First Kouga/Kagome fiction. I am confident in this fiction. We shall see where it leads us. Without further ado, I present: The Heart of a Wolf.

Disclaimer: All original characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Any events taking place are of my own imagination. Any similarities to actual people or events are strictly coincidental.

Chapter One: Breathe

She could feel the chill of winter through her thick haori as she stood in the doorway of Kaede's hut. Her raven tresses swayed in the harsh wind that whipped up around them causing her to clutch at the garment even tighter. Sapphire eyes scanned the winter wonderland around them. It was nearly time for her evening patrol.

She looked back at the older miko kneeling at the fire pit behind her in an attempt to keep warm. Her gaze softened. After the well had closed up she had taken her in. It had been two years since the demise of Naraku and the banishment of the Shikon no Tama. A feeling of peace had swept through all of Japan, and everyone was keen on keeping it that way for awhile.

She sighed turning toward the icy landscape once more. He should be arriving at any moment to assist her. She tried not to let her thoughts linger on him any more than necessary. It wasn't good for her.

"Easy child," Kaede spoke softly from the fire pit, "He will be here soon. Ye need not worry."

"I know," she said softly turning back to the woman as she made her way to the fire pit herself. She knelt carefully as to not allow any skin to touch the cold wooden floors beneath her. Heat was precious. Especially during this winter.

It had been harsh. Villagers fell sick left and right. The food supply was running low. Herbs were becoming scarce due to overuse. She and Kaede had to use them sparingly now, and there were still three more months of winter left. A soft sigh escaped her mouth due to stress. It was going to be a long winter.

A rough knock on the wooden wall of the hut had her jump. If she hadn't been so lost in thought the aura would have caught her attention. She was no untrained miko any longer.

"Are you coming," he spoke. Sapphire met gold when he spoke.

"Yes," she said rising to her feet before grabbing her bow and arrows near the door, "I will be back soon Lady Kaede."

"Be careful child," she said looking at Kagome fondly, "Ye too Inuyasha."

Golden eyes narrowed as he turned from the hut muttering, "Keh," under his breath.

Kagome wrapped the haori around her tighter before sending a gentle smile Kaede's way as she exited the hut into the outside world.

Kaede watched the two of them leave a worried expression crossing her features, and for the, seemingly, thousandth time she wondered how he could have let something like this come between the solid friendship they had once fostered. Through near death experiences, raging battles, struggles with inner demons, and finally through great triumph. Yet, in the very end, it was all for naught. She sighed as she raised her aged hands before the flames.

Perhaps Sesshomaru had said it best, foolish hanyou.

Kagome squinted her eyes against the darkness and falling snow to see the waves of silver hair that swayed before her. His dark haori and hakama of the fire rat blended into the dark expanse around them rather well. Forgoing her sight she closed her eyes and used her aura to follow him twenty feet past the treeline.

Upon reaching the marker he turned toward the West and she the East. They never spoke, never made eye contact. They just went about their duty silently.

Once she was out of hearing range, Kagome released a sigh she didn't know she'd been withholding. It had been nearly a year since she and Inuyasha had talked. Ever since 'that night' they hadn't spoken a word. The night everything changed.

Her thoughts were interrupted as her aura touched another's. Jerking her face toward the direction of the foreign aura, she simultaneously raised her bow poised in near perfection as her sapphire hues narrowed. It wasn't a human's aura or even a miko's reiki. She'd felt the electric touch of an enemy's youki against her reiki too many times to mistake that jagged feel for anything other than what it was.

Her heart rate rose slightly in anticipation. She was no longer afraid of the creatures that this era had to offer. She'd faced off against the most evil being to ever walk Japan. Anything else was child's play.

"Show yourself and I might offer you some clemency," she vocalized venomously as she pulled the bowstring tighter against her cheek. Her index and middle finger being the only two of her digits to hold back the string.

The youki had stopped moving. Her eyes narrowed knowing that Inuyasha was too far out to hear a call for help. Not that it mattered now. He hadn't lifted a finger to help her in some time. She would be on her own for this fight.

"Foolish Miko," a dark, deep voice echoed in the pitch black surroundings. It seemed to be coming from everywhere, but the forest in winter had a tendency to do so with no foliage to muffle the vibrations. Her eyes steeled over as she released a warning shot toward the youki.

It immediately split into three different youki and sped off in different directions around her. She immediately formed a barrier as three different dark entities rushed her slamming into the barrier on all sides.

She cried out softly before expelling a wave of reiki that pushed the youkai off of her in all directions. Recovering instantly she notched another arrow and fired. The youkai dodged the arrow falling back into the shadows. It was then that she sensed it.

A much larger youki approached her from behind. Turning without hesitation she fired an arrow at the being. It was caught between two fingers on the youkai's right hand before it was tossed to the side uselessly.

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she slid the bow over her arms before reaching for the tanto at her side. Sapphire scanned the darkness before her as her reiki rose to battle against its youki.

"Who are you," she practically growled. It was then that a speck of moonlight filtered through the thinning clouds revealing her attacker.

It was a male that stood a foot taller than she did. He had navy blue hair tied in a high ponytail and bright yellow eyes. There were two stripes on each cheek colored with the same pigment his hair held. His features were sharper than Sesshomaru's and his eyes held more malintent than she's ever known the taiyoukai to bear.

She uttered a silent prayer of thanks for Rin not being in the vicinity at the time. Sesshomaru had taken her to the Western Palace to be fitted with new kimonos. She was growing fast.

Her attention returned to the taiyoukai before her who was smirking exposing jagged teeth, not just fangs. Her eyes narrowed. He was built strongly, yet maintained the same streamline figure Sesshomaru bore. After a few more minutes the taiyoukai spoke.

"I am Jaakuna Ryu, Lord of the Southern Lands," his voice was cold with a bite of condescendence as he spoke to her. She pulsed her reiki once to let him know she wasn't playing games.

"To what do I owe the pleasure," she spoke back coldly but politely. Her posture relaxed infinitesimally as she held his gaze refusing to back down.

"Trust me, Miko, the pleasure is all mine," he smirked evilly his eyes tinting red around the rims. This had her arm tensing to which he laughed darkly. "Such a jumpy Miko. Where is your sense of wonder? Jump too much and we'll have to start the games early."

"I am in no mood for your games," she replied her jaw set. What was with this guy? She was first attacked by him, now he was toying with her. What did he want?

Her look of confusion apparently didn't go unnoticed, "Don't worry Miko. You will be dead by the end of this night."

"Why do you wish to take my life," she inquired, "What have I done to deserve such a thing."

"You haven't done anything," he said as he started to circle her, "I just cannot allow such a threat to exist so close to my lands. Your power is legendary in Edo."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. She may not know how youkai systems worked, but with how possessive they can be she doubted he had permission to be here. "Does the Eastern Lord know of your whereabouts or intentions on his land?" Her voice held a cold edge to it.

She noted that his smirk turned down slightly into a grimace before it returned to a smirk, "That 'cub' has no right to interfere in my plans nor any rights to tell me how I should do something."

She blinked once. Surely he would not risk an all out war with the Eastern Lord for the express privilege of killing her, would he? He seemed to see where her mind was going, "I could take down the kitten if I so wished to with a single swipe. He is of no threat to me or my lands," he growled deeply.

Kagome grimaced. She was in a sticky situation. Trained or not, facing a taiyoukai on her own was going to be a life or death battle. Inuyasha could probably hear her by now if she were to call out for him, but that didn't mean that he would come to her rescue. Surely, he had to feel their youki by now. It wasn't what you'd call, subtle. Would he leave her to die like this?

She pushed those thoughts from her mind as she focused on the taiyoukai before her. He was smirking at something in the sky before his gaze settled, uncomfortably, back on her person. His yellow eyes flashed dangerously as he bared his teeth much like an inu would their fangs. A low rumble emitted from his throat and deep in his chest as his eyes bled red.

"Time's up miko."

That was all the time she had before she threw up a barrier and he transformed into this blue, scaled, winged….dragon. Kagome's knees nearly buckled at his sheer size and visage. He was monstrous. His blue leathery wings beat twice in the night air as his silver claws dug into the earth around her. Steam filtered through his nostrils as a deep rumble emitted once more from his chest shaking the ground around her.

She nearly despaired as he breathed in. She saw the spark before she dove out of the way. He left charred ground in her wake. The flames were a brilliant electric blue. They licked the ground removing anything that had been there before from it.

She braced her back against a tree knowing she'd have to move immediately. That was when she felt the three youki signatures from earlier. Growling underneath her breath she raised her bow and fired in the general direction of the signatures before taking off to dive behind a boulder as blue flames shot out in the direction that she once had been.

Kagome could nearly feel the boulder melting behind her from the intensity. The flames stopped and she hesitated for nearly a moment before launching herself toward another set of trees. That was her mistake.

Something bit into her shoulder as she was about to move. She cried out in pain as she looked down at her right shoulder to take in what had her. A head of a red, much smaller, dragon was gripping onto her muscles and bones in her arm. It's blue eyes flashed at her menacingly.

Pressing her hand against its face she released her reiki against it frying it's head as well as the majority of its upper body. It cried out in agony as she was released.

In response Jaakuna roared angrily bounding toward her at an alarming speed. He was too close. She wouldn't be able to move in time. She erected a barrier around her as a last desperate act to survive. Jaakuna reared back to inhale. Kagome closed her eyes raising her left arm to shield herself from the flames. It was then she heard a dull smacking sound.

Confused she looked up to see the leg of a certain ookami connecting with the side of Jaakuna's head. There was no mistaking it. Black hair, tanned skin, brown pelts and tail, and light blue eyes. Her sapphire eyes widened in disbelief.

"K-Kouga?"

He was patrolling the border of his territory. It was a normal, routine thing for him to do. He'd taken Izuma's shift. His mate was with pup and she was near her date of delivery. He wasn't going to keep him from her when she needed him most.

He smiled to himself, the pack was growing. It was nice to see in the wake of Naraku's demise. They were growing in strength and numbers. He'd even had to find a larger den to house them all. It would be troublesome to most alphas or even other youkai leaders. Not to him. They were growing into a force to be reckoned with, and soon he'd be able to reclaim what was rightfully his.

The notion of pups brought around another problem. Ayame. He was due to court her soon, and he wasn't looking forward to the prospect. It wasn't like he had any other female ookami to choose from, but the problem lay in the fact that he didn't want a female ookami.

He sighed as he scratched the back of his neck. The one he wanted didn't want him. All the ookami females in his pack would jump at the chance to be his mate, and yet the one he wanted had acted aloof for nearly three years. He smirked. That was just how she was though. She was loyal. He'd give her that.

He glanced up at Mother Moon in the sky. She was nearing her completion phase of the month as a waxing gibbous stared back at him from the night sky. He sighed again white puffs coming from his mouth as his breath materialized into existence. He'd do anything to have her, but fate wasn't so kind.

Kouga was turning back toward the youki signatures of Ginta and Hakkaku when a muted scream reached his ears. They twitched as his light-blue eyes widened. Kagome? Without a second thought he sprinted in the direction of the sound with abandon. As he neared he picked up her scent, but it was marred with the iron metallic scent of blood. Her blood.

A growl threatened to surface in the back of his throat. Where was that mutt? Wasn't he suppose to be taking care of her? His eyes nearly bled red at the sight that he beheld as he launched himself into the air above the treeline.

Kagome was surrounded by dragons. Three dragons. Apprehensively, he looked around the battlefield for any more enemies. He was satisfied to see that the three were the extent of her danger. He could handle three dragons.

He landed on the tops of an oak tree and stared down at the scene before him. In the past, he would have dove headlong into battle. He still wanted to, but he knew in order to get Kagome out of alive, especially since he was alone, he had to have a plan.

In the back of his mind, he could feel Ginta and Hakkaku following his scent. That was good. This time he might actually need them.

He pulled his youki tighter around him as the blue dragon lowered his head. Kouga's eyes narrowed. He was about to strike. His time to think was up.

He jumped to the next tree circling the dragon from the left. It was reared back in the neck undoubtedly about to release its fiery breath. He launched himself from the tree and kicked his dominant leg out. He smirked as it made a sickening crunch when he connected with the side of its face.

Lifting his blue eyes he looked to see a very stricken and shocked looking Kagome staring up at him. Then he heard it.

"K-Kouga?" His whole body relaxed infinitesimally due to her voice. It was hers. Inwardly he sighed and his gaze slightly softened before it hardened as he returned to the dragon that flew twenty feet to the right. He landed before her defensively as the other two serpents tried to close in on her.

"I don't think so," he growled knocking them both to either side with swift round-house kicks. "You okay," he asked not daring to chance a glance in her direction.

"Yeah, thanks," she said softly. He could hear the scuff of material as she rose to her feet behind him.

"Where's the mutt," he asked glancing in the direction the larger dragon and gone, "I thought he was suppose to be protecting you now."

He nearly regretted asking when he felt the bite in her aura. "He-"

She was cut off when the blue dragon bounded toward them. Yellow eyes flashed with danger as silver claws crashed down upon them.

Kouga wrapped an arm around her waist before bouncing back from the onslaught of claws. He heard Kagome whine in pain. At the small sound his eyes rimmed red. Whoever this was, he was going to pay for hurting her.

He landed as smoothly as possible and set her down behind a giant rock before jumping another twenty feet to the right of the rock garnering his attention.

"Alright you scaly serpent. I don't know who you are, but anyone who lays a hand on Kagome is going to pay," he growled balling his fists.

The dragon seemed to look at him incredulously before rumbling deep within his chest. "It is you who will die cub."

"We'll see about that." At the last syllable of the word he launched himself at the dragon who turned to swipe at Kouga with his tail. Kouga grabbed onto his tail and used it to swing himself around kicking out with his right leg to catch the dragon on the side of the face once more. It roared angrily and Kouga smirked.

He crouched as he hit the ground searching for the other two dragons. They wouldn't give up just because he'd roughed them up, and with him fighting the larger one they'd have an easy go at Kagome. That was when he heard the second sweetest sound that night.

"Kouga!"

"Hey Kouga! Why'd you run off to-"

"Go protect Kagome," he barked as he dodged another oncoming attack from the larger dragon.

Ginta and Hakkaku looked at the scene before them. It looked like a warzone with their leader in the midst of it all. Normally, ookami and dragons don't have qualms, but if Kagome was involved….

"Right," Ginta and Hakkaku replied simultaneously as they spotted a shred of red and white hiding behind a rock.

Quickly they made it to her side and crouched before her.

"Hey Sis," Ginta said.

"How are you holding up," Hakkaku finished.

Kagome smiled at them weakly, "Hey guys. I'm-" cough, "Alright. Don't worry."

Ginta's eyes narrowed. She'd lost a lot of blood. He knew Kouga might skin him later, but he took one of her hands. They were cold as ice.

He glanced over at Hakkaku who mirrored his grave expression.

"Kouga we need to move her. She won't make it like this," Ginta called out.

Kouga looked over his shoulder at them. Not make it….His eyes bled red entirely at his words. If she died there would be hell to pay.

He focused his rage at the dragon before him. It seemed to be smirking, pleased with itself. He managed to wrangle in his beast enough to speak, "You underestimate Kagome. She's strong. She won't die because some puffed up lizard tries to put her down," this caused yellow angry eyes to center on him, "Your first mistake was to think she'd be alone, and your second," he said barely hanging onto his mind, "Was not knowing it would be me who would come to her rescue."

Ginta and Hakkaku's eyes widened as his control was slipping. They hadn't seen it this bad since Kagura slaughtered their kin at Naraku's imaginary castle. Even then though, he'd managed to keep control of his beast.

It was then they felt the youki. "Watch out," Kagome cried as the two dragons neared them. She cast out a reiki ball at one of them while Hakkaku kicked the other in the face sending it flying. Kagome's eyes widened slightly. It was a very Kougaesc move. Maybe he'd been training them.

"Don't worry Sis," Hakkaku said eyeing their surroundings while Ginta took up his flank.

"We'll protect you," Ginta finished.

Kagome couldn't help the small smile that graced her features. She grimaced slightly. The wound was on fire, and she didn't want to think it was for the reason that came to mind. She raised her right hand above the wound and pulsed reiki into it. Immediately it was combated with youki. She drew her hand away quickly crying out in pain which caused both Ginta and Hakkaku to look back at her.

"It's poisoned," she said softly but everyone heard it.

Kouga roared angrily as he punched the dragon in the chest. Poison. They had to act fast. This battle needed to finish now. Kagome was just a human after all. She had no resistance to poison like he or the other two had. She would bear it full force, and it wasn't going to be nice.

The dragon rumbled happily in its chest. Jaakuna didn't care if he had to finish the job now or if the poison did it for him, but this 'cub' was annoying to deal with. He reared back to spit fire once more but was kicked in the jaw by the ookami.

Kouga growled angrily knocking the dragon's head upward. While he had an opening, he shoved his arm elbow deep up through his lower jaw before wrenching it out. The dragon roared in pain as blood flowed freely from its jaw covering its teeth and lips. Kouga delivered another round-house kick to the left side of its head for good measure. The action sent it sailing to the ground.

Upon landing Kouga raced toward the taiyoukai that was morphing into its humanoid form. Jaakuna placed a hand to the bottom of his jaw and glared angrily at the ookami. Crimson spattered his lips and chin. It left a red stain down his neck too.

Jaakuna Ryu raised his left hand summoning the dragons back to his side instantaneously. "Until we meet again 'cub'," he spat as the dragons gripped onto his legs with their jaws. In a snap of his fingers he vanished into nothing.

Kouga growled angrily his eyes flashing from red to blue within mere seconds. His growl deepened before he heard a cry of pain. It was Kagome's voice.

"Kouga," Ginta called. His voice sounded worried.

Tearing himself from the clearing where the dragon had slipped off from he ran to Kagome's side. She was nearly convulsing as the venom spread through her veins.

"Damn," he growled as he scooped her up into his arms. She wasn't going to make it if they didn't get some help soon.

"Kouga?" Hakkaku asked weary of his flashing eyes.

"I'm taking her to the den come on," he growled as he launched himself from the ground. The landscape around him appeared in his mind's eye as a blur as he ran full tilt toward the den. His healers there would have some sort of remedy for the poison. His pack had experienced enough of that sort of thing.

He stole a glance down at the ebony haired woman cradled against his chest. Her breathing was shallow, her skin had paled, and her heartbeat was fading. A growl bubbled in his chest. If the mutt had been protecting her at all he would have come barging in, sword swinging, like he had in the past. It angered him that he hadn't seen him at all during the altercation between he and the dragon. It seemed he was going to have to have a talk with the mutt about his job of protecting his-

No. His heart sank slightly. She wasn't his. He was promised to -he blanched at the thought- Ayame. His chest began to ache. It was easier to pretend that he didn't care when he couldn't see her, but now that he held her in his arms…

A sigh escaped him as his eyes were fully back to blue now. He launched off of the next branch a little stronger making it crack beneath the pressure. He growled softly at the thought of his future slowly being decided for him.

He was still young and wild like the wind. If it weren't for Kagome, he would have never considered settling down this early. Ever since he'd mentioned the word 'mate', everyone had been chomping at the bit to get him coupled off. It was maddening.

His gaze drifted back to Mother Moon in the sky. He sighed as his blue eyes mirrored her image. "If only…"

With hardening eyes he glances earthward once more, his speed returning to his feet with a vengeance. "Hang on Kagome, nearly there."

A being peered into a pool of water before her that reflected one of many of her cubs. Kouga of the Eastern Ookami Tribe. He was an excellent leader, kind, loyal, loving, and brave. If she had to choose a favorite it could possibly be him.

Her crystal blue eyes then drifted to the figure held tightly to his chest as he ran. Kagome. The Shikon Miko. Her eyes softened slightly. She'd been watching the young woman for some time now. Every time Kouga came into contact with her, she only intrigued the being more. Nearly as much as she had the cub.

In her eyes she was a kind, gentle creature with a loving heart, but she was loyal to a fault. And that loyalty had lead her into the misery she lived in now. It was very underserved. The pool zoomed out from the scene and focused on a certain silver haired hanyou that stood against a tree a hundred miles from her running cub. He looked agitated.

Golden eyes flashed as he uncrossed his arms and made his way back to the village not once caring where his partner could have gone to. Not once did he consider the fact that she may be in danger and need help. Her lips raised ever so slightly. Vermin.

She flicked her hand and the pool refocused on her cub. He had reached his den. Kagome was now laid down on several pelts while an ookami female was tending to the wound on her shoulder with a green salve. He stood above her hovering with an anxious look upon his features. His blue eyes never once left the miko's figure. His expression tensed as Kagome cried out in pain and he nearly bared his fangs.

A small smile crossed her features. She wanted to help her cub and the miko, but it would take some...conniving to do so. She tousled her white locks absent mindedly as another being entered the room.

"Tsuki," a tenor male voice spoke.

"Yami," she replied in greeting her voice like bells.

He took a seat beside her. "Looking after your precious cubs, are you?"

"Hn," she replied watching the scene unfold.

She noticed his violet eyes focus on Kagome, "That's the Shikon Miko," he stated, "what is she doing with your cubs," he asked.

"Kouga saved her from a dragon," she said gently as she smiled down proudly at him.

"Hn," he said studying the miko. He was curious about the ningen, but he hardly got to see her since the other kamis tried to pretend she didn't exist on their plane of existence at this time.

Tsuki studied her brother intently. He held some interest for the miko. "Yami," she started easily, "you are interested in the miko."

"Eh?" He said taken aback, "Not really, I just don't see what all the fuss is about."

Tsuki smiled, "Only because you have not seen her."

"Hn," he replied once more focusing on the miko. Tsuki smiled. The one person she needed to complete her plan was already taking the bait. Maybe her luck hadn't run out yet.

"Yami," she said once more. This time he didn't lift his gaze from the pool.

"What?" He sounded irritated.

"How would you like to meet the miko?" She asked curiously.

He snorted, "As if."

"Well, you would get to meet her if you were to turn her into a youkai," she said offhandedly.

That caught Yami's attention. "You plan, no, you want me to turn the Shikon Miko into a youkai," he stated disbelievingly.

"Why not," she said softly, "she finds no happiness with the hanyou nor will he ever give it to her. She's not even suppose to be in this time...why not make her...disappear? Fit in. Plus," she said tapping on a nerve she knew would give him cause to consider, "wouldn't it be fun to see how much a pure being, like her, would squirm once turned into a youkai."

Yami's lips turned upward in a smirk. "Perhaps you're right dear sister," he said eyeing the miko almost ravenously, "It would be entertaining indeed; however," he said glancing back at her, "Fate will have to be dealt with."

Tsuki's lips tightened into a fine line, "I will overcome Fate. You just turn her into a youkai."

Yami nodded then actually smirked, "When do we start?"