Forever Yours

Chapter Four: Ultimatum

The only rational thought running through InuYasha's mind was that he had to get to Kagome, and he had to get to her fast.

The half demon felt so stupid for leaving her alone like that, unprotected for so long.

He was the male, and it was his duty to keep her safe, and he hadn't done that. He had failed. More than anything, he was ashamed with himself. But he couldn't dwell on such things—not now. Now wasn't the time for a self-induced pity party—now was the time to get his act together and to fix the damage he had caused.

The closer InuYasha got, the stronger the scent of her blood became. The scent was fresh; making InuYasha painfully aware of the fact that if he had only returned a few minutes sooner he might have been able to prevent whatever had happened or was happening to Kagome.

He picked up the pace just as another—more putrid scent reached his nose… the foul scent of wolf. That odor alone was enough to send his emotions into overdrive. There was only one being this scent could have belonged to—and it was the last person he'd ever want to see at a time like this. This situation had just become far worse than InuYasha could have imagined, with this new information alone.

After what seemed like ages, he broke through the last patch of trees separating him from Kagome. The sight that before him almost sent him into a craze.

There Kagome was, pinned by her back to a large oak tree with Kouga standing in front of her. The wolf demon had one arm strewn across her neck, attempting to force her to submit to him. Kagome was resisting valiantly, but Kouga, being physically stronger, had the upper hand.

The wolf demon's other hand-held both of hers just above her head—making any resistance futile. Kagome thrashed against Kouga in desperation, trying to break free.

InuYasha quickly noticed the deep gash on her bicep. It was just beginning to clot, thankfully, but the fact that she had even been hurt at all did not sit well with the hanyou.

Luckily, Kouga was too wrapped up in trying to subdue Kagome to notice he and Kagome had an audience. But Kagome did. InuYasha saw the obvious relief in her eyes at the sight of him, sending something akin to pride to course through his veins. It reaffirmed to the half youkai that she wanted him to some degree—or at least favored him over the other male.

Kagome struggled even more violently against Kouga with renewed intensity that only served to anger Kouga even more. He growled darkly at her actions, demanding she submit to him.

InuYasha could take no more. He had seen enough. The hanyou sprung forward, knocking Kouga to the ground.

The two males tussled and wrestled, each trying to vie for dominance over the other—knowing in the end only one would be the victor.

Kagome simply watched, knowing better than to get in the middle—more than glad to be free from Kouga's grasp.

The wolf demons speed was definitely on his side, as it allowed him to break free from InuYasha's hold.

"So, we meet again, Filthy Mutt." Kouga snarled, as he and InuYasha paced around each other in a circle. "It isn't nice to take things that don't belong to you."

InuYasha growled lowly in his throat.

"What? Didn't she tell you?" There was a dark tint to Kouga's voice. Kagome had never before heard him sound so sinister.

"InuYasha, don't listen to him! He's lying!" The young inu youkai pleaded, hoping he'd believe her over the wolf demon.

"Why would she want a dirty hanyou like you?" Kouga continued as if Kagome had never even spoken. "You're not good enough for her! You'd never be half the mate I'd be for her. Pathetic."

For a brief moment Kouga's words seemed to strike a chord within the half demon. His movements had halted, and he was strangely calm.

"InuYasha...," Kagome whispered. A single furry ear flicked in her direction—the only sign that he heard her.

Time seemed to stop as InuYasha felt a pulse of energy run through his body—he felt renewed, powerful.

"That's what you think, Kouga..." InuYasha's voice was darker, graver. "But I'll never loose her to the likes of you!"

And in that instant, InuYasha shot forward—claws extended, teeth bared. He looked quite fearful, and Kagome was glad it wasn't her on the receiving end of such an attack.

Kouga was barely able to dodge the onslaught, not expecting the half demon to be so fast. Though he didn't escape completely unscathed. One of InuYasha's claws had managed to cut deeply into Kouga's cheek, drawing an excessive amount of blood.

"Can't take the truth, can ya?" The wolf demon mocked, pretending to be unfazed by the wound. "You can't stand the idea that she'll never be yours!"

"We'll see about that, Mangy Wolf!"

Things were going wrong fast, and while Kagome had a strong sense of disgust and possibly hate for the wolf demon as well, she didn't want him dead. She wanted him to pay for what he had done—the wound on her arm still stung, even though it was an accident, but she most certainly did not want him dead.

Still, Kouga's declarations were getting on Kagome's nerves.

How could her parents have picked such a suitor for their daughter? What were they thinking? He was arrogant, self-centered, and above all a wolfish pig!

Kagome watched the scene unfold as various stages of worry and fear made residence within her heart.

It wasn't until she noticed the red tinge begin to seep into InuYasha's eyes, that she really started to worry. She wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but she knew it couldn't be good. Kagome could feel the unsteadiness swirling within the hanyou's aura, and it didn't sit well with her at all—she felt the tiny hairs stand on the back of her neck.

Kouga, too, seemed to sense the change taking place within the hanyou. Kagome barely noticed the tinge of worry cross his face before it quickly disappeared, as if it had never been there to begin with.

"InuYasha?" Kagome began, when the worry had almost consumed her. She was unable to prevent herself from taking a step towards him.

"Stay out of this, Kagome." InuYasha warned. His voice was gravelly, and not at all familiar to her. What was happening to him?

"I've had enough of these games! Let's end this, now!" Kouga said brazenly. "No more playing, Pup. I'll kill you here and now, and take Kagome with me."

And then the scene became a blur. Both males had charged, there was scuffling, there was growling, there was the pungent scent of blood filling Kagome's nostrils, and finally when it all became calm again, there InuYasha stood, having caught Kouga by his throat. Kouga's feet dangled in the hair, several feet off the ground and only then did Kagome see real concern upon the wolf youkai's face.

Kagome watched as InuYasha tightened his grasp upon his prey's throat, slowly cutting off all air supply. InuYasha made sure to dig his claws in deep so as to draw blood.

"Kagome will not go anywhere with you." InuYasha stated, his eyes boring into Kouga's, as if daring him to object.

"InuYasha?" Kagome started, drawing his attention away from the now incapacitated wolf demon.

"You will stay out of this, Kagome." InuYasha commanded.

The look he gave her scent shivers down her spine. But she couldn't let him do this. He had won, proven himself to be the better male, there was no reason to go any farther.

Kagome took a tentative step forward. "Please. You don't need to do this. He's not worth it."

"Wench, do you hear what's he's saying?! Unless you're trying to protect him?!" The deep edge to InuYasha's voice warned Kagome to tread lightly. "He tried to claim you! That's not his right!"

"See, Mutt-face," Kouga somehow managed to say, despite his lack of air supply, "Kagome knows better than to submit herself to a lowly half demon male."

"No, InuYasha! Don't listen to him." Kagome shot back quickly.

"Prove it." InuYasha demanded. If what he was saying wasn't true, if she wasn't trying to protect that wolf, she would have to prove it here and now.

Instead of replying Kagome forced her way into his arms, made difficult by his refusal to let Kouga go, and molded her body to his. She allowed a soothing, rumbling growl to bubble up from her throat as her hands came to rest on either side of his face. Slowly, tenderly, their lips met.

That was all the encouragement InuYasha needed to drop Kouga.

InuYasha's hands snaked around her waist, pulling her even tighter against him. He forced his tongue into her mouth, taking great pleasure in her sweet taste.

In that time, Kouga had long since recovered and made a move to separate the pair. But InuYasha, being highly aware of his rival's presence, grudgingly broke away from Kagome to swat the wolf away.

Kagome clung tightly to InuYasha, refusing to let him go for fear of this whole thing starting up again, and turned her attention to the wolf demon.

"Leave, Kouga. I could never be your mate. I choose, InuYasha." The raven-haired woman said as firmly as she could. Kagome needed Kouga to know she didn't want to be with him.

A strange dark look crossed over Kouga's eyes as if he didn't want to believe what she was saying. "You'll regret this, Kagome." He said before turning to leave. "This won't be the last you'll see of me."

"You're lucky, Wolf. Come sniffing around here again and you'll be sorry." InuYasha promised. "You won't be so lucky a second time. Don't come around where you're not wanted." InuYasha added, not wanting the wolf demon to have the last word.

Kouga turned and sauntered off without looking back.

Thirty minutes later found the pair back at InuYasha's secret home. When he was certain the wolf demon was gone, he hurried Kagome back to the one place he knew to be safe. The hanyou forced her inside, allowing no room or argument as he set about taking care of the already healing wound on her arm.

It was pretty deep, but due to his cleaning and attention of it, as well as Kagome's demonic energy, it was healing pretty quickly. InuYasha was pleased to see this but he was not happy she had gotten hurt in the first place. It wasn't right to him. He didn't like even the idea of a single blemish upon her flesh.

Kagome had quickly explained that Kouga did not intentionally cause her harm, that it had been her own fault when she lunged at him and he tried to stop her. She had struggled so harshly against him that his claws accidentally dug into her skin. She made sure to explain that Kouga even initially gone so far as to apologize but Kagome had been so riled up she didn't really give him the chance...

Knowing all of that didn't stop the rage growing in InuYasha's chest.

Part of the fury was directed at his own self for leaving her alone and enabling her to be put into such a situation. He had failed her, and he'd spend the rest of their lives making up for it if she left him.

On the other side, Kouga better hope he and InuYasha didn't cross paths anytime soon. Kagome may have been able to stop him this time, but InuYasha wouldn't let her interfere a second time.

Once he was certain her wound was healing adequately, the hanyou got right to what had bothered him from the beginning.

"How the hell do you know Kouga?" Kagome didn't like the accusation she heard in his tone.

She could feel him becoming consumed by his anger again and that was a bad sign. While she was curious as to how he too, knew the wolf demon, that inquiry she knew would have to wait until InuYasha had calmed down.

"-And why did he say you were his mate?! Why did you stick up for him like that? Were you two lovers? Damn it, Wench! Answer me!"

"InuYasha, it doesn't matter! I'm not Kouga's mate, nor will I ever be! You need to calm down!"

Kagome could already see things were quickly going bad. The red flecks were making a comeback across the normal amber coloring of his eyes. She reached for him, wanting desperately to calm his frazzled nerves. She could feel the how unsettled his aura was becoming and it set her on edge.

"You're damn right you're not his mate!" InuYasha thundered.

Kagome's eyes widened as he lunged for her, forcing her back onto the bed. She watched as purple streaks surfaced against his cheeks and the gold fled from his eyes. His gaze was filled with red; those golden orbs she had come to love were no more.

Fear ran through Kagome as she recalled hearing stories of half demons who lost themselves to their youkai blood. Was this what was happening to InuYasha right now?

Kagome had no more time to ponder such notions as his lips were on hers a second later, possessively and all-consuming. His clawed hands seemed to be everywhere at once, leaving trails of scorching heat wherever they touched her.

At one point, she was vaguely aware of her clothing being forced open.

"Inu we should talk about this…" Kagome mumbled against his lips when he allowed her a moment to catch her breath.

But her words seemed to set him off even more and a dark threatening growl sounded from his throat.

"No. No more waiting—no more talking. You either want me or you don't, Wench. It's now or never."

InuYasha felt an ounce of guilt for forcing this on her, but he couldn't take this anymore! He had to know how she felt about him. Was she as serious for him as he was for her? He couldn't go on another day being with her and knowing it could be all over any second.

She chose him over Kouga after all—that had to account for something? Right? And the fact the she was still here and hadn't left him just yet also had to mean something too.

Kagome's heart fluttered against her ribcage. Now? She had to make this decision now? But there were so many things they needed to discuss first. So many things she had yet to say…

But the thought of never seeing InuYasha ever again scared her far more than she'd ever been scared in her entire life… even worse, the thought of letting him go and him finding someone else…

And just like that the decision was easy. There was no other option.

Her sapphire eyes met his molten ones, seeing within their depths the internal struggle he was unable to keep hidden any longer.

In that moment nothing else seemed to matter as she crashed her lips forcibly upon his.

"There was never any question." She returned with a deep reverberating growl of her own.

Using his shock to her own advantage, she switched their position so she was now straddling his hips.

Kagome reached up, slowly removing her clothing so that it pooled around her waist—her eyes never leaving InuYasha's, absorbing his every reaction with great intensity.

The end. See you next chapter guys. Mwahahaha! XD Don't worry. The next chapter is 90 percent done. Dependent upon my free time and motivation to edit it, I'll try to have it out soon.

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