The tribesmen all gathered around hugging on their mates, giving them a kiss before inspecting them for injury. Most of the women were unharmed much to their mate's delight, but the men were. The women sat them down and began cleaning and dressing wounds, tending to their general welfare. I noted that there was a notable lack of the unmated, and younger males. One of the uninjured men, Gorou walked over to me. Kouga told me once that he is Tajik's younger brother and therefore unmated, but I noticed a large gash across his chest that was well set into healing over. He knelt before me, even on his knee he was taller than me sitting on the log.

"Lady Kagome you look worried." His voice is deep, and incredibly soothing. I felt myself calm slightly.

"I am. I see Kouga did not return."

"Kouga took the unmated men and made in pursuit of the lynx that tried to escape. He had the injured and mated return for protection here." He smiled, it lit up his face and I caught myself smiling lightly back to him. "There is no need to worry. We decimated what forces they brought with them, only a handful decided to flee. They can handle the task fine."

"What if there are more out there that hadn't attacked?" I motioned to the bodies near the waterfall, and his gaze followed.

"That was most likely a scouting party. It was ahead of the rest of the lynx tribe forces. They don't have scouting parties bringing up the rear." His voice trailed off as I yawned. "Perhaps I can assist you to your den?"

He stood and moved to help me stand but I put out my hands to keep him at arms length.

"Kouga wouldn't like that." He took a moment to think.

"Perhaps a few of the ladies-" I cut him off quickly.

"I will stay here until Kouga returns." He looked around for help in convincing me but everyone had their own tasks they were tending to.

"It may be a while-"

"I said I will wait here. Is there a problem with this Gorou?" He stepped back and bowed.

"No m'am. I did not mean to offend."

"No offense taken. Remove these bodies from the den will you, before they stink up the place." He motioned over a couple of other guys and went to the task, I sat there watching them drag the bodies out of the cave. The women grabbed buckets of water from the waterfall and went about removing the blood from the entryway.

After a few hours Trea came to me.

"Kagome, you need to get some rest. Everyone else is heading to bed, please let us help you."

"I will wait here until he returns." I had my mind set, I would not rest until I knew Kouga was safe and out of harms way.

"The night is just now half over. He may not be here until morning." She was trying to be comforting and persuasive, but I wasn't having it.

"Then I will be here in the morning. Good night Trea."

She sighed as she stood and walked off. I sat there twirling an arrow in my hand, as I watched the fire burn down. I sat there for a long while when I felt that I needed to stretch. I tried to stretch while sitting on the log but I failed and only ended up sliding off the log. My butt connected with the ground hard and left me rubbing my hip.

"Ow!" My voice echoed through the cave, the feeling of being alone sunk into my very core. I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around them as I rested my chin on my knees. I sat there staring into the fire and I couldn't help but daydream.

I thought about being here in the tribe after our mating ritual, how different everyone already looks at me and how that would only get worse. I don't want to be treated differently I am still the same girl. But am I? I am far from the girl that came here over a year ago, that girl would never have considered being in a relationship with Kouga but here I am. I am less than a week from being forever tied to him and honestly I am excited, does that make me horrible? I want to be with Kouga, he is sweet, kind, caring and more than anything he loves me. He loves me more than anything, and he has shown and told me so many times in the past. Why did I never think of being with him before? Because I was stuck on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha

I wonder how he is? Surely he hasn't gotten himself killed or injured in the time we have been parted? I know I shouldn't be worried about him but I can't help it! He haunts my dreams, I dream of him nearly every night. When we first parted the dreams were nightmares of him hurt, lying in a field beaten by some demon or another, bleeding out and calling for me. My heart constricted the memories still hurt.

"Why wouldn't you look for me Kagome? I need you-please Kagome." His voice weak as he reaches out for me. "Please Kagome-I love you." I knelt down next to him, taking his hand in mine. He was shaking as blood poured from his chest where a huge hole was.

"Inuyasha! What happened?!" I tried to touch his cheek but he flinched away from me. His cheeks wet with tears as he whimpered quietly.

"Why Kagome? Why would you be so cruel?" He shook and lowered a hand to his torso, as blood pooled underneath him. I looked around, there has to be something to stop the bleeding with! There is nothing, I looked around for something-for anything but there was nothing. The field black and desolate the only light from above like a spotlight.

"Inuyasha what happened?" I gently touched his shoulder as he closed his eyes and trembled under my hand. "Please what did this to you?" His eyes snapped open with startling clarity, his golden iris's darkening to a brown.

"You-Kagome you did this-" He coughed and blood spurted from his mouth.

"No-No Inuyasha I couldn't do this! I couldn't!" I felt my eyes sting with tears as they fell onto him. He raised his hand to touch my cheek.

"To cry over me after you ripped out my heart. How unusual you are-" An awful gurgling sound escaped his throat and the light dimmed from his eyes. The light around me disappeared and suddenly I was warm and cradled against someone.

I flailed my arms and swung out, I heard a growl as I connected with a firm body.

"Stop put me down!" I couldn't feel the ground beneath me and realized someone had picked me up. "I will wait out here for him!" I heard another growl as something nuzzled into the top of my head.

"You did." It was him. I opened my eyes and looked up into the brilliant blue eyes of my wolf. He was smirking at me, and seemed unhurt. I felt tears escape me as his smirk faltered slightly. I pushed myself forward and wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him down to me.

I crushed my lips onto his, I head his gasp in surprise but I didn't care. I quickly kissed him on his mouth, his cheeks, his nose, forehead, chin and temples. I covered his face while chanting his name. He chuckled slightly.

"did you miss me?" I shuddered at my dream of Inuyasha- I wouldn't do anything to hurt the ones I love and I know it! I buried my head in his neck and mumbled into the sturdy muscle of it.

"Please don't leave me." He stopped his chuckle and went deathly still.

"Kagome-" His tone was much more serious. No I don't want serious Kouga right now! I can't have him look at me with sad eyes! It will break me!

"Please Kouga-" I clutched at his chest, wrapping my fingers under the edges of his armor. "I love you, I can't lose you." I pulled back and looked into his eyes, they were wide and staring at me. He followed my face but said nothing. After a moment he started walking, I looked about and noticed we were in the main den and the sun was up. There were a few wolves wandering about that were looking at us but most seemed to look away blatantly. His pace increased as he headed toward the den.

Once through the curtain he dashed to the bed and placed me down on it. He sat there staring into my eyes, kneeling in front of me. I barely noticed my eyes stinging with unshed tears. He placed his hand on my cheek.

"Do you mean it?" His eyes looked impossibly deep and I couldn't read them the blue seemed to swallow me whole. Did I mean what? That I don't want to lose him? Of course I mean it! I sat there staring at him blankly as he ran his thumb over my cheekbone eliciting a shiver from me. "Kagome, do you mean it?"

"Mean what?" My voice was quiet, trying not to let the tears fall.

"That you love me. Do you?" His eyes are still unreadable.

"Yes, of course I do Kouga. I would never have agreed to be your mate if I didn't." He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. This kiss unlike our other passion and lust filled ones was filled with hope. I felt Kouga's hope and his fear at my denial. Oh Kouga I would never deny you. He pulled back and placed his forehead on mine.

"When? When did you know?" His voice breathless, from the kiss.

"When you cried for me." He opened his eyes and looked at me, confusion on his face.

"huh?"

"When I woke up from the poison and you held me. I felt all your fear, your despair at thinking I was gone. I knew then that you would never leave me and that sealed it for me."

"Sealed it?" I released a breathless laugh.

"I guess I had known a while, but that was when I knew there was no going back." I placed my hand on his cheek in a mock of how he held me and I felt him shiver.

"You have-" He shook his head and steeled himself. "You have no idea how long I wanted to hear that." He smiled the radiant smile I had grown accustomed to seeing. Is there anything I wouldn't do to make that smile appear. "Say it again-" I sat there a moment while he calmed himself. "Say it."

I raised my other hand to where I had his face cupped between my hands.

"I love you Kouga. There isn't anyone else I would ever say that to." He grinned and moved to kiss me again but stopped short as a yawn overtook him. I felt myself yawn immediately after and Kouga chuckled.

"Sleep it seems is going to get the better of us." He laid down beside me on the bed and pulled me in beside him. He nuzzled the top of my head as I felt him yawn again. "In a few more days we will be mates, then the world will know of our love." He growled lightly and tightened his arm around me. "I love you Kagome."

"Kouga, I need to talk to you about something." Silence. I glanced up to him and he was sound asleep. "It can wait I suppose." I murmured into his chest and snuggled in.

I have my wolf, I have his love and he has mine. There is just a few loose ends I need to tie up first. A yawn overtook me as I snuggled into him.

"Night Kouga." I closed my eyes and sleep took over.

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long! My internet was down and work has been literally insane! Ok so here is the latest chapter- sorry it is so short, I promise more soon! Ok, I also know this one isn't really up to snuff, please forgive me! I love all your reviews and favorites please keep commenting I love hearing from you! I really do love hearing from you all! I hope you enjoy what I came up with the ritual is coming quick! That said please stay tuned for the next chapter!