A/N: Warning as this is a short chapter...but only because the following chapters are going to be with Kagome POV and what's happening in life with her.

"Wolves are strange—at least the males are."

He hadn't meant to walk in on an intimate conversation. So with great stealth and carefulness, he attempted to leave unnoticed.

One step.

Two.

Almost there.

"The problem that a lot of people—and hell, even as female wolves don't understand is that our males know pretty quickly on who they love..."

And just like that, he couldn't move.

"Stick to the one that loves you, Kara—not the one that you think you love. Ginta will move heaven and earth for you. Everyone always knew it. Akari? He will only love you on his terms. Seriously, just think about it. Okay?"

A shaky breath was taken in. For a moment, Koga didn't know if it belonged to him or Kara.

Sure, the conversation was being spoken about members of his pack...so why did it feel like it was directly about him?

Why were his hands trembling?

More importantly, why couldn't he move away and ignore the current conversation?

"That's the thing about male wolves. They either love you from the start or don't. Us? We can grow to love, but them? Their beast knows pretty quickly."

Trying to close his eyes and take calm breaths, he struggled to not allow memories from the past to invade.

He knew why this conversation hit a little close to home.

"Hell, look at our Alpha. He knew the first day. He'd seen a thousand faces in life, and even still, he knew the moment that he met her that she was the one."

And just like that, the memories came.

The kidnapping.

Leading her back to the den.

Hell, even the order he gave to not have her harmed echoed in the back of his mind.

Memories of the way her hair danced with the wind played in his mind.

Unconsciously allowing a low growl out, he tried to tell his mind to forget such things.

Instead, he smelled fear.

"I didn't mean—" The female that had spoken suddenly backtracked with her words. Panic in her voice, she suddenly came face to face a glaring wolf prince.

Apparently, they hadn't realized he was eavesdropping.

Ignoring the terrified female of his pack, he turned to the other she-wolf known as Kara.

"Her wisdom is not wrong. Ginta has always known you as his only choice." With those words, he made his presence scarce by heading towards the only room in the house where he had privacy—his bedroom.

It was fucking midnight.

Midnight and he was wide awake.

All because of this pandemic.

All because of the snoring.

Turning to face the wall that sheltered the room across from him, he wanted nothing more than to bang on it.

Instead, he allowed the unison snores to continue.

Reluctantly, he reminded himself that such actions should make him a pack member and, more importantly, the Alpha, happy. After all, the snores were coming from Ginta and Kara.

The she-wolf had listened and made her decision. All evening they had displayed affection to one another between shared grins, laughs, and touches.

He should have been happy.

But instead, it had reminded him of something else entirely.

His mind was filled with images and how things would have turned out if a certain priestess had received the same advice. More importantly, if she would have actually listened to it.

All evening he had imagined how different his life would have been.

Even now, as snores penetrated his eardrums, he couldn't help but imagine if she had been next to him in such an alternate universe. If he, too, much like Ginta, would spend some nights so blissfully passed out that snoring occurred.

Rubbing his temple in exhaustion, he debated his options.

He could ensure that no additional rest would occur with such thoughts of 'what if's, or he could attempt to remedy his roaming mind.

He could attempt to hope.

With such a thought, he grabbed his phone.

Pulling up the contact information of one of his pack members residing outside the city, he texted him.

"Aki, pull up information on every woman with the first name Kagome currently working at the company listed below. Thanks"

Sending the text, he assured himself he had done what he could.

Now, he would just wait for the expected news of disappointment.

But still, at least he had tried.

With those thoughts, his head felt lighter on the pillow, and to his belief, sleep began to claim him.

A/N: So it begiiiiins.