One

The urge began three weeks after his return from the Land of Rain.

Naruto did not remember much of the mission nor the events that led him to be discovered bloodied and naked by a patrol on the border of the Land of Fire. According to Kakashi, he was sent to the gloomy war-torn land to contact a group of rebels that sought to establish a legitimate government to fill the power vacuum left behind in the wake of the Akatsuki's destruction. Brief visions, memories perhaps, told him that he had managed to find the hidden refuge of the group and deliver a letter from the Hokage. Witnesses reported that he stayed around in the area for two weeks training the raw recruits of a new ninja force to defend the fledgling state. Then, one day, he disappeared without a trace, only to reappear a week later on the border in an awful state. Two weeks of rest and numerous interrogations later, Kakashi cleared him for active duty service again, with the official reasoning for the events being a sudden onset of stress due to too many missions in quick succession.

As he was about to settle into everyday life again, a strange urge entered his troubled mind. It began with cravings for meat, not an unusual desire given his habit of requesting extra pork on his ramen. However, the taste of cooked meat left him unsatisfied, no matter the amount he stuffed down his throat. He stomached in public when eating with friends, but behind the closed door of his apartment, his experimentation led to the conclusion that only raw meat dripping with gore managed to appease his ever-growing hunger. Common sense warned him against this new diet due to the risk of foodborne illnesses, but after two weeks of devouring the flesh of whatever animal was on sale at the butcher, he stopped worrying and embraced the taste.

Other changes occurred in rapid order. Restful sleep evaded him at night due to the vivid dreams of the primeval forests in the wild corners of the Land of Fire. Despite the weariness, his physical attributes tripled without the use of chakra, much to the dismay of Lee. Muscles grew in places he never imagined they would, while those he already had bulked up without much effort. He chalked it up to the new diet but refused to share the secrets of his success with anyone out of fear. If the villagers learned that he was starting to eat raw meat en mass, old prejudices could resurface that threatened everything he had struggled for. However, that fear faded with each passing day as his body changed.

The muscle growth and meat-eating seemed minor compared to the growing fury in his heart. He raised his voice at Sakura for the first time in his life when she canceled their planned spar in favor of an impromptu lunch with Ino without telling him. The hurt look on her face would have made him feel guilty in the past, but now, there was a grim satisfaction in turning the tables on the pink-haired woman that always found an excuse to wail on him. The anger, however, soon found a new victim in the villagers that once scorned him for the crime of existence. Buried memories he tried to forget surfaced whenever he walked among the people of Konoha, reminding him of their cruelty to a defenseless young child. He often wondered what it would be like to inflict the same suffering onto them as they gave him those many years. Much to the disappointment of Kakashi, his love of pranks returned. Unlike the boyhood troubles of his youth, these acts of rebellion caused significant inconvenience to the populace. A well-placed stink bomb in the local retirement home, for example, forced the elderly onto the streets in a panic that caused some of the more forgetful seniors to become lost in the less-than-desirable areas of Konoha. The lectures from Kakashi only fueled him to new destructive heights. His release of the zoo animals onto the festival celebrating the end of the Fourth Great War saw him return to his rightful place as village pariah. Though, unlike his last time in the role, the civilians (along with many ninjas) feared him more than they loathed him. By the end of the third month back from the Land of Rain, the bond between himself and the rest of the village was broken. He expected to feel some sorrow but only felt the winds of freedom.

Kakashi, eager to soothe the growing concerns of the populace, bought a small cabin for his student outside the village as an early birthday present. While old and in dire need of some work, Naruto found his new home far more peaceful than the dingy apartment in which he had spent his entire life. He accepted the present with a broad smile and moved in immediately, leaving behind all but the most necessary items for the landlord to clean up. The remoteness of his home further drove a wedge between himself and his friends until he could not remember the last time he spoke with any of them. None of his former classmates bothered to visit him, and their invitations to various social functions ceased coming in the mail. He felt some sadness at the thought but knew it was for the better in the long term.

Something deep within him was stirring.

As summer faded into autumn, the visions of the forests grew far more vivid and lasted longer. His hunger increased to maddening heights requiring him to hunt twice daily for deer or larger game. An anxious feeling occupied his mind at all times of times; an anticipation for a life-changing event. The problems with his temper grew much to the dismay of Kakashi and Iruka, two of the only three people that bothered to keep in regular contact with him. For the first time since his new life began, Naruto felt guilt at the hurt expression on Iruka's face after a particularly nasty comment about the man's lack of romantic success. He apologized, which his former teacher accepted, but the guilt remained. After that, Kakashi and Iruka visited only a few times. Each one came up with a lame excuse to avoid making the hour walk out to the cabin, but he figured out that neither wanted to be around him.

That left only a single thread to his old life.

Tsunade Senju took another sip of sake before returning the bottle to the overstocked liquor cabinet that served as the focal point of her existence. Old habits died hard, and without Shizune around to manage how much she drank, Tsunade returned to alcohol far more often than she had been during her reign as the Fifth Hokage. A part of her felt some shame for slipping backward on her road to recovery. While she would always be a drinker, the past few years saw her gradually return to being the washed-up drunk she had been before returning to Konoha. Thankfully, Konoha never legalized gambling. The last thing she needed was to rack up another round of debt.

She looked out the window to Konoha's shadow-filled streets, bathed in the light of the full moon of late October. The season, which usually remained warm, had become unusually cool thanks to a surprise cold front moving in from the north. Reports stated that the year's first snowfall could happen before Halloween. Parts of the Elemental Nations had already experienced a blizzard. Due to unsafe travel conditions, Iwa was forced to close several significant trade routes. She dreaded the thought of the village being hit with such a storm. Her already unbusy schedule gave her plenty of time to drink, and being snowed in would only push her down a path with a single outcome.

A gust of wind brushed against her tiny home, bringing her back to the moment. She sighed, glancing at the clock hanging on the barren wall.

Eight.

"Brat better have dinner ready," she muttered after grabbing her purse from the kitchen.

Brat.

Naruto Uzumaki.

The boy who saved her from her greatest enemy: herself.

The boy seemed like the wrong word nowadays. Naruto matured into something far beyond the goofy boy that forced her to become Hokage. While many others disliked or even hated the changes that happened to the blonde, she found them to be primarily positive when put into the context of his life. Konoha habitually mistreated their heroes and threw them away when they had nothing more to give. Instead of being broken by the system that stole so much, Naruto chose to abandon it for freedom. Unlike her, he did not fall into a cycle of vice and waste but became dedicated to self-improvement. She felt a ping of jealousy at what he accomplished, but that feeling was dwarfed by the pride she felt. She would never admit it to him, but she wished to be like him.

"If only the brat was a few years older...or I was a few years younger."

The thought forced a chuckle from her lips. Of all the men that had been in her life, Naruto was the one that had the greatest impact. While major influences, Dan and Jiraiya never challenged her to improve. Each of them, in their own way, placed her upon a pedestal like an idol to be worshipped. Dan viewed her as a Senju princess and a medical ninja to be admired, submitting to her will each time a disagreement occurred. Their relationship started with a shared passion for adding medical ninjutsu to the Academy instead of a genuine attraction.

On the other hand, Jiraiya saw her as the prize he could never catch. He was more obsessed with her as an idea rather than her as a person. If they had ever gotten together, the relationship would have been doomed after a few months due to the Toad-Sage growing bored with his victory.

Naruto was different. He openly disrespected her, refusing to agree with her just because of who she was. Yet, there was no malice behind his words to her, even in the most heated arguments. Talking with Naruto required her to view him as an equal. In return, he would look at her not as a princess, Sanin, or a busty prize but as a human worthy of respect. He allowed her to put her hair down and enjoy life instead of expecting her to be something she was not. They would talk about random things that ignored them, make fun of the increasingly numerous annoying elements of the village, and end the evening star-gazing in comfortable silence. Thinking of him made the lonely walk out of the village all the more pleasant despite the chill in the air.

The familiar yet disgusting coppery odor of blood assaulted her senses seconds before she noticed the mutilated remains of a doe spread out over the dirt path leading into the forest. Decades of medical experience dulled her reaction to the gore, and her hemophobia had long since vanished, yet the sight of the mangled remains torn open to reveal its organs twisted her stomach. It took her a moment to realize why this corpse affected her so great compared to the hundreds she had seen before. Whatever butchered the poor thing went far beyond what was necessary to take it down.

"Keep it together." Tsunade chided herself for getting worked up over a dead deer. In the grand scheme of her life, this was nothing compared to the countless horrors she witnessed.

Half an hour later, she approached Naruto's small cottage, picturesquely located in a flower-filled glade some miles from the village. Her relief was short-lived as the hairs on her neck stood straight as if something was stalking her. She tried to focus her senses to determine what lurked in the darkness but detected nothing beyond birds and an eager squirrel collecting nuts for the winter. The feeling rescinded for a moment but returned when she noticed the lack of lights coming from the cabin's windows.

"Probably taking a nap."

She forced a smile to her face futilely to steel her nerves. Past experiences with the hyperactive blonde told her the man never naps, even on his days off.

"Perhaps he got summoned for a mission or went into the village for groceries."

Another attempt to calm herself, but one that made less sense. Kakashi worried that Naruto's new aggression would look bad for the village. He pulled him from the roster and placed him in the reserves dedicated only to the defense. As for groceries, his disdain for the villagers stopped him from shopping like an average person in favor of having supplies delivered.

Crack.

Tsunade dropped her purse and slipped into a stance, ready to fight. Her hands curled into fists with chakra, preparing a blow that would kill an elephant. She scanned the tree line for threats but struggled to make out shapes in the gloom. Her honey-colored eyes narrowed at the movement of something in the trees. The black form was far too big to be a bird or a squirrel.

"Naruto! This isn't funny!"

Nothing.

The black shape faded into the shadows. Her eyes danced around, trying to find its location.

Snap.

"Naruto?"

She spun around with a shout and prepared to charge the first thing that came into sight.

Nothing.

A primal fear threatened to overwhelm her trained mind. Something deep within her, a sensation used by early humanity to detect predators, warned that something with malicious intent had her in its sights. She imagined the doe felt the same thing seconds before its death. Who would find her mangled corpse?

"Calm down," Tsunade took a deep breath, counted to three, and exhaled. "You are a kunoichi. You are a Sannin. Fear cannot control me."

Seconds turned to minutes as she braced for battle. Whatever lurked in the dark maintained its vigil. She knew it waiting for her to drop her guard, meaning all she needed to do was hold out until it got bored and left to find an easier target or until Naruto returned from wherever he was. Her lips twitched into a smile at the thought of Naruto coming home to find someone unwelcomed on his property. She could imagine him beating whatever this thing was to a bloody mess for threatening her. His protectiveness over his precious people, a far smaller list than what it had been in the past, was a trait she adored, especially when he came to defend her. By most standards, she might have been an old lady, but the thought of having a 'knight' to uphold her dignity made her feel giddy.

With her thoughts momentarily distracted, the attack came swift and brutal.

The creature, for it looked like no animal or human Tsunade had ever encountered, came from the forest on all fours and lunged. She managed to avoid the strike by diving to the left, panicking at the sheer speed of her assailant. With a frustrated grunt, it stood on two hind legs and attempted to rip her chest open with powerful claws that glistened with the fresh crimson. Once more, she evaded its attack and placed some distance between them to better analyze the beast. It appeared like a white wolf, tail and muzzle included, but lacked two front paws in favor of two fur-covered hands with long fingers tipped with dangerous talons that gave it a vaguely humanoid appearance. Most striking, however, were the brilliant azure eyes aflame with fury.

She knew those eyes.

"Naruto?"

The beast hesitated for a brief moment before relaunching itself at her. Tsunade decided to make her stand and readied her fist, connecting it with the side of the beast's muzzle with an agonizing crunch. Despite its attempt to slay her, she felt a ping of guilt when the creature stumbled away with a pitful whimper and a look of confusion like a child unable to understand why anyone would hurt them. Common sense told Tsunade to press the attack and deliver another blow to put the creature down for good. However, those eyes prevented her from striking again. She did know if the beast was Naruto or not. Still, if faced with the possibility of killing one of the few people that genuinely cared for her, she would rather flee than seize victory.

Tsunade bolted into the forest, leaving the beast and cottage behind. She would return for answers later with an entire squad of ANBU to defend her. The crashing behind her, however, made it easier said than done. She did not need to turn her head to know that the beast was in hot pursuit and closing the distance fast. Years of office work and laziness had slowed her considerably, with the beginning hints of advanced age zapping her once limitless endurance. The fear returned as her legs began to groan with aches. Adrenaline gave her a temporary boost of speed, but soon that failed.

It took a single misstep for the chase to come to an end. She crashed onto the forest floor with a frustrated shout. The creature was upon her instantly, pinning her to the ground with its larger size and holding her arms down with clawed hands. It stared down at her, blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

She refused to submit and be devoured.

She would never be a doe.

"Naruto. You know who I am."

The wolfman's head tilted to the side. Did he know?

"Tsunade. I am...granny." She winced at using his nickname for her. His grip lessened slightly but remained firm enough to prevent escape. "Can you let me go?"

He snarled at the proposition.

"Guess not."

At least he understood her. Her mind raced with possibilities on what caused this mutation. The idea of a werewolf briefly came to her mind, earning a chuckle from her due to the sheer insanity of even thinking that was a reasonable conclusion. Once the humor of the suggestion passed, her mind shifted to the unusual changes in Naruto and the eerie similarities to the classical myths about lycanthropy.

Naruto remained fixated on her. His nose twitched at various scents, mostly sake and perfume, radiating from the woman. He thought about eating her, but something stayed his hunger. Plenty of other things to eat, but this one was too interesting to be a meal. Hazy memories tried to recall who she was to him, but nothing surfaced. She made him feel things other than rage, hunger, and boredom.

"This is a dream." The conclusion made sense to Tsunade. "I just had too much to drink and passed out at home." Men did not turn to wolves in the real world. In dreams, however, anything was possible. She decided to remain still and wait to wake up.

Her voice made him happy. She made him happy. He wanted to make her happy. Naruto lowered his head, inhaling her scent once more, and started gentle kisses and licks on her neck. Her taste differed greatly from the doe from earlier. He embraced instinct.

Tsunade made a note to seek a therapist upon waking up. Dreaming of being cuddled and kissed by her 'grandson' as a werewolf had to be the signs of some mental illness. Admittedly, it felt nice to be shown physical affection. How long had it been since someone touched her with such passion? She vowed never to be another man besides Dan, but the desire remained. Repression did crazy things to one's psyche. She sighed and tilted her head back to grant him easier access. The small nips from his fangs sent a shiver up her spine, awakening long-dormant parts of her anatomy.

Sensing her enjoyment, Naruto relaxed his hold on her and moved his hands to stroke her hair. He sniffed loudly, detecting a new smell that stirred a different sensation of hunger within him. Drool rolled out of his muzzle at the pleasure awaiting him. His snout pressed against Tsunade's nose.

Tsunade watched as Naruto's mood shifted from curious to frenzied. This time, however, her mind did not panic but accepted him. She opened her mouth to crack a joke about her being a granny but never finished her sentence as he captured her mouth in a messy kiss, forcing his canine tongue inside. Her initial reaction was to try and think of Dan, yet Naruto's passion outshined the best of her deceased lover. She leaned into the kiss, wrapping her free arms around his broad shoulders and holding onto his fur. They broke off the kiss to catch a breath and exchanged looks of surprise and humor.

"This seems more like a dream Tsume would be having."

Naruto did not fully understand the joke but flashed a grin of teeth that earned a soft chuckle from the woman.

"Definitely, Naruto."

Tsunade stroked the side of his face. It felt nice to be stared at again as a woman. Other men looked at her like an object or potential conquest. For this feral dream, his eyes shinned with clear intent to please her. In his embrace, she felt safe and protected. Her hands gently tugged on the obi that kept her blouse close. She smirked as Naruto's eyes widened in anticipation. She could not blame him for such a reaction. It had been decades since a man saw her breasts freely, a prize that even his mention never got to see. With a final tug, she opened her shirt, exposing her chest to him with a grin. His claws made short work of her bra with a single slice down the center strap.

"Still think I'm a granny now?" He answered with a nip to her right breast and a furious assault with his rough tongue. She closed her eyes to get lost in the bliss of her lover. "Gods, please don't let me wake up."

The scent of intruders shifted Naruto's lustful instincts towards an enraged desire for retribution. Humans sought him out for the crime of existence. His nose detected three of them, along with numerous hounds. He judged them to be Inuzuka, recalling memories from his life before transformation, and knew that defending his woman and slaughtering those who sought to do him harm would be nearly impossible. Reason slowly returned to his mind, and something within told him avoidance would be a better strategy for the present. Yet, instinct made him stare down at the moaning woman. He wanted her more than he wanted to eat but knew she could not join him in her current state.

Mate.

Images hardwired through countless generations flashed in his mind on how to claim her forever. He hesitated at the thought of forcing such a blessing on the woman, debating whether this was what she wanted. The deciding factor was the look of bliss plastered on her delicate features. She felt safe and happy with him, and he could provide her with infinite lifetimes of that.

It happened without warning, and Tsunade did not have a chance to scream. Naruto's jaws closed around her throat tightly, embedding sharp fangs into her flesh. Pain surged through her body as if molten rock had replaced her blood. He released her and darted into the forest, leaving her alone to wither on the ground. Seconds felt like years, yet the pain increased until it climaxed in a symphony of agony and erotic pleasure just as darkness granted her release.

Yup. Werewolves. This story will feature a harem that includes Tsunade, Fem. Kurama, and Tsume along with a few others that I have yet to decide. Please let me know if there is a woman you would like to see join Naruto's pack. Beyond the romance and erotica, there will be a plot with action, danger, and a lot of dead bodies.