It was late in the afternoon when Ayame received the invitation to Kagome's dinner party. She had quickly sat down behind her large desk and wrote a missive back of acceptance. She hesitated as she closed the envelope she should really talk it over with Kouga. Sometimes she forgot that she was married and that Kouga should have a say in some matters. However, in the end they would be going to this dinner party. Stopping outside the library doors where Kouga was she raised her hand to knock.
"Come in Ayame you don't have to knock." Kouga's voice ordered from inside the room.
Shocked Ayame opened the door to find Ginta looking at Kouga in confusion.
"What?" Kouga asked.
"How did you know it was Ayame?" Ginta asked.
"I just did." Kouga replied his eyebrows went down slightly. "I know the sound of her footsteps."
"But I didn't even hear her coming." Ginta said confused.
"Better get your hearing checked." Kouga replied before looking at Ayame.
Ayame stared at Kouga for a moment, his eyes were an unusual shade of gold, and he was leaning on his injured arm without even flinching. What was more unusual was he was going over the books.
"I already did the arithmetic on the books last week." Ayame said.
"I am just checking the numbers." Kouga replied.
"I see." Ayame replied "And how is your arm feeling today?"
"My arm?" Kouga asked his voice sounded irritated.
"Yes Kouga your arm, the same arm that was attacked by that wolf not more than a week ago. That arm." Ayame replied angrily.
"My arm is fine, as it was confirmed by Miruko the other day. Is there something you wanted Ayame or are you just coming to nag?"
"I never nag." Ayame replied coolly. "As a matter of fact I came to discuss the acceptance of a dinner party being held by Kagome."
"Confound it Ayame I don't want to attend another bothersome dinner party." Kouga half bellowed. "I'll have to dress up in evening clothes and be bored out of my mind at the polite conversation going on around me."
"We have only been to one other dinner party that was hosted by Kiro and Jass you had a nice time then." Ayame protested. "Besides I think its time to bury the hatchet with Inuyasha and try to get along."
"I'll bury the hatchet right in his back." Kouga said with a menacing grin that showed his white teeth.
"We are going and that's finale." Ayame announced as she turned around and began walking out of the library.
"Over my dead body." Kouga dramatically yelled after her.
"That can be arranged." Ayame mumbled under her breath.
"I heard that." Kouga called after her as she shut the door.
"You're not the only one being dragged to this gathering. Mist insisted that we attend also." Ginta grumbled.
Kouga's only response was a low growl as he bent over the books again.
"Why all of a sudden are you interested in the books of the estate? You're horrible at math."
"Lately numbers seem to be making sense to me and I know it bugs Ayame to see me being interested and capable of handling estate affairs." Kouga said flipping another sheet of numbers aside.
"Did you hear that Kiro still hasn't found the wolf and that no further attacks have been made on the cattle and sheep?" Ginta asked.
"It is just as I thought. It was a lone wolf, got lost from his pack and now he found them." Kouga replied.
"It was a frightful thing to watch that wolf attack you." Ginta said with a shudder.
Kouga looked up from the books and flexed his injured arm. "It healed rather nicely in a short matter of time. I've never felt better."
"Glad to hear it." Ginta replied with a wide grin.
"Excellent here comes Ivy with the tea; I was in need of refreshments. Would you stay and join me?" Kouga asked.
Ginta looked at the closed door of the Library in confusion not able to spot any sign or sound that Ivy would be here with tea.
"I don't see…" Ginta began but was interrupted as the door swung open and Ivy bustled in with a tray of tea and cakes.
"There she is. Thank you so much Ivy dear." Kouga said as he helped her set the tea down. "Are you going to join me Ginta?"
Ginta regarded Kouga with confusion for a moment before he shrugged it off and took up a cup of tea.
A FEW WEEKS LATER
Kouga stood with a glass of champagne in hand by Ayame's chair listening with bored interest to Inuyashas boasting of accomplishments that ranged from restoring his great – grandfathers estate to outsmarting his older brother and inheriting an old family heirloom a rusty old sword. Why this was a great accomplishment Kouga had no idea. He could tell Ayame was dozing her head was bobbing. He saw her hand go lax and his hand automatically shot out catching her glass of wine and liquid from hitting the floor. The buzz of conversation halted and all eyes were fixed on Kouga including Ayame's. Glancing down at his hand Kouga was also shocked at how fast he acted before the glass even fell. Inuyasha looked vexed that the attention was not on him and cleared his voice.
"I think we should start dinner, don't you think Kagome?" Inuyasha asked as he stood and offered an arm to Kagome.
Kagome took his hand leaving the guest to fall instep behind the two. Kouga and Ayame fell in behind Kiro and Jass. Ayame pinched his arm angrily her green eyes bright with anger.
"You promised to behave." Ayame whispered.
"I wasn't the one falling asleep." Kouga accused
"I was just resting my eyes." Ayame snapped
"Damn it we are having scallops." Kouga swore.
"How do you know that? Kagome said dinner was a surprise and I don't smell anything." Ayame replied sniffing the air.
"You can't smell that, it most definitely smells like scallops."
They entered the room and sat at their designated seats. Sure enough the dinner was brought in and it was scallops, Kouga's face turned pale.
"I heard you are partial to scallops Kouga." Kagome said with innocent excitement.
Ayame looked at Inuyasha, he sat with a smirk on his face as he waited for Kouga to reply. One time she had thought Inuyasha a handsome figure with his shocking white hair and lean figure, now she saw him as a dastardly fellow who was very jealous of Kouga.
"Kagome I'm afraid you have it mixed up. You see I am partial to scallops and Kouga loves a lean piece of lamb." Ayame replied with a smile.
"Oh that's right you did say that during your wedding vows." Kagome said as she looked at Inuyasha with a frown.
"Did you catch that wolf Kiro?" Inuyasha asked changing the subject off food. "In fact I heard it attacked you Kouga?"
"Merely a flesh wound, hardly noticed it at all." Kouga replied as he took a sip of wine.
"Actually there has been no sign of the wolf." Kiro said with a frown. "Very strange."
"Let us count ourselves lucky that no one was seriously harmed by the poor creature." Jass chimed in laying a hand on Kiros arm.
"What was it like staring into the eyes of such a creature?" Kagome asked leaning forward in her seat.
Kouga was quiet for a moment. "The eyes of the wolf were very human looking, and it hesitated slightly before it attacked… as if it didn't know what to do."
The conversations soon turned else were. As the hour grew late the guests made there excuses in leaving. After biding their hosts good night and seeing Kiro and Jass off Kouga announced he'd like to walk home.
"Walk home?" Ayame asked in shock.
"Yes, we have half the moon as light and I'm feeling restless." Kouga said as he strode down the road.
"Ayame?" Mist asked from the carriage.
"No am going with him, keep him out of trouble you know the usual." Ayame said as she hurried after Kouga.
They soon began walking at a comfortable pace. Ayame found it very pleasant to be walking in the cool evening air it refreshed the mind and body.
"Jass is pregnant." Kouga stated out of the blue.
"What?" Ayame asked in shock.
"We are going to be an Aunt and Uncle." Kouga replied simply.
"How do you know? Did Kiro and Jass tell you?" Ayame asked.
"They don't know their having a child either." Kouga said with a chuckle.
Ayame stopped and stared at his dark form. She couldn't see much of him except the gold of his eyes and white gleam of his teeth. She was glad he couldn't see the shocked horror on her face.
"Don't look so horrified." Kouga said his voice was gruff sounding.
"How do you know I'm horrified you can't even see me?"
"I can see you just fine. You spilled wine on your silk gloves, so there's a small stain." Kouga stopped for a moment and took a step toward her and brought his bare hand across the side of her cheek. "And you're bleeding slightly from a small cut on your cheek. Probably from that branch back there it looks like there is blood on it."
"Stop it Kouga." Ayame whispered out stepping away from him. "What is going on in side that head of yours?"
Kouga let out a sigh of frustration. "I don't know why nobody else can see, hear or smell what I can. It is just so obvious to me I assume everyone else see's it also. It's a feeling I have like how I know for a fact Jass is pregnant. She has tranquility about her in the way she moves the way she holds herself. I also know she doesn't realize she's pregnant."
Ayame just stared at him.
"You think I'm crazy." Kouga accused. "Are you going to leave me Ayame? You could easily get out of the marriage by saying your husband is insane."
Ayame glared at him, she knew he was trying to get a reaction out of her.
"Stop being dramatic Kouga you know fully well I won't leave you." Ayame said briskly as she began walking again.
Kouga fell into step beside her. "I'll try to keep my comments to myself."
Ayame was silent for a moment before she asked hesitantly. "Kouga I'm I pregnant?"
Kouga grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently before replying "Not yet."
Ayame smiled at his chose of words. However, there was something strange going on with Kouga and she was going to find out what it was.
Thank you Ayame's – New Bestfriend for reviewing regularly. You seem to be the only one who reads and reviews so thank you. Comments are helpful and important so let me know what you think.