Author's Note,

I had to disable messenger because of all the spam/bots I was receiving. After every update I'd received multiple messages of, "I love your storytelling, it's captivating and I'd love to collaborate with you for artwork to make money off your work" etc. Nearly identical messages, multiple different people. It's a real bummer when I get a notification and I'm thinking, "Oh, a review, awesome!"

And then it's just spam. Boo.

Anyways, on to the story. Thank you for reading!

Kouga had never known such fear in his life as when he had seen those bloodied claws swinging at Kagome and their unborn pup. No human or Demon alike would be able to stop the Demon he would become if he lost both. A Mate he had never claimed and a pup he had never held.

That fear was overcome by the weirdest sensation as he stared at the tiny bundle in Kagome's arms. Relief? Yes, she was alive. But no, it wasn't that. His heart clenched, a strange warmness flooding his body as he stared. Thump, thump, thump. His pulse thundered in his ears. The others were talking, but he couldn't understand a word they were saying. Everything he was, was focused on Kagome.

She was alive.

And she…

Was that…

He sank to his knees beside her, brushing the tangled hair back from her face. She was beautiful. Covered in dirt and with tiny twigs and leaves tangled in her hair, dirt smudging her face—she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. His heart gave that weird sensation again as he looked down at her arms.

"It's a boy." Kagome whispered.

He could see the tiny face peeking through the folds and a head full of dark hair. Blue eyes stared up at him. Kagome offered and he took the pup without words, cradling the child in his hands. He was so small, he thought. He fit right into his hands, his head in one hand and his body resting in the other. So small. So light. So beautiful. So perfect.

So right.

"He looks like you." Kouga said softly. He saw Kagome's features. The upturned nose. The dimpled chin. The dark head of curly hair was nearly black. But those eyes were his, as blue as the ocean. He could feel the prickle of energy from the child. Oh yes, he was Wolf Demon through and through. His heart swelled with pride and love.

He was a Father.

He was a Father.

It didn't feel real. Elation poured into him. His firstborn. The heir to his name and everything he was. This tiny Wolf Demon would carry on his traits through the centuries. He finally lifted his head, gently switching his pup to cradle him in one arm. He ran his other hand through her hair and then touched her cheek. "Are you ok?" God, she looked pale.

"Yes. Reiko… he…" She couldn't finish the words, because honestly, she didn't know what to say.

He'd saved her and the pup.

He looked up at the sound of approaching steps. Reiko. "Thank you." His words were low but make no mistake—the gratitude in his voice was real. He could smell the blood on Kagome, some of it fresh, some of it not. He knew Reiko had been the one to deliver, the smeared blood on his hands said so.

He owed this Wolf his life in more ways than.

Reiko nodded. No words were needed.

Kouga turned his attention back to Kagome when she braced a hand against the ground and then stood slowly. He took her elbow, guiding her weight. No sooner was she on her feet than she lost consciousness. His arm snaked around her waist, catching her body against him while he cradled the pup in his other arm. Reiko was there just as fast and Kouga let him take Kagome's weight before the other male swept her up in his arms.

"She's lost a lot of blood." Reiko warned softly. Most births were accompanied by healers and a relaxed and safe environment. Kagome had had neither. "She needs a healer and rest."

Kouga's heart clenched. He could hear her elevated heart. She'd been through too much in too short a time to only end it all with an unexpected birth. He turned and looked around, his eyes jumping over the remaining Wolves and Pack members. They'd only lost two, thank the Gods, but those two were still great losses. "We can double back. The Pack usually has healers on hand. If not, I know the villages do."

"The Elders are closer." Reiko suggested.

Fuck the elders. "I know." He said instead. That thought had crossed his mind. He knew Kagome would have been against it one hundred percent. But Reiko was right. The Elders were closer. They had their own healers. And Kagome's health was more important than wasting precious time doubling back.

Kouga nodded.

What was that smell? Kagome inhaled the blend of floral and herbal sweetness. It was oddly familiar.

Lavender.

Eucalyptus. Citrus oil. Was that peppermint?

God, she was so tired. Her body hurt in various places. The headache from before was slowly receding. She could taste red raspberry on her tongue. Red raspberry leaf tea. She often made it for those who were prone to headaches. But when had she made…?

She forced heavy lids up and her vision blurred as she looked around. She had to blink against the dim blurriness to bring the objects into focus. Where was she? Objects in the near distance blurred in and out of her vision. It took her a moment to realize that there were candles on the walls. The flickering lights bounced off the rough surface of what looked like dolomite. They were in a cave.

She was on a thick bed combined with furs and feathers. The familiar sound of flowers crushing reached her ears and she turned her head. But where…wait…

Where was her baby?!

She sat up and the room tilted and spun. Kouga's familiar frame filled her vision. He turned and then she saw their baby in his arms, nursing at the glass bottle that he held. Relief flooded her. He was ok and safe in his father's arms. "Where are we?" She didn't remember anything after coming above ground.

The feather bed dipped slightly as Kouga sat down beside her. He had bathed their child at one point, Kagome realized. He was clean of the blood and greasy like substance of before. His hair was pitch black and soft to the touch. His skin held the paler color of hers, but she had the feeling that it would change in time, given the nature of Wolf Demons being out in the wild. Those blue eyes were closed for the moment.

She held her arms out silently and Kouga gently worked the bottle from the tiny mouth. Kagome's heart melted at the tiny whimper he gave, but he didn't fully wake. She took the slight weight in her arms. God, he was so beautiful.

"You lost a lot of blood. We needed to get you to the healers as quickly as possible." Kouga said, setting the bottle on the side table. He nodded towards the elder woman who suddenly appeared at their side, setting down a glass of liquid and then dropping crushed petals into the cup. He shook his head and then took the spoon from her hands, saying without words that she could leave.

Kagome frowned, watching as the elder Wolf Demon left them in silence. She could sense the wolf like aura coming from the woman. But she was certain that she had never seen her in her life. She watched Kouga stir the crushed petals in the liquid, steam rising. The scent of raspberries filled her nostrils again. Raspberry leaf tea.

"She said it helps with headaches and that you were likely to get them for the next few days."

Kagome nodded. "I did…Kouga, where are we?" She asked again. This wasn't where his Pack resided. She'd been cleaned and bathed and put into new clothing, all unaware. The clothing felt rough against her skin. It was a mixture between the clothing he wore under his armor and burlap.

"Open." He gently placed the cup against her lips, urging her to drink the contents.

Kagome sipped the warm brew—recognizing the taste from before.

Kouga took the cup and then set it beside the bottle before running a hand through his hair. "The Elders were closer, Kagome."

Silence stretched between them as she stared at him and then she inhaled. She'd known they were going—that was the reason they were traveling, after all. But after everything that had happened…they had been the last thing on her mind. Fear dredged up. "Please don't let them take our baby, Kouga. Please."

Kouga hated seeing her like that. This irrational fear she had, he didn't understand it. Was it because she was human? Did she think they would take their child because he bore human blood? "I would never let anyone take our child, Kagome. That is not why we are here." He saw it as a silly and insubstantial fear. "He is safe, I promise you." He kissed her forehead and then leaned down and placed another kiss on top of dark baby curls.

"Have they seen him?" She asked nervously and Kouga could hear the defensive undertone in her voice.

"No, not without you." Kouga had stood by those words. They'd seen the child when they had arrived, a small bundle in Reiko's shirt, but that was it. That couldn't be avoided. But he wouldn't let them move forward until Kagome was present. They could wait. And if not, fuck them.

"Thank you." Kagome felt little to nothing for his Elders. She understood he respected them—but she was silently grateful that he'd waited. "I need to get out of this bed."

"You don't have to. Not yet." Kouga took the pup and laid him down in the small makeshift cradle that had been brought for the pup to sleep in. It was nothing more than a large piece of hollowed out wood that had been layered with fur. He returned to her side and took her hands, gently helping her to her feet. "You got it?" He asked cautiously.

Kagome nodded, though she didn't let go of his hands. Her lower back hurt, though she thought that was to be expected. She was sore between her thighs.

Her legs felt like Jello. "Don't let go." She said out of the blue.

"Never." His fingers tightened around her hands.

Her lips tilted; she almost gave a soft laugh. She took a step forward and Kouga took a step backward. Her right knee buckled and Kouga caught her, guiding her back against the bed until it was against her thighs. She sat down gingerly.

"You just had a baby a couple of days ago, Kagome. Give yourself time." He figured the bed rest made it more difficult. Giving birth and then being in bed for two to three days didn't help with the functions of the body.

Her head jerked up. "Three days? I've been asleep for two days?" Oh my God. How? She didn't even remember.

Kouga sank to his knees and rested his hands on her thighs. "You were in and out of it. You lost a lot of blood and then you caught a fever."

They didn't exactly have top of the notch medical care in the Feudal Era, Kagome realized. Funny, she hadn't compared them until now. Childbirth wasn't easy in any era, but she knew it was more dangerous without the proper medical care that the 21st century had. Access to those things made it somewhat easier.

"What is it?" Kouga asked when she just stared at him.

He always seemed to know when something was on her mind. There was something she wanted to tell him, but… Nervous awareness moved through her. How did she say it? How did she just tell him what she wanted to say?

"What is it, you little she-wolf?"

Her lips twitched. She may not have been a wolf Demon, but she may as well have been. Her expression sobered just as quickly. She said it. She didn't know any other way other than to just SAY it. "I love you." She said softly. She did. She loved him and she'd nearly missed the chance to tell him.

Everything in Kouga paused at that. Out of all the things she could have said, he hadn't expected that. His heart swelled and he cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her, his lips moving softly. "I love you, too."

"I want it, Kouga." Her hands moved up under his, drawing his hands down so that she could twine their fingers together in her lap. "I want it all. Everything. I want to feel what you feel. I want to be able to feel you."

He was confused for a moment. What did she mean? And then he took a deep breath. She wanted to Mate. That's what she wanted, he realized. She wanted to Bond. She wanted the permanence of his Mark to be on her. Finally.

God dammit.

Kouga gave a soft laugh and dropped his forehead against hers. "You're not ready, Kagome." God dammit, but she wasn't ready. He was groaning inwardly at his own words. She wasn't ready, but he was. His inner Wolf roared on the inside at her acknowledgment. YES! By the Gods, was he ready to give her everything she had just asked for and more. He shook his head. "You're not ready. Not yet."

Kagome blinked, staring at him. Was he denying her? Telling her no after all this time? She wasn't ready? She knew now what she wanted more than ever. There was a certainty in that knowledge, not even something she had felt with Inuyasha. Kouga made her feel…

Whole.

"I want it, Kouga. I am ready."

He shook his head and then kissed her softly all over again. "No, Kagome, you're not." She didn't understand. Ye Gods, she didn't understand. "I will." He let go of her hands to tangle his in her hair, keeping her face tilted to his. "When your body is healed. When you're healed. I will."

"Why wait?" They could do this here and now. Kagome lifted her hand and tugged the material of her shirt off one shoulder. She wanted him to bite her. She wanted him to mark her.

Kouga nearly groaned. Instead, he kissed her. He really kissed her. He thrust his tongue past her lips, drinking her in, drawing her in until she moaned against him. "Because," He whispered, "When we Mate, we're going to be up all night. When I give you my Mark, you're going to feel and experience things you've never felt before. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She was silent for a moment before understanding dawned. "Oh." Oh. Just one word. Such a simple word. Such a simple word compared to what he'd just referenced. Oh… she hadn't thought… "I didn't think…" She hadn't thought that sex was involved in that part of Mating itself. She'd thought it was merely a bite that bonded them together.

"Yes." Kouga nodded, saw that she understood. It wasn't just a single bite. It was a joining of the mind, body and soul. And she had no idea what she was in for.

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