"How did it go Inuyasha?"

"She absolutely hates me… She didn't even give me a chance to explain, Sesshomaru… I just lost the girl that Mother wanted me to find…" Inuyasha responded as he walked down the hall into his room.

"Inuyasha… I'm sorry…"

As the months went by, Sesshomaru had married Rin and Inuyasha was getting ready to marry Kikyo. Inutaishou decided to give his son some time to get to know her before they were married, in hopes of Inuyasha falling in love with her and forgetting about the commoner that he claimed to have fallen in love with.

Inuyasha, however, did not like Kikyo one bit. In fact, he absolutely hated her. He could not believe that his father thought that she would be a perfect match for him. He constantly thought of Kagome and wondered what she was doing at that moment.

Kagome was still upset by what Inuyasha had done. But she tried her best to not think about him. However, her growing stomach was a constant reminder of him. She had heard about Sesshomaru's marriage to Princess Rin and was happy that they were lucky enough to have found love. She dreaded the upcoming days as Inuyasha's wedding grew closer and closer. She wasn't sure how she would react once it was finally over and done with. When the man she so desperately loved would be out of her life forever.

When the day finally came, Inuyasha felt nothing but dread and regret. As he looked at Kikyo, he thought of Kagome. How she should be the one standing beside him at the altar. How she should be one who becomes his mate and bears his children.

As they said their "I do's" Inuyasha felt as though a huge weight had been placed on him. The ring around his finger felt more like a ball and chain that he would never be able to break free of. But as long as Kagome was safe, he could live with it.

Kagome began to feel a sharp pain in her neck as she watched the royal wedding on the television. As the wedding continued, the pain became worse. When Kikyo placed a ring on Inuyasha's finger, Kagome felt as though she was going to pass out from the intensity of the pain in her neck.

Kaede noticed and placed a hand on Kagome's. "Are ye okay child?"

"My… my neck… it hurts…" Kagome was able to say.

"Let me see…" Kaede said as she slowly removed Kagome's hand from where the pain was coming from. She was surprised to see what looked like a bite mark that was glowing red on Kagome's neck.

"I wonder…"

"What is it Kaede?"

"You seem to have some kind of mark on your neck. I do not know why though…"

"Is that… why it hurts…"

"It seems to be the cause of it, yes. But I do not know why."

Just as suddenly as the pain had started, it had stopped. Kagome felt instant relief.

"It seems to be fine now…"

"I wonder why it is reacting that way…"

"I don't know Kaede but it doesn't seem to be causing me any more pain at the moment. Just let it be…"

"Alright child. Just let me know if it acts up again."

"I will."

Inuyasha and Kikyo were officially married. Kikyo had a smug grin on her face as she realized that she was now in line to become the next queen of the Western Kingdom.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, was not pleased at all by what he had done. He never wanted to get out of the kingdom so badly in his life.

"I'm sorry… Kagome." He whispered so silently that only he and Sesshomaru could hear.