The ride to the territory was always bumpy. Sasuke noted as the carriage wheels made contact with a hump of stone on the road and galloped slightly. He grunted, looking at his mate infront of him who seemed unfazed by the incident and was not giving up on whatever she was telling him.

She was wearing an emerald coloured ball dress, pampered with jades at the edges of the skirt and the camisole. The earrings she wore twinkled like the stars at night against her soft, glowy skin. Her pink hair was graciously held up with a flower pattern Kanzashi which had pink petals and a green pollen. She let her hair fall by the sides of her face in bouncy waves. As if that wasn't enough, her green eyes looked bigger and more captivating than usual.

She was breathtaking. He almost didn't want her to wear the outfit, but she'd insisted that she wanted to make a good first impression to his pack and his brother. She seemed to not realize how effective her charm can be on a single soul. He looked away from her beaming face, displeased.

He didn't like it.

"... then I went into town and you won't believe it.." Sakura took in a breath. "It was crazy! People were bustling with energy. It was so enjoyable. I saw different things on stalls and a suspicious looking inn." She paused. "I had the urge to enter though. I wanted to see what it was like."

Town? Inn? Sasuke frowned and looked at her. "You ventured out of the castle?"

"Weren't you listening?" She held his gaze innocently.

"And you had the urge to visit a suspicious looking inn?"

"I mean... it looked kinda fun." She added. "I just wanted to see what went on inside."

"Don't you think your curiosity is perplexing?"

"Don't you think you're being irrational right now?" She frowned, folding her arms. "Why are you mad?"

Sasuke sighed, looking away.

"The same thing happened this morning. There! That attitude. Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you. I just... I'm mad at myself."

"Does that even make sense?"

"Sakura..."

"You've been sulking all-day. I noticed." She leaned towards him, looking into his eyes with determination. "If you have anything that's troubling you, you can say it out. Tell me! What's 'I'm mad at myself'? That doesn't make sense without any explanation."

Sasuke looked at her, observing her unwavering focus in her eyes until a small smile appeared on his face. He snaked his arm around her waist and brought her close to him, too close even for their noses were touching.

Ignoring the heat rising to her face and her surprised gasp, he tilted his face, staring into her green eyes teasingly. "I was sulking, huh? Will you accept my apology then?"

Sakura's throat tightened, her legs felt wobbly as her whole being was caught captive by his intense dark eyes. "Wh...wh...what apology?"

"Let's go into detail, shall we?" He smirked, resisting the desire to stop teasing her and really be serious.

It was a bad idea. He had only wanted to tease her. Now, he was being tortured by her intoxicating scent and big spellbinding eyes.

"Sa... Sasuke." She closed her eyes nervous to the bone. It was probably because she was anxious but it'd given him an opening.

She was driving him insane. It was too late for jokes now. He placed a hand on the side of her face and slowly closed in on their proximity. Their lips were almost touching when the carriage pulled to a bumpy stop. Her head bumped into his shoulders and his jaw met with her clavicle and they just stayed like that.

The knock on the carriage door drew them back to reality. Sakura was quick to disengage, not noticing the displeasure on her mate's face when she removed his arm from her waist and opened the door.

"Sakura..."

"I can walk out by myself, no need to worry." Her voice was slightly pitchy but she got out of the carriage, ignoring the innocent look on Jugo's face as he stared at her.

When she was out in the fresh air and cool breeze, she let out a worrisome sigh and placed a hand on her chest. Her heart was thumping madly and her nerves were hitting her. It was all his fault. If he hadn't... She tapped her cheeks. She could still feel the heat. She turned her head and glared at the carriage, at him precisely, as he talked with Jugo. Sneaky handsome immortal!

As if he'd heard her, he looked at her and smirked. Flustered, she turned her head and blew off fuse, silently. He's so unbelievable!

She sighed, looking upwards at the clear sky before noticing her environment. Where are we anyways?

The vegetation in this area was low and cleanly shaven. There were huge, tall trees around but they were afar off. At the center of the low cut grasses, there was a huge house. A huge, tall, gloomy, dark house which gave off this medieval vibes. It's rooftops were like that of a castle's. Surrounding the building was evergreen, blossoming streams of flower gardens, glistening ponds, cherry blossoms and nicely pricked shrubs.

It was weird how the environment was a total contrast of the building before her. There was something about it though. It felt like the only sane environment for a gloomy building like that.

As soon as Sasuke got to her side, the lycanthropes in the surrounding gathered around them. Sakura noticed from the admiration and excitement on their faces, that they meant no harm. The excitement and admiration, though, weren't meant for her.

"Sasuke sama."

"Sasuke sama, welcome back."

"Sasuke sama...

"Sasuke sama!"

Way to blend in the crowd, Sakura... The pink haired Luna shook her head.

The truth was, she wasn't doing a good job blending in the crowd. She was standing out a lot more then she ever thought, but she didn't know that. The pack noticed her the minute she walked out of the carriage. They just didn't want to acknowledge her, the fact that she was human and they didn't want to have anything to do with the species.

Respect in Raikanrando wasn't inherited, it was earned. Sasuke glanced at Sakura, knowing it wouldn't be hard for her to make herself known. Still, he wouldn't condone anyone disrespecting his mate. "Stand down."

A synchrony of the like akin to soldiers in training took place. The lycans became quiet, their eyes on their Alpha.

"Is that any way to welcome your Luna? You're treating her as though she weren't here." Jugo said, glaring at them all.

Sakura opened her eyes to see the pack muttering, looking away like rebellious teens. Ah, right. I introduce myself here.

"Good day everyone. I am Sakura Haruno, nice to meet you all." Was this right? I don't know. I don't know anything about Lycans tradition or what to do when meeting their group as a human Luna!

"Yes, you're human." One lycan with long green hair said with irritation.

"Oi, Jegal..."

"It's okay Jugo." Sakura suddenly said. She looked at the lycan in front of the pack, whose name was Jegal, and walked towards him. Then she smiled. "What's wrong with it?"

"Huh?" Jegal glared at her with his hazel eyes, clearly irritated but his pupils were restless.

"What's wrong with being human?" She asked, feigning innocence as she bored her green eyes into his soul.

"Well, your kind is w..."

"Weak, is that it?"

Sasuke watched with keen attention. Sakura looked like she wanted her intentions known. He knew that because she stood up to his father when he jested her kind too. Also, he was bothered about the way Jegal was fidgety. Why did he look nervous just because Sakura was close to his face?

...

Why was Sakura so close to his face?

Ahem, Sasuke sama.

He looked at the orange haired lycan at his side.

I know I'm not in any place to say this but If you step in now out of jealousy, you will ruin the stage the Luna's unconsciously set. He had noticed. As soon as he'd arrived. The pack had taken a liken to her without knowing it but they'd soon reverted to being stone-hearted. They weren't the kind to let emotions rule them or so he thought.

Sasuke looked back at his mate, maintaining a stoic expression ...

...

I am not jealous.

Jegal, although realizing the heat creeping up to his face, he kept a firm ground and held the Luna's stare. "So, what if that's it? You humans are weak. You can't do anything if you're weak."

Sakura scoffed, moving back. "At first, I thought you were sensible but you're pretty dull, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Listen up guys." She began like an officer drilling younguns. "There might be a lot you've seen during your time in the pack, but you're still inexperienced." She peered at them one by one. "Humans are weaker than you supernatural beings but that doesn't mean we're weak. Infact, we're a lot scarier. If we want, we can device plots and schemes to take you all out." She shot a glare at a group muttering. "Yes, and we will win. So, don't go about thinking we're some little rubbish by the side of the road. It's dangerous to underestimate beings whose abilities you know nothing of."

The whole place was as silent as a graveyard. No one dared to even speak after she'd concluded.

Jugo had almost laughed at the priceless looks on his comrades' faces. Sasuke had risen an eyebrow. He didn't think his mate could register such a cold and scary aura, he was proud though.

"You should drop the Luna title and become an Alpha, it suits you." Someone began to clap behind her and everyone turned to see seven people dressed in military attire standing few feet away.

Sakura noticed the clear difference in their hair color. One, with long black hair, stood in front like the leader, but he wasn't the one who'd clapped, that would be the silver haired one. The black haired one looked gentle and calm and his aura felt comforting. She noticed a little resemblance between the leader of the strange group and Sasuke.

Oh, oh wait.

"Itachi."

Sasuke saying that confirmed her theory. The handsome man with the gentle aura was Itachi Uchiha.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked as soon as the generals got closer, and his brother stood facing him. "We were going to visit you later."

"I thought I should save you the trouble."

"I don't need your consideration."

"Since when have I ever put you into consideration?" Itachi looked from the Sasuke to his mate.

Oh... oh wow. The sass. It runs in the family.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sakura." He greeted, bowing slightly.

Sakura was taken aback. She wasn't expecting him to show obeisance to her like that. She comported herself and did likewise. "The pleasure is mine, Itachi..." Um, what is his title?

"Itachi is fine."

The beautiful blue haired woman behind him let out a quiet gasp. "Itachi sama..."

"We're the seven generals of Raikanrando. I am Kisame and my colleague's Konan." The blue haired man said, cutting his companion off. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Sakura answered, observing them all. There seemed to be some kind of power within them to make them look so fine. Konan's beauty alone was just ethereal.

Kisame continued. "That's Deidara." He pointed at the man who had long blonde hair and light blue eyes.

Sakura thought he was a female. He is prettier than most girls. He would definitely succeed in modeling.

"He's an arsonist."

Oh, nevermind.

Deidara sneered, looking at Kisame. "It's called art!"

"These are Sasori, Yahiko and Hidan." He concluded, gesturing at the redhead with big pretty eyes, a very handsome orange head and a silver haired one who looked like he should be in prison.

Sakura beamed when she saw Sasori. He's so cute. "You even have a child as general. That's so cool."

There was a very, very long pause.

Then Hidan started laughing as he clapped Sasori's back multiple times. "She... she thinks you're a freaking child!" He bawled, doubling over on the ground as he laughed.

Sakura blinked in confusion and embarrassment as everyone except from Hidan and some in the pack who were stifling their laugh, stared at her unbelievably.

Sasori glared at her as she focused her gaze upwards, muttering silently. "Sorry." Then she added quietly. "He really looks like one though."

The silver haired moved towards her and placed his arms around her shoulders, laughing into her face and ignoring the petrified look she gave him. "I like you, you're funny as hell. You should..."

He got cut off when Sasuke suddenly appeared behind them and pried his hands off her, glaring at him with death in his eyes.

Hidan backed away, stoping his hysterical laughter as he looked away. "Ok, ok, geez. No need for the whole bloody bullshit."

Sasuke turned around, interlocking his mate's hands in his as he headed for the entrance of the building. "Come in or stay out and die in the open field." Not that they would easily die no matter how much they risk their own lives. "It would do me a favor if you choose the latter."

Itachi smiled, shaking his head as he and the others followed them. "That's a nice way of inviting guests in, little brother."

Sasuke frowned, his left eye twitching. "Shut up."

Hidan spat, staring at Sasuke's back. "That brat still has a shitty attitude."

"You're one to talk." Deidara replied, eyeing him deceitfully.

Hidan snapped a look at him, rewarding him with his middle finger and a toothy smirk. "Fu..."

The Gorgon maid carefully placed the tray of teacups on the stool, setting aside the kettle and saucers, trying not to attract the vengeful aura emanating from Hiashi sama and his daughter's supposed mate. They were glaring at each other non stop. Not even general Neji who stood behind the leader could match up to them.

Hiashi started off with a laugh as he took a sip from the teacup, a fake, threaty laugh. "A mate. A lycan mate." He laughed some more. "I've never been amused all my life."

"I am not here to jest." The blond Alpha said, very serious. "I am here to rescue my mate."

"You are so naive, it's vexing." Hiashi looked at him with spite. "Do you really think you can just come here, claim that my daughter is your mate and take her away?"

"You're the one who brought me here. I wanted nothing to do with you in the first place. All I want is my mate."

That was because he had not wanted the people to hear such an expensive joke. "She is my daughter."

"Whom you wanted to kill!" He paused. "Are you seriously okay?"

"Hey, watch your tone!" Neji reprimanded him. "Have you lost it?"

"Why don't you ask your leader that, because it's evident. What man would sacrifice his own child for power?"

"She is the princess of our land. She has duties to fulfill."

"You're forgetting that she's also my mate." Naruto replied, holding his glare with an intensity of his own in his blue eyes.

"Hmm." Hiashi started at the lycan before him. As much as he despised lycans, he knew that this one would be difficult to handle.