Hey guys! Ok, so the next chapter is finally up! I'm sorry that it took so long; I had killer soccer practices all week! Plus my internet has been down for a few days… : (

Thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews- I really appreciate it! You are all amazing! All of this feedback has really helped me to get motivated and understand what you all like and don't like about the chapters. Hopefully I can use this information to help me write some amazing chapters that you all will love!

Also, I want to apologize for several spelling errors in the last two chapters. I had to read them both about 2 times before I actually caught them all. It's ridiculous really- no matter what you do (spell check, proofread, etc.) there are always a few annoying little errors that manage to pop up and ruin the entire chapter! Sometimes the spell check even creates more errors! I know that it's annoying for you all to have to read, and it can totally ruin a good story. I hope that it hasn't bothered you all too much (if at all) and that you found a way to read around the mistakes. I promise I will go back and fix them whenever I can, but for now I am just going to work on getting this chapter up.

Anyways, Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Disclaimer- I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

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'She's so beautiful.' Kouga thought to himself as he sat there watching his beloved from the corner of the den. It had been a good hour or two since she had gone back to sleep, but his mind still lingered on the radiant beauty that currently occupied his bed. He was ecstatic to have her here with him… it's just the way that she got here that truly disturbed him. He never wanted to see her hurt. He never wanted her to feel the pain that Inuyasha had forced her to endure- yet here she was, beaten, broken, and ultimately… betrayed.

He clenched his fists tightly, his claws pressing roughly into the calloused skin of his palms as his mind was assaulted with memories of the previous night. He could still remember how frightened Kagome had looked; sheer terror and betrayal evident in her eyes. He could practically still smell the blood and traces of fear that so heavily littered the air. He could remember the look of urgency and panic displayed across her angelic features as she plowed head first into his chest, trying desperately to make her escape. She had tried to fight him… tried to run away. She had mistaken him for Inuyasha.

A deep growl rumbled low in his throat, resonating through the vast darkness of the cave. He wanted revenge, oh how he wanted revenge! Ever since the day he met Inuyasha he bragged about the fact that he would one day kill that worthless mutt, but until now he had never actually meant it. It was just one of those things he said in order to keep up his image. He didn't want anyone to think that he was a coward after all- Inuyasha had challenged him for Kagome, and he couldn't back down from a challenge. Kouga sighed as he recollected his memories of that day- the very first day that he met Kagome. That was the day that he fell in love with her. They didn't exactly meet under the best of circumstances, but to him that was all irrelevant. The important thing is that they met. Ever since then his life had taken a different turn. He was a better person because of her; she made him see things in a different light. She meant everything to him, and he would do anything for her. But to see her hurt was something that his heart could not bear… It tore him apart.

He didn't know where things would go from here, between Kagome and himself, but he swore that from this point on he would protect her. Not as he protected her before now, from afar; or whenever he happened to be passing through. She always managed to get hurt despite his efforts. He meant really protect her, with everything that he had. In order to do that, he would have to keep her close to him. 'I will never trust her alone with Inuyasha again.' he swore. He confirmed that last thought with a firm nod of his head, then with a new energy he quickly rose to his feet. He wanted to check on Kagome again before he woke the rest of the tribe. The sun was slowly peaking onto the horizon and it would soon be time to begin the day's duties.

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Inuyasha sped through the dense forest, obliterating any tree that dared to stand in his way. He dashed through thick bramble, smashing the briars that tugged at his hair and clothes with an angry fist. All that was left behind was a heap of mangled tree bark and severed vines, furthering emphasizing the hanyou's acrimony.

'Kagome…What happened to you?' Inuyasha mentally queried. His anger towards the young wolf prince was unparalleled- that was obvious from the broken pile of timber that lay in Inuyasha's wake- but he was still worried about Kagome. Questions continually assaulted his mind. 'Is she hurt? Is she safe? Just what does that flea bitten wolf intend to do with her?' Inuyasha could not answer these questions just yet, but the wolf territory was not too far off in the distance. It would only be about another hour, give or take, before Kagome would be safely back in his care.

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Kagome's long, dark lashes lazily fluttered open. She remembered last night fully now, and the dull throbbing sensation that pained her entire body was proof that her memories were in fact correct. She groaned as she rolled over on her injured hip, effectively turning her body enough to pull herself out of Kouga's bed. She checked her wounds over, noticing that some had bled through the bandages during the night. She attributed this to her inability to keep still, even when in a deep sleep.

Kagome glanced around the room, looking to see if Kouga was still with her. To her surprise he was nowhere to be found. She turned to her left, noticing that there was a straw mat covering the door of Kouga's chambers, obviously serving to separate this portion of the wolf den from the rest. Through the course strands were several rays of sunlight shyly poking through.

'The sun is already out? He must be awake already. I wonder if his injuries have healed yet…' Kagome pondered as she shoved the mat aside and stepped into the main area of the wolf den. As the mat swung back into place, several wolves ran up to her, bombarding her with questions concerning her health and well-being. She shouted back to the crowd, assuring them that her injuries were healing nicely and thanking them for all their help.

'They're all being so kind.' She mentally giggled. 'The first time I was here these very same wolves were calling dibs on my body parts!'

One wolf stepped forward from the crowd, inquiring once again about her injuries.

"I promise, my injuries are feeling much better today. They just need a bit more time to heal." She said with a smile, grateful for all of the concern directed at her.

"I am glad to hear that, sister Kagome. Please follow me." The wolf said as he gestured towards the entrance of the cave. "Kouga ordered me to bring you to him the very moment that you woke up."

Kagome smiled at his statement. 'Kouga shouldn't worry about me so much.' She thought to herself as she followed the unknown demon through the cave. The pair fell into a comfortable silence afterwards, the sounds of their footstep echoing off the cold stone of the cavern. The unknown wolf demon was concentrating on finding Kouga, and Kagome's mind was still reeling from the recent turn of events. Within a few moments, they reached the opening of the cave.

After sweeping the cave with his eyes, the wolf demon's face grew puzzled. "Hm… I guess Kouga went out to hunt." He surmised, glancing about to make sure that he hadn't missed him. "You may want to wait here Kagome. I must go out to find him, for he will be very upset if I do not inform him of your condition."

Kagome nodded, and announced that she would wait in the den for Kouga's return. It all seemed a little unnecessary to her- she could simply wait for Kouga to return on his own, but she knew that Kouga was the 'overprotective type', and that probably wouldn't sit well with him. So she reluctantly agreed, thanking the wolf for his troubles. He swiftly departed, and she made herself comfortable on a nearby heap of fur.

She watched the other wolves fondly as they went about their daily routines, smiling and waving at her as they passed. She thought back to the first time she was here. Back then she had felt distressed and out of her element. Now, she felt at home. Something about the friendly atmosphere made her feel comfortable… almost as if she belonged. She leaned back into the solid wall of the cave, letting herself rest her wounded body a bit more. While she was getting better, the lacerations were deep and still pretty painful. She winced as she settled in, trying not to remember how she got the injury in the first place. 'Inuyasha…you were full demon. Do you even know what you have done? Can I forgive you?'

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"Kouga!" The wolf yelled after several minutes of searching the territory. "It's Kagome… she's awake!"

Kouga sped towards the wolf on the opposite side of the clearing, with an enormous dead boar slung over his shoulder. "She's awake, huh? How is she?"

"Well, she said that she was feeling fine, but you can plainly see that her injuries still have quite a bit of healing to do." He replied. "She's waiting for you back at the den. I told her that you wanted to see her."

Kouga gave a smirk at his last statement; the excitement of her actually being here at his den hadn't fully passed yet. 'She's back in my den, waiting for me. This really is a dream come true…even if the only reason she is here is because of the damned dog.' His smile faded, and he roughly tossed the boar at one of his hunting companions. "Take care of this for me, will ya? My woman is waiting for me." Kouga was off in a burst of speed, eager to see Kagome again. The other wolves saw nothing but a tornado of dust rise from the ground and tear across the land, heading for the den.

Kouga arrived shortly after, deciding to make his entrance as quietly as possible. He didn't want to disturb Kagome after all. He slipped through the side of the waterfall, walking through the gap in the front of the cave. Not to Kouga's surprise, she was resting. 'I really hope she feels better soon.' He thought sincerely as he gazed upon her. She was not asleep, but she seemed to be in a state of deep concentration, and didn't notice his presence. She looked heart broken, and he knew that she was thinking of Inuyasha.

"Kagome?" He called out softly. She looked up at him, forcing the saddened look off her face and replacing it with a small smile. "How are you feeling?" He asked once he knew that she had her attention.

"Much better." She replied. "How about you? You were hurt too you know."

His face took on a rather cocky look. "That mongrel couldn't hurt me." He responded in a domineering tone.

Kagome rolled her eyes in a playful way, beaming brightly at him in the process. He laughed back, glad to see her smiling again. Kouga took a seat next to her.

"Is there anything that I can do for you Kagome?"

"Well, if it's not too much of an inconvenience, I think I need to bathe."

"Sure thing. There's a hot spring not too far from here- I'd be happy to take you there."

"Thanks." She replied.

Kagome sucked in a breath as she stood up. She didn't want Kouga to worry about her wounds, but they were really paining her. Unfortunately for her, he took notice of her discomfort.

"Kagome, don't over do it." He scolded lightly as he grasped her hand, helping her to stand fully. "If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask." He said genuinely.

"Thanks Kouga." Kagome blushed lightly at his unfaltering regard for her well-being. After putting up with Inuyasha's rude and crude behavior for so long it really was flattering. He let go of her hand, and scooped her up bridal style, making his way to the spring.

Kagome sighed and relaxed into Kouga's arms as the wind swirled all around her. 'It will be so nice to bathe. After last night I feel pretty dirty.'

Kouga looked down at the bundle in his arms, smiling with contentment. In his opinion, this is the way things were meant to be… With Kagome –his love- in his arms. He only wished that she would someday feel the same way about him. But for now this was more than enough.

Kouga thought about the mutt, noticing that there were still traces of his aroused scent tainting Kagome's wonderful fragrance. 'Maybe that's why she wanted to bathe. I hope she doesn't feel dirty because of his actions.' He held her tighter to his chest, savoring the feeling of her body against his at he skidded to a halt in front of the hot spring.

"We're here." He announced as he gently set her down.

Kagome waited a moment, noticing that Kouga was still standing directly in front of her. "Um… do you think you could give me a bit of privacy?" She asked sheepishly.

"Of course." He replied. "But I don't want to leave you alone." He walked back a few feet, then promptly turned around and plopped onto the ground.

"Ok, as long as you don't peek!" She yelled back to him.

"Come on Kagome, you know I wouldn't do that!" He replied teasingly. 'Although I wouldn't mind a short glance or two…' He added to himself. He closed his eyes, shaking those thoughts from his head. He decided not to let his mind roam in that direction for the time being. He didn't want Kagome to think his intentions were anything but honorable; he wanted to be a gentleman with her. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was a pervert. After her encounter with Inuyasha, she probably wasn't ready to handle that anyways.

Kagome began to strip off her clothing. There was a light rustling sound, and Kouga began tapping his fingers on the grass, desperately trying to ignore the noise. He was trying to stop the mental images that threatened to make him lose his composure. Kagome checked once more to make sure that Kouga's back was still turned, then she slowly slid into the spring. She hissed at the contact of the hot water against her open wounds, and opened her mouth in a silent scream. She wanted to make sure not to alarm Kouga.

"Everything okay over there?" He called over his shoulder.

"Yeah- just fine." She said through grit teeth. 'Wow, he really does have good hearing.'

She soaked her sore body for a few moments, then took a few steps forward. Before she could catch herself she slipped on a rock ledge, letting out a small 'eep' in the process. She quickly dipped underwater, but managed to regain her composure and stand up straight, a few feet away from the drop off. After giggling at herself, she resumed her bath as if nothing had happened. 'Wow that was graceful.' She thought to herself.

Kouga heard the noise, and quickly spun around, slightly alarmed. A scarlet blush swept across his cheeks. He let his eyes linger a moment longer than they should have, then tore them away, hoping that she didn't take notice. She was fine, much to his relief, but he caught a glimpse of her bare back in the process. It was only her back, but to him it was still very alluring. The steamy waters hid her body from the small of her back down, but he could still see a tantalizing amount of her supple curves. Tiny droplets of water gently cascaded down her body, trickling back into the spring as they reached the end of her spinal column. Her raven locks clung to her flushed skin, flowing gently across her shoulders. Kouga couldn't help but get a little worked up at the display. 'How is it that Kagome can affect me this way? I can't imagine what my reaction would be if I had seen more.' He spent the next few moments in quiet concentration, trying to tame his wild imagination. Kagome's splashing in the spring behind him wasn't helping his attempt in the least, but he would never tell her that. Soon he fell into such a deep concentration, that he didn't notice the approaching figure less than a mile off in the distance…

Kagome finished washing her hair, then began to climb out of the spring. She wanted to finish her bath as soon as she could, considering the fact that her wounds were still open, and the water was positively scalding. She clambered over to her clothing, using her hands to push off some of the water that clung to her body. She didn't have a towel, so she decided to make do without it. Just as she finished wringing out her hair, a figure emerged from the bushes adjacent to the forest. Kagome let out a shriek of horror as a flash of red and white streaked towards her.

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(Ok, I was going to end this here, but I'll continue it. I've already made you wait long enough!)

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Inuyasha ran through the forest, closing in on Kagome's scent. 'She's close.' He noted as he sniffed the air again, picking up traces of Kouga's scent mixed in with hers. 'So that scrawny wolf is with her.' Upon further detection, he noticed that there was a slight difference in the wolf demon's scent. It seemed as if he was particularly excited. 'Is that damned wolf aroused over my Kagome?' His anger flared, and he launched through the shrubbery that stood between himself and his target.

Inuyasha was about to call out to Kagome, until he heard her scream. He took notice of the fact that she was unclothed, and assumed that it was because of the wolf's close proximity. Kouga had turned around by now, and had moved to block Kagome from his view. She wanted to get dressed, but in order to do that she would have to step out from behind the protection of Kouga's back. Her clothing was located a few feet to her right.

"Step away from her you weakling wolf!" Inuyasha yelled, rage seeping into his soul.

"Why, so you can get another eyeful?" Kouga bit out. "Or do you just want time alone with her so that you can assault her again?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I would never hurt her! Stop playing mind games with me- I'm here to rescue her from you!" He yelled back.

"Rescue her from me? So first you try to force yourself on her; then you deny it and pin the blame on me?" He laughed with disbelief. "You're even more of a coward then I thought."

Inuyasha looked taken aback by Kouga's statement. 'I don't remember anything about that night… could I have hurt her without knowing it?' Inuyasha's face fell with disbelief. 'No- I couldn't have… I would never do that...' He assured himself.

"Kagome…" He ventured in a hoarse whisper. "Tell him that I didn't…." He trailed off, unable to finish the question.

Kagome stepped up closer to Kouga's back, making sure that her bare body wasn't subject to his view. She grasped the sides of his armor with her hands, and whispered up to him. "Can you move with me? I need to get my clothes." Then she very quietly added "I-I don't want him to see me naked." Kouga's heart swelled with pride and hope at hearing this, even though the circumstances were not the greatest. He was just glad to know that she trusted him to protect her and her modesty from Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's sensitive hearing picked up Kagome's request, along with the added comment. His ears drooped slightly with her proclamation, but he still refused to believe that he had any part in harming her. He rejected the idea as quickly as it came to him.

Kouga had of course agreed to serve as a shield from Inuyasha's prying eyes, and she used her hands to guide him over to her heap of clothing. She dressed quickly, but remained behind Kouga's back. She was still a little afraid to face Inuyasha, even though he had no knowledge of his crime.

Kouga noticed that Kagome was still hiding behind him, and turned around to check her over. "Are you alright?" He asked in a hushed tone, noticing the look of distress and fear written across her features. "If you don't want to face him, you don't have to." He consoled.

"No." She replied shakily. "He needs to know." Kagome looked down at her feet for a moment, trying not to shed the tears that threatened to fall.

Inuyasha however was growing impatient. "What is he talking about Kagome?" Inuyasha clenched his fists. "Tell him!" He yelled. "He's the one who hurt you! Tell him that I never touched you!" He yelled, trying to get his point across.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, tears brimming her eyes. "But… you did, Inuyasha." She choked out. "You did this." She gestured to her wounded body. She hadn't replaced the bandages, and by now her clothing was speckled with blood.

There was a tense moment, and Kouga decided to step aside, giving Kagome her space. Maybe if Inuyasha realized what he had done he would leave Kagome alone.

"Kagome… I couldn't have… I would never hurt you…" Inuyasha sputtered.

"Who are you trying to convince, Inuyasha? Me? Or yourself? You know… you really hurt me…" The glistening tears finally began to descend, falling from the tip of her lashes and down her pale cheek.

"Kagome, I swear I didn't know… I don't even remember." He slowly walked closer to her. Kouga growled a bit, but kept his distance. Inuyasha didn't seem to be a threat at the moment, and Kagome needed to say her peace.

"You were full demon." She told him. "I don't know why you left me, but when I woke up you were gone…" She took a deep breath to keep herself from sobbing aloud, before adding, "I was scared that something had happened to you."

Inuyasha swallowed the lump rising in his throat. 'This can't be true…' He thought, horrified.

"I went to look for you… and you tackled me to the ground. Your prayer beads were missing… There was nothing I could do to stop you…" She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, taking a deep breath.

"S-stop me from what?" Inuyasha dreaded the answer to this question, but he had to know.

"To stop you from… raping me." She murmured, turning her gaze away from his. Her tears flowed freely now, but she no longer tried to stop them.

Inuyasha felt as if his heart had stopped beating. His world came crashing down upon him in one fell swoop. He wanted to be the one who protected her, not the one who hurt her. She was everything to him. "Kagome… I… please forgive me." He breathed. "I would never intentionally hurt you. You have to believe me."

"I know you had no control… and I'm not blaming you… I just can't pretend it never happened." She apologized. "I'm sorry, but if Kouga hadn't come and saved me…"

"Kagome, I'm so sorry." Inuyasha apologized sincerely. His bangs shaded his eyes, hiding the intense emotions that were currently swirling throughout his amber colored orbs.

"You don't know what it feels like Inuyasha… You made me feel so helpless and weak. I was powerless against you." Her voice faltered, but she continued. "I always thought that I could depend on you. I trusted you more than I have ever trusted anyone else. But… you held me down as you cut me, and bruised me, and felt me up… Things just can't be the same. I don't know if I can place my faith in you after what happened. I'm sorry." She said sadly. Kouga walked over to Kagome, his anger growing after hearing Kagome recount the events of that night. He stood behind her, placing a supporting hand on her shoulder. (The one that wasn't injured.) "I just need some time alone." She finished.

Inuyasha hung his head. "I understand." Kouga sniffed the air, picking up traces of salt mixed in with Inuyasha's normal scent. 'Is the mutt crying?' He asked himself. Inuyasha turned his back, preparing to walk away. Kouga passed it off, deciding that it would be inappropriate to call attention to it. Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder, apologizing to Kagome one last time. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Kagome simply stood there, watching him depart.

"Will you be ok Kagome?" Kouga asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She said as she wiped up the last of her tears.

Kouga enveloped her in his arms, giving her a gentle hug. "Come on, let's get those injuries re-bandaged. We want them to heal well."

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Ok! You know the drill people! Leave reviews and I will post more! Plus, I have a major soccer injury right now (My whole lower back is badly bruised and VERY sore…) and I have to pretend it's not bothering me so that I can still practice tomorrow; if I can get away with it. It sucks- I can barely walk : ( So show me some love people! Thanks for reading! And I truly hope that you enjoyed! ; )