Disclaimer: This story is not mine, Everything from the words, places, situations, belonged to Nicky Charles and I have a permission to use it. Bleach characters owned by Kubo Tite. Should I repeat this a million times?

"Rukia, I'm glad you found a way to keep yourself occupied while I was finishing off pack business." There was an angry edge to his voice.

"I was just talking to Renji." She said. Something in his expression frightened her and she stepped back.

"So I see."Ichigo shot her a brief glance, and then focussed his attention back on Renji, a look of disdain on his face. "This is the… friend… you spoke of this morning?"

"Yes, this is Renji. We've been friends since we were pups."

Ichigo gave Renji an almost imperceptible nod. "I'm glad you had someone to keep you company while you were waiting. However, it would do your 'friend' well to remember that you are now my mate and off limits to all others."

Feeling her face burn at his innuendo, Rukia tried to defend her actions. "We were just talking, nothing else!"

"I do not appreciate other males standing quite so close when… talking… to my mate." The words rumbled from his throat and Renji stepped back, instinctively acknowledging Ichigo's dominance.

"Rukia, I'd better go. I… I'll see you around." Renji's voice was quiet and regretful.

"Yes, I'll see you around." Rukia responded softly, knowing that it was unlikely Renji would approach her again. Soon she'd be gone and it saddened her to think that her friendship was ending. She watched Renji turn and head back to the house then faced Ichigo, anger bubbling up within her. "You didn't need to chase him off like that."

"I didn't chase him off. I just let him know that you are my mate now and a proper distance needs to be maintained."

"He was just—"

"I know what he was 'just' doing," Ichigo interrupted sharply. "I could sense his desire for you and I do not share my mate with anyone. We are bonded and you are mine. No other male is allowed to sniff around you."

"Sniff around me?" She stared at him in outrage.

" next heat cycle is coming in about a month, isn't it? Last night, I could already sense the growing pheromone levels in you. He might not be consciously aware of them yet, but in another few days he will. That boy needs to remember you are off limits before his instincts to mount a fertile female cause him to make a grave mistake."

Rukia huffed indignantly. While heat cycles and mating instincts were not a secret within the pack—in fact they were impossible to hide—Rukia wasn't pleased to have Ichigo bringing her relationship with Renji down to such a base level. "you—"

"This conversation is over. You are my mate. Renji will stay away. End of topic. Now, are we going for a run or not?"

For a moment, she considered leaving, but then realised she'd be cutting off her nose to spite her face. She loved to run and Ichigo was right. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't encourage a relationship with Renji any more. It wasn't fair to him.

With a brief nod to Ichigo, she phased into her wolf form and headed into the forest, vaguely aware of him following behind. The leaves crunched beneath her feet, trees and shrubs a mere blur as she raced past. Leaping over logs, skirting around trunks, she ran for the sheer love of it. At the same time, she was aware of Ichigo running behind her. He made no attempt to pass her, but she was aware that he was holding back. His breathing was slow and steady, there was no sense of exertion coming from him. Rukia quickened her pace, curious to test the limits of the wolf behind her. Within seconds, he had adjusted his pace to hers, the distance between them remaining constant. Again and again she tested him, running faster and faster yet he never once fell behind nor attempted to overtake her. She knew he was toying with her and vexed, she veered off the path heading for rougher terrain. Her breathing was ragged now, but she wasn't about to give in. Intent on jumping over a pile of brush ahead of her, she put on a final burst of speed.

Without warning she found herself knocked to the ground and began to fight the assailant. Snapping and rolling, she kept trying to evade her attacker but to no avail. Within moments Ichigo had pinned her to the ground, his teeth lightly gripping her throat. Instinctively, she froze and whimpered in submission. Ichigo held on for a moment longer then let go and sat back. As one, they phased back into human form. Ichigo was breathing a bit faster than normal but he didn't appear spent. On the other hand, her own chest was heaving as she pulled oxygen in to nourish her starving lungs and protesting muscles.

"Why did you do that?" She panted.

"There's a leg trap just ahead of you. A few more yards and you would have stepped in it."

Rukia turned and scanned the area ahead of her. Sure enough, barely visible in the carpet of leaves was a steel trap. She thought of her mother, shot to death with her leg caught in such a device and a shudder passed over her.

"Just this morning, scouts reported that more poachers had been seen in the area. We're near the edge of the property so I was on the lookout. Rest here for a minute. I'm going to spring that one and then see what else I can find."

"I'm coming with you." She stood, lifting her chin defiantly when it appeared that he'd have her remain behind.

"Fine, but stay behind me." Ichigo gave her a stern warning look before searching for a sturdy stick and carefully pressing it against the trigger of the trap. It was an older model, with sharp metal teeth designed to dig into the flesh of any creature unfortunate enough to step in it. Rukia jumped as the trap sprang shut, snapping the stick in two. She swallowed hard, thinking of how painful it would be to have her leg caught in such a device. For another half hour they scoured the edge of the property, discovering four more traps before Ichigo was satisfied that none remained.

"We'll report this to your father when we return and he can send another set of scouts out to check." He had gathered the traps into a pile and marked the location so that they could be collected later. Traps were never sprung and then left behind. The hunters would just reset them. At least this way the humans would be out money and time since they'd have to purchase new ones.

"Thank you." Rukia touched Ichigo's arm as he stood up after hiding the traps under some brush.

"For what?"

"For stopping me. I could have snapped a bone if I'd stepped in one of those."

"I'm your Alpha now. It's my job to watch out for everyone in the pack, but especially you. As my mate, you're the most important member to me." He stared at her intently and she flushed.

"Yes, but I should have been watching more carefully where I was going. I know these woods. I wasn't paying attention."

"What were you thinking about instead?"

She hesitated before answering. "You, or to be more precise, I guess I was testing you to see if you'd keep up."

A smile appeared on his face and he reached out, cupping the back of her head and drawing her in for a quick kiss. "Rest assured Rukia, no matter what you dish out, I will keep up with you."

Somehow, she knew he was speaking the truth. They phased back into wolf form and this time Rukia followed as Ichigo led the way back to the edge of the woods. When they arrived at the cabin, she headed for the bathroom while he went to the house to tell her father about the traps. The run had left her hot and sweaty and she couldn't wait to be clean. Leaving her clothes on the bedroom floor, she padded naked into the bathroom and turned on the water, adjusting the flow and temperature.

As the water cascaded down on her, she pondered the morning's events. Ichigo had been polite to her… kind even. He'd saved her from severe injury in a leg trap and while he'd been a bit bossy, telling her to follow behind, she couldn't really fault him. As Alpha, he needed a take charge attitude. Ichigo's reaction to Renji had been interesting as well. While he hadn't been outwardly aggressive, he hadn't been encouraging of her relationship with the other male either. Was Ichigo just being instinctively territorial, she was his mate and no one else was allowed near her? Most likely that was the answer. It was too much to expect that he had any feelings toward her beyond a sense of responsibility and ownership.

Rukia wondered if it would always be this way, Ichigo showing polite interest in her, mating with her just because she was there. Would he ever come to care for her, or was she destined for a lukewarm relationship for the rest of

her life? A wave of sadness washed over her and dejectedly she turned off the water and wrapped herself in a robe. Returning to the bedroom, she flopped down on the bed and curled up into a ball, sniffling slightly as she contemplated her future…

Rukia woke with a start from a deep sleep and blinked in confusion. This wasn't her bedroom. Where was she? A noise from the foot of the bed drew her attention and she was greeted with the back view of a very well-built and very naked male. The sight stunned her for a moment before she remembered recent events. She was in a cabin with her new mate, Ichigo. The past twenty-four hours hadn't been a bad dream, they were reality. She let her head sink back onto the pillow and silently studied the man who was getting dressed before her. Muscles rippled across his back and his taut buttocks. His legs were long and sturdy, also giving evidence of his strength. As his lower anatomy disappeared from view under a pair of briefs, he glanced her way and caught her watching him.

"I see you're awake."

"Uh-huh… What time is it?" She found her voice was a bit raspy, her throat still tight from her earlier emotions.

"Almost noon. You must have been tired after our run."

He turned to grab a shirt and she noticed a long scar on his side, its pink color indicating that it was still fairly new. She vaguely recalled seeing it last night but had been otherwise occupied.

"What happened to your side?"

Ichigo glanced casually down at the mark. "Nothing. Just a scratch from a fight."

"That's more than a scratch. Who was the fight with?"

"Another werewolf named Grimmjow."

Ichigo shrugged as if to dismiss the matter and stepped into his pants. Rukia wondered if she should question him further, shaking she just let it go.

"You need to get up and get dressed. We'll be leaving in about an hour."

"Leaving?" She couldn't keep the surprise from her voice.

"Uh-huh. I need to return to my pack. It's only about an hour's drive but I want to get back in good time so that you can see your new home before it's dark."

With that, he left. Rukia sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. In an hour she'd be leaving the only home she'd ever known, leaving all the people she'd grown up with. She'd be joining a new pack, be surrounded by new faces. The only person she'd know would be Ichigo, and he was still the next best thing to a stranger to her. Once again, her stomach clenched as she slowly climbed out of bed and prepared to go.

The drive was completed almost in made a few idle comments along the way but seemed content to listen to the radio, his fingers drumming along on the steering wheel as he kept time to the music. Rukia didn't feel inclined towards conversation either and was grateful for the songs that filled the quietness of the cab. With her head leaning against the window, she stared unseeing at the passing landscape, lost in thought.

Leaving the house had been hard. Yoruichi, had uncharacteristically fussed over her, making Rukia promise to come and visit soon.

"Now remember, just because you're moving away doesn't mean we have to lose contact." Yoruichi tucked a stray lock of hair behind Rukia's ear. "You can call anytime and I'm sure we'll find opportunities to visit."

"I'm sure we will too." Rukia hugged her tightly knowing she'd miss the woman.

Kisuke gave her a one armed hug, before ruffling her hair. "I'm going to miss you, kiddo. Who will drive me crazy with their non-stop talking now?"

She'd always had a fun, relaxed relationship with the easy-going Beta—he was like a favourite uncle who tolerated her questions and teased her unmercifully, yet was always there when needed. In many ways, he took the place of her father who always seemed too busy to have time for his youngest child. Vaguely, she could recall times when she was younger when her father had played with her or taken her into the woods. That had been back when her mother was still alive. With the death of his mate, the Alpha had seemed to withdraw from his children, possibly too caught up in his own grief to deal with them. Whatever the reason, Rukia had found herself looking more and more to Kisuke for fatherly attention, and as a result, felt closer to him than her own biological father. She harboured no bitterness about the fact; it was just the way things were.

"I'll miss you." The simple statement was all Rukia could get out due to the sudden thickness of her throat. He nodded at her in understanding and kissed the top of her head. Taking a deep breath, she stepped away and turned to her father. She loved him but it was a much more formal relationship. He was always the Alpha first and being a father came second. For a moment they'd studied each other and then he'd pulled her into an awkward embrace.

"You'll be fine with Ichigo," he whispered in her ear. "He's a good man." Rukia nodded, knowing her father had done what he thought was best, and would never have consented to her going with someone totally unsuitable. Being the Alpha wasn't an easy position and the needs of the pack had to be considered first—she just wished that their well-being hadn't come at the expense of her own dreams. Since there was no going back, she'd plastered a fake smile on her face and got into Ichgo's truck, waving at the other pack members who had gathered outside. Searching the group, she noted that Renji was absent and regretted not seeing him one last time but perhaps it was for the best.

Slowly Rukia came out of her reverie and began to take note of the passing scenery. They'd left her father's territory about half an hour ago and she wondered if Ichigo home would be similar to her own.

"How large is your pack?" she broke the silence between them.

"About the same size as the one you grew up in. Our Alpha house has six bedrooms and four baths, office space, a living room, a large dining area and a kitchen. The basement was recently renovated and is a multi-purpose room for meetings with a media centre, pool table, and play area for the young ones."

"It sounds nice. Who shares the house with you?"

"Besides yourself?" He grinned over at her before returning his attention to the road. "My Beta is, Uryu and his mate's name is Orihime. They're expecting their first in a few months."

Rukia nodded thinking that with other people in the house, it should make things easier. She wouldn't be alone with him all the time—she still wasn't that comfortable around him—and having other women to talk to would be nice. Hopefully, they'd like her. If Orihime was just having her first she'd be about the same age, so maybe they'd have something in common.

"There are always people in and out of our house—I mean my father's house. Is yours similar?"

"Yeah, sometimes it's a three ring circus. With you arriving, it will probably be especially busy as everyone stops by to meet you."

She bit her lip, not looking forward to meeting so many new people. Names, and scents and hierarchy placements to remember… It sounded overwhelming. Possibly sensing her trepidation, Ichigo reached over and clasped her knee.

"It will be fine. We're not as… traditional… as your old pack. They're a friendly bunch and will be happy to meet you."