

Thud!

I threw my covered over my bed and gave in to my instincts. My legs swung to the edge of the bed, immediately making chills travel through my body as the air on the other side of the covers deeply contrasted from within. The white tank top I wore every night for bed was wrinkled up towards my chest, looking more like a breastplate than a tank top. I hastily stood up, dropping my blanket on the floor, and stomped over to the open window.

The moment I pushed away the curtains out of my way, I found myself staring to the window of my neighbor's window. The fact that I was staring over there wasn't odd, it was the fact that I actually had neighbors and didn't know! The house next door was always put up for sale; every owner stayed there for around a few weeks then left (well that's what the previous owner of my house said to me). Maybe it was haunted… Well the point is that I've owned this house for three years and not a single person ever moved in to that house.

The light to the window I stared at turned off and another window illuminated. Another thud escaped from the house. So they're the reason why I woke up this early! I closed the window, hoping to block out the loud bangs that came from my new neighbors. My light brown hair fluttered in the small breeze that entered my room until I closed my window. A thud was heard again, this time less thunderous.

"Oh thank goodness," I sighed out.

I looked back at the clock, deciding to get ready for school now. I closed my curtains, then picked up the mess in my room. I would've had more time, but since Sumire came over to talk about how another boy broke her heart, I fell asleep later than usual. I sighed again as I picked and folded every piece of clean clothing I found while piling the dirty ones onto my bed. Sumire's makeup was easy to put away since she also left her bag here.

After twenty minutes of cleaning my room, I finally walked out of my room and down the stairs. The house I'm currently staying at was my parents' dream home. They died three years ago, and bought the house right before the tragic accident. Apparently they left this house along with all the money they had to me. I live alone in this empty house. Most of the time, I wish they were still alive…

I let out a yawn as I step into the kitchen. It was as modern as any two story house could get. I grabbed a bowl along with a spoon and a box of cereal. Since the milk was already spoiled, that's how I could eat it right now. I looked at the silver spoon, successfully throwing it into the empty sink. How could a spoon be useful when I'm eating cereal without milk? I finished my dry breakfast, accompanying the spoon in the sink with the bowl I just used (why did I even use it?), then walked back up into my room to get dressed for school.

I guess I made good time, since normally I would always run late. I let out a small chuckled. I should thank the neighbors for it. I quickly put on my school uniform, which consists of a red plaid skirt and bow, and a grey jacket with a white undershirt, and ran towards the garage door. Taking another look at the living room clock this time, I nodded in satisfaction, though this might be the only time I will ever be on time. Making sure that all the door are locked, I slid into my small, blue car, with my books on the passenger seat, and drove out, taking another glance at the house right of mine.

It looked like someone was remodeling the house. It was about time! It wasn't the best looking house on the street, but it did make my own look like it was a complete mess. A black Mustang, along with three fairly new motorcycles and a green Camaro, were parked next to the house. The new family must be rich! If they were, why would then buy a house in this city. It wasn't the biggest city, heck it was more a town! We were completely surrounded by trees.

Shaking my head, I drove away from the street and to my school. My eyes began to beg for sleep as I drove. Scratch my earlier thought about thanking my neighbors… The drive to the school normally didn't take long. It was just weird seeing the parking lot for the students barely full of cars. I easily maneuvered my way through the lot and into a parking space. Grabbing my books, I turned off my car, and slid out. The car alarm beeped the moment I pressed the guard button on my key.

"Miiiiiikkkkaaaaaaaaan!" a voice shrieked out the moment I stepped into the school hallway, a voice I knew all too well. I nearly dropped my books when Sumire grabbed my shoulders. "It's so odd to see you this early at school," she told me. Her voice was again back to normal (normally rude) when compared to yesterday.

"I woke up early," I told her, holding onto the books in my hands tighter. "Is that what you wanted to tell me? It sounded like you heard the 'latest news'," I emphasized, hinting that it was more gossip to me than news.

More of my peers entered the school, girls began to talk to each other, giggling about what they just heard.

"I did!" Sumire beamed with happiness. "I heard that there are going to be a few new students starting today and I-" she pointed her thumb at herself, "-along with some other guy get to be their guide."

I tilted my head to the side, confused. "What's so exciting about that?" I asked her. I readjusted the books in my hands, each feeling like they were getting heavier at every second I stood by the entrance. Damn me for waking up so early!

Sumire's green eyes shimmered. "Because, there is bound to be new guy students." Her eyes lost the shimmer, and she looked at me with annoyance. Positioning both her hands on each hip, she swayed to the right a bit. "Why else would I be happy about? This is my chance to catch myself a decent guy that isn't from here."

Sumire Shouda. The girl I've known for most of my lifetime. She wasn't actually from here; what she calls her true home is actually Tokyo. Sumire was an obvious city girl. When she first arrived here, her entire appearance screamed 'city'. Coming from a wealthy family, she was always the best dressed outside of school and stuck out like a movie star. Her physical appearance wasn't something to be ashamed of. Every guy in school practically drooled over her every time we walked through to hallways. She knew the charm she had and put that to good use.

Me, Mikan Sakura, was pretty much plain. I've been in this town for most of my life time, though my parents and I moved from house to house most of the time. I didn't come from a wealthy family nor am I fashionable. My brown hair flowed down my back, just like any other girl and my eyes don't pop out. In all, I'm actually very happy with my look. Standing out is what I used to do when I was younger and most of the time that attracted trouble.

We walked down the hallway, to get to our locker to change shoes. The entire way, Sumire kept going on about how she wished one of the guys to be (what she called her 'dream guy). She barely gave me any room to talk or even ask the question on the top of my head: what in the world happened to the miserable Sumire from last night?

On the way, group of people stood in front of the room that housed the lockers. Neither one of them seemed familiar to me. Two girls talked and giggled together while the another looked down at a piece of paper in her hands, and three guys (which I do have to admit are very attractive) stood together, talking quietly about the new school. We were a good few feet away enough for their talking to not be heard by me or Sumire, but my hearing has always been very well.

My green haired friend almost squealed when she spotted them, making all of them turn their heads towards us. I did feel this small pang of embarrassment inside of me, but the feeling was overwhelmed by joy; a feeling that I always get whenever I meet new people.

Sumire's curly front hairs sprang up and down and she dragged me towards them.

"You guys are the new students, right?" she asked, already knowing the answer, I bet.

She let go of my arm, practically making me fall to the floor. I regained my balance, giving a small glare at Sumire, and smiled at the six people in front of me, giving them a small wave with one of my hands while holding my books with the other.

"Shouda, right?" one of the girls said. Her hair shone in the light that the large windows on the other side of the hallway let through, her hair in a boy style haircut. Her voice sounded monotone-ish to me. Maybe she was tired or bored.

I looked at Sumire, waiting for her to answer. What she was doing did not surprise me at all; she was staring at the three guys than actually paying attention to the girl that just talked to her. "Sumire Shouda. That's me," she answered, actually surprising me with how she said it. It actually sounded very sincere, which was not her at all. Until a seconds later it hit me; she wasn't really answering the girl, she was more introducing herself to the three guys. I could feel my brow twitch in embarrassment and realization.

"We can't be here long, so direct us to the school office," the same girl commanded.

Everyone's eyes were on Sumire, waiting for her to say something. She gave the boys s flirty smile before she looked back at the raven haired girl. Was it me or did I feel tension in the air once their eyes met? I felt very uncomfortable.

"Uh, I can take you guys to the office," I jumped in between them, hoping that they wouldn't start a fight. "Just let me get my slippers and I'll show you guys the way," I said moving away from the rabid feeling the girls gave out and moved towards the room they sat in front of, pulling Sumire behind me. We quickly changed into my school shoes, feeling their impatience, and walked back to the group waiting for us.

The trip to the office was short, since we were still near the entrance of the school. The two giggling girls thanked us before we left them to talk to the principal of the school.

"Who does that girl think she is?" Sumire began to complain when walked back to our classroom. More and more students walked through the door, already hoping to catch a glimpse of the new students in the office. "I mean, talk about rude! Who commands a complete strange like that anyway?"

I laughed at Sumire's complaints. "You're one to talk. You completely ignored that girl and decided to flirt with the guys instead," I told her, in defense for the her. I felt the menacing vibe from the glare she gave me.

There are these rare times when Sumire and I would walked together. I would always come to school five minutes before the final school bell, barely any time to even talk to her. At other times, she would be with her other friends. Don't get me wrong, I have my own friends too, it's just that I feel like I'm more closer to Sumire than any other person in the school. The snobbish school girl and the peacemaker come together and make the best of friends. Odd right?

"It's not my fault those guys are fucking hot," Sumire exclaimed. I could have sworn I saw a little bit of drool droop down her lower lip. "Especially the one with the black hair." She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes in a dreamy fashion. "His red eyes are breath taking! I wouldn't mind staring into those eyes for the rest of my life."

I thought back to the group. The guy with the red eyes… "Okay, I admit he's hot," I said to her. I could feel my face start to heat up when the words and his image came together as one in my head. "But still, you could have been a little bit more nicer to everyone of them," I stressed out the word 'everyone'.

Sumire scoffed at my remark. "They were shown to the office, just like they wanted. That should be enough." She gave me a look that said 'happy?'. It was short, and was gone right after she saw another one of her friends.

The girls she hung out with wore too much makeup for my taste, and were too showy. Sumire might be like them on the outside, but I doubt any one of them knew the real Shouda. Other than being boy-crazy and kind of rude, she had a very nice side she rarely shown to anyone other than me. I don't know why she would hide that.

Sumire nudge me, snapping me out of my train of thought, and almost dropping my books. I looked to my side and saw that we already arrived at my homeroom.

"If you wanted to daydream, maybe you should've been late today," she told me, before giving me a quick smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. All in all, Sumire is a great friend, no matter how rudely she talked to me.

"You have no idea how badly I wished I stayed in bed," I told her. I looked at her friend, a girl with curly blonde hair. She tapped her foot impatiently on the ground, waiting for Sumire. "I'll see you during lunch," I said to her.

Sumire shook her head. "Actually I have a huuuuuge test," she said, stretching bother her arms away from each other. "And I have to show the new peeps around, so I try and catch you right after school, yeah?"

She didn't have a single book in her hand and she has a big test today? I envy her brain sometimes.

I nodded. "It's no problem at all," my voice not even cracking of disappointment. "Good luck on the test!" I walked inside my homeroom, hearing the blonde girl say 'finally!' to Sumire. My desk was second to last; the row right next to the windows.

I placed my books on my desk, hoping that I remembered the homework, then felt a light tap on my shoulder. My head turned, and I met a pair of blue eyes. They actually belonged to a boy. Studying his face a bit longer, I suddenly remembered who he was.

"Oh, it's you!" I exclaimed, pointing my index finger at her. "Wow, you guys didn't take long in the office, huh?"

He was in the group me and Sumire saw earlier. His blonde hair swayed back as he let out a laugh at my stupid comment. What surprised me even more what the fact that he was already wearing the school uniform for the guys: a grey jacket with matching grey pants, and a white undershirt, complimented with a red plaid tie.

"Yeah, that's me," he said to me, the moment he stopped laughing. His voice sounded so very sincere and, I can't lie, pleasant to hear. "The name's Ruka Nogi."

I beamed him a big smile. "My name's Mikan Sakura," I introduced. My head turned from side to side, expecting to see the rest of the people he was with earlier. Other than two or three students that sat in the front, no one was in the room. "Where is everyone else?"

Ruka placed one hand behind his head, as if he didn't know what to say. "Actually only a friend and I will be attending the school. The others wanted some more information about home schooling," he answered me. His hand never left the back. Was he nervous to talk to me? Or was it the answer?

"Which friend?" At this point, I sounded way too nosy. I waved my hands frantically in front of me, dismissing that question. "You don't have to answer that! Curiosity is getting the better of me," I laughed nervously and stopped waving my hands. "Did you have a question or…?"

"Ah! Yes I do." The smile he gave me could have easily made me swoon. I couldn't help it! He's just so attractive! Thank God for the desk behind me that held me up. "This is Mr. Tandai's homeroom, right?"

"Yes is it," I nodded at his question. "Do you have this class?" Part of me prayed that he did while the other half didn't care.

Ruka lightly shook his head, killing that part of me that wished he did. "No, my friend Natsume has this class," he said, turning towards the door of the classroom.

I looked off to where he was staring at. "Where is he?"

No one came inside the classroom. Like a few seconds ago, the door frame displayed the other students walking in the hallways.

"Does she need to repeat it twice? This is it, Natsume," Ruka said as if he was talking to someone right beside him.

I blinked twice at the blonde boy in front of me, then looked back at the door. The same guy that Sumire talked about earlier entered the classroom. The school uniform on him made him look like he was going to a very formal party than school. He didn't show any sign of interest of the classroom, instead he kept walking towards Ruka and I. Every step he took, I swore I could feel me heart pound faster and faster. Damn Sumire, she was on target when she said that Natsume was hot.

It took a lot in me to gain my normal composure and keep myself from blushing.

"Hi," I greeted in my normal cheery voice once he was right beside Ruka. "Guess we're classmate now, huh?"

Natsume didn't even let his mouth budge out a smile. He looked displeased to be honest. I could hear a low 'hn' escape him before he looked at Ruka.

"The others already left," he said to him.

They're friends? Hell, they're more like brothers! They both shared the same good looks and are opposites (like most siblings). Ruka seemed to be more approachable, while with Natsume…well anyone would be lucky to even get a word out of him.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer," Natsume said to me when he noticed I was staring at them. Okay, this time, I could let out a blush.

Unfortunately, for me I let out my tongue and a blush. Stupid me! I turned around to my desk and smacked my forehead. I haven't done that in a long time.

The rest of the day wasn't so bad. The moment the final school bell rang, Ruka left to the classroom right next to this one. And lucky for me, Natsume sat at the opposite end of the room. I didn't want to face him after my childish act, it felt embarrassing! He was introduced right after our teacher called out names. Natsume was quiet the entire time he was being introduced. He looked peeved at the fact that Mr. Tandai tried to joke around with him.

The moment he walked back to his desk, the giggling and the whispering started. The guys in the classroom seemed to immediately like him, not as much as the girls. Other than me, almost every girl tried so hard to get a word out of him. Poor him. We went through the lesson swiftly and as quickly as the day came, it was already lunch time.

I thought that the guys might have trouble finding a place to sit. How wrong was I. The moment they had their lunch trays in their hands, they were immediately called by every girl that they passed. Between both of them, it looked like Natsume was the leader. He walked towards the table where the guys from the classroom sat, and not surprising they already accepted Ruka into their little group. Honestly, I don't get boys.

The last three classes of the day seemed to go by so fast. Maybe it was because I woke up early? Before I knew it, I was already out in the parking lot waiting for Sumire. This time I only had history homework, so the book bundle decreased. I leaned against my car, looking out at the school. The buses already left, so I was sure she would walk out those doors at any minute.

To my disappointment, her blonde friend from earlier came up to me instead.

"You're Mikan, right?" she asked. Her voice sounded snobby.

"That's right," I answered in the nicest way possible.

"Sumire said she won't be able to meet you today because she had tutoring," the girl informed me. Part of me wished she would just go back inside the school or just go home; the way she looked at me made the self-esteem I have go down.

Suddenly, as if forced to, she gave me the sweetest smile any person could give. I couldn't help but give a very strange look.

"Thanks for telling me," I said to her carefully. She was probably waiting for that.

"It's no problem at all. I'm so very sorry about it though," she told me in a loud voice.

I knew better.

I knew she was lying about that. Wondering what suddenly made her act this way, I turned around and spotted Ruka and Natsume near a car. Natsume was talking through a cell phone while Ruka waited for him to finish. I should have known.

Ruka spotted me and gave me a wave. I barely gave him a wave before Sumire's friend got in front of me and frantically waved back at him like crazy. I saw Ruka give her a funny smile. The blonde girl probably thought he was giving her an inviting smile because she practically pranced towards him, giving me a very disingenuous goodbye. I hate being used, and she definitely used me to make her look like a little angel.

I shook my head, and entered my car. Making sure that my book was right beside me, I turned on the engine and drove out of the school.

Like the drive this morning, the trip back to my house wasn't long. The October wind felt good against my body as I drove back. The city of Hirashio might be a small place, but it was so quaint and inviting. The small shops were always kept clean, the park was filled with families by the end of the day, and almost everyone knew everybody. I loved it here.

Once I was home, I didn't lose the chance to take another look at my neighbor's house, hoping to get a glimpse at one of the owners. I didn't want to be caught staring twice again, so I entered my house and went straight to the kitchen.

Just like everyday, I made myself a quick meal, went to the living room to watch some TV, then back up to my room to start on my homework. It was a regular routine for me. I didn't have a job yet, and the question about how this house keeps running like it does never escapes my head. I always assumed that it was part of my parent's doing right before they died, but it was an instant death.

I let out a sigh. There's no use thinking about this now. I shook my head, focused my mind on the book in front of me.

During the night, I kept hearing the thuds from next door. I was smart to remember leave my window closed this time. As I laid on my bed, I begged my eyes to sleep soundly, to no avail. Letting out a sigh, I looked up at my clock, and read the upside down numbers.

Midnight.

Just like the night before, I walked over to my large bay window but this time with my blanket wrapped around me. I opened the curtains and looked outside. I wasn't tired at all. My eyes traveled around my own backyard. It was always kept clear by some guy that comes here every Thursday. How this house gets paid for is a huge mystery for me.

My backyard had a large grass area, while the medium-sized pool had it's own spot right near the small deck of the house. The very far end of my property had trees planted in a scattered manner until finally ending at the edge of the woods. Surrounding the entire neighborhood, the woodland went as far as to the edge of the next city. It didn't even cut through Hirashio, because the neighborhood I live in was at the outer edge of the city limits and near the rural borderline.

I sighed as I remembered when I was young, one of the houses my parents and I lived in had a small wooded area behind our house. One day, when I was playing outside, I ran towards the woods as I chased a stray cat that suddenly popped into the backyard. Luckily for them, the woods was small and my parents easily found me. I was scolded for running away like that, saying that it was dangerous to run into the woods and that I shouldn't do it again.

Since that day, I never did.

I let out a sigh again, this time a happy one. I love remembering the times I had with my parents.

Something caught my eye. Right at the very edge of the property, an animal ran from and into my backyard. It was fast and was almost entirely black, but the moonlight gave me enough light to make out what it was.

A dog. A very large dog.

I stayed in place, watching the canine run to the deck then to the side of the pool, the again near the wooden fence that surrounded my property. I saw it squat and sniff a few times, which seemed kind of like an odd behavior for a stray. I expected it to try and sniff out any garbage I might have, but not actually just sniff the air and run around.

I squinted my eyes, hoping that I would have a better look at the rather large stray running around on my lawn. The fur seemed long, kind of furry. A Siberian husky? An Alaskan malamute? I leaned nearer towards the window, wanting to know what kind of dog it was. As if wanting to answer my curiosity, the animal stopped and began to sniff again. This time I could see it face, and I could clearly tell what it was.

Not a common stray dog, but a wolf.

My curiosity was at full peak. This area was full of wolves, though they barely came in contact with people. To be able to see a wolf, and right in my backyard was incredible for me! I leaned in further, until the glass of the window stopped me from going any further. I wanted to take a closer look, but if I left for the backdoor then it might already be gone. Instead, I opened the window.

The wolf heard the creaking of the window, and swiftly turned his head towards me. Right there, I was mesmerized. This wolf had very dark fur with beautiful red eyes that just popped out at me. Something small, I couldn't tell what it was, glistened near his ear. I stared at him, the night breeze moved my hair from behind me, blocking some of my view as it flown to the front.

I stared at him, and he stared at me.

We were both in a silent staring contest, neither one of us giving in to each other. I blinked a few times to hydrate my eyes, while the wolf occasionally blinked. He didn't look threatened by me. I wouldn't blame him. I doubt I could even hold up a fight against him.

I moved forward, my head almost passing the frame, and the blanket already on the floor underneath me. His eyes narrowed. Something about him…he seemed so different. He doesn't seem like any other wolf I've seen on TV. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I couldn't talk. He just looks so incredible and fascinating.

Without turning his head, the wolf back up to the woods again. His eyes still on me, as if challenging me to move towards him.

My eyes widened. "Ah…don't go," I said in a low voice, extending my hand towards him as far as I could.

I quickly turned around and ran out the door, through the house to get to the backdoor. Every step I took seemed more like baby steps than the strides I took every time I walked or ran. I finally reached the door, my hand stretched towards the doorknob, hoping that the wolf didn't leave. I opened the door.

The night was silent, excluding the crickets that chirped for any female counterpart. He was gone. Curious to know exactly what he was doing in my back yard, I walked towards the corner of the wooden deck. I could see a wet spot in that area.

I knew what it was. "Why did he pee on the deck?"

So…every time he squatted down, he peed? Why? I shook my head and headed back inside. I can't think about that right now. Tomorrow I have school and I can't afford to sleep in class. Being late is one thing, but sleeping is another, and all (and I mean all) of my teachers hate it whenever someone sleeps during class.

I took another look behind me, before I went inside and closed the door behind me. It wasn't until I got inside that I realized I stood out in the freezing cold without my coat.

Natsume

The faint lingering odor of wolves still hung around this area. I scanned the around, used my sense to make sure no other wolf or pack was tailing me. I was on my own for now, encountering a pack was not something I wanted to do right now. This area was huge, thank God Tsubasa offered to start marking our new territory earlier today.

I raised my muzzle in the air, sniffing for any other signs of wolves. Immediately turned back, my body tingled with defense. It was only a deer, though my body stilled with caution. I turned my head back around, my earring jingled along with my movement, targeted a tree for my new scent mark.

Throughout the night, I ran amid the large wooded area, going to a particular tree to expand the scent of my pack before I ran to find a new one. I could feel my paws start aching for a slight second before the pain went away. The faint smell of wolf kept getting strong and strong every time I ran farther away from the city. I immediately paused, my wolf susceptibilities kept telling me that there was danger around. I took another whiff and confirmed it. They were just wolves, not like us.

If I kept running towards the stronger end of the scent, I'm pretty sure I'd be beaten and torn apart by the pack of the territory. Damn it all. Damn the life I had to go through just to gain this new ground. The sense of danger became stronger, my body cautiously moved around to verify what danger was around me. The odor of wolf became strong. I knew that I couldn't stand a chance against them unless my entire pack was with me.

Without a second thought, I ran back in the direction I came from. I hate to admit that fact that at these kinds of moments I am weak when alone, but there's no fact denying it. Every step I took, the odor of the other pack diminished little by little and the scent of my own came on strong. I stopped running, and looked up in the sky. I could barely see through the tree, hell, what's worse is that I couldn't see any type of color! The one thing I did recognize was light. The sky was brighter than when I first left the house.

I had to go home.

I darted through the trees to the familiar grounds of my home. It took longer than I would've hoped. Damn, now I'm going to have to listen to Narumi lecture me about t being so late.

Once on the property, I spotted a tool shed. The door was still open, just how I left it. I entered the shed, locating my clothes near the back corner. Going through the same process as last night, I closed my eyes and felt my entire body transform. My fur didn't shed to the ground; instead it disappeared, exposing my bare skin to the cold. I could feel my bones shape-shift back into my human bones. I took one last look at one of my paws, and saw it grow longer and lighter. Finally, I could see the colors around me (it was still dark, but I don't give a damn), and my own fingers.

The moment I was done transforming, I was crouched on the ground. A shiver traveled rapidly trough my entire body at that instant. I grabbed my clothes from the corner, hastily put them on, then nonchalantly walked out of the shed. I've done this so many times before, it's starting to become boring. At the beginning, my body would ache for weeks right after every transformation, but I've gotten used to it now. I could no longer feel the pain throbbing in the very core of my bone.

My hands moved towards the inside of my pockets, demanding warmth. So far, this was one of the largest properties that Narumi ever bought, which was both a both a good update and a horrible investment. My back shoes were dampened with the dew that collected on the grass. This yard, hell this small city, was a dream for any one of us to live in: large tree area, large properties, and good looking girls, I'll even admit.

After what felt like hours, I finally reached the house. The lights from the kitchen were on. I groaned. Damn that Narumi. I turned the golden doorknob, opened the door, and was face-to-face with a pair of burning blue eyes.

"You finally came back," Narumi said to me. Out of all the people I could be stuck with, why did it have to be this bastard. He handed me a map and I took it with displeasure.

"Yeah yeah," I groaned. I heard his lectures too many times, I didn't want to hear it again. I walked towards the small table in the breakfast nook. A cup full of pencils and pens was placed on top.

"Natsume, how many times have I told you: look around a little at a time. It's dangerous to go out so far on your own, especially without the rest of us to back you up in case you get into trouble." Even with my back turned to him, I could still imagine him rub his head in frustration. He let out an exasperated sigh.

"The area is large," I began, ignoring the fact that he was mad. "In other words, I didn't get to go out so far, happy?" I opened the map, spread it on top of the table, and made an 'X' with a pencil.

"Still, you really need to get here a lot earlier. I know your wolf side can handle the fatigue, but your human side still need its sleep." I could hear him walk closer to me. "That's as far as you went?" He asked, as if finally comprehending my earlier comment.

"Yeah," I answer. I turned my head a little to give him a grin. "The land here is incredible, and I was able to mark most of the area near here. Since Tsubasa did part of it earlier, the rest was easy for me." I turned back and made more marks on the map, my grin disappearing.

"So what's the problem?"

With his experience and wolf instincts, he was able to sense my dissatisfaction. "Since the area is so large, there are about four more packs, probably even more," I said to him, as I made a large circle on the paper.

The map showed the entire area of the city plus a few more of the surrounding cities. Before we moved here, Narumi and Misaki began to do a little research concerning the forest surrounding this Hirashio. For a couple annoying bastards, when it came to collecting data they came in handy.

"Could you tell if there were any-"

"I couldn't since I was alone," I growled. I may be out here to learn about leadership, but showing weakness is something I loathed. "There was one pack following me, but they smelled just like any other wolf."

Narumi was quiet. I expected him to say something about the pack or ask me a question, but nothing came out of him. I turned to him, keeping the same bored expression that always took over my face. He looked at me like he was helping me to do homework and there was an answer I should've known. He might be my mentor, but when he gets like this, it sometimes annoy the hell out of me.

I let out a sigh. "I know, I know. There might be wolves like us in that pack," I answered, obviously satisfying the man. I turned back to the map, slamming the table with a fist. "But I can't really verify that when I'm alone, now can I?"

Narumi clapped his hands together, giving me a big and weird smile. It actually freaked me out.

"You're learning so much! Before you know it, you'll be the new pack leader in no time!" he said, in an oddly happy tone. He turned around dramatically, freaking me out even more. "Before you know it, you won't even need me anymore."

"That's something I look forward to," I said to him, rolling up the map.

"You could at least be a little nice to me. I mean, I practically raised you."

I looked down at the map in my hand, remembering the day that Kazu decided that Narumi will be looking after me from that day on. I was only seven and was already chosen to be at the head of the pack because of the type I am. I was almost eighteen and I've learned so much about being with the pack. The map wrinkled the moment I tightened my grip. I looked up at Narumi and walked up to him.

He had a smile pasted on, probably expecting me to say something nice or give him a hug.

Whack!

The map in my hand met with the top of his head. For a guy that practically raised me, he barely knew me.

"I'm going to get ready for school," I said to him, throwing the map in his direction as I left for my room.

When we first got here, this house was like hell. Everything had to be redone. The previous owner planned on doing that themselves, but stopped not even midway into the project. Lazy ass. Misaki and Tsubasa both decided to take the renovation project in their hands, so almost every night and day they worked on the house. The wires were already rewired and most of the rooms were done. The old basement was recently finished, so the only room that need to be tackled was an old study.

As I passed my room, another door opened.

"Wow, your late," Ruka said to me. He was already dressed for school. "How did Narumi's lecture go?" he teased as he grinned at me.

"I heard a thousand times before," I told him, heading towards the room beside his.

Because of the renovation, the house now has eight bedrooms compared to the three that it previously housed. The three bedrooms upstairs were redone and the extra five were located in the basement.

Ruka laughed. "I bet," he said, the grin not leaving his face. "So how did it go?"

"Our territory expanded as much as I planned on," I informed him. "I had a little trouble gaining more ground though."

"Don't worry. It'll be until a matter of time before we all get out there to help," Ruka said to me. He fixed his tie, his grin forming into one of his usual smiles. "You better get ready, we have to get to school in a few minutes."

I gave him a nod, opening the door to my room. "Oh that reminds me," I said, stopping Ruka from going any further through the hallway. "Did you know that our school guide is also our neighbor?"

"You mean Sumire?" Ruka asked, a little surprised.

I gave him a grin. "The other one."

"Mikan?" He titled his head, just like a canine would do when they're curious. "How do you know?"

"She spotted me while I was out marking our new territory." I could have sworn Ruka's eyes could have popped out of his head. "She tried to get close to me, but I'm not stupid enough to let her get near me." I walked inside my room, spotting my uniform scattered on the floor.

"She was out in the forest?" he asked, still surprised.

"No, she was in her house." I don't know why he was surprised about it. Then again, I'm very careful whenever I go out marking so being spotted by a human isn't something that normally happens to me. Before I closed the door, I said in a low voice. "It was strange, but her yard was the only yard that had a faint odor of wolf."

That's it for now! :D You know, I've never been interested in werewolves or vampires until I read three stories that were all about werewolves. Fiction or not, it got me very interest, though, for some reason, vampires don't really appeal to me. Haha, anyway I wanted to give it shot and make a werewolf based story (though the real reason for making this story is because of a movie). Hopefully I do a good job at it (:

Tell me what you guys think!