A/N: HI! No excuses. :)

Runt of the Litter

Part 3

'Left to take care of something. Food's in the microwave.'

Kagome sighed as she put down the yellow post-it note. No wonder she found the apartment quiet; she was all alone. She grabbed the microwave's handle, swinging the door open to reveal its content; more eggs. They had learned that it was easy for her to swallow but unfortunately; it was not what she was craving at all. She closed the door, dragging her feet away from the kitchen. What was she supposed to do now? She didn't have a phone, this wasn't her place… all she could do was wait for him to come back. She had no idea when he left since she had slept through it all, unable to fully recover from everything that happened recently. Her body was still begging her to rest. To top it all of, every time she would wake up, she would feel different; stronger, faster… better. It almost left her antsy to be trapped between four walls.

Once she reached the living room, she spotted the TV remote on the coffee table. TV was better than nothing right? She grabbed it, pressing the on button and she waited for it to switch on. Kagome was far from surprised when she saw it was on the sports channel; What did she expect? His burden was a heavy one, and she imagined it kept him busy. She didn't know if his apartment was this pristine because he was a clean freak or because he was hardly ever home. She left the volume down, watching with no real interest. Even at such a low volume, she could hear perfectly fine thanks to her new well developed hearing. She also noticed nearby noises were muted as though anything loud was far away. Was it a happy accident or a conscious choice he made? Either way, she welcomed the break from the sensory overload.

Although the quietness made it easy for her to hear the footsteps heading her way. She didn't need to hear anything else or see to know it was Kouga. She stared at the door, waiting for him to appear. And he did. He walked in with a brown paper bag in his arms. He looked at her then the TV and finally back at her.

"Didn't peg ya for a sports fan," he said with a smirk.

"What do you think I like?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Cooking shows?"

She managed a small laugh. "I'm a disaster in the kitchen."

"Good thing I'm cooking then," he replied marching towards the kitchen so he could put his bag down on the counter. "I did some shopping." He began pulling some clothes out of the bag. "It's nothing fashionable but since you're gonna be here for an indeterminate amount of time, I figured you'd wanna change clothes and wear actual underwear. I'll have some of the girls drop off better clothes, but this should help for now. I also picked up more food - not sure what you liked…" he explained before leaning over the counter.

That was… a lot of information. Yes, she would love to wear underwear that was not men's boxers. Not his underwear though - she - it was - hm, she just wanted girl underwear. She wasn't looking forward to seeing pack members again though… "I don't think I even know what I like anymore… everything feels different."

"It's normal," he answered, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "It'll get better." He turned around to look at the microwave, his nose twitching. "Ya didn't eat?"

She blushed, looking at the floor. Why did she feel like a child getting chastised? "I'm not really hungry for eggs…" she mumbled.

He could see that; she was a new dog. This was not what her system was telling her to eat. "Alright, what do you feel like eating?"

"Oh - I'm okay."

"The only acceptable answer is one that includes what you wanna eat."

"Kouga, really, I'm fine."

"Wrong answer. You have to eat to get better." She stayed silent. "Chef's surprise it is."

He wasn't kidding when it came to his alpha status; it was hard to argue with him. And she found that she didn't want to anyway… It was simply that she felt bad that he was doing so much for her while she wasn't doing anything. She didn't particularly enjoy the feeling of being useless. "Do you need anything?" she dared to ask.

"Nope," he stated as he pulled more things out of the bag.

"But I want to help."

"You can help by getting better." He wasn't about to let her get injured.

Again, she felt like she had to resign herself and not argue; it was overwhelming.

"What do you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Before all this happened. Do you have a job waiting for ya? Loved ones? A lover?" He needed to know the impacts of the transformation and how they could help her through her transition. That was what a pack did.

"Oh," she said, gripping at the edge of the counter. Right. They had never gotten into the personal stuff. "No job. I just graduated - I had a few jobs interviews lined up, but I guess that's over now. Hm, it's just my mom, my brother and gramps." She glanced down at her feet, her cheeks dusty pink. "No -hm, no lover."

"What did you study?" he asked, glossing over her obvious embarrassment.

"I went to vet school."

He put down his cutting board, all motions coming to a halt. "You're a vet?"

"Well, I've never really worked as one. I did a few clinical…"

"But you're still a vet?"

"I guess?"

He smirked. "This is great. It's hard to get checked out when something happens - especially with the cubs. They kinda don't exactly transform at will. It could be useful for the pack to have you."

At his words, her feelings of burden lessened. Clearly, she had a lot to learn but if she could help them even a little, it would help her give back to the pack and it would allow her to assist them in her own way. She couldn't imagine how stressed parents were when they struggled to get care for their little ones. "I'll do my best."

"Good." This would help him convince the pack to accept her. He would need a good talk with them without her present. It was the only way to get this mess over and done with. "Listen - I know you're pretty trapped in here but give it a few days and we'll get together with the pack. Get ya out of these four walls." She was an animal now and captivity was sure to drive her insane.

"Do you know how long it'll be before I can talk to my mom?"

"Can you tell us where you live? I'll put a few guys on it, scout the place and see if they spot any dogs sniffing around."

"Sure, it's the Higurashi shrine."

"A shrine?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "My grandpa thinks he's a monk."

A shrine. The granddaughter of a monk. It was… an interesting choice of victim to say the least. "Did Sesshomaru know about this?"

She furrowed her eyebrows together before shrugging. "I'm not sure. Inuyasha knew, but he isn't very close with his brother… why?"

"Just wondering." It was a risk. Her line was probably powerful once, and it most likely no longer held powers but it Sesshomaru had taken a risk, regardless. After all, people didn't think were beings were real and yet.

"My grandpa can't actually do anything with his scrolls & sutras."

"Good to know," he said with a grin.

"What about you, what do you do?" There was nothing wrong with learning about him right? She was living with him - under his protection.

He reached for a carrot, putting it down on the cutting board before slicing it. "Nothing glamourous. I'm in construction. I have a small company. It lets me hire some members of the pack that struggle with functioning society."

"But you said you didn't have anyone else who was bitten right? So they were born this way."

"Yes," he replied, not making eye contact as he chopped. "But some of them still struggle with their duality or are weaker to their emotions and the wolf side and their tempers come out a little more." Most were okay, but he had to keep an eye out on a few.

"Must be difficult - living your whole life like that." She knew it would slowly happen to her now that she had to adjust to a new life, but she still felt bad for the members of his pack who could never find peace - and from the very beginning of their lives.

"The world ain't made for us. We gotta be careful who we trust. Remember that."

She never had to be on her guard before. She never had to keep secrets either.

"If they find out about you, it can endanger the whole pack. You must learn to be careful." He didn't want to lecture her yet, but it was part of her new reality.

"I guess I have a lot left to learn."

"Don't worry - that's why I'm here."

And at those words, for a mere second, her heart skipped a beat.

-R-

"Nothing, you sure?" he asked, his eyes darting in the darkness, listening to every sound. "Any signs of foul play?"

"Nothing, I'm telling you, it's like no one was ever there."

"Alright, thanks Monk."

He hung up before dragging out a sigh. He didn't know if this was a good sign or a bad one. He hadn't heard from her. No one had seen her. Was she dead or alive? And if she was alive, where was he? He knew Miroku had found no evidence that something bad happened to her, but it was hardly meant that she was safe. These bastards were good at covering their tracks. Had he made a mistake? Should he have let her die? He groaned before smacking his own hand against his face. He prayed that she was safe. Then again, if he hadn't done what he did, she'd be dead, regardless. All he could do at this point was hope that he did not put her through a painful transformation for nothing more than a few extra hours alive.

"Where were you?"

Sesshomaru's icy voice cut through the quietness of the room, the hair on Inuyasha's arms rising at the sound of it. Did that fucking bastard thought he'd run home after what happened? Then again, it was not like he could betray himself and let any hint of the truth show.

"Keh. None of your fucking business."

His brother had to believe he was upset about Kagome's death or he might realize that something was off. He had seen what losing Kikyo had done to him, and he knew what loss looked on him. It had to be as real as possible. Although it wasn't too hard to fake anger: what he had done, even though she had lived, was unacceptable and unforgivable. Kagome's whole life was turned upside down and he couldn't even help her through it. She was all alone, and only God knew where. He could only pray that she had found some sort of safe haven and that she understood what happened to her. Yes, hating his half brother for what he had done came quite easily to Inuyasha .

Once again, he had lost the woman he loved and once again, Sesshomaru was responsible for that loss. All of this pettiness because the oh mighty lord despised the fact that Inuyasha was a bitten. Aa if it were shameful, as if he had chosen this path himself. In the end, they were of the same blood; they shared the same powerful father—but no matter what Inuyasha did, Sesshomaru only saw him as an abomination. It would never get better and his older brother would spend every day punishing him for it. Inuyasha would never forgive him. Somehow, someday, he would find a way to ensure his brother paid for his crimes. He didn't care if he was his brother. He didn't care that he was an alpha. All he cared about was that he suffered as much as Inuyasha had suffered.

"As your alpha, it is my business."

After the little incident, he had expected for his reckless little brother to fall in line. Unfortunately, it was clear that Inuyasha had no intentions other than to be a complete disgrace to the family. What would it take for that mutt to learn his lesson?

How many of these pathetic reincarnations did he have to kill for the half-breed to understand?

-R-

"I'm sorry, she's what now?"

Ginta's ears were twitching: he was almost a 100% certain he had heard his alpha correctly and yet he felt the need to have him repeat himself.

"She's pack," Kouga repeated through gritted teeth as he pushed another stack of plywood in the back of the truck. If Ginta's reaction was any sign, the pack would not take the news well either…

"And when were you planning on sharing this?"

He slammed the door of the pickup shut. "When I want. I make the call."

"Don't forget that we're also responsible for her and she's responsible for us."

"I know that. But what was I supposed to do? You're all so focused on the dog part, you're ignoring the her part. Should I let her die? She didn't do nothing. Did you know she's a vet? Do you know how useful that would be for us?" Yes, he understood: the pack was a family. It rarely happened that he went against the pack's wishes but in this case, hatred blinded the pack and they were not thinking clearly. Even he had always despised dogs, but he could see that keeping her, helping her was the right path. Why couldn't they?

"Wait, a vet?"

And that was the only part he listened to… "Yeah you knucklehead. So maybe y'all should be a lot nicer to her. Maybe get to know her or something." The dogs hadn't tainted her, and despite it all, he could clearly see that the human side of her was the one on top. She could be moulded, they could show her the difference between good and bad. She was a blank canvas.

Ginta had to admit, it would be a nice advantage to have within the pack. Maybe they had ignored the big picture. He had talked to her a little bit: she didn't seem to be that bad of a person really and her journey sucked to be honest. One look at her had been enough to tell that she didn't want this life just as much as they didn't want a dog in their pack. Plus, there was something wrong going on if they thought her to be missing. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"When you tell the pack, I'll side with you." Kouga had always done right by him. He took him in when he had no one else, nowhere to go and he gave him a family, a place to call his own. How could he ever repay that? He believed in him when he was nothing more than a starving stranger. Kouga always made the right call. "If you say that's what's best, I believe you."

It would certainly help if someone other than him was preaching for her inclusion into the pack. Maybe the others would be more open-minded if it came from someone else, one that was from their own ranks and didn't hold any power over them. "It is."

"Then, they'll come around, eventually. Maybe she could check up a few of the cubs… that way the others would understand better."

Kouga nodded. "I hadn't thought of that," he said before ruffling Ginta's hair with his hand. "Smart thinking."

Ginta frowned, bending to free his mane of hair. "Hey, I always have good ideas."

"Sure, sure," Kouga teased as he hopped in the truck. "Let's get to work dumbass." He didn't want to leave her alone for too long. He knew that she didn't eat when he wasn't around and he also knew that she worried a lot, although he honestly couldn't blame her for that: someone had tried to kill her very recently. He needed to find out more about this. Yes, for now, to the world, she was gone, even dead. Eventually, someone would spot her;She couldn't spend the rest of her life in hiding. Maybe he could call in a favour from a friend and try to shield some light on the situation. He owed him one…

"Hey, Ginta," he said, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Yeah?"

"Can you call up Miroku? Set up a meeting?"

"Smart," he replied, a smile beaming on his face.

It was not how Kouga wanted to use the favour he had from a cop, but it would do. If he could have, he would have used it when the pack was at the cabin, but it was too much. Even he couldn't justify not talking to a giant group of people who was in the forest where a girl disappeared. But this? He should be able to do it without too much of an issue. Except, he could only hope he wouldn't need anything else from the man in the future. At least not until they re-balanced the favours.

"Same meeting place as usual?" Ginta asked as he dialled the number. It would be nice if they could clear this up and have their cabin back for the next full moon or else they would need a Plan B.

"Yeah."

Maybe he would have to leave her alone a little longer than planned, but hopefully he would come back bearing good news. Although, even if they solved this problem, there would be other hurdles. She couldn't go back to her old life as though nothing happened. Her life would never be as it was again, and she would always need that sense of belonging to the pack. She also couldn't act the same way she always had; she was no longer human. They had a lot to teach her and she would probably find the regular world overwhelming now… she would need support.

He would give her that support.

-R-

"A check up?"

He shrugged. "The cubs could use it and it could be a nice way for you to integrate the pack." A pack that did not know she was pack yet. Detail though. Honestly, his goal hadn't been to convince her to do a checkup on the pups at the next pack meeting. No, his goal had been to share some good news with her. Unfortunately for him - and her - Miroku hadn't been able to meet him today. It would have to wait another day. Obviously, he wouldn't share any of this with her yet; he didn't want to give her false hope. He knew she still clung to her old life, and she probably carried within her the dream that things could go back to normal. He really didn't want to shatter that illusion for her.

She had practiced very little! She didn't even have her license… but the pack did really hate her. Plus, if they didn't have anyone looking after those poor cubs… and yet… what if she made a mistake? The pack would hate her even more… if that was possible. How could he have so much faith in her? He didn't even know her. He kept taking her in, clothing her, feeding her… for all he knew she was the worst vet in the world's history. Every time she wanted to trust in him, a tiny voice would scream that no one was this kind. And yet he was. How could that be?

"Don't worry, you wouldn't have to do anything too in depth. They're good cubs, don't worry." Stress was radiating from her and now he felt slightly guilty about it. He didn't want to put her on the spot, but it wasn't as though they could wait for the pack to accept her themselves. They needed to put in some work if they wanted to change things.

"I think you have more faith in me than I do," she mumbled, staring at the ground while shame grew in her chest, weighing on her lungs. She could not bear to hold his gaze, not when he looked at her with those twinkling blue orbs, kindness pouring out of his glance. There was something about him that overwhelmed her, that made it hard to say no. He asked, and she wanted to give. She didn't even know him for god's sake.

"Because I know you'll do fine and that the pack will be thrilled."

Somehow she doubted that either of those statements would be true. Unfortunately for her, she could not find the words to turn down his request and instead, she nodded, regret filling her immediately. But he grinned at her response and she felt her heartbeat pick up.

He was happy.

She was happy?

-R-

"You did what?"

Ayame was the first one to voice her rage, and it did not surprise him one bit. He had played it safe, and he had sent Kagome with Ginta and Hakkaku so that she could buy the supplies she might need to inspect the cubs. This way, it left him free to announce it to the pack without her being present. He didn't want her to hear some of the remarks a small percentage of the pack might make; she didn't need more reasons to feel like she didn't belong with them. "She's part of the pack," he repeated, his tone firm. "I'm the alpha, I made the final decision." He didn't like to throw his alpha status in their faces but he knew the whole dog thing was blinding them from rationality.

"Yeah, and when did this become a dictatorship?" she pointed out. "We don't want a fucking dog in the pack." He never liked dogs either, and now suddenly he welcomed that bitch in the pack with open arms: there had to be more to this story than this. It was too suspicious, and she didn't trust that dog.

"You've always trusted me to keep y'all safe and I have. You're welcome to leave if you're not happy with the way I run this pack. No one is holding you back." They had one alpha female too many anyway and having Ayame talk back to him reminded him of why he couldn't stand alpha female. They challenged their alpha at every turn. "I've kept the pack safe. I've kept everyone safe, fed, and protected. I've never taken a decision that put any of you in danger. You've always trusted me. If you suddenly decide that it doesn't mean shit, then go. I ain't gonna force anyone to be here. If anyone found a cub out there, I sure as fuck hope that they wouldn't leave it out there to die. If you would, then maybe you're right, this ain't the pack for you. But if you wanna keep trusting me, you're welcome to stay. I ain't saying you gotta jump for joy, but maybe give her a chance."

Silence became prominent as his words weighed down on them. He wasn't wrong: the pack had thrived with him as the alpha and he had always put their safety first. They had lost no pack members, no one had gone starving, no one was homeless. He was good to them.

Ayame was dying to express her opinion but the way everyone was keeping quiet had her hold back. They would not fight this? He spoke a few bullshit words, and they would let this slide? What was next? They would accept foxes into their ranks now? This was idiotic. Everyone knew dogs and wolves didn't mix. There was a reason they hated each other. It was the natural order of the world and he needed to respect it. What had that little bitch done to wrap him around her finger like this?

"She's a vet," he added, breaking the silence. "She's gonna join us and take a look at your cubs. So if you had any health concerns, now's the time. She'll be the pack's physician. Keep us healthy."

Most of the reactions to the news were ushered whispers but he could tell they were positive. Sometimes, the full moon could get to them and lead to injuries that would be difficult to explain once they were back in human form. Even if humans weren't her specialty, she could treat them and deal with the particularity of their situation. It would be a huge relief to the pack and she could also train a few people on top of it. It was a win-win situation.

"She'll be here soon. If you have any problem with the situation, I expect you to take it up with me, not her. I'm the one who made this decision. Considering how much you all hate her, she was actually reticent to impose the presence to the pack."

He heard Ayame mumble under her breath but he chose to ignore it. "Now eat, drink, go for a walk, whatever you gotta do." He was putting the front of an unwavering leader but… There was a part of him that wondered if they would follow him through thick and thin. His betas always submitted to him in the past and now, they were challenging his decision. Granted, Ayame was not helping. She might stand lower than him in the hierarchy but she was an alpha - and it was in her blood to lead. Therefor, it made it easy for the betas to want to follow her, especially if their ideas and opinions were aligned with her in the first place. She was a dangerous variable to have around. Usually, she expressed her opinions, but she was never this vocally against him. What would happen if another situation like this arose? Would she lead the pack against him? He would have to be careful with her.

Getting rid of her almost sounded like the best option. He wished he could kick her out like this but without a valid reason, he would simply prove her point; that he was selfish in his ways. No, right now keeping her or getting rid of her wasn't affecting the pack. He wouldn't take such drastic measures.

But he would watch her.

Ayame waited for the crowd to thin out, waiting for her opportunity to corner him properly. Obviously, he was attempting to diminish her presence and her voice within the pack. If she kept challenging him in front of them all, he would keep putting her down. This kind of conversation might be easily to have if they had a bit of privacy. He stared ahead, aware of her presence but blatantly ignoring her.

"She's not an alpha, you know." Ayame's arms were crossed in front of her chest as she glared at him. Maybe the others would keep quiet, but she wasn't. She would fight for her pack like a good alpha should do. And an alpha was something that she was not.

"Most aren't," he casually replied, his glance focused on the small group surrounding Kagome.

"So you'd cast out an alpha female over a beta bitch?"

A long sigh was drawn from his lips. "No one cast ya out. If you leave, it's because you want to leave. Second, we have too many alpha females, anyway. One of you is gonna have to go."

"You know I'm a more worthy of being a mate than Yami."

He scoffed. "I don't have to mate an alpha female." Ayame clung to the old ways of life. However, she forgot that even back then, the alpha mated the female that suited best the pack. Yes, it often was an alpha female but only because it could usually strengthen the pack. In this case, Ayame wasn't bringing anything with her; none of these betas were related to her and none of family followed her into his pack. She wasn't a prize to be won, and she didn't bring any riches to the pack. He didn't have to mate her. He also wasn't one to follow the ways of the elders; he didn't have time to waste on archaic rules and stupidities.

"Most smart alphas do," she replied through tight lips. She had set her eyes on him and the pack alpha bitch position a long time ago and she wasn't about to give up on that goal so easily.

"You mean most weak alphas," he corrected, "I don't need anyone bossing me from behind. I can make my own decisions." Being born an alpha did not signify that one was born to be a great leader. It gave an advantage, it gave a form of control but it had to be harvested. Some alphas did better with another alpha by their side since it lessened the load and shared the burden. It was harder for anyone else to challenge a pair of alpha and it offered a certain security. He, on the other hand knew no one was foolish enough to challenge his position, his pack. Considering the way Ayame liked the run off her mouth, she would probably bring more trouble than she would spare.

"Can you? Because I'm starting to doubt it."

Next thing Ayame knew, she was being smacked into a nearby wall with Kouga's large hand wrapped around her neck, the pale flesh turning red under his touch. Her throat closed up, the air unable to make it to her legs as his grip tightened, leaving her gasping. She tried to claw at his arm, hoping he would loosen his hold on her throat, but he did not even flinch. Her feet were kicking into the emptiness as she could not find the ground. Panic settled within her as the darkness of his blue eyes burned through her soul. He would not let go. She saw the white of his eyes disappear as red bled into his orbs, his snarls sounding less and less humans and more animalistic.

His fangs were poking from his lips as he growled softly as her, closing the distance between their faces. "No one, trust me, no one is keeping you here. So here how it's gonna go… if you're not happy, go. If you wanna stay, keep your bullshit to yourself. I am your alpha and you will respect me. I make most of my decisions based on what the pack wants, but I am the alpha. I make the last call. If you're interested in being a bossy bitch, go find another pack because I will never mate you. I'll never let you have your little power trip, so forget it. Are we clear?"

His breath was warm against her skin and she would be lying if she said his closeness wasn't bringing a warm tingle in the pit of her stomach. Kouga was a powerful alpha, and his scent alone was enough to make her dizzy, forcing her to cave into his demand. And she almost willingly did it. But she would only do it to keep face. She had already decided that he would be hers. She would change his mind, even if meant she had to hold her tongue and wait for her time. She would make him see that a superior alpha like him needed an alpha female by his side to help him grow in strength.

"Fine, keep your new toy if that's what you want. I just don't think it's gonna last." Eventually, he would come to his senses… he had to, right?

"We'll see," he said as he released her throat from his grip, allowing her feet to touch the ground once more. He didn't buy her bullshit, and he would monitor her, especially when she was around Kagome. "Now, don't you have something better to do," he asked as he re-shifted his glance away from her.

Everything would be fine as long as he could slowly get more people to warm up to her, it would be fine. Eventually, they would come to see her as an asset to the pack rather than a threat. Obviously, it was a bit of a play to use the cubs to help her find her place within the pack, but considering she was a hated dog, they had a lot of work to do. At least he had Ginta and Hakkaku on his side now. Plus, all the others were betas, and betas they would eventually fall into line. They were not known to aggressively challenge the alpha. They would be unhappy for a while and then they would move on from it. This is what he needed to remind himself.

He made the right call.

-R-

He stared at his phone as it was on the coffee table, the screen turned off. Inuyasha was looking for her, worried about her. The leader of the wolf pack had called him, wanting to talk. It did not take a genius to put two and two together. The location of her supposed murder was awfully close to his territories - it would make sense that they would find her but… Well, wolves hated dogs, everyone knew that. He had witnessed a few fights in the past but - but the alpha wouldn't call him if he had murdered a girl… dog or not. Perhaps he realized she was a newborn? Was he trying to find out who she belonged to? He had wanted to meet as soon as possible, but he had opted to push back the meeting to decide what he would say. He had no intention of being caught in an all out war between dogs and wolves. Should he tell Inuyasha he found out information about Kagome? Should he tell Kouga he knew where he could ship her off to or should he do it himself?

He didn't want to be stuck in the middle of pack politics. His main goal was to ensure the safety of the civilians. Very few knew of the existence of the supernatural in their daily lives and he intended on keeping that way. He would also live in ignorance if it weren't because his wife held a place on the high council. He had slowly been brought into the folds of the unknown and now it was his job to keep the peace and the safety of all - supernatural and regular humans.

"Everything all right?"

He smiled as he looked up at his wife. "Stubborn canines." Out of respect for his friendship with Inuyasha, he hadn't brought up the whole Sesshomaru killing a human to his wife. But he knew he eventually would have to spill the truth. She could read him like an open book.

"Anything I should worry about?"

"Inuyasha - canine related troubles."

She rolled her eyes as she plopped down on the couch next to him. "As long as that brother of his isn't causing any trouble, I'm not sure I wanna know."

He stretched his lips into a wider grin, forcing a lump down his throat. "Inuyasha being Inuyasha."

"Good - we have enough problems as it is. It's not time to add to it. The council is getting restless." More attacks were popping up, more supernatural beings were feeling trapped and watched; no one was happy with the current situation.

"Don't worry, dear."

"Miroku, when you tell me not to worry, I always worry."

"Sango, dear, I'm offended. Have I not been anything but perfect?"

"I wouldn't call being a lecherous pervert perfect…"

"Only for you Sango, only for you."

This should buy him a few days. At least until he could talk to the wolf. And then… and then…

He didn't know.

-R-