Chapter 7: Reuniting with the Wolf Pack

Kagome gasped as she took in the differences and similarities of the wolf youkai in front of her.

The only thing about Koga that had changed, that she could see, was his clothing.

He wasn't wearing his wolf fur as clothing or that headband he wore all the time. He was now dressed in dark brown slacks and a green & dark brown striped shirt to match.

His bangs now draped in front of his eyes, hiding those bright blue orbs, until he tossed his head back, sweeping the hair out of his eyes.

His hair, still up in a ponytail, swept down to his waist, as long it had been when she had known him before. His ears were hidden in his hair's thickness, but she was sure they would be under his human guise.

Next to him stood Ayame. Looking very much the same.

Like Koga, she was dressed for the modern age, sporting a sailor fuku uniform, just like Kagome & Kei's, except, where there's was red, hers was blue, signaling that she attended a different school than they did.

Her long red hair was flowing down her back, a small iris clip, keeping her hairstyle similar to the way it had been when Kagome had first met her all those years before.

Her visible human ears were the only thing that seemed out of place to the once time traveling Miko.

Ginta & Hakkaku looked pretty much the same, but where Ginta's hair had once been purple & white, it was now a solid and normal looking jet black and Hakkaku's mohawk hairstyle was now gone and in it's place were nice, dark brown locks, that were pulled back into a ponytail similar to Koga's but not as long.

Both of the younger members of the wolf pack were dressed in the male version of their schools uniform.

As they walked in the door, Ginta & Hakkaku, seeing their group at the table, waved to them and sat down close to them.

Ayame came over to Kei, Mai & Raidon and greeted them warmly, sitting down close by.

Only Koga came over to softly growl at both of the sons of InuTashio.

"Do you have a problem with me wolf?" Sesshomaru said, standing slowly.

Kagome was sure that if he had his swords on him, Koga would be dead already, just for looking like he was going to challenge him.

"What problem would I have with you…I thought I smelled something bad and I was right. Hey Masu-trasha."

"Mangy wolf."

"Who you calling mangy?"

"Who you calling trasha?"

"Boys please…honestly…do you ever stop?" Kagome asked before she could remember that she wasn't supposed to know Masu-kun that well and Koga-kun's alter ego at all.

"And who do you think you are to…" Koga trailed off as he turned to tick her off, only to stop as he stared at her.

'It can't be…she was human…she'd be long dead now.'

Koga sniffed, but it only served to confuse him more.

'It smells like her…but it can't be.'

Seeing Koga's obvious distress and confusion made Kagome turn to Sesshomaru.

"Kachuu-sama…are you going to introduce us?"

Sesshomaru gave her a look.

'Come on Sesshomaru, play along.'

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and gave in.

"Urufu, Ouji-san, please meet Higurashi, Kagome-san."

Kagome almost laughed out loud, but was able to contain it. Only Koga would name himself something like Prince Wolf.

Koga blinked at her, while Kagome stood and bowed politely.

Ayame came over to the table.

She too had a look of confusion on her face as she sniffed softly as well.

Knowing it was best to keep up appearances in such a public place, Kagome bowed to her too,

"Higurashi, Kagome…. pleased to meet you."

Bowing automatically in response, Ayame responded, " Ookami, Hana. It's nice to meet you."

Ginta & Hakkaku said in unison, "Hey, you're from the chat room right? That Kagome?"

"That would be me."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It sure is."

"Nice to meet you two in person as well."

They grinned at her.

As they sat down at their own table, after getting themselves something to eat, they whispered to each other.

"She's awfully nice."

"Yeah."

"Doesn't she remind you of someone…from long ago?"

"She kind of reminds me of Sister."

"Don't be silly…sister was gone a long time ago."

"I know…but she looks like her."

Looking over at the table again, they nodded to themselves.

"Hey she does…and you know what?"

"What?"

"She smells just like her too."

"I wonder if that's why Ouji-san is looking like that."

"Probably."

The chuckled in response, determined to find out from Masu if she was really who they thought she was, they called him over to their table.

Once he was clear of his own table, he leaned over Ginta & Hakkaku.

They asked him their questions too low for anyone else to overhear.

He nodded.

They asked him another question.

He nodded again.

They asked him something else, this time with a mischievous look on both of their faces.

He exploded,

"No way in hell!"

He stormed back over to his own table and sat back down next to Kagome, shoving Koga, who had stepped closer to sniff her out, sure his nose was playing tricks on him.

"Who are you pushing, dog boy?"

"I believe it was you."

"Why I ought to…"

"Enough!"

Everyone quieted down and looked at Kachuu.

"You, go bother someone else," he said, looking at Koga.

Koga made a face, but didn't answer aloud, mostly for hidden fear of having his head removed. He had never heard Sesshomaru raise his voice before…and was wondering if, even in an establishment full of ningens, Sesshomaru would hesitate to hurt him.

"You, be quiet!" Kachuu continued, glaring down at his shetai.

Inuyasha/Masu grumbled in response, but said nothing aloud. He knew his older half-brother would have no problems taking his anger out on him.

The last time Inuyasha had pissed Sesshomaru off, Sesshomaru had waited until he had gotten into the sanctuary of their mansion style house and grounds and then had unleashed his fury on him. It had taken Jaken and the rest of their servants a couple of months to completely restore everything that had been destroyed, including repairing a few walls that Sesshomaru had thrown him completely through. Going through that again was not something that Inuyasha felt like repeating…it had taken him a whole week and ½ to completely heal from his injuries and then another whole week to recuperate and get back on his feet.

"How dare you make a spectacle of yourselves in public. We have things to discuss. Kagome, I'll give you a ride home. Masu, come with me, I'll drop you off at Kisho's house first and then pick you and Karen up in a few. Ouji-san…come outside with me…and the rest of your wolf pack can come too. Everyone else, it's been a pleasure as always, I will see you another day."

With that said, Kachuu stood up, reached down and helped Kagome up, giving her only a few seconds to grab her rucksack, before he pulled her out of the establishment. Masu waved goodbye to all and followed them. The entire wolf pack followed behind Masu.

As soon as they were out of visual and auditory range of the humans, including those in their group, minus Kagome, Sesshomaru said,

"As your eyes and noses have already told you, Kagome is the same Miko you once knew. She was from the future…so this is her current era. She's trying to keep our disguises, so I would appreciate it if you could curb your impulses."

Koga snapped out of his daze to growl before saying,

"Like I'd let some rude, arrogant Western Mutt tell me what to do…of course I wasn't going to make a scene. I know the laws…and do you really think I want to spend the rest of my natural life either running from mad scientists or being used in experiments. You could give me some credit."

"Your behavior is always something I can make no assumptions for."

Koga tossed his head back and bared his fangs, but otherwise said nothing….until he glanced and saw that Sesshomaru was still holding onto Kagome's elbow.

"Unhand my woman dog!"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

'Oh hell,' was all Kagome could think before Sesshomaru released her and launched at Koga.

Koga, who was still quick, even without the Shikon shards in his legs, was barely able to avoid him.

"Sesshomaru, Koga, stop!" Kagome yelled.

Both ignored her.

'Typical youkai idiots!' she thought, but "Honestly," was all that she said aloud.

Inuyasha leaned against the car, but said nothing…he didn't care and he knew that Koga was about to get the beating he normally did, and just for trying to claim Kagome, more so than any other thing he said.

"Sister, let them battle, you know Koga's always been hot-headed."

"And Sesshomaru-sama is always up to beating down on anyone who dares challenge his authority."

"Besides, they're headed toward the park and their running to fast to be seen by any ningen, so detection isn't a problem."

Kagome rolled her eyes, but nodded to Ginta and Hakkaku.

"Alright then…it's good to see you too again."

"The pleasure's all ours. It's been too long since we've seen you last."

"I feel the same, although for me it's only been a few weeks."

"While us, a few hundred years."

"How did you end up in our time? Not many humans I know can time travel."

"Well…it all started with a well at my family's shrine…"

"Before you get into that…I want to say something to you," Ayame interrupted.

"Of course, how are you Ayame," Kagome asked

"Well…I don't know…are you still after Koga?"

"I wasn't after Koga before…and I'm not after him now."

"Well that's what you say…"

"That's what I've been saying…I said it then, and I'm saying it now. I've tried to tell Koga time and again that we're just friends, but he doesn't listen."

Ayame gave her a strange look.

"Why don't you want Koga? What's wrong with him?"

Inuyasha snorted, and muttered, "What's not wrong with him?" but the rest ignored him.

"Nothing really…I'm just not interested in him. He kidnapped me in the beginning and he only wanted to keep me because I could see jewel shards. From there he said he was in love with me, but I don't think that's really it…"

"Oh he loves you alright, Sister."

"Besides, didn't you say he promised to mate with you?"

Ayame huffed,

"He promised, but the stubborn youkai insists that he didn't make such a promise. He keeps telling me to go find someone else."

"Have you even done so?"

"What?"

"No…hear me out…if you acted like you were interested in someone else, maybe he'd come around and chase you. You've spent all this time chasing him, so maybe if you stop, he'll start to chase you. You know, Alpha dominance thing."

Ayame stopped and thought about it.

"Well…it might work."

"Doesn't hurt to try."

Kagome turned and looked at Ginta, Hakkaku, & Inuyasha.

"Now none of you can say anything about it."

"Not us, if it's what you want Sister."

"Like I'd tell that mangy ole wolf anything," Inuyasha snorted.

"It's what I want."

"Then your wish is our command."

Kagome smiled and hugged Ginta & Hakkaku and rolled her eyes at Inuyasha, who winked at her in response.

Ayame & Kagome smiled at each other.

"I wonder how long they'll beeeeeeeeee," Kagome's words ended in a yelp as Koga, picked her up, in mid flight, running as fast as he could, trying to avoid Sesshomaru who was right behind him, and dashed off with her in his arms.

"Koga put me down!"

Koga ignored her.

Once he reached a park far away from everyone else, he slowed down and stopped, putting Kagome down.

Expecting her to leap back into his arms and tell him how much she had missed him, he was surprised when she boxed him upside the head.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Kagome…"

"What right do you have to pick me up and rush me off like that…are you mental?"

Koga sighed.

'I need to think out things before I do them,' he thought.

"Kagome…it's just…I wanted to talk to you alone. I missed you."

Kagome stopped mid tirade and sighed.

"I missed you too Koga, but really – abducting me?"

Koga shrugged.

"I was already running from that dog, he tried to take my head off you know"

"What did you say to him? You know he has a short fuse sometimes…"

"Nothing more than usual. It's almost like he lost control."

Kagome shook her head, the idea of Sesshomaru loosing his famous control was something she couldn't see happening.

"Well whatever you did, you do know he's not going to stop now, right?"

Koga shrugged,

"I'm not scared of him…. besides…I had to see my woman."

"Koga…we've been through this…I'm not your woman."

"But I love you."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do…I loved you then, and I still love you now."

"But you had no right, you know you promised Ayame…long before you met me."

"No…she only thinks I did…but I didn't."

"You did too…I saw your face when you remembered that you did promise her, but…I understood why you told her you didn't. Naraku was still around. But he's gone now…"

"Humph…I guess you haven't seen his reincarnation yet?"

"Kisho…yes I've seen him. He may retain his memories, and have a bit of the wickedness locked inside him, but he's not pure evil anymore."

"You can tell that?"

Kagome nodded.

"Yes, just like I can see a glimpse through most of your human disguises to see the demons…guess my Miko powers weren't solely Kikyo's huh? Or maybe since she's now fully gone, my own powers have returned and have strengthened with age…who knows for sure."

"Anyway, we were talking about Ayame."

"I don't want to."

Kagome laughed.

"You really are the most stubborn youkai I've had the pleasure to meet…next to Sesshomaru & Inuyasha."

Koga flashed her a fang full smile.

Kagome laughed and then said,

"But honestly…I only love you as a friend Koga…I thought you knew that?"

Koga sighed.

"I know…I knew then, but I always hoped that it would change."

Kagome hugged him, and found herself being flung backwards seconds later into Inuyasha's waiting arms.

"What the…?"

Kagome looked up and saw that Sesshomaru had been the one to fling her back, his hand now pinning Koga to a nearby tree.

"I told you not to touch her," he said to low for Kagome to hear from their distance.

"Yeah, well…I told you I had claimed her first."

"There are no marks."

"I didn't get around to doing that yet, if you let go…I'll make sure I get on that first thing."

Sesshomaru thumped him against tree hard enough to make a serious Koga shaped dent.

Koga groaned and then laughed.

"Got it bad, I see."

"Quiet wolf before I rid the world of you."

Koga merely laughed again.

"Before you interrupted, we got a chance to talk. I always claimed her, but she was never mine. I'm still gonna call her my woman though…even if I don't have any claim on her…and if you hurt her…I'll kill you first and then take up my original claim."

Sesshomaru stepped back, dropping Koga, who crumpled to the ground, breathing hard.

'Oh sweet Kami, air…how I've missed you'

"You will not get the opportunity to make good on your claim." Sesshomaru told him, looking down on him. "You are only still alive because it would displease her if I kill you. Do not think I will be so merciful if you step over your boundaries again."

With that he turned away, missing Koga sticking his tongue out at him.

He was only alerted to the wolf prince's childish behavior as Kagome and Inuyasha chuckled.

Glancing behind him he saw what had made them chuckle and rolled his eyes turning back around before Koga realized that he had been seen by the Taiyoukai.

"Wolf?"

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama?" Koga said getting up.

"Do you want to keep your tongue?"

"Huh?"

"I'd advise that if you want to keep your tongue in your mouth you will, in future, refrain from sticking it out at my person."

Koga's eyes goggled out,

'Does he have eyes out the back of his head?' he wondered.

He looked passed the Taiyoukai to see Inuyasha & Kagome's reaction and realized Sesshomaru had probably noticed them and had looked back at him.

He rolled his eyes at the two and merely grunted at Sesshomaru who had already started back to Kagome & Inuyasha.

Reaching the laughing duo, he merely said, "Come Inuyasha," as he picked up Kagome in his arms.

Noticing for the first time that Sesshomaru actually had two arms once again she looked up at him questioningly.

"Yes Kagome?"

"You have two arms."

"I do."

"How?"

"It regenerated. It took a couple of centuries, but it grew back."

"Wow, demon bodies must come in handy."

Sesshomaru chuckled and then said,

"I have no complaints."

"Thank you for not killing Koga."

Sesshomaru merely shrugged.

Once they reached back to the area where his car was located, he put her down and then opened the car door.

Getting in because she knew if she didn't she'd be put inside, she told him,

"You really don't have to give me a ride home…I can get there on my own.

Sesshomaru gave her a small glance, but said nothing but drove off.

"Thank you again for not killing Koga."

"Oh don't thank him," Inuyasha, who was sitting in the backseat, said, "he probably didn't want nasty wolf blood on him…that wolf's normal scent smells nasty, but combined with the scent of their blood, yech!"

Kagome giggled and Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

Looking up as they stopped, Kagome paused,

"This isn't my place," she muttered.

"You must have not heard his mighty Lord when we were talking to the wolf pack…he's dropping me off to pick up Karen. This is Kisho's house."

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said.

"Yes?"

"Get out,"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but got out of the car, heading to the front door as Sesshomaru pulled out and drove away.

"Karen's gonna be disappointed."

"Only a bit."

At Kagome's glance he explained.

"When Inuyasha takes her home, he'll drop his human guise and she'll get to play with his hanyou ears. They'll play all sorts of games until I get home."

"Oh…so she does know about you two being youkai."

"Yes she knows."

"I was wondering about that…how does that work?"

"Karen is as you've noticed the reincarnation of Rin…and her mother is the reincarnation of Inuyasha's mother…and her father is actually the reincarnation of our father, who has retained some of his memories, married her and had Rin and on one of our trips back to Japan, before Rin was born, he noticed and recognized us, even in our human guises, so we talked and they moved in our home here."

"Wow."

Sesshomaru smiled.

Sesshomaru stopped the car and helped her out, although Kagome was too distracted by other things to notice that they weren't in front of her shrine, but a lovely deserted park full of flowers near a lake.

Looking around she said,

"Hey…where are we?"

"We're taking a detour."

"Why?"

"You and I…my little miko, have some things to discuss," he said, leading her over to a park bench, in the middle, looking out towards the water.

End Chapter 7

A/N: Don't kill me…but I could have kept on going and going…and I wanted to get this one out while I could…I'll try to get the next part out soon. And thank you for your lovely reviews…you make me all warm and squishy on the inside. :-)