Territorial

Disclaimer: I don’t own jack, not even a car. All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto 3. I promise to put them back when I’m done...

*head swells* Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing the story XD It makes me worker harder! …. and makes me feel all gooey inside…like a poptart.

And thanks to my super fantastic beta Katsuyo for spanking this chapter and getting it ready for me

Things said in ‘single quotations’ indicate Akamaru’s speech. Only Inuzuka clan members can understand the large fluff ball. X3

Italics mean private thoughts

Schemes of Dogs and Clans

Iruka watched breathlessly as the ANBU dissolved quickly into the night as if he were a part of it, blending in seamlessly except for the faint gleam of his mask.

“Are you okay, Umino-kun?”

Iruka snapped his head painfully to his right and glanced down. His neighbor stared up at him, her wrinkled face becoming lost in a sea of skin as she squinted suspiciously.

“I thought I heard you cry out…”

“H-hai,” Iruka stammered, weakly motioning at the papers around him. “I dropped my papers…”

“And you yelled?” Kato asked and squinted harder trying to make out Iruka’s facial expression.

Iruka ducked his head while he picked up the fallen essays.

“I got upset…?” he mumbled.

Kato clicked her tongue, “You and that temper of yours, Umino-kun…I thought you had grown out of that.”

Iruka forced out a laugh, “Sorry Kato-sama…”

Kato waved her hand and mumbled, “Please keep it down…I don’t think I could go through your teenage years again…all that yelling used to keep me up at night!”

Iruka colored vividly then went rather pale when Kato pointed a wrinkled finger at his neck.

“You should go put some ice on that bruise.”

Alarmed, Iruka’s hand flew up to the hollow between his neck and shoulder, cold fingertips touching the teeth marks marring his skin. An unexpected shockwave of pleasure went through his stomach and down to his toes making them curl. Hastily, he pulled the rest of the papers towards his feet and bunched them up in one messy bundle.

“SorryfordistrubingyouKato-samaitwon’thappenagain,” he breathed out, fumbling with the lock.

There was a sigh of relief when he heard the familiar click and stepped inside leaving an amused Kato on the doorstep. Slamming the door shut with his foot, Iruka clutched the pile of papers tightly against his stomach.

What just happened?

After a couple of mind reeling minutes, he kicked off his sandals and once more the papers fell to the floor. The adrenaline rush was starting to wear off, turning his legs to mush. Iruka slowly slid down against the door trying to regulate his breathing.

What the hell did I just do?

He licked his parched lips to moisten them. The Chuunin was having a hard time believing the events that transpired only moments ago. The ANBU that he just happened to be lusting after followed him home and … and…

A horrible thought crossed his mind and he let out a groan.

What if Genma set it all up? Another humiliate-the-chuunin thing…

The bite mark on his neck prickled, pulling his thoughts in another direction. Cautiously, he pressed on the spot with two fingers and inhaled sharply. Like a sudden flame from a match, the simple touch sparked a pleasurable tingling assault on his body causing him to arch almost violently against the doorframe. He briefly remembered the toned body that had been pressed up against him and he moaned.

His mind felt sluggish as the wash of pleasure dulled to a pleasant hum beneath his flesh. Whatever the ANBU had done to him, Iruka was hardly going to start complaining.

Earlier, when he had been trapped in the other man’s arms Iruka had wanted nothing more than to get away and hide. It was rare when one was basically handed the object of their sexual fantasy… or captured by it. The poor teacher hadn’t known what to do but when his hitai-ate was pulled over his eyes, he willingly submitted. The feeling of not being in control had been terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. Iruka had attempted to make his body absorb all the details of the ANBU body against his but once that tongue had touched his skin he had forgotten to concentrate.

Suddenly his apartment was just too damn hot.

Iruka impulsively tugged his shirt up and over his head. He was terribly frustrated. He was also confused.

Not to mention…he was horny as hell.

Carried away by the need rapidly filling his body, Iruka failed to notice he was still leaning against the darkened doorway of his apartment. Impatiently he lifted his hips up shoved his pants down around his ankles, freeing his aching member. Iruka was currently thankful that Genma had frozen all his underwear the other day.

He was seriously going to have to get some revenge on him soon … and a new lock.

But now was not the time for that.

One hand slid down his flat stomach to the swell of his erection. His knees bent slightly and relaxed to the side. His fingers slid over his heated flesh and he moaned.

He had never been this sensitive before.

Curiously he touched the spot on his neck again while his other hand stroked. His breath caught in a hiss. There was pain coming from the torn flesh but each time he grazed the area, he could also feel intense heat shoot through his body.

His lids slipped down over his eyes as he threw his head back and moaned trying to replay the scenes from earlier in his head. Only this time his eyes were not covered and the person biting him was not some mysterious ANBU member. His eyes snapped open and glazed over with a renewed hunger. Kiba’s name tumbled from his lips in breathy moans. Another sexual high ripped through his body and Iruka pressed his palm against his neck rubbing savagely while the other brought him to a mind numbing release.

---------------------------------

Kiba sat on his bed trying not to rip apart the pillow in his hands even though a few feathers were starting to peek out. He had asked his friend for some advice, which he hardly did, and the man just stood there staring at him not saying a word. It was getting rather annoying. Kiba glanced around his room making a mental note that the clothes on the floor were starting to smell.

Time to do laundry.

They were in his room at the compound but the room itself was located away from the main house. In fact, it was almost off the property line half hidden by trees and shrubs. Individual cabins were commodities clan members were allowed to have in order to stop them from breeding all the time with other members. Kiba didn’t really have that problem since he considered all the males in his clan to be… unappetizing but he opted for the privacy the cabin offered. His nose twitched when a small bug flew past him and he felt the urge to swat it but snapped his teeth at it instead.

Finally, there was a cough.

Shino raised a brow and asked calmly, “You did what exactly?”

Kiba groaned when he heard the question before glancing sideways at the bug nin and muttered, “It seemed like a good idea at the time…”

“As do most your idiotic ideas,” came the reply.

Kiba flopped back onto his mattress holding the pillow and started up at the ceiling.

“You don’t have to remind me,” he snapped and threw the pillow half heatedly at Shino, missing completely and mumbling, “How was I supposed to know it would affect me as well?!”

There was a noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle or maybe it was a sneeze.

“What do you mean you didn’t know? Kiba, you’re an Inuzuka – how can you know so little about your clan’s mating rituals?”

“I know about them! I’ve fucked before – hell I’ve marked before,” Kiba rolled to his side stretching out on the bed and propping himself up on his elbow, “but this is different...”

Shino sighed and pushed a dirty shirt away with his foot, “I’m having some trouble understanding how it can be different if you’ve done it before.”

“It just is - dammit!” growled the dog nin.

It just is.

“Why did you even do it?”

Kiba smirked, his canines prominent, “To make him want me.”

“Why would you mark someone who doesn’t want you to begin with?” Shino asked and immediate regretted asking the question when his friend’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“He does want me,” Kiba scowled, flopping back over onto his back and hands behind his head, “It’s complicated.”

Shino stood still trying to gauge his friend’s temperament but it was just too difficult when he kept fidgeting like that. To him, it seemed like Kiba’s emotions were all over the place.

“Kiba… I still don’t understand.”

The dog nin lunged forward to face Shino, sitting cross-legged on the bed he raised a finger near his head as if he was giving an important lecture.

“Marking ensures our mates don’t go fuck someone else. It also helps us pleasure potential mates, so they are more willing to fuck. I marked my potential mate in hopes of fucking.” Kiba said bluntly and then frowned,
“Somehow, the marking has weakened my own control and I can’t go a fucking hour without having to whack it.”

Shino cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses and murmured, “Do you have to say it like that?”

Kiba tilted his head, “What? Jacking off?”

Shino remained silent.

“Five against one?”

Shino’s eyebrow twitched.

“Cleaning your kunai?”

“Kiba…” hissed out the bug nin, a warning in his tone.

“Beating the piss outta your best friend?” replied Kiba and let out a small chuckle.

Shino coughed, “So, what are you going to do?”

“Beat off again in about ten minutes.”

“I wasn’t referring to that…idiot.”

“Oh,” Kiba tried his best to smile nicely but he ended up looking more deviant than anything else.

“I was hoping you would have some advice?” countered Kiba with a hopeful look on his face.

“You should remember to use lots of lube.” Shino stated his voice so dry one could have struck a match off it.

It was Kiba’s turn to be annoyed.

“Seriously, what am I going to do? If I see him it’s going to make matters worse.” Growled Kiba.

There was a shuffle of fabric as Shino shrugged.

“Just avoid him until it wears off I guess – it wears off, right?”

“It should,” Kiba flopped down again but laid on his stomach, muffling his voice in the mattress, “The avoiding thing is going to be a bit of the problem since I promised Hana I’d help her with the new nin dogs tomorrow…. and since we’re overloaded here, we’re using a room at the school.”

Shino was quiet, the pieces finally starting to click into place.

“Kiba…” he asked warily, “Who exactly did you bite?”

“Do you promise not to do the bug thing?” asked Kiba warily.

“Promise.”

“It was Iruka.”

The drone of Kikaichu suddenly thundered inside the room and thousands spilled from the open windows.

“WHAT?!”

---------------------------------

Iruka sat rigid in his chair, silently begging his muscles not to move. His neck was on fire, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. It had only been three days since the ANBU incident and the bite was still sensitive. In fact, it seemed like it had only become more sensitive as time went on. The flesh was still purple so wearing his shirt with no collar at school was entirely out of the question. The problem he was facing with his turtleneck was that the fabric brushed against his skin every time he moved and his vest occasionally added extra pressure to the spot. The constant tingling was extremely distracting but it felt good all the same.

A little too good.

Iruka shifted in his seat and chewed on his bottom lips as he moved his left arm willing the other to remain still. He never realized how much he used both his arms to do… anything, until he was limited to one. It was irritating. The more he realized how annoying it was the more frustrated he became. Frankly, it was starting to piss him off.

What the hell did that bastard do? Iruka thought bitterly.

He glared the papers in front of him and frowned. He couldn’t stop thinking about the man constantly wondering what was underneath that mask.

Was it someone he knew?

It was almost nerve wracking to think he could be passing by the man unknowingly everyday while the other knew who he was. Iruka tapped his pen on his desk. The ANBU wasn’t the only man that had him on edge either.

Kiba…

Ever since he came moaning the former student’s name, he couldn’t touch himself without envisioning the dog nin. It made him feel awkward to think about a student so sexually and so…vividly. Iruka’s scar turned pink and he tried to remember the last time he saw the jounin in person. Iruka actually missed seeing the other man around all the time. In previous years Kiba frequently stopped by the classroom always putting Iruka in high spirits, even if the Inuzuka was only tagging along behind Naruto.

Since when did Kiba become a person to whom Iruka could attribute his happiness?

The thought froze in his brain and he contemplated visiting the jounin but he wasn’t about to go waltzing into the Inuzuka compound. Of course he could lie and say he was merely inquiring about Kiba’s well being but ever since Tsume’s short interrogation, he was feeling slightly uneasy.

Had she been trying to hit on him?

A roar echoed from the hall and into his classroom.

“Iruka!”

The man in question sighed.

Great. Just what he needed – more male troubles…

Genma stormed in through the open door a dark scowl set onto his usually easygoing features.

“I don’t know how you did it but you better tell me how to fix it,” he demanded.

Iruka did his best not to smile but the corners of his mouth crept mischievously upwards, “What did I do?”

Genma slammed a handful of senbons down on the desk sending the needles rolling across the desk in every direction. Leaning over, he stopped his face inches from the teacher and gave a sugary sweet smile.

“Iruka-sensei,” he purred softly causing Iruka to cringe inwardly. “Why do all my senbon needles taste like … like…” he paused and picked up a needle, sticking in his mouth only to blanch, “Egg salad?”

Iruka grinned and tilted his head, ignoring the tremor that ran through his body, “What’s wrong with egg salad?”

“There are only three things that I hate!” Genma growled, thrusting three fingers in front of Iruka’s face and closing them as he ticked off his peeves. “One…Pandas. Two…Waking up with cold feet. And Three…anything with mayonnaise - which includes fucking egg salad.”

Iruka chuckled, “Well…technically, that’s more than three...”

Genma straightened up and crossed his arms, ignoring the remark.

“Only two people know about the third,” he accused Iruka, giving the other man a dirty look.

Iruka gave a casual shrug but his grip on the pen tightened, “I’m sorry you’re having difficulties with Kakashi.”

Genma barked out a laugh and sighed, “Fine. You got your revenge…wonderful. Just tell me how to get the damn taste off them – I’ve tried everything.”

“I didn’t do it.”

“Then…who did?”

Another shrug.

Inside, Iruka was laughing his ass off. He wasn’t about to tell Genma that the problem wasn’t with the senbons but instead - had to do with the small seal hidden behind the man’s ear mixing up the taste bud signals on his tongue.

Serves the bastard right.

Genma opened his mouth trying to think of some black mail on Iruka but before he could a flash of gold ran into the room. Both men’s hands automatically flew to their weapon’s pouch.

Genma was the first to laugh and Iruka breathed a sigh of relief at the puppy that was currently running around the room excitedly. The dog was no more than a fifteen-pound fluff ball. Chubby legs and a short black muzzle stuck out from blonde fur while a curled tail wagged erratically back and forth.

“What is it?” Genma asked, squatting to poke the pup with a long finger.

Iruka stood up and moved around his desk to get a better look. The puppy was growling and nipping at Genma’s fingers.

Genma’s face fell and he looked up at Iruka with huge eyes, “It hates me!”

“It’s because you’re a prick,” the Chuunin replied.

Iruka mimicked Genma, ignoring his shoulder, and reached out his hand. The tiny black nose twitched and with an excited yap the puppy started to lick ferociously at his fingertips.

Genma slumped his shoulder foreword.

“Why does it hate only me?” he grumbled.

Iruka smiled and scratched behind the small furry ears. The puppy jerked its head towards the door and whimpered. To their surprise, it tried to scramble up Iruka’s legs forcing the teacher to oblige and cradle the dog in his arms.

“Mai! Where the hell did you go?”

The Chuunin immediately paled. It took enormous effort to stay calm while Kiba walked into the room. Clad in his usual black jacket and fishnet undershirt Kiba flashed both the men a toothy grin. Iruka found him returning the gesture taking time to admire the Jounin. Kiba never looked so fresh and vital, his hair attractively tousled and his skin was slightly red from the sun.

The puppy barked and struggled to lick Iruka’s chin.

Kiba cocked his head to one side, giving Iruka a wide smile and said, “You have something that belongs to me, Sensei.”

“Sorry Kiba-kun,” Iruka replied and offered Mai to him.

“That thing is yours?” Genma asked poking the pup again and frowning when she tried to bite him again.

“Yes,” he said, his eyes becoming a little fierce while they continued to stare at Iruka.

“Why is it such a bitch?” Genma groused and attempted to pet the puppy again.

Amusement flickered in Kiba’s eyes and he turned to look at the special jounin who was now sucking on a sore finger, “Bitches are always like that before they find a suitable alpha male to train them.”

In the back of his mind, Iruka got the distinct feeling that they weren’t just talking about the puppy.

Genma snorted, “I was talking figuratively Kiba - not literally.”

“So was I,” countered Kiba with a grin.

The other shook his head in confusion and then smiled hopefully, “Say… you don’t know how to get rid of residues on weapons, do you?”

It was only years of practice that enabled Iruka to keep a straight face while Genma and Kiba talked even though his body was becoming unbearably aware of his former student. Why was it that everything Kiba suggested for cleaning the damn senbons sounded so erotic? The mental images he was creating were doing nothing to help his neck and the heat radiating from the bite mark. He had to actually sit back down in his chair, hiding his developing erection behind his desk.

The whole time he felt like he had a giant sign behind him with an arrow pointing to this source of his current pleasure. Every time Kiba’s eyes glanced over at him, Iruka felt slightly guilty – like he had cheated on his lover with someone else. It was a ridiculous thought because it wasn’t like he was in a committed relationship with him…or any kind of relationship for that matter.

There was a bark of laughter and Iruka found three sets of eyes on him.

“What?” asked Iruka as color rushed to his face.

Kiba gave a chuckle, “You coated his senbons with an egg salad flavor?”

Before he could answer Genma replied with a scowl, “That’s not the only thing he’s done! You know the prank where you put saran wrap on the toilet seat? Well, last month genius here made an invisible wall going across my hallway with the stuff not just once but fifty fucking times in a row!”

Genma held up all his fingers in attempt to make the statement more dramatic and bent them rapidly, “And the month before that, I woke up to find all this fake hair around me and I thought for days that I was going bald like Ibiki!”

Embarrassed that a former student knew of his prankster status, Iruka cleared his throat and tried to think of the best defense.

“He started it,” he said defiantly.

Okay…not the best defense.

Kiba’s laugh was deep and warm, forcing Iruka’s stern mask to break a little.

“You’ve been holding out on me Iruka-sensei…” Kiba said and gave him a look that was so private Iruka felt like it had been a touch.

A very sensual touch…

“So, why are you here?” Genma inquired drawing the Jounin’s heated gaze away from Iruka.

“We don’t have enough room at the compound to train all the dogs so we’re using one of the spare rooms here.” Kiba sighed reluctantly, “Which reminds me…Sis is probably wondering where I am.”

Iruka breathed out a sigh of relief when Kiba bowed his head and walked out of the room, his athletic frame disappearing around the corner. He was so hard that he shifted uncomfortably trying to think of anything to distract him. Unfortunately, Genma’s heavy hand slapped him on his right shoulder, fingers digging into the vest.

“So… about my senbons…”

---------------------------------

Kiba walked stiffly out of the room forcing his mind to recite mathematical equations.

It would have helped if he could remember any mathematical equations in the first place.

What the fuck was he doing inside?

He knew for a fact that Iruka ate his lunch outside on the bench close to the edge of a patch of trees. The key word being outside. It was the only reason Kiba agreed to go up to the school to help Hana. He couldn’t risk running into Iruka, not with the new burst of lust he was feeling. Genma was the only thing that saved Iruka from claiming what he now referred to as his.

Mai wiggled in his arms and he growled, “And you! Of all the class rooms you could have wandered into…”

‘You won’t train me… I was bored,’ came the soft reply.

“You’re too young. You need to wait one more month before your training can begin. Until then you just have to tag along and observe.”

‘Is the man you called Iruka your mate?’

“Yes-wait …no. No, but he’s mine.”

‘Oh…’

Kiba placed the pup on the ground and shoved her towards Akamaru.
He casually adjusted himself before heading back into the room, shooting a warning glance over his shoulder and muttered, “Watch that one.”
When the door closed, Akamaru pushed Mai away from his with a heavy paw, ‘Go on…do it again.’

Mai turned around and tilted her head, black eyes questioning, ‘Why am I doing this again?’

‘It’s training.’

‘I don’t see how getting Kiba-san mad at me is training.’

Akamaru let out a huff of annoyance, ‘You’re not doing it to get him mad. Look…do you like Kiba?’

The pup wagged her tail and nodded.

‘And you want to see him happy, right?’

Another nod.

‘Well, that man in there – the one who has Kiba’s scent on him will make the idiot-er Kiba very happy.’

The nin dog’s ears drooped dejectedly as Mai continued to stare stupidly up at him.

‘Just go in the room so Kiba will have to go in it too, okay?’

Mai gave a bark and scampered off down the hallway back towards Iruka.

Grinning, Akamaru waited a few minutes before he pushed open the door with his nose.

‘Kibaaa,’ he sang, ‘Mai ran off again.’

--------------------------------

The first time had been somewhat amusing, he had to admit. The little insight that he gained into Iruka mischievous side only aroused his interest. The second time, he had started to feel a little annoyed. However, the fifth time he had to track down Mai only to find her once again in Iruka’s arms was starting to really tick Kiba off.

Each time he walked into the room, the smell of Iruka’s now constant arousal was starting to wear down his restraint. He had taken note of the high neck shirt the teacher had been wearing and was slightly disappointed his mark was not on display for all to see. His mouth watered as he thought of the bruised honey colored flesh. He enjoyed the way Iruka seemed to literally squirm in his chair when he spiked his pheromones output, activating the mark on the Chuunin’s shoulder but it came with a price. The only thing that enabled him have any form self restraint was Genma’s constant presence in the room.

Kiba was having the worst case of blue balls despite the fact that he drained himself earlier that morning.

It’s just not fucking possible.

Mai yelped and he looked at her, loosening his grip.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

‘You smell funny,’ she said and exhaled sharply.

“Well - you don’t smell like a bed of roses either, puppy breath,’ Kiba snapped, dropping Mai next to Akamaru.

Mai ran to hide between the other dog’s legs.

‘I told you he was getting mad,’ she grumbled and sat down as the dog nin started to entered the room again.

Kiba halted his movements and turned his head a fraction to stare at the nin dog with one eye.

His eye twitched, “What does she mean by that ‘Maru?”

Akamaru’s ears dropped back and he did his best to make his eyes go wide, ‘I don’t know.’

There was a flash of black and Akamaru found Kiba crouched on all fours in a fighting stance, nose to nose. The Jounin’s dark eyes narrowed and Akamaru focused on the man’s sharp canines flashing with every word.

“You. Are. Lying.”

Akamaru shifted between his paws, making a mental note to never again to trust a pup, ‘I just wanted you to have some time with Iruka.’

Kiba growled, “You wanted me to see Iruka knowing my control is slipping?”

Akamaru gave a slow nod, “I thought perhaps you two would finally mate.”

Hana stepped out of the room just in time to see Kiba tear off down the hallway after …Akamaru?

She watched amused as her brother barreled past people in the hallway shouting death threats to his best friend. He almost knocked over a couple of people including Iruka.

Her eyes brightened, just the person she wanted to see…well the person her mother wanted her to see. Tsume said something earlier about not being able to do it herself without scaring the man or was it scarring?

Shrugging Hana smiled brightly and waved at the teacher, “Afternoon, Iruka-sensei!”

Iruka walked over to her, still glancing behind him, “What was that all about?”

“Hormones, I suppose. Our males have been rather active lately,” she smiled when Iruka’s scar turned pink.

She could see why her brother found the man so … delicious.

As he came closer, Hana’s eyes widened slightly. Her mother had been serious about Kiba’s obsession. She could hardly smell Iruka’s natural scent under the thick layer that was obviously Kiba. There was something else too but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Looking around, she gestured to a room behind her, “Can I talk to you in private for a minute?”

“Of course,” Iruka raised an eyebrow quizzically and followed her inside only to be greeted by two dozen dogs.

It was an intriguing sight to see the nin dogs, trained to be wary of anyone outside the clan accept Iruka so easily.

It must be Kiba’s claim on him, she thought.

Iruka laughed as they all barked and licked vying for attention.

“Off,” Hana commanded calmly, watching the nin dogs retreat reluctantly.

Walking over to the desk in the room, she picked up a small booklet no longer than her middle finger and motioned for Iruka to come over.

“Iruka… this may sound odd or what’s the word… invasive but I need you to answer me truthfully.”

“You’re not going to ask me about my teeth are you?” he asked.
The dog nin laughed and replied with a grin, “No - but it’s along the same lines.”

Iruka nodded, “Alright.”

“Do you like my brother?”

The Chunnin blinked, “Of course.”

“No Sensei, I mean like.”

“Oh…”

“I already know the answer...I can smell it on you.”

“You can smell that?”

“We all can.”

Iruka groaned and hid his face in a hand, “Great.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s natural, you know.”

When Iruka’s ears turn red and he still refused to look at her, Hana sighed.

She needed Iruka to know that it was okay for him to like Kiba. After Tsume talked with Akamaru again, the only possible explanation for Iruka not acting on his feelings towards her brother had to be an embarrassment issue.

“Is it because you used to be his teacher?”

The choking sound the poor man made confirmed her suspicions. Sitting down on the desk, she leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, still holding on the book.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not like he’s twelve anymore...”

“Its just not that…” Iruka said, bringing his hand down, “he’s still growing up…”

Hana gave a devious smirk, “He’s grown…try a different excuse.”

“He might be involved with someone else?”

“Single. Another?”

“He doesn’t think of me in the same way?”

“Hardly. Any more, Sensei?”

“Um, I don’t want to corrupt-”

There was a harsh laugh.

“Iruka - don’t tell me you still think Kiba is a virgin?” asked Hana, highly amused. She leaned forward and added in a murmur, “My brother is known for his overt sexuality.”

“I-I…” Iruka hung his head in defeat, “I like him…but he always gets angry.”

Bingo.

Hana handed Iruka the small booklet, “Akamaru told us that you sometimes you inadvertently challenge him.”

“Challenge him?”

“Like staring into his eyes…”

“Oh…that,” Iruka laughed and rubbed the scar across his nose.

“Amongst other things,” she continued, “Read the manual. It will help you understand our way of thinking and hopefully, it will help you understand Kiba a little better.”

“Manual?”

“The one in your hands. It’s the Inuzuka clan’s mating manual. Usually, we don’t give it out for people to read but my mother thought it might be helpful.”

Iruka looked down in surprise at the little book and gasped at the sexual drawing on the front cover.

Quickly, he shoved it into his pocket, “T-thanks…”

Hana patted him on the shoulder ignoring the look of pain on the man’s face, “I’ll let you get back to your teaching.”

Iruka nodded and backed up quickly, “Yes…my students should be happy that I got a long lunch break today.”

Just before he was out of the room, Hana called his name and made him turn around to face her.

Flashing another grin, she gave a small wave, “Have fun, Sensei!”

As soon as he was out of the room, Hana rubbed her burning hand and frowned.

What the hell?

When she touched him, it was as if she received a chakra burn but the chakra wasn’t from Iruka. She looked at the palm of her hand. The sensation was very familiar…like the wards Inuzuka clan members put on their mates to stop other clan members from touching. It was really strang-

Hana’s jaw dropped.

Tsume was going to kill Kiba…