Chapter Text
Hinata found herself in the rural region of Chūbu, near the Japanese Alps.
The day was warm on the forested slopes.
She had decided to leave behind the noise of Tokyo and its metal skyscrapers to spend two weeks surrounded by nature. She needed fresh air, silence… inspiration.
She had been there for a week and a half, in a place where time seemed to stand still.
It was a mountainous region whose peaks, in the coldest winters, were wrapped in blankets of mist. Thick forests crossed by crystal-clear rivers that seemed to flow without end, and trees whose leaves, in spring and autumn, offered a palette of nostalgic colors.
At twenty-four, Hinata had lived more than anyone her age would ever wish to.
She had lost her parents at seven, and since then had been raised by her maternal grandmother, who became her entire world. Hinata was a studious, reserved, and dreamy young woman who hoped one day to dedicate herself to art and music, though she never imagined herself under the spotlight. She preferred the shadows behind the stage.
She still wasn’t sure how she would follow that path. Her grandmother said her voice was like that of a fairy-tale siren, and she also had a gift for guitar, piano, and the transverse flute.
She had an entire world waiting to be explored.
The loss of her parents had made her withdrawn; she had no friends, but for her, her grandmother was enough.
She chose to visit Nagano for the peace it offered in summer. During the first days she joined guided tours, walking through old places and listening to the legends of the valley. Stories of forgotten gods, forest spirits, and creatures wandering between human and beast.
That morning, however, she had planned a small excursion on her own.
She had heard about an old temple hidden deep in the eastern forest, a place she hadn’t known existed until the day before.
She decided she had to see it before returning to Tokyo.
She left her hostel early with a light backpack: a canteen of cold water, a flashlight, sunscreen, her phone, and a physical map—she knew the signal out there was unreliable.
“I hope I’m going the right way,” she murmured through pants, wiping sweat from her forehead.
She had been walking for more than an hour and a half, and the heat wasn’t helping.
“The trail got confusing a while ago… but hopefully I’ll find a sign.”
She tried to stay calm, though something inside her was beginning to worry.
She didn’t know it yet, but she had taken a “restricted” detour for non-locals more than thirty minutes ago.
The forest grew denser. Sunlight barely filtered through the canopy.
Suddenly, a crack sounded a few meters away.
Hinata froze. Her breathing quickened.
“W-who’s there?” she cried, voice trembling as she spun around.
Silence answered her—until three wolves emerged from the bushes, brown-furred with gleaming eyes.
Hinata’s heart stopped.
She had always believed that wolves in that region had been extinct for years… so what were these creatures doing there?
She had no time to think. She ran.
She ran like never before, dodging roots and branches, driven purely by instinct.
But nature was not on her side. The howls grew closer. The ground grew steeper.
Seeing a thick bush ahead, she threw herself into it in desperation… not noticing the small cliff hidden behind it.
The ground vanished beneath her feet.
She tumbled downhill, striking stones, branches, and roots until she fell to the bottom of the ravine.
Pain shot through her body; her skin burned from scratches, her forehead was bleeding. Even so, she forced herself up, staggering. She had to keep running.
Limping, she pushed herself deeper into the trees, breath ragged, the wolves still on her trail.
And then, like a miracle, she saw two human figures in the distance.
Her vision wavered, blurry with tears, but she recognized silhouettes. She ran toward them with the last bit of strength she had.
“Please, help me!” she sobbed. “Th-there are wolves chasing me!”
The two figures turned.
One had golden hair and eyes as blue as the sky; the other, a dark, piercing gaze and jet-black hair.
Hinata didn’t think. She threw herself into the arms of the dark-eyed one, trembling, face wet with tears.
“P-please… h-help me…” she whispered before collapsing from exhaustion.
The last thing she saw was a flash:
The young man’s eyes glowed an impossible crimson red.
She didn’t have time to decide if it was real or an illusion brought on by fatigue and shock—everything went black.
---
That day, Sasuke had gone out on patrol with Naruto, his best friend, brother-in-law, and right-hand man in pack affairs.
Although that area belonged to their territory, it was close to the borders frequented by rogue wolves.
As alpha, it was his duty to ensure everything was in order.
Naruto had been talking nonstop, telling one of his clumsy jokes, when Sasuke felt it.
First a shiver. Then a pulse in his chest. Then a scent—unique, unmistakable.
He had found her.
The moment every wolf feared and longed for at once.
The instant destiny marked the bond with his mate.
But Sasuke had never wanted it.
He was a quiet, reserved man; he didn’t avoid women, but he never felt the need for a partner. Until now, he had only ever sought one with the simple intention of soothing his carnal instincts.
But he knew that as heir of the Uchiha clan, the day would come… and he would accept it out of duty, not desire.
Until he saw her.
A young woman with dark hair, skin pale as snow, and lavender eyes.
Wounded, shaking, fear etched into every breath.
Before he could react, she fell into his arms, begging for help.
And then it happened: his body tensed, instinct awakened.
His Sharingan activated on impulse; the bond claimed his blood.
She was his fated mate.
A human.
Sasuke felt a surge of anger and disbelief.
The Uchiha alpha, bound by destiny to a mere human girl.
The universe must have been mocking him.
Naruto understood without a word. After years at his side, he recognized the signs. He fell silent as he watched his friend carry the unconscious young woman.
“It’s obvious she’s the one,” Naruto finally said, calm. “I knew the moment your eyes changed.”
Sasuke didn’t answer immediately.
He kept his gaze fixed on the girl, fighting the storm inside him.
When he finally spoke, his voice was cold.
“This stays between you and me for now.”
Naruto nodded without protest.
Sasuke adjusted Hinata’s body in his arms and turned north.
The journey to his home, deep in the heart of the forest, would take two hours on foot.
So he chose to take his wolf form.
With a slight movement, he transformed into a massive wolf with fur as black as obsidian.
Naruto lifted the girl and carefully placed her onto Sasuke’s back.
From behind, he watched his friend disappear between the trees, carrying his destiny.
Worry—and a hint of compassion for the sleeping human—reflected in his eyes.
“Well… fate sure knows how to twist things,” he murmured before shifting into his own lupine form, golden-furred, and following him into the shadows of the forest.