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Her eyes were trained on the trunk of the oak tree, watching the beetle's tiny legs make its way up, inching slightly with every move. Ayame had considered herself lucky, to be able to lounge around while other she-wolves her age were subjected to more domestic lives; being the granddaughter of the Northern Yoro Tribe leader, the Wolf elder -Chōrō- had its perks.

Having to sit on her ass and watch the pack go about its daily business was honestly what she did for days on end, having the alternative be to train or chase Koga. It was actually not that bad, to be able to do what she wanted. She didn't have to chase jewel shards and Naraku with Inuyasha. Nor was she a slave to Naraku. All that had changed along with the sudden disappearance of Kagome and Inuyasha, who oddly left behind the rest of their crew to live their newly rebuilt lives. The death of Naraku hadn't drastically changed her life, but she could feel everyone around her get all riled up. She knew that the power vacuum he left behind wouldn't be such an easy thing for the wolves to deal with, now that they were actually focused on unification.

The issue hadn't even concerned her until Koga announced that he had resumed his search for a bride and that he had really considered settling for her. Out of her childish desire for Kagome to be severed from Koga, she had accepted his attempt to court her but ultimately wished she hadn't.

Her eyes rested upon a distracted Koga, napping against the fur covered chair, at the edge of her cave. Koga had left his pack to come and court her, to make her his mate. All the wolf packs would be allies if they just got married, and that was all he wanted. Happiness to those who often get screwed. It just seemed the only one getting nothing in the process was her. Ayame didn't want Koga anymore, believe it or not, men lose their appeal once they completely ignore your existence for months.

He was lying in a haphazard manner, mouth wide, showing his fangs, and legs outstretched. Ayame cringed, wondering what she had seen in him all those years ago. The man had no class and was uncouth. Being from a wolf pack made him wild, but it surely had no hand in making him rude.

His blue eyes no longer shone with the valor she had seen long ago. Her girlhood no longer trembled with every chord of his voice, him playing her perfectly. His touch made her uncomfortable and his words were purely insincere. After Kagome left, the wolfman had become colder and more unforgiving, cursing Ayame at times, avidly disrespecting her in front of her pack. It was all ignored and shied away from, never to be talked about. The Koga of her childhood was a much different man than her fiance, who had rejected any prospects of a budding romance.

Ayame let her feet carry her across the log, not paying attention to the stream below as she daydreamed about whatever it was that Kagome was up to. Oddly enough, Ayame often found herself wishing she was the human Miko. Bored eyes looked at the stream below, taking in the image of her ratty hair, that had all sorts of knots and twists. Kagome's hair was often silky smooth, and tantalizing. She wondered how the human female retained the sheen and moisture in her hair. It left envy in many of the hearts of women who saw her. Although the priestess was normally useless and weak, her beauty was that of an empress. her clothes were neat, albeit the scanty style of her cloth, it was unique and certainly cute. Many villagers had taken the style, adopting it as their own.

Ayame gracefully leaped into the tall blades of grass, continuing on her path to nowhere. Her mind was blank, uninterested in formulating any thoughts. Ayame admired the serenity of the grounds. They had never been so calm ever since Naraku had first risen, and threatened the wolves with his minions. Koga had become a big man on the face of Wolf politics, claiming a new era of a new 'Alpha King' reigning over all packs. Ayame's mind wandered as her legs moved, not having a clue where to go. She sat down in a small field of wildflowers and berries, which was left abandoned by most of the wolves. They were carnivorous people. Ayame stared at the calm blue sky, not taking the chance to think about what would happen if she were to actually move. Her eyed drooped, and her mind rested as the gentle breeze rocked her to sleep.

Ayame stood from her spot, grass tickling her feet. She made her way through the bushes, thick groves, and thorny vines, into the bustling center of the settlement, admiring the fresh air and the perfect view beyond the powdered mountain tops. The view is fleetingly beautiful, causing her to focus on the beaten down path, paw prints decorating the trodden dirt road. Like snow, the moist dirt retains the smallest detail in their tracks. Most of them indistinguishable, but she could make out a few of some women, and children.

"Ayame!" a voice called, the stern tone shaking her from her thoughts. Her grandfather had stood before her, his silver coat gleaming with droplets of water. She could tell he had just walked through a river, probably attempting to catch a meal. He moved forth, his tired old paws carrying his weight forward. She gave him a chaste smile as she bent down to give him a hug, with a feather-light kiss on his muzzle. The wolf's expression softens as he begins to walk towards his own cave, leading his granddaughter to follow. Ayame felt the cool breeze carry her hair, making her feel so very free.

"My child, the smaller packs are growing restless. We will have to come together soon," he stated, his eyes following her blank face.

Ayame stood and made a nod, not having anything to really say to her grandfather. Her choices were limited, and the fate of the wolf packs rested on whether or not Koga took her as a mate.

"What if, I don't want to mate with Koga?" The question surprised herself, having the balls to animate the horror-filled thoughts that she saw as plausible. Mates were for life and Koga definitely was completely unattracted to her.

The elder wolf looked to her in shock, his expression darkening, becoming unreadable. His fangs gnawed into a frown, eyes darkening into a cruel black.

"There will be war if you do not," he warned her, his eyes diverted at her, searching for some type of confirmation. Ayame knew the possibility of inland fighting was very serious, and if she didn't pretend to be the loving mate that the four tribes needed, the war would be the only option.

Ayame sat down, on a small stump in front of the elder wolf, staring at her grandfather. "Do you not care for what I want, grandfather?! Koga doesn't even like me, he ignores me-."

"Do not speak ill of him. He is much more powerful than I." her grandfather interrupted, he was completely not having it with her sudden show of wavering dedication. Ayame knew that he wouldn't let her back out of such an important deal, that concerned all of their kind. "You will mate with him Ayame. There will be no other way, and you know that."

Her mouth pulled into a snarl as she growled under her breath, and lowered her head, understanding where he was coming from. She didn't want to disrespect him either, she knew the importance of respect in packs. She nodded her head curtly and look at him with pleading eyes, departing from his cave, before heading back to her own. Ever since Koga arrived, he hadn't even proposed an idea of intimacy, and she was perfectly fine with that, knowing that she would have to adjust to his lifestyle. Koga wasn't a flexible man.

Shaggy white furs met pale skin, accenting her wild fiery hair. Ayame had been told her fashion style was odd. However, she had not cared about changing it ever since Koga came to their pack, along with other wolves from his own. Some of the women more refined than she, some just as wild as she. Ayame looked at the assortment of Kimonos laid out on the mat, trying to see if any were worth her allowance, that she received every few months.

The golden coins bounced in her pocket, their heavy presence had just set in as she stared at the cloth, admiring it. The human merchant looked at her with a smile, his odd blonde locks covering the most intricate blue eyes, that seemed to gleam like diamonds. She could tell he was a foreigner by his accent and had wondered how he had traveled into the deeper parts of the land, where Naraku once set up the base. Foreigners mostly stayed near the edge of the land where it met the sea. Their hefty boats landed upon the shore as they began to charter the land. Of course, their exploration was cut short when demons came and slaughtered a good percent of their peoples. Ayame had seen when her own wolf pack had made an ambush on the weird people.

"I don't recall ever seeing you around these parts." he playfully said, making Ayame fumble with her hands, squeezing a floral patterned Kimono that she eyed. A light blush met her cheeks as he chuckled deeply, his foreign accent shining through.

"You aren't exactly a native yourself," she huffed. "I am Ayame. Your name?"

"Adam," he answered, with a wide smile. "You have great taste in clothes. I'll take your measurements, just come back tomorrow, and it'll be done."

Ayame stared at the human male as he took the measuring tape around her waist. Ayame blushed as he looked up at her and smile, charmingly. Adam put his hand against her bare thigh, which caused her to shiver, in delight and because of the coldness of his hand.

"All done," he said, "That will be ¥730."

Ayame reached into her pocket and picked out the exact amount. Adam glanced at her playfully. Blue eyes scavenged her body, before looking at her neck, noting the worn scar. She was grateful for his silence.

Ayame returned to find that Koga had started a fire in the cave, and laid out on the bed of pelts that she made for him a few weeks ago. She silently sat down across him, casting a glance at the tired man through the crackling flames. He acknowledged her presence as he greeted her with a small nod and nothing more. Ayame returned the nod and began to rest on a few pelts on the other side of the fire.

"Where were you earlier today?"

Ayame felt his question and the accusing tone slice into her heart. She hadn't even talked with him directly about mating, but he acted like when she had promised him herself, he really accepted. If Kagome was still around, he would be whistling a much different tune.

"Taking care of some things." she clipped, "Nothing out of the ordinary."

He nodded, as he stared at her with unreadable eyes. She could catch a hint of disappointment in them if she squinted, but she didn't care. Koga was the one who waited on a human girl, doting on her every wish.

Ayame looked away from him as she tossed in her own bed, looking away.

"Come here." he beckoned, waving his hand for her to come. Ayame took her time before she got up and sat next to him, a few feet away from the warm pelts. He looked at her with half-lidded eyes, tired. He patted on the spot next to him, on the pelt. Ayame didn't move at all.

"Now, Ayame," he growled lowly, staring at the female. Ayame rolled her eyes and moved onto the furry bed, the embers of fire dying upon the touch of the furs. It felt marvelous against her calloused skin. Green orbs made their way up his toned body-she didn't need to love the man to appreciate a hunk. Looking away from his blue gems. His hands met her own, basking in the warmth, a small smirk came to his lips. Ayame's heart fell into her stomach, dread filling her as she watched his face soften, and his gaze tracing her body. She had never seen this side of her former love; only the angry scowling man who looked at her with contempt. He pulled her down, arms crawling up her body until they were rested in her fiery red locks. Ayame diverted her gaze, a fierce blush covering her face. Her face had dropped, her throat growing clammy. She felt him slowly rise to meet her face as her knees froze and her mind went numb.

"Don't avoid answering me." he breathed into her ear, his voice low and sultry. "What exactly were you up to?"

Her eyes rested on his loosened hair, which had recently been cut down to a more choppy cut, his boyish charm gone. Her eyes darted away from him, adjusting to the cold forestry outside of her cave. Ayame realized the chirping of the crickets were the only noise to be heard for a few minutes until interrupted by the shifting

"I was taking care of business as usual." she clipped, her posture was firm. Her answer was professional, and her tone was solitary. Koga had no business in what she did until the day that she was forced to follow him back to his pack.

Koga didn't seem peeved or ticked off with her answer. If Ayame was being honest with herself, she expected him to decline her response and pressure her to give one of great detail. Ayame felt him take her hand in hers, elongated nails scratching the surface of her skin. Worried eyes looked into solid blue, which refused to waver. Ayame stood with a jolt, as his arm dragged her out of the cave and along the forest, her skin getting scratched by rocks and branches in the process. Out of fear, she attempted loosening his grip from her own. His steel grip was firm. Her legs felt like jelly when he shoved her into a small clearing, the moon illuminating his dauntingly beautiful features. Panic rose in her throat as he stood, half leaning on a rock in front of her. Ayame stood in confusion, for a few minutes, until he broke the silence with a sigh. Disappointed eyes looked at her, Ayame felt her lungs dry as he came closer. Dead blue eyes bore into frightful green pools, she quivered as she failed to open her mouth and speak. He smiled dryly, his face creased in disgust.

"I smell human on you. Care to explain that?"

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