Night of the Wolf

2. A new topic lead to an argument

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"Please, Kagome, you have to understand that I really have to go. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Call you later, ok?" He kissed me hurriedly on the lips and ran out the door. I wanted to stop him but then that's when the conflict always seems to begin.

I mean he's a veterinarian hence I know how much he loves animals, but I think he loves them too much at times, especially dogs. Yes, I am an animal lover myself but not as much as Kouga. He practically cares for them as if they were his own offspring . Kinda bizarre if you ask me but, oh well, that's just who my Kouga is.

Days later he called me up around midnight. No surprise there. He mentioned something about an ill dog and how he wasn't so sure if he could make it to the dinner that was planned, by him, for me, that was suppose to make up for the time he left unexpectedly. I was deeply upset about it but I said I understood and he hunged up leaving me isolated yet again to, once again, soak my pillow with my already fallen tears. I just couldn't engrave it in my head that these animals were so vital to him that I was the second greatest thing in his life.

The second.

I woke up the next day exhausted and not really in the mood for anything but just my luck that my career is too essential for me that I can't dare miss any more days but I guess a tardy is counted as an absent. Heh, I used to call in sick so many times when I started dating Kouga. He'd take me somewhere simple but he always found a way to make it an immense day for me and on the next day I'd go to work with this vast grin on my face and I couldn't help myself show off to my co-workers of how good of a time Kouga had given me. I constantly bragged and I just loved the way they mentioned that they were jealous of my delightful, fortunate love life.

However, those days are simply memories as of now. Things aren't going well at the moment with my career rising, as well as Kouga's, these things keep getting in our way and each day passes with a reduced amount of time for us to spend time with each other and it's tearing me up inside. Kouga acts as if nothing and that's what worries me the for the most part.

With some money I had happened to begin saving I purchased a car, so no more waiting for the bus and sleeping poles for me. Kouga always insisted on driving me to work but I refused since any time he drove me to work I actually ended up not going.

When I arrived I gazed at the building and saw Kouga standing near the entrance with a bouquet of roses in his hand and a charming smile plastered on his face. Kouga has always been those sweet, timid, boy-next-door kind of guys that always came up with the most thoughtful gifts and ways to make me ecstatic.

I sat in my car, which I managed to turn off but froze afterwards when I saw him, then in a blink of an eye he was right there next to me knocking on the window asking if I was allright. I literally jumped out of the car hugging and kissing him as if I hadn't seen him in a long time. I was a bit angry at him for not being able to make it to dinner but I was glad he was here now.

"Sorry I couldn't make it last night. I stayed up late thinking of how to make it up to you, again. I thought roses were good but it wasn't good enough, so I thought about taking you out to lunch, maybe go shopping for a gift, take you dancing, or just let you-" I shut him up with an enriched kiss or else he would have gone on and on with a never-ending list. After I parted from a kiss I didn't want to end he opened the back door and threw the roses in the backseat and closed the door. He picked me up in his arms sitting me on the trunk of the car as his smile never faded from his face.

"Call in sick." He whispered near my lips while he looked up at me with those ocean-blue eyes of his, almost drowning myself in them. He stood between my legs, his hands lightly wrapped around my waist as mine were around his neck twirling my fingers in his hair.

"What? Kouga, I've used up all my sick days. I can't miss work or else I'll end up getting fired. Besides I'm finally writing about something interesting. They've finally decided to give me a non-fiction topic that so many readers have been requesting." I looked at him apolitically as I frowned uneasily. Fate really doesn't seem to want us together.

"I see. But they won't fire you knowing very well that you are home with the chicken pox." He laughed and I couldn't help myself on joining him. He came all the way here to inform my bos personally that I was too queasy to make it to work just so we can spend the day together but I doubt my bos believed that excuse.

"The chicken pox, huh? I can easily tell that you have been spending too much time with those animals that it's probably the only thing in your head, isn't it?" I smiled as I said this but was actually serious about it except I knew that I couldn't break this happy moment with my jealousy over what he loves so much.

"I guess so, but you know very well that there is always room for my Kagome-Chan in here. Besides you're the only one who occupies the space in my heart." I wanted to burst in tears being that every time he said something that sweet it had convinced me that he probably had nothing better else to do but memorize a poetry booklet and be an reincarnation of Shakespeare.

"So why are we here anyway? I wouldn't want your bos to see you out here when you're suppose to be in bed. Let's go and you can tell me all about this new topic of yours." He helped me off the trunk and drove me to a nearby restaurant to have lunch.

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"Well you see…," I began as I took a sip from my drink, "they pleaded for us to write upon werewolves. I thought it was real interesting topic being that it was something totally different from what I'm used to writing. They want the article in about two weeks so I'm guessing that that's about enough time to research on such an easy topic," I took another sip and waited for the waitress to place our ordered food on the table then continued, " I don't think it's hard since everybody knows those myths about werewolves. Something about half human and half wolf, hiding their suppose existence, transforming on the moonlight or full moon, blah, blah, blah. And It's animal related so I thought you could help a bit."

At that moment I didn't recognize him at all. The look on his eyes were full of something I've never seen before. A bit of confusion mixed with amusement and a bit of anger?

"Hiding their existence? Why would they hide?" He removed his hands which were holding mine and tucked them under the table as he laid back against the booth, his smile turned into a scowl.

"What? Kouga, what are you talking about?" I didn't know what to say. Did I, in some way, upset him? I don't think it was something I said.

"Kouga? Sorry if I said anything to disturb you but, maybe I'm way over my head here, but werewolves don't exist. It's a parable, a fairytale, a saga. Whatever you want to call it but-"

"It's a living creature, Kagome" I was rudely interrupted by him and it petrified me to know he was angry; I didn't even know Kouga could get angry.

"Living creature? Are you hearing yourself? It's just a story told by others. I know how much you adore animals Kouga but a werewolf is not an animal. It's a..um..a--"

"A what Kagome?! Come on, say it!"

He was yelling now. We were receiving side glances from the people in the room. Kouga cocked his head to the side as he kept advising me to tell him what I thought werewolves were. What were they anyway? Some kind of freaks who hunt when they're animals and act as if nothing when human?

"Kouga, what's the matter with you? Are you some kind of--"

"Freak?! Is that it? Werewolves to you are some kind of freaks."

He was finishing my sentences for me. All of them.

"Would you get over the werewolf subject. I want to know why you are acting like this? Is there like something you want to tell me or what?!" I shouted right at him just as loud as he was and now we were getting an audience. Kouga crossed his arms over his chest firmly and looked away. He was quiet for a while and I started to panic.

"Kouga, look at me." I softly said as I reached over the table and turned his head to me.

"We're threw." He slapped my hand away , stood from the table and left. Just like that.

I didn't know what to do or say. We're threw? Just like that? I couldn't believe it, it was to easy to end something so complicated, so huge, so…heart-warming. I stared at the space he occupied wishing that it was just my imagination and that he's really just gone off to use the restroom, but he never came back and reality was that he left. He left me.

"Miss, are you allright?" The waitress that had taken our order tapped my shoulder but I didn't budge. I ignored her and ran out the restaurant ignoring the whispers which were obviously about me.

I ran. Just ran to nowhere in particular. I had to get away from it all.

I thought he loved me. If he really did then what happened back there.

After an hour or so of running I came across my apartment door and I stopped. It was nighttime already. Maybe I hadn't ran for an hour but longer. I searched for the keys in my pockets but my hands were too shaky to unlock the door. A bag rustled behind me causing me to jump and drop my keys. As I bent to reach for them I felt a gaze staring at me from behind me except I was too scared to look back. I collected my keys and managed to unlock the door and that gaze came closer and sniffed my hand.

"Damn, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing out here… alone like me?" The dog kept

sniffing my hand and licked it a few times which clearly meant it was on it's own.

"Sorry boy, I have no food here but if you want to come in I'll give you something to eat and you can keep me some company since I really need it at the moment." I saw as it looked at me, as if it understood what I told it. Kouga once told me that dogs could sense fear and that's mainly why they attack being that they know we're defenseless at times or just scared.

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I fed it a couple of left over chicken but it wasn't hungry, well not as much as it was thirsty. I kept my distance since this was a gigantic dog and I just hoped it didn't sense my fear. I watched it closely as it drank and wondered who could have the heart to leave such a beautiful dog out on the streets. Well at least I thought it was a dog, maybe it was a wolf? Now that is something I clearly knew was impossible since wolves are not this gentle or so I've heard.

I left the dog alone to roam around freely as long as it didn't leave any surprises on my carpet floor. While I changed he, which I figured out, stood on the entrance of my bedroom, since I left the door open, and watched as I changed. I thought it was a bit silly of me to blush when he was watching given that I was nude and no one has ever seen me nude except myself. I slipped on an oversized t-shirt and had nothing underneath but panties.

"Well don't we like to stare?" I was amazed at how much I had turned into Kouga. I always watched him as he spoke to his dear animal friends at his office while he cared for them. I often made fun of him since he acted like he was going to receive a response from them and here I was having a conversation with a dog that happened to suddenly have appeared on my front door and was now watching me attentively.

"You have no idea how hurt I am...I got my heart broken today, just like that and I just…" I snapped my fingers as I spoke and threw myself on my bed. He flopped down on the bed next to me laying his head on my stomach watching me as I spoke and cried at the same time. It was strange to have this dog here next to me but it was nice someone was here to listen to me. It was like it was an actual person, here, comforting me on my need. I heard it whimper and I stroked the back of his ears because I know how much dogs enjoy it.

I fell asleep hoping to realize that this was all a dream or a horrible nightmare.

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-Kianna Chan-

A/N: I don't know why but I had a really good time writing this chapter. I thank every and any one who reviews my story. So far it's only been three but hopefully it'll be more.

BC1: Thanks for being the first one to review. I really appreciate it.

Anonymous person: I also thank you so much.

Kouga'seagleforeve: Also thanks and my first chapter was the only one that is going to be short. As for the rest of the chapters, they'll be longer.