Author's Note: Sorry, so sorry for the delay guys! But thank you all for the reviews and amazing compliments. I've been looking forward to updating for a while and I certainly hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the rest. I'll try not to end this one in a cliffhanger, but there are not guarantees—we'll see how the plot flows along.

Kiba: What's that supposed to mean?

Little Zep: It means I don't know what I'm going to write yet.

Kiba: What? Well that seems like a pretty shotty way to repay your readers. Can't you at least assure them it will be a great chapter?

Little Zep: Ok…well, this is going to be a great chapter guys!

Kiba: Well that was "convincing," and how dare you compliment yourself! You're spineless, you know that?

Little Zep: What's with the attitude? Is it because Yuri went to the ball with Yoshiro?

Kiba: (kicks dirt) Maybe.

Little Zep: Is it because you know what I'm thinking of doing to you in the next couple of chapters?

Kiba: That we need to talk about (begins to drag Little Zep away).

Little Zep: Wait! I've got to finish this chapter first! Wait!

Yuri stopped dead in her tracks, staring dumbfounded into the hall just outside the ballroom. Her eyes widened and her hand came up to cover her mouth. She stumbled forward slightly as the tears welled up in her eyes began to flow down her face in a steady stream of mourning.

But she had been so sure.

"K-Kiba," she choked, her voice muffled from behind her hand. The hall was empty, free of any person. No Kiba, not even a hint of him. She shook her head in denial. No, he had to be there—he was hiding from her, trying to trick her and any minute now, he was going to burst out from behind one of the low-hanging draperies and soothe away all of her sorrow with his smooth voice and gentle caresses.

Nothing.

Yuri's legs began to quake, an objection to carrying the weight of her body any longer, and Yuri swayed slightly in her place. But it was all too much, this. Damn her heart for betraying Yuri and reminding her of the pain of her loss! Damn her mind for proving equally traitorous! It hurt so much, as if her soul were being wrenched out of her. Yuri clutched her womb—she was sure the baby could feel her pain too—closing her eyes as she began to sob freely. Her head came down, Yuri balled her hands into fists and uttered a cry of such pain and sadness it must have left the heavens in tears. It left her empty, not sad anymore, not anything.

Yuri finally gave up and let her legs give way under her, hoping she would lose consciousness on her way to the floor. Yuri waited for the impact, to feel the cold hard marble floor beneath her, but it did not come. Instead a pair of strong arms and a soft embrace caught Yuri and enclosed her sobbing body in its warmth and comfort. Yuri did not look up to see Yoshiro's bewildered expression or the deep concern and sadness expressed in his visage thereafter. Yuri only lost her self in his arms, crying without remorse and without restraint, finding solace in the darkness closing in on her.

Feeling Yuri's body go slack, Yoshiro looked down at her face—she was unconscious. Yoshiro took Yuri into his arms and walked down the hall. "Cousin has not yet made her appearance," he thought. The worst thing to do now was go back inside the ballroom. That would only create a scandal. It was bad enough as is, everyone having witnessed Yuri's unexplained behavior as she ran out of the ballroom like a madwoman. It was a good thing her had been coming here to visit his cousin for years and thus knew the mansion very well. He took the short cuts he used to take as a child when he wanted to avoid his cousin's wrath after spilling food on one of her expensive dresses.

Tsume slammed Kiba to the ground, pinning him by the shoulders, his white gleaming fangs hovering only inches from Kiba's throat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Kiba growled, trying to fight Tsume off.

"I should ask you the same thing," Tsume spat back. "What was that little show I just witnessed?"

Kiba scoffed. "What are you talking about?" He struggled against Tsume again. "Let me go!" He cried urgently. He needed to get free. Tsume had pulled Kiba away at the last moment, when Yuri's scent had been closest—if he didn't get free soon, he would miss her.

"Don't act like you don't know! You were thinking about her, I heard you say her name under your breath."

"So what if I was?" Kiba said.

"Get a hold of yourself, man! She's gone, accept that! She isn't coming back, ever!"

"You're wrong!" Kiba found a weak spot in Tsume's stance and heaved Tsume off him, jumping to his feet immediately after. "She's here, I can feel it. Her scent, I know her scent and I can smell it nearby and nothing, nothing is going to stop me from finding her." Kiba turned his back on Tsume, only to run into a group of four armed guards.

"Kiba!" Tsume called. Kiba jumped back, bracing himself to fight. In the intermittent struggle Kiba and Tsume were split up, Kiba running down one corridor with a group of guards in hot pursuit, while Tsume slipped passed the guards behind another pair of large double doors.

Yoshiro laid Yuri's head gently on a soft feather-filled pillow. Covering her with a blanket, Yoshiro sat at the edge of the bed and watched her. "I suppose I brought this on myself," he murmured, "flaunting you about like a trophy. I've certainly made an ass of myself." He sighed heavily and shook his head. He stood and headed for the door, then stopped, reconsidering. "No, no, if you're up here what's the point of my going back to the ball?" He took a seat in a large, comfortable-looking leather chair. "Not that I'm looking forward to going back there. Oh, I can see it all now, the smirks, the pointing, listening to their snide comments—I think it's safe to say my fun is over for tonight."

He snuggled into the chair, preparing for a nap. "But I certainly hope you wake up soon and compose yourself. Cousin will want to see you and she doesn't like to be disappointed." Yoshiro scrunched up his nose in anticipation of what was sure to be a troublesome night. He looked at Yuri's face once more, the portrait of serenity as she slept, and frowned.

What could have made her act in such a manner? She had gone insane by all accounts, if only for at brief interval of time. Why? Yoshiro recounted the manic scene, step by step. Yuri wrenched her self from his grasp and began her made dash for the door. She was crying and yelling incoherently for the most part, but from amongst her yells, Yoshiro distinctly remembered the utterance of a name.

"An interesting name, Kiba," Yoshiro muttered. He would have to find out all he could about Kiba.

As Yoshiro and Yuri slept soundly in the floor above, Tsume and Kiba were split up, Jagura's guards in the city outside were chasing Toboe, and Hige was fighting the torment of his lost memories and large collar.

Kiba rested for a moment, having fought off the group of soldiers chasing him. He leaned his back against the wall and sighed. Letting his head fall forward, Kiba thought about what had happened the last few minutes. "I must have gone crazy," he thought. "I actually believed Yuri was here." He shut his eyes tightly, trying to erase from his mind the image of Yuri's face. "Damn it," he whispered. "I can't fight it, I can't. If she's gone now she was here, I know it. I could practically taste her kisses and smell her hair and…" That wasn't helping; it only made him want her more. But he had to compose himself.

"You're here for a reason, damn it," he said to himself. "You're here to rescue Cheza. You're here because you need Cheza to get to paradise, because she's the key to unlocking paradise, because paradise is the most important thing to all wolves and to you." His hands formed into fists, tightly clenched, his nail digging into the palms of his hands. "That's not true," he thought. Paradise used to be the most important thing to him, but not any more. He had found something even more important—or rather, someone.

Yuri was more important to him than anyone or anything. She was all that mattered to him. But she was gone; she left him so he could pursue his dream. Now Kiba found himself wondering if there really was a paradise for wolves, something he had never before doubted. He had found his paradise, in Yuri's arms.

"No," he shook his head. "No, there is a paradise, I've believed that my whole life. Paradise is the one thing that has kept me going all these years; I can't give up on it now. There is a paradise and I will find it, no matter what. I will find Paradise and when I do, I will return. I'll come back and, search the heavens if I need to, but I will come back for her. ThisI vow.

"I will return for Yuri, and you and I will be together, with nothing to pull us apart ever again, in Paradise."

The sound of approaching footsteps put an end to Kiba's repose. Quickly glancing around the corner, Kiba saw the approach of another group of Jagura's soldiers.

Kiba smirked.

His fire was back. That indescribable passion burning within him had returned with added vigor. He had a purpose once more, the most important one he had ever had. He was doing this not only for the sake of paradise anymore; he had something to drive him once again. A vision of Yuri swam into his mind's eye once again.

He welcomed it this time.

Thank you all for supporting my writing and myself! I know I don't update very often, but I am always very pleased to read reviews on my work! So again, a special thank you to the wonderful reviewers who take the time to make my day!

Author's Comments:

To j-pauper:

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed your review! Let's see, you posted a review for chapter 15 (I believe that's the final chapter) of The Lily's Path, the prequel to this story. So, once you read up to this point you'll be able to read this message and know just how much I appreciate your comments! You have my sincerest gratitude for your review. It was thorough and…wonderful! You critiqued my writing as well as the story and I truly appreciate that. I hope to hear from you again! Thank you and I hope you're enjoying Last Scene and continue to enjoy my work!

To leeleesan:

Great to hear from you again! You must be my most devoted reviewer! Thank you so much for sticking by me and my writing! Well as you can see, no I haven't given up on this story. I've just been mind-bogglingly busy for the past few weeks. I've been out of town a lot, on and off and I haven't had time to just sit in front of the computer and let my muse take over. So inspiration is at a low but I'm working hard to please you and the rest of my readers! Thanks again for the great review—always great to hear from you!

To fangsire:

Yes yes, a cliffhanger! I know, I can't stand them when I read them but it sure is fun to write them! Go ahead call me a hypocrite. I know I am! Glad you're enjoying it! Hope you liked the latest chapter and thanks loads for your review!