Kouga's form was a whirlwind of speed and desperation, his arms a vise as he snatched Kagome away in a blur. The world spun and vanished, the roar of the waterfall a distant echo as he dragged her behind a shimmering barrier just outside the wolves' domain. The air crackled with unfamiliar energy, a barrier woven with unknown holy power.
Sesshoumaru landed just a heartbeat later, his eyes narrowed and lethal, but his path was abruptly halted by an invisible wall. His claws scraped against it, sparks of energy flaring where his talons touched. The snarl that ripped from his throat was pure fury, his golden eyes rimmed in red.
Kouga smirked, though there was a tightness in his jaw. "Don't bother, mutt," he said, his voice a mix of arrogance and strain. "Got some monks to whip this up. Keeps threats like you out." He turned to Kagome, his blue eyes softening. "Don't worry, Kagome. I'll fix this. I'm gonna reverse that dog's ridiculous claim."
Before she could react, Kouga's hand shot out, yanking the loose collar of her ivory sweater aside, exposing the tender, red mark at the curve of her neck. His fangs glinted in the dappled light as he leaned in.
A sick sense of dread twisted in Kagome's stomach. "Get off of me!"
He didn't listen.
The sharp pressure of his teeth grazed her mark, a violation that sent panic flaring through her veins. Pain flared, white-hot and searing, as if her very soul rejected the touch. Her power surged to life, a brilliant burst of light exploding from within her.
A scream tore from Kouga's throat as her purifying energy scorched his flesh. He stumbled back, clutching his face, his skin blistering and blackening. The acrid smell of burned fur and flesh filled the air. He dropped to his knees, gasping, the lower half of his face raw and seared.
Kagome's chest heaved with fury. Her sapphire eyes blazed like twin flames. "What the hell is wrong with you, Kouga?!" Her voice cracked. "I was never yours. I never will be. You need to get that through your thick skull!"
Kouga's eyes were wild with pain and disbelief, his charred face twisted into something feral. His fingers trembled as they hovered over his burns. "So it's true, then? You let this asshole rub his stink all over you and marked his claim?" His voice cracked with accusation, but Kagome didn't hear him.
Her pulse roared in her ears, drowning out everything but the frantic rush of her own thoughts. Last night… Her mind spiraled back to the moment Sesshoumaru's fangs had grazed her skin, the heat of his breath, the red in his eyes. Had he known what he was doing? Was it just a reckless slip, a loss of control? Or was it something deeper, something he hadn't trusted her enough to reveal? He wouldn't… he couldn't…
But he hadn't told her. And that betrayal seared deeper than any bite ever could.
The world narrowed to a blur of muted colors until Kouga's voice faded into a distant drone. When her vision cleared, she turned away from the wolf and stepped toward the barrier, her eyes locking onto the crimson fury just beyond. Sesshoumaru stood rigid, a tempest barely leashed, his power vibrating the air. The rage in his eyes wavered, flickering like a candle's flame as her gaze softened, and her trembling hands rose to sign.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Her fingers quivered as if each word cost her a piece of herself. The question wasn't just about the mark; it was about trust, about them. The barrier might have been invisible, but the chasm between them felt insurmountable.
Sesshoumaru's crimson eyes darkened before fading to amber, the gold swirling with something new. Shame. It coiled in his gut like a serpent. He was not a creature who cowered before his own actions, but this—this—was cowardice. He should have told her. He should have trusted her with the truth.
"Step outside the barrier and then—" he began, but Kagome's insistent shake of her head sliced his words off at the root.
His jaw tightened, and for the first time, uncertainty etched lines into his face. He took a breath, and signed his response. "Last night, when I bit you to transfer power, I…" His eyes darted, his shoulders taut. "I let my instincts take control. By the time I realized what I had done, it was too late to stop."
The confession clung to the air like the mist from the waterfall, cold and damp. The weight of his words settled over her, each one a fresh wound. A mistake. That's all it was. He hadn't meant to claim her, hadn't wanted to. The realization was a jagged knife, and it slid between her ribs with merciless precision.
He regrets it.
Somehow, that hurt more than the mark itself.
Her vision blurred, but she blinked away the tears. This wasn't the time to crumble. Turning back to Kouga, she asked, her voice hollow, "What does it mean, the claim?"
Kouga's brows furrowed, disbelief warring with anger. "You mean he marked you without telling you?" His gaze flicked to Sesshoumaru, rigid and unyielding behind the barrier. A bitter laugh escaped Kouga's throat. "Man… you are screwed."
"Kouga!" The crack of her voice lashed through the air, and the wolf flinched.
He exhaled sharply, his resignation bitter. "It's a courting mark. It tells other males you're spoken for—that you belong to him."
The phrase scraped against her mind like sandpaper. Belong to him. The words tangled in her throat, choking her. She fought down the surge of fury. She needed to focus on the solution.
Her voice trembled as she asked, "How do I get rid of it?"
Kouga's hesitation spoke volumes. His eyes darted between her and Sesshoumaru. Finally, he said, "You either complete the mating, let another male mark you, or… the one who marked you chooses someone else to mate."
The world tilted, her knees threatening to give way. Her voice was barely a whisper, brittle and broken. "So I'm powerless? My future depends on his choices?"
Kouga's reluctant nod was an anchor dragging her deeper into despair.
Her breath shuddered out, but she refused to let tears fall. Frustration, betrayal, anger—they swirled like a storm inside her, a desperate attempt to reclaim control over a life slipping through her fingers.
"Kagome." Sesshoumaru's voice was low, laced with the growl of his beast. She turned slightly, meeting eyes that had darkened once more to crimson. "Leave the wolf's den. Now. Or I will tear this mountain apart stone by stone."
His beast's possessive fury rattled the air, a predator ready to reclaim what was his. His control was a fraying thread, and each second she stood within another alpha's territory stretched it further.
Kagome closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Defeat weighed heavy on her chest as she turned to Kouga, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "I need the shards, Kouga."
He winced. "You don't have to do this. I know you don't want to be my mate, but I can still protect you." His voice cracked. "I can take care of you."
A sad smile curled her lips. "I'm sorry, Kouga. I really am." She stretched out her hand, her eyes glistening. "Please. The shards."
Kouga's jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring. He knew Sesshoumaru's threat wasn't empty. His home would be reduced to rubble if he refused. Resigned, he tore off his fur leg warmers and dug his claws into his shins, prying the tainted shards from his flesh and then stood. Bloody and trembling, he dropped them into her outstretched hand.
"Promise me," he rasped, his eyes pleading, "that you'll do what's best for you, not for him."
Her throat tightened. "I promise."
Ignoring the searing heat of Sesshoumaru's gaze, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Kouga in a tight hug. He stiffened, then melted into the embrace, his fingers brushing her hair.
"Goodbye, Kouga," she whispered.
"See you later, Kagome," he murmured back, the words bittersweet.
As quickly as she'd embraced him, she let go and turned away. The second she stepped through the barrier, Sesshoumaru's arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her tightly against him. The world blurred into streaks of mist and light as he vanished, the cold air of the mountain giving way to the rushing wind of his departure.
The last thing Kagome heard was the distant howl of a brokenhearted wolf, echoing into the void.