Koga went to Kagome's house three nights later. He knew Inuyasha was on a mission and would be back soon.

"Are you ok, Kagome?" was the first thing he said.

"Oh, of course, Koga," she said and showed her pretty white teeth.

So he tried again. "I felt bad after leaving you alone with him, Inuyasha is such a good fighter but I did not think he would be unhinged outside the battle, seeing him like that… made me realize how dangerous his human blood is."

Kagome frowned at that. "So, I wanted to come back, but didn't know if that would make him angrier."

He sounded so serious, as if Inuyasha could hurt her, "you don't have to worry about Inuyasha, I trust him."

"Babe, we yokais have substantial power and lesser demons like Inuyasha cannot control themselves properly, that's a poor combination. Trust me, you need help to get rid of the trash."

"Please don't call him that Koga, he is… he is my oldest friend and I believe that the last person on earth who would hurt me is him". Koga wavered, but smiled at the 'friend' label she used and asked for the previously offered meal, Kagome got busy attending him and this gave him a chance to plan. 'So this is why she trusts him so much, a child Inuyasha, even weaker and more pitiful. But this is my woman, even if she doesn't know it yet. He would have to learn the hard way to respect hierarchy, blood, and power,'

"I came to say, goodbye babe," he said, and she gasped 'she looks cute all frightened'. In a dramatic gesture, he confessed his affection for her. And with promises of loyalty and eternal love, Kagome was quite flustered. The attention and intentions of Koga didn't confuse her, she knew who she wanted, it was the goodbye that got her. The times when one must lose a loyal friend were miserable. He was choosing to leave her not only because it hurt him to see her with Inuyasha but also because her boyfriend made things worse. They ended their friendship amicably. Kagome had no other option. She refused at first, but ultimately accepted what was Koga's decision. He spent the rest of the day at her house, but Inuyasha didn't appear. He hoped that after the assignment he would come back to her. Not to worry, he was patient, and Inuyasha, with all his strength, would defeat himself.

The weeks that passed were awful for her, Inuyasha and Kagome were always fighting for one thing or another, Inuyasha always complaining about shadow figures on her past, his imagination running wild with any male that came near her. His jealousy reached a high point when he discovered she was keeping letters from Koga. They stopped talking for a week when he suggested she should burn them. Kagome was miserable too, doubting her decision to choose Inuyasha. He acted in a way that was so obsessive. She thought that Koga's decision would calm him down, but he was always suspicious. It was exhausting.

For him, it was a constant nightmare, literally. In his house, he had been waking up in the middle of the night having dreamt his worst dream, losing her. She was killed, kidnaped, or stolen by Naraku, the bastard wolf, or any other threat. He was always angry, or sad, or sleepy. He didn't work at his top-level anymore, not even close, it was hard to concentrate or make decisions; the fear was ever-present and all-consuming. He had lost her for years and years and was not about to let her go easily.

"Can I visit the compound? I want to know where you live" said Kagome one night.

"No," said Inuyasha firmly.

"Why not?" she said and frowned.

"Koga goes to meetings there sometimes, I know you just want to see him".

"Please don't start Inuyasha, I want to know your friends, Sango and Miroku, to met your brother".

"Keh," he said, but the conversation halted. It was like this since the fight. They didn't seem to have fun or enjoy each other's company. even Sota felt the change and asked Kagome for Koga. Inuyasha heard and every day he would ask something about Koga to Sota, wanting to catch Kagome lying. Today he asked, "Hey bud, remember Kagome's ex-boyfriend Koga?".

Sota replied, "Yeah, what about him?" eager to speak to Inuyasha. Kagome groaned, just what she needed. This was going to be another fight.

Inuyasha glared at her but continued in a polite tone of voice "he was here a lot right?, I bet he spends some nights here too".

Sota said, "Nah, he always left early, he lives far away you know." Kagome smiled, she never interrupted the interrogations, Sota seemed to enjoy talking to Inuyasha and besides, she would be perceived as guilty if she spoke.

"Hmm," said Inuyasha "do you like him better than me, Sota?" he said.

The child stood up "No!, I'm sure you can beat him in a fight Inuyasha, he is a wolf and but you are a dog with a sword, I have read the tales of great yokais, I know you fight for ladies, gold, and stuff. Kagome wouldn't mind if you killed him, right sis?"

"How can you say that," she said reprimanding her brother, but caught herself and put a hand over her mouth. It was too late. "go to your room, Sota".

The kid looked deflated "are you going to fight again?".

Kagome saw the sadness in her brother, Sota knew now that Inuyasha was unstable, this was not ok. "No no, we are going to watch a movie for adults so you must go to your room"

"WHAT? I want to watch"

"how about I made you popcorn and you watch cartoons in your room, that way we all have fun and you watch nothing inappropriate." This was a better deal than Sota thought he could get. He ran to his room before Kagome could take it back and turned the TV on.

Kagome went to the kitchen when a figure stood in front of her, "we have to talk", she was tired. She didn't have a job anymore, because Inuyasha paid for everything, but she was still always tired.

"maybe later, Inu," she said, circling him and taking the package out of the plastic and into the microwave. He was mad, it was his constant state of being, fucking angry and alert all the time. He halted his plans to live with her because the wolf prince was staying at the compound. Koga was spreading the rumor of considering having a human wedding in honor of his human bride. He was seeing Kagome on the side or something, Inuyasha wasn't stupid. He sometimes smelled like her, it was obvious that she was still in contact with him, but he could not figure out how since she didn't smell like him, ever. It was driving him mad. He allowed her to make the popcorn and give it to her brother. That way the brat couldn't interrupt him, and he made a move.

"I want us to mate," he said, observing her reactions.

She was stunned "is that like… getting married?".

"better," he said, "that way you cannot betray me, or I'll know".

She knew nothing about this, "how can you know" she said, honestly wondering, "isn't it just signing a piece of paper?'.

He squared his jaw, "why do you want to know? Wanna make plans in advance?". She laughed at the ridiculous statement but stopped abruptly and paled when she saw his hands. His claws were digging in his palms and blood was running to the floor, She tried to stop him but he took her hands away

"ANSWER ME". he was shouting now.

"I was just curious, I don't want to do anything".

"anything MORE than what you are already doing?", she couldn't understand, 'what is he talking about..

"I know you are seeing him, I cannot smell him ON YOU but when I see him, I can smell YOU ON HIM, you are too good at it but he seems sloppy". This was crazy. She had kept her promise and missed her friend terribly, but she wanted to keep her relationship with Inuyasha and he just confessed that he didn't trust her. What was the point then? Of her constant misery.

That's when it hit her, it was not worth it for her anymore. She wanted to be with him and laugh and kiss him and everything that they had done before Koga appeared, but not a single day was like that. Every day there were questions and interrogations and things she could no longer do or say. She knew she was going to break his heart, but he was breaking her. She swore loyalty to him and after an hour or two; he calmed down, smelling her neck to reassure himself.

The next morning she called for him. Koga came with two of his friends, Ginta and Hakkaku. She took her brother to a playdate, and they waited for Inuyasha to come. Her plan was to talk to him and make him understand reason. He had gone to the compound and was assigned a target. Inuyasha was making a habit of showing up at Kagome's house by surprise, but he had not caught sight or a whiff of the mangy wolf. 'Maybe he is lying and I'm a fool for believing his lies.' But then again, he smelled like her sometimes. He ran back to Kagome's house with his mind filled with homicidal thoughts.

Inuyasha knew he was there before he entered the door. He opened it so fast that he almost broke it. He wasn't losing his mind; he caught them! He had just caught them!. Kagome was sitting at the kitchen table. The sound startled her, and she looked up. By the time she did that, Koga was in front of her. Inuyasha tried to punch him, but he dodged the fist. In the midst of the fight Ginta got a purple eye and Hakkaku got a rib broken, but Inuyasha couldn't catch Koga, and the prince was not fighting back. It wasn't a duel because she had chosen already. Inuyasha calm down a bit and addressed Kagome

"so you chose HIM?" he said, not really looking at her.

"No, Inuyasha, please listen," she said sobbing, "he came to help me, to resolve things".

They betrayed Inuyasha. She did the thing that she said, every day, that she would not do. "I get it," he said in a small voice, defeated, "I'll get the fuck away from your life". He turned away. She was pleading, but he had eyes, Koga was triumphant and he had lost, lost everything. He left and just when he was crossing the threshold she pleaded "come back", and he couldn't let the invitation go but he couldn't turn to see her with him. The quick plans to end his misery disappeared with her plea, but everything else was broken. He felt his heart shattered.

Kagome explained to Sota that Inuyasha was taking a trip and would not be in the house anymore. He was obviously sad but kids are resilient; she told herself; they are easily distracted, She bought him a new computer with her last savings.