Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or his characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.

Metamorphosis of a Miko
Phase Six: Culminating Metamorphosis

A few days had passed since Kouga's death and Sesshomaru's pack was relaxing in their camp, backed against a rock wall that was surrounded by tall trees in the early evening. The sun was just setting and the children were playing with Kirara while Jaken and Ah-Un looked on. Sesshomaru had gone to hunt for their dinner, and Kagome was sitting in the grass leaning against a tree, watching her pack mates as her mind wandered.

Kouga had been dealt with, as sad as that was, and her soul was complete. She had regained control of her stronger reiki, so she saw nothing else to hold her and her alpha back from becoming mates.

Kagome was nervous, there was no doubt about that despite some of the things they had done. Since their conversation just before Kirara joined their pack they had made time to spend alone every other night.

She had been slowly learning just how passionate her mate to be was behind the cold wall he showed the world. Not to mention he was even more caring then she had realized. He had informed her that he was going to use their private time to get her familiar with his body and used to his touch, so that she would hopefully not be afraid when they finally mated.

They had kissed and caressed until he had brought out the passion she didn't know she had, and was allowing him to touch her in ways she had never even thought of.

She could honestly say she had very much enjoyed those times, but she was still nervous about their mating. She imagined she would stay that way until they were in the middle of it.

I'm glad Sesshomaru at least let me know what to expect. She thought as she recalled that conversation.

~Flashback~

Their small pack was relaxing in a meadow, taking in the day's warmth. Sesshomaru was leaning against a tree and Kagome was leaning against him since he had removed his armor. Sesshomaru was casually running his claws lightly along her hand and up and down her forearm beneath her sleeve.

"It is time for you to know what to expect during our mating." He said suddenly as he glanced down at her.

Kagome blushed but shifted so she was able to look up at him and pay attention while not disrupting his movement against her arm.

"Our mating will obviously involve sex. We cannot become mates after all without actually mating." Sesshomaru informed her. "During this I will inject you with my poison so your body and power will recognize it from then on and you will no longer be affected by it."

"I will bite you in the space between your shoulder and neck and inject some of my youki, and a mating mark will appear on your neck to show who you are mated to. At the same time I will tie our souls together to create our bond." He continued.

"While we sleep we will experience each other's memories from the earliest to the most recent." He finished.

"Is there some way to make it so my power doesn't hurt you?" Kagome asked after a few thoughtful moments.

"I am unsure. You can try to place a mating mark on me to accomplish this, but I am unsure how you could." He answered and she nodded slowly.

"I'll think it over, and see if I can come up with something." She replied and sat quietly for a few moments. "Will injecting me with your poison hurt?" She asked softly.

"It will." He said honestly. "However, having my youki inside you will prevent it from killing you, and hopefully make your body accept it quicker."

Kagome bit her lip and nodded her understanding. It sounded like her first time was going to be extremely painful.

~End flashback~

Kagome sighed at the remembrance. She wasn't too keen on experiencing the pain, especially if it was at the level she was imagining, but she did want to be his mate. She felt she was ready. The intimacy she had experienced with him so far had done wonders to calm her anxiety about the fast pace of their relationship.

She had also reminded herself that she felt stronger for Sesshomaru then she ever had for Inuyasha, and she had been silently begging the half-demon to move their relationship to another level, mostly to make a permanent commitment, when her feelings had been at their strongest. That alone was a strong indication of her feelings for her alpha.

So she was no longer worrying about the fast pace. As long as her heart was fully engaged and she felt she could spend her life with him it didn't matter. He had courted her better than she could have expected from a guy in her time, had shown he understood her and could provide for her. Had made it very apparent that he was physically attracted to her.

He had made the permanent commitment from the beginning. The courtship was all for her. To allow her feelings to grow and become comfortable with him.

Just then Sesshomaru stepped into the camp and moved toward the fire. She smiled at him and moved to get up but he shook his head and gestured for her stay where she was. So she relaxed and simply watched him, her mind on her previous thoughts on being ready to mate.

Sesshomaru glanced at his miko before returning his eyes to the game he had brought for his pack to eat. As he worked on getting the meat over the fire he could feel her eyes on him and the single glance he had taken told him all he needed to know.

He was more than old enough to understand the look in her eyes. It was the look of his female wanting him. She was ready to become his mate. Allowing her to become familiar with his body and showing her he was in fact attracted to her had definitely helped to calm her nervousness at how rapid their courtship had proceeded.

Not that their courtship had gone particularly fast. He supposed to her it had, but for a being like him who was used to hearing these particular matters going within days and weeks of the start it hadn't gone very fast.

Still, his miko was finally ready and he definitely was, so he would make arrangements for Jaken, Ah-Un, and Kirara to watch the children the following day and keep them safe. He would take her to one of his dens for a couple of days since he believed sharing their memories would take more than one day. He would make sure to instruct them to move if it was necessary since he and his miko would have no problem finding them.

He finished with the meat and moved to sit next to his miko. She immediately leaned against him and nuzzled his chin with her nose and kissed the stripes on his check.

Yes. His miko was definitely ready. Sesshomaru thought as he gently returned her affection.

**MoaM**

The next day Sesshomaru and Kagome had breakfast with their pack before he gathered her to him and they began to fly away on his youki cloud. Kagome looked at him curiously but didn't ask where they were going, and decided to just enjoy the view.

He flew to the west, and deeper once they passed the boundaries of his land until he came across his most used den. Even though it was the most used he hadn't used it in just over five years. The entrance was high up on a mountain range, but once inside it lead deeper and further down into the mountain. He guided her through the pitch dark pathway before they passed his barrier and entered his den.

"Wait here." He said quietly before he moved further into the room and lit a fire to light up the room and provide warmth.

Kagome's eyes widened as she took in the room Sesshomaru had lead her to. It was large enough to fit his true form comfortably. There was a large fire pit that Sesshomaru was kneeling next to, and next to that was a pile of furs that were arrange into what was unmistakably a large bed, also of a size to comfortably fit his true form. Off to the side of that was another opening and she wondered where it lead.

She slowly moved toward Sesshomaru and the fire, and it began to dawn on her why they were there. He was going to mate her there. She appreciated that the place would provide them complete privacy since she had been able to sense the strength of the barrier she had crossed. She also appreciated that they wouldn't be mating out in the forest.

She sat on the edge of the fur bed and watched as Sesshomaru removed his armor and weapons, and she decided she should do the same so she moved over to where he placed his things and began to remove her weapons. She then joined him where he sat on the fur bed and looked at him nervously, wondering how they were going to start, and if they were going to get started right then.

"This is one of my dens that I use when the weather is very bad when I am traveling or when I wish to get away from the fortress." Sesshomaru said to try and put her at ease since he could tell she was nervous. "I have not used this particular den in five years."

"Aside from that there is a hot spring in the adjourning cave, which is one reason why this is my preferred den." He added.

Kagome was pleased that there was a hot spring, and was amazed that it was hidden in the mountain. She would have claimed it for herself as well if she were him.

Sesshomaru watched his miko for a long moment as she looked around before he stood up.

"I will be back." He said and watched her look at him. "Make yourself comfortable. Go ahead and relax, explore, anything you want. I will return as quickly as I can."

Kagome nodded and watched him until he was out of her sight. She then stood and went to explore the hot spring, and was very pleased with what she found. It was a bit bigger than the ones she had seen during her travels so far, and she had the urge to try it out. She bit her lip lightly as she gazed at the steaming water. He had told her to relax and getting in would definitely do that, but she didn't know how long he would be gone. What if she was still in there when he got back?

She shook her head a moment later and decided it didn't matter. She was comfortable with him touching her body, if not comfortable with the thought of him seeing her bare body, but he would soon be her mate and she needed to get over it. So she went back into the main room and took off her shoes and clothes, leaving them in a neat pile near the large fur bed, and went back to the hot spring and gingerly slipped into the water.

She sighed as she settled on a rock ledge and relaxed against the heated water logged rock at her back. A moment later she released her barriers since she knew she was safe there, and Sesshomaru would appreciate being able to smell her.

She closed her eyes and let the water soothe her.

Sesshomaru returned nearly half an hour after he left, his hands baring some fresh fruit for them to snack on. His miko wasn't in the main room, but he spotted her clothing and was pleased to smell her scent, so he followed it and found her relaxing in the hot spring, her eyes closed looking peaceful. He went back into the main room and put the fruit down before disrobing, and grabbing one of the fruits before going back to the spring and slipping in.

"Kagome." He called her quietly and watched as she slowly opened her eyes. He easily saw as she immediately spotted the fruit. "I have more in the other room waiting for when we are ready to snack on them, but I thought you might want a small snack now."

Kagome could do nothing but nod, her voice having been robbed from her as her eyes registered that he was naked in the water with her.

As they ate pieces of the fruit they took the time to look each other over. Kagome shyly peeked at her alpha. He was perfect and attractive when he was fully clothed, but now that he was naked he looked even more so. His pale skin almost glowed and his dark markings stood out giving him an exotic look. Even his golden eyes looked more intense. It took her a few minutes to realize it was because she could see his desire shining through them.

Sesshomaru blatantly looked at his miko, feeling no need to be covert about it as he bit into the piece of fruit he held. She looked so very soft and petite, which very much appealed to him and his beast. They were all about having their female be strong, but that didn't mean she couldn't be delicate in appearance. His eyes skimmed down, seeing through the liquid density, and he definitely enjoyed the fact that she wore nothing but his courting gift around her neck.

His miko had barely finished swallowing the last piece of fruit before he leaned over and kissed her, no longer able to resist the temptation that she was. It was but a moment before their hands joined in the action, moving along each other's body and through soft wet hair.

Kagome decided to make the next move. She pushed her shyness aside and moved until she stood in front of him. Standing she was slightly taller than him, causing her to lean slightly against him, and she marveled at the feel of his hands gliding along her body, squeezing and groping here and there as their lips danced together.

Eventually Sesshomaru stood up, lifting Kagome up and arranging her so that she wrapped her legs around his waist. He stepped out of the spring and walked into the main cavern and lay her on the closest section of the large fur bed, uncaring that they were both dripping wet.

Kagome kept her legs around his waist, her skin chilled from the cool air but her body heating up rapidly at the feel of his hot body pressed against her and his claws moving delicately along her skin. The more they kissed and she moved her hands the more she could feel herself becoming bold and wanting more.

She ground against him and felt more than heard him growl before he returned the favor and attacked her neck with his fangs and tongue as his hand gripped her thigh. It was not enough. She wanted more. She was coming to the realization that she didn't want slow and loving, not this time. Something in her wanted rough, fast, hot passion.

She surprised herself by breathing that very thought into his ear.

Sesshomaru froze at her words before he pulled back and looked at her, wanting to make sure she truly wanted what she said. Once it was confirmed his eyes became streaked with red and he kissed her hard before he shifted his hips and thrust into her with perfect precision. He felt her stiffen and heard the muffled sound of her cry of pain through their kiss. He pulled back and looked at her, but she merely shook her head.

"Keep going." Kagome said as she pulled him back down for another kiss.

That was more proof of what she wanted so he didn't hold back. He gripped her hip with one hand and bombarded her wet core with long hard strokes as his tongue battled hers. He eventually hiked her leg up so her thigh was bent back almost pressed against the furs next to them, and her calf rested over his forearm, opening her up further to him.

Kagome arched her back at the sensation and pressed her chest against his. She broke the kiss and moaned her pleasure, spreading her other leg to maximize her pleasure as she fisted her fingers in his silky hair. She was quickly learning a lot about herself, about what she liked in this intimate situation.

After the pain had stopped the pleasure had followed quickly. She enjoyed the feel of his warm weight on top of her, enjoyed having her legs spread since it increased her pleasure, and definitely liked the feel of him moving inside her. She could hardly believe how much it excited her to feel his hips moving against her, the motion stimulating the bundle of nerves at her entrance, to feel his hot breath against her neck, his fangs and claws pricking her skin.

Sesshomaru moved against her faster and harder as he listened to the sounds she made. She sighed, moaned, groaned, and cried out lightly. He was pleased that she wasn't a screamer since it would be painful to his sensitive ears, but he found himself wanting to make her scream, to force her to voice her pleasure and his beast was in agreement, wanting to hear their miko's voice raised in the height of passion.

As he moved faster he flared his aura causing her own to rise in response, and he moved his own through hers until he came in contact with her soul. He wrapped his dark soul around her light one, protective and possessive as he connected them for eternity. He may lose her in this lifetime, but he would always be able to find her soul and have another chance with her.

He watched her move her head from side to side as she panted, her neck stretched as she unconsciously tilted her head in her pleasure. He didn't even try to resist the sign of submission and latched his fangs and lips around a tender area.

He moved his free hand under her arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, his claws digging slightly into her skin as his hips moved against her harder, her body jerking and sliding from the force. He felt her inner walls cling and spasm around him and suddenly she cried out. He was pleased that he forced her into her release, but the sound still wasn't loud enough for him and his beast.

Sesshomaru continued moving within her until her body relaxed and she panted for breath. Then he pulled out and gently flipped her still wet, sweat covered body over and arranged her so she was on her hands and knees.

Her first release was to give her a good memory for her first time, but now it was time to finish their mating and it would definitely cause her pain.

Kagome worked to catch her breath as she shifted in the position Sesshomaru had put her in. She felt him push her thighs apart and grip her hips, his claws biting into her skin before she jerked forward at his hard thrust into her. He didn't stop there. He shifted his knees closer to her and continued his hard and fast thrusts from before, and all she could do was moan and grip the fur beneath her hands for some stability.

He swept her hair over one shoulder and the next thing she knew his lips were on her neck and his body was caging hers before he decided to wrap a hand around one of her breasts in a gesture that was clearly possessive as well as to hold her to him.

Her arms and legs were starting to shake and she didn't think she would have the strength to hold herself up soon, but she didn't want him to stop. It felt so good; he felt so good.

Just as she finished that thought he began to move faster if that was even possible, but of course it was with him being a youkai. Then his hand slid from her breast down between her legs where she felt a clawed finger move over her bundle of nerves. She cried out as she felt herself falling into another release.

Sesshomaru's eyes had long since bled red as he merged with his beast. They were ready and she was ready. It was time they finish it. He shifted his hips and slammed into her deeper as he sank his fangs into her neck, listening as she suddenly screamed. He growled in satisfaction before he called forth his youki and his poison and let them flow through his fangs into her.

He forced his youki ahead of his poison hoping it would help her body accept his poison quicker, so her pain would not last long. He cut the flow and snarled loudly as he released, his hips slamming against hers as he thrust wildly, her scream- even though it was one of pain and the sound of their skin slapping together, fueling his pleasure.

When he finished he collapsed on his mate, taking her down with him before he shifted and rolled them onto their side. He did not want to leave the snug wetness of her body, but she was in pain and the position wouldn't help her, so he pulled out and turned her on her back.

Kagome moaned and whimpered at the sharp piercing pain flowing through her. She felt like she was burning from the inside out. She wanted it to stop, she wanted to get away, she wanted to die.

But then she felt something on her face and opened her pain filled eyes to see Sesshomaru looking at her with sad concern caressing her face, and she remembered why she was in pain. He was now her mate and her body was adjusting to his deadly poison so it would never harm her again.

She tried to smile at him, to reassure him, but her face wouldn't allow it so she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She closed her eyes and felt him return the gesture before she passed out.

**MoaM**

Sesshomaru's eyes slowly opened and he sighed silently as he did an internal inventory of himself. After a minute of searching he appeared fine and knew he had been unconscious for only a few hours. He had intended to watch over his mate and comfort her even though she was unconscious, but his body had suddenly felt so exhausted that he had been unable to resist the pull of sleep.

He had understood why instantly. He had just spent his resting hours watching his mate's life from her first memory to the present. He had been unaware that the process would force him into sleep to accomplish it.

He didn't mind it though. He knew she was currently seeing his memories, but he had nothing to hide. It just meant she would be unconscious a while longer since he had lived a long time.

He sat up and looked his mate over, he and his beast pleased with what they saw. The crescent moon on her forehead that had been a sign of their courtship had darkened to match his own, and a marking matching her courting necklace appeared to stretch around her neck. His mating mark.

Sesshomaru shifted her hair and confirmed that the mark did in fact go all the way around her neck. The tattooed chain was a deep magenta and the crescent moon pendant at her throat was midnight blue, both colors standing out nicely against her skin.

He touched her and felt that she was no longer burning up as she had been before he fell unconscious. He pulled a fur up and over her before he stood and made his way to the hot spring to bathe. He decided to go hunt when he was done. He was hungry and his miko would need to eat when she woke as well.

It wasn't until the next day that Kagome finally woke. Her eyes fluttered open briefly before they closed and she stretched leisurely and relaxed, leaving her arms where they lay. She opened her eyes again and looked around, spotting Sesshomaru sitting next to her on the furs. She blushed at seeing him dressed in only his hakama and watched him smirk at her.

"Mate." Sesshomaru greeted her simply. "How are you feeling?"

Kagome was abruptly reminded that they were mated now. He was hers for her entire lifetime. Yay!

"I'm fine. A little sore, but fine." She answered. Then suddenly her stomach rumbled loudly and she blushed all over again.

Sesshomaru chuckled quietly before he got up and walked over to the fire, and grabbed a thin stick that he had skewered with a strip of boar and brought it to her.

"Thank you." Kagome said and began eating from her reclined position as she thought about what she had seen in her sleep.

Her mate had warned her about seeing each other's memories, but it was another thing to experience it. Still, she was glad for the opportunity. Seeing his memories from his point of view had given her a better understanding of her mate.

Even though she was seeing it from his point of view she had still been able to remain objective, and it had allowed her to see what had shaped him into the cold youkai he projected to the world.

He had experienced so much death and from such a young age. There was barely any affection shown to him let alone love. Everything seemed to be about him being the heir. Being strong, intelligent, no weakness. There was no comfort at all from his parents. There was some from the servants but they could only do so much, and the little they did stopped when he reached a certain age since it would be seen as inappropriate.

It was also apparent to her that there was no talk or actions about caring for ningens beyond the peripheral until around the time his father began to show interest in the woman that would be Inuyasha's mother. By that time Sesshomaru was just out of his teenage stage of life and it was understandable why he would be confused and angered by his fathers about face on the subject.

Having been taught all his life and conditioned on how to act around and with ningens then for his father to turn around and suddenly say he now needed to behave differently. And all because his father had somehow fallen for the woman, whom he shouldn't have fallen for considering his mated status. Sesshomaru's behavior toward ningens was definitely understandable, especially given the aftermath of his father's actions.

Kagome sighed as she finished eating and sat up and watched as he took her empty stick and went to the fire and got her another.

"Thanks." She said as she took the warm stick. "So I saw your memories." She said before she took a bite of the hot meat and he nodded.

"I saw yours as well, and I now understand you more because of it." He replied.

"It's the same for me." She said with a nod.

"You have another mark. My mating mark." He said in satisfaction as he ran a claw along her neck. "It is the same as your courting necklace only in the colors of my markings, and the crescent on your brow has darkened." He added and watched as she touched her neck as if she could feel it.

"I'm still trying to figure out a way to mark you without hurting you." She said quietly.

"There is no hurry. Until you have discovered a way your courting gift to me will be enough." He assured her and she nodded.

Kagome continued to eat strips of meat until she was full before she lay back down and stretched. She looked to her mate and couldn't help taking in how good he looked, and the state of their undress reminded her of their mating. She had definitely enjoyed it. Enjoyed the feel of his weight on top of her, the way he moved against her, and the way he handled her body. Just thinking about it aroused her.

Sesshomaru's eyes reddened, his beast growling as they scented their females arousal and felt it as well. That clued him in to at least one aspect their mating connection created. He moved until he was hovering over her then kissed her, feeling his own arousal rising, and listened to her moan as she arched and rolled her hips against his. Clearly she was sensing his emotions as well, which was confirmation of that gained aspect.

Kagome didn't know how it happened. It seemed as soon as he kissed her, her arousal doubled. Not that she minded. She wanted her mate at least once more before they returned to their pack. She felt him pull the fur covering her away and knew he felt the same, so she allowed herself to fall further and further under the intimate power he had over her and enjoyed the ride.

**MoaM**

Kagome and Sesshomaru returned to their pack and received quiet and excited congratulations on their mating. They spent a few days with their pack and Sesshomaru took the time to continue the lessons on youkai society for his mate and the children.

During the evenings when the children were asleep the mated pair discussed what to do about Naraku. She had a nice sized chunk of the jewel and neither of them would be surprised if Naraku had the rest. Even if he didn't have the rest they still didn't mind going after him. They agreed that they could collect the rest of the shards, if there were any, after he was destroyed.

A few days after they made that decision Sesshomaru sent the children off with Jaken and Ah-Un to the fortress; Kirara stayed with them since she was Kagome's companion. They then began the task of hunting the spider hanyou. During this time they discovered that they could speak to each other with their minds making it two aspects gained from their mating.

They were practicing with this new aspect when Sesshomaru caught Naraku's scent.

"His scent is coming from two separate sources." He informed his miko.

"It's either him and one of his incarnations or both sources are incarnations." Kagome replied.

"It is the latter." Sesshomaru stated after delicately sniffing the air.

"Maybe it's Kanna and Kagura." She suggested. "He might be trying to use the child to distract me, knowing I would hesitate to hurt a child."

"She is not a child. Kanna is a void youkai Naraku created to masquerade as a child. She is as much an adult as Kagura. The only difference is she is being forced to remain in that form." He informed her.

Kagome nodded her understanding, slightly surprised. It had never occurred to her that Kanna was anything other than a child. It made her wonder about what Hakudoshi and that baby had been.

"In that case I wouldn't mind handling Kanna since I have experience going up against her." She decided.

"I will deal with Kagura." He said, having no problem with the arrangement. "Although it is likely she will regenerate in the wind since Naraku has her heart. Then again she may choose not to fight since she has always spoke of wanting freedom."

"In either case if you can keep her busy while I deal with Kanna then I'll either help her or purify her depending on how she approaches us." Kagome stated.

"Very well." Sesshomaru agreed before they stopped, waiting for the incarnations to reach them.

When the two arrived it was clear that Kagura did want to fight, not with Sesshomaru, but with Kagome. So Sesshomaru easily distracted her and moved her away from his mate and the void youkai.

"What is your issue with the miko?" He asked bluntly.

"She wears your mark." Kagura spat angrily. "I cannot tolerate that. I have not waited all this time for my chance with you only for you to choose another!"

"You should not have waited in any case. I made it perfectly clear that nothing would ever develop between us. You have no one but yourself to blame for your current feelings." He said coldly, uncaring of her feelings. As if he would connect his life to any part of that spider abomination.

Back with Kagome and Kanna there was not much of a fight as there was a conversation.

"I was ordered to kill you, but if you can kill me instead I would not mind." Kanna stated clearly in her whispery blank voice.

"Are you being controlled like Kagura?" Kagome asked, surprised by this turn of events.

"I am." Kanna replied. "He is withholding my will. I have no will to do anything, and because I have no will I have no care."

"That's no way to live. I'll help you." Kagome said with a nod before she put up a protective barrier around herself and closed her eyes.

She searched Kanna's aura and almost immediately found the connection that linked her to Naraku. She used her own pure aura to sever the connection, so Kanna could be allowed to live her own life.

Kagome opened her eyes and watched Kanna collapse. She walked over to her and removed her mirror as she made sure she was still breathing. Once she was sure Kanna was okay she stood and put a protective barrier around her unconscious form before she turned to her mate and Kagura.

She had been willing to do the same for Kagura but she had heard what she said to Sesshomaru. The wind witch was a danger to her because of her obsessive feelings for Sesshomaru. So instead of cutting her connection to Naraku she followed it to her heart and purified the organ while she was busy fighting Sesshomaru, which in turn purified her as well.

Once Kagura's body was gone they took Kanna and left the area, Sesshomaru carrying her small body while Kagome rode on Kirara. When she woke up a few hours later she was clearly surprised to be alive, and even more surprised that she cared that she was alive.

"Why?" She asked as she sat up.

"Because you deserve a chance to live a life of freedom." Kagome answered. "You chose not to fight when you clearly could have, when you had in fact been ordered to. Somewhere inside you wanted to be free, and that made the difference."

Kanna nodded slowly. She had her answer, but she was unsure what to do with herself. She had no place to go and didn't know anyone.

"You will be traveling with us until you are comfortable going off on your own or figure out what you want to do with yourself." Sesshomaru told her.

"I understand, and I am grateful for the chance at a new life." Kanna said quietly.

A week passed with the three of them traveling together, Kanna and Kagome talking a great deal since Kanna had a lot to learn if she was going to live a life of freedom. After the week was up they took her to the fortress for her to stay until they had dealt with Naraku and Inuyasha. There was, after all, no need for any of them to know she was still around.

**MoaM**

Morning had arrived and with it the light of the rising sun. Inuyasha was awake and waiting for his pack to wake up. The night before when they had finished he and Sango had bathed and made it back to camp with Miroku none the wiser. Now they were waking up and it wasn't long before they had eaten and were ready to go. Only then did they notice Kirara was missing.

"Where could she have gone? She was here last night." Sango said worriedly. She was also here when Inuyasha and I left for the hot spring, but...she wasn't here when we got back. I just thought she was hunting or something. She thought.

The three of them began to search the area around their camp. They looked around thoroughly but they couldn't find her, not even by scent so they figured she must have flown away. That meant she left under her own power.

"Well if she left on her own we should wait a bit." Miroku suggested. "She might be doing something and will be back when she's done."

Sango and Inuyasha agreed and they began to talk about what they should do while they waited. They could try to find Kikyou and Kouga that day to get a start on figuring out if either of them had come across Kagome. After discussing it for a few minutes they agreed to that.

"I'll go look for Kikyou while you two wait for Kirara to come back." Inuyasha decided. Sango and Miroku nodded and he lifted his nose and scented the air before he took off in a direction.

He thought he caught a hint of her scent so he began to follow it. As he ran his mind drifted to his behavior with the humans he was rutting with. He loved Kikyou, he really did, but her body was hard and cold, and she barely reacted to what he did to her if at all.

With Sango she was warm and soft. She had no problem clinging to him and voicing her pleasure. She was also a warrior and that attracted him. With Miroku he could explore his adventurous side, and he enjoyed having the ability to make the monk react to what he did to him. It feed his beast and his need for dominance.

He enjoyed being able to have and enjoy each of his pack mates. Part of him wondered if he could bring Kagome into the mix when they found her. He would love to feel her soft warm skin beneath his claws, grip her hair in his fingers, feel her clinging to him. Would she be as passionate and eager as Sango? She loved him after all and she was passionate in other ways in her life, so he expected her to be just as passionate and vocal in that aspect.

The other part knew that she wouldn't do anything with him without his mating her, and definitely not out in the wild. He knew he couldn't do that since he was already mated to Kikyou. He cared for Kagome, loved her even, but it wasn't the same way he felt for Kikyou. His feelings for his mate were stronger.

Still, that didn't mean he couldn't have the both of them. Kagome didn't need to know that he was already mated, and she had stayed and remained silent all the times he had gone to see Kikyou. He knew it hurt her that as far as she was concerned he hadn't made a choice, but if he approached her to make a commitment to her he was sure she would be happy.

So he couldn't mate her, but he could marry her. He was half human and half demon so it wasn't unreasonable for him to have both a mate and a wife. It didn't cross his mind that in the eyes of demons Kagome as the wife would be seen as a mistress and nothing more.

Inuyasha searched for Kikyou in every direction but couldn't find her in the area. Since she wasn't in the area he decided he would have to wait for her to come to him as she usually did. He headed back to camp and informed Sango and Miroku, and found that Kirara had yet to return and they were beginning to worry that she was somewhere hurt and unable to get to them. So they decided to multitask and look for Kouga and keep an eye out for Kirara as well.

They had only been walking a half an hour when a massive gust of wind blew at them, nearly knocking them over. When it died down they saw Kagura leaping off her large feather and land lightly on the ground in front of them.

"Missing a few members of your little group." Kagura taunted and listened to Inuyasha growl. "Well I know where your missing priestess is." She added with a smirk.

"You got somethin' to say, then say it!" Inuyasha yelled as he gripped the hilt of Tetsaiga.

"Alright then. She is with the western lord. She is with Sesshomaru." Kagura informed them.

"Bullshit!" Inuyasha snapped.

"No way. I don't believe that at all." Sango added, her body tensed in preparation for an attack as she listened to the wind youkai laugh.

"Believe me or not. You now know where she is. It is up to you to do something about it." Kagura said before she threw her wind blades at them. They all dodged them but the distraction allowed her to escape. Her work done.

The pack relaxed as she disappeared from sight then they moved off the path and sat in the grass to discuss what just happened and what they had learned. They didn't think Kagura was telling the truth, and that it in fact might be a trick of Naraku's.

Still, they recalled how Sesshomaru and his pack had hung around the well clearing and how Shippo had looked pretty cozy with them. They thought maybe if it was true Kagome might be traveling with him for Shippo's benefit since he hadn't been in the village with Keade when they returned.

They considered that her being with the western lord might also explain why she couldn't be found. Sesshomaru could be blocking her scent and aura. Then again it could be what they decided the night before, that she had learned to block them herself during her training.

They eventually decided to look for Sesshomaru instead of Kouga since that could potentially produce Kagome instead of just information on her whereabouts as Kouga would. Assuming Kouga told them anything if they found him.

Nearly a week later the group still hadn't found either Kirara or Sesshomaru. There was no scent or hint of either of their auras. They hadn't even encountered Kouga or any of his wolves.

Inuyasha was irritated and upset. He hadn't seen Kikyou in weeks and he of course hadn't seen Kagome. He was taking his anger out on the low level youkai that came up against them, but it didn't help much. He needed someone that was more of a challenge or a good rut.

Sango wasn't available because she was distraught over Kirara's disappearance, and not knowing where she was or what happened to her. He'd had Miroku once in the past week but that was it since he wanted to stay close to Sango and comfort her.

Inuyasha was annoyed at the loss of frequent rutting, but he didn't mind too much. He wanted to be with a female. He wanted a good hard rut inside a warm wet female. He was considering going to find a prostitute, but they cost money and Miroku held their money. He would have to steal it or find a prostitute that was willing to give him what he wanted at no charge.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of Miroku crying out in pain. He turned around and saw him fall to his knees, clutching his wrist and looking at his cursed hand. He and Sango gathered around Miroku and when he seemed to no longer be in pain they watched as he ripped the beads off his hand, and discovered that his Kazaana had disappeared.

This happening lead to the inevitable conclusion that Naraku had been defeated. This in turn put them all in a bad mood, especially Inuyasha. He had been cheated out of his revenge.

Who could've done this?! He wondered angrily, but as soon as the thought entered his mind he knew the only one strong enough was his bastard half-brother. He was now more determined to find Sesshomaru.

**MoaM**

Sesshomaru and Kagome walked leisurely through the forest, Kirara resting in Kagome's arms, enjoying the nice sunny day. It had only been a few days since they had finished off Naraku.

Once Kanna was safe at the fortress they had continued on their hunt for Naraku. Surprisingly he had come to them. The battle was tough as he had a large piece of the jewel to continue regenerating, and continued to send dozens of lower level youkai at them. Still, together they managed to kill the youkai, take the chunk of jewel Naraku had, and defeat him with a combination of her reiki and the power Sesshomaru's sword, Bakusaiga.

They had gone to her time after it was all over to let her family know she had finished her quest, and that she just had to get rid of the jewel. They had also been made aware of the fact that she would not be staying in her birth time, at least not willingly. She was mated and wanted to stay with her alpha, but she was aware that the jewel may force her back.

Now they were walking, Sesshomaru letting his aura loose so her former pack could find them and they could get rid of the shikon jewel for good.

After leaving the forest the mated pair was walking through a small open field when they sensed her former pack approaching.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha screamed as he ran out into the field ahead of his pack only to suddenly stop. He seemed to be struck dumb at the sight of her, which wasn't surprising since he wouldn't have known she was there since she was still masking everything but the sight of her.

It might also have to do with my clothing and my mating marks. Maybe even Kirara's presence. Kagome thought idly.

Sango and Miroku arrived next and stopped with surprised gasps at the sight. They had expected Sesshomaru but they hadn't expected Kagome, even with Kagura's information, and they had definitely not expected Kirara. They had begun to fear she was dead. Obviously their fears were unfounded. She looked quite comfortable in Kagome's arms.

"Kirara!" Sango cried out and was surprised when all she did was lift her head to look at her before lowering her head back down and relaxing.

Miroku took this in but was more focused on Kagome. She stood confidently poised beside the dangerous daiyoukai wearing a black short kimono with a blue and white design and black hakama with a blue and white obi sash and black boots.

She had a sword on each hip, a quiver of arrows on her back, and a bow slung over her left shoulder. Aside from that was the new markings she sported. One on her forehead and another on her neck. The crescent moon on both clearly indicating that she was now very connected to the Inu at her side.

He suddenly wondered if Kagome had been traveling on her own all this time or if she had been traveling with the demon lord the whole time.

He looked to Sango and saw the shocked hurt look on her face then to Inuyasha and saw that he appeared stunned. He looked back to Kagome and Sesshomaru and saw that neither one of them looked like they were going to be the first to speak so he decided it was up to him.

"Good afternoon Sesshomaru-sama, Kagome-sama." Miroku greeted politely, wanting to start off on the right foot.

"We have been looking for you ever since we returned to the village and learned that you had finished your training and left to travel on your own." He addressed Kagome. "Obviously we had not been able to find you until now, and at this point we were not even looking for you."

"At this point?" Sesshomaru repeated. "Obviously they were looking for you but something set them on my path instead." He informed his mate through their bond.

"Probably Naraku's defeat, and Miroku's Kazaana disappearing." Kagome replied.

"We were looking for her, worried that she might have been taken by Naraku since we had not come across her in weeks nor had we seen Naraku." Miroku answered.

"Kagura came to us a couple of weeks ago and told us Kagome was with you, so we decided to try and find you when my Kazaana disappeared. We concluded that Naraku had been defeated and Inuyasha figured out of everyone we knew you were the only one capable of doing it." He explained to the daiyoukai which seemed to snap Inuyasha out of his stunned silence.

"Yeah!" Inuyasha exclaimed in agreement with the monk. "I know you're the bastard that got rid of him. That was supposed to be my revenge!" He said to Sesshomaru then turned to Kagome.

"And why are you with the bastard?! You were supposed to be traveling with us, collecting jewel shards, not gallivanting on your own getting into trouble, which you clearly are to be around that bastard."

Kagome looked on calmly and decided it was time they knew the truth; that she was done with them. She had changed so much since her revelations and the time she spent with Sesshomaru. Especially after their mating. She had always known she could be loud, determined, and expressive, but she had no idea she could be so powerful, confidant, and passionate.

"To put it simply I'm traveling with him because I'm part of his pack, his alpha female." She stated. "I needed time away from you all and he offered to let me travel with him. It was very beneficial. If it makes you feel better I was in fact gathering jewel shards while we traveled."

"Why did you need to get away from us?" Miroku asked with a frown.

"Because you guys were holding me back, and I needed to take control of my life." She responded. "We never stayed in the village long enough for me to learn anything from Keade. When we had down time in the village and I mentioned that I was going to take the time to learn from her, Inuyasha was almost immediately rushing us out of the village, that down time completely forgotten."

"Not even you Miroku would take the time to teach me anything while we traveled. Sango wouldn't even teach me how to use a sword." She added bitterly.

"None of you seemed to care that I wanted to protect myself or that if I ended up staying in this time I would need those skills to live and survive. You all seemed content to keep me in the background away from danger yet always vulnerable."

"Beyond that Inuyasha made it so difficult for me to do my studying for my education, something I needed to do and keep up with if I ended up being sent back to my time. I need my education to be able to do anything successful in my time." She continued.

"I just decided it was time I changed. I was going to learn how to use my powers properly and I would no longer let myself be degraded, used, nor seen as a shadow or copy of someone else." She stated.

"Sesshomaru just happened to be there when I made my decision and offered me a place in his pack. Something I had no problem with since I didn't want to travel with you guys anymore since you clearly didn't have my best interests in mind."

"You really thought that bastard had your best interests in mind?!" Inuyasha asked belligerently.

"I know he did and still does. Aside from what I learned from Keade he helped me learn how to properly use my power, he taught me how to use a sword, he taught me how to defend and attack with my body alone, and he taught me the information I needed to know to live in this era and around youkai." Kagome answered.

"Aside from that he made sure I was able to do my studies and go back to my time to see my family and take care of my education when I needed to be there. There was never any arguments with him, no yelling, no demands, no coming to get me before I was ready. There was only ever support and understanding." She explained.

"But we're your friends! How could you leave us to travel with someone who tried to kill you?" Sango asked, finally finding her voice.

"Very easily." Kagome stated, matter of fact. "You weren't the friends I thought you were, and so what if he tried to kill me in the past? Inuyasha tried to kill me when we first met, you attacked us, and Miroku stole from me."

"What about me?" Inuyasha said. "You promised to stay with me as long as I needed you, and what about your feelings for me? I know you love me." He stated and Sango and Miroku nodded at his words.

"I don't love you. I still had feelings for you when I first joined Sesshomaru's pack even with the way you treated me, which was another reason I didn't want to continue traveling with you." Kagome said to Inuyasha.

"I didn't want to feel anything for you and once I was away from you it was fairly easy to move pass those lingering feelings, which showed that I didn't love you anymore if I had at all." She explained. "Besides that you don't need me. You have others for whatever you need."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked angrily. He didn't like that she no longer had feelings for him. He hadn't been able to mate her but he still considered her his. He still wanted her.

"She means you have the two ningen in your pack and your dead mate. Or at least you had your dead mate." Sesshomaru answered.

All three of them looked surprised and shocked. They looked at each other as if the truth of his words was written on their faces.

"Mate?" Sango whispered, still shocked.

"Yes. His mate." Kagome answered. "Kikyou was his mate long before I stopped traveling with you."

"And they were mated long before you two started rutting with him." Sesshomaru added.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other in surprise to learn that both of them were sleeping with Inuyasha.

Sango didn't know what to think of Miroku. A guy sleeping with another guy was something new to her, and she didn't like the fact that Miroku, the guy she loved, appeared to be into that. She was surprised and hurt by it. Did that mean he really liked males instead of females or did he like both? Was it that Inuyasha was a half demon? Would he not have done it if Inuyasha was human? What did that mean for them?

And Inuyasha is mated. He mated Kikyou. Was sleeping with her. I was sharing him with a dead woman, a dead woman made of clay, bones and dirt. She thought, feeling as though she might be sick.

Miroku was more than surprised. He never thought Sango would sleep with more than one guy, especially since he had been her first lover. He had expected to be her only lover, but it seemed she had a need for more than just him. That or she enjoyed the excitement of sneaking around with Inuyasha. Perhaps she also enjoyed the difference between human and demon performance; even if the demon was only a half demon. He didn't know if he was more angry or more excited.

He turned his mind to the fact that Inuyasha had mated Kikyou. It didn't matter to him that he was for all intents and purposes married. He had slept with married women before. What bothered him was that Kikyou was dead. She wasn't even a real dead body. She was made of bones and dirt. Not that either of those choices was better than the other. It was just disgusting to know that Inuyasha had slept with a dead body.

Inuyasha didn't seem to care that his human pack mates were realizing that they had both been rutting with him.

"What'd you mean I had her as a mate? She's still my mate." Inuyasha asked Sesshomaru.

"Not anymore. I killed her myself to get the rest of my soul." Kagome said, setting him straight before she looked to Sango and Miroku. "If you have any doubts about them being mated I can tell you that it's nauseatingly true. I saw it all in Kikyou's memories."

"No! That's not true." Inuyasha cried out. "She's my mate. I'd know if she was dead."

"The miko killed her weeks ago." Sesshomaru said. "You did not know because you were not really mated to her. You needed to tie her soul to yours and you could not do that since she did not have a complete soul, and the piece she had did not belong to her."

"You would have known that if you had listened to your instincts, and not simply assumed the deed was done just because the mark was there." He explained coldly.

"No!" Inuyasha yelled in anger and denial before he ran forward to attack Sesshomaru, uncaring that Kagome was right next to him.

Sesshomaru flicked his acid whip at him, flinging him back, before calmly stepping toward the half-breed and away from his mate.

"I will keep the half-breed occupied until you are ready to dispose of the jewel." He informed his mate as he engaged the hanyou.

Kagome hummed in acknowledgement and glanced at him before focusing on her former friends, still gently stroking Kirara's soft fur.

"Did either of you take into consideration my feelings for Inuyasha before you both started sleeping with him or did you simply not care?" She asked her former friends.

"Did you take my feelings into consideration when you stole Kirara?!" Sango snapped back.

Kirara growled angrily and Kagome raised an eyebrow in disbelief. That response was very telling. Redirecting the subject, expressing anger at her when she had done nothing wrong, and showing her true colors.

"Kirara is her own being." Kagome said. "She can't be stolen. She chose to stay with you all these years and she chose to leave you. Kirara found me and asked to be my companion. Your accusation just points out why she chose to leave. You seemed to have forgotten that she's a thinking being with feelings."

"But neither of you have answered my question." She pointed out. "You both believed I loved Inuyasha, probably thought I was in love with him, and you still chose to sleep with him. I want to know why."

"You obviously aren't proud of what you were doing since you kept it from me. I don't particularly care that you kept the knowledge from each other. That's your business." She added.

Sango and Miroku looked hesitant and their eyes shifted around, not really looking at her or each other. Clearly they didn't want to answer and that was somewhat of an answer in itself.

They either both had feelings for Inuyasha or they were simply out for their own pleasure and wants. She was inclined to believe the latter. They simply had not cared about her feelings or what would happen if she had discovered them in the act.

"The taijiya is expecting." Sesshomaru idly pointed out. He had been following her train of thought and figured it was something she could tell the taijiya and see if that got a reaction out of her.

Kagome blinked in surprise and wondered if Sango would realize the enormity of the situation she had put herself in.

"Did you know you're pregnant?" She asked Sango bluntly as she looked at her. She watched her eyes widen as she gasped, and saw Miroku's eyes widened as well.

"Judging by your reaction you obviously didn't know." She said, ignoring the sounds of the little fight happening near them. "Do you know who the father is since you've apparently had two partners for months now?"

There was a loud crash almost like an explosion and within moments her mate was back at her side as if he had never moved away from her.

They both watched the fear suddenly enter Sango's eyes as she looked from Miroku to the now unconscious Inuyasha.

"I supposed you'll find out as your pregnancy progresses. I imagine that the child of a hanyou might bring on a difficult pregnancy." Kagome said as she looked her over. She felt a little sorry for Sango, which was the only reason she told her the next piece of information.

"I hope you don't have twins because there's a possibility that both males could be the father." She informed her.

"Can such a thing really happen?" Sesshomaru asked curiously.

"It definitely can. I've heard and read about it happening. Instead of just one males seed taking hold inside a female both males' seeds take. One would be the father of one baby and the other male would be the father of the remaining baby." Kagome answered.

"Usually you can't tell until they're born since there are two different types of twins. Identical twins look exactly alike and are the same sex so they would have to have the same parents. Fraternal twins don't look exactly alike and are usually a boy and girl. They can have the same father as well but in cases where the mother has more than one partner at the same time then they would have different fathers." She explained.

"I'm telling you this because I feel sorry for you, because it's a very real possibility. Even more so if twins happen to run in your family." She told Sango.

She didn't say it but either way, whether she had twins or not, Sango was going to have it hard since she didn't know who the father of her baby was. What was worse was that she had chosen two people who were obviously unfaithfully and weren't loyal.

"We should get to the reason we're here, why Sesshomaru allowed you to find him." Kagome said with a sigh then glanced at Inuyasha's unconscious form. "It's better that he's out of it and can't interfere." She added quietly then pulled out the complete jewel from inside her sleeve to the surprise and dismay of Sango and Miroku.

Miroku was surprised since he hadn't sensed it at all, and Sango was surprised and dismayed because it meant that Kohaku's shard was there.

"Kohaku." Sango gasped out his name in pain.

"Naraku already had his piece so I unfortunately don't know if he's alive or dead." Kagome informed her before she returned her gaze to the jewel.

She had thought a lot on what to wish for, not wanting it to be selfish, and after a while she had come to a realization. All thinking beings are selfish in some form so the wish no matter how pure one may think it is would still be selfish. So she had decided on the only course of action.

"I wish the gods decision for the Shikon jewels fate to be fulfilled." Kagome said quietly and watched as the jewel began to glow. It made a musical sound, beautiful and pure, before it disappeared.

**MoaM**

It had been a year since the Shikon jewel had been wished on and disappeared, and life was going as well as it had been since Kagome's night of revelations.

Once the jewel was gone she had bid Sango and Miroku good luck and farewell before Sesshomaru flew them away on his youki cloud.

It had only taken her and Sesshomaru until the day after the jewel had been wished on to figure out that it hadn't disappeared at all.

The night of the same day the jewel had been wished away she had released her barriers since Sesshomaru especially liked to smell her scent when they mated, and he discovered that she no longer smelled mortal. She had become immortal in the span of a few hours.

After a night of love making to celebrate her continued presence in that time and sleep the only conclusion they could come up with was that the jewel was responsible. She tried to sense it even though she knew she had wished it away, and discovered after a few minutes of searching that it had instead returned to her body. The only difference was that no one could sense it now, so she would not have to worry about being attacked for it.

After that discovery they came to the conclusion that the jewel simply couldn't be wished away. It would just return to the world at some point and possibly be in the hands of someone less pure, like Kikyou.

Still, Sesshomaru was pleased with the change it granted her. He would not have to lose her to old age and it was all thanks to the gods as dictated by her wish on the jewel.

Once they were satisfied with their conclusion they had picked up the children and Kanna and continued traveling aimlessly and training. During this time Kanna began to grow into her adult form since she was no longer connected to Naraku. She still wore a white kimono, but her hair had grown longer and her eyes looked warm and vibrant instead of disturbingly blank and cold. Her personality had developed as well. She was still quiet but she laughed and gave her opinion now.

A month later the group came across the wolf pack and she greeted Ginta and Hakkaku happily and was surprised to see Ayame with them. They learned that Ginta and Ayame were courting. He and Hakkaku had helped her get pass her feelings for Kouga and her heartbreak over his death.

As they discussed the deceased wolf and how hard it had been for Ayame to get over her feelings for him they realized that Kouga had imprinted on her in her youth on purpose most likely in case he couldn't find a female he wanted. He would still have her to fall back on and she wouldn't resist because she wouldn't know any better.

During this time Hakkaku couldn't seem to take his eyes off Kanna. She looked so different and yet the same from the last time he had seen her. She smelled different, acted different as well, and he liked the way she viewed different subjects.

Kanna herself appeared to return his interest as well. He was funny yet serious, and so very male. A different kind of male than she had been used to. After some days of thought she decided to go with the wolves to see what would come of her attraction to him.

The next they heard Ginta had mated Ayame, and Hakkaku had mated Kanna.

Now Kagome and Sesshomaru were settling into their life and already had their first pup. A half demon little girl with silky gray hair with the faintest of blue highlight and tiny puppy ears and blue eyes.

They couldn't have been happier.