I do not own anything except the storyline. Enjoy and Review !

I puckered my lips and closed my eyes. My first kiss ! When I did not feel anything, I opened my eyes to find Sesshomaru looking at me very oddly.

"Are you ill, Princess?"

"No." I sighed. Just disappointed.

As we began to eat our meal in silence, I couldn't help but steal glances at Sesshomaru as he ate. Why didn't he kiss me? A frustrated breath left me. When we finished our meal, Sesshomaru escorted me back to my room. We just stood in front of my door for a few silent moments until Sesshomaru bid me goodnight and turned to walk away.

"Prince Sesshomaru?"

As he turned to look at me, I kissed him softly on the lips. I blushed when I saw his shocked expression. I quickly walked in my room and whispered my goodnight. As I shut the door, I pressed my ear against it to hear Sesshomaru's footsteps travel down the hall. I don't know how long I stood there, basking in the lasting tingle left by Sesshomaru's lips.

The next morning, I awoke excited to see Sesshomaru. The kiss was still replaying in my mind and I couldn't stop blushing. I was acting like a fool, dancing and humming around the halls until I ran into Alpha Inu Taisho and Alpha Izayoi.

"My apologies." I said as I curtseyed.

"It is of no consequence and there is no need for formalities, we are soon to be family."

I smiled and I saw Inuyasha coming in close behind them.

"Hey Kagome, is that Sesshomaru's mokomoko?"

I blushed scarlet when Alpha Izayoi winked at me. Alpha Inu Taisho looked as though he was keeping some secret with that goofy grin on his face.

"No, Sesshomaru gave it to me last night."

"No wonder you reek of Sesshomaru! That thing is covering your scent with Sesshomaru's. The bastard must be scent marking you already."

"Inuyasha, I don't want to hear that type of language in front of your mother or Kagome again."

Inuyasha grumbled a response. What did he mean Sesshomaru was scent marking me?

"Are we going to eat or stand here all day cause I'm starving."

We all laughed as we heading to the dining room. I noticed Rin nor Sesshomaru was at the morning meal. As we all sat down, everyone was staring at me very curiously.

"Is there something wrong?" I spoke to everyone. Bankotsu responded.

"Kagome, is that new?" Bankotsu asked pointedly at mokomoko.

"Yes, Prince Sesshomaru gave it to me as a gift last night. He said it holds magical properties. Watch."

I had everyone's attention as I placed mokomoko on the table and touched with my hand. Mother and Kikyo gasped as it wrapped itself around me once more. I smiled as the fur tickled my face. Just then Rin ran into the dining hall with Sesshomaru not far behind her. Rin was holding rings of flowers.

"Rin made lots of flower crowns for everyone!"

I smiled at Sesshomaru adorning his flower crown. As Rin went around the table passing them out to everyone, I laughed when Rin ordered everyone to put them on right away. Even Kikyo could not say no to the surprisingly bossy child. As we ate the morning meal, Rin interrupted the silence.

"Princess Kagome, you have a mokomoko ! That means Lord Sesshomaru loves Princess Kagome ! Lord Sesshomaru says that mokomoko is only for mates and Rin will get one when she is old enough and someone loves her a lot ! Do you love Lord Sesshomaru, Princess Kagome?"

I blushed and was rendered speechless. While my father nearly choked on his meal and my mother rubbed his back while Bankotsu lowly chuckled. I looked to Sesshomaru, who looked like he just swallowed a bug. Rin beamed at me hopefully, waiting on a answer. I cleared my throat and answered.

"I really like Prince Sesshomaru, Rin."

Rin smiled at me, hopefully accepting my answer.

"Finish your meal, Rin."

"Yes Inu-papa."

I smiled gratefully to Alpha Inu Taisho. We finished the meal without any more embarrassing questions from Rin. Father, Alpha Inu Taisho, and Sesshomaru disappeared soon after. I went to the gardens to read when Alpha Izayoi approached me.

"Would you mind walking with me Kagome?"

"Of course not, I would love to."

Alpha Izayoi wrapped her arm around mine as I lead her around the gardens.

"I know you have questions about what Inuyasha said this morning."

"I do."

"Scent marking is a territorial tactic that most wolves use when choosing a potential mate. So essentially, as long as you carry mokomoko, Sesshomaru's scent will linger on you. Have you noticed that Inuyasha has not been near you in these past few days? Scent marking, depending on the potency of the scent, will warn away any males once you are mated with Sesshomaru."

"Why is Sesshomaru scent marking me now? I have no other suitors but him."

"He believes Inuyasha is a threat, with him being the only unmated male here."

"That is silly when I am supposed to marry Sesshomaru."

"Not necessarily. It was agreed that you would marry one of my sons, which did not have to be Sesshomaru, but since you had a small connection with Sesshomaru as a child, my mate thought it best you marry Sesshomaru. I want you to be careful around Inuyasha because Sesshomaru can be extremely territorial when it comes to whatever he believes is his."

"So the night I danced with Inuyasha caused Sesshomaru to change."

"Yes. It's called a beast. We reveal our more baser instincts when our beast is released; an instinct to protect, to survive, to challenge those who challenge them. It is very hard to calm ourselves once we relinquish our control to our beast."

"I had to calm him with my gift."

"It was also your scent. One sniff of a mate can calm the most dangerous of tempers."

"But we are not yet mated."

"Whether Sesshomaru has realized it or not, but his beast has already claimed you."

"What does this mean?"

"This means that Sesshomaru will be fiercely protective, absolutely loyal, and will defend you to his dying day."

I saw Mia rushing toward us with concern.

"What is wrong Mia?"

"The King requests your presence in his study at once. Alpha Inu Taisho also requests your presence, Alpha Izayoi."

I looked to Alpha Izayoi. It must be serious because that's the only time father asks me to come to his study. We set a brisk pace as we made our way to the study. I knocked twice and Bankotsu opened the door with a apologetic look on his face. I looked around to see the worry in everyone's faces.

"Please sit, Kagome."

As I sat down, Alpha Izayoi linked her arms around her mate.

"As you know Kagome, you were set to marry Prince Sesshomaru in late summer. However, their Council has decreed that Prince Sesshomaru must be mated his 700th birthday, which is rapidly approaching or else forfeit his title to become their next Alpha."

"When?"

"In seven days."

"So, we are to be mated in seven days?! How?"

"You will marry in front of the coven and after you will be leaving to mate in Prince Sesshomaru's kingdom as their law requires."

Tears welled up in my eyes and fell before I could stop them. I will be leaving my home forever in less than a week. I was out the door before my father could say anything else. I kept running until I found Beauty, my horse. I jumped on her and pushed toward the surrounding mountains. They were my favorite hiding spot when I was younger. I took in the scenery while lost in my thoughts. I liked Sesshomaru, but I wasn't ready to marry him just yet. It would be so much easier to pack Beauty and disappear. Running away from my duty? What kind of Princess would that make me? I took an oath to protect them, lead them. But that's what Bankotsu and Kikyo were for, right?

"You are right."

I whipped around to a familiar voice.

"Bankotsu?"

"I said you are right. It would be much easier to abandon your duty."

"How did you…?"

"I was your age once and in a similar position as you. Mating Kikyo was the best decision of my life. I knew she was all I needed when I first saw her, but she was the Princess and I was the outsider, who swooped in and stole her heart. I was lucky that I found Kikyo when I did because she became my light in my most darkest hours."

"I don't understand."

"When I was ready to give up on this coven it was Kikyo who convinced me to stay. Although I could never leave her, I tried to convince her to run with me. It was too much pressure, everyone expecting you to be without fault, to have all the answers. The coven adores your father and mother. I could never be like them."

I didn't realize Bankotsu had so much pressure on him. Well, father would step down soon and it would be Bankotsu and Kikyo's time to reign.

"I just thought I had more time. Honestly, I do no want to mate Sesshomaru."

I whipped toward the sound of movement in a bush, but when I saw nothing there, I thought nothing of it.

"What are you saying? You are to be mated in seven days Kagome."

"I mean I'm not ready to mate him yet. I want to get to know him more as Kikyo did with you."

"What are you really afraid of Kagome?"

"A loveless marriage. Could you truly be happy with Kikyo if you knew were not her first choice?"

His silence gave me the answer. No.