Smooth Criminal *Hikami*

Waking to an early start, the sound of seagulls and sea-salt filled his nostrils, a sunrise's dawn-like colors shining in through the glass windows that hung inside the walls. Being warmly welcomed within the pack made him smile, not to mention to actually see his friend had healed properly and was growing healthier, stronger each and every day. She had always been a fighter, never one to back down, he thought.  Red was that girl, when it came to stopping her, there wasn't anything holding her back from throwing a punch, he knew. Alexander embraced her softly at first hand and thanked her for taking him under her ranks as a loyally respected Guardian to protect the duos. He was not rather fond of the male, but Red was now happy, and that was all that mattered to him after all both of them had been put through in those dreadful hours. Once everything fit back into place, it continued on, and in that time, his Alpha had died. He wondered if Teimhnin had been informed this information before hand, whereas most were not, but it was left for him to not speak about for it only brought him to no feeling at all. He chose not to feel it, locking it away for none to see at all costs now that he had taken on such a position much like the Elite. His spirits became rather lively after he left his pack though for Venantium, seeing the blonde with golden eyes that he had a bit of feelings for tag along in hopes of becoming one with the same pack he had in mind. She was just the same as she used to be, a simple warrior, however it did not mean she spoke like one. Alexander knew she had a mouth on her, not willing to back down no matter the rank, and he found it more than enticing to know more about. He knew not of her past, or actually anything about her besides on how well she fount. Their sessions were always unremarkably canceled due to his job as well as some disruptions behind caused within the pack, whereas for her reasons he never found about on. It was none of his business anyway, she was a lady after all.

As the morning rose to its final brightness, he studied the lands easily with a quick stroll, walking bare-footed along the sand with a surf-board in his grasp. It was large, yellow painted with bright blue stripes much like the color of his hues, topped all off with the word 'Brave by heart' licked in a blank fine-tipped ink in cursive over the backside. Since the split and death of Gabriel, Alexander could not help but not seem to act the same as he did. The two had become quite close over their time, and they had their laughs more than anything around each other. One could not deny such a smile, not even the meanest loner on Earth. If it weren't for the vanishes of some of their leaders, and the possible outlook of better protection from hunters, he would not of been in such a mess, but he did it for love, so he thought, and that was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Someday, he'd have that what Melissa and Gabriel saw when their gazes would lock, when, he did not know, but he doubted it would ever happen. No girl seemed to be willing to spend quality time with him unless she was payed to, which saddened his mood, however, it was rather normal for his case. She was out there, somewhere, he hoped, he just wished he knew where and when that time will come. Seeing now, he walked closer to the civilization of the pack, eyeing the buildings till he came across a Fitness Center. After a short morning of surfing, the brute decided to train once again, as he hadn't done it in a while now due to occurring events. Looking right and left, he found it empty, but locked, so he decided to use the back door, locked again. Alex then snuck along the alley behind it, seeing an open window luckily for him, starting the climb and swinging his legs on through, slowly but surely standing back to his original stance. Smiling at the silence, he flipped on all the lights and kept it well hidden so no one would think it was open, reserved only for his pack he presumed.  Only wearing a pair of trunks, he found athletic wear in the back, though he reeked of sea-water, in need a proper shower. Moving into the back of the room, he strolled inside the locker room, leaving the door wide open as he turned on the shower for him to step inside, filled by warmth as it gave him a place to think and sing.


His voice sand in beautiful tones throughout the bathroom, barely to be washed over by the sounds of the hot, steamy shower that powered from the new silver faucet. As the brute sang and washed himself, he smiled, swaying slowly of his bare hips as he was not wearing anything besides the skin on his back. Out loud for no one to hear, he sang the chorus,

She left the weights in their place again and just laid heavily over the machine. Tiny drops of sweet all over the face and body. It was getting dark and she had been there all day now. She always trained to exhaustion when she was with the Eli-... no, no more the Elite. With Alexander. She wanted to prove him she was strong and independent. She wanted to be stronger than him. He was her goal, one to overcome and pass when she finally was ready. Now it was gone. She didn’t know where he was. He was not in that pack she had the guts to get into hoping it will not tear apart like Braveheart. Well, she actually never searched for him here, but what was the possibility he chose the same pack? 'Damn it! I need to stop thinking in that idiot!' She said load and frustrated, she was angry, but with her, for not trying to speak more with him and maybe know where he was now. She continued training for herself, to surpass her weaknesses and own resistance. It was the past, and she needed to let it go, let him go. ‘Great, I sounds like if I had a crush with him.’ Maybe...

Hikami shook her head furiously and pressed ‘Play’ again in her iPod and walked to the next machine inside the big gym. She liked here. The training and the electronic music always helped her to not think much. She started her abs again, going with the rhythm of the music and trying to concentrate her breathing in and out with each. She had nothing to worry now that she closed every door in the place, just leaving one window open for the place to ventilate and don’t feel so hot with all the training. The headphones helping in shutting down every sound around her.

Finishing her repetitive routines and running, she stood up tired and breathing hard, knowing it was time to retreat and rest. Tomorrow was another day, if there wasn’t any duty to fulfill was warrior, she was going to come again. Many higher positions were opened, and she wanted them, but right now she wanted to train and there was actually no one she could find it interesting to work with at any of the ‘pair ranks’ available. She kept acting like a loner even when she was part of a pack again. Removing her thoughts again, she pulled her blonde hair back and looked down at her black training top and shorts. She needed a shower. Taking her towel from the suitcase, she walked to the showers accompanied still with the rhythm of the music. Just reaching the entrance, she saw… him! Showering! Almost nude! ‘Bloody hell, bloody, bloody hell!! Why the fuck does he doesn’t close the door!?’ She started to back off, thinking what to do. Should she go talk to him? No! He was showering and she was too ‘indecent’ to see the Eli… Alexander. Taking off her headphones she quickly turned trying to not make a sound and suddenly felt the floor wet and slippery, falling hard to the floor against her side, feeling her ribs and hip hurt she couldn’t prevent a small scream leave her throat.

Just when he began to move into the next few verses, the scent of sweet fae tickled at his nose, even underneath the water and his scent to mix with it, it was not at all hard to identify. Knowing whom it was, he froze, doing little but standing there under the water behind the creamy thin curtain to guard his valuables. He heard movement reflect towards the back of the showering room, scooting to place his back against the wall the more it lingered closely. His voice that sang slowly deceased, phasing in place without a care into the beautiful ashen red beast he was inside, out. As the muscled, wet frame of his was blanketed by fur rather than water, lines of dust covered his back, darkening as it dampened along with the shades of brown crimson at the rest of his sides and some at his legs, spotted here and there by tinges of white. He cringed at the sudden reaction of his jaws elongating, curling his lip in a threatening snarl while his height grew to ten feet at its least. Pointing his ears at the scream, Alexander halted his paws and rose his attention to peer around the corner at the blonde female laying on her side. She had slipped, he presumed, judging by the pain she was reacting too, covering her side and mouth as if she had blown her cover.

Sneering softly, the wolf ducked out from underneath the shower and moved from its walls, stepping confidently closer before peering down at her with an intrigued gaze. He had not seen her in so long, and it made him wonder if she too was looking for him as if the same. However, Jasper just huffed and ignored Alex's thoughts as if it were nothing, even though his wolf could feel it too, the warmth in her eyes that made his causing their emotions to tremble, "Hikami?" It was a strange way of saying hello, but how else was he supposed to respond to a peeping tom. Leaning over her, the brute circled to her side and nudged her hand with his wet nose so he could look at the damage, taking her by the shirt between his jaws to slowly lift her up back to her own two feet, "What are you doing here, besides listening to my voice and peeping on me, love? A man needs his privacy, ya know?" He smiled kindly at her, moving away to paw down the tiled floor till he reached a closed stacked with soft blue towels. Taking one, Alexander shyly hid his face from the bit of vulnerability he held and sneaked into one of the showering halls before shifting back to wrap the towel around his bare waist. Once he was finished tightening it at his side, the male hesitantly moved back to his original shower to grab his swimtrunks and duffle bag, stepping just at her side to hold her up by her hand, "Are you alright now, or do I need to look for a first-aid kit?" He remembered back to the rose he set at her doorstep, wondering if she knew it was him due to his cologne or even his scent on the card. There was much too wrong with that picture, and even Jasper laughed at him for being so oblivious to it as well. Putting the thought aside, he looked at her with curiosity, tilting his head before shaking out his wet wiry ginger brown hair.

She lifted her gaze to the colorful big wolf in front of her, a small blush rising up her cheeks as she just fell in such a stupid way in front of him, and when he was taking a shower... Her body tensed feeling his wet nose and then his jaws taking her up again. Hikami looked down again and removes the water from her side, feeling a bit vulnerable in just her black top and pants. She smelled he water and frowner. 'Salt water? From where? No one has been here in hours...' She looked up again at him with anger filling her eyes, the shame fading as she heard his words. Her own replying as he returned with just a towel around his waist. She tensed again as she felt his hand, moving away a step and raising her hands slightly. "Peeping on you? Yeah sure... I crave to see that body of yours." Her voice was harsh and sarcastic. She couldn't hold her eyes to move down his body, restraining the want to bit her lower lip as she looked at his wet muscles right in front of her. Another blush rose filling her cheeks pink realizing she was staring at him, quickly turning her face and hiding it behind her blond hair.
 
“I was here first long time before you. You are the one peeping where no one calls. The door where closed and you used the window. Don’t blame me.” She continued looking away not wanting to even glance at his well-built body and keep staring at it. “And yes, I am okay. I just slipped, I am not so fragile to get hurt with that.” Again, she felt like if he was looking at her like if she was weak and in need of protection or care. She had been training so hard since they left Braveheart, even feeling her muscles changing and hardening, now notorious in her arms, legs and frame, but it seemed nothing will help. She will always be the little one, the fragile and weak werewolf.
 
Hikami tensed her jaws with her own frustration and turned to take her towel she left on the floor when she fell, walking away to take her bag. The idea of taking a shower here ended, maybe she could go to the beach and swim a little. A part of her she wanted to ignore wanted to stay with him. It had been so long she didn’t hear anything about him, a small smile appearing knowing he was actually in the same pack, again. She turned and looked at him again, trying to focus just in his face. ‘God, his eyes are so blue...’ She closed her own and sighed. She needed to stop looking at all the things that made him... attractive... and hot... and... ‘Shit...’ She cursed knowing she really had a crush on him, maybe even like him. ‘Yeah, maaaayyyybeee...’ Zafrina sang inside her thought, growling back at her teasing. Opening her eyes once more, she looked at him serious and relaxed. “It is... nice to see you again, Elite. Or do you have a different rank now?”

His wolf eyed her for a short time while she spoke, hearing her soft toned voice speak through the most mesmerizing pair of pink pouty lips. In that moment, all he could do was laugh, to enjoy what she chose to think was his fault, but taking the blame as it may for he never meant to cause her any trouble. How was he supposed to know? Everything was locked, and the convenience of a open window was at his doorstep practically. He took the chance, and now here he was, standing before her, reunited as one of the same former pack, arguing over the simplest things like they had during their bickers of training from right from wrong. It was never the same with her, he knew, in which caused him to be pulled into her gravitational sphere that coated the space around her, the glow, the eyes, the everything. Alexander sensed nervousness in her words, though he did not let that make things the prime topic, for it was only a mere coincidence they came across each other. Personally, he hated the rank slip from her lips, for it meant no difference to him at all. He was now a Guardian, a wolf of protection and strength much like the Elite and respected the same authority. However, she would always call him that, not his name, and it truly bothered him. What was so far about pronouncing his name? There was nothing wrong with it, or so he thought that at least.

"Alex.." He said, speaking up for a change as he interrupted her speaking, flattening his smile into a light frown and affirmative gaze, "I prefer Alex, Hikami. You know that, and no, I'm not an Elite anymore, but something quite similar." Standing straighter, he gripped the towel around his hollow hips, boring a dull look from his oceanic bright eyes down upon her, seeing her rank as if it had not changed at all. She smelt of no pack, but he had thought she had crossed over with him, hadn't she? As he looked her over, he saw large changes done to her body since the day he had met her. She was surely faster, most likely in both bodies, but most definitely stronger, though never as much as he. Alexander had never asked if she were a half-blood, nor even a bitten, or possibly a pure. There was so many to keep track at times, and he knew for the matter it was valuable information. From then, he knew to expand his horizons a bit more and learn to get to know her more, "I'm not a Guardian of Venantium, Teimhnin and Jace's pack, you know who they are, Braveheart's previous Betas. Obviously, you've made your choice of whose pack you choose, so that would mean you are under their ranks and have met them. Red, is what I call Teimhnin, so if you ever hear me say it, that's whom I'm speaking about. Some people look at my strange when the nickname comes up around the pack territories, its grown on me. As for your statement, that is true, but if you would have been keeping your head out of those earbuds, love, you would have been listening to whom is around you at all times. What if someone were to come up behind you, someone much stronger and take you away? What would you do?" He protested, wishing to cross his arms, but keeping them there so he wouldn't loose his towel.

This was important for him to hear, for if she were to be hurt, he'd be furious and more than anything, devastated. He had already witnessed his beloved friend's kidnapping by an Eternal, he didn't need another to disappear too, "The door may have been closed, all of them even, locked shut, but that doesn't mean a rogue wouldn't think twice on breaking it down and attacking. I've trained you better than that, you're trusting your surroundings too easily, love. And you must stay on guard at all times, no matter the territory nor the costs of staying at home by your lonesome self. There is too much at stake since Teimhnin's disappearance from the pack, we must stay alert. Do you understand, love?" Alexander looked at her with a questioning blue gaze, drained of emotion and speaking in the calmest he could not to anger her or make her doubt herself anymore than she has in the past. Slowly, he made his way around her and headed to the lockeroom with his dufflebag, unzipping it as he reached a stall for him to change and grabbing the clothes he had inside that he saved after surfing. Slipping on the plain black tanktop, he held his dogtags over his chest with flying colors, putting on a new pair of boxers and kaki pocketed shorts that hung over the mid of his knees at the lowest. After putting on his green and black reeboks, he then made his way back to the doorway of the shower room, opening it for her to step out and pursuing himself to move forwards towards the center of the Athletic's department. It was like most, weights were in one corner, training machinery along the walls, a yoga ball next to the glass mirrors. In the top corner, a flat-screen tilted downwards, turned off as well as the lights as no one had come in that day to take over. Looking over his shoulder at her, he sighed and stepped closer towards her to wrap his arms gracefully, firmly around her in a quick embrace before pulling away, "I apologize for that, Hikami, for I'm just doing my job. Its not that I don't enjoy seeing you, I do, more than anyone actual-" He cut himself short and shook his head lightly, chuckling a bit in defeat before pinching the bridge of his nose, looking back up with a half-boyish charmed smile, "More than anyone..." He said with a sigh, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed neatly over his chest in a formal-superior fashion, "How have you been, its been a long time since I've seen you, love?"

With a sigh she looked down at her tribal tattoo around her side as he spoke. Alex... She liked that name, a lot. Maybe it was not the name that made her feel... different, happy, but what it meant. The image she pictured inside her head every time she heard it, and that was the problem. That was way she never said it, because she didn’t want to feel that way towards someone that will not feel the same. Looking up at his blue eyes again she paid attention, knowing exactly who the alphas where, but she actually didn’t care much about who were the rest of the members. Not that she didn’t want to, but it was just that she believed he wasn’t there and that made her feel a bit depressed. He was going to know all the members eventually. Suddenly his words changed and started to protest about her mistake. She knew well that mistake. She always made it, but it was because she preferred to be in her own world and not in the reality. That already made some idiots attack her, but she always managed to shift and finish them off quickly. That wasn’t going to be always the case, she knew that too. He was right, but still, it hurt to hear it, especially from him. It was a good thing he did, that way she will care more in doing as he says, but she felt like she just disappointed him in some way. She was the daughter of the Alpha, but it seemed she was never going to look like someone who deserves that title. Kam looked down again, her posture straight and her arms relaxed at her sides, but her eyes and pride where all the way down to the floor. “Yes.” Her voice was firm but low.

She didn’t look up as he left to change and then returned. Glancing at the opened door, she walked slowly towards it and followed him, not sure what to do now. Maybe just leave and have a swim to wash away all her thoughts, which were frozen when she felt his strong arms around her, tensing again with his touch and blushing almost red. Hikami quickly hid her face behind her blonde hair when he released her. “N-no.. it’s okay... Y-you are right...” She looked up at him again, her cheeks still pink. What did he meant with ‘more than anyone’? Trying to bury her hopes, she sighed and gave a very small smile. “Fine, everything fine... Alex. I haven’t done much since I moved to Venantium. Just training and hunting every now and then. I like here, always liked the beach and sand, but I am more used to the cold weather rather that the hot ones. Sometimes I feel like... tired with the humidity and salt in the air. And... what about you? It is indeed a long time.” She looked down still with the question flying in her head. With a long sigh, she gathered the needed courage to ask. “What... What do mean... ‘more than anyone’? Alex.” Kam looked up again, her golden eyes questioning and confused.

Her clouded eyes lead him to believe she was deep in thought, releasing her to think in silence as he watched her from a comfortable distance against the hard white painted wall. She was beautiful - a hopeless soul that doubted herself more than she should, for which only he was to know this on his own. He had listened to the many stories of a woman’s insecurity upon themselves, all closely related to the same topic as to who is more worthy of a man’s attention and pained idea in their head to make them think they are better off to rot like trash with the rest of the weak. It made him uneasy as he thought about it further, sighing in defeat before retreating back to her. Alexander’s ocean blue gaze lifted - caught dead in the mist of her golden globes that captivated every living nerve in his body that had never been touched. It was amazing, that single feeling he’d receive - the slight shiver, the bitter remorse of his words that made her falter off towards the floor at their feet. As he could already tell, the dame had caught onto his ending trail of sentences, like a punch to the face he was left with nothing more but to give in and speak of the truth he so wished to unveil. He couldn’t, not this soon, however later, the possibility of the confidence to build could rise then, not now though, definitely not now, “Hikami..” He began, his British drawl a low soft tone as he pried himself to stand normally in front of her, “What I meant by that was because you’re all I have left now.. Teimhnin is being put under proper care, and is always busy snogging with her new mate as our Alpha. She’s of course the closest thing I have for family now-a-days, love, but its the least as well. You, but you.. You’re my only friend I’ve got since the ending of Braveheart... and I missed you because of it, which is why I’m happy to see you again...” Alexander smiled meaningfully down towards her, slowly inching his hand up to remove a piece of her hair behind her ear so he’d have a prettier view of those eyes he loved most of all.

Expanding his muscled chest in a deepened slow sigh, he let his shoulders slowly descend into a lazy-like slump - rolled gradually around until small pops caused him to stop, weakened by the sensation it gave little to him. Before he could speak up, he stopped himself to think of what to say next. He could not take his eyes off of her for he never wanted to unless she would feel uncomfortable, only then he would mentally burn and mold his mind to build up enough strength to look at something else around the room. Remembering on to what she had said, he was pleased by the fact she had been training without his help or presence to watch, silently hoping she had not gotten hurt or possibly had any questions to work up to. Alex looked up and nodded, “That’s good, same as I, as you can see.” He motioned to the athletic bag he carried and towards the shower room at the back where he originally came from, “Things around here are a bit life-changing, certainly not what I’m used to I can tell you that. I’ve always grown up around the backwoods, even back in England there wasn’t much civilization around to where my mum’s cottage resided. I would have to agree there. Europe was a lot cooler than these climates, but hopefully over a bit of settling in, the body will get used to it. And yeah, the salt is bit of a doozy here, gives me headaches since its so strong for us.” He emphasized, exchanging a small glance behind the meaning as they both knew what he initially meant inside, “I’m glad to know you’re doing fine, Hikami, it really relieves my spirits to here you’ve done exceptionally well on your own after all that’s been happening. I had not seen Melissa since then, and I fear she has left home.. I would believe that Kaiko is here with us too, but I wouldn’t expect you to know her. She was always the quiet type around Braveheart lines. Melissa was the only one I would ever see speak with her, and even then, she wasn’t much of the speaker in the first place. A bit shy I’d put it as, love, hm?” He cursed himself for his pathetic babbles, sighing heavily as he gave an apologetic look to her, standing straighter again as he went silent.

Kam gave him a small smile as he said she was her only friend. That not just made her happy to know she was at least a friend to him, but it also made her feel a bit disappointed and also sorry, for him. Why ‘only friend’? He surely had more friends, even girlfriends before. She was almost sure he didn’t have one now because she never saw a female with him acting like that. He was handsome and kind, strong and intelligent. Many would crave to be with him, just like she did. She had been a bitch with him most of the times, and just to don’t show that she liked him, and still, he looked at her as a friend. Her thoughts were again interrupted with his hand almost touching her face as he removed a strand of her blond hair and paced it behind her ear. Her cheeks turned pink again when she looked up to his blue eyes, always kind and warm when he looked at her. She kept looking at him for too long, feeling to need to turn away, but his own gaze captured her.

Thankfully, with him talking again, Kam could finally look to another way. Taking a deep breath to return to her normal self again, she nodded at his words, happy she wasn’t the only one feeling unnatural with the surroundings. She thought it was only her because she was from Alaska. “Yeah... You are right. I maybe saw her once but I am not sure. Sometimes I am also the shy type.” She smiled slightly with her own words before speaking again. “I come from Alaska, my pack and family is still established there, so the change of temperature is very extreme actually, but since I had traveled a lot before arriving to Braveheart, I am a bit used to that changes. Still, I will always love the colder weathers.” She wasn’t sure why were they still talking about the weather, such a common topic to start a conversation, what a cliché. She smiled again and lowered her gaze. “Thank you for considering me your friend, Alex. You are also the only one I talked to back in Braveheart and, now, especially. I haven’t meet anyone in Venantium except for the Alphess.” She looked up again his smile disappearing to mean the next thing. “Alex... I am sorry if I... that I had been an idiot with you before. Is just that, I usually have bad experiences with men, always just wanting something from me using the force. I wrongly believed you were like them the first time I met you. Please forgive me.”

[ ^\\\^ I thought I'd add some drama... hehe ]

The sound of her voice rang like the chorus of angels that resides amongst the fallen snow-light fluffs that stay abroad the ocean blue sky. It gave him happiness - the warmest feeling yet - his smile returning and retreating as she began with the simple words of judgement. Alexander simply watched her gaze fall over him, easily forgiving him, but lost deep within the golden orbs as she her words blurred into nothingness. She was apologizing for what she had proved him to be first-off, but Alex was not there mentally, only physically. His wolf stayed back at the caverns of his mind and watched as both their minds clouded with the only image of her - his eyes phased to a cloudy light blue before they closed and his body moved like a magnet towards her. Friends was not enough for him to say, as he knew it wasn't true coming from him, but only his brain and not his heart. His hands slid around her waist, taking the other to caress her angled soft jaw - strands of her beautiful lochs tickled at his fingertips, however his intentions were far greater than that. Slowly; so slowly, Alexander leaned down closely until their lips pressed evenly against each other in the mid-sentence of her voice, the wolf within him standing at his tallest in dominance before releasing a howl of importance to what he knew she could not hear. His lips burned of sweet honey as they caught the taste of hers upon them, and his body was to never deny such a beautiful thing to make him melt inside. If it were possible, his bones weakened and his muscles felt as if they were worked for hours on end. Never before had he achieved such confidence without drinking, and he smiled slightly during it before slowly opening his eyes to look at her. At the realization, his frame hardened inside and Alexander's eyes widened before pressing his lips together in a concerned expression,

I lied... His mind whispered into hers slowly for her to comprehend.

Reacting quickly, he released her and backed away. A sigh of frustration escaped his grasp on the world and he held his head between his hands. Before she could even speak, or he could first to protect himself, the Guardian made a break for the open window up the stairs, grabbing his athletic bag to sling over his shoulder in wide-sprint across the steps. He looked at her with guilty-filled eyes and ducked out without a word.

Within seconds... he was gone...