Vol: I "Mahogany and Leather"
Naruto's P.O.V:
There's an old saying among my people that when you first find your mate you will be drawn to them by an unexplainable force that transcends time and distance.
Through this force, the two halves will become whole again, forming an unbreakable bond.
Even as a child I always thought that story was a load of horse shit. That was a mistake on my part.
1:00 in the Afternoon
The scent of mahogany and leather woke me, as my sweat-soaked body had tangled with my sheets. Even as I broke free there remained the question.
Could werewolves dream? Before this point, I had never dreamed. This thought left me puzzled, as the elders had never mentioned it before, and I knew my pack would think I was crazy if they found out.
Just then I heard my bedroom door creak open.
"Ah, finally awake? It's afternoon!" Just then, a crown of ashen-white hair poked its way through my bedroom door.
"Aww, you have been watching me sleep again, old man?" I joked while stretching my arms above my head, as a loud involuntary yawn escaped my lips.
"No, you have been moaning all night well into the morning. I thought you were doing other, things." This time Uncle Jiraiya stepped fully into my room. His face broke into that familiar pervy smile he always wore as he wagged his matching brows suggestively at me.
"It's not like that... I dreamt last night." As usual, my uncle's expression was difficult to read, so I waited to see his reaction. Only he could hide his thoughts from me. Nevertheless, I only trusted my uncle with this information.
"How would you know?" He asked with skepticism in his voice.
"Yes," I affirm, even though I had never experienced one before. My knowledge of it came from watching plenty of movies and hearing about it from humans.
I watched him as he hummed and thoughtfully curled a finger under his withering chin. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Well then...What was this dream about?" His skepticism was still ever-present in his tone.
"That's -Er the problem! In this dream..." I moved to the edge of my bed beckoning my uncle to come closer. Not even I could believe that I was saying this.
"I found myself in different places and situations with a constant companion. This person had dark eyes, the darkest I have ever seen, and I even remember the scent of mahogany and leather emanating from them. Despite obstacles, we always managed to overcome them and reunite. It was VERY strange." As I spoke, my voice trailed off. I deliberately left out the erotic/ sexual parts of my experience because it sounded weird to say out loud already.
Upon sharing this revelation with Uncle, I sensed that he initially doubted my sanity. However, our eyes locked and I saw a hint of curiosity in his gaze.
He kindly acknowledged the significance of my words, and this gesture alleviated my anxiety.
As if discussing the weather, he said, "Looks like you've found your other half." When I heard this, I jerked backward, as if struck by a bullet.
It wasn't what I expected to hear. I expected him to confirm that I was being ridiculous or that I had eaten bad meat.
"How so!? I never met them before in my life?" As far as I knew, one couldn't just dream up their mate... Or maybe I was wrong? This was my first after all.
"Hagoromo must be reaching out to you through this dream. It seems he has chosen a mate for you." The way my uncle spoke... He seemed sure of the words that left his mouth.
I scoffed at that, and said, "We have no time for fairytales old man." My people were superstitious in that way.
Our gods were responsible for everything good, bad, and bizarre in the world instead of holding people accountable for their actions.
My pack believed it was because the gods were angry with us or if someone found a mate it was because the gods had chosen them.
As the new Alpha, I challenged my pack's outdated beliefs.
I had yet to hear Hagoromo. He spoke to all the Alphas in our pack before me. However, my pack believed it was because I was too stubborn to listen, which is why I had yet to experience this honor.
"This is not the time for jokes! Get up and dress properly. We have a meeting to attend." I knew my uncle was angry at me for disregarding my pack's beliefs so openly, but I refused to hide my true feelings, no matter who might be upset by them.
Jiraiya huffed as he left, closing the door behind him. This was my cue to get dressed... I had been dreading this day ever since I was informed of the meeting.
We had new neighbors in town vampires, and after centuries of war, they proposed a truce treaty between our clans. Despite their reputation, they did not seem interested in harming us.
Our new neighbors were advocating for coexistence without conflict. They labeled themselves The New Age Vampires to distinguish themselves from their ancient counterparts and were determined to forge their own path.
These New Age Vampires just wanted a peaceful existence; it seemed too good to be true, but I was willing to do whatever it took to stop the bloodshed.
As I strode over to my closet, I flung it open and began to rummage through my clothes in frustration. None of my outfits seemed suitable for the upcoming meeting, and I needed to make a serious impression.
Despite being the youngest Alpha at only 25 years old. I would be considered old as dirt in DOG years!
Finally, I found an outfit that looked formal enough. I shrugged to myself as the corner of my mouth heaved into an amused smirk.
"That'll do."
The Night of The Meeting
To ensure the safety of all involved, we agreed to meet at a hotel in one of its event rooms located in the heart of the city, which had been rented out by the vampires.
This location was neutral and allowed us to avoid any potential conflicts that might arise, and if our supernatural abilities were exposed to humans.
We had to take into account that were not the only supernatural beings in existence, and if humans were to discover this fact, it would put all of us at risk of being hunted down.
Therefore, we had to follow strict rules and laws to protect ourselves and maintain our safety.
As soon as I met my uncle and the others, I could feel them roll their eyes. "That's what you choose to wear that?"
As I glanced down, I noticed that my legs were flooding above my ankle. It suddenly occurred to me that I had grown quite a bit since the last time I had worn this suit, which happened to be at my high school prom.
Although it wasn't exactly appropriate for the occasion, it was the only outfit I had available at the time. So, they were just going to have to deal with it.
"What's done is done, I'm not changing!" I was standing in front of them dressed in a bright-colored suit & tie that did fit anymore, with my hair left unruly and my face sporting a mischievous grin.
I knew Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji were trying to hide their laughter at the sight of me, while my uncle, trainer Iruka, and Elder Hiruzen all sighed heavily.
I noticed that both Iruka and Shikamaru had let their signature high ponytails loose and slicked back their deep chocolate-colored locks like everyone else. They were also wearing matching black suits and had clean-shaven faces. They appeared as if they were attending a funeral.
"Well, when the hell did y'all go suit shopping and why didn't you invite me?!" My arms were crossed as I countered. Formal clothing wasn't something we werewolves wore casually.
"What are you all waiting for? Get in!" Elder Hiruzen barked, as I just now realized the limo they were standing in front of.
"What the hell?" I muttered under my breath.
"We've wasted enough time. Let's go!" Hiruzen had gestured for us to start moving with a wave of his age-spot riddle hand.
"Courtesy of our new cold-blooded friends..." I heard Hiruzen grumble as Iruka opened the car door for him.
As I settled into the spacious limo, I muttered to myself about their attempts to win our favor. Well, I'm not going to lie, color me impressed. First, this, and now the fancy hotel. What was next? Were they going to wine and dine with us?
"Yeah," I heard Choji agree as he climbed inside after my uncle. It was out of respect for the elder to go first then the Alpha. I sat between Hiruzen and Jiraiya while Choji, Kiba, and Shikamaru sat across from us.
"Who's driving?" I heard Kiba ask.
"Iruka," Hiruzen answered and then added, "They wanted to send a driver, but we refused. The limo is already too much." Elder Hiruzen sighed in annoyance, making it clear he didn't trust them, none of us did, but this willingness to talk and make peace was too good of an offer to pass up.
So, we drove away from our home nestled deep in the heart of the Konoha woods. We had built our civilization in the woods where we could live free from prying eyes and enjoy our feral ways.
The ride in the limo was silent. I didn't want to annoy Elder Hiruzen, and the boys seemed to feel the same. Looking out the tinted window, I watched as the dense forest slowly gave way to paved streets, buildings, and lights.
It had been years since I had been back in the city. It was the smell of food and wet asphalt that I remember the most about this place. I won't lie, it was more than just that.
I could sense the tension growing as the massive columns of the Greco-Roman-style luxury hotel came into view. I could not even begin to count how many fountains it had. I quickly leaned forward in my seat beckoning the others to do the same. They were waiting for a speech of some sort.
"Now boys don't do anything to embarrass me in this establishment." I joked. Instantly, the tension broke, as Kiba, Shika, and Choji smiled chuckling under their breath, while Uncle Jiraiya and old man Hiruzen shook their heads. They were not entertained.
As the limo had pulled up at the valet entrance. We were glad to exit the vehicle. All seven of us had to fix our suits from the long ride my peers began to stretch with me as Jiraiya started to fiddle with his tie.
"I hope everyone is ready," I said, studying each of their faces. As Alpha, it was my responsibility to take charge. They all nodded in agreement, and I felt grateful to have them by my side for this upcoming meeting and in battle.
We strolled into the hotel lobby, taking in our surroundings. A vibrant bar caught our attention, and we eventually made our way to the front desk. A friendly clerk greeted us with a smile and gave us a quick once-over.
"Are you with the New Age group?"
"Yes."
"Alrighty, that'll be straight down the hall and through those double doors."
"Thanks" She nodded at me before answering a call.
We walked in unison myself and the older ones in the pack, while my boys walked behind us.
Upon reaching the double doors, I turned to my group and, with their approval, began to push them open.
This was it, there was no turning back now.
We did not know what to expect on the other side, but the eight of us were strong and if there was an ambush, they were messing with the right ones.
Upon the door's slow opening, a beige and grey carpet with a swirly pattern resembling peacock feathers caught my attention. The sight of six people sitting on black folding chairs and standing up as we entered the room followed.
Among the six, one caught instantly my eye - with his bright orange hair and a hypnotic lavender gaze that locked onto mine. He appeared to have never smiled, with smooth and flawless skin like glass, yet it was difficult to ignore the numerous piercings lining his nose, ears, and lower lip. A female vampire stood beside him on his right.
The woman's hair was a gentle shade of lilac that fell just below her ears. A side bang framed her face as she gazed at me with her striking golden eyes.
A solitary piercing adorned under her lower lip, and her expression mirrored that of the red-headed one beside her.
As I looked to my left, I saw a raven with long parted bangs. The rest of his long raven locks were pinned back. Our eyes met, and I felt mine widen.
The raven's face resembled the one in my dream, with flawless pale skin and deep black eyes, but it wasn't the same person. However, he reminded me a lot of him.
My dream mate and this one looked like they could be related. I quickly shook off the thought that it was impossible. After all, it was only a dream. I was so distracted that I almost missed that scent of mahogany and leather.
At first, I felt my heart pick up speed as my palms began to sweat and my eyes started to dart around the room in search of the owner. He was standing in the back, arms crossed with the same signature expression.
"It's you." I felt my gaze widening as our eyes locked, I felt flabbergasted. Even though the experience we endured was only in my dream. We had experienced a lifetime together, and the emotions I felt made it all too real.
Suddenly the stories I heard over the years made sense. I would take down legions just for him and would take a silver bullet to the heart for him.
It suddenly got hard to breathe as I locked eyes with that all-too-familiar dark gaze.
At that moment, I could not distinguish between real life and dream. He was standing right there, in front of me!
The connection was undeniable, and I found myself unable to resist its pull. It was as if a force greater than myself was guiding me closer as my feet moved of their own accord, it was urging me to act. Without hesitation, I reached out and pulled them into a tight embrace.
The world around us seemed to fade away as our bodies pressed against each other. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that it was all just a figment of my imagination. Every moment felt real.
My brain began to scream at me to stop this, but my body was in charge. The room was still and then I heard my uncle say, "No..." in a breathless whisper. "It can't be." He was the first to understand what was happening.
"Is this a werewolf custom?" I heard one of the Vampires say. I'm pretty sure they were just as confused as everybody else (excluding my uncle)
I felt a hand placed on my shoulder it was Elder Hiruzen the grip increased as he pried me apart. He figured it out also and knew the more excited I got the closer I was to changing and that would be all bad.
When I peered down at him those dark deep depths were staring at me.
He said nothing his expression was hard to decipher, but he did not attack me for the unprompted embrace.
So, that was a good start, right? My gawd! He was devastatingly beautiful in person. I normally didn't tilt towards men but motherfucker this was a start.
On impulse, I felt my right hand raised to caress that flawless face.
"Naruto!" I heard my uncle shout. I rolled my eyes.
As I observed my pack and the vampires, I could sense their tension, particularly from my mate - it was surreal to have one.
I stole a glance at him, but his expression was inscrutable. It seemed like they were all expecting me to greet each one of them with a hug now, but that would never happen. The red-haired vampire, whom I presumed was the head of the New Age Vampire, spoke up.
"I'm assuming this was not planned." His tone was flat and direct.
"No, I'm afraid not," Hiruzen grumbled.
"I see... So, what does this intel?" His expression ever chiseled from stone. He was not mad or upset, and I could not tell if I was going to like or hate him.
"We will sign whatever treaty needs to be signed. I just want him." The words left my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.
I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to know everything about him his scent was becoming intoxicating.
"You damn moron!" My uncle shouted, followed by an eruption of groans behind me. I turned, giving my pack an apologetic grin.
Unfazed by this the redhead spoke again, "We should introduce ourselves." that would be a start...
"I'm Nagato the leader of this clan." I watched as they went around introducing themselves, but there was only one individual I cared about. As soon as his lips parted, and he began to speak, my attention was on him.
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha." During this interaction, my mate avoided making eye contact with me and instead focused his gaze on the other Uchiha.
The other Uchiha seemed ginually amused, which caused my mate to glare at him, and thus caused the other raven's smirk to widen. It was a type of interaction that only siblings could have. I wonder if that technically makes him my brother-in-law?
The room went quiet as they patiently waited for us to introduce ourselves.
"The name's Naruto Uzumaki and I'm the Alpha of the forest clan."
Finally, I got an expression out of him though minuscule as that may be. His eyes widened even so slightly, maybe he thought I was a high-ranking loudmouth member of the pack and not the actual Alpha.
It was not uncommon for Alphas to send males under them to do meetings for them. If they felt like it was a trap or if they were too busy.
I heard Elder Hiruzen introduce himself next as they went down the chain of command.
Once we were done with the awkward formatives, this Nagato vamp posed the question.
"So, what do you want with Sasuke?" Nagato turned his head towards my mate as he spoke, and I could sense that they were having a conversation. I noticed Sasuke's furrowed brows as if he were silently imploring the redhead.
"He's my mate-" Once again I say what was on my mind.
"Tell them everything why don't you!" Shouted Hiruzen.
This was the dialogue that made Nagato release a noise that sounded like an involuntary chuckle. He looked back at me, his expression less callous.
So, he did have a personality locked away under there.
"I did not expect that," he said. "So, you're willing to sign this treaty as long as you have Sasuke, is that correct?"
"What!? No..." Yes, gawd yes! Hand him over I'll take good care of him!
"So, you're not going to sign-"
"-yes, we are striving for peace just like the rest of you."
"Good, and Sasuke?" He turned his body toward the raven.
As I caught a glimpse of my partner, I noticed that he had turned his head to the side, and his bangs were covering his face. However, I could see that his mouth was contorting into a sneer. I watched in alarm as his hands balled up into fists, trembling with suppressed anger.
"Oh, uh he's his own person..." I scratch the point of my chin anxiously.
"You said he's your mate, right?" I don't know why their leader was being so level-headed about this.
"Yeah, I did say that out loud, didn't I?" I chuckled once again glancing apologetically at my pack again.
"You can have him. I just need you to sign." I watched as the vampire handed him a parchment and a pen, which he presented to me. I quickly handed it to Iruka, who was good at spotting inconsistencies.
This felt so wrong, but I couldn't lie. I was thinking with one head, and it wasn't the one on my shoulder. After Iruka was done reading over the parchment he handed it back to me.
"It appears legit," Our eyes locked as I took hold of the paper. I gave Iruka a nod before taking the pen and signing. I stared at my signature as I released a shaky breath before handing it to Nagato.
I needed to clear things up.
"There's no need to give Sasuke to me if he doesn't want to go. I never want to force someone against their will."
I could see his head jerk in my direction out of the corner of my eye.
"Sasuke is more than willing to go with you." Nagato replied.
"I rather hear him say it."
Just then we all focused on him. No, pressure I thought.