Stir-Fried Inu

A/N- Been a bit since I updated last and I am sorry for said wait, I hope you all find this chapter worth the wait.

Disclaimer- InuYasha belongs to the genius of Rumiko Takahashi; I am merely a fan expanding upon her work.

'Thoughts'

'Youkai Thoughts/Talking'

Onto the story.

Chapter 8:

The Truth Laid Bare

He couldn't believe it. His instincts and the scent coming from the unconscious female before him told him it was true though. He just wasn't sure if he was being misled, after all that had happened between him and Inuyasha, he couldn't believe anything completely.

This had to be the hanyou and the miko. His mate.

Shaking his head he stood from where he set her down on the cave floor, he then ran back out to gather some twigs and leaves for bedding. He wasn't sure how long the female, Inuyasha, would be out so he knew he had to hurry.

Once he was sure he'd gotten enough, he hurried to make a suitable bed. Lifting Inuyasha up gently he laid her down upon the bed, making sure to support her the whole while. But in the end, this was when he noticed something that he should have a long time before.

His hands started shaking and he took several deep breaths. He shifted Inuyasha to where she laid upon her back, he then slid his hands down to part the folds of Inuyasha's haori. He felt his body trembling as he took in the rounded belly before him, it was clear that he should have noticed before then. Inuyasha was pretty far along from what he could tell.

Bending his head he drew close to Inuyasha's belly and took a sniff, he was bombarded with several scents at once. The biggest one though was the scent of the pups, all five of them.

He collapsed back onto his haunches and stared at the wall of the cave in stunned silence. All he could think of was how Inuyasha had kept this all hidden and had been able to handle so many pups on her frame. She'd even fought for him while in such a condition.

Feeling like a complete baka for not seeing this before, Kouga decided to wait and see how Inuyasha faired when she finally awoke. Then he would decide what to do. Now that pups were involved too, it changed many things.

So he left the cave once more, in minutes he found himself the perfect prey. A large buck, more than enough meat for himself and his pregnant mate. Taking it down took mere moments and once he had it slung over his back, he hurried back to the cave.

Once he'd deposited his kill, he went out the entrance and gathered some firewood. When he returned to the cave he began a fire and then started breaking down the buck. He skinned it first with his claws before he cut its meat into large chunks, he laid the hide out on the cave floor next to Inuyasha to dry. It took him a while to finally get all the meat he wished from the carcass, taking the rest of it he took it outside and dumped it far from the cave. This would ensure that no scavengers would come near the cave.

He put the meat under the hide to keep it chilled as he looked at InuYasha once more. All he could do now was wait.

The first thing Inuyasha could feel was pain, then she felt stiffness under her back. Shifting, she moved into a sitting position, her head spun and her vision was blurred. She tried to remember what had happened before she'd lost consciousness. She'd been with Kouga and Kagura had shown up, then...

Inuyasha groaned. She remembered everything now.

Kouga would know the truth now, there was no hiding it. No explaining things away, he would know who she was and that she was carrying their pups. There's no way he wouldn't have found that out, especially when her scent barrier fell during her transformation.

"I see you've finally woken up." Freezing at Kouga's voice, Inuyasha slowly opened her eyes. She saw the cave around her as she turned towards the voice, Kouga sat against one of the back walls one leg up against his chest. He looked troubled and Inuyasha understood. She looked down at herself seeing that her haori was open, exposing her engorged belly.

Her hands moved quickly to cover herself and she wrapped her arms around herself. "Kouga...I..." Kouga interrupted her, "just tell me one thing. You are Inuyasha, are you not?" Inuyasha nodded her head as her reply almost gushed out of her. "Yes, I am. I didn't know what to do Kouga; I didn't want to leave you that day. But...being what I am. I was afraid, then I found out I was pregnant. I knew I couldn't keep such a thing from you for long, I just wanted us to be...friends at least before I brought this truth to light."

Feeling emotional, Inuyasha tried to force down her desire to cry and beg forgiveness. She wouldn't do it, she couldn't. It was her pregnancy talking. She waited for him to yell or scream at her, but everything was silent. Finally she turned to look at him and saw that he wasn't even looking at her. Letting out a sigh of depression, Inuyasha shifted again, trying to get up.

"I am sorry Kouga. I will leave you in peace." She had finally gotten to her feet and had turned to leave the cave when a hand clamped on her shoulder in a vice like grip. "Kouga?"

"I never said I wanted you to leave, Inuyasha." Gulping Inuyasha shifted nervously, "then what do you want Kouga? I will do my best to make it happen." Kouga looked contemplative for a moment before he bent down and scooped Inuyasha off her feet. "EEEP!" Inuyasha put a hand over her mouth, surprised at the involuntary squeak she'd let out.

No one had ever carried her like this though so she couldn't help but wonder just what Kouga was going to do. He gripped her closer as he sat back down on the makeshift bed that Inuyasha had woken upon, he then placed one hand on her belly and she shivered at the warmth radiating from it. It was so...comforting.

As if sensing the presence of their father, Inuyasha felt fluttering in her belly and shifted at the sensation. Kouga was silent as he did this, seemingly deep in thought until he rested his head upon her shoulder. He then spoke softly into her ear, "I remember my promise to you Inuyasha and I will not forsake it. Nor will I deny my instincts, you are my mate or at least this part of you is. This means that soon I will have to claim the other two sides to you, do you understand Inuyasha?"

Feeling her heart racing at Kouga's words, Inuyasha turned as best she could in his arms to kiss him soundly upon the forehead. "I am more than willing to assist you in that regard, besides our pups need us to be fully mated before the end of my pregnancy. They need their father as much as they need their mother. No pup should be denied a parent. I know this fact well."

Kouga was surprised by how quickly Inuyasha had agreed, he hadn't expected that. "Then it is decided," bending his head, Kouga pressed his lips to Inuyasha's. Inuyasha turned to embrace Kouga more as she kissed him solidly back. Kouga shifted to slowly place Inuyasha back upon the bedding, all the while continuing to kiss her.

They continued kissing for a good few minutes more before Kouga finally laid down at Inuyasha's side. He ran his hand over Inuyasha's belly, again and again. Almost rhythmically, to the point that Inuyasha felt lethargic once more. They stayed this way for a good long while, until finally Inuyasha's stomach decided to make itself heard.

Kouga sat up and with a wolfish grin on his face he grabbed some of the meat he'd prepared. Inuyasha's nose twitched at the scent of fresh meat and she sat up quickly, Kouga handed her over a large amount of the meat and she couldn't stop herself from devowering every bit of it.

It made Kouga feel extremely satisfied to see that Inuyasha was enjoying the meal so much, he felt like he'd been able to provide something for his mate. Considering how long it had been since he'd fed his mate, it felt wonderful to be able to do it once more. 'Now it's for good.' He nuzzled at Inuyasha's neck happily as she continued to eat.

Inuyasha felt this same happiness as her inner youkai enjoyed the contact with their mate; this had been what she'd missed over the last few months. Now she would never have to be without it again, at least she hoped so. 'I will never be able to tell him how scared I am right now, he might think I am all smiles and acceptance, but I've seen how those like me are treated by full-blooded youkai. Until we are fully mates, I don't think I can truly let this fear die.'

Depressed by her thoughts, Inuyasha took another bite of meat before shifting to curl into Kouga's chest as much as she could with her belly as it was. She forced her fears back and just enjoyed the moment, "Inuyasha? Are you alright?"

Having felt her trembling, Kouga knew something was off but what exactly he wasn't very sure. She didn't respond and just seemed to curl closer, feeling like he was missing something important here, Kouga ran his fingers though her hair. He stopped every other pass to rub at her neck, "You are safe with me Inuyasha, no matter what it is you fear. I won't stray from your side, I can promise you that."

Feeling like she needed to say something, anything, Inuyasha pulled back and spoke with a shaking voice. "Kouga...I...I am a Hanyou. Our pups will be too, I want them to be safe with your pack, but will they be? Can they accept not one but six Hanyou's into their fold, even with me as your mate and their father?"

Understanding dawned on Kouga at this and he felt foolish for not thinking of this issue before, he knew the troubles Hanyou suffered, he himself had inflicted some onto Inuyasha once before. He hoped she would believe his answer, even if he himself wasn't completely sure of it.

"You are my mate, the mother of my pups. Hanyou or no Hanyou, once they understand this and see you are truly part of the pack, you and the pups will have nothing to worry about. Being pack is being family and we always look out for our family. That's a promise." He then kissed Inuyasha's forehead before he moved into a laying position and took her with him.

"Now let's rest, then on the morrow we can return to 'our' pack." Feeling reassured a bit by Kouga's promise and the warmth of him next to her, Inuyasha nodded her head and let her body relax as much as she could considering. Sometimes being a miko in her human form could be a real pain.

A/N- Next chapter is in the works, I'm going to do my best to get it updated ASAP. I do hope you all stay with me through said wait.

Thank you all once more for your continued support. I really appreciate it.

May the Fluff Be With You!

=^..^=