Runt of the Litter
Part 2
His foot was tapping against the wooden floor, impatience getting the best out of him. His lips were pursed, his stance stiff as he stared at the closed wooden door. He had expected her to be tired, but it turned out that what she craved most was a shower and he could not blame her; she had spent the night outside and a transformation always left one quite dirty to say the least. He gave her the basic necessities, along with some of the females' clothes and he left her be, giving her the privacy she needed. It hadn't been long before he heard her sobbing loudly. He was a stranger, no one that could provide her comfort, so he opted to wait on the other side of the door, listening to her cry her eyes out. Except now it had been an hour since she first turned on the water and it was still going.
He could knock. And he did. "Ya alright?"
But there was no answer. He tried to knock again. Still no answer. He gripped his fingers around the golden handle of the door. "I'm coming in," he warned.
He popped the door open and peeked inside, the steam escaping the room. He could see her crouched down shadow through the yellow curtain. He slowly stepped in her direction and gripped at it, pulling it away to reveal her form. Her dark wet hair covered her face while she hugged her knees, shielding her body from his eyes. He lowered himself to the ground, hoping it would render his presence less imposing. "Are ya okay?"
Kouga's blood was pumping: the emotions coming off of her were overwhelming: this was exactly why you couldn't leave a newbie alone. It was too much to handle. He gently put a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him. Despite the water from the shower raining down on her face, he could tell that she had been crying. The red swollen eyes gave it away. "What's wrong?"
"The noises," she croaked out. "So much." She raised her hands to cover her ears, unable to handle more. Every heartbeat, every bug crawling, every whisper... it was echoing in her head, louder than her own thoughts. She couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. She felt his cold hands on her cheeks as he lifted her head up, giving her no choice but to look at him.
He bore his eyes into hers, forcing her to maintain the gaze. "Look at me." His tone was deep, commanding as he gave his order. "Look at me." He took a deep breath, his chest swelling. "Can you hear my heartbeat?"
Could she hear his heartbeat? She could hear everything! She felt more tears sting her eyes. "I- I don't know." Why did Inuyasha do this to her?
"Forget about the rest," he spoke, louder this time. "Focus on me." His grip on her face grew tighter, allowing her to feel his urgency.
She looked into his blue eyes, taking in the pale colour, the way his eyes curved, and the urgency dancing in them. His tan skin made a high contrast with his poking white fangs while his dark ponytail swung over his shoulder, spilling over his grey shirt. She could see the stains on the fabric from the water - which had also wet his hair, flattening his bangs against his forehead. His heartbeat. She could hear so many of them; it was hard to narrow it down. They were all out of sync, invading her mind, slowly hacking away at her sanity. Kagome glanced down at his chest, focusing on it. If she gazed long enough, she swore she could see it beat through his shirt.
There, through the noise invading her head, she could pinpoint his heartbeat. Their proximity made it louder than the rest. "Yeah..."
"Good," he said, loosening his grip ever so slightly. "Now focus on it. Ignore everything else."
She tried. She tried to fill her mind with nothing but the sound of his heart. She took deep breaths until, one by one, all the sounds phased away. Until all that was left was his heartbeat. The pounding in her head faded, and she released the tension in her forehead. She could breathe, she could think.
He felt her shoulders slump, and he knew she had succeeded.
"Thank you," she mumbled, her chest feeling lighter. Now that her mind wasn't buzzing with a million sounds, her lack of clothing dawned on her. She was in the shower. Naked. And he - a stranger - was right there. A scream was torn from her throat as she reached for the curtain, moving him out of the way as she tried to foolishly shield her body from his sight.
Right. He forgot about that. He covered his face with his hand. "Fuck. Sorry," he whispered through his fingers. "We're kinda used to that around here..." After all, everyone was naked the next morning after a transformation. They weren't fazed by it anymore: it was part of them. No one was ever trying to get an eyeful or an ogle. But he could see how it might be slightly horrifying to her. In time, she would get used to it, but from her human perspective, he understood she needed an adjustment period.
He turned around, grabbing the towel he had left out for her. He gave it to her through the small opening between the curtain and the wall. "Here. I'll- hm I'll wait in the other room."
Once Kagome heard the door close, she hurried to wrap the towel around her body. She knew he hadn't come in hoping to get an eyeful but that didn't change the fact that he was a stranger. She didn't know him. She was trusting a stranger. And apparently, she wasn't human anymore. Oh, and someone tried to kill her. She didn't even know which thread to unravel at this point. Panic was clutching at her heart. Where was she going to go? What was she going to do? She didn't know how to live like this. She didn't know who to trust.
She stepped out of the shower, hugging her towel tightly against her chest. He was a stranger, but he was all she had for the time being. He didn't give her any reason to distrust him. He didn't feel evil. She wanted to trust him. She glanced at the chair, spotting the clothes he had left behind for her. Nothing was hers at the moment; no clothes, no phone, no life... All she could do was wait.
-R-
"Hungry?"
When she had finally emerged from the bathroom, she had found herself completely alone. She had expected to see him there but then reminded herself that he probably had better and more important things to do than looking after a stranger. Since she was unfamiliar with her surroundings, she opted to sit down on the bed where she had woken up. She had heard a few of the comments directed towards her and she wasn't feeling up to a confronting such a huge crowd of strangers who clearly hated her. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her knees and waited...
Until he finally showed up.
"Are you hungry," he repeated when she didn't answer.
He was always starving the morning following a transformation. He could only guess that it was worse for her since it was her first time transforming and her body was trying to heal from its wound.
"I've got some food." It had been a while since he had to deal with a bitten. He couldn't remember if all the instincts came in at once or if it was a steady process.
Kagome's eyes focused on the plastic bag he was holding in front of him. The smell was enough to make her salivate. "Is- is it raw?" she asked, releasing her hold on her legs.
A smile tugged at his lips. "Yes, but I can cook it."
"No!" The response came faster and louder than planned. She blushed, looking away from him. "Is that weird?"
He walked closer to her, the plastic bag swinging with each step he took. "That's how I eat it," he replied before plopping down next to her. "We don't really cook our meat, unless ya know, we gotta keep up appearances..." He held the bag open and put it near her face. "Dig in."
"With my fingers?"
"If you're gonna eat it raw, it's the only way to go." They had different standards from humans. Slowly, she would change and differ from what she was, and he wanted her to be comfortable.
She hesitated, her hand trembling as she reached into the bag. Her fingers gripped at the raw meat, the blood cold against her skin. Kagome felt like it should disgust her but the feelings of nausea never manifested themselves. Instead, hunger pinged at her stomach when the red bloody meat came in sight. She grabbed it with both hands, tentatively bringing it to her lips. She ripped into it with her teeth, and blood splattered inside her mouth. She was rendered hopeless to stop the moans that escaped her as the blood dripped down her throat. Had meat ever tasted so delicious?
The first bite went down but to her horror, swallowing was painful. She winced as she felt it go down her throat, the damage muscles and her throat feeling like they were bleeding from the inside. But - but it was fantastic.
"Sorry - I didn't think..." Fuck he hadn't considered the fact that she might not be able to swallow.
She shook her head. "It's okay." She was hungry. He hadn't been wrong.
"Here," he said as he took the chunk from her. He used his hands and his claws to shred it until pieces that should go down easy and not require much swallowing.
"Thank you," she said as she offered her palms. She took one, the pain minimal this time.
Ignoring Kouga's presence, she took another bite and another. She could feel the blood spilling out of her mouth and unto her chin but her focus was on the flavours exploding inside her mouth. It was like she was rediscovering food. It wasn't until she finished her portion and wiped her chin clean that she realized he had been staring at her the whole time. Heat flushed her cheeks, a weight on her chest, constricting the expansion of her lungs.
"Sorry," she croaked out, diverting her glance to the floor.
He chuckled. "You should see the guys eat. Real pigs. You have a lot of manners."
They had no shame regarding their feeding habits. Unfortunately for her, she carried a greater burden: she was a dog, and she was born human. He wouldn't even know where to start, how to lead her into this life. It did, however, reinforce his initial assessment; he couldn't leave her out there on her own.
"Listen," he began, his tone more serious. "I know, I'm nobody to you but I'm here to help."
She let a beat pass before she asked the obvious. "Why?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you helping me?" She knew she shouldn't question him - she was lucky she hadn't been left for dead. But the question had been gnawing at her this whole time. They didn't seem to like her, so what was he getting from this? When he remained silent, she blushed. "Sorry - I didn't - I'm really grateful - I"
"You're wondering why a stranger would help you." He put the bag down on the bed and then leaned backwards. "I guess you heard them talking?" She nodded. "The pack is not the biggest dogs fan."
She quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't dogs and wolves almost the same?:
Both of them heard the gasps of outrage that emerged from the other side of the door and Kouga winced. "Not exactly." He ran his fingers through his bangs, tousling them. "We see ourselves as very different - we - we've had some bad blood." That was one way to describe their past. "It never ends well."
"Oh." Well, according to what he had explained... her own people were the reason for her near death that led to her transformation. "So - I should try to find others like me?" The prospect didn't enchant her but... if she wasn't welcomed here... she wouldn't impose her presence.
"No," he hurried to reply. "I ain't sending you out there to die. They can deal." He was the alpha and what he said was law. "Don't worry about them."
"I don't wanna make problems."
"Ain't no problem."
"But they-"
"I'm the alpha. They'll get in line."
"The alpha?" Inuyasha had once told her he listened to his brother because he was the alpha but she never understood what it meant and he never bothered to explain it.
Oh boy.
She might know of their existence, but her knowledge was limited. Then again, it wasn't the type of information that was easily shared with outsiders. "I'm in charge of the pack. I make the decisions - they listen. But I also make sure everyone is safe and taken care of." It was a simplify version if the reality but it would do for now. Until she witnessed the dynamics of the pack, this was all she needed to know.
"Do they choose to listen to you or do they have to?" Inuyasha had made it sound like he didn't have a choice in the matter.
He twisted his mouth, pondering the right answer. He didn't know how to put it into words for her; he never had to explain it before. They didn't become this; they were born like this. They followed their natural order and their own personal nature. He was an alpha: he had always known he would lead, protect and provide. He never questionned it. She was bitten. The most likely rank that would apply to her was beta... or maybe omega. Their pack was comprised of him as an alpha and most females and all the other males were betas. They had two alpha females, but he knew one of them was bound to breach into another pack that lacked an alpha female.
The fight for power could not go on forever. He always figured Ayame would come out on top. One thing was obvious: despite how recent her transformation was, he knew for sure that Kagome was no alpha. Maybe she had an attitude, a fire inside, but it wasn't enough to overshadow her kindness; she didn't want to impose. She wouldn't make the difficult calls if they endangered some.
"Your will is gonna come in slowly... but it's an instinct. You can always fight it... but it's inside of you, guiding you... influencing you..." He trailed off. Kouga looked at her puzzled expression and he laughed. "Sorry, we don't get a lot of bittens, so this is new for me."
"Bitten?" she said, her hand clamping on the mark by her shoulder. "You weren't all bitten like me?"
He shook his head. "Can't really tell ya how it all started. There are a few stories that got passed down through the centuries but I don't think anyone knows the real one anymore... But all of us were born like this..." He watched her lips part as she said a quiet oh. "It's just not safe to go around making bitten cubs. It'd be kinda chaos if the secret got out..."
Right. To most people, they were legends and myths. "I won't - I don't wanna endanger the pack," the word was strange to pronounce, but she had to get used to it.
"Listen, I know you didn't ask for this," he said, his tone deeper. "But there are a few rules in place so we can keep everyone safe." He sat straight again, looking her in the eyes. "Since this is new for you and it's obviously not safe for you out there... I really think it'd be safer for you to stay here 'til you're caught up and we figure out what the fuck is going on." He held his hands up, showing his palms. "I can't force ya to stay. Well, I could but I won't. It's your choice." She was not born into the pack. She wasn't even a wolf. She had to choose this for herself. He couldn't impose his status as alpha in her, especially since he wasn't the one who bit her. Luckily, he abandoned her, and she hadn't seen him since: she had no tie to him. Kouga, though, found her during her first transformation: he had a claim on her.
"Stay for now?" or be part of the pack? But she didn't want to say that part out loud. She could feel it, throbbing inside of her; an emptiness that begged to be filled. A need for belonging. She craved it.
"Well, if you wanted to join the pack, you could." He saw her lean forward, hope in her eyes. She was an abandoned pup who didn't belong to anyone.
"I don't think your pack would like it," she pointed out, looking away from his glance. She could hear the protests from the other side of the door.
"All ya need is for the alpha to accept." He was going to an earful for this. But fuck them. He didn't just rule and lead: he protected his own. He found her, he kept her safe. He took her in. "Why don't you take the day to think about it?" He shrugged. "It's not like it's safe for ya to go anywhere right now. You can meet the pack and decide." And maybe they would pull their heads out of their asses. It wasn't like he had changed his mind about dogs; it was simply that she was an innocent victim in all this.
"Okay, thank you." If they were all like him, she would be more willing to jump at the chance to fill the void in her heart.
"We have someone who can look at your wound." Anytime she looked straightforward, it was visible, a constant reminder of her near death. "It should heal, but it'd be nice if it didn't leave a giant scar."
At his words her fingers trailed along the cut, her heart sinking. She would have to keep it hidden or constantly have people ask her about it and she'd have to lie. She didn't want that. She was already grateful that her memories of the incident were fuzzy. "Is that possible?"
"I'm not sure," he answered truthfully. "Our healing is better than humans, but it's not perfect."
She nodded. "I lose nothing by trying," she settled on answering even though inside, she was already admitting defeat.
"Come on," he said as he hopped off the bed. Since he knew she was nervous about seeing the rest of the pack, he was aware it would be difficult for her to face them. He extended his hand, a smile on his face. He wouldn't fail a bitten cub twice. "Let's go."
She paused, her eyes glancing at his hand and she felt her heartbeat pick up. His tone had been kind and soft and yet the request echoed through her like an order. Under his demanding eyes, she slipped her hand in his, immediately feeling its warmth. He squeezed his fingers around hers, pulling her along. And she followed, feeling a little lighter.
-R-
Once the ointment was applied, he left her alone while he tended to a few issues which included upset pack members. As the pack mingled, Kagome was left by herself. Although they listened to their alpha's command: they kept silent about her intrusion. But in this case, looks spoke louder than words. Still, she chose to quietly observe the pack, and it surprised her to find that there were a lot of children. How did they manage to have them keep such a secret from the rest of the world, she had no idea. Maybe she could ask Kouga later. She couldn't put her finger on it but trusting him came naturally. He was all she had, all that kept her from spiralling. Inuyasha: she wondered if he was okay. If his brother tried to kill her, she couldn't imagine what he did to Inuyasha after - or what he would do if he found out what Inuyasha did. If she wanted to protect Inuyasha, she had to keep her distance for now. The same applied to her family. Her mother was probably so worried and heartbroken - if she could only tell her she was alive without endangering her...
"Ginta."
At the sound of the strange voice, she jumped. She looked up only to stare at the same man that had interrupted them earlier.
"You're Kagome right?"
At a loss for words, she answered him with a nod. That seemed to satisfy him as he sat down next to her. His interest was not fuel by curiosity but by obligation. Kouga ordered him to stay by her side. It was probably because of her nervousness that had reached such a high level of out of control but being near her was suffocating.
She half expected him to start a conversation, but he sat next to her in silence, his beer bottle nestled in his left hand. That was probably worse than sitting by herself. She stole a few glances, gazing at his strange grey and white hair, but it didn't get him talking. He would just sip his beer.
What was he supposed to say to her? It wasn't like they often had strangers within the pack. Sure, sometimes members of other packs joined through mating or whatnot but they usually had a minimum of familiarity with the other packs. She in the other hand, was a complete stranger. And a dog.
"Know a lot of dogs?"
She had to look at him to make sure he was talking to her. "Just the one."
"Oh. You're friends?"
"I thought so," she mumbled. He had left her out of the loop on a lot of details.
"We don't like dogs."
She chuckled, the sound leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. "I kinda noticed."
"They play dirty and they're disrespectful."
"You don't have to tell me," she replied, her fingers travelling to her neck.
"Does it hurt?" Kouga had kept her away from the group. He hadn't had a chance to take a look at her injuries. It was insane to think they would do that to one of their own. They were creatures without honour.
"It's a little better, but it's hard to swallow." Kouga seemed confident that it would heal but she didn't share his optimism.
Crap. He felt bad for her. She had that lost puppy look in her eyes and she knew that she wasn't welcomed here...
"We gotta go." Kouga'd harsh tone cut through the conversation. He was not looking at them: he was staring ahead. "There's too many people. They're gonna start asking questions." He had hoped that the fact that they didn't actually find a body would help but he had been wrong. He didn't feel like explaining their little gathering to the cops.
"What are you gonna do with her?" Ginta asked, pointing at Kagome with his head. It was clear his alpha had no intention of abandoning her.
Unlike Ginta he didn't talk about her as if she wasn't there. "You're coming with me." It wasn't a suggestion; it was an order. "You can't go out there yet." He refocused his attention on Ginta. "You. And Hakkaku. Make sure everyone gets out. The cubs are already in the cars."
"Yes, boss," Ginta hurried to reply as he hopped to his feet.
"I'll take ya to my car," Kouga said to her as he gestured for her to follow. She vigorously nodded as she hurried to stand up and follow. For the first time, no one was paying attention to her; they were too busy removing any trace of their presence in the forest.
As the commotion surrounding Kagome distracted her, she did not notice that Kouga had stopped walking. The realization was sudden as her face collided with his back. She fell backwards but before she could hit the ground, he wrapped an arm around her. "Ya okay?" he asked, his chest pressed to hers.
She nodded. "S-sorry."
"Wait in the car," he said as he released his hold on her. "I'll be back."
Kagome did as she was told, slipping inside the quietness of the car while she watched him disappear so that he could help his pack. She had found it strange that he wanted to help her... but now she understood. It was who he was. All things considered she was lucky he found her. Yesterday she had been a normal girl. Today? Her life was in his hands. The more time passed, the more the reality of her situation sunk in. It was a bleak future. She was hiding, presumed dead by some, presumed missing by others. She was no longer human, and she didn't belong anywhere.
Who was she now?
-R-
Kouga pressed his index and thumb to his temples as the door of his apartment came into view; he was drained. He had dropped off Kagome in a hurry and then he had headed back to the cabin. The pack's safety was his responsibility, and he had to ensure nothing and no one had been left behind. He also had to do it all undetected, which had caused it to be a lengthy task. Now the sun was down and he was craving his bed. He inserted the key and opened the door only to reveal a quiet apartment. Kouga glanced down at his watch: 8:00pm. Fuck. He didn't mean to come back so late. She was probably starving.
"Kagome?" he tried, but he got no response.
He slipped his shoes off before venturing deeper into his apartment. It was then that he spotted an arm hanging off the couch. He took a few more steps and found her asleep on the sofa, her hair covering most of her face. If he left her there, she'd be in a lot of pain in the morning. He only had one bed and after spending the night on the ground, he had been looking forward to his bed. Regardless, her need for a good need of sleep was greater than his own.
Kouga leaned forward, sliding one arm under her neck and the other under her knees. He was careful, his motions steady and slow as he lifted her off the couch, tucking her against his chest. He saw her nose twitch, her new heightened sense of smell probably picking up his scent. He half expected her to wake up but instead she relaxed in his hold. It showed him she was familiar with his scent and associated it to a sense of security.
He marched her in his bedroom and put her down in his bed. She had a light stir but nothing that pulled her out of her slumber. He exited the room, closing the door behind him before he headed back to the living room. He plopped down on the couch, a groan of relief passing his lips as he closed his eyes.
This would do just fine.
-R-
"AH!"
The sudden flash of light was enough for her to drop the glass she had been holding and she stared ahead as it shattered on the ground. Crap! Kouga was standing in the doorway, his finger still on the light switch.
He had heard a noise which had stirred him from his rest and he had gone investigating. He watched as she dunked behind the counter, no doubt to pick up the shards of glass.
"I'm sorry," she babbled, gathering pieces of glass in her palm. "I was thirsty." Her throat was so dry it was on fire.
She heard him get closer, which caused her to pick up her speed. Because of her nervousness, she grabbed a chunk of glass too tightly, causing it to slice her skin open. She held her finger with her other hand, watching as the blood spilled out of her wound.
His tan hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer to his body. "Did ya get hurt anywhere else?"
"No."
"Don't move," he said as he released his hold on her.
She heard him walk away and then there were a few clings and clangs before he reappeared with a first aid kit. He kneeled next to her before opening the kit and she watched, wide eyed, and completely stilled as he began tending to her wound. "Shit - we don't have disinfecting wipes anymore." He approached her finger to his mouth, and she wasn't given a chance to understand his next action that he was sucking on her finger. Her heart began hammering in her chest as she felt him sucked the blood out of the wound. If it weren't enough, she felt the rough texture of his tongue as he lapped at it. Her face became pure fire and she thought she was melting onto the ground. What?
"It should help keep the wound clean," he said, unfazed by what he had just done to her. She could not blink, she could not move, as he reached out for a bandaid. "There," he said as he finished wrapping her finger. "Now go sit over there," he added, referring to the stools by the counter.
"I have to pick up," she pointed out. It was already bad enough that she had broken one of his glass- she would not let him pick up the mess on top of it.
"Sit."
The word throbbed through her and against her better judgment, she nodded, rising from the ground. She sat down while he retrieved the broom and picked up the pieces. Once he was done, he focused his attention back on her.
"You hungry?" She opened her mouth to answer, but he didn't give her a chance to do so. "I'm hungry. I can make some scrambled eggs. That should be easy for you to swallow. Is that fine?"
Truth be told, she was starving. Her hunger pains had woken her up from her slumber and thirst had followed it. She had opted to simply quench her thirst since it was his apartment and she didn't want to snoop around.
"It sounds good. Thank you. Need help?"
"I'll grab the eggs. Why don't you tell me what you wanna toss in? Anything from the fridge."
He opened the fridge, retrieving the eggs, and he left the door ajar for her. A slight blush formed on her cheeks as she dug through it, selecting a few items. She turned around holding a tomato, some spinach and mushrooms. "How about this?"
He smiled. "That's perfect," he replied, as he kept whipping the eggs with a fork. "You can put them next to the bowl. I ain't letting you anywhere near anything sharp."
She felt like arguing but the bandaid on her finger and the lingering feeling of his mouth wrapped around her digit were good reminders not to do it so she sat back down across from him. "Thank you for helping me."
"I told ya I wasn't gonna leave ya out there... It's not right what that bastard did." Not only had he attacked and murdered a human, something they avoided at all cost, but his actions led to the creation of a new cub - an abandoned and lost one. Sesshomaru had messed up. "Plus, it's not safe for ya or the pack if you're out there by yourself. "
Right. That made more sense: the pack's safety. "Hopefully, I can go back to my old life soon enough."
He put down the knife he had been holding. It didn't seem she was in favour of his proposition. "Listen. Even if you don't join the pack... and it becomes safe for you out there... there's no going back to your old life," he said truthfully. "Nothing's gonna be the same anymore... and you're a pack animal now. You're gonna need a pack eventually, or that loneliness is gonna kill ya." She'd need the company, the hierarchy...
"Oh." That explained the emptiness growing inside of her. "Maybe there's another pack of dogs."
He nodded. "There are. But they know or they'll find out Sesshomaru wanted you dead and they'll turn you in. Their allegiance will be with him."
Damn. She hadn't thought of that. She might have known Inuyasha's true nature, but the entire world surrounding it was foreign to her. "So my choices are to stay alone or intrude?"
His eyes narrowed. "I told you, you're not intruding. I offered for you to join."
"Wouldn't that cause you problems with Sesshomaru?"
Kouga scoffed. "If he wants to threaten me, let him I ain't scared of that dog. One more or one less reason for us to hate each other ain't gonna make a difference."
"Okay..." she started, her heart thundering. "So if I say yes..."
"Then you accept the pack. You accept that I'm your alpha. You put the pack before the individual and you help protect and keep the pack together."
"You explained the alpha... but what does it mean to have an alpha?" Inuyasha had let his brother kill her. He might have said she'd have a choice in what she does but... the thought could be terrifying.
"I told you, you won't be a puppet. It'll be an instinct. It'll probably be a little overwhelming for you at first because it's new but it'll get better. I'll be someone you look up to for guidance and protection."
That might explain why she already found his authority overpowering. "And the whole pack won't hate me forever?"
"It'll be different once you're pack. They'll get over it." He had this urge to have her recognize him as her alpha. He found her. He rescued her. He fed her. The alpha within wanted the recognition.
She exhaled loudly, her chest shaking. "I'd like to be part of the pack if that's okay." She meant to think it through, but the need to belong overpowered her logic. It felt like he was exerting pressure on her with his aura and she wanted to cave in.
"Then you're under my protection," he said as he picked the knife back up. Usually they'd do her initiation within the pack, but he would wait until things calmed down on all fronts.
His words sent a tingle through her spine. Suddenly, her chest didn't feel as heavy. She didn't know what would happen to her, her life or how she would live from now on. She had to depend on a stranger for most things, but she had no intentions of being a burden. She would hurry to learn so she could get her independence back and then she would do like the others: she would manage her own life. Kouga had to shoulder a lot of responsibilities and she wouldn't weigh him down.
Instead, she would show him he was right to take her in.
She could do this.
-R-