Sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. Thanks so much for those of you who have sent me emails and mini-reviews letting me know you guys are still out there. I've unfortunately been unable to spare much time for anything, since this is probably the only full day I'll have to myself, I've come to fill you guys in! Yay! I'm going to make an EXTREME effort to conclude this in the next five chapters. If you have suggestions now is the time to tip the scale on which of the boys is going to be the lucky guy! Updates may only come once a week and if they do, I promise to make the chapters longer.

Kouga reached the village; he had a determined mind, and a plan of action. He didn't really mind being around these particular humans, they had at first mistaken him for a human, and in a way they too were pack. They were Kagome's pack, so therefore were an extension of his own. He scented the air seeking the monk and the exterminator. Having found their scent he went to them. The monk looked closed within himself, the exterminator little better. She gave him a look that confused him. "Any idea on how long dog-turd is going to take on returning with Kagome?"

Miroku and Sango both looked to him at the same time. It was Sango who answered him. " Most probably they will be coming back in a few hours. She has quite a bit of issues to deal with, from what Kaede has told us." She glanced to the monk, held his eyes for a moment then left.

"Why is she looking at me like that monk?" Kouga asked Miroku.

"Come, let us head to the well." Miroku said as he began to walk towards the bone-eater's well.

Kouga stood, thinking his options over. It wasn't likely to be a trap, these two have also helped his pack out on occasion, he followed. They walked a little over half of the distance before the monk said anything more.

" What exactly are your intentions when Lady Kagome returns."

Kouga did not like being questioned by this man. Especially so, knowing the monks inclinations towards females in general. He didn't answer, and so Miroku repeated himself. Again, silence was the response. They had actually reached the well itself before Miroku spoke again. Kouga asked himself why he was still walking with this perverted monk.

" Lady Kagome is a very giving person. You and your comrades have benefited many times from her generosity. She is what has brought all of us together. I have been with her for a very long time and so have been privileged to see her in many different lights. One of the most difficult to see her in is the one concerning yourself and Inuyasha."

Kouga still said nothing.

"You must be aware of the fact that she loves him. We all have seen it, yet none of us mention it. Until she can be honest with herself, it will remain unsaid." Miroku saw how Kouga tensed with that last bit. Even so the wolf prince remained silent. "She has also begun to show signs of caring for you as she does for Inuyasha. We all know how you feel towards her. And this is where we are concerned. Now, at this particular moment, we are all bonded together by one event; the Shikon jewel. So I ask again, what are your intentions towards Lady Kagome?"

Kouga was confused. The monk had said, that Kagome loved dog-turd but then she began to display that same emotion for him. How was it possible to be in love with two different people? He knew his emotions for her, sure at first it was a thirst for power, but in the brief time they had been together, the focus for it was she. The power she carried, it was an excuse, so the pack would accept her. He had during his time spent recovering from the well's rejection done some introspection. She, Kagome the person, was whom he wanted. Not Kagome the miko, not the girl that could detect the jewel fragments. He wanted her for herself. He wasn't ashamed or embarrassed of his feelings for her. He had tried to tone it down a bit, because he realized she wasn't accustomed to that much attention. And since the monk had taken so much effort to have this 'talk' with him, it would seem his efforts are bearing fruit afterall. He couldn't help the smile. The monk remained patient awaiting his response. What were his intentions?

"Why are you concerning yourself with this monk? I have not place Kagome in any immediate danger, I have gone to extremes to insure her safety and happiness. I have done so much to please her, even putting up with Dog-turd and his crude attempts at getting me to submit and let him claim Kagome. I've already announced my intentions. I plain on making her my mate. Wolves mate for life, by the way."

The answer the wolf prince gave was the same he was expecting. He had mixed emotions on it. This man, correction demon, would go out of his way to make sure she was happy or at the very least content. The most Kagome could hope to get from Inuyasha is just companionship. The hanyo would make no extra effort to make her happy. But it would seem that he still loved her, and she saw it. She didn't question Inuyasha's feelings out loud, but she constantly questioned Kouga's. Why would she be doing it?

"How long do demons live?" Miroku asked.

"I never thought on it why?" Kouga answered.

" Humor me a bit, Kouga. How long can demons live?"

" A few hundred years I suppose. Most usually are killed by other demons or humans."

" A few hundred years? As in two or at the most three?"

"No. I know an elder who is a little over five hundred years. But he is weakening of body, soon he will either be killed by another…." Kouga trailed off.

"So demons can live up to say six hundred years. Humans only live about fifty and that is if they are with the means to ensure their health, like lords or princesses. Kagome is neither. She is sixteen years of age now; the most she could be expected to live is another thirty in these times. And only if she is most fortunate. If wolves mate for life, how do you expect to live for the remainder of those years without her?"

Kouga paused. He hadn't given the life span differences any thought at all. Even demons can be killed easily enough by those with knowledge. So in his mind, he expected his life to parallel Kagome's. That he would most likely be outliving her didn't once enter him mind.

"Wolves do mate for life. And being demon, only guarantee's us an extension of that. When a one dies, if the bonds are old and strong, the one left usually joins its mate within a few days."

"Can you leave your pack to join Kagome in death when that time comes?"

"That will not happen for a very long time. And even if I have to prepare another to lead the pack, I will. She is the one for me. No other will ever be enough." Kouga's voice held an unexpected level of conviction.

Miroku looked to the well a few feet from them. He didn't want to continue pushing the issue, but for Kagome's sake he had to. She had suffered so much, and he would do what he could to smooth the surface, for her.

"You are aware by now that Kagome is not from these times. You have experienced the well yourself. When the jewel is completed, and Naraku defeated, will you be able to cope with the possibility that she will be drawn back to her own time. Permanently."

Kouga slowly faced the monk, looking for deception. He hadn't expected anything like what was just said.

"I don't understand."

" Kagome is the jewel's keeper. It came from within her body. She broke it saving a young boy when she first arrived here. Because the jewel is in fragments the well remains open, allowing her to travel from her own time to these time so she can reform the gem. It is very possible that once it is completed, the well will seal itself and she would never be allowed to return to us. I am merely stating possible outcomes to all of this, so you can understand why we are concerned with your intentions. It's provable that we will all be long dead to her when she returns to her time. I would not like to carry the knowledge that my death will tear at her when she was just in my presence moments before. She's still young and may in time recover, but she will still be in pain, and I would be the cause of it. Could you survive long enough to join her in her time if that should happen? Think on it before she returns." Miroku turned and began to walk back to the village.

Shippo woke to a steady thrumming in his head. He raised one hand to his forehead and slowly opened one eye. Around him he could see the hut was in shades of red and orange, colors thrown by the firelight. Killia's meow brought his attention down to her. "Where's everyone at?" he asked. She meowed to him once more, head tilted to the side. She turned her small body towards the huts entrance and he go up gingerly and followed outside.

There was Kaede talking with a villager but no sign of Miroku or Sango. Killila looked back at him, meowed and continued to walk. He followed. They were obviously heading towards the bone-eater's well, so as he walked he thought over the confrontation between the hanyo and wolf demon. He questioned himself on the stupidity of the whole thing. Why couldn't they just make up their minds? It didn't have to be a difficult decision unless they chose to make it. He was SO glad he wouldn't have to deal with any of it for at least another twenty to fifty years. He planned to enjoy his childhood and all of its rewards to their fullest.

He smelled the wolf prince and Miroku before they came into his line of vision. He slowed his pace looking for Sango, sure that they had come to meet Kagome and Inuyasha. He was slightly annoyed with the fact that they left him sleeping instead of waking him. As he came closer, words fragmented by distance reached his ears. Shippo looked for a place down wind of Kouga that he could get closer without being found. He quickly got into position and listened to these two discuss Kagome and her future.

She slowly backed away from him and that in itself was a form of agony. He released her, not wanting to place any additional feelings of confinement or obligations on her. The release of emotions had drained them both, but it also cleared all the feelings of loss, anger, and misery one felt for the other. He kept his eyes closed relishing the feel of her only moments ago in his arms. She took several hiccupping breaths.

"Inuyasha,"

"Shhhh. Just give it a few more moments." he said in an almost unheard of voice. It wasn't that he never used kind words to her so much as he rarely ever used them. So she did as he asked. Kagome stood there just looking him over, from his black hair, to the jeans her brother got him into. He was even wearing shoes! She finally noticed that and as soon as her mind made the connection she began to giggle. He opened one eye and gave her a questioning look. Her giggles exploded into a full blow laugh. He smiled at her, just seeing her smile made him want to do the same.

"What's so funny?" he asked knowing she was laughing at him.

"You are." she said between giggles.

"Feh! Whatever. Your brother said I should 'fit in' with the rest of you. So if I look funny that means you look funny."

She thought on his line of reasoning and continued to laugh. He did have a point there. She reached, naturally, for his hand and led him to the door of the house. She saw her brother still standing there but Hojo wasn't.

"Where did Hojo go to Sota?"

" He said to call him later. He went home."

Guilt filled her, she had forgotten him. It couldn't have looked good, them hugging like that. Red began to fill her face and she let go of Inuyasha's hand. He didn't say anything; just let her hand slip from his. "Come on let's go in."

"Are you going back tonight sis?"

"No. We have to convince your mother to let her stay longer." Inuyasha answered.

Sota looked to him, conflicted. "Good luck there. You'd better be prepared to be here another week then."