AN: After bedtime is the best time for writing... LOL I'm honestly amazed that this story got so many reviews. I thought it was just a weird idea but everyone kept saying how much they were enjoying it so I have to continue. And, because it got a much better response than I predicted, I'm going to 1) make it longer (3 parts will not be enough to capture everything I want so maybe 3-10 chapters?) and 2) yes, I'll definitely be doing smut. Haha. Not sure when I'm gonna toss that it but it'll be there... somewhere. So thank you guys for making all this worthwhile! :D

Thank you's for the last chapter:

Guest: Aww, thank you~!

too lazy to login: I'm not sure who this is but I wonder what fic you're talking about. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this part too. :D

nureen: I feel like there aren't enough supernatural HK stories. So I find that I must write them all. LMAO I'm glad you liked it so far!

came from tumblr: Haha, I'm so glad my cross-posting is effective! Glad to hear you enjoyed the first part. I can only hope I live up to expectations.

Guest: Aww, I hope you figured out your login info. :( Honestly, I've always liked the idea of werewolves/shifters but it's impossible to find good fic for them. I'm hoping I can change people's minds and it seems like it's working. Thank you for reading~

swirlmountin: Yes, I have made someone's life! I feel so very, very proud. Haha. ;)

akeaname: Thank you so much~

Part Two

"God, how can one man be so fine?"

"Whurr't?" Face stuffed full of bread, she took the brunt of glares with puffed cheeks.

Slapping the magazine on her table, familiar green eyes looked up at her and she remembered everything vividly. So vividly her skin burned as she glanced down at his face but she hid it with a conscious swallow and shallow smile.

"Ah, you mean Hitsugaya-san?" She kept her voice light and airy but she sounded unnatural to her own ears. It seemed that she was as weak to him as any other woman, and that bothered her more than she cared to admit.

The pictorial had caused quite a stir after it was published and she was on the receiving end of both great admiration and equal anger. Karin wasn't sure what had been different about it, but her photos managed to showcase Hitsugaya with a shine to him that went beyond skin-deep. The way he'd looked at her through the camera then made her painfully aware of him, almost violated by the way his gaze seared into her. It was a wonder she could capture that fierceness as well as she had, but it was through no skill of hers that those pages had become a hit.

Sniffing, her friends were a bushel of envy. "Well duh. Who else can look that good? I'm still so jealous you're the one who took these!" Erika interjected, as she thumbed through the spread. "Not to mention your brother is super hot too."

Okay, she wasn't touching that comment with a ten-foot pole. "It was just a job. It's not that big of a deal..."

"Yeah, to you. But to us normal people that's a freakin' fantasy. I mean, you even got to touch him and everything."

More like he touched me but I don't think saying that is gonna help the situation. "He's not all that great, you know." And he wasn't. Just handsome and charismatic and all the things the tabloids said; a womanizing man with a hypnotic effect on anyone who was careless enough to catch his eye.

She thought she'd been safe looking at him through her camera, like a scientist dissecting a specimen through a microscope. She was supposed to have an objective, analytical interest in him, because she was a photographer chasing the perfect shot, not one of this overzealous fans.

But the second time he stood in front of her, her necklace infuriatingly tucked in his pocket, it was as if a switch had been flipped and the world blurred at the edges. It took everything she had to follow after him, fascinated by even the subtlest movements. It was as if he oozed desire and it overflowed, wrapping around her until she was nearly weak in the knees. And when it was all over, the coldness of her necklace was a stark contrast to the warm pressure of his fingers against her nape.

Shivering, she turned away from the conversation and reached for her PE jersey. She could always blame the chill on the cold outside, fall coming into season and making the leaves turn gold, scarlet, and brown, anything other than the real reason.

A smattering of curse words and the thud of paper against wood lifted her attention back to the room's other occupant. Sitting at the desk of her family's library, Rukia couldn't quite help the smile that tugged her lips as she watched a disgruntled Ichigo run a hand through his always-messy hair. It didn't take much to figure out what he was pothering over.

"Still not a fan of your latest spread?" she asked, deceptively light as she padded her way over to him. But instead of his face leering across the page, bleached hair and boldly handsome features were showcased. Even she had to admit that Hitsugaya Toushirou was a sight of beauty.

"That bastard needs to stay the hell away from my sister. Just who the fuck does he think he is?" Ichigo mumbled, pressing his face into a furled fist as he shot daggers at his sister's almost-suitor. If it wasn't for Hitsugaya's reputation, Rukia would have found the protectiveness adorable.

However, his promiscuous ways were hardly a joke. "You forget that he's not like you. His mother didn't protect him from the follies that come with being a young, attractive alpha so he's been given everything he never needed since he was born."

"So? That doesn't explain why he wants Karin so badly."

The words were stuck on her lips. She knew Ichigo was still rather new to this life, having been paraded around as human until he reached twenty years old. By then he'd met Rukia and she remembered being confused by his quiet, steady attention.

As an eligible female with a strong family to match, it was a first to be chased after so subtly when all her life she'd dealt with pompous, ignorant fools. And while Ichigo had his shortcomings, being too forward in his affection was not one of them. He was a man who kept the most important things close to his heart. And if he could, he would lock both of his sisters there and throw away the key.

"I think you know why he wants to see her again," she spoke fondly, tussling his hair in hope of relieving him of his frown, "Just as I know why you keep intercepting him before he can get to her."

"I don't trust him."

"I doubt you'd trust anyone with Karin-chan's heart, let alone a man of Hitsugaya's... distinction." Wincing, she knew she should have found a better word but the killing intent was rolling off her lover's form so tangibly that she hadn't been sure what else to say.

Well, when in doubt she found that feminine wiles tended to calm a man's heart fine.

Sliding between Ichigo and the table, Rukia made a show of straddling his legs, making sure to pull up the hem of her dress to show off milky skin and toned muscle. She could feel his gaze on her, the one that enjoyed undressing her in crowded rooms and private dinners. It made her feel powerful, wanted, loved. It was also the reason why she would support Ichigo and his near-obsession with keeping Hitsugaya's advances at bay, even if she didn't understand it. Because, she thought as she tilted his chin up and pressed the slightest kiss against his mouth, that was what a good mate did, and she was nothing if not a good mate.

Sitting on the settee of her office, Matsumoto was finding herself oddly entertained and delighted as her eyes tracked the restless form. Hitsugaya was, for all tense and purposes, a predator looking his patience, combing his hands through his hair, eyes flashing as they revealed his every thought. And while there could certainly be any number of things on his mind she had a good idea just what occupied so much of his time as of late.

It was a good thing she was well acquainted with the Kuchiki family, Rukia in particular. It hadn't been too difficult to corner her and get the low-down on her fiance's sister. If anyone asked, Rukia fought against Matsumoto's machinations but, alas, her iron-strong will was broken by skillful coaxing and probing.

In reality, all it took was a free cup of coffee and plate of biscotti to ger her talking but Ichigo wouldn't want to hear his family's secrets being sold so cheaply. It was a good thing the brunette had her man strung so tightly around her pinky and only slightly a wonder that he could function without her.

"So I've heard that you're being—what is it that kids are calling it these days? … Oh yes, 'cock-blocked' by Kurosaki Ichigo," Rangiku began innocently, smiling when Hitsugaya came to an abrupt halt only to send her a severe look. "Somehow I'm impressed that a man who doesn't know as much about our kind is managing to put even one of our best hunters in a corner."

"Please don't look so amused. It's literally killing me," he grunted aggravatedly. He found a seat on the couch but his discontent was apparent. "If I'd known he was going to be this much of a problem I would have challenged him outright that first day."

"And risk scaring Karin-chan off?" Sounded like a horrible idea and the rise of a perfectly manicured brow let him know it.

"She'll have to learn of us eventually. Why not now?"

"Don't you mean, why not with you?"

He shrugged immodestly. "If I can provide both education and protection, then why should I not offer them?"

"Well, besides the fact that she's completely innocent, ignorant about us, and your intentions are hardly pure? Oh, wait, I'm supposed to be defending you, aren't I?"

He glared but deftly kept his mouth shut.

Giggling, Matsumoto tossed her locks over one shoulder as her teeth peeked between her lips. "Karin-chan is young and has plenty of time before she hits twenty. Can you really not wait for her? After all, her parents chose this path for her. We should respect that."

Although it'd been more than a decade since he last saw Shiba-san, Hitsugaya had an idea why he was reluctant to share the truth with his children. Offspring of strong breeds and humans were rare, novelties if you will, and thus highly desirable. The fact that his wife was able to have three children meant their genetics were very compatible with their kind, a trait that made them especially coveted by full-bloods. The stronger the shifter's genes, the lower the rates of conception.

What he didn't fully understand was that pendant that masked Karin's scent so well. If he wasn't exceptionally close, he'd hardly be able to find her animal's scent even if she was the only person in the room. Certainly an effective way to keep others out but just how did it work?

"I'm not afraid of waiting." A partial lie but he continued on before she could call him out on it. "I'm afraid that others will realize what I have and attempt to claim her for themselves." A seriousness permeated through the room but the meaning wasn't lost on Rangiku.

There would always be those unscrupulous of their species who would take a mate without the other's consent. If it meant bearing strong children, there was no telling what a weaker breed might do and she would never wish such a fate on anyone.

"As long as she keeps that necklace on she's safe. From both them and you," Matsumoto pointed out, rarely dismissive but this time determinedly so. As little as she knew about the Kurosaki family, she certainly empathized with their cause.

"Is that a warning?" Toushirou inquired, voice an octave deeper and melded around his usual persuasion. And though she didn't bow her head, she did turn away to compose herself.

"No, it's a statement. Karin-chan will be safe as long as she can grow up normally. And if she's not able to, then and only then should you intervene. Trying to insert yourself into her life this early and without cause will only drive her away and you want to do everything in your power to stay in her good graces."

The words were not unkind but firm, enough so that he opted not to answer. She was right, as much as he hated to admit it. Karin needed normalcy and kindness, neither of which he was sure he could offer. The compulsion to touch her, tease her, make her look at him with challenge in her gaze was too strong. He wanted her in every way possible, and that was terrifying even for him.

So he would wait, just as what Ichigo and Isshin would want. But he would not be so compliant as to disappear completely.

Graduation was fast approaching and Karin found herself too busy with school to do much else than glance at her camera longingly. Her exams were over, her application already accepted, and her high school life was quickly falling into dusk.

After being accepted to a nearby university, she'd been excited to check out the campus. Not too many people had opted for her school as it had a science program that made it nearly impossible to get into. Although a secret love affair, Karin was considering research for her career path. It'd surprised her family, except her mother who had an inkling that there was more to her daughter's interest in biology than just exceptional grades.

Luckily, her university was within commuting distance and since she had some time, she decided to check out the campus on her own. None of her friends had followed her, deciding on less difficult courses or forgoing college completely. With her background she could have done the same but she wasn't sure if photography was for her. As much as Karin loved the art form she was in the mood for a new challenge.

The cool bite of winter clung to the air, not quite willing to let spring in as it stung her face and fingertips. Standing at the gates and looking in, she felt oddly small and intimidated for once in her life. She didn't like the feeling much.

Relax. What're they gonna do? You're starting here in a few weeks anyway, she told herself. With a fortifying breath, she made her way inside, taking admiring looks at the barren trees and snowed-over buildings, not even noticing the curious eyes that followed after her.

The need to catalog every inch of this place made her fingers itch and she reached for her phone instinctively. While her camera's resolution was nowhere near her usual standard it would have to do. Besides, the lovely brick walls and symmetric designs could be appreciated no matter what the pixelation.

She got carried away as she usually did when her mind wandered. She ended up deep in the belly of the school and suddenly realized she was lost. It wouldn't be hard to find her way out but she'd wanted to check out the library and open field and wasn't so sure she'd be able to with the time she had left.

Clucking her tongue, Karin stuffed her phone back in her pocket and made her way around arbitrarily. She'd find what she needed whenever it decided to pop up so until then she was going to enjoy the peace and quiet of the university.

"Is that you, Kurosaki?"

Well, there goes that plan. Pasting on a polite smile, Karin turned towards the voice and immediately her face drooped into shock at who she saw.

Wrapped up in a brown fleece jacket and green scarf was Hitsugaya. He looked relaxed as ever, a light frown perpetually marring his face and a set of black frames resting on his nose. She'd had no idea he worse glasses and was immediately taken in by them; his image changed when he wore them. She wouldn't call him approachable. No, that was giving the spectacles too much credit. However, his features looked less harsh, maybe because they covered that ungodly bone structure. But even at his most casual, Hitsugaya was still a sight to behold.

He stepped towards her and reflexively she took a few back. Surprised, both of them came to an abrupt stop, gazing at each other wonderingly but for completely different reasons. While Karin wasn't sure what had made her retreat, Hitsugaya knew that he was the cause.

Be patient. Be calm. She's reacting on instinct. If only he could.

She was smaller than he remembered, or perhaps it was the fact that she was covered head-to-toe to fight off the cold. Just barely average height and so young looking, any of his friends would've laughed if they found out that this was the girl he was going to take as his mate (and he would, mark his words). He'd been linked to glamorous models, gorgeous talents, and even a few illicit tangles with rich, powerful women, but this challenging, infuriating, and adorable little high schooler was going to be the one he chose. It was almost laughable.

"And just was it so funny?" Karin asked, miffed at the slight twitch of his lips. Her beanie was pulled on so tight that it nearly obstructed her view. He had to really look at her to see if she was glaring at him or not.

She was. "Nothing. I'm just surprised to see you here."

"I'll be coming here starting in spring. If anyone should be surprised, shouldn't it be me?"

A delighted smile crossed his face and immediately she regretted telling him. "Well that's a coincidence. This is my alma mater."

"Fuck." She lacked words but she doubted there was any better response.

Amused, Toushirou crossed his arms over his chest and regarded her with a familiarity that rubbed her the wrong way. "Have you had a tour yet? If you're free, I'm available."

A brief look of horror crossed her face and she wasn't sure she was quick enough to control it. "N-no! That's... that's okay, I'm... I'm going around by myself and I-I'd... hate for you to, um, go outta your way to help me. Y'know, considering how busy you are."

"But I'm not busy."

"No, I'm fairly sure you are." Was this guy not taking the hint? She didn't want to be within ten feet of him, let alone stuck next to him for who-knows-how-long.

"And I'm pretty sure you're wrong."

"You're gonna make me say it, aren't you?" Sighing, she felt the wind nip at her exposed cheeks and immediately wanted to be indoors. And alone. Very alone. "I. Don't. Want. Your. Help."

"Then I'll rephrase my question." Taking a few steps closer, he was glad to see she hadn't backed away but the look of a caged animal was still reflecting back at him. One day it wouldn't be there, he told himself as he waived the slight to his pride. "You're going to let me show around the campus and then I'm going to make sure you get home safely."

"Get home safe? With you?"

He heard her skepticism loud and clear. "I won't touch you if that's what you're afraid of. I'm not so uncivilized that I'd lay my hands on a minor." Unless she wanted him to then he might make an exception.

"Oh please, don't joke. There's no way in hell you'd touch me," Karin nearly laughed, rolling her eyes before beaming up at him. "You have no interest in me, which suits me just fine. I'm talking about how you plan to ride the subway when your face is plastered across half of it."

Taken aback, Toushirou wasn't sure how to respond. Although he was supposed to play the role of good-natured acquaintance he didn't think she would go as far as to say they were incompatible. It wasn't an outright declaration but the implication stood, and a part of his resolved crumbled.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, trailing after her when she made her way towards one of the buildings. Her moods switched easily, he found, showing uncertainty one second and laughing the next. He truly didn't understand women.

"By what?" Opening the doors, she knew that this was the post-graduates' research building. It wasn't meant for her but as long as no one caught them then there was no harm walking around.

"That I have no interest in you."

"Seems pretty self-explanatory to me," Karin shrugged, feeling overly heated now that they were indoors. Her jacket was now too thick and her sweater too bulky. She began to remove them, bundling them in her arms as they made their way up a flight of stairs.

"And how could you possibly know that if you've never asked?" A dull sound of offense underlined his words but she paid them no heed. Even if he did have some small curiosity about her, she wasn't going to let herself believe it was anything more than the way one found a puppy interesting. Cute and good for companionship but not much else.

"And how could I know if you've never shown any?"

He scoffed. "What the hell do you think me being here is? That I follow around every strange girl that crosses my path?"

"Well if one listens to rumors then yeah, maybe."

Before Toushirou could open his mouth and shut down her misconception, a figure approached them from the other side of the hall. The hairs on his neck stood, beckoned by the lazy slink of a male cat who had no qualms about letting down his hair. His own wolf grumbled deep in its chest, nearly spitting when their eyes met and the other smirked carelessly.

"Well lookie here. Seems like the big-shot model's got some major time on his hands if he's wanderin' 'round here. What, get fired from all your jobs?"

"Hello, Jaguerjaquez. Surprised to see you're still in the program, let alone here to do some actual work," Hitsugaya replied coldly. Instinctively he stepped in front of Karin, who was regarding the exchange with growing interest.

"Not all o' us can live off our pretty faces." A smile made up of sharpened teeth and glaring blue eyes transformed his face. Certainly he wasn't as pretty as Hitsugaya but Karin could see a certain appeal to the man. He had attractive angles and a bad boy vibe. In fact, the more she looked at him, the more interesting he became.

Sensing her stare, he directed a glance at her and began to frown. "What's this? Yer celebrity friends got boring so you're pickin' up kids now? You've fallen far, huh, Hitsugaya?"

He let out a mean cackle, and sure enough Toushirou felt himself rise to the taunt. Grimmjow Jaquerjaquez was a loner by nature but with alpha tendencies that stirred up conflict wherever he went. It made the building feel very small on the few occasions they were both in it.

Hitsugaya didn't comment, not liking the shit-eating grin or the expectancy in his stance. It would be best to get Karin out of there before Grimmjow figured out what she was. He knew the necklace was still secured around her neck but the warmth of the building and her clothing meant she was producing more sweat and thus more pheromones. He wasn't in the mood to have another male sniffing around his mate, regardless if she knew it yet or not.

Unfortunately, he forgot that Karin didn't understand restraint.

"Okay, first, there's nothing going on between me and this guy so people need to chill out," Karin spat, coming out from behind Toushirou. "Second, you sure got a big mouth for someone who literally walked in thirty seconds ago. What kind of history do you two have? Did he steal your girlfriend? Did you steal his? Hell, maybe you were his girlfriend, I don't know—"

"Kurosaki!"

"—And third, what is the fastest way out because I can't stand it when there's so much male ego in one place that it's practically suffocating!"

"For someone so little you talk a lot'a shit," Grimmjow sneered, approaching as he glared her down. Even from a distance he could feel the soft rumble of a jaguar's anger pulsing through the air as if ready to pounce. If Karin had the instincts—or at least, a normally developed sense of fear—she'd have spun around and ran straight for the door. But she regarded him with steadiness Toushirou was proud of, outweighed only by his intense need to strangle her himself.

When Jaquerjaquez leaned down and promptly invaded her space, Toushirou sent out a warning of his own, a bark and invisible snap of his teeth to ward off the nuisance. But his opponent wasn't looking at him. Instead he was engrossed by the little halfing who didn't even reach his shoulder and carried a coat that looked as large as she was. It was only a split second but Hitsugaya saw the exact moment when Grimmjow realized just what made this girl so fearless and the triumph in his eyes was too much to bear.

Dammit, I let him stay too close for too long, Hitsugaya berated himself, as he placed himself between Karin and her new predator with an icy sneer.

If he was at all intimidated, Grimmmjow hid it well. "Now you've got somethin' interesting there, don't ya, Hitsugaya? No wonder yer lettin' off all that hostility. You want her all to yourself."

"Right now all I want is for you to stay the hell away, Jageurjaquez," Toushirou commanded, a soft, soothing sound laced with authority. Unfortunately it only worked on weaker species and lower ranks, two things that Grimmjow was not.

Eyeing Karin's confused face, the blue-haired menace chuckled darkly. "You're lucky I'm not in the mood to fight. Too young, needs some time to ripen." Turning on his heel, he didn't look back but didn't need to to know that the other was still glowering at him. "When she gets a little older I'll check in again."

Possessiveness coursed through him and it took nearly everything he had to not race over and tear the shifter limb from limb. But Karin was staring between them strangely, unsure of what just transpired but holding off on questions. Thankfully she didn't seem too curious as to decipher what Grimmjow meant. Just as well. In less than two years she would be an adult who could make her own choices, but in that time he wasn't taking any chances that she might pick someone else over him.

"I know you probably won't want to hear this," Karin started while they made their way past a few laboratories.

"Then please, Kurosaki, spare me."

"Well technically it doesn't concern you so I'm just gonna say it anyway," she continued on, pretending she didn't hear him. He opened the door to a small office, purposefully not stating that it was his. He wasn't quite ready to have her know why he was on campus or that she'd be seeing him over the next year or so. The element of surprise was a necessary one in a game like theirs.

He sighed. "Fine. What is it?"

Pausing, she had the good sense to think about her words, but not enough to stop herself from saying them. "Do you think that Jaguerjaquez guy would consider modelling for me?"

Immediately his vision turned red, his head swimming in anger so quickly that he felt his canines elongate before he could stop them. As if he'd let that bastard near her for any amount of time, all of her focus on him and that damned camera she worshiped. Grimmjow could unravel her defenses in an instant if he chose to. The image of him and Karin together, his arm wrapped around her and her little frame beneath his towering one, had his heart bounding in his chest.

"Karin."

This time, the voice he spoke with was soft, a liquidated order that he'd intentionally diluted to prevent her instincts from rejecting him. The minute he tried to command her to do something, anything, her own beast would awaken and preen, refusing his will for the sake of its pride. Stubborn creatures, the both of them, but she would hardly be worth the chase if the prize wasn't sought-after.

Not looking up, she made an noncommittal noise in her throat as she thumbed through some manuals he'd left lying around. If he needed anymore proof that she was easy pickings to the right hunter, then he had it.

Sidling up behind her, he felt her stiffen when he laid his hands on either side of her and against the desk she was standing in front of. He could almost see her lips tighten, her muscles pinching in disdain as she spins around to look at him. Her eyes were ash and fire, able to burn down worlds if she wished it, but right then he wanted nothing more than for them to remain on him. He refused to let anyone occupy more space in her mind than him.

He brushed their noses together, a sign of affection among their kind, their lips barely scraping against each other as he did so. In the back of his mind, Hitsugaya could hear the mewlings of his wolf, knowing he'd found a worthy mate to claim. Unfortunately, he had to bite back the desire and instead put his energy into the words he wanted her to obey.

"You will stay away from Jaguerjaquez. Do you understand me?" Toushirou murmured, almost sweet. The way he cupped her cheek and thumbed her soft skin resembled a lover's caress. In reality he wanted to soften her usual defensive demeanor and make her will more malleable.

Her soft features melted under his onslaught, her body becoming boneless as she rested her head in his palm and her body against his. Her fingers found enough strength to tilt his chin towards her and he felt compelled to kiss her.

So he did, a gentle touch that undermined all of the feelings he held back. She nudged back at him, parting her mouth to let out the tiniest whimper, and he felt it in his core. It'd been a long time since Toushirou had wanted anyone so badly, and the first time he wasn't allowed to have them. It was a frustration he took out on her as he slid his tongue against the seam of her lips and it was met with the tentative stroke of her own against his.

And all he could think was how easy it would be to have her right then and there, and no one could stop them. A mating done could never be undone and he so desperately wanted it even as he dragged himself away, searching for the otherworldly scent beneath her human one. It all seemed to go to plan, a simple persuasion that any other creature would've happily carried out.

But even as Karin nuzzled the bottom of his chin, her words are anything but complacent. "Next time, you'll remember not to tell me what to do, won't you, Hitsugaya?"

Her eyes burned bright when she looked up at him as she tugged herself away and grabbed her things. She didn't look back as she left, nor did he have the strength to watch her go. All he could think as he sat on his cluttered table with a reluctant laugh was how perfect a match she was for him.

AN: Man, I haven't writtten so much in one sitting in a while. I wrote about half of it last night because I just sat down and refused to do anything else. I was weirdly productive. Which is also why it's quite a bit longer as well so hooray! :) I hope you guys enjoyed! Please leave a review down below if you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading, everybody~ Until next time!