Chapter Seven
"Never marry the one you can live with, marry the one you cannot live without." – Unknown
Kagome: Age Twenty-Five
Kagome had to give Koga credit for reading a situation well. He didn't press her 'okay' and moved on with her training. Her nerves had her entire body wound up so tight; she really needed the release that a good workout would be. Then, and only then, could she genuinely consider Koga's proposal? As it stood, she had given him a maybe in her mind. And he took it as such, being her senior the rest of the day instead of the guy she just gave an obtuse answer to a big question.
It was too bad Izayoi was off the table as a trainer. Kagome really needed a run as a wolf. Stil being a 'pup', she wasn't allowed to go by herself or without her mate. Of course, no part of her could mate with Koga for such a small reason, but damn she needed a break. The 'training' Koga gave her was far from enough; Kagome barely broke a sweat. But with no other choice, she prepared to call it a night.
Showered and ready for bed, Kagome was shocked when another wolf waited at her door for her. "The Alpha wants to speak with you."
Was Kagome finally getting her half of the punishment for what happened? Weirdly, she was giddy about it -probably because she had been waiting on pins for this for three days now. Her guide felt like they went extra slow and, even though she knew the way already, she let them lead.
The door was opened and shut for her. Sesshomaru sat at a small office with a desk in the middle. "Have a seat, please." She did as ordered, seated before the Alpha with the desk between them. "Inuyasha told me everything." Kagome didn't fall for it, keeping her mouth shut. "That the two of you have been friends for a long time?"
"Yes."
Kagome treaded lightly, unsure where he was going with this. "I'll be blunt; you pose a risk to a significant merger of packs. I don't know if you noticed, but our pack is failing." She hadn't; it seemed fine to her. "Our numbers are fine, but Naraku threatens to kill us all, and we're not up for the fight. He will slaughter us all. Inuyasha's fiancé is part of a larger pack that is trained and ready for war. With his mating, we will secure our future."
"You would sacrifice your brother like that?"
Sesshomaru jumped from his seat and began to pace. "It's not an easy choice. I haven't made it lightly, and Inuyasha… I'm ashamed to say, yes, I will. Because his sacrifice will save many of us."
"Naraku poses such a threat? Why? When I saw him last, he wasn't so bad."
Sesshomaru was quiet but then came to a rest in his chair again. "You have extraordinary and unique blood, did you know that, Kagome?" She shook her head. "We tested it, and you have a high percentage of wolf blood, which shouldn't be possible given your lineage. You also possess similar markers to an ancient trait we thought long gone."
"I do? What's the trait?"
"We call it knowing."
He didn't need to explain; she got it instantly, nodding silently back at him. "It's not very strong…."
"We noticed. But you could work on it. And I would love for our pack to help you with that. However, I can't have you around Inuyasha. I fear even after he is mated, you will pose a threat. You've been here for two weeks and he's already slipping. It's rare, but cheating on a mate does happen. And it would be worse than calling off the merger."
Her heart fell into her belly with her fear. "So, you're kicking me out?"
"I'm giving you a choice. I heard Koga asked you to be his mate?" She nodded again. "Good. You can either mate with Koga or some other willing wolf or leave the country."
"Leave the country?!"
"If you stay here, Inuyasha will find you. So I ask that you go to your brother's side. Unless you're ready to mate?"
There was a process to mating; one was for the female to go off any birth control. And since Inuyasha told her to stop taking it, Kagome had. "I am."
"Then I suggest you take Koga up on his offer quickly or pack."
Kagome got to her feet; the conversation was nearly over. "I don't understand? How do I create such a threat? Inuyasha is going to mate with the woman you chose for him, not me. He already made that clear to me, many times over."
"Then…" Sesshomaru's apple danced as he swallowed thickly, "you should feel no pain or shame in taking another as your mate."
Sesshomaru held up a hand and gestured for her to leave. She walked to her room in a daze, lost in her thoughts, until she was back in her room, leaning against her door in shock. It was why it took her so long to notice; she wasn't alone.
oOo
Kagome: Age Twenty-Four
Her face hurt from smiling, but she couldn't stop. Inuyasha was pulling on the collar of his shirt and looking around at the sprawls of people -walking the street next to Kagome. It was a small festival compared to most. But they had stumbled on it after dinner, and Kagome squealed, so here they were.
His beads were tucked under the button-up he wore, but with the first couple of buttons at the collar undone, the shiny black still flashed from time to time. They matched his hair, braided by Kagome after a few moments of pouting. The jeans he donned didn't take away from how nice he looked, nor did the irritated look on his face as they pushed through the crowds of people. She knew him well enough to know it was the large amounts of strangers around that bugged him, not the act of taking her out. Not since this was far from the first time they'd been outside her apartment to do something other than to have sex. After all, the shirt was one of a few he kept at her place for events like this.
Food stalls were mixed in as well as a few games. Kagome stopped to watch a Koi game for a few moments, and Inuyasha wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It helped him keep her close and calm, and it didn't bother her in the least, reaching up to thread her fingers through the hand that dangled.
Inuyasha used it as an excuse to whine where only she could hear. "Can we go yet?"
"Not yet."
He pulled her closer with his arm and whispered in her ear. "Oh, Higurashi, you owe me big for this."
"Oh yeah?"
She leaned deeper into him, feeling the smile curl on his lips against her shell. "Yeah. I'm thinking we go for a run first. Then after I mount you, fuck you, make you fucking scream my name, you give me head."
The heat was rising in her fast, but Kagome still giggled against Inuyasha and his words. "That doesn't sound very special. We do that almost every night!"
"If it ain't broke…."
"We can do some of that before we get home?"
He squeezed her hand and hissed into her hair. "Baby, don't fucking tease me."
"Who says I am, Puppy?"
It was far from the first time they would play around in public. Inuyasha wasn't known for patience, and sometimes, the movie they went to see was shit. Kagome had no problem with a blow-job in an empty hallway or a quicky in an alley. And Inuyasha most certainly didn't mind -only that she wasn't as vocal in public. It didn't deter him then or now as he began directing her to the closest quiet spot. It would be impressive for him to find such a spot here; the place was well covered with people.
Maybe it was his eagerness or the crowd, but Kagome noticed the strange person first. She didn't smell or hear him; she felt him in her bones, turning as much as she could in Inuyasha's hold. He yanked on her when she stopped, trying to keep her moving. "Kagome, I can't wait any longer…."
He was tall and thin with dark hair that looked unwashed. To everyone else, he was just an unwashed teen. But to Kagome, he was dangerous. To Inuyasha as well, tugging Kagome again, this time to stand behind him. The young man approached, and Kagome looked around for more of them. They never traveled alone.
"Come on, isn't this getting old now?" Inuyasha warned.
Kagome grabbed and scratched up his back. There were a lot of innocent people here. Children. "Inuyasha…"
He read her, slowly moving both of them towards the end of the festival. She imagined it was where he planned to take her for their play. Inuyasha already had a quiet spot picked out, but now it would be used to fend off Naraku's attempts to take her yet again.
The festival behind them, the sounds of happy innocences hit their ears while the stringy wolf smirked before them. "Where are your friends?"
"They're coming/" The man admitted.
"You're alone? That's stupid." Inuyasha was cocky now, leaving her behind a little as he strutted up to the strange one. "I eat little wolves like you for breakfast."
There was a slight shake to the boy's shoulders, and Kagome's heart fluttered for him. "Yash."
"Tell you what, kid," Inuyasha continued, "why don't you join a real pack? Maybe your mother's instead of the POS one you're in now?"
"They won't take me." The boy admitted.
"Why not?"
Kagome didn't understand. Weren't packs supposed to accept their people without question? Neither answered her, still squared up for a fight. "Naraku wants the woman."
"Yeah, yeah, he's neem spilling the same shit for years now. But I promised Kagome he would never get close to her again and I kept it. So what makes you think a little dip-shit like you is gonna win?"
The kid lifted his arm and pointed at Kagome. "Cause I'm like her, I'm not normal."
They blinked, and the stranger was gone. Kagome felt him again, this time right behind her. He was going to put his hands on her, so she reacted, reaching behind her and grabbing whatever she could to toss him over her head. He weighed nothing like he wasn't eating anything. Kagome was half surprised he didn't shatter like glass or dried bones when he hit the pavement before her.
Inuyasha yanked her away from him while he sputtered on the ground, trying to breathe. "You may be fast or whatever, but Kagome ain't easy, asshole."
Tossed onto his back, Inuyasha took them away. He was fast but not as quick as he would be if he shifted. And the strange kid was faster.
They had just reached the small park (deserted thanks to the festival) when the boy slammed into them, hitting Inuyasha's side and sending them flying. Inuyasha rolled while Kagome flew, then rolled, hitting the ground hard and knocking her breath out, which was a good thing compared to getting crushed by Inuyasha when he rolled with her on his back.
The fast wolf was standing over her, grabbing her arm and forcing her to her feet before Kagome's lungs had recovered. He sneered, "I'm going to be the one to bring you to the Alpha."
She was out of it, and the kid was taking advantage. It was why Kagome was confused when hands grabbed the boy's shoulders, claws digging in deep and making him squeal. He disappeared, and Kagome thought he ran with his speed again. But then she found him on the ground, bleeding and coughing while Inuyasha growled over him.
"Don't. Fucking. Touch her!" Inuyasha's eyes were red when they glared into hers. His hair was white too, his beads off and in his pocket most likely. It was strange in comparison how he flung the boy and the malice on his face versus the tender way he stroked her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she replied, cupping his cheek to try and calm him.
The boy started to move, and Inuyasha spun to face him instead. "Where's your Alpha? Huh? Your friends? WHERE?!"
"Like I would… tell you…." the kid gasped.
"Fine, I'll rip you apart piece by piece until you tell me."
"Inuyasha…
Kagome wanted to tell him to go easy on the kid, to give him a chance. But the kid disappeared again. It wasn't that he was fast; this was different. He wasn't moving so quickly that they couldn't see him; he was literally disappearing.
"Great. He's a fucking transporter."
"A what?"
The boy reappeared, an arm around Inuyasha's throat to cut off anything he said. The arm didn't worry Kagome; it was razor blade claws the boy had at Inuyasha's carotid artery. One nick and it would be over before she could do a thing about it. With nothing else to do, Kagome put up her hands as if a gun was on her because that was what it felt like, a weapon threatening her life.
"What do you want?"
"Kagome!"
They ignored the irate man and focused on each other, Kagome's eyes darting to the knife on Inuyasha's throat. "I want you to come with me."
"Okay."
Inuyasha growled deeply with more anger than she had ever heard come from him for as long as she had known him. "I swear to Aconitum if you go with this asshole…."
"He could kill you! You know that, right?"
"Like hell!" Inuyasha fidgeted against the boy, and Kagome held her breath. It wasn't like the boy was strong enough to hold Inuyasha down. It was all about the placement of his claws, and the place they hovered over was essential. Someone taught this kid how to win in a fight even when outpowered/numbered. "You're seriously gonna just give up? Go with him to Naraku? Play into his hands?! After all these years and everything you've been through?!"
"I don't have a choice!"
They were screaming at each other, and the boy was silent, listening. Tears streamed down Kagome's face. Never had she felt so helpless and Inuyasha was just pissed. "You have tons of choices! Take him out!"
"How can I do that? He'll kill you before I can take a step!"
"SO?! Kill him anyway!"
"I can't do that!"
The boy chuckled, "she won't risk her mate. Just as my Alpha said."
"Shut the fuck up!" Inuyasha screamed and looked right at Kagome. "Baby, just kill the fucker. Or run away. Either one but don't go to Naraku!"
"I… I can't!"
"Naraku fucking terrifies you! Every time he's near, you freeze! You can't go to him, he'll do whatever he wants to you, and you'll be powerless against him!"
"I know that!"
"THEN WHY WON'T YOU RUN?!"
"BECAUSE I CAN'T LEAVE YOU; I LOVE YOU!" It felt like the entire park fell into a bubble, silence surrounding after Kagome loudly declared her feelings for the man before her. His mouth was pursed in shock, and the boy knew better than to say anything. "Of course, I do, idiot!"
Inuyasha smirked, "well, you said shit for a month now after I said it…."
"I know. But... I've always loved you, and you know it!"
He shrugged, no longer concerned with the wolf that held him captive. "Yeah, but it's still nice to hear. Okay, fucker, you've served your purpose."
With that, Inuyasha flipped the kid over him and dropped him to the ground like it was nothing. He spasmed and struggled to breathe, and Kagome felt for the boy. That is until she felt Inuyasha, his arms around Kagome tight and his mouth sucking the life out of her. She gripped the back of his shirt even without needing to; there was no escaping his hold as he pressed them together hard. When he plucked her off his mouth, he licked the tears off her cheek on one side and brushed the other side clean with his thumb, cupping her face.
She was still crying, trying to get a hold of herself from the situation that was already over. But the image of Inuyasha's life in danger would haunt her from now on. Inuyasha held her face, twisting her head back so she would look him in his honeyed eyes. "Don't you EVER sacrifice yourself for me. Understand?!"
Kagome took a moment but then shook her head at him. "You die, I die, Puppy."
He sighed ruefully, dropping his forehead to hers. His nose brushed hers and Kagome closed her eyes, slowly calming the longer he was in her arms and safe. "What about our pups? You need to stay alive for them if I'm not around."
Never had they ever talked about kids or their future together as a couple. And Inuyasha just said it like it was set in stone; they would have children together. So Kagome didn't even question it because the thought of having kids with Inuyasha felt so right; it calmed her even more. "You better knock me up soon then. I have nothing to live for, otherwise, without you."
Four years together and Inuyasha had yet to come inside her. Kids were a hard sell with things the way they were. But since they both wanted kids together, something would have to change. Kagome supposed this was when Inuyasha started to consider making her his mate earnestly, always thinking about it and dreaming but not taking serious actions until after that night.
Planting one last thick, wet kiss to her nose and then lips, Inuyasha released her to go back to the boy. He was still writhing on the ground, clutching a side. Inuyasha must have broken a rib or something. The Beta didn't care in the slightest, gripping the kid's shirt and pulling him to stand on his toes, held off the ground by Inuyasha. "Where's Naraku?"
"Fuck… off…" the kid wheezed.
Inuyasha shook him hard, and Kagome whimpered at the sight of the boy like a rag doll. "I don't wanna kill you, especially in front of my girl, but I will. Now, tell me where the slimy sack of shit is hiding, and I'll get you into a good pack elsewhere!"
"I told you.. my pack.. doesn't want me… Naraku does."
"So that's how he gets his numbers? Taking in strays?"
"Strays?" Kagome asked, slowly moving closer to the pair.
"Strays are wolves that are either tossed out of their pack or refused entrance."
Inuyasha shook the kid again, but he'd said all he needed to. Kagome was confused, "I thoughts your blood got you into your pack regardless?"
Sighing, Inuyasha took his eyes off his captive to look at her sideways. "A pack still has to agree to let you in, blood or not. It's why most mate with a different pack, so their pups have a choice. If one doesn't work out," Inuyasha turned back to the kid, "they can go to the other no matter how shitty it is."
"That's right, except both packs didn't want a freak like me."
"Your packs didn't know what you were! Go to them again and show them now!" Inuyasha roared.
The young wolf just shook his head. "Like I'd go back to those assholes. They didn't give a shit about me, and I don't want to be with them. I serve Naraku."
"Naraku and his entire pack are going to die! Including you! Strays don't last long even when tied to another pack outside their blood!"
"What?!" Inuyasha cringed as if he forgot she was there. This was information he never wanted her to know, and it was clear. "What the hell does that mean? I'm not going to live long?"
"No, baby, only if you're a stray. You have to be rejected or kicked out of a pack first. Your blood isn't connected to your pack until you try to join them, beginning in the process and activating your need for them. And without the connection, you… don't do as well."
Neither Kagome nor Souta had tried to join a pack, so their blood hadn't been fully activated. Was this why their family kept all this a secret? So they wouldn't join but also so they wouldn't activate their blood and die young? But that would only happen if rejected or banished, so what fear was there to be had? Surely, she would be accepted, right? Kagome had never considered what she would do if she weren't allowed into Inuyasha's pack.
"What about my parents? They left the pack; would they have died young regardless?"
"No, they were still a part of the pack even if not active in it. It's only if you're rejected…."
"And your pack will reject you, Kagome. Unless you come to Naraku's…."
Inuyasha shook the kid, shutting him up for the moment. "Shut your mouth!"
"It's true! If not out of fear of her blood, then because she's fucking their Beta…."
Taking the hand that wasn't holding his shirt, Inuyasha wrapped his clawed hand around his neck and squeezed. "And here, I had decided not to kill you…."
"Yash…"
With her voice, Inuyasha tossed the young wolf away hard. He rolled a few times while Inuyasha collected her into his arms and took off. They said nothing until safe inside her apartment, going around the block a few times to ensure they weren't followed. Inuyasha set her on her floor, and she walked away while he checked the place out, just to be sure. He was still glaring out the window while Kagome glared at him. And he felt it.
"Don't give me that look, Kagome. I regret nothing tonight or before."
Rushing up from behind, he either let her get to him, or she actually surprised him. "Don't. Ever. Scare. Me. Like. That. Again!"
Each word was punctuated with a slap or punch to his body wherever she could reach while he backed up. He grabbed her with an arm around her waist before falling back to her bed. "How else am I going to get you to tell me you love me?"
Kagome growled, "I tell you all the time!"
"No, not recently. Not since we grew the fuck up, and it means something!"
"It always meant something to me!"
He grabbed her mouth with his, silencing her and trying to calm her down. At least, her anger, Inuyasha's hands running all over Kagome's body to try and change her energy from pissed to turned on. It was working, which was why she pushed away from him, getting off the bed and leaving him there.
"There's a lot of shit you failed to tell me about, far more important than my feelings for you."
Kagome was pacing while Inuyasha relaxed on her bed, hands behind his head. "I'm not supposed to tell you shit; you're not a part of my pack."
"This isn't about the pack; it's about me! What's wrong with my blood?!"
"There ain't nothing wrong with your blood!" Inuyasha roared, leaving his relaxed state to glare at her. But his anger was misplaced, falling back to the bed and looking elsewhere. "That fucking kid, he doesn't know what he's talking about, and yet he's in your head. Naraku's in your head"
"Yash, tell me!"
He sighed and rolled his head back, looking at the ceiling now. "It's not that there's anything wrong with your blood; it's just rare."
"What's rare?!"
"You shouldn't be able to shift. Your blood percentage should be between fifty and sixty, and yet, it's way more. You could shift without the moon if you trained. But it's more than that. Every decade, there are a few wolves born with more than just shifting and strong senses. And you, Kagome, are one of those wolves."
"So I can, what, fly?"
Inuyasha laughed, but she didn't find it funny. "I'm sure you already know what you can do."
He was eyeing her like she was the one keeping the secret. "I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about."
"Fine, deny it. Just don't deny that you love me."
Holding up her hands in defeat, Kagome shook her head at him. "I wasn't going to."
He smirked but then sighed again, dropping his head back to the bed. "That kid tonight… he's as good as dead."
"What?! Why?!"
"Didn't you see him? The sickly look to him is from being a stray. If he'd just lived a normal life and never shifted again, then he would have lived to at least eighty. But instead, he joined Naraku, and now he'll be dead in a week. A month at best."
"That poor kid," Kagome said, a tear falling down her cheek.
Inuyasha was in front of her in a blink, cradling her to him. "There's nothing we can do for him; he made his choice."
"Yash… is rejection why you don't want me to join your pack? Do you think they won't let me in?"
He squeezed her tightly, tucking her head under his chin. "I don't know. With your father so adamant about you not joining, I hope that they won't even let you try."
"What?!" She jerked from him, but he held her firm, not letting her go.
"As long as you don't start the process, you're safe! But once in, that's it. It's either sink or swim and with your blood and background… I don't know what would happen."
It was scary but not as frightening as when Inuyasha's life flashed before her eyes. Kagome would never fully access her strength as a wolf if she didn't join a pack. It was what would save her from having to watch Inuyasha die for her, but it was also what could kill her.
Damn. And Kagome just promised not to sacrifice herself for Inuyasha.
oOo
Her bones cracked, her back re-alining to what a human's should be instead of a wolf's. The pain was intense, and it was far from the most painful part of the process. But she pushed her body to comply, going from wolf to human.
Back in her human body, Kagome remained on her knees, panting. Sweat rolled down her back and dripped off her forehead, making her slow to look up at her 'master'. "Good. Again." Kagome groaned and struggled to her feet. But Izayoi roared in response. "You want to be kicked out of this pack? Become a stray?!"
"No."
"Then do it AGAIN!"
Kagome breathed a few times deeply and looked at Izayoi as she began to shift. Her stomach flipped, and her heart stopped; it was the same every time since she passed her sixth shift. Now on shift twenty, the pain was much worse than when she transformed for a run. The goal was to feel no pain, an effortless switch from human to wolf and back. But Kagome was starting to think her blood was too weak for this as her hands sewed together into paws. The most painful part was when they split apart again into fingers.
Now a wolf again, Izayoi approached this time, getting in close and looking her over. "You're a beautiful wolf, Kagome. And woman." It was strange to say, but maybe Izayoi wanted to say it when Kagome couldn't refute it? "It would be easy for you to get a mate if that's how you want to join the pack?" Kagome snuffed loudly and shook her head, causing Izayoi to grin. "Good. You should stand on your own. And we both know you already have a mate…" Kagome's eyes grew, and she started to shift back on instinct. "Don't deny it; I know all. Inuyasha was supposed to stay away from you, but he never did. The only order he refused to follow from his father and then his brother? You two are far more than friends…."
"How do you... know that?" Kagome gasped, panting from the shift.
"Oh, please. Don't you think I know the signs? How do you think I ended up with Inuyasha's father? We weren't engaged, and the laws were a bit slacker back then."
"What do you mean?"
Izayoi grinned broadly as if proud. "Toga wasn't mated when he had Sesshomaru. In fact, because of that, Inuyasha has just as much right to the Alpha title as Sesshomaru does. Toga had sex with his fiancé and then met me. She was already pregnant when we mated in secret. It went against all the rules, and it's all now law. But Sesshomaru was created outside of a mate, and Inuyasha wasn't so even with his pure blood, Sesshomaru is no different than Inuyasha."
"If Inuyasha can be the Alpha, then why isn't he?"
"Oh, I don't know. I'm sure you can think of a reason?" Izayoi said with a wink. "That's enough for tonight. We'll try shifting without the moon first thing in the morning tomorrow, so get some rest."
Rest seemed impossible, with Kagome's bones humming from the workout and her brain a buzz with new information.
oOo
The girl was pretty, with red hair that fell mid-back and a few freckles splashed on her cheeks. Kagome had seen her around, but with being in training and not entirely in the pack, others didn't socialize much. Plus, she was new. The other pups grew up in the pack life. Kagome was unknown to all. All but Inuyasha, and he was still missing since they're almost rump in the ring. All this time, she thought Inuyasha was with Sesshomaru, but the truth was he was hiding from Kagome.
As usual, they took a step in their relationship, and he was hiding from the after-effects. This time, it would kill Kagome unless she mated with Koga.
"Can I help you?"
"My name is Ayame."
Kagome stared blankly at her for a few moments until it clicked. "Koga's intended?"
Ayame got off Kagome's bed and faced her. "Please, don't take him from me."
She had to look away, the pleading look on the girl's face getting to her instantly. "Koga told me he didn't want to mate with you… I was under the impression I would be doing you a favor. An arranged mating isn't…."
"It's not arranged. Not like that. I've been in love with Koga all my life!" Ayame was still pleading, and Kagome kept her head down to hide her tears. "He loves me too; he's just scared. He doesn't want to feel trapped, but once we're mated, he'll be so happy. I'll make him happy…."
"Do you hear yourself?" Kagome spat, bitter still from Inuyasha. Ayame wasn't that much different from her, and it made her heartache. "You realize you're condemning me to death?"
Ayame blanched but slowly approached, taking Kagome's hands in hers. "You're strong; I'm sure you'll be fine. As long as you don't shift ever again?"
All Kagome could do was nod because Naraku was still out there. His pack might be weak, but she still froze around him. It would be nothing for him to kill her once she was out of the pack.
Kagome let Ayame out of her room and leaned against her door again. She wanted to sob until she fell asleep; face all this mess and heartbreak tomorrow. But someone started pounding on her door.
Taking a deep breath to settle herself, she wondered if Ayame already found and informed Koga of her answer, planning on letting Ayame have him. It was the only person she could think of that would pound on her door like this, sounding crazed and pissed. She would just explain her reasons and hopefully talk Koga into keeping his word.
But when she swung the door open, Inuyasha glared back at her.
He didn't wait for permission, storming past her and into her room. She shut it behind him because he wasn't going to leave quickly. "You're going to fucking mate with KOGA?!"
She didn't need to look, knowing his eyes were blood-red just from his tone. Kagome just felt so tired. "Oh, hello, Inuyasha. No, I'm fine after the three days you left me for!"
"You sure as shit seem fine to me, agreeing to be someone else's mate?"
Inuyasha raged in a pace, constantly moving before her while Kagome struggled to go around him. "If that's why you're here, then get out now. I'm not going to discuss any of this with you."
"The fuck you ain't. What happened to getting into the pack on your own, huh? All that time spent with my mom for nuthin?!"
"The Alpha made it very clear what my choices are. Either mate with Koga or get out."
"He said WHAT?!"
Inuyasha was going to pop soon. Kagome gave him her eyes to try and calm him down some. "It doesn't have to be Koga. But the only way I'll be allowed in now is if I mate with someone."
"He can't… he can't do that! He can't order you to mate with someone…."
"He didn't order me. He knew I wouldn't follow it. I'm not in yet. But he can keep me out of the pack if I don't. So it's either live with Souta until I die young or mate."
Inuyasha was pacing again, "no, he can't…."
"He did. And you would know that if you weren't so busy tucking your tail and hiding."
"What the fuck does that mean?" Inuyasha roared, stopping and glaring at her.
"It's the same thing with you. You and I take a step closer in our relationship, and you run for the hills like a scared little puppy."
Usually, when Kagome called Inuyasha puppy, it got him excited. It wasn't the same this time, Inuyasha glowering over her in a flash with his eyes glowing. "I didn't hide from you…."
"Then your brother? Either way, you left me alone like you always do…."
"My brother ordered me to go to my fiancé. And when I told him to fuck off, he had me locked up. The only reason I'm here now is that Miroku told me about you and Koga, and I broke out of my cell."
"Some cell. I'm sure it was a real rough three days for you…."
"It was. And to get out, I had to hurt people. All to get to you, dammit!"
Kagome had enough, turning from him and trying to decide whether to pack or beg some other man to mate with her. Either way, her life was over. She had been stupid coming here.
"What are you doing?"
His voice had softened some while Kagome's had only hardened. "I don't know. But you should leave. I'm either packing or prepping to mate."
"You have time before you have to decide. You can tell Sess you're going to mate and that you're prepping…."
"I already told him I'm ready."
"No, you're not!"
"I am!" She screamed, turning to face him again. "I stopped taking birth control because I stupidly believed you when you told me you wanted to mate with me!"
"I do want to mate with you!"
"Bullshit! Bullshit, because if you did, then you would! You wouldn't mate with someone else because they have a bigger and better pack! Not when Naraku's pack barely has a leg to stand on!"
"Naraku is more powerful now than ever before!"
"No, he's not, don't lie to me to make some excuse…."
"He is! He killed off a whole pack two weeks ago!" Kagome was silent, letting him explain. "Some of our people were there visiting. Only one made it out alive to tell us what happened."
"How?"
"Naraku has acquired a relic. We call it the Shikon Jewel. It's like a drug to wolves, it strengthens them, and it's potent. It can extend the life of a pack and make them twice as strong. And somehow, Naraku got his hands on it. It's why… it's why I left you, why I didn't leave the pack as we planned." She left him behind, needed something to do, and Kagome decided to pack. "Kagome…"
"I get it," she said with a sigh, "the pack is more important."
"That's not what I'm saying…."
"If you knew what you had to do, then why did you mess everything up for me?" Kagome growled. "If you had left me alone, then I could have joined the pack on my own. I would have been fine! But no, you had to try and fuck me in the ring!"
"I wasn't trying to fuck you!"
"You're right; you didn't try, you succeeded! Because now I'm good and fucked!"
He didn't bother turning her around; Inuyasha grabbed her hard from behind, entrapping her arms at her sides with his. "I wasn't gonna fuck you; I was going to mate with you." Kagome struggled in his python grip but got nowhere, and he didn't let go. "I didn't care anymore because I can't stand being like this, being apart from you like we are now. I was going to mate with you in that ring, and I didn't give a fuck."
He was kissing her, going across her shoulder and up her neck while she squirmed for her freedom. "Stop. Stop it, Inuyasha. We're both supposed to mate soon… you're going to mess us up again."
"There's another choice," he said against her skin, "you don't have to leave, and you don't have to mate with Koga."
Inuyasha not so gently bit down on her pulse, causing her to cry out. "You're… you're going to get me kicked out. Sesshomaru was clear…."
"Sesshomaru isn't the Alpha to us. Like hell, I'm gonna let you mate with someone else!"
She was twisting in Inuyasha's arms, but it was doing more harm than good, her body rubbing against his as if on instinct. "I'll leave. You'll never see me again."
He growled and then ripped her shirt in half. Inuyasha didn't hold her arms down anymore; instead, he rubbed all over her chest, grabbing her breasts and squeezing them tight. Even through her bra, she felt the rough texture of Inuyasha's palms as if on her skin. Something he fixed quickly, ripping her bra to shreds and off her body. He kneaded her boobs and sucked on her neck, biting harder and harder until he broke her skin.
"Yash!" Again she tried to get away, but it was too late; Inuyasha was licking and drinking her blood.
He hurt her when he bit her but also when he ripped off her bottoms, the elastic of her shorts popping her waist and thighs as Inuyasha hastily tore them off her. He bent her over but only so he could thrust inside her, pulling her back up and pressing her head over his shoulder. He still had on his shirt, meaning his pants and briefs had to be at his ankles. It didn't stop Inuyasha from pulsing into her, a hand in her folds to brush her clit while held Kagome back around her chest.
Then, he put his arm before, his wrist at her mouth. "Bite me."
It was all happening so fast, Inuyasha's cock throbbing inside her and denting her womb with his tip. And now he was telling her to bite him?
"Bite me, baby. Do it now before we come."
Kagome could feel it, her orgasm nearly upon her. What would happen if she drank Inuyasha's blood and he pulled out? What if he didn't come inside her?
She would never know, Inuyasha sinking his fangs into her again and groaning. She could feel his tip dance as he came, his shaft thicking as he came inside her. Inuyasha pressed hard on her clit and made her come with him. Kagome responded by digging her fangs into his arm just above his wrist. His blood flowed down her throat while their come flowed down her thighs.
They carefully removed their teeth from one another and Inuyasha stroked her belly just below her navel, holding her up. "What did we just do?"
"We guaranteed your place in the pack," Inuyasha whispered huskily in her ear, pushing her down to the floor. He rolled her over, his eyes dancing across her body. "We didn't sweat enough. Let's do it again."
"Once was bad enough, puppy. How are you going to mate with…."
"I just mated with you! It's done!" He screamed but softened at the tears that threatened in Kagome's eyes. "See, we didn't do it right. We need to mate again; make sure it sticks. Because I ain't mating with anyone else. And neither are you."
Kagome cried softly against his mouth as his tongue swept inside. Inuyasha licked them away to help with their bond or soothe her; Kagome wasn't sure. With him on top of her, Kagome spread wide, pressing her knees into the floor to help him and opening herself as much as possible. She whimpered when he pushed inside her again, still tender from her orgasm and him stretching her out when he came. The slickness of their juices helped, allowing him to slide in easily.
Before he moved again, he grabbed her hands and used his claw to slice open her palms. He held out his hands for her to do the same to him. With their blood flowing, he grabbed her hands, threaded their fingers, and pressed them to the floor above her head. Inuyasha had been doing something similar for months, ever since the young wolf tried to kill Inuyasha, and they spoke of kids. It was like he'd been practicing.
Her entire body throbbed as Inuyasha shifted his hips, plunging deeper into her. She could feel heat surging and running down her right arm. It was Inuyasha's blood; it was traveling down and into her body. But only on one side as the other was busy giving her blood to Inuyasha. The tingle from Inuyasha's kiss was nothing new, but now Kagome wondered if it was there because of the mate? Was it her wolf's blood telling her about her mate?
It didn't matter, not now, Inuyasha picking up his pace and bouncing her under him. She lifted her hips in response, pushing her clit against his thrusting pelvis. He stopped thrusting to grind, sucking hard on her tongue while he swirled her pussy with his dick. She moaned long and loud into him, vibrating his throat with it.
Inuyasha popped off her mouth, pressing his forehead to hers and pounding their hips together. He was rolling his head around on hers, rubbing his face all over hers to trade sweat. It was all coating her thoroughly in his scent, marking her permanently.
When he pulled away to look into her eyes, Kagome nearly cried again; the glitter in them was so beautiful. It was his own tears gleaming in his eyes as they made love, tying themselves to one another forever. Kagome pressed up as much as possible using her shoulders, kissing his cheek just below his eye and taking a tear for her to drink. Inuyasha grinned but dropped it soon, closing his eyes as he came. Kagome could feel his shaft expanding in her, but she didn't understand it, feeling him get larger as his cock twitched his release. It made pleasure pulse suddenly through her, coming with him as he stretched her more than before.
White-hot bliss surged through her and melted her bones. When it was all over, she couldn't move while Inuyasha fell to her side, wrapping her up in his arms. After a few moments of heated breathing and Inuyasha found the strength to speak. "Yeah… I think that one took. I… knotted in you…."
She didn't know he could do that; it was a canine thing. But she let it go, for now, something to discuss later. "What about… your fiancé?"
Inuyasha said nothing, shrugging, but he was cut off from communicating much, the door swinging open slowly. They were done, but Inuyasha was still knotted inside her, laying over her naked body. So it was easy to see what they'd done even after completion. And if there was any doubt, it reflected on Koga's face. The shocked look on his face as he backed out was pretty straightforward.
It had a calming effect on Inuyasha, quickly softening so he could pull out. He lifted her and took her to the bed, covering her with the blankets but not joining her. "Get some rest."
He had his pants up on his hips while she could barely sit up. "What?! You're leaving me? Again!"
Inuyasha swept down to her in a flash, wrapping his arms and lips around her. She calmed but not for long as he pulled away again. "I have to put out some fires. I'll be back as soon as possible."
On cue, her door banged open, two wolves she had never seen before standing and waiting. "The Alpha wants a word, Beta."
They were there to drag him away, but Inuyasha pressed another kiss to her lips and strolled out.
