Author's Note:

Hello, loves! I'm glad that you guys are happy with the updates and how the story is progressing so far. There's plenty of action and other events to come. Remember, if there's anything you guys would like to see in future chapters, be sure to leave a comment, and I'll do my best to work it in there. You'll also receive credit, of course. Anyway, let's get Chapter 8 started! I hope you guys enjoy it!

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Chapter 8

The following day came too soon for InuYasha's liking. Throughout the night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep as his anxiety spiked about meeting Sesshomaru's mother and The Council. Memories of how other demons viewed him were never the best. It also didn't help that he thought about how much Sesshomaru's mother might hate him for any bad blood between his mother and Sesshomaru's mother. Despite the twins warning him that InuKimi is nicer than he may think, it doesn't change the sinking feeling he has in the pit of his stomach.

It was still early in the morning when a knock came at his door. InuYasha opened his tired eyes and gazed at the window just to his left. The sun's rays poured into his room, showing that it had already broken the horizon. Despite his lack of sleep and how much he did not want to, InuYasha knew that he could not avoid these people for much longer.

"Come in," he sighed as he moved himself into a seated position.

Two servant girls came into the room, carrying his cleaned Fire Rat clothing and bowing out of respect to him. One of them was a large panda demoness with pale skin, dark brown eyes, long black hair swept behind her ears, and an olive green and brown kimono. The second demoness was a rabbit with short brown hair, lightly tanned skin, hazel eyes, and a pink kimono.

"Good morning, Lord InuYasha. We're here to get you ready for your meeting today," the panda demoness said.

"Do you require assistance bathing yourself?" asked the rabbit.

"No. I can do it myself," he said as he stood from the futon.

"Very well then. Please wait here while we prepare your bath water," said the panda.

InuYasha nodded as he sat back down and watched the women work. Moments after they entered the bathroom, the sound of running water filled his ears. Not too long after, he felt the steam coming from the water and smelt the sweet scent of lilies. The water didn't run for very long before the women came out and bowed before him again.

"Your bath is ready, Lord InuYasha,"

"Thank you," he nodded before heading inside.

Before he closed the door, the rabbit demoness turned towards him and said, "Please let us know when you have bathed yourself. We will come in and help you wash your hair."

"I don't need help with that."

"It is part of the process, milord. Lord Sesshomaru instructed us to make sure that you are properly dressed for your meeting," the panda warned.

"Whatever," he grumbled before closing the door and sighing against it.

The calming scent of lilies and the steam from the water slightly calmed his nerves before he stripped out of his white sleeping yukata. During his recovery time, the servants helped clean him, so it was nice to do it himself for the first time in what seemed like forever. The bathroom had stone floors, a large, circled tub in the center of the room, a towel stand, and tan walls with bamboo plants inside. As he approached the water, InuYasha stuck his toe into the water and hissed at how hot it was. Deciding that he needed to get his bath over with, the hanyo stilled his nerves as he eased into the water until he was submerged up to his chest and sat on the stone seat along the edge of the tub. A relaxed sigh filled the room as he threw his head back and his arms along the edge of the tub.

Thoughts of how the meeting would go and some of his anxieties from last night filled his mind again. The idea of being in a room surrounded by full-blooded demons made his skin crawl. It wasn't so much that he was afraid of them; it was quite the opposite. He wasn't scared, especially knowing that he had support beside him. What made him nervous was how they would view him. His entire life, InuYasha never cared what others thought about him, but with his new status as an omega and knowing that he could birth strong daiyōkai, he put a new target on his back. Would they view him as worthless as other full-blooded demons? Or would he be considered as something different? Would the fact that he was Inu no Taisho's son make a difference? Either way, he needed to make sure that he was ready for anything. And, no matter what happened, he needed to make sure that he and his pups were safe.

With his new resolve, InuYasha took a deep breath and dunked his head under the water to wet his hair. He didn't stay under for long before he came up for hair. Off to the side was a small bottle of oil for him to cleanse himself with. He quickly grabbed the bottle and scrubbed himself until the only thing he could smell was the scent of lilies. After he was done, he called for the women to take care of his hair. The rabbit quickly entered the room and went to work. She grabbed the oil from the side of the tub, poured some onto her hands, and used her fingers to work through his hair.

"Watch my ears, please," he mumbled.

She nodded as she continued working the oil through his hair. She lathered and used her claws to work through his long locks and through any tangles that were present. Although he hasn't had anyone wash his hair since his mother passed away, InuYasha relaxed into the rabbit demoness' magical hands. The rabbit expertly massaged the oil into his scalp before working through the few knots he had accumulated from not brushing his hair for the past few days. Luckily, it didn't take long before she was done. However, he wasn't ready for her to dump a bucket of hot water onto his head.

"Hey! What's the big idea?! What did ya do that for?" he shouted, scaring the timid rabbit.

"I apologize, Lord InuYasha. I should have warned you before dumping the water onto you. But that was to make sure that you were cleaned before you got out," she explained.

"It's alright, I guess. Now, could you please get out so I can dry myself?"

She nodded before standing up, "I placed your clothes over there. We'll meet you in your room when you're finished, milord."

He watched her leave and close the door before sighing into the water once again. Not wanting to let his mind wander too far, InuYasha huffed as he exited the water and grabbed his towel. Before using the towel, he shook himself as dry as he could. After a few shakes, he used the towel to finish drying himself and his hair off. Once he was dry enough, InuYasha slipped into his Fire Rat Robe outfit and exited the bathroom. As promised, the two women were waiting on him at the oak vanity with a clean mirror next to the bathroom door. They bowed before ushering him to sit in front of the vanity. It was the panda that took a comb, brush, and razor to work through his hair. She was as gentle as could be as she made sure to massage his ears, fix his bangs, and cut any frayed or loose ends in his hair. Not liking to be pampered, InuYasha resisted at first but finally settled after being told how necessary the process was. With their help, he was ready for his meeting. It was then that they heard a knock at his door.

"Come in," InuYasha called.

It was Sesshomaru who entered the room. The demonesses bowed to greet him before he dismissed them. Afterward, he looked his younger brother up and down before nodding in approval.

"They did a good job of making you presentable for our meeting."

"Yeah, they did. I haven't smelt like lilies or been this pampered since my mother was alive."

"It is something you should learn to be accustomed to should you continue living within the castle," Sesshomaru said before turning toward the door and throwing a look over his shoulder, "Come. It is time to meet my mother and The Council. They've been waiting long enough."

Sesshomaru led him down the hall, passed his office, and to a set of large doors where the twins were waiting for them. Both of the twins bowed to greet them with smiles.

"Wow, papa. You smell so nice and look even better than you usually do," InuRida said.

"Gee, thanks, kid," InuYasha sighed as he shook his head.

"I think what my brother meant to say was that you are in a presentable manner for the meeting. Grandmother InuKimi and The Council will be pleased."

"It's ok. I know what he meant."

"Are all of you ready?" Sesshomaru asked, causing everyone to nod. "Then let us proceed."

Sesshomaru led them into the Meeting Hall as he pushed the doors open. Inside the Meeting Hall was a large table with several demons seated at it, including Koga, Shippo, and the ever elegant and beautiful InuKimi. She was dressed in a purple and white kimono with a blue underlayer, her fluff wrapped around her shoulders, a gorgeous, beaded necklace, and her long white hair was pulled into two ponytails with two long pieces tucked behind her ears and short bangs framing her beautiful face. She also bore the same markings as Sesshomaru, making her look like the female version of her son and an older version of InuKanpeki.

InuYasha swallowed a lump in his throat as he stepped into the room with the rest of his family. Everyone who was already seated at the table stood up and bowed to greet them before returning to their seats, except for InuKimi, who decided to approach them.

"Well, if it isn't my son and my grandchildren. It has been a while since we last saw each other," she said with a small smile.

"Hello, Grandmother InuKimi," the twins bowed with smiles on their faces.

"Ahh, and you must be the infamous InuYasha I've heard so much about. It's a pleasure to meet you finally," she bowed in front of him.

Feeling awkward, the hanyo bowed back and tried to remain steady on his feet, "Yeah. It's good to meet you, too finally."

Her smile never left her lips as she reached out to hold his face in her hand, observing him. "You may take after your father more so than your mother, but you definitely have her beauty."

"You knew my mother?" He gasped.

"Why, of course. Why would I not know about the human that stole the heart of my mate," she giggled.

"And… you're not mad about that?"

"Of course not. Demons cannot mate with humans in the first place, nor do they live as long as demons. There's no need to be upset about someone who was nothing more than a passing moment in his life. Besides, he was free to fall in love with whoever he wanted to. Our arrangement was only transactional anyway. I did not love him. I was only meant to produce a powerful heir, which I did, as you did. We do not share the same emotions as humans. Now, on to my ignorant, arrogant son," she said as she glared at Sesshomaru. "I'm disappointed in you, my son. You knew how much your father wanted that human and the hanyo in his castle before his passing. He relied on you to care for them after his death, and you turned them away. And now you've hidden this gem of a hanyo from our lineage. You are ignorant of the consequences of your actions and should be ashamed."

Sesshomaru merely gave a bored expression at her words as he used his claws to comb through his hair.

"Lord Sesshomaru, do you have nothing to say to your mother?" One of The Council members, a leopard demoness, said from her seat.

"I have acknowledged my mistake, but I shall not continue to be ridiculed for my decisions," he said plainly.

"Well, you should. Had it not been for you, we would have welcomed Lord InuYasha into the bloodline sooner." Another Council member, a bear demon, said.

"You obviously did not understand his worth, nor did you respect your father's last wishes. That is unforgivable!" A crocodile demon shouted.

"Ladies and gentlemen of The Council, although we are all in agreement with Lord Sesshomaru's oversight, can we all agree that we must move on with the information given to us?" A mouse demoness said as she stood from her seat.

"I agree. Lord Shippo and I weren't too happy being lied to about our friend's whereabouts, but he is here now. So, in a way, we have Lord Sesshomaru to thank for that," Koga defended.

The Council discussed the situation for a while before finally reaching an agreement and moving on from the subject.

"Lord InuYasha," said the bear demon as he stood from his chair and bowed. "please allow me to be the first to welcome you to The Council and the Inu family. When we heard what happened to you, we were saddened by your elder brother's decision and the horrible situation that Lord Fukushu put you through during your pregnancy. Are you feeling better now?"

"Um, yeah. I'm feeling alright. Back to full strength," he nervously laughed and lied.

"That is great news to hear," nodded the bear.

"We were also happy to see that Lady Naoru and Lord Sesshomaru were able to rescue the twins from Fukushu's grasp after their birth. And, might I say that you birthed intelligent and talented pups, truly a rarity in this day and age," the leopard demoness complimented.

"I can't take all of the credit, especially since I wasn't there to raise them," InuYasha admitted, whispering the last part.

"Nonsense. You obviously don't know that the birth giver is just as important as the sire. Since their sire did not play an active role during your pregnancy, you played a larger role in their genetics than Lord Sesshomaru. Truly a remarkable hanyo and more valuable than most other omegas," she smiled.

"I'm not sure I follow what you're saying,"

"Surely you know that all male hanyo are omegas?" InuYasha nodded at InuKimi's question. "However, not all omegas produce presentable or acceptable offspring, just like not all demons and humans produce attractive hanyos. For years, hanyo were seen as inferior because they were considered abominations. However, they are also judged by their ability to carry and produce offspring. If a hanyo comes from a strong demon lineage, then they typically produce strong heirs. However, if the demon's lineage is not as strong or does not have a heavy influence during the pregnancy, then the offspring are more likely not to survive or be considered weaklings. However, thanks to the strong lineage of your father, my mate, and yourself, you were able to produce not one but two strong, healthy pups on your own despite the circumstances you suffered. My son should be proud of the mate he chose."

"Wait a minute. Hold on a second lady. No one said anything about Sesshomaru and I being mates," InuYasha said.

"I am confused. You bear the Mating Mark from my son on your collarbone. Was it not a mutual decision?"

Before InuYasha could freak out and cause a scene, Sesshomaru stepped in, "I placed the mark there to save his life."

"You what?!" InuYasha yelled.

"You were dying and were in need of saving. It was the only way I could transfer my demonic powers to you. I had no choice," Sesshomaru explained.

"You son of a b~."

"Then we must complete the ritual," said the Crocodile demon.

"You can't be serious?!" InuYasha shouted.

"I am. Young lord, you must understand what Lady InuKimi mentioned earlier about not sharing the same emotions as humans. That is true. We demons do not usually mate for love, especially in royal families. We marry for convenience. Your mating with Lord Sesshomaru would be purely transactional, not out of love."

"And if I refuse?"

"There is no refusal at this point."

"And why the hell not?!"

"Allow me to explain," the mouse demoness said before clearing her throat. "Once a demon decides who they want to mate with, they go through the arrangement of the Mating Ritual. During said ritual, both demons come together by biting each other's necks and sharing each other's blood, effectively marking each other and bonding themselves for the rest of their lives. In your case, it seems that Lord Sesshomaru started the process to save your life. However, the ritual is not complete. Once an alpha has been marked as an omega or beta, they are bonded to that alpha until the end of their days. However, the bond does not last long should the other refuse the alpha, leading to their deaths. So, in a sense, should you refuse Lord Sesshomaru, it could end with your death."

InuYasha thought about what the mouse demoness said before asking, "Would I have to stay within the castle for the rest of my life?"

Sesshomaru answered, "You do not. You are free to leave afterward if you choose. You are also free to remain in the castle for as long as you choose. The choice is yours,"

"Is that your weird way of asking me to stay?" InuYasha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I do not care either way. Whatever you choose has no bearing on me or our bonded relationship."

"I'll… think about it…" InuYasha sighed as he crossed his arms in his sleeves.

"However, we cannot do anything with the Mating Ritual before your Coronation Ceremony," InuKimi said.

"My what?"

"Your Coronation Ceremony. Since you were not officially introduced into the Inu clan, you must be celebrated as the newest addition to the clan," she explained.

"Do I have to?"

"Why, of course! Every member of the Inu clan has been introduced, and their name is written in the clan's scroll. We saved a space for you, young lord. Now it is your time to add your name and mark your legacy among the rest of your clansmen," the bear said.

"This… is a lot… to take in… I… need time to think…"

"That is understandable. Please take some time, and if you have any questions, seek us out. We are here to assist you any way we can," said the mouse demoness.

InuYasha nodded before he turned around and rushed out of the room, leaving a heaviness in the room. The twins, Shippo and Koga, wanted to go after him, but Sesshomaru and InuKimi stopped them from doing so. InuYasha needed time to be alone, and he deserved it.

It was hours before InuYasha reappeared from the Gardens. As soon as he left the meeting, he escaped and hid away to his favorite place in the Gardens. His thoughts and anxieties ran him wild until he couldn't stand it anymore. Not even the gentle spring breeze or calming sounds of the koi pond could save his fried nerves. Deciding that he had had enough, InuYasha left the gardens and decided to walk around the castle, trying to avoid the others. However, he somehow found his way to a large room with tanned walls, hardwood floors, a bookshelf, and a fireplace. But in the corner was InuKimi sitting in a large fur-covered chair, reading a scroll. Suddenly, InuKimi looked up, saw him, and beckoned him into the room.

"Come in. Don't be shy. I don't bite," she offered. Wary of her offer, InuYasha thought about turning tail and leaving, but decided against it. Instead, he cautiously entered the room and sat on the floor in front of her. "What ails you, young pup?"

"What makes you think that something's wrong?"

She smirked as she rolled the scroll up and put it on the bookshelf. "Young pup, I have been around for several centuries, and I'm relatively good at reading people. Besides, people who are well do not run from a room as if they were on fire. Now, you can either talk, or we can sit here in silence if you want to."

InuYasha bit his lip as he thought about what to say next, careful not to get too deep into things.

"Why aren't you mad about my father leaving you for my mother?"

"That's an odd question, considering I answered it earlier."

"I know you did, but it just didn't seem right."

InuKimi sighed as she leaned back in her chair, "You are part human and were raised by a human, so I do not fault you for not understanding. Had you been raised in the castle like your father intended, then you would have a better understanding of demon society. Not all demons love like humans. We see mating as a commitment to fulfill an obligation to make sure our lineage does not die out. Nothing more, nothing less. You mating with my son will mean nothing more than you fulfilling that obligation and extending your lifespan. It was the same for me when I mated with Taisho. It was never for love. In fact, I couldn't stand him or his morals most days. So, when I gave birth to Sesshomaru, and he met your mother, it was nice to have someone else for him to dote on from then on. I did like your mother when I met her, though. A true beauty among the humans."

"Yeah, she was pretty great. I miss her every day," he sighed.

"You are still young and have a lot of time to make up for. I know my son's choices weren't ideal and caused you a lot of pain, but he did what was necessary to save you."

"But why? Why did he decide to save me? He never cared for me before any of this happened, so what gives?"

"You spent a lot of time in that tree. Although I do not know the reasons behind his motives, I can assure you that my son has changed from the heartless man I raised him to be. I have seen the way he treats my grandchildren and how he made sure to tell them about you when they were old enough. Those seemed to be their favorite stories."

"Why did he tell them when he could have easily left me for dead in that tree?"

"Your pups deserved to know who gave birth to them. I may not have known you before today, but I have heard of your great deeds from whispers in the wind. My son may not admit it, but I think you were the only thing that lit a fire in him. When you were gone, so was his ambition to do almost anything."

"Are you saying that he was lonely without me and missed me? That's fucking weird."

"I thought so, too. Despite his companions, the human girl, and that annoying toad, he's lived alone far longer. And no one challenged him the way you did. You were the first person to stand against my son and win. In a way, you drive him to be better. Maybe that's why he's changed so much."

"Changed? Ha. He still seems like the same old bastard to me," he grumbled as he folded his arms in his sleeves.

"That may be so, but he has changed. Maybe you need to open your eyes and see what makes him different."

"I highly doubt that, but whatever you say," he said as he stood up to leave.

"If you want my advice, here it is. Work with Sesshomaru and proceed with the Mating Ritual. He is in the same boat as you in the sense that he may not want this either. I know you guys have had the most troublesome relationship, but you're in this circumstance now. You might as well make the best of it. Have your Coronation Ceremony, proceed with the Mating Ritual, and live your life. Your children need and adore you, so focus on them. And when they don't need you anymore, live your life the way you want to. Just don't stay away for too long."

InuYasha thought about it for a moment before turning back to her and nodding, "Thanks… for that… I'm still not sure what I'll do, but I feel a little better,"

She nodded back. "No, thank you for my grand pups." InuYasha turned back to leave but stopped when she called him again. "Oh, and while you're at it, work with my son to give me more grand pups. I do enjoy them," she giggled as InuYasha's face turned tomato red and ran out of the room.

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To Be Continued…