Gravity

by Hese Solstis

Day 1 of IIHWE 2023: When Rukia returns to her ancestral roots in Karakura, the last thing she expects is to be informed by her students about a small town murder, getting attacked by a vampire, saved by a wolf, and realizing that she is a witch- in that order.

1. Chapter 1

I

.

.

Karakura is a backwater town with a small population and even smaller high school student population. Everyone knows everyone here. In a town like this, there are no secrets, no neighbours that you didn't say hi to or wave awkwardly back, no classmates you didn't already know from the first day of kindergarten. Everything is close, homogenous, tight-knit, while the colours are darker and muted, the trees are taller and the skies perpetually covered in grey clouds.

Rukia Kuchiki frowns, tilting her head up at the sky. It looks like it might rain. She sticks out like a sore thumb with her lilac dress and canary yellow cardigan- summer colours in a sea of people dressed in what seems to be khakis and flannels, like how she is out of touch with the time and season of this new place, still stuck in the sunny streets of Seireitei when Karakura is already getting ready for winter. She wraps the cardigan tighter around herself, wishing she had on a warmer jacket or brought an umbrella with her before she left the house. Her dark hair is getting wind-swept and humidity in the air does nothing for it.

She hitches the strap of her book bag higher up her shoulder, pretending that she does not notice the pointed looks and whispers from the people around her. She chews at the bottom of her lip, reminding herself that the novelty will wear off soon enough.

She keeps her head down and she does not make eye contact. She makes her way slowly but surely across the school yard, ignoring the weight of the stares. They are just curious; she knows she shouldn't blame them. She tolerates their gawking, even though she has been itching to say something snarky since they broke the news at her grandfather's will hearing. It is hard not to be bitter when all it takes is a dead man- her grandfather that she has met only on a handful of occasions, to make certain demands and stipulations in his will for her to pack up her belongings, uprooting herself from the comforts she has known her entire life in Seireitei, to come here- to come home.

Funny; home when neither her nor Byakuya was born here. Home, as far as Rukia is concerned, is Seireitei, yet Ginrei's will is specific and exact. Byakuya or her- one of the Kuchiki siblings, their presence here in Karakura is mandatory, for the next five years at least, if both of them want their inheritance. It is tradition. There has always been a Kuchiki on Karakura soil since the day of its founding. Her ancestors are among the original settlers and founder of the town.

Old man Kuchiki- her grandfather, Ginrei served as the town's councilman until his retirement and his father before that. Rukia's father had the privilege of 'escaping', leaving Karakura, getting married, having kids in the big city, but even then, he didn't get far. He died young and was subsequently buried in the family plot in Karakura, marking the first time Rukia has ever set foot in town.

Now as his flesh and bones, Rukia has the dubious honour of being here, to repay the sins of her father. Byakuya owes her big time for the sacrifice she is making. She did agree to put five years of her life on hold for him and Hisana, so the newlyweds can enjoy the honeymoon phase of their marriage in Seireitei, especially since they have only just moved into a bigger house and Hisana just got the promotion she wanted.

Rukia huffs, reminding herself for the umpteenth time that this is not a permanent move. Five years will be here and gone before she knows it. She just has to make it through the first day of class.

She can do this.

It does not mean that she has to like it though, she thinks looking at the sea of strangers in front of her. When the thirty pairs of eyes turn expectantly to her, their silence is deafening. Rukia gulps before she plasters on a fake smile.

Five years, she reminds herself. Her time starts now.

"Hello! I'm Rukia Kuchiki. You can call me Miss Kuchiki. I'm your new English teacher. I've recently moved to Karakura. For this semester, we will be covering Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I understand from Principal Yamamoto that you've covered The Picture of Dorian Gray with Mr. Mizuiro last semester, so I expect you all to know or have some knowledge on analyzing fiction."

She takes out her stationeries, laying them out neatly on the table before grabbing her own copy of Romeo and Juliet from the bag. It is in a sorry state, the pages are yellow with age and filled with messy scrawls annotated in the margins.

"Your homework assignments account for 50% of your marks for this class, so I expect them to be handed on time. Late assignments will be accepted but your marks will be halved. You have been warned. I make no exceptions. Mock exams and pop quizzes account for 20% and your final exam, 30%."

Rukia casts her glance around the room. "Any questions before we begin? I assume that you all have a copy of the book with you?"

A hand shoots up immediately at the back of the room. The student in question is a girl with blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. Her eyes are green and sharp. Her vivacious personality comes through as she grins conspiratorially, leaning forward as though she is sharing a secret.

"Miss Kuchiki, is it true that you're one of those Kuchiki?"

Rukia arches an eyebrow, asking coolly. "And what sort of Kuchiki might those be?"

"The ones who own the big mansion on the edge of town and like, half of the town's businesses?"

"Take note, class. That is an excellent use of the literary device, exaggeration." Rukia's smile is all teeth. "I can expect to see excellent work from you, Miss—"

"Ririn."

Ririn has the decency to blush at that, more so when she hears the snickers from her classmates, but she is ultimately undeterred in her line for questioning. "So, are you? Why did you move back to Karakura? Didn't you hear about the murder? Aren't you worried?"

Rukia hides a groan, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She forgets how nosy high school students can be.

"Family obligations," Rukia answers in a clipped voice before frowning. No one said anything about a murder. Well, not that she's asked, but she is under the impression that murders and robberies don't happen in sleepy backwater towns like Karakura.

"What murder?"

"Miss Soma's, of course!" Ririn sighs dramatically. "I can't believe you didn't know about this. So, Miss Soma was our substitute teacher for Maths when Miss Inoue was on maternity leave last year. One day, out of the blue, she just didn't show up for work. At first, we all just thought she was sick, but then this went on for about three days and still she didn't call or reach out to anyone. No one knew where she was or where she'd gone, so Principal Yamamoto had to call the Sheriff in. But nobody—"

She is interrupted by the grating sound of metal scraping against the floor. Another student- a boy this time, with dark hair and olive-toned skin, stands up abruptly, his lips twisted into a deep scowl.

"Tch! Stop spreading rumours, Ririn! It was a suicide. The Sheriff and Dr. Kurosaki confirmed it."

Ririn snorts, crossing her arm. "That's the official statement they gave because they couldn't find the murderer and didn't want us to lose confidence in local law enforcement! If it was really a suicide then why wasn't there a suicide note found, Kon? Honestly, just because your cousin's the Sheriff—"

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?!"

"It's quite obvious, isn't it? There's a serial killer out there and the Sheriff is just standing around, twiddling his thumbs, waiting for the next murder to happen!"

"Oh, fuck off, Ririn!"

"Kon, please! Language! And Ririn—" Rukia glares warningly at the girl— "Unless you have actual evidence or proof that supports your claims, I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself."

She gives the two students a pointed look. "Ririn and Kon, both of you, please sit down so that we can continue with the lesson. Now, back to Shakespeare. To understand his work, we need to first have a bit of background knowledge about him."

The squeak of her black marker against the whiteboard is almost therapeutic as she writes The Bard's name in bold, underlining it for good measure.

"Who can tell me where and when he was born?"

.

.

The rest of the day passes uneventfully for Rukia. She does, however, spend more time than she'd like photocopying her class materials for tomorrow. She frowns at the darkness of her surroundings as she sets foot outside the school, the last teaching staff to leave for the day.

A quick glance at the empty car park confirms that her blue Ford Fiesta is the only car left, parked all the way at the other end. During the day it did not matter much to her, but Rukia hadn't realized how creepy and dark it gets, especially since the outdoor motion-sensor lights do not seem to be working.

She sighs, tugging her sleeves down to her fingertips, feeling the chill in the air. 7pm in Karakura feels much later than it actually is; yet another one of the many differences between living in Karakura and her life in Seireitei. She needs to get a better social life.

Wrapping her cardigan tighter around herself, she resolves to walk quickly, having no intentions to delay herself any further. It is quite a drive from school back to the main house.

The car park is dark despite the pale crescent moon grinning at her from up above. She flicks on the Torch function on her phone, using the light to guide her to her car. She chides herself when her mind wanders unbidden to the murder Ririn talked about during class. It is strange that the family solicitor, Ryuken didn't mention anything about this to her, but he probably did not want to worry or alarm her unnecessarily. There is certainly nothing more for her to worry about if the police have already ruled it as a suicide. This talk of murder and serial killers is nothing more than just a stupid conspiracy theory made up by imaginative high school kids bored out of their minds. It is silly. She should not be taking it seriously.

She is a grown ass woman with a job. She is a respectable upstanding citizen, who pays her taxes on time. She does not have time to be scared of some silly, not to mention, factually untrue rumours about a serial killer stalking Karakura, murdering teach—

"AAHHHH!"

Rukia screams, nearly dropping her phone when she realizes that there is a man standing next to her. It does not help that his hair is on the longer side, stringy and messy like he hasn't had a good wash in weeks, if not months. She frowns at the state of his clothes, more so when she realizes that he is not wearing shoes. What is he doing outside shoeless, dressed only in a flimsy, sleeveless white shirt and denim jeans?

Also, when and how did he get there? She hadn't even heard footsteps. It is after school hours. The main gates to the school should be locked and the janitor was cleaning the teacher's lounge as she was leaving.

"H-Hi! I didn't see you there. Y-You startled me. I'd just like to get to my car and um… leave? So—"

The man lifts his head up at that, making her jump. That is when she gets a look at the gaunt face and pale skin. There are dark circles around his eyes. She thinks she is imagining things but she could have sworn that his eyes or rather his irises are red and glowing. He tilts his head at her, looking at her curiously almost like—

She gulps.

—like she's dinner.

Goosebumps prick her skin. She can feel her heart racing. Her mind is screaming at her to run. Ririn was right! There is a serial killer on the loose and right now, he is standing in the car park with her.

Alone.

She takes a step back, holding the phone in front of her. The other hand reaches for the strap of her bag, ready to swing it at the guy as a distraction. Her car keys are in her pocket. She is standing no more than ten steps away from the car. She can make a run for it.

Without any warning at all, the man suddenly snarls animalistically and lunges at her.

Rukia screams, throwing her bag at him and immediately starts running towards her car. The bag hits him in the face, its contents hitting the ground with a clatter, but it doesn't seem to deter him. Her hands are shaking and her palms are clammy as she fidgets with the key, cursing when the key does not slide into the slot.

It is instincts that has her turning just in time, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws aimed for her face. Cold air stings her cheeks. Rukia falls flat on her butt, but her mind does not register the pain. Adrenaline surges through her and the first thought that strikes her is this: the thing is not human.

For starters, humans do not have sharp claws powerful enough to leave jagged lines on car doors. Any deeper and the car door would have sliced clean through. Rukia shudders, backing herself until her back hits the rear tyre. There were no reflections in the windows just now. She couldn't even see him coming.

"Y-You're a—"

Rukia can feel its hunger for violence, more so when he hisses at her, ruby red eyes gleaming. "Say it!"

The signs are all there. Sharp claws, pale skin and the most damning piece of evidence: no reflections in the mirror. A vampire, she thinks, monsters that belong in gothic horror stories; monsters that are not real.

The smile that curls on his lips is cruel. As if to taunt her, he opens his mouth wide, showing her the two rows of sharply filed teeth, the pronounced fangs of his incisors. "You know what I am."

Rukia swallows thickly, not trusting herself to speak. She must be going crazy. Still reeling from her new reality, her horror only grows when she sees her key- or at least part of it is slotted into the car door. The other half of it is snapped off and lying uselessly on the bitumen road right next to her.

Her key snapped!

Rukia clenches her fists. She has a split-second decision to make as she stares into the eyes of her would-be killer, who is leering at her, licking his lips lasciviously, white teeth gleaming.

This time, she knows that she cannot outrun it.

When the man lunges again for her, Rukia turns and rolls, squeezing herself into the tiny space under her Ford Fiesta. She can barely fit in the tight space. She is nearly incoherent with fear when she sees the vampire reaching for her, but she instinctively raises her feet up, stomping and kicking at him. His face is twisted into a mean sneer as he lowers his head, peering at her through the gap.

He tries to crawl into the space after her next, but Rukia kicks him hard in the face. She hears a squelch and a hiss. Good, she thinks to herself, she hopes it breaks his nose!

She scowls when the vampire returns, doubling down on his efforts. The kick to the face was not enough to scare him away. He may have learned his lesson not to put his face there, but he has not given up on Rukia yet. Snarling, he tries to reach and claw for her with his arms from the gap, relentless even as Rukia kicks and screams at him.

She is just about to throw whatever it is in her hands at the monster, when Rukia belatedly realizes that it is her phone. She could kick herself for being so stupid and not realizing it earlier. She still has her phone on her!

The phone screen is cracked and her fingers are trembling, but she wastes no time in calling for help. She has tears streaming down her face and the background noise is a cacophony of gleeful snarls, her high-pitched screaming and the sound of something heavy being pulled.

Her car is moving. Dear Lord, she realizes with abject horror that the psychois trying to move her car, dragging it away with sheer brute force, to get to her!

"Karakura Sheriff Department, how can—"

I'm hiding under a car to get away from a fucking vampire!

She clenches her jaw. No one would believe her if she said that. Vampires are not real. They will think that she is making things up, pranking calling and wasting their time on a school night.

"H-Help!" Her voice has gone hoarse from screaming at this point. The terror in her voice is unmistakable and she hopes that it comes through on the phone line. "P-Please! There's someone, no- something attacking me! Please! Send someone out—AHHHHHHH!"

Rukia shrieks when she feels sharp nails digging into her skin. She jerks her arm back, protectively cradling it to her chest. Her heart is pounding against her chest. She presses her hand to the wound, desperate to stop the bleeding. Breathing hard, she raises her eyes in time to see his twisted smirk. His pupils are wide and dilated. He brings his bloodied fingers to his lips, moaning as he laps at the thick liquid dripping down his fingers. She sees him grinning at her, hungry for more.

The sick fuck!

"Ma'am? Where are you? We'll send someone over right now! Don't hang up!"

Rukia is breathing through her mouth and her hair is plastered to her skin, drenched in cold sweat. She feels sick, like she can barely breathe, let alone speak. She tightens her grip on her phone, determined not to let the fear take hold.

"He's um- armed! Be-Be careful! But hurry! I'm at the car park at- at Ka-Karakura High! P-Please! You have to hurry!"

She is effectively trapped under her car. She is dead if she tries to get out from her hiding place. The monster will tear her apart, limb from limb.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The car above her suddenly heaves and Rukia screams, even louder than before, curling onto her side, thinking that this is her end. The vampire has managed to lift the car and any minute now, she is going to find herself with her throat slit.

She is unprepared when the car slams back down on her. She throws her hands up, shielding her face. She hisses in pain, feeling the back of her head connect with the ground. It is a hard hit and she feels her vision blur. Tears stain the corner of the eyes. She thinks she hears a low growl amidst the chaos, but she could be wrong.

The car alarm is blaring at full volume, activated by the sudden jerk of the car- first upwards, then abruptly slammed back down by the pull of gravity. Rukia wishes there was a way to turn it off. Her ears are ringing from a mixture of the blaring car alarm and the aftereffects of her head injury.

Then, from the tiny crack underneath the car, she sees movement. Disoriented as she is, she counts four massive paws that look like they belong to a dog, but bigger- much bigger and heavier than a dog.

A wolf?

There is a nature reserve on the outskirts of Karakura town. The woods behind the Kuchiki Manor separates the Kuchiki lands and Karakura town from the nature reserve. Wildlife seems to be thriving and Rukia is sure someone somewhere had mentioned scientists visiting the area to study local wildlife. No one mentioned anything about wolf sightings though, especially not when they are inside Karakura town area. Wolves and other wild animals tend to avoid human contact.

Pushing her fear back as far down as she can, Rukia creeps closer to the edge of her hiding place, peering out curiously. She ducks back immediately after the first glance. She clamps a hand to her mouth, desperate to keep her voice down and stay hidden.

No one would ever believe her if she told them, but she saw—

She swallows thickly. She has never seen anything like it.

Feeling brave, she scoots back to lie on her side, scarcely daring to breathe as she crouches lower, watching the face-off between the monster and a wolf.

The wolf is bigger than she has ever imagined a wolf to be, big enough that she thinks it can swallow her whole in a gulp. Its tail must be the length of her whole arm and its coat is brown, though it is difficult to tell for sure with the poor lighting. She watches as it snarls, teeth bared and tongue curled as it circles the monster.

"You're all alone," he taunts, his eyes following the movements of the beast. "Where are all your friends? Think you can take me on all by yourself?"

The wolf howls as a response. Hackles raised, it lunges, growling when its teeth snap on cold air. Its jaw misses the vampire's throat by a hairsbreadth. The powerful front paws land on his chest. Rukia hears a thud from that, the impact would have- should have broken ribs. Yet, much to Rukia's disappointment, he remains standing. The impact pushes him back, but not by much.

The vampire shrugs off the attack with a grin, dusting off imaginary dust at the front. "That hurts."

The wolf launches another attack, but he simply dances away, chuckling throatily at its attempts.

"Too slow."

He turns then so his back is facing her. Rukia does not see the wolf or what happens next but she suddenly hears a painful high-pitched whimper and dark, rumbling laughter. It does not sound good. She winces, digging her nails into the meat of her palm.

"H-Hello?" she whispers.

The phone call is still connected to the Sheriff's office. Yet, there is only static silence from that end. She scowls. What is the point of asking her not to hang up when there is no one there anyway. She ends the call, tapping her finger on the button a little more aggressively than she should.

She can only trust that the police are on their way here. She doesn't know who else to call. Even with her phone, she is as good as useless.

Rukia presses her lips into a thin line, suddenly annoyed with herself. There must be something that she can do. Should she make a run for it while the monster is distracted by the wolf?

Can she actually outrun a vampire?

She is hardly the most athletic person around and she presses a hand to the back of her head, wincing when she feels a lump. She may have a concussion.

Her scowl deepens. The incessant cackles are torture enough. But what he is doing to that poor animal is just cruel. He treats it like a sick, twisted game, trying to hunt her down like she is prey, toying with her like how a cat toys with a mouse.

Maybe it is a little like that to him. To him, she is just meat, just food- sustenance to sustain him until his next meal and victim.

Whether it was a conscious altruistic decision or not, the wolf is protecting her. And as powerless as she is, Rukia has never been one to let others fight her battles for her. It does not sit well with her to let someone else suffer in her stead.

If she is going to die, she is going to die standing. She feels sorry for the wolf. The poor thing was just trying to get on with its life and somehow, got swept up in this messy business.

The breath that Rukia releases is shaky but she is determined. She eases herself out from under the car gingerly and then once she gets out, crouches low. Gathering her resolve, she takes in a deep breath before she takes off for the entrance, running away from the monster.

"HEY! BLOODSUCKER! CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!"

She runs.

The scent of blood is thick in the air. The wound on her hand will not stop bleeding.

Her head is throbbing. She can barely see, but she doesn't stop, pushing past the pain to go faster.

The thing is fast- much faster than she had expected. Rukia barely has the time to yelp, to register the pain before she feels his weight barreling into her from behind. The impact sends her flying, knocking her over and she takes a rough tumble, feeling the gravel and asphalt cut into her exposed skin as she lands on her wrist.

The monster grants her no respite from the hunt. He flips her over to land on her back. Rukia can feel his ominous presence above her, bearing down on her with a sadistic grin. A hand on her left shoulder pins her in place while the other raises her already injured arm to his gaping maw. She should feel fear, panic coursing through her veins. But all she sees are blurry and hazy images of the monster, teeth gleaming, laughing at her, no doubt taunting her for being stupid enough to abandon her hiding place to pull a stunt like this instead.

Her eyes are wide open. It happens in slow motion- a sequence of events playing out frame-by-frame, until the teeth descend, piercing through her skin, clamping down on her arm. She cannot stop it or push him away. She feels her lifeforce being drained, her pulse growing fainter by the second.

Then, the pain hits.

Rukia gasps, throwing her head back as she screams her throat raw. The pain is molten and visceral, burning at her from the inside. It chokes her. Liquid fire- she doesn't know how else to explain what is happening to her as it wracks through her body. She is being burnt alive. Her body convulses, tears streaming, tasting iron from where she bit her tongue.

She is on the verge of begging. Someone- anyone please! just make the pain stop.

When the monster finally releases his grip on her arm, the limb flops back limply against the ground. It is a scene straight out from a horror movie. Blood- velvety thick, dark and oozing seeps through his fingers. It drips from his open mouth, staining his teeth and the front of his shirt. He relishes her fear. Feeling her eyes on it, he makes a show of licking his fingertips clean. The vampire throws his head back, laughing like a maniacal madman. He enjoys seeing her suffer. He will enjoy breaking her.

Rukia shudders. She feels lightheaded. She is powerless, too weak to even move her fingers. She shuts her eyes, welcoming the comforting embrace of death. At least then it wouldn't hurt any more.

Then—

The world goes quiet abruptly.

The pain envelops her senses in a haze. It takes a while for Rukia to realize that it is quiet because the annoying laughter finally stopped. She lifts her gaze upwards, a distinct feeling that something is not quite right. She blinks blearily, her brain sluggishly catching on.

The vampire is missing a head.

But there is no blood. There is instead some sort of white powder sprinkled around her. It is an out-of-body experience as she watches the wolf push and drag the headless corpse away from her. Fresh air fills her lungs when the weight pressing down on her is gone and she inhales greedily.

Rukia hisses as she settles back on her back, trying her best to make herself comfortable. Her brain is whirling, trying to make sense of everything that has happened so far, but the thoughts will not come. The dots will not connect and the pain is still overwhelming.

She turns to look at the beast left standing. The wolf saved her.

Furry ears perk upright, twitching at her. Honey golden eyes lock into hers. The scent of blood wafting from it is overpowering. Rukia winces. It must have gotten injured from the earlier fight when it tried to protect her.

The wolf gives a low-pitched whine, seemingly sensing her distress. Rukia wrinkles her nose at the smell when it draws close, but she is too weak to move away from the wet snout nuzzling against her throat. It tickles where his fur brushes past her face. She somehow manages a smile when she feels tentative licks on her cheeks. The wolf is surprisingly gentle with her. Even without looking, Rukia knows that his tail is wagging, just like how she instinctively knows it is a he.

She senses nervousness from him as he nudges at her again. His eyes are alert, darting at their surroundings as he makes a low keening sound from the back of his throat. Sensing no response from her, the wolf throws his head back, howling mournfully at the night sky.

The last thing Rukia remembers seeing is a pair of bright amber eyes gleaming at her.

.

Stay with me!

.

.

.

.

"You're lucky I was in the area to begin with. Any second later and she would have turned."

Ulquiorra Schiffer's thousand-yard stare is unnerving. No one recognizes that more than Ichigo, who is on the receiving end of it. Ichigo scowls in response. If it is one thing that the undead do well, it is detaching themselves from their emotions. Even now, when he is looking at him, it feels like he is looking through him. He hates Ulquiorra's cold voice and the unfeeling monotone he uses.

It is unnatural. Vampires are cold. Their hearts are shriveled lumps of coal stripped bare of any shred of warmth and life since the day they changed. They walk the earth in their husks frozen in time, masquerading as something they used to be.

Filthy bloodsuckers!

The pack's history with the Cold Ones has always been tumultuous. Ichigo will never know what Inoue sees in him; cannot understand anyone who would give up life to be turned into something like this.

"Save the lecture, Ulquiorra! You're part of the reason we're in this mess to begin with!"

"There is no need to be defensive, Kurosaki. I was merely stating an observation."

Ichigo snarls, "Well, maybe keep your observations to yourself! She's—"

The unconscious woman lying in the hospital bed is his mate. He already has her patient file on his desk and memorized her birthday the first chance he got. Rukia Kuchiki, an English teacher at Karakura High, blood type A+, admitted at 20:13 at Karakura General Hospital for a concussion and broken left wrist after being attacked by an unknown assailant in the school car park. The ethical thing to do would have been to transfer her over to another doctor's care, but for now, Ichigo keeps vigil over her.

She lost so much blood from the attack. He cannot bear the thought of being far from her; not when she is like this. He imprinted on her and he knows it in his heart that this- this connection that he feels towards her surpasses all bonds. Theirs is one that is written before and beyond time. The moon of his life and her sun and stars; they belong to each other. He has been cycling through a roller-coaster of emotions since he first laid eyes on her, so many things that he is dying to say and she hasn't even seen him in his human form. He has only just found her and already he has come so close to losing her.

His eyes harden. He will not let it happen again.

Ichigo growls, leveling a stern glare at the dark-haired vampire. He grabs Ulquiorra by the front of his suit, wrinkling the material thoroughly as he stares him dead in the eyes. "If anything happens to her, I swear to GOD— I will finish what my ancestors started. Starting with you!"

Let it be known that Ichigo Kurosaki, the leader of the Black Cliff Pack of Karakura is not one to make empty threats. When he shoves him back, Ichigo sees a flicker of annoyance flash on Ulquiorra's face, but the vampire merely frowns as he straightens his suit and tie.

"You are …upset because of what happened to her- to your mate. I-I think I can relate. If something like this happened to Orihime, I would find it difficult to remain objective too."

Ulquiorra's quiet admission surprises Ichigo, defusing the tension. This is Inoue's influence on him. The stoic vampire has come a long way from how or what he was when they first crossed paths with each other.

"Cool it, Ichigo! We're all on the same side. Ichigo, you're Alpha now. Rein it in, you're making the younger members nervous."

Tatsuki's stern admonishments come through the pack's telepathy link. His beta is right. Through the link, Ichigo senses a general wave of unease and it is all because of him.

Ichigo sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he mumbles an apology to Ulquiorra, who nods stiffly. They hadn't come to argue or fight.

Ichigo clicks his tongue. "Right, so the dead vampire, do you recognize him?"

"Yes. That was Quinto- Nnoitra. He was my brother."

"So, Quinto that's what? Number 5?"

"That is correct. There were ten of us originally, if you recall. The Espadas, Aizen's Ten Blades. Your Spanish is getting better."

Ulquiorra's off handed compliment catches him off guard and Ichigo rubs at his nape, clearing his throat. "Thanks. Chad's a good teacher."

Sado Yasutora is the Karakura Sheriff, everyone calls him Chad though. A relatively new transplant from the big bustling city of Rukongai, nearly 3000 miles east of Karakura, it is still a mystery why the man moved here, but he means well. He may look intimidating, but he is a gentle giant and one of the few humans that Ichigo entrusts with the secrets of Karakura town and its less-than-ordinary denizens. Ichigo owes him a life debt. He shudders to think what would have happened if Chad hadn't answered Rukia's call for help and alerted him to it.

"You have four of the Espadas- four of us on your side. Well, five if you count Starrk, but he's always preferred to stay on the fence. I doubt he'd want to get involved. Now with Nnoitra dead, there's only Décimo unaccounted for. The weakest among us. Shouldn't be too hard—" Ulquiorra trails off, looking at his watch, frowning when he notices the time— "I have to go. I have a meeting with a client at nine. You should go and get some sleep. You haven't eaten anything since last night. Orihime will worry if she sees you like this."

Ichigo waves his concern off flippantly. He opens his mouth to say something, but promptly loses his train of thought when he senses movement from the hospital bed. Her fingers twitched.

Ulquiorra resists the urge to roll his eyes at the wolf's short attention span. "I doubt you'll miss my presence. It seems that you have much better company to keep."

Ichigo barely notices it when he leaves the room.

An alpha only has eyes for his mate. He is there by Rukia's side immediately, attentive and ready to serve all her needs. His mate needs him. He wants to be the first thing she sees, so she can tell him her name herself.

.

Rukia blinks at her surroundings. There is a ceiling over her head. Her head is throbbing and her body aches all over. She is confused when she sees her left hand wrapped in a cast.

"W-Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital."

Well, that would explain her surroundings. Daylight suffuses through the open windows in front of her. White walls, white sheets, and a blue hospital gown. She has been given her own private room, but how did she even get here?

Rukia tilts her head up at the man- her doctor, she deduces, given the stethoscope around his neck, in front of her. He is dressed smartly in dark trousers and a grey button-up, perhaps to balance out the loud colour of his hair- bright orange and just long enough to brush at his nape at the back.

"I'm Dr. Ichigo Kurosaki. How are you feeling right now? Any lightheadedness?"

Rukia frowns. "A little. My body aches. And my head hurts."

The smile that the doctor gives her is sympathetic. "That's to be expected. You had quite a rough night and you might have a mild concussion from the incident. I'm going to perform some tests and ask you some questions now that you are awake. We can stop and take a break if it becomes uncomfortable for you, ok?"

Not trusting herself to speak, Rukia simply nods. She flinches when he leans in, pulling out a small torch from his pocket. Up close, he smells like sandalwood. There is a hint of spice in the cologne that he wears, just enough to be inviting without being over-empowering. Distracted, Rukia is unprepared for the sudden bright flash in her eyes and promptly makes a face.

Mercifully, the ordeal does not last long and Dr. Kurosaki mumbles an apology under his breath, making notes on his clipboard.

"Pupillary response is good. What's your name?"

"Rukia Kuchiki," she replies.

"Do you know what year it is?"

"2023."

"Last question, do you know where you are?"

"The hospital. Dr. Kurosaki—"

He sets the clipboard down and Rukia finds herself smiling, mirroring the boyish grin that he flashes at her. "Ichigo, please; call me Ichigo. Dr. Kurosaki is my dad. It gets confusing."

Ichigo's eyes are honey gold and warm. He looks at her like he knows her from somewhere before. Rukia flushes, averting her gaze hastily. She should not be reading too much into things. Ichigo is obviously just a caring doctor with lovely bedside manners.

Rukia clears her throat loudly. "Right ok, so Ichigo, how did I end up here?"

She thought she was going to die in the deserted car park that night. The wolf would have taken off into the woods or wherever it came from, with her corpse. The police and Byakuya probably wouldn't even have much of her body left to identify her.

Ichigo's lips press into a thin line as his lips furrow. "The Sheriff responded to your emergency call and came as fast as he could. Chad found you unconscious in the car park and took you to the ER. What was the last thing that you remembered from the attack? Did you see the face of your attacker?"

"Last night—"

Rukia freezes. She gulps, clenching her jaw— "I-I don't remember."

It is not technically a lie, she reasons. She would just rather not face ridicule or a psych evaluation. She knows what she saw, but no one would ever believe her. A close encounter with an undead blood-sucking creature prowling the streets of Karakura and a giant wolf that saves her from it?

Neither seems plausible. Vampires are not real, just like how wolves do not swoop in to rescue hapless English teachers from certain jaws of death.

"I-It was dark and it all happened so fast. I couldn't see anything. Sorry."

"That's ok. There's nothing to apologize for. The important thing is that you are safe now. He can't hurt you any more. It's been a traumatic incident for you. If you need to talk to someone about it, I can recommend a therapist."

Rukia nods, bunching her fists on the cotton blanket.

"Maybe later."

The smile that she gives him is weak, but Ichigo does not press her. "Let's get you discharged then. You didn't have an emergency contact listed. Is there someone that you want me to call, so they can come get you?"

There were plans for them to visit for Christmas, but Seireitei is at least an eight-hours' drive from here. Byakuya is not even in the country, attending some business conference for work and Hisana would definitely be busy at work by now. It didn't seem worth it to call them now. It will just cause them unnecessary worry.

Rukia shakes her head, declining the offer. She is still in one piece. She is a big girl. She can take care of herself. She throws off the blanket, swinging her feet over the side of the bed.

"I'll be fine. I'll just get a taxi. Where's my car?"

Ichigo arches an eyebrow at her, eyeing her grip on the metal bed frame worryingly. "At the police station. Chad will contact you soon for an official statement and you might have to go to the Karakura police—Watch out!"

Her knee suddenly buckles. Rukia shuts her eyes, bracing herself for the fall, but Ichigo is quicker. He is there in an instant. He pulls her flush against himself, wrapping an arm around her waist, steadying her while his hand grips at her wrist. Ichigo's hands are so warm. Her gaze flits to them, noting somewhat absentmindedly that his fingers are long and tapering and his hands easily dwarf hers as he encircles her wrist with it.

"Rukia, are you ok? Are you hurt?"

She gulps, feeling the heat radiating from his body. His scent- the smell of his cologne, makes her want to draw herself closer to him. She feels safe in his arms, like nothing can ever touch her. She lifts her head up, trying valiantly to resist the pull of her dangerous thoughts, only to realize that Ichigo is so much taller than her, so much so that the top of her head barely touches the top of his shoulders.

Rukia flushes at the proximity. Ichigo is standing close enough for her to see the amber flecks in his eyes; close enough for her to confuse the sound of his heartbeat with that of her own.

"S-Sorry. I'm usually not this clumsy."

She inwardly cringes at how breathless she sounds when she replies. She must be making an absolute fool of herself.

Ichigo frowns as he eases her back onto the hospital bed, pressing a glass of water into her uninjured hand. "At least let me take you home."

"Don't you have work to do?"

Rukia winces when she realizes how ungrateful that sounds, but Ichigo laughs it off.

"It won't take too long," he tells her. "There are other doctors on duty and I am actually on my break. It will make me feel better knowing that you reached home safely."

Her handsome doctor sounds a little too good to be true. His smile melts her down. With him standing so close, Rukia suddenly feels unbearably self-conscious and shy. She tucks her stray bang behind her ear. "O-Ok. But only if it's not too much of a hassle for you."

The smile that curls on Ichigo's lips only widens at that. He is practically purring when he says, "No trouble at all, Rukia. It'll be my pleasure."

.

.

.

The car ride to Kuchiki Manor is quiet and Rukia falls asleep by the time they round the corner, coming out from the hospital. Her soft snores make Ichigo smile and he wordlessly switches the radio off, letting her sleep. He drives slowly, taking the scenic route and carefully avoiding potholes. He knows the roads of this town- some more beaten and off-track than others, like the back of his hand.

Kuchiki Manor is built on the top of a small hill, just on the edges of town, which coincidentally happens to be where most of the pack members live, with one notable difference: the Kuchikis are loaded. Ichigo feels this acutely with every passing second that he makes past the heavy wrought iron gates, emblazoned with the Kuchiki family crest. Kagine- the ground's caretaker lets him through when he sees Rukia, asleep on the passenger's side.

This time of the year, autumnal colours of red, brown and yellow greet him, falling gently from the trees that flank the long driveway. The grounds are well-tended and the path is kept clean.

Ichigo stops the car, parking it just in front of the main house, which is a two-storey colonial-style brick building. White columns support the covered front porch extending from the house with a small flight of steps leading up to the main door. The sloping gabled roof has blue-green shingles while white bricks and bay windows gleam bright from a distance. A small round balcony on the second storey overlooks the driveway and Karakura town that stretches just below the hill.

Ichigo turns, lightly tapping Rukia on the shoulder to rouse her. "We're here."

Rukia scrunches her face, blearily looking at her new surroundings with a frown. She nods, unbuckling her seat belt as she gets out of the car.

Outside, Ichigo drapes his leather jacket over her shoulders, enveloping her with his warmth and scent and she flashes him a grateful smile. She was discharged with whatever items of clothing she had on when she was admitted. Her yellow cardigan is torn and unsalvageable with blood stains. Her lilac dress only fared marginally better.

The intimidating double doors swing back with a light push from Rukia. She is ever so grateful that the housekeeper Mrs. Ochi is home. The rest of her belongings from the night of the attack are still at the police station.

"Thank you for doing this." She pushes the door wider, inviting Ichigo in. "Come in. I'll get you something to drink. Coffee?"

Rukia reaches for the jacket draped over her, intending to return it, but Ichigo presses the jacket back down on her shoulder. "Keep it."

He likes the idea of seeing Rukia dressed in his clothes. The ability to provide for her, to give her comfort when she needs it- it makes his heart sing. The only thing that can make him happier is for her to accept him as her imprinter. He wants to tell Rukia everything. She is his mate and he is hers.

"Is there somewhere where we can talk in private?"

Rukia frowns, finding the request a little strange. But Ichigo is looking at her with such sincerity. She feels safe with him. Ichigo will not harm her and this is her house; she doubts Ichigo would know the layout better than she does. It would be suicidal for him to try something when Mrs. Ochi is in the house. With that thought, she nods, leading Ichigo up the marble staircase. She brings him to the study, shutting the door behind them.

Their footsteps are muffled by the heavy carpet. There is an ancient-looking table that serves as the writing desk. Facing the bay windows, there is an emerald-green chaise lounge tucked right under the space. The room is large enough to accommodate a coffee table and another two-seater sofa, placed against the wall on the other end of the room and directly facing the door. It looks cozy and well-used.

"This is, or rather was my grandfather's study." Rukia gestures at the stacks of paper and books, overfilling from the big shelves that line the walls. "As you can see, I am still in the midst of sorting things out. We shouldn't be disturbed here. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I know what really happened in the car park last night and I think you know it too. I think you remembered everything that happened there."

Rukia takes a step back, only stopping when she feels her back hitting the desk. "W-What? What do you mean? H-How did you know?"

Ichigo swallows thickly. "I was there."

He resists the urge to run to her. Rukia's confusion and obvious discomfort at the situation are painful for him to watch, but he knows that his comfort will not help. Her first reaction would have been to push him away or flinch at his approach. It would have hurt him more to see that.

Rukia grips at the edge of the wooden desk. Ichigo could not have been there that night. There was nobody around. There was just her, the vampire and the wolf. If Ichigo was there, why didn't he show up to help?

Is Ichigo an accomplice to the crime? Did he come to finish what the other started?

Her heart is pounding against her chest. Her palms are clammy. She needs to get out of here.

Her fight or flight responses kick in. She eyes the closed door. She is closer to it. She eyes Ichigo warily. When he takes the first step towards her, Rukia bolts.

Her hand grasps the door knob, twisting it open but there is little cause for celebration as a shadow immediately falls over her. Ichigo slams his fist against the door and Rukia flinches at the sound it makes. The sturdy door shakes from the impact. Spider cracks erupt, radiating from the site of impact. Wood splinters. Rukia jerks her hand back, worried that the door is going to fall off the hinges.

Ichigo's chest is heaving, nails digging into the meat of his palm to resist the urge of wrapping his arms around her. As a Shifter, he is more man than wolf, but some instincts are hard to curb. Rukia's flighty response does not help. The instinct to give chase sparks like some sort of unevolved prey drive. The thrill excites him. His voice is tight, grappling with his emotions that threaten to overwhelm him.

"Don't run from me."

Ichigo hovers over her, his much larger body caging her against the door. Rukia shudders, feeling his breath hot against her neck. His voice is husky, making her feel things that she shouldn't. Her mouth feels so horribly dry.

"W-Who- no, what are you, Ichigo? What do you want?"

"I'm a friend, Rukia. I won't hurt you," Ichigo murmurs. He is not lying. He is a friend, but they can be something more, something infinitely better than just friends to each other. His eyes fixate on the skin at the back of her neck, the ends of her dark hair brushing just above it. The way he resists the urge to lick and nip at the area, to burrow his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in, scenting her—

His fists clench harder. It is an act of discipline worthy of sainthood.

"I want to show you something, but you have to promise me you won't run, ok?"

Rukia nods. She heaves a sigh of relief, breathing easier when she feels Ichigo backing off. She turns around, keeping her back to the door, watching as Ichigo retreats to a safe distance away. She chides, calling herself stupid, but against her better judgement, she stays, keeping her promise to Ichigo.

She bunches the material of her dress, mustering courage that she had not known herself to possess. "What did you want to show me?"

"This."

Ichigo's wry grin disappears. Rukia hears a loud crack, the sound of bones snapping, clothes being ripped apart and torn. The room shakes from the force of the transformation as the shelves rattle. Books fall off their perches and sheaves of unbound paper are scattered across the room. Then, a dull thud sounds, the impact of something heavy landing on all four, slowly treading up to her.

Rukia clamps a hand to her mouth, her legs suddenly giving way as she slides to the bottom of the door in a stupor. She does not know what to think. This should not even be real.

"I-Ichigo?" she calls out weakly.

But the man is gone, in its place, there is a wolf. A wolf that Rukia somehow recognizes instinctively. She feels relief, so happy that she just might cry. She knew that she was not going crazy. The attack at the car park happened. She did not dream it up in a fever dream. A vampire attacked her. It was real.

Ichigo is the wolf from last night.

Ichigo saved her.

Majestic and long-limbed, Ichigo's approach is languid and lithe, his long bushy tail flicking upwards and wagging. His ears prick forward, his pink tongue showing from the open-mouth grin that he flashes her. He yips, sidling closer when Rukia does not shirk away. Rukia is a little in awe of its sheer size. Ichigo is as big as a bear. His paw is massive and powerful enough that Rukia thinks a single swipe would send her flying.

As a wolf, Ichigo is beautiful. The poor lighting last night limited visibility. Under the warm glow of sunlight, his coat is a lovely and vibrant russet. The colour of autumn, she thinks- chocolate brown and sepia-toned along the tips of his ears, his tail, the flanks and rump, then lighter in patches of grey yellow, copper and almond along the muzzle, his long limbs and underbelly.

Ichigo nudges at Rukia with his snout, his chest rumbling. When Rukia stretches her hand out, Ichigo lowers his head, his front paws dipping low. He leans into her touch, gently head-bunting her, inviting her to brush her fingers along his fur. His coarse fur pricks at her fingertips, but Ichigo seems to enjoy the ministrations, amber eyes blinking shut, hind legs thumping noisily when Rukia scratches the spot just behind his ears.

Rukia laughs at his response, moving her hand to stroke at the lovely thick mane under his jaw instead. "You like that, don't you?"

Ichigo grunts, staring deep into Rukia's eyes. If he could speak in this form, if Rukia could read his mind, he would tell her the truth, howling his devotion to her like a song.

.

No, Rukia; I like you. I will do anything you ask of me. I will be anything you want me to be.

.

Docile, he lets Rukia wrap her arms around his neck, hugging him like her personal and much-larger-than-life teddy bear. His thoughts veer dangerously when her hand rubs at his soft undercoat, declaring them the softest that she has ever held. He sniffs at her, rubbing his face along her neck and making her giggle from the feel of his fur brushing against unmarked skin. It is not nearly enough to scent mark Rukia as his own, but it will suffice for now.

With much reluctance, Ichigo tears himself away from her, retreating to the center of the room before he phases back to his human form.

The joints in his neck creak as he straightens, rising to his full height.

Rukia's cheeks burn hot. Ichigo is standing buck naked in the room with her. The sight of him standing lean and tall, cords of muscles rippling with power as daylight kisses his warm-hued skin renders her a little awestruck. His pecs flex as he stretches lazily, his washboard abs glistening from the light sheen of sweat as he pants lightly from the transformation. A dark tribal tattoo, a motif or even sigil of a sort that she cannot make out, covers the entirety of his right forearm. She had no idea that he was hiding all that under his shirt.

Unbidden, her gaze trails lower, following the trail of wispy hair. Her blush darkens. It is girthy and pink, darker at the head and his balls. She gulps at the size of it, mentally measuring it against a ruler that does not exist. How deep can it go—

"My eyes are up here by the way."

The sound of his voice nearly had Rukia jumping out of her skin, effectively disrupting her train of thoughts. Warm brown eyes meet hers from across the room as Ichigo grins wolfishly.

Caught in the act of ogling, Rukia is mortified. She squeaks, shielding her eyes hastily. "I-I wasn't looking."

"No?" Ichigo hums, teasing her. "I guess you must just be staring then."

"I-I—" Looking at Ichigo's amused face, unaffected at the slightest by his nudity, Rukia finally gives up. She shrugs off the jacket draped over her, pushing it in his direction. She clears her throat. "Cover yourself, please. It's a little distracting."

She hoped to come across stern, but the effect might have been negated with how hard she is blushing. She pointedly looks away as Ichigo approaches, her face flushed and embarrassed to meet his gaze.

"Thank you."

Ichigo's voice sends chills down her back. His fingertip brushes at hers when he retrieves the jacket. Rukia clenches her jaw, resolutely refusing to look up. Her ears burn and tingle from the weight of Ichigo's stare on her even as he moves away.

Ichigo's grin stays even as he plops himself down on the sofa. He sits facing her, draping the jacket over his lap to cover himself. "You can look now. I'm decent."

Rukia nods, lifting her head up to meet his gaze. True to his word, he is decent. She tamps down on what feels strongly like disappointment and instead, clears her throat, willing her cheeks to cool and regain her composure.

There are much more important things right now than ogling and crushing after a good-looking doctor who can also turn into her personal cuddle toy and saved her life from a vampire the night before. All things considered; Rukia thinks she is taking all this exceptionally well.

"If vampires are real, does that mean that you're a werewolf?"

"Not quite," Ichigo winces. "Werewolves are bad news. You don't want to get involved in that. I'm a Shifter. My ancestors from way back when used to be able to shapeshift into all sorts of animals. Then, the curse happened and limited us to our wolf forms. We can control the shift- phase whenever we want, unlike werewolves, but sometimes it's hard to control certain impulses."

"Why did the vampire come after me?"

Ichigo frowns, answering her matter-of-factly. "Because you're a Kuchiki."

"What do you mean?"

A Kuchiki is just a name as far as she is concerned. Sure, they are rich and somewhat of a local celebrity in Karakura, but that is all there is to it, right?

Ichigo sighs, rubbing at his temples. He can feel a headache coming along from the blank look that she gives him.

"Rukia, you're not exactly human, you know?"

She narrows her eyes at him. Ichigo is not making much sense. "I am human. Last time I checked, I don't have wings or horns or fangs or tentacles growing out of me, and I certainly can't turn into a wolf."

"No, you can't," Ichigo replies, "But that's because you're something else. Rukia, you're a Kuchiki, a Shinigami. Didn't anyone tell you anything?"

"A Shinigami?" Rukia's eyebrows furrow in confusion. This is the first time she has ever heard of the term. "What's that? Ginrei never mentioned anything about that. Byakuya and I weren't even born here in Karakura. We're not close to him at all."

Ichigo curses under his breath. This is bad. No wonder she couldn't defend herself last night. Rukia has no idea how lucky she was that she managed to survive, holding out long enough against Nnoitra on her own before he got there. The very thought of it has him drenched in cold sweat. What was Ginrei thinking, bringing an uninitiated and untrained Kuchiki back to Karakura?

Him dying is not a good excuse, he has had years to train her, to make sure she knows their ways before she takes up the mantle as Karakura's next protector and guardian. Rukia is as good as a sitting duck like this. Anyone- even a newborn vamp could have finished her off. It would have destroyed centuries' worth of hard work, undoing their combined efforts, ruining the pact made between the pack, vampires, hunters and the Kuchikis.

Kuchiki blood was used to mark and bind the ancient evil within the grounds of Karakura. Rukia's death, her blood being spilt within the bounds of Karakuran territory would have spelled disaster. Aizen must not be allowed to return. It will plunge the world into chaos.

"I think you need to come with me," he tells Rukia, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice, though not directed at her. He will make a call to Uryu later, begging his cousin to take over his shift for the day. This is important. Rukia takes precedence over all things. "There's something that you need to know about Karakura and your family heritage."

"Ok," Rukia agrees readily, her curiosity piqued. "But first, you have to come with me."

Ichigo arches an eyebrow at that, but he does not fight it when Rukia pulls him up from the seat, dragging him out of the room and running across the corridor without a backward glance. Rukia's hand is tiny in his. Ichigo squeezes it experimentally, a silly grin unfurling when Rukia does not let go. He relishes the simple skin-to-skin contact, tightening his grip, determined to hold on to Rukia for as long as he is allowed to.

The pack thinks and feels as one. Though Ichigo has occluded as best as he can, he knows he will get flak from the others about this soon enough, ribbing him good-naturedly about him waxing poetry and the near-constant stream of gushy thoughts about Rukia through their shared mind link.

But Ichigo does not care.

He does not take his eyes off Rukia's back, admiring the way the skirt of her dress billows with her movement.

Her skin is pale, making a sharp contrast with her dark hair cut short to frame her face. Her eyes are a mesmerizing shade of violet and blue and she is so pretty when she blushes at him.

He likes to see her in purple. He wants to take her dancing.

How lucky he is, he thinks to have found her.

"Where are you taking me?"

Rukia throws him a look over her shoulder. "To get some clothes for you."

She does not want Mrs. Ochi to suffer a heart attack at the sight of a naked man, however good looking he may be, walking down the stairs. Her grandfather's clothes will have to do for now.

.

.

.

"Ryuken?"

When Ichigo said he wanted to take her somewhere to learn about her supposedly supernatural heritage, Rukia did not expect him to lead her to the Ishida & Haschwalth law firm in town. What can her family solicitor tell her that she doesn't already know?

Ichigo pushes her into the man's office, ushering her into the seat across the table from Ryuken before turning around to lock the door behind them.

As the older one of two of Karakura's only law firms, the law firm and its employees are distinctly more old school, both in their appearance and set up. Ryuken's office is separated by glass panels from the open work space where his employees have their work desks set out. His partner's office is on the opposite end of the hallway, also encased in see-through glass. They passed two receptionists on their way in, women her age wearing pretty smiles and chic work dresses, while she is noticeably dressed down in her dark jeans and charcoal grey knitted sweater. They seem to know Ichigo by sight, letting him pass with a knowing smile after Ryuken gave them the go-ahead through the intercom. Rukia tries not to think too much about how she leans closer to Ichigo, hanging on to the crook of his arm then, or how she sneaks glances at him, watching his face and inwardly heaving a sigh of relief when he did not return their smiles.

Rukia frowns, feeling a little irritated by herself. She is not one to be possessive, certainly not over some guy who she has only known for a day, but with Ichigo— it feels different. She trusts him implicitly. Maybe it is a little like a baby duckling blindly imprinting on the first thing they see? Ichigo did after all, rescue her from the vampire and opened her eyes to Karakura's paranormal inhabitants. It is natural for her to rely on him, right?

Rukia shakes her head, deciding to focus on something else for a change. She can agonize over her rapidly developing, hopelessly one-sided feelings for the man later. Presently, they are in Ryuken's personal office. She looks out to see four other people, all men, dressed in formal suits and ties, heads down and working hard at their respective stations. They quirk an eyebrow at Ichigo and her arrival, but ultimately did not seem interested enough to be nosy. For good measures, Ichigo decides to shut the blinds too, drenching the room in total darkness.

"Do you mind, Kurosaki?" Ryuken drawls sarcastically, switching on the light in the room. "Some of us are actually working. You could've at least called to say you were coming."

As the Kuchiki family solicitor, Ryuken Ishida is a distinguished gentleman in his fifties, but truthfully, he could have just as easily passed off as someone younger. Suave with a penchant for wearing well-tailored three-piece suits in hues of grey and houndstooth tweed, Ryuken is worldly, exuding confidence and elegance unbefitting of a small town lawyer. A slick silver fox, Rukia muses, thanks to his prematurely grey hair and chiseled features.

"Sorry, it sorta slipped my mind," Ichigo mumbles a little sheepishly. Unlike Rukia who found Ryuken to be intimidating, Ichigo is relaxed as he pulls out the chair beside her, joining them.

Ryuken heaves a long-suffering sigh at him before he reaches for the intercom, cancelling the afternoon staff meeting. "You have my undivided attention. Let's hear it then. What is it this time?"

"Rukia doesn't know anything about us or the Shinigamis."

Rukia is a little indignant, glaring at Ichigo. Personally, she thinks she has been adjusting admirably to the sudden life changes thrust in her path. She did not choose to be ignorant. It is simply because no one has ever told her anything about Karakura.

Are vampires and werewolves part of the town's local wildlife, governed and protected by law? Is this an open secret?

Is Ryuken a werewolf too?

Her annoyance only worsens when Ryuken fixes her with a solemn look, judging her from behind his silver-rimmed spectacles. She stares back in defiance, quirking an eyebrow at him, feeling childishly triumphant when Ryuken pulls away first, breaking eye contact.

He takes his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I was afraid this would happen."

Turning to Rukia, he frowns. "Your grandfather has always been …difficult. A bitter man, estranged from the rest of his family. The death of his only son- your father changed him, not for the better. He regressed. His need for control- he was difficult to work with in any capacity, but I had no idea that he would be so cruel as to do this to you. Sending you unprepared to Karakura—" Ryuken shakes his head, trailing off. His eyes seem to soften when he looks at Rukia again— "What would you like to know?"

"Karakura," Rukia replies. "What's so special about this place? Why did Ginrei want me back in Karakura? They say that there's always been a Kuchiki in Karakura since the town was founded, but why's that?"

"From the very beginning then," Ryuken mutters. He pushes his chair back, walking to the wall behind him. The picture framed is a map of Karakura town and the surrounding area, dating back from the 1700s, yellow with age and nearly crumbling at the edges. He motions for Rukia to join him.

"Centuries ago, the colonists came to the new world from across the ocean. They brought technological advancements, knowledge, but also disease, war, and vampires. Aizen was the original vampire, a true immortal that cannot be killed though many have tried. He was cruel and despicably evil, destroying towns and lives, turning everyone into bloodthirsty vampires, made them into mindless slaves to carry out his bidding. He spared no one and Hell became a literal place on earth. Among those he turned, he selected ten elites, made them into his generals and personal guards. He called them the Espadas. He sought to take control of the new world, making it a place where vampires would reign supreme. The Espadas were going to help him with that. He was arrogant, deluded by his immortality to believe that he was invincible. He believed that no one would be able to stop him or his Espadas, but he was wrong. A mortal- a woman stood up to Aizen and his regime. She was the first Kuchiki."

Rukia listens with rapt attention, conjuring the image of a woman, much like herself with distinct Kuchiki colouring- dark hair, pale skin and violet-grey eyes, as Ryuken continues. Was the woman ever frightened, daunted by the task of facing off against Aizen and a whole army of vampires?

"Akiru Kuchiki was a witch, mortal but powerful. There were rumours that she made a deal with the devil in return for immeasurable power, but nothing proven, you understand. She was the first Shinigami, a Death God; a witch so powerful that she controls the life and death of all things. Akiru discovered that the ley lines under Karakura—" Ryuken taps at a spot on the map— "rendered this place the perfect site for a prison, designed to contain and hold Aizen until the end of days. She forged an alliance between the Shiba tribe and their Shifters- the original warriors of the land, the Ishidas- hunters hot on the trail of Aizen from across the sea, herself, and a source most unlikely, some of the Espadas- Aizen's own creations, who have turned against him. That was the start of Aizen's downfall."

Ryuken leads them back to his work desk, pulling the chair out for her like a proper gentleman before seating himself.

"Akiru used her own blood as the final seal. She cursed this land and bound it such that, so long as the blood of her blood walks on Karakura soil, the wards to Aizen's prison will hold. But meddling with magic has always been a bit of a double-edged sword, a blessing and a curse in equal parts, if you will."

He fixes Rukia with a deep stare, his tone serious. "The blood of the Kuchikis strengthens the wards, keeping it in place, but if your blood is spilt on these grounds and you die at the hands of Aizen's creatures, then the prison will break. Aizen will be free."

Rukia's face turns pale, taking in all of the information. "The vampire from last night—"

Ryuken nods. "The alliance has been notified by Ichigo of the attempt on your life last night. Ulquiorra has confirmed that the vampire was an Espada loyal to Aizen. His minions are still lurking after all this time, hoping to free their master and return him to his former glory. In the past, they have come close to breaking him out, but none more so than perhaps last night. It goes without saying, Rukia, that you are in grave danger. They want you dead—"

"But I won't let them," Ichigo cuts Ryuken off. The resolve in his eyes burns as he grabs hold of Rukia's hand, squeezing it tightly. "I will protect you. I won't let anything happen to you, Rukia."

Ryuken gives Ichigo an unimpressed look, annoyed by the interruption. "As I was saying, the alliance had no idea that you were untrained. Ginrei forbade the alliance from making contacts with his grandchildren and as the head of the Kuchiki, we had little choice but to honour his wishes. Until now."

The pointed look he gives her makes Rukia feel a little sick. She has just found out that vampires and other supernatural entities walk the earth alongside humans, and came dangerously close to dying herself, she feels woefully unprepared for the responsibility.

She gulps. "You mean to say that I am now the head of the family?"

"It was decided that whoever returned to Karakura would be given the honour. Personally, I was hoping that it would be you. Witches' powers always manifest stronger in the females of the family. The alliance needs all the help we can get. We are on the cusp of killing the last Espada loyal to Aizen, ending their threat for good. You will be much safer with them gone."

Ryuken folds his hands, leaning back against his chair. "We start tonight. There's a gathering tonight at the Shiba's. Everyone will be there. We can introduce you to the other heads of the family. Kukaku takes her duties seriously. She will want you to make sure that you're well-settled. I bet the others will be excited to meet you as well. Ichigo will want to introduce you to his pack of course."

There is a hint of smirk playing on Ryuken's lips that has Ichigo scowling in response. Rukia frowns, looking at Ichigo in confusion. Is this one of their inside jokes?

"Thanks for your time, Ryuken. See you tonight. We'll be leaving now."

Ichigo beats a hasty retreat. His grip on Rukia is firm but not bruising as he pulls her up, opening the door for her. Ryuken takes their leave in stride, waving them off before returning his attention to the screen in front of him.

"Ichigo," Ryuken calls out, not looking up from his work. "There is never going to be a best time, you understand. Don't put it off any longer than you have to or you will regret it. She is a Kuchiki. She is not as fragile as you think."

Ichigo nods curtly. Ryuken has always been a fatherly figure to him, far better suited than Isshin when it comes to giving advices and advocating responsibilities. Rukia is looking at him strangely as he leads her away, exiting the law firm and entering the lift. She is unsure of what Ryuken meant with his cryptic comments. Is Ichigo keeping secrets from her?

"I'll explain later," Ichigo tells her, when they are in his car. A hint of colour rises to his cheeks and he clears his throat. "The gathering tonight is at the Shiba compound. As Alpha, Kukaku is hosting it. She is my cousin and the current leader of the Roaring Waves Pack. The original Shiba pack splintered into two after I left. I'm the leader of the other pack in Karakura."

Rukia shifts closer, her eyebrows furrowed. "Why did you leave the pack?"

Ichigo chews at his bottom lip, choosing his words carefully. Rukia has just gotten used to the idea of paranormal entities co-existing alongside humans, learning about how Karakura came to be and her heritage. It does not feel fair to bombard her with too much information.

"The pack—" he licks his lips— "We have our own name for vampires. We call them the Cold Ones. Our paths have crossed long before your ancestor came to Karakura. We protected humans from them as best as we could. We killed them. They retaliated in kind. The alliance may have diminished some of our animosity for each other, but the truce is an uneasy one. After Aizen's downfall, we divided Karakura among us. The land behind Kuchiki Manor and the land to what is now the reserve, was split into two. The pack held the eastern and southern side, close to the Kuchiki Manor. The Espadas took up the smaller half, built a stronghold there, but they all eventually left. Tier- she's the current matriarch of their family, is the only one who stayed, but she keeps to herself, never attacks humans, and the pack is happy to let her be. Ulquiorra's return about three years ago changed things."

"Is he an Espada?"

Ichigo nods. "The Espadas are numbered from 1 to 10, based on their perceived fighting abilities by Aizen. The lower the number, the more powerful they are. Tier was the third. Ulquiorra was the fourth. The vampire from last night, Nnoitra, was the fifth. Ulquiorra's unexpected return triggered a lot of pack members, including myself to phase. Phasing, it's what we call our transformation. Shifters phase for the first time when we find our loved ones in danger. It's instincts- our instinct to protect. Ulquiorra felt like a threat to the pack and Karakura. We were wary of him. There were attacks in town during that time- vampire ones, we couldn't be sure if he was behind them. Tensions were high, especially when he fell in love with Inoue."

Rukia frowns. The name sounds familiar. "Inoue, is she a teacher—"

"Yup, a Maths teacher at Karakura High. A local Karakuran, born and raised. We even went to school together. You see where this is going, don't you?"

Ichigo sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, Ulquiorra falls in love with Inoue, performs what is to be the equivalent of a miracle- creating life from what is otherwise a dead body, and succeeds in getting her pregnant. He eventually turns her into a vampire to save her life. The elders and the Alpha at that time wanted to kill Inoue and the baby. They were worried about Inoue and the baby indiscriminately attacking the townspeople as newborn vampires. But Inoue is my friend and her baby is innocent. I couldn't stand by and watch it happen, so I left the pack with other clan members who felt the same."

"What happened after that? Did the baby and Inoue make it?"

"They made it," Ichigo replies with a soft smile. "The baby- well, not quite a baby now, you'll know what I mean when you see her, she's a vicious little tyke, but we are all very fond of her. And we found out who was actually behind the killings and decided to work together with Tier and Ulquiorra, to bring them down. All's well that ends well."

He pauses to pick the lint off his shirt. As a wolf, he goes through clothes too quickly to be picky. He does make exceptions though. The flannel shirt felt scratchy against his skin, smelling strongly of mothballs and Ginrei's trousers are a bit too tight. To make matters worse, he is also walking barefooted because none of the shoes would fit. It will be nice to change into something else.

Rukia is not done asking questions. There is still so much that she wants to know. "So, who're the ones behind the at—"

Her face burns as her stomach rumbles loudly, interrupting her mid-question. Swept up in the whole supernatural business, she didn't even have time to eat.

Ichigo smirks as he turns the ignition on. "I think that's enough questions for now. It's early but we can go to the Shiba's. They should be setting up the campfire and getting food ready."

.

.

.

Nestled at the bottom of the small hill that is Kuchiki Manor, the Shiba clan builds a community of their own with pack members building their houses in small clusters, scattered around to surround the Shiba family compound. It is very much like a community hall; Ichigo explains, where the pack congregates for merry-making, social gathering and solemn occasions like clan meetings. It is also where the Alpha and their immediate family reside.

Rukia tugs at the hem of her knitted sweater, still cold despite the layers she has on. "Are you sure this is ok? I haven't even brought anything with me. At least let me get them a bottle of wine or something?"

It feels rude to turn up empty-handed to a dinner. But Ichigo shakes his head, waving off her concerns, reassuring Rukia that it is fine.

"We have food and drinks set aside for these occasions. You'll make the other guests look bad. It'll be like showing them up or something. Come on! Let's get you inside before you freeze to death."

Rukia is still not entirely convinced, but she lets Ichigo lead her by the hand, eager to be out of the cold. The Shiba house is just up ahead. While it isn't as big as the manor, the two-storey building certainly looks big enough to accommodate multiple guests who want to stay over for the night. It looks lived-in and cozy. The main feature however is the open grass field in the backyard. Unfenced, the area is as big as a football pitch and marked only by the row of trees on the edges. Beyond the trees, lies the nature reserve.

Rukia sighs when she enters the house, feeling much warmer. There is fire burning steadily at the fireplace. Wandering deeper into the hall, Rukia sees pictures hung up on walls- men and women that she doesn't recognize, holding up children as they look at the camera, grinning. She does however recognize Ichigo from one of them. He must have been ten or younger then, wearing a mischievous grin, riding on the shoulders of a dark-haired man. A beautiful ginger-haired woman stands next to them, holding onto the hands of two younger toddlers with their hair in pigtail- one dark-haired while the other, fair. This must be his family and those little girls are his younger sisters.

"Well, it isn't my favourite wayward cousin!"

The sudden appearance of a stranger at the end of the hallway made Rukia jump. She recovers just in time to see a dark-haired woman with vivid green eyes with her hands on her hips, tilting her head just so at Ichigo.

The woman is unfazed by the cold, opting for a red tube top and white baggy yoga pants. She raises an eyebrow at Ichigo. "What? No hugs for me?"

Ichigo reluctantly does so, making a face as he mutters. "Stop embarrassing me, Kukaku."

Kukaku scoffs loudly at that, patting Ichigo on the cheek condescendingly. "Once a baby cousin, always a baby cousin. I changed your diapers, you ungrateful mutt! I earned my right to embarrass you, especially in front of a beautiful girl. The first girl, I might add, that you've taken to a clan gathering."

She tilts her head at her cousin, wiggling her eyebrows as she gives him a knowing smile. "Is she the one?"

Rukia blushes at that. Ichigo gives an embarrassed huff, growling her name warningly, but he does not deny it.

The older woman throws her head back, laughing. When she finally had enough, she turns to Rukia with a smile, offering her hand. "I'm Kukaku Shiba, Ichigo's cousin. We're happy to have you with us."

"I'm Rukia Kuchi—"

"I know," Kukaku replies, not unkindly, but the grip she has on Rukia's hand seems to tighten. Ichigo has a bad feeling about where the conversation is headed.

"Word gets around in a small town like this. We've been expecting you. Ichigo in particular seems to be quite smit—"

"Let's go to the kitchen and get you some food," Ichigo cuts in, gently but firmly prying off Kukaku's hand as he herds a confused-looking Rukia to the kitchen. Miyako- sweet, blissfully human Miyako greets them with a warm smile, all too happy to take Rukia off his hands and commit to the task of feeding her. Ichigo mouths his thank you to the woman, immensely grateful to her for not joining in on the teasing.

Shutting the door to the kitchen, he whirls around to face Kukaku. "Why would you do that?" he angrily demands. "Didn't Ryuken tell you? Rukia doesn't know anything! Give her some room, for Christ's sake!"

Kukaku is still grinning. "Look at you, getting so worked up about her! Now I know Tatsuki wasn't lying. You really imprinted on her. Good job, baby cousin! Uncle Isshin would be so proud!"

Ichigo glares at her. "Don't you dare, Kukaku! At least not until I've actually told Rukia about this." He groans, hiding his face in his hands. "She doesn't even know what a Shinigami is until today, let alone what imprinting means to us. I can't keep piling new information on her!"

"Oh, don't you fret, Ichigo! Your big cousin's got you covered!"

Kukaku's grin only seems to widen, augmenting Ichigo's sense of dread. Kukaku Shiba is meddling. Nothing good can come out of this.

"Kukaku, no! Don't!"

"Oh, but I must!"

She smirks, sauntering off to the door. A red pickup truck has just parked outside and Ichigo cannot even hide his groan as Kukaku throws the door wide open, announcing the arrival of her brother. One look at Kaien and Ichigo knows he is dead meat. Kaien wants payback for all the heckling and teasing that Ichigo made at his expense when he imprinted on Miyako.

Ichigo face-palms, especially when he sees Tatsuki's silver Nissan pulling into the driveway next. It was a mistake to come to the gathering. He is outnumbered and cornered.

Ichigo gulps, holding his hands up, carefully backs away from the entrance while the dark-haired trio slowly advances, eventually pushing him into a corner. The cracking knuckles and dark chuckles aside, the looks on their faces are positively evil and Ichigo is more than a little concerned about his safety.

"G-Guys, can we talk about this?"

"No one likes a hairy chest, baby cousin—" The sound of tape ripping has never sounded more terrifying and Ichigo sucks in a deep breath as Kukaku approaches him with a gleam in her eyes— "When was the last time you shaved?"

.

Ichigo was right, Rukia muses, looking at the heavy platters of food set behind the counter as part of Miyako's meal prep. There really is enough food here to feed an army. Meat- red meat seems to be the staple diet here. The fridge is already stocked full with it, but Miyako reassures her that it will all be gone by the end of the night.

Ichigo introduced Miyako as the wife of his older cousin and Kukaku's sister-in-law. The tall brunette smiled at her kindly, leading her over to the kitchen table to sit before bringing the plate over personally. The woman exudes an air of warmth and friendliness, easily setting Rukia at ease even if they have only just met.

"Are you settling in well in Karakura?"

Rukia nods, swallowing the mouthful of food she had in her mouth before replying. "The vampire attack did land me in the hospital, but it wasn't too bad. Aside from this."

She holds up her left wrist still wrapped in cast for Miyako, who nods sympathetically.

"That was very brave of you," Miyako says, "And Ichigo- it was a good thing that he showed up then. I think it's all very romantic."

Rukia blushes, unsure of how to respond. She clears her throat, hoping to change the subject. "Are you a werewolf too, Miyako?"

Miyako laughs, shaking her head. "No. But I am part of the pack. Kaien imprinted on me."

"What's that?"

Miyako's smile is a little furtive. "When a wolf imprints on you, it means that they form a bond with you, a connection for life. They feel what you feel. They are hardwired to make sure you are happy and cared for, even if it means that they suffer by doing so. It's a single-minded devotion that's more binding than marriage vows with no take-backs. If you reject them, the wolf can die of a broken-heart."

"That sounds so sad."

What Miyako explained sounds hopelessly one-sided. Love is pain, but to love someone to the point of selflessness, Rukia thinks it is more of a curse.

"It doesn't have to be," Miyako tells her. "Once you accept them, the bond becomes shared. They know that their love is returned and they won't suffer alone any more. It's like finding your soulmate."

"How did you know that you're Kaien's soulmate?"

"I didn't," Miyako says, giggling. "He did. It's instinct. Just one look into my eyes, everything else just melted away. That's how he knew I was the one for him."

They are interrupted by a sudden burst of boisterous laughter and what sounds strangely like Ichigo screaming on the other side of the door. Rukia is a little concerned, but Miyako merely chuckles before going back to her kitchen counter, making chicken skewers.

"Should we go and see what's going on?"

Miyako's smile widens, mischief gleaming in her eyes. "Don't worry about it. Just sit and enjoy your food. It's nothing that Ichigo can't handle on his own."

"O-Ok."

.

Rukia doesn't see Ichigo at all until much later during the evening. By then, many of the others have shown up and among the guests, Rukia finally got to see the infamous Orihime Inoue.

"Hi, Rukia! Oh my God! I'm so happy to see you!"

Rukia had not even known who the buxom woman was before she was tackled, her oxygen supply cut off as she is smothered by the tight hug. Her eyes widen in alarm when she finds herself being lifted above the ground. Onlookers seem to eye her predicament amusedly, clearing them a wide berth, but none reaching out to help. Mercifully, a dark-haired man catches on Rukia's distress. He taps the woman on her shoulder, softly reminding her that she was overdoing it.

"Orihime, let her breathe."

"Sorry!" Orihime squeaks, setting Rukia back on solid ground. "I haven't even introduced myself yet. I'm Orihime Inoue and this is my husband, Ulquiorra."

At the mention of their names, Rukia lifts her head up. The woman is ethereally beautiful. Her long orange hair tumbles past her shoulders. A porcelain doll with pale unblemished skin and the perfect hourglass figure to die for. Her pale blue satin dress clings on to her, the bottom flares out just above her knees, its sweetheart neckline accentuating her bust. Even with a cropped cardigan, it does not seem weather appropriate at all, until Rukia belatedly remembers that the woman is a vampire.

As is her husband.

They make for an odd couple. Orihime is sunny and cheerful. Her husband is stoic and decidingly… not. His skin is pallid and paler than Orihime's while long bangs fall over his eyes. There are strange black lines tattooed on his face, mimicking tracks of tear sliding down his cheeks. He looks like the frontman of a punk-goth rock band or one of those edgy emo teens circa 2003. Rukia gulps when his eyes turn to her, finding his stare unnerving.

"Rukia!"

Ichigo's voice jolts her out of her musing. He clasps a hand on her shoulder, putting himself between her and Ulquiorra. The smile that he gives the couple is a little strained. Rukia tentatively presses her hand to his back, looking at him worryingly.

"Ichigo, is everything ok?"

Ichigo visibly relaxes under her touch. His voice still sounds tight but he is polite. "Everything's fine. I was going to introduce Inoue and her husband to you, but I see that you've already met."

He frowns at Ulquiorra, disappointment evident when he does not see a mini Orihime, barely coming up to his waist, her bright orange hair bouncing from the motion as she charges at him. He looks through the crowd, frown deepening when he does not see her cheeky face among them. "Where's my goddaughter?"

Orihime hides her smile behind her hand, linking her arm with her husband, who is content to let her do the talking. "Nozomi decided to stay with Uncle Grimmjow and Auntie Tier for the night. They are doing research on Roman emperors. It's all very fascinating."

Ichigo mentions something unintelligible under his breath, while Rukia is a little confused. How old is Nozomi anyway? If Ulquiorra had only just moved back three years ago, the baby could not have been any older than that. A three-year-old doing research on Roman emperors?

No one elaborates, so Rukia's curiosity is left to fester. Ichigo on the other hand, has decided that is enough interaction for the night with the vampires. He makes his excuses, then with Rukia in tow, brings them over to where the crowd is already gathering near the fire.

Walking behind him with their hands linked, Rukia finally gets a good look at Ichigo. The sharp lines of his collar bone jut out, the top of his chest peeking, exposed by the V-neck of his forest green sweater, while dark jeans hug his hips, clinging to him like a second skin. In the time that it has taken her to polish off her late lunch, Ichigo has showered, shaved and changed out of ill-fitting garments. Rukia has no complaints to make. She appreciates the view.

"You did something to your hair," she says, "and got shoes too."

Ichigo smiles, looking over his shoulder at her. His hand reaches out to touch at the tips of his slicked back hair, feeling rather self-conscious. "Yeah, do you- do you like it?"

"It's just as nice and good-looking as your messy hair," Rukia teases. "What's with that though? Are you trying to impress someone?"

Ichigo turns to the front, rubbing at the back of his neck. "M-Maybe."

"Is she someone who you've imprinted on?"

Surprise flits across his face. His Adam's apple bobs. "W-Where did you learn that word?"

Rukia tilts her head, pretending she does not notice how his hand tightens at hers. "Miyako told me. She said it's what the wolves do. They imprint on their soulmates. Like love at first sight."

"It's more than that," Ichigo replies. He comes to a sudden stop, causing Rukia to knock into him from behind. His arms rise to steady her, gripping her by her shoulders as he leans in, facing her, his eyes staring deep into hers.

"When you imprint, it's- it's like magic. Gravity moves… suddenly. Y-You- It's like you've been free-falling your whole life until you met her. She grounds you, pulls you into her orbit and you- you just never want to leave. You'll be anyone she wants you to be- her protector, her friend, her lover; just to be with her."

Rukia blushes at the intensity of his words and the meaningful look that he gives her. His voice is husky when he speaks and a weaker woman would have swooned.

"D-Do you have someone like that?" she asks, her voice quivering. "Have you already found her?"

Her breath hitches when Ichigo cups her face, pulling her closer. He smells nice- the smell of clean clothes and his minty aftershave, smoky from the smell of log fires and a hint of something spicy. He is burning like a furnace- warm to the touch, but the look that he gives her renders her speechless. It is so hopelessly soft and Rukia has never been one to presume things, but there is hope, niggling like a sprout buried in barren ground; making her insides twist and ache and groan—

Maybe- just maybe, Ichigo is her soulmate.

.

"Rukia—"

.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Rukia yelps at the loud noise, stepping back from Ichigo in surprise. The ground beneath them is uneven and she almost trips, but Ichigo catches her just in time so she doesn't fall. Ichigo gives a strangled cry before growling, fixing a murderous look on the man who interrupted them. He cannot catch a break at all!

"Kaien!" Ichigo hisses. His jaw is clenched and the look in his eyes is flinty. "Do you mind?!"

"Oops! Did I interrupt something important?"

The Shiba gene is strong and the family resemblance is uncanny. Kaien can easily pass off as Ichigo's dark-haired double. He cheerfully waves as he saunters up to them, unfazed by Ichigo's dark scowl as he drapes his arm over his younger cousin's shoulder. After witnessing the interaction between Ichigo and Kukaku, Rukia muses that it must be the Shiba way of showing affection. Though much of it is at Ichigo's expense, she cannot help but laugh.

Kaien smoothly turns his attention to Rukia, making her laugh even harder when he exclaims dramatically. "So, this is the mysterious Rukia that I've been hearing so much about!"

Mischief glints in his eyes as he jerks his head at Ichigo, taunting him. "How did a pretty girl like her end up with a mutt like you?"

"Don't listen to him, Rukia! Kaien, you fuck—"

Kaien expertly maneuvers, gripping him in a headlock with a hand over his mouth, muffling much of Ichigo's angry tirade. Smirking, he is unrepentant even as Ichigo glares nastily at him, promising what is certain to be a slow and torturous way to die once he breaks himself out.

"What my loving and affectionate cousin is trying to say is that the storytelling's about to start. You'd be doing us all a massive favour if you'd agree to let him accompany you in attendance. Isn't that right, baby cousin?"

Ichigo is somewhat placated by this, ceasing much of his struggling and earlier attempts of kicking his older cousin, but his glares by no means diminish in intensity.

Kaien continues, pointing out Miyako from the crowd to Rukia. The brunette looks warm and cozy with a shawl thrown over her shoulders, hovering by the fire with a few empty seats beside her. She waves to Rukia when she catches her eye, patting the empty seat beside her and beckoning her to hurry over.

"Go ahead and join Miyako!" Kaien's warm smile is infectious. "We've saved you a seat! Ichigo and I will be there in a second."

Rukia's gaze flits to Ichigo's somewhat guiltily for the briefer of the second, but Ichigo gives her an encouraging smile, firmly pushing her towards the gathering crowd instead.

Once Rukia has her back turned, Ichigo shoves his cousin away, glowering angrily at him. "The fuck are you playing at, Kaien? I was so close to telling Rukia about us!"

Kaien gleefully cackles, sprinting towards the safety of Miyako and the rest of the pack, while Ichigo gives chase. "Karma's a bitch, isn't it, baby cousin! Maybe you'll be the bigger person and be nicer to Toshiro the next time he comes around with Karin for a visit!

Ichigo's eye twitches. "Not a chance!"

.

"Did I miss anything?"

Ichigo's hot breath fans the side of her face as he plops into the empty seat beside her, arriving just a second after Kaien settles into his seat by Miyako's right. Rukia shakes her head, thankful that the low lighting and the glow of the campfire hides her blush.

They are all gathered in a circle, surrounding the roaring fire. There is a man sitting a little closer to the fire than most. He is a big man with long strands of hair, glinting with silver cascade down his back, tied in a low ponytail. There are laugh lines dotting his face. His smile is warm and grandfatherly as he turns to the audience gathered. A hushed silence befalls the crowd, waiting in quiet anticipation.

"Oh, it's Komamura today. He's a good storyteller," whispers Ichigo to her.

Rukia folds her hands on her lap, leaning in closer. Beside her, Ichigo seems to do likewise. Their knees bump against each other, but neither comment on that. Rukia's mind keeps drifting to the scene and the moment lost: Ichigo with his glittering eyes and husky voice, his warmth sidling close to hers, the raw look on his face.

Her mind runs wild at the possibilities. Her tongue darts to lick at her cold lips. If he pressed on just a little closer and she tilted her head just so, would their lips meet?

.

"Good evening, all! Tonight, a newcomer joins us in Karakura!" Kukaku's voice is powerful, successfully drawing everyone's attention. She sits cross-legged across the fire from them, still dressed in the same clothes that Rukia saw her in, but nonetheless commands respect from her pack members.

Kukaku's interruption could not have come at a better time for her, forcing herself to focus on something else other than Ichigo's proximity. Rukia sits herself a little straighter, smiling what she hopes to be a confident and friendly smile as she meets Kukaku's level gaze.

"The Roaring Waves Pack is happy to have you with us. Your presence has been much anticipated. We grieve for your loss."

Rukia tamps down at the surge of nervousness that grips at her when she notices the curious gazes of the crowd directed at her. Her fists clench at her dark denim, reluctant to meet their gaze for fear of the expectations that she might find there. She feels so woefully inadequate, thrust into this position of leadership. She cannot help but wonder if she has it in her to be who they want her to be. Mercifully, their curiosity does not last too long. The crowd looks away, redirecting their attention back at the storyteller as Kukaku turns to Komamura with a lazy smile.

"Sajin, tonight, will you tell us the story of the First Shiba and his wife?"

"It'll be my pleasure." The man smiles and nods, his loud voice bellowing to the crowd. "Gather around then for I shall tell you the story of the First Shiba and his wife, and how the pack came to be.

"A long time ago, the Shibas were not called Shibas. We were a clan without a name, but our warriors were brave and noble. They were Shifters who could take the shape and form of all animals. They sang the song of our feathered friends and listened to the roar of the ocean, swimming in the lakes and sea with fish for company; befriending creatures in the forest and helping them as they would offer help to those who could not help themselves.

"Life was peaceful until one day, the warriors spotted something strange. It attacked with great ferocity. Armed with claws and fangs, they possessed power that is otherworldly, with gleaming red eyes that enticed the men to drop their weapons. They killed our people and those that they did not kill, they changed into monsters that thirsted blood, attacking family and friends indiscriminately. Though the warriors managed to kill the creatures, more soon came from the mountains. These were the first Cold Ones, vampires that the clan encountered.

"A young man- the best and bravest warrior among them realized that something had to be done for they soon found themselves outnumbered against the Cold Ones. His name was Shiba. Shiba had a small family of his own and he loved his wife dearly. He did not want them to suffer the fate of so many he had seen, so he went to the forest and prayed to all that would listen to his plea. He prayed that they would grant him strength and teach him a way to kill the creatures. For three days Shiba waited, abstaining from food and water, exposed to the mercy of the elements. But on the third day, a wolf came to him. It was bigger than anything the young man had seen and he knew then he was in the presence of a great spirit. The wolf spirit came for he was touched by Shiba's resolve and his devotion to his family and clan.

"The wolf offered to lend the young man his powers and his form for three days as the young man had spent three days waiting. He cautioned Shiba that during these three days as a wolf, he would be unable to speak to his clan members. The young man accepted the offer and went into battle. He fought nobly against the Cold Ones alongside the warriors of his clan. Together, they chased the Cold Ones away. It was a cause for much celebration. The clan threw a great party on the third day, inviting all. During the party, the clan turned to the wolf and asked him curiously, 'where are you from, brother?'

"The young man was unable to answer, so he kept quiet. They asked him again, 'have you seen our brother, Shiba? He has disappeared into the woods, seeking help from the spirits. Have you seen him in your travels?'

"Still Shiba did not reply. This made the other warriors worry. They feared that the wolf had eaten Shiba, so they plotted to ambush the wolf and cut Shiba free from its belly. They made their plans and attacked the wolf later that night. Shiba loved his clan members dearly and would not attack them. He became severely wounded, but still, he would not harm his brothers-in-arm. As the warriors surrounded him, about to deal the killing blow, it was Shiba's wife, who came to his rescue. She was human and not at all strong, but she loved him fiercely and her love allowed her to see through the spell that was cast over Shiba. She threw herself against the axe that was about to land on him and saved him at the cost of her own life.

"The wolf howls in anguish, cradling the broken body of his wife. By then, the sun had already risen. It was the fourth day and the spell that was cast by the great wolf spirit was finally broken. Shiba returned to his human form, but his wife was dead. Shiba was heartbroken and inconsolable with grief. The great wolf spirit appeared before the clan and he saw the tragedy that had taken place. He bound the Shifters in Shiba's bloodline to assume the form of the wolf, so that they will forever remember their mother's love and her sacrifice, and to ensure that the similar tragedy will never happen again, he linked the minds of the Shifters, so where words would fail them, they will always feel what their brothers feel.

"The clan took on the Shiba name and Shiba became their first chief. He lived to a great old age and his children grew up to become noble warriors worthy of his name. They vowed to honour their mother's sacrifice and their father's resolve to protect, rising to defend others from the Cold Ones."

Komamura smiles, coming to the end of the story. "And that is how the Shiba clan came to be."

A round of applause rings out as the pack members thank the man for his performance. Noticeably dry-eyed, Rukia finds herself feeling angry. She turns to Ichigo, frowning. "What a senseless tragedy!"

She blames the wolf spirit. Shiba's clan members have a right to be concerned about him. His wife didn't need to die. What good is making amends after the tragedy has already struck?

"I'm sorry that it upset you," Ichigo tells her. "Most people find it quite romantic."

"I do find it romantic," argues Rukia. "I just hate that it all happened because of something that a 'higher power' decided on a whim. It's stupid!"

Ichigo simply nods, biting his lips to hide his smile as Rukia's body presses close to his. It is funny watching her get riled up over things like this.

She is a passionate little thing, he thinks; the light in her eyes sparkles with life as she wrings her hands and then dramatically gesticulates. It's not even her words; but the sound of her voice, washing over him. Even the faces that she makes, the furrow in her brows and her adorable little pout— it warms his heart. He truly is too far gone for her and if he was in wolf form, his bushy tail would be wagging like a dog's.

.

"Meeting now! That includes you too, Rukia. Be there in five!"

Kukaku had to shout in his ear to get his attention, making him wince.

Scowling Ichigo rubs at his ears, annoyed at the interruption, but he knows better than to argue. He herds Rukia over, pressing his hand to the small of her back as a protective gesture as they push through the crowds. They make their way upstairs into Kukaku's study, with Ichigo shutting the door firmly behind him once they are both inside the room.

The faces that are gathered for the occasion are all familiar to Rukia. Ryuken and Kukaku are smiling at her as she takes her seat while Ulquiorra, who is seated to her right, simply nods as acknowledgement. Ichigo sits between Rukia and Ryuken, taking the last seat available at the round table.

Once he is seated, Kukaku's tone is all-business and her face is stern. "Sorry for the late notice, but I called for an emergency meeting. Tier has graciously allowed Ulquiorra to sit in as representative."

Her eyes are hawk-like as she faces Rukia, who sits directly across the table from her.

"We need to decide on safety measures to put in place for you. It's not your fault, but your grandfather fucked up. It left us all very underprepared as I'm sure you can understand why. We assumed that you've been trained to some extent. That's why we didn't bother assigning security details to you, but now that this has come to light, we need to rethink this. We can't allow Aizen's goons to get the drop on you."

Rukia clenches her fists. She hates feeling powerless. "I'll learn how to fight. I'll study and I'll train. Whatever it takes, I'll do it. Just tell me what to do. I won't be a burden to the alliance."

Kukaku's lips curve into a smile. "I like your attitude, Kuchiki! But the fact remains, while you're training and learning to become a witch and hopefully, a Shinigami, you're going to need some help and extra protection."

Her smirk widens and she shares a look with Ryuken and Ulquiorra. "I propose that Ichigo moves into the Kuchiki residence in the meantime. I assume you're all in favour of the proposal."

Ulquiorra nods, looking bored while Ryuken adjusts his glasses, replying in a baritone voice that he has nothing to add.

"Great! The ayes have it! Meeting adjourned!"

Ryuken and Ulquiorra immediately get up from their seats, shuffling out of the room, shutting the door behind them. The sudden turn of events leaves Rukia a bit dumbfounded. She has only just sat down. It has been barely five minutes into the meeting and it's already over?! She thought meetings among the heads of the families were taken more seriously than this.

"Oi! Kukaku! You can't just—"

Kukaku ignores Ichigo's indignant squawk, rolling her eyes at him before turning to Rukia. "It's decided! Ichigo will be your security detail. He is well-suited for the job."

Rukia raises her hand awkwardly, a little afraid to meet Kukaku's gaze. But she reminds herself that she is the head of the family now, she can't be cowered- not without a fight. "Don't I get a say in this?"

Kukaku's Cheshire grin widens as she folds her arms under her chest. "Afraid you're outnumbered, Rukia. It's 3 against 1!"

Undeterred, Rukia tries again. "But I have a job! And so does Ichigo. He's busy at the hospital. I can't force him to drop his work to follow me around at the school!"

"Oh, don't you worry about that!" Kukaku looks pointedly at her cousin, who looks like steam is about to come out from his ears. "Inoue will take over his duties when you're teaching and Ichigo will make time for everything else. Isn't that right, Ichigo? It's in his best interest to, after all."

Rukia raises an eyebrow at her, wondering what the older woman meant. Frustratingly, Kukaku does not elaborate. She gets up from her seat, pushing past Ichigo on her way out.

Rukia sighs as she hears the door shut behind Kukaku. Once again, there is only her and Ichigo.

She slowly raises her eyes to him, surprised to see him watching her. Her gaze drops to his lips. The almost-kiss between them is a fresh memory that she can't shake off. Her face flushes hot, unbidden. Her skin pricks with goosebumps just at the mere thought of him brushing his lips against hers.

"Sorry—"

"Can we—"

Rukia clears her throat, the first to look away. "You can go first."

Ichigo inhales sharply. "I want to talk about what happened earlier. Before Kaien interrupted us. Can we go back to that?"

"S-Sure."

Her hands feel clammy and she thinks she might pass out from how quickly her heart is thumping, but Rukia leans in, turning so that she is facing Ichigo.

"You asked me earlier, if I've already found my soulmate; if I recognized who she is and if I was trying to impress her—" he licks at his suddenly dry lips— "Yes. The answer to all the questions is yes."

His hand grazes her cheek when he tucks her stray bang behind her ear. Rukia finds herself lost in his eyes as she looks up. They are seated so close to each other now, their knees touching, but it is still not close enough. When Ichigo pulls her close, moving her over to sit on his lap; Rukia doesn't fight it. The tip of his nose brushes against hers, his hand sliding under her sweater to touch her heated skin—

Jolts of electricity run down her spine. His heat burns her, so there are worse ways to die. She shudders, gasping Ichigo's name as he presses her uninjured hand to his chest. He wills her to feel it. His heart thumping wildly in time to hers- just for her.

Only ever for her.

"It's you," he whispers reverently to her before dipping his head lower.

The kiss, Rukia sighs, slanting her lips to deepen it—

It was well worth the wait.

.

.

.

"Pay up!" Kukaku grins triumphantly at Ryuken as she exchanges a high-five with Kaien. They are all huddled behind the door, ears pressed against it. Ryuken narrows his eyes at the Kuchiki siblings, pursing his lips.

"I refuse. You cheated! You rigged this," he hisses.

Kukaku shrugs at his accusations. "Don't be a sore loser, Ryuken! All's fair in love and war. It's not like you didn't try to influence the result. What was it again? Oh right! 'Don't put it off any longer than you have to or you will regret it.'? Pfft! I see you!"

Ryuken furrows his eyebrows. "How did you even—"

Kukaku tilts her chin at him, smirking furtively. "I have my ways."

Standing not too far away, Ulquiorra eyes the three with a blank stare as he nurses a cup of tea. He feels that he should point out to Kukaku that she owes him half of her winnings, as per their agreement, but that he supposes, can wait.

At length, he looks up from his tea, lips curved in an upward line. "50 bucks that Kurosaki makes a complete fool of himself on their first date."

"You're on!"

.

.

.

She shouldn't be here.

Rukia is running, but not of her own volition. She feels like she is trapped in another person's body. This body moves and stretches like her own. She feels the burning of her calves as her muscles contract, her chest heaving, rivulets of sweat sliding down her spine; but in her head, she hears a roar of consciousness not of her own- desires and thoughts separate from her own that urge her to go faster, he is about to overtake them.

Who, Rukia asks; who are they running away from? Why are they running?

Where are they?

Yet, her voice only echoes, bouncing off the walls of her consciousness. The other voice does not reply, leaving her to stew in silence and frustration. Try as she may, Rukia cannot wrestle for autonomy in this form; unable to control which direction she takes off to or explain the circumstances that have led her to this moment in time. Is she the unfortunate host, the victim of an unfortunate body-snatcher or the amnesiac parasite hitch-hiking her way through this plane?

Rukia has no answer to this riddle, feeling like she is caught behind a one-way mirror, looking out from the inside. Only time will tell what her journey will bring.

This body runs like she has a destination in mind. The dense green foliage and the patches of grass stains on her dress around her clue her in on her surroundings, while a full moon hangs from the dark skies, surrounded by a sea of stars. It is the night of the full moon. Madness touches those who would call themselves her children, be it wolves or witches; none is truly immune to the call of the wild.

The wind carries traces of her scent, her sweat. The faint smell of iron permeates from her. She is bleeding from where the thickets and bushes- their sharp thorns and leaves kissing her skin, leaving their marks on her. She is unfazed, even as the sheer white dress on her becomes torn and ripped. She is leaving a trail for him- the man who is chasing after her, dogging her every step.

It is a game that they play, she thinks. A dance that they perform under the cover of the moon and the stars. She wants to be caught- well, not her personally, but her host? There is something about the chase that excites her.

"Gotcha!"

Something heavy tackles them from behind. Rukia is surprised, completely caught unaware by this, but the body- her host instinctively throws herself forward, rolling with the momentum. They tumble. Soft grass and wet earth cushion her fall. Rukia hisses at the pain, knowing without a doubt that bruises will form by morning.

Rukia brings her fingers to the side of her face, feeling for bumps; only to realize that much to her surprise and bewilderment, she can now move and control not just her fingers, but also the parts of her body. She wiggles her toes, delighted at her newfound mobility, but her delight is short-lived.

As she rises gingerly on her feet, Rukia finds something furry brushing at her ankles. Before she can squint at it, she finds her legs being swept out from under her and she is bodily slammed against the earth. Her body is being held down by someone or rather, something at least twice her size, their strong muscular thighs bracketing her hips, rendering her immobile.

Moonlight streams through the leaves in the canopy above, and she gets a good look at her assailant. Rukia's breath hitches. She belatedly remembers what Ichigo said to her before, werewolves are bad news. She thinks she can understand why now.

Seeing is very much believing.

Rukia finally has a face to the creature that has been chasing her through the woods. He stands eight-foot tall covered in dense fur, with a wolf's head and mane, but human and distinctly male in his barrel-chested and broad-shouldered figure, with paw-like hands that taper into slender fingers and opposable thumbs, dark claws glint at the tip of those digits, while his bushy tail wraps itself around her ankle like a fur anklet and grappling her while he keeps her pinned down under him.

He is looking at her with his piercing amber eyes as he bears down on her, gleaming white teeth so sharp that Rukia worries that she might cut herself just from staring.

She gulps, feeling boxed in and impossibly delicate and small under him.

Rukia stills, scarcely daring to move as the werewolf crouches low to press his muzzle to the side of her neck, nudging at her to bare her neck to him as he growls. His wet snout bumps against her heated skin as he breathes in her scent. There is deep, instinctive fear in Rukia- a nightmarish vision where she sees herself soaked in blood, missing a chunk of flesh from the side of her neck where the wolf's teeth have sunken in its hold and ripped it off, leaving bits of sinewy muscle and flesh.

Yet, the monster is surprisingly gentle with her. Sharp teeth graze at her pulse, trailing against her skin, but they do not break her skin. He keeps his claws tucked somehow, careful not to scratch her. Left to his own devices, the werewolf seems content to lick and lather at the side of Rukia's neck, covering the length of it with his sandpaper tongue as he holds Rukia captive.

His furred body is warm as he drapes himself over her, offering a much-needed respite from the chilly frost that seems to settle in these parts of the woods. The dress that she has on is flimsy and its material so hopelessly thin that it seems to fray at the slightest bit of friction. It is falling apart at the seams, barely just hanging onto her body. Rukia can feel her nipples pebbling from the cold. Against her better judgment, Rukia relaxes in his hold, leaning into his touch, craving his heat.

Lulled into a false sense of security, Rukia almost doesn't notice it when one of his clawed hands slides under her dress. His palm- so much larger and warmer than that of her own, presses against her skin, giving her goosebumps. It trails up to her inner thighs, brushing a digit experimentally against her cotton underwear. Rukia yelps in surprise at the intrusion. She instinctively squeezes her legs together, hoping to deter him. The werewolf growls, his ears flattening but still, he does not attack her.

Instead, he tucks his hand into the back of her knee, pushing her knees apart and keeping them spread as he inserts his large body between her thighs, keeping her knees bent. The hand on her knee leaves its perch, pushing the skirt of the dress up to expose her thighs, kneading at the supple flesh he finds there. His silver tail follows suit, coiling about her leg like a serpent. The bristle-like texture of the tail scrapes along the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, drawing hazy circles that make her shiver.

Not of fear, but of anticipation.

There is desire coiling within her, dampness gathering between her legs. She gulps, grabbing the hem of her dress, desperate to tug it back down. She should not be feeling like this. She bites back a whimper, chiding herself for behaving like this when she is at the mercy of a creature with a jaw powerful enough to snap her head clean off her shoulder.

With a growl, the werewolf bats her hands away, sharp teeth nipping at the skin of her collarbone before soothing the sting of his bite with tender licks. Shocked, Rukia's hands recoil, pressing her hand against the site. The bite does not pierce skin, but the impact of it is painful enough to make Rukia wince, hissing in surprise.

"W-What do you want?"

Her voice is breathless and an octave higher than normal. The werewolf does not reply immediately, instead, there is a deep rumbling sound coming from his chest. It takes her a while to realize that the werewolf is laughing. His dark, throaty chuckles send jolts of electricity down her spine, but that is nothing compared to the shock to her system- the sudden clench of her pussy and the pool of desire gathering at her lower belly when he grinds against her.

Rukia chokes. The werewolf is big and the difference in size between them is made all the more apparent as he casually splays his hand, resting it on her knee; the width of his palm and fingers spanning her thigh. Her lips quiver. A single layer of flimsy cotton is all that separates them.

His exposed bulge hardens against her and Rukia chews at her lower lip, desperate to keep her moans contained when he ruts against her, his weeping cock sliding into the gap between her thighs, leaving precum that glistens against her skin.

"Don't play coy, little Shinigami. I know what you are, you little witch."

His husky voice has her in grips, the low-rising heat gathering at her core simmers. When his muzzle trails lower past her collarbone, his teeth snag and pull at the front of her cotton dress. There is a satisfying sound of the material ripping and Rukia gasps as cool air hits her skin. The dress gains a daring new neckline, split to her navel and just barely hanging onto her shoulders.

A small huff from the werewolf causes the scraps of cloth to fall off, landing on the grass and their existence quickly forgotten. Rukia's hands shoot up to cover her exposed chest, but the beast is quicker, laying his claim over the area as he buries his head in the valley between her breasts, wet snout and tongue working in tandem, brushing against bare skin with kitten licks with the occasional nip just hard enough to bruise until Rukia's body is swathed in his scent and mark.

Rukia draws a sharp gasp, writhing and grinding as she tries to alleviate the pressure building within her. Her want- the depravity of it should sicken her, but the friction of the werewolf's coarse tongue against her skin is delicious. It is only human of her to want.

She writhes and grinds, trying desperately to keep the growing damp spot on her underwear hidden. She makes the rookie mistake of looking down, making eye contact with the beast. The dark gleam of hunger in his eyes has her heart pounding faster and harder against her ribcage.

In the darkness, yellow eyes size her up, roving past her waifish frame, elfin compared to him, the jut of her collarbone, the sight of her mulberry-hued nipples with their pebbled tips, to focus on the dark bed of curls between her legs. Wolves respond to scents and smells the best. Her arousal- the scent of it makes his mouth water. He moves lithely, shifting himself into position between her legs.

Rukia watches with rapt attention, a broken whimper falling from her lips as the creature buries his head between her thighs, a deep groan of approval as his muzzle rubs at her sex through the thin cloth, breathing in the scent of her arousal.

His deep husky voice has her knees buckling from the heat. "So good for me," he coos, "You're so wet down there, Shinigami."

Much like her sorry excuse of a dress, the integrity of her cotton underwear crumbles, falling apart from the seams as the werewolf all but tears it off of her.

"Your sweet cunt—" his pink tongue darts out to trace the edges of her pussy lips. Rukia clamps a hand tightly over her mouth to stop her screams as the appendage suddenly dips between her folds, groaning at the taste of her sweetness— "I can smell it all the way from across the field. Ripe- Like a bitch in heat. You just can't stay away, can you?"

Strong hands cradle her hips, holding her steady and her thighs pressed firmly on the sides of his face as he delves his tongue deeper, eating her out like his life depended on it. He has never tasted anything more divine. His tongue presses flat against her clit as he makes slow strokes at her clit, flicking and tracing circles; while his muzzle nudges at her folds, determined to bury himself in her moist heat. Eager to draw out more from her, he licks and laps at her juices until Rukia gives a harsh cry, her hips bucking wildly from the onslaught of pleasure.

Her body tingles, breath shuddering as Rukia comes down from her high. A sense of euphoria washes over her and she raises herself up by her elbows to see the werewolf watching her with his dark eyes. The corded muscles of his biceps and neck are wounded tight and tense. He gives a low growl, his grip on her tightening at the sight of her flushed face and wild hair, her eyes glassy and unfocused. Under the moonlight, his muzzle is wet and glistening, stained by the evidence of her release that he swipes at with his tongue, unwilling to let a single drop of it go to waste.

Rukia whimpers at the sight, chewing at her bottom lip, her thighs rubbing against each other helplessly. It is invitation enough.

"More," the werewolf husks as he dives back down, resuming his position between her legs. "I want more, Shinigami. Give me more."

Throwing her legs over his shoulders, he devotes himself to the task, slurping loudly as he welcomes the run of her ripe juices down his throat, letting the taste of her coat his tongue until she is all that he knows. Her scent envelops and overwhelms him. He is unrelenting even when her heels dig sharply into his shoulder blades, thighs smushed to his face. He growls appreciatively at the pain, claws digging into the meat of her hips, keeping her in place when the intensity of her orgasm has her bucking her hips, nearly taking his eye out with a well-aimed kick.

He growls, tearing his mouth away from her moist heat to playfully nip at the flesh of her inner thighs. Dark, throaty chuckles rumble when he hears her breath hitch, her thighs wrapping tighter against his neck, squeezing at his throat. What is pleasure without a bit of pain?

.

Rukia loses count of the number of times the werewolf made her come on his tongue. She is barely coherent. Her voice feels hoarse and her senses are utterly ruined by him, only cognizant to the heat of his body, the warmth of his paw-like hands pressing down on her, his teeth raking at her flesh, and the utterly sinful brush of his tongue against her swollen clit, masterfully drawing screams and gasps from her. He evokes pleasure- mind-numbing and powerful enough to drown her thoughts, leaving her brain as nothing more than a sluggish mess.

It is all she can do: spreading her knees wide for him, canting her hips in time to the strokes of his tongue. Even when her legs feel like jelly, her body shaking like a leaf as she trembles from overstimulation, Rukia hangs on to him. She grabs fistfuls of his fur- pulling him closer, urging him to do his worst; she can take it.

She whines as she shuts her eyes, once again losing herself in the haze of pleasure. She tugs at her nipples, for a moment pretending that it belonged to another hand- a human one. Ichigo, her mind whispers fervently as she moans.

Would it feel every bit as intense as this when she is with him?

"Nnggghhh—"

The sound that she makes is pitiful, her need for him all-consuming when he draws back from her. Her legs are spread wide apart, exposing all of her to him. Amber eyes latch onto the sight of her weeping core and her swollen clit. He swallows thickly at the sight. Rukia feels so lewd, driven by lust as she dips her fingers between her lips, spreading them apart for him. Her folds are pink and puffy for him, so wet and needy- all because of him.

"P-Please," Rukia whimpers, touching herself, desperate for relief.

The werewolf growls, his cock twitching. He will be good to her and give her what she wants. He will breed her, mould her cunt to the shape of his cock and knot in her. He howls at the thought of seeing her belly bloated with his seed, bulging with the outline of his cock entrenched so deep inside of her. He will give her pups- healthy and strong.

He is slow and deliberate in his approach when he crawls towards her. His girthy cock slaps against his toned stomach, glistening with precum. Flushed and angry at the tip, dark fuzz and downy hair curls at the base of his cock. Rukia stares slack-jawed at the size.

It will be a tight fit.

She swallows thickly, looking deep into amber eyes. She is playing with fire, but what a lovely way it is to burn.

She does not fight it when the beast pulls her up by her arms, rearranging her so that she is balanced precariously on her knees and hands, her ass in the air. She is nearly breathless with need, body quivering in excitement when she feels him coming up from behind, his hardness pressing like a brand against her skin. His arms are planted squarely on both sides of her to cage her, keeping her trapped under him. His heavy breathing seems to vibrate through her and she can feel herself growing embarrassingly slick again.

"I want to hear your screams."

That is all the warning Rukia gets before the werewolf lowers himself into her. Her cunt is so wet from arousal that she is practically dripping, but his cock is too big. Just the tip of it is enough to make her shriek, crying out as though she had been split open. She is so unbearably sensitive.

Tears stain the corner of her eyes and she shakes her head, babbling. "T-Too big— nghhh— Can't- can't fit."

The werewolf bites back a groan at the feel of her pussy clenching tightly at his cock. It is a Herculean effort, keeping himself still, resisting the urge to plow into her moist heat like the beast that he is. His breathing is laboured as he lowers his head to nuzzle at the side of her neck, whispering into her ear.

"Yes, it can. It will."

Pink tongue darts to lick at her tears, hot air fanning the side of her cheeks. He draws a sharp breath, grinding himself against her, slowly sinking deeper into her. His throbbing shaft disappears inch by inch until he bottoms out. Rukia hisses at the fullness, her nails rake at the damp earth beneath her, moaning when she feels his heavy balls slapping against her ass.

He is so big.

The werewolf chuckles, pressing close to lick at the shell of her ear. "See? Told you it would fit!"

Sharp teeth nibble at the juncture of her neck. His clawed hand creeps lower, the tip of his sharp nail twirling at the dark curls covering her taint, finger pads brushing at where they are joined. Rukia is whining, a keening cry for more as she swivels her hips at him, humping his hand mindlessly.

Her body is on fire, thrumming with such need that she feels feral. She is focused solely on her carnal desires, desiring sweet release and chasing after her next high. Suddenly, getting railed in the dead of the night by a werewolf does not bother her as much as she thought it would. She does not feel quite human herself.

"M-Move."

She feels it. The drag of muscles as he pulls out only to slam back into her- the sudden rush of air, the snap of his hips, choke her. She throws her head back, screaming when his cock slides past her clit, hitting her sweet spot. He makes a noise then- high-pitched but happy, excited at the discovery and the responses he draws from her.

"N-No, please—Too much! Aghh—"

Rukia's pleas fall on deaf ears, drowned out by the sound of skin slapping against skin, the squelch of her wet sex that grips at his. The werewolf is a beast- a dog with a bone and built for stamina. The Shinigami's wet slick, her needy whimpers and high-pitched screams are all that matters to him. She squeezes at him so tightly, making his balls ache; the least he can do to repay her is this. He makes it his personal mission to push harder, hitting that spot with every thrust.

He scoffs, his tail slithering to rub soothing circles along the inside of her thighs, pulling her knees wider apart for him. Actions speak louder than words. Her body heeds the call of her desires. He does not miss the sudden clenching of her walls at his words, her heartbeat racing, pounding at her ribcage as her hips undulate in response, her back arching sharply every time he cants his hips.

"Liar," he growls, "Filthy little human mouth. Your wet cunt says otherwise. You want this. This is what you came for. Y-You take my cock so well. Good girl! Good Little Shinigami! T-Take it!"

Rukia's breathing stutters. In the throes of passion, her arms buckle under the strain. She slips into a quivering mess at his feet, her whimpers and screams muffled by the back of her hands. Powerful thighs bracket her hips while his meaty hands grip at her thighs, keeping her hips raised. She hears the strain in his voice when he growls. His desperation is there as he tightens his grip on her, thrusting deeper and faster. The sound of his grunts and growls grow louder, making her feel feverish.

Rukia feels like a woman possessed, her hand slipping between her legs and reaching upwards to cup at his balls. When he does not immediately react, she slides her hand lower, brushing her fingers teasingly along his taint.

The effect of it is unmistakable. The werewolf throws his head back, howling. His large palm smacks at her hips, leaving an angry imprint of it on her skin.

"Naughty little Shinigami!"

She had no idea what she had just done. The base of his cock suddenly swells, locking into her. It burns. Her pussy clenches along the member, struggling to adjust to the length and thickness. The sudden tightness and fullness of his cock nestled completely within her makes her whimper. Rukia tries to wiggle away, swiveling her hips in an effort to buck him off, but they remain connected. Her efforts earned her another painful slap on her ass. Her back arches instinctively as she hisses in pain. Glaring, she throws the beast a look over her shoulders, but the glowering effect is lost on him.

"You asked for this!" The werewolf croons, his long tongue swiping at the tears rolling down her cheeks. He yanks her closer, bucking his hips at her and chuckling as she mewls. "Now, fucking take it all! I'll stuff you full of my cum!"

Rukia gasps when she feels his load spurting deep inside of her. His load is thick and heavy. The intensity of it causes her to scream, nearly blacking out as her own climax hits her. When her breathing steadies, she raises herself up gingerly only to collapse under the weight of the werewolf pressing down on her. Pinned under him, she has nowhere to run, too weak to even push at him in protest as he grinds.

He is still coming, his hips still weakly thrusting at her even as they are linked. Not wanting to crush her, the beast curls his arm around her, rising to his feet with her pulled flush against his chest. He sets them down on the grass, keeping her thighs spread over his, holding her in place with his hands at the back of her knees; gripping tight despite the coat of sweat that covers them.

"Good little Shinigami! Taking my knot so well!"

The two of them are pressed so close to each other, her pussy sealed tight and plugged with his cum. When his large palm presses down on her belly, Rukia shivers. She can see the bulge of him in her. She feels so impossibly full, stretched out to accommodate him. Her hair is plastered to her face while her body aches all over. She is too weak to even mount a token protest as the beast presses her back to his front while his head dips low to rest on her shoulders.

The night air is chilly and Rukia cannot help but shiver as a cold draft hits her. She yelps, digging her nails into the sides of the werewolf's thighs when she feels him shift. She swallows thickly when he stands up to his full height, still holding onto her by the back of her knees, still keeping her legs spread wide.

The beast carries her deeper into the woods. The mixture of fluids in her bloated stomach jostles uncomfortably with every step he takes. Rukia feels her pussy clamping down hard again, alarmed by her surroundings and the hitch in the werewolf's breath is unmistakable, his grip on her tightening while his voice dips low.

"Y-You're gonna make me cum again if you keep doing that."

Again?

Her face pales. She can still feel him inside of her; her insides stuffed full by a mixture of their fluids and his cock. She whimpers at the thought of more filling her.

"W-Where are you taking me?"

"My den," he answers simply. "Don't want you to freeze to death."

He does not tell her that he does not like the thought of her being seen like this. The sound of their coupling should be deterrent enough, but the possessive streak in him surges when he looks down at the Shinigami with her bruised body, smelling so deliciously his and spent as she takes his knot like a champ, like she was born for this. His cock twitches at that, causing the Shinigami above him to whimper, her hands gripping at his biceps painfully for support in her shaky position.

He hides his smile, sadistically choosing the longer route with its rougher terrains, enjoying the way her pussy flutters around him, her breath shuddering with every jump and crouch he makes on the journey to his humble abode. He sighs, feeling her warmth surround him.

Those pesky little mortals that she insists on siding with. The flash of jealousy has him growling. Shifters, they call themselves; no better than weaklings. He gave them their gift and he can just as easily take it back. He snarls, letting his dark thoughts simmer as he adjusts Rukia's legs over him, 'accidentally' loosening his grip only to slam back harder, stimulating her bundle of nerves on the way in.

He will show the little Shinigami that he is a much better candidate. No one else- be it man, beast or something in between, will ever satisfy her better. He will mark her- give her pups, watch her tits get swollen with milk as her belly goes round. They will know better than to approach her then.

Rukia is crying when they arrive. She spills over at least twice on the way. The wolf does not play fair, exploiting his knowledge on where and how to touch her, wanting nothing more than to watch her melt into a puddle of quivering goo.

"Ready?"

His eyes are glittery and his tail thumping as he brings her past the entrance to his den. He licks at her cheeks and down the length of her neck, laughing when he sees the look of pleasure on her face. She is too far gone to even register his words. The Shinigami's eyes are rolled to the back of her head, her mouth opened wide as smears of her drool trickle down the corners of her mouth. She is perfect; his brainless little slut for the night, his to breed and claim.

He grins wolfishly. He will put his pups in her, making her cum over and over again until she becomes addicted to him and the pleasure that only he can bring. She is so warm. When his knot deflates, he will simply use her to warm his cock, catching his breath before starting all over again.

It is going to be a long night and he can hardly wait.

.

Rukia is groaning when she comes to. She blinks blearily at her surroundings, hissing when she moves her hips. The feel of sunlight on her skin has never felt more unwelcomed. Awake, she feels her bruises and scratches; the evidence of last night making her feel sore and tired. She moans, realizing that she is lying in a bed of pelts, soft to the touch and warm against her bare skin. White fluid gushes out from her as she shifts. Her cheeks colour in response and she immediately clamps her legs shut, unwilling to soil the fur pelts.

Her movements cause her bedmate to stir. Rukia's eyes widen in surprise as an arm curls around her midsection, yanking her close to a warm body, still heavy with sleep.

She gulps when she feels his warm breath fanning her face, sleepily groaning at her to stay. With much difficulty, Rukia twists over to her side, finally getting a good look at her lover from last night.

Streaks of sunlight gild him, highlighting the angular shape of his face, his nose. The transformation from beast to man is complete and there is nary a sharp claw in sight or a glimpse of a wolf's ear pricking out from his messy, tousled hair that fans out under him. Rukia can scarcely breathe.

His is a face that she would know from anywhere.

"I-Ichigo?"

.

.

.

---

Twilight-inspired AU

Day 1: Monsterfucking/Caught in the act/"I will do anything you ask of me."

Forgive me! I have to make up for all the years that I have missed out from IIHWE. This first chapter is a whooping 24k.

Spin-offs- prequels and sequels to this series that I may never write:
1. Ulquihime- you know it Ulquiorra as Edward, Hime as Bella. Their baby's name is Nozomi (kanji: 望心) to look forward/desire the heart- I think it's very fitting for them.

2. Hitsukarin- a rivals-to-lovers au that takes place later before and during this fic in another town where they attend college/uni. Karin is a wolf; Toshiro is a Shifter.

3. Ishinemu- Uryu is a hunter and Nemu is naturally a Shinigami