Chapter 42

Kouga whistled, walking down the street. Life was good. He was close to getting Kagome back in his grasp, and this time he would be sure to never let her go again. He had been quiet the past few weeks, but it was because he had been planning. Those plans were close to unfolding, and he couldn't wait.

However, word had gotten out of a possible threat towards Kagome. That was something Kouga wouldn't allow. No one would hurt her outside of him, and he was going to make sure of it. There was no guarantee the fool would act against Kagome, but Kouga didn't care.

Thinking about hurting her was enough.

Turning down a dark alleyway, the whistling stopped. Shabby apartments were nestled down at the end, those who meant nothing to the world living inside. His target was one of the scoundrels who dwelled inside.

This was going to be a dirty job, but it was necessary. Kouga chuckled at the sound of the bottles clinking together in the bag he carried. He was also thankful for the air turning chilly, because it gave him an excuse to wear gloves. The perfect cover up.

Making his way up the rickety stairs, he stopped at the door that held his newest victim inside. He shouldn't kill, he supposed, but he was willing to do anything to get Kagome. This was a small price to pay to get back the woman who had scared him, betrayed him, and humiliated him.

When he finally got Kagome back, she would realize she made a mistake in leaving. It was going to be hard holding himself back. He would have to make sure not to accidentally kill her on their first go. If he wanted to keep her punishment going, he needed to keep her alive.

Knocking on the door, Kouga waited patiently. The moment it opened slightly, he shoved his way in, ignoring the man who fell to the ground in a drunken stupor. This was going to be a lot easier than he expected. When the door was locked, he turned to the still confused man.

"Mattaki." Kouga knelt down beside him, flicking the fool in the head. "You should learn to keep your thoughts inside your head. The wrong person just so happened to overhear your mumbling, and now, here I am."

"Who are you?" Mattaki tried to stand but tripped over his own feet. He had no equilibrium to speak of and it showed. What a pathetic excuse for a soul.

"I guess you wouldn't know me." Kouga looked around the shabby apartment, disgust on his face as he saw the infestation of bugs. It smelled like urine and death. Soon enough, Mattaki would be adding to that stench. "I am Kouga, Kagome's ex-husband. The girl who married your son."

Mattaki's eyes grew wide, and Kouga chuckled, reaching into his bag and pulling out the first bottle. "Would you like some? From what I understand, you can't resist." Kouga smashed the top against a rotting table, opening it. Vodka spilled over the floors, but Kouga ignored it, thinking it didn't really make a difference compared to what was already on the ground.

"You made the comment that you were going to kill Kagome to save your son." Kouga smiled, his grin frightening. "I could care less what happens to Miroku. In fact, he is one of my targets. One among many. You see, Kagome on the other hand, is mine. That means if anyone is going to hurt her, it will be me."

"I won't go near her again. Neither of them, I'll stay away." Mattaki tried to crawl back on his hands and knees, but Kouga grabbed his ankle, pulling back.

"As much as I want to believe you, we both know it is very possible you won't even remember this conversation come morning. I also can't risk you going around and letting your drunken tongue tell everyone I paid you a visit. I have plans for those I hate, and I won't let you ruin them." Kouga held up the bottle. "So, drink up."

Mattaki tried to fight, but he was drunk, and Kouga was strong. Holding him down by the chest, Kouga forced the vodka down Mattaki's throat. He kept the stream slow, making sure the fool didn't choke on it and drown. No, Mattaki's death would be something more…him.

After the first bottle, Kouga moved on to the second, then third, and finally a fourth. By time he was finished, he had forced Mattaki to drink the entirety of four vodka bottles. With the alcohol in Mattaki's system, it wouldn't be long before the bastard succumbed to alcohol poisoning. A fitting death for the man who hadn't been able to put down a bottle for almost thirty years.

Leaving the man on the floor groaning, Kouga left, chuckling. One target down, three more to go. Soon, very soon, Kagome would be his. He just had to be patient now.

…

Miroku threw the rock, watching it skip on the water surface of the lake. He counted the ripples, and smiled as they surpassed InuYasha's throw. InuYasha grumbled, rolling his eyes as Sesshomaru stepped up, with his own rock.

This was something the brothers used to do all the time. Something they hadn't done in a while. Their lives were moving forward, all three of them entering into budding relationships that could define their future. Miroku's relationship literally was defining his.

Sesshomaru threw his rock, far surpassing that of his younger brother's. He smirked in triumph, moving over to a bench to sit down. InuYasha sat beside him, while Miroku continued to pick up perfect skipping rocks and then throwing them.

"I'm surprised you aren't freaking out." InuYasha placed his arms on the back of the bench, leaning his head back so he could look at the sky. "Normally if you leave Kagome alone, your antsy and annoying as fuck."

"She is texting me every hour and is at mother and father's home. They are there with Souta and Aito. If that is not enough to keep her safe, nothing will be." Miroku hated even thinking like that, but it was the truth. She was well guarded at the moment, and he was constantly having to remind himself.

"I have been looking for a way to get Kouga back into jail, but without him getting caught doing anything illegal…" Sesshomaru shook his head in annoyance. "Aside from the mall stunt, he has been laying low, which worries me more than anything else. He is planning something, and we have no idea what."

Nobody said anything as they thought about Sesshomaru's words. He was correct, but there was nothing that could be done. They were at a standstill. It was like being stuck on the train tracks. You knew the train was coming. You could hear, see, and feel it approaching you at bone crushing speeds, but your feet were glued to the tracks unable to move. All you could do was wait for the impact and hope that you somehow miraculously survived.

"Can we talk about something good?" Miroku threw another rock, this time with much more force.

"I am thinking about proposing to Naomi." Sesshomaru watched both his brother's whirl around to face him, and he smirked once more. Miroku had almost fallen into the pond because of his speed to look at Sesshomaru.

"What is it with you two falling in love with women so quickly." InuYasha scooted away from Sesshomaru like he had some sort of disease and scowled.

"We cannot help what the heart wants. Father did not know mother for very long before they married and had me." Sesshomaru ran a hand through his hair. "I do, however, think I am going to wait. Perhaps until the baby is born. I do not wish to steal Miroku's fast paced thunder."

Miroku rolled his eyes, used to being the brunt of his brother's jokes. "What about you InuYasha. Think you are going to marry Sango anytime soon?"

"You're joking, right?" InuYasha raised an eyebrow, scoffing. "It took me years to get her to agree to date me. I'm not ready to be rejected again so soon. I'm going to wait until she starts giving me hints, then I'll pop the question."

"But you see her as your wife?" Sesshomaru wasn't shocked by this, but InuYasha openly admitted just then that he had his life planned around Sango.

"No shit. I've spent years chasing her. I know she is the one for me, but this time, she is going to have to do a bit of chasing." InuYasha grinned smugly causing both Miroku and Sesshomaru to shake heads. Neither had the patience to wait that long. When they knew they wanted a woman, they pulled out all the stops to get that woman to look at them.

Miroku pulled out his phone, smiling as he saw Kagome texted him a photo of her between Touga and Aito. The two older males were getting along better now, much to Kagome's relief. He noticed her pregnant belly, his smile fading as he texted her back.

"What was that about?" InuYasha had his eyes narrowed, looking at his brother. Sesshomaru was observing him as well. "You got upset there for a second. What happened?"

"Nothing. Kagome sent me a photo of her, Touga and Aito. She was just checking in." Miroku put his phone back in his pocket, and got back to searching for rocks. He was still tense, but he said nothing else.

Sesshomaru and InuYasha shared a look but didn't say anything more. They knew something was wrong. Kagome had begged them to take Miroku out for a bit, though she wouldn't say why. She hadn't wanted Miroku to know that she had asked for their help, and it was why she was all too willing with giving into Miroku's demands of an hourly text.

Deciding to change the subject, Sesshomaru turned it to better things. "How is your son? Any new developments?" Miroku tensed further at the question, and Sesshomaru leaned forward, suddenly worried. "Is that what is bothering you, something with the baby?"

"The baby is fine. He is…" Miroku didn't look at either of them. His back was turned to his brothers, his father's words once more running through his head. "Do you think I am strong? Do you think… never mind." Miroku shook his head, but his family wasn't letting this go.

"Keep fucking going. We ain't leaving until we get to the bottom of this." InuYasha was leaning forward as well now, both he and Sesshomaru looking at a rigid Miroku.

"Father came by again. He said some things… did something that made me begin to think…" Miroku sighed, rubbing his face. "What if I'm no better than him?"

"What did he do?" Sesshomaru stood, moving to stand in front of Miroku, making his younger brother look up to him. "In truth, it doesn't matter what he did. You are nothing like the man who sired you. You think of him as your father, but he is not. He did not raise you, your mother did until you could raise yourself. When she died, my parents took you in, and showered you with the love you deserved. If you were to take after anyone, I would think it would be our father."

"Besides, you are a softy. You always have been. You took your shitty childhood and made something amazing for women in need. You saved Kagome, and completely turned her around. I still can't touch her, but you were able to get through to her in just a few short months. If that doesn't speak of who you are inside, then nothing will." InuYasha threw an arm over Miroku's shoulder, pulling the younger male to him.

"I don't know." Miroku still wasn't convinced. He couldn't take that shot without worrying that he wouldn't be able to stop.

"You may fear the type of father you are now, but when your son is born, you will see what we all see. He is lucky to have you as a father. Any child would be." Sesshomaru also placed his arm over Miroku's shoulders, sandwiching him in between the two. Miroku may have fears, but his family wouldn't let them control him. He was nothing like the man who sired him, and soon he would see.