"Are you serious!?" Kouga screamed at the group. They were now seated around a small campfire; Sesshomaru seated next to Inuyasha much to the wolf's annoyance. Inuyasha let out a dark chuckle as he stared at Kouga.

"Yeah and where were you when all of this happened huh?" He asked. Kouga turned away from the hanyou, a look of shame covering his tan face. Inuyasha stood.

"Say Kouga? Where were you when my brother was being abused and tortured? When he was taken and calling for help? When his child, YOUR child, was cut from his belly and possibly killed?''

Kouga remained silent; his teeth were clenched so tight that Kagome swore they would break.

Inuyasha placed his hands on hips as he spat at the wolf demon prince.

''Some demon you are. You can't even protect your own mate."

Kagome turned angry brown eyes on the man she loved and shook her head.

"That's enough Inuyasha!" The hanyou told her to be silent before he rounded on Kouga again.

''Tell me Kouga where were you?" When the blue eyed demon began to answer, Sesshomaru stood and gave him a deathly glare. His golden orbs seemed to blaze in the lighting of the fire. Flicking his silver hair over his shoulder he snapped his fangs at Kouga.

"He was with the she-wolf Ayame. He had thrown me aside and decided to mate with her, but when he realized she would not conceive because of her age he became angry and left." Everyone turned to Kouga to see what he would say but the wolf only gazed at him in sorrow. He knew what Sesshomaru said was true but he was expecting to talk to the demon lord privately not be humiliated in front of Kagome and her friends and even worse in front of Inuyasha.

Speaking of said hanyou Inuyasha was now staring at him in disbelieve along with Kagome, Sango and Miroku. Shippo was seated away from the campfire with Kirara who kept the young fox occupied. Ginta dozed lightly against a wolf and Hakkaku grunted gaining everyone's attention.

"Kouga wasn't angry with Ayame for her not being able to conceive. He just wanted to find Kagome and mate with her." He stated. Kagome shook her head trying to ignore the blush of rage that covered her cheeks and made her ears burn. Sesshomaru stepped forward, his golden irises beginning to tint turquoise as his smooth burgundy marks began to edge out on his skin.

''So after you impregnate me, you run off to mate with other women! You wretch!" But before Sesshomaru could snap his whip at Kouga's throat, Inuyasha held him back and threw him on the ground. Miroku ran over to help the hanyou tame his brother; in Sesshomaru's weakened stated it was a lot easier.

Looking back Inuyasha called to Kagome.

"Kagome, you and Sango take Kouga away from here untill me and Miroku calm down Sesshomaru."

The two girls nodded as they took the stunned wolf demon away into the forest while Miroku and Inuyasha ushered Sesshomaru into Kaede's hut.

...

"Kouga! I can't believe you! How could you do this to Sesshomaru?" Kagome continued to rant as the blue eyed demon sat and stared at the ground. He had his hands covering his face and Sango noticed he was visibly shaking. The demon slayer sighed as she took on his appearance; the wolf was torn at the decisions he has made and even though he hasn't voiced his feelings, his eyes show everything. Kouga sighed as he gazed up at the young priestess.

"I-I was being pressured by my tribe to find a woman to mate with and I was waiting on word from Sesshomaru but...it never came—"

"Because...he was captured." Sango ended. Kouga's eyes glazed over with unshed tears at the thought of his child and Sesshomaru. Their child may be dead and he could have been there to prevent it. Clenching his teeth the wolf prince growled as he wiped at his eyes. He was not going to shed tears in front of women.

Sango and Kagome watched the usually manly and rambunctious prince suppress the sobs in his throat. This was so out of his character that it made the two women uncomfortable. Kagome went and sat next to the blue eyed male, patting his back and rubbing his shoulders.

"It'll be alright Kouga. You just need to explain to Sesshomaru the pressure you were going through." Kouga grunted as he shrugged his shoulders. Sango kneeled down in front of him, looking into his eyes she gave him a gentle yet stern stare.

"You are lucky that Sesshomaru is even alive. Not too many people face Naraku and come back alive." Kagome nodded but Kouga just shrugged his shoulders again. He sniffed as he wiped as his face again. Kagome and Sango looked at each other wondering what the wolf prince was thinking.

...

Inuyasha sighed as he patted his brother on the back. Sesshomaru was laying still on his brother's chest, tears of anger running down his cheeks. The great lord of the west turned his head away from Kaede and Miroku, his hand gripping Inuyasha's robes as he clenched his teeth. He never meant for this to happen, when he and Kouga mated the wolf filled his head with silly delusions that they would be happy.

Sesshomaru wiped at his face before he looked up at Inuyasha. The hanyou stared in his brother's face as he shifted while he sat, the hard gaze making him uneasy. Sesshomaru's eyes were red and swollen, his nose and ears were tinted pink.

"Inuyasha…take me to my palace in the west so I can get away from that disgusting wolf demon." The hanyou stared at his brother. A frowned crossed Inuyasha's face as he told his brother no. Miroku, Kaede and Inuyasha waited for the demon lord to hiss and spit, to demand what he wanted and be prepared to fight.

But he simply laid his head again Inuyasha's chest and fell into a restless sleep.

The morning that followed was quiet and peaceful. Sesshomaru sighed into a strong chest as he gripped the cloth beneath him. He began to doze back off when two voices began to murmur over him.

"Is he still sleeping?" Miroku asked. Sesshomaru felt the vibrations within his brother's chest as Inuyasha grunted.

"Yeah, Kouga wore him out with all of this emotional crap."

Miroku hummed, "I talked to Kouga, Inuyasha. He explained why he took up with the female wolf and why his two betas said he was looking for Kagome."

"I don't give a rat's ass on why he was looking for Kagome -"

"Inuyasha, please listen. Kouga explained to us that after he and Sesshomaru mated that Sesshomaru had reported to him that he was indeed impregnated but he said that Sesshomaru had told him that he was close to his palace where he would be safe during his pregnancy and he would send a messenger to Kouga letting him know he was safe."

Miroku sat down across the hut from his friend and continued.

"Kouga said that the message never came, he had also heard rumors that the demon lord had been seen with another demon and that he did not look pregnant. The word got to the elders of his pack and they forced him to begin to court the she wolf Ayame. When they discovered that she was still too young to conceive they forced him to begin looking for Kagome which instead he used to try and find Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha grunted again, " Yeah and? Why didn't he just say so?"

"Inuyasha, Kouga was practically in tears, even though he didn't let them fall he is torn about what happened and the only person that could heal his wounds...is your brother."

"How? Sesshomaru wants to kill him not comfort him."

"Inuyasha you have to convince Sesshomaru that he needs to speak with Kouga and learn the truth. Kouga is deeply upset and I know that your brother is too. But right now, your brother is the only one that can calm him down.'' With that said the monk walked out of the hut leaving the half breed alone with his brother once again.

Inuyasha's golden eyes gazed down at Sesshomaru.

"I know you're awake. You heard everything Miroku said?" Sesshomaru remained silent. The monk's words played over in his mind. The older demon sat up, gold met gold as he stared into his brother's eyes.

"I have no reason to reassure the wolf." Inuyasha sighed. He should have known that his brother was going to be stubborn.

"You have to admit that everything Kouga told Miroku made sense. Didn't Hakudoshi capture you only a few days after you went to your castle?"

Sesshomaru nodded.

"Did you send a message to Kouga?"

The silver haired beauty frowned which Inuyasha took for a no.

"Sesshomaru, I know I am the last person you want to hear advice from but talk to Kouga. He may not be the brightest demon out there but he is loyal. He is a wolf after all."

Sesshomaru watched as his brother stood, walking out of the hut with his red hoari flowing behind him. Sesshomaru turned his head to the side, his silver hair flowing over his shoulder. He knew Inuyasha would send the wolf in to speak with him but Sesshomaru did not feel like speaking to him. He was tired of speaking, he was tired of caring, he was tired of being second best to anyone who dared tried to care about him.

His father left him for Inuyasha and his human mother, left him the sword of healing instead of the sword of destruction which Inuyasha wields. His mother constantly mocks him and he is defeated by his younger brother because he will not allow his heart to open but the one time he does, it is trampled on and thrown away like garbage.

His frown deepened, would he ever be truly happy in this life on Earth? The gods mock him and laugh at him as they watch him roam the lands looking for happiness.

"Sesshomaru?"

Cold, golden eyes clashed with baby blue as Kouga entered the hut. The wolf swallowed hard; he hoped he left this hut alive. Kouga kneeled down in front of Sesshomaru. The pale demon raised a hand and Kouga flinched waiting for a slap or those deadly poison claws but it never came. He only felt a soft hand run through his ebony locks that cascaded over his shoulders.

"You let down your hair." The golden eyed demon stated. Kouga gave a small smile as Sesshomaru ran a hand through his hair, he loved having the demon play in his hair and it was rare at times that he would get affection from the usually icy demon.

"Uh..yeah. Kagome said it would relieve my headache." What did he say that for?

Sesshomaru removed his hand, that cold demeanor returning. Kouga sighed, sitting down fully in front of the demon that he had loved for so long. He wished for Sesshomaru to fall into his arms like he did when they first mated but those times where gone.

Their pup was possibly dead and here they were their relationship in pieces. Taking a tan hand, Kouga gently gripped Sesshomaru's face, pulling that beautiful face towards him he kissed those rose petal lips gently.

"Sesshomaru, please forgive me." The demon lord gave a hiss before he pushed Kouga away from him. Kouga just continued to pull the dog demon to him, he would fight Sesshomaru if he had to he had to let him know.

After ten minutes of struggling, Kouga finally crushed the silver haired demon to his chest in a hug. Black and silver hair mixed together as Kouga clenched his teeth together. He smelt poison, felt the sting of Sesshomaru's poison nails dug into his skin.

"Sesshomaru, please...ah…" Kouga groaned in pain. He had black spots invading his vision, he felt faint but he refused to let go.

"Sesshomaru! Kouga let go, he'll kill you!" Kagome's cries were heard. The young priestess began to run forward but Inuyasha grabbed her and held her back. Miroku and Sango watched in anticipation, their hearts hammering as the saw the green glow on Kouga's chest.

Kouga held onto his mate even his breath came out in shallow gasps, his heart beat was slowing and he couldn't see. Inuyasha pushed Kagome out of the way as he and Miroku ran forward. Inuyasha wrenched Sesshomaru away, blood soaking his nails. Miroku caught Kouga as the demon fell backwards.

Kouga's dull blue eyes watched in sadness as Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around his brother's neck; Inuyasha cradling the demon gently in his arms. Kagome ran to Kouga as Miroku unbuckled his chest armor, the schoolgirl took out a sweet substance and poured it on the claw marks making the wolf hiss in pain.

Inuyasha, who began to pull away from his brother but Sesshomaru refused to release his grip. The half breed sighed in defeat as he sat down against the wall, allowing Sesshomaru to wrap his arms around the hanyou's waist and lay his head on his chest. Kagome seethed in anger as she stormed over to the two demons.

"How could you try and kill him Sesshomaru? He is your mate and the father of your child!"

Inuyasha was tired. Today had worn him out and he didn't feel like dealing with a hollering woman. Inuyasha lifted his hand and waved Kagome away.

"Leave him alone, Kagome. We have nothing to do with what he decides to do to the wolf."

"But Inuyasha, he could have killed him."

"Yeah, most demons have that natural instinct when they feel that their mate has the scent of another demon."

"But why isn't Kouga aggressive to Sesshomaru, you said so yourself that he had Naraku's scent all over him." Sango asked. Inuyasha sighed again; he was beginning to have a headache.

"The scent has faded, but I can still smell a female scent on Kouga that's why Sesshomaru is so aggressive." Kagome began to speak again but Sango laid a hand on her shoulder making the young girl back down from the argument. The demon slayer knew that Kagome was also jealous that Sesshomaru was remaining close to Inuyasha, for it was hard for the whole group to see the once ill-tempered brothers being calm and docile.

Sesshomaru turned his head away, resting his nose in his brother's hoari, taking in his scent of trees and grass. Inuyasha grunted to something the priestess had said and he heard the beads around Inuyasha's neck click together. It was calming to his fiery emotions and he was shocked with himself that he would ever rely on his younger brother so much.

After everything had settled down, Kouga was laying still staring up at the ceiling. His torso was wrapped in bandages covering the ugly wounds. The blue eyes wondered over to Sesshomaru who was dozing against Inuyasha. Jealousy boiled up in the prince's chest, Inuyasha was leaning over Sesshomaru as if he was protecting an injured mate.

Kouga hated seeing his mate in the arms of another.

Kagome twitched; she hated seeing Inuyasha be so compassionate to somebody else.