Hey guys! It's been a while! Hopefully the length makes up for the absence, lol! Hope you enjoy!

Kagome looked down at the boar carcass in front of her hut and had to wonder, once again, how she had gotten herself into this. She wanted to deny it, say that Inuyasha had left it for Kikyō, but the miko had left the hut way earlier that morning, and Inuyasha had never brought her things like this. She knew it had to be Kouga. She knew that if she took it, that she'd then be accepting his courtship; she may not know much about their customs, but she knew what Inuyasha did for Kikyō, so she could infer. What she didn't know was how to handle this predicament she was in.

She wanted to accept it, strictly because it would really help the villagers. She chewed on her lower lip as she considered her options. She was tempted to pulse out her reiki, see if the wolf was nearby, watching. She was certain that he was, but she wasn't sure if she actually wanted to know or not. So, she continued to stand there, looking at the boar corpse and trying to piece together a plan of action.

She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, contemplating, but she was soon pulled out of her thoughts by a familiar voice.

"What the hell is that?"

Kagome looked up and there was Inuyasha, standing on the other side of the boar, arms crossed over his chest, eyebrows furrowed. Kagome looked back down at the carcass.

"It's umm... a gift, I think."

"From that mangy wolf?"

Her head snapped back up to look at him. "How did you–?"

"I can smell him all over it. It's disgusting... You're not going to accept it, are ya?"

Her cheeks stained pink. "Of course not!"

"Then why are ya just standing here, looking at it like ya might?"

She bristled. Why did he sound so angry about it? It wasn't any of his business. Kagome did her best to shove her growing anger down. "I just... I'd hate for it to go to waste. I mean, the village could really get some use out of it... but if I accept it then I'm accepting his courtship, right?"

Inuyasha nodded.

"Yeah.. so... you see? I'm just... conflicted.. And I'm sure he's around here somewhere, waiting to see if I take it and I just.. don't want to give the wrong impression so–"

"Why does it matter so much to you? He's just some random wolf, he doesn't matter, Kagome."

Her eyebrows furrowed together in a mix of anger and confusion. Why was Inuyasha all worked up like this? "I don't like to hurt people unnecessarily, Inuyasha. I thought you knew that."

He looked away from her, directing his gaze to the ground in shame. Good. There was a beat of awkward silence between the two of them before he lifted his head up.

"Alright.. Just walk away and do whatever it is you were planning on doing today and I'll take care of it." He then started to move to pick the boar up.

Kagome started to panic. "W-Wait! What if he's not standing around somewhere watching? What if he just left it and then comes back and sees that it's gone? What if he thinks I accepted it?"

Inuyasha sighed. "Trust me, he's around here somewhere. Just get going." he grumbled.

She bit her lip, still unsure, but she would have to trust Inuyasha's judgment for now. With a bit of a sigh, she finally left her hut and made her way into the village. She glanced back and watched for a moment as Inuyasha effortlessly picked the boar up and carried it on his shoulder. She quickly turned her attention back to the path in front of her. What was she going to do?

–––

Kouga had been watching the exchange from a distance. He was too far to hear anything, or really pick up any scents, but he could see them fairly well. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed in her not accepting his gift, but he knew she was going to be a hard one to crack from the beginning. But she was going to be worth the chase, he could feel it.

She was strong, both in body and mind; her scent reflected that. Gods her scent... Just thinking about it left him yearning.

When he had first met her, there had been something that drew him towards her. He couldn't place it at the time, but with their second meeting at the river, he had figured out what it was. Her scent just drew him in like no other. It was strong, powerful, and a good match to his own. He had heard of how others found their mates; how they just knew instantly after getting more acquainted with their scent. He hadn't been too sure at first, but now he knew the validity behind it.

Of course, it was more than her scent that drew him in, though it still was a large factor. Her passion and ferocity only solidified his silent claim on her. And now, despite the turning down of his gift and watching the hanyou drag it off somewhere, it simply added fuel to the fire. His beast was burning to prove itself to her. He craved her approval more than anything at this moment in time, and he knew he couldn't allow himself to rest until he gained it.

He was going to have to play the long game, and he was prepared to do as such. He was a pursuit predator after all, and didn't intend on giving up this particular hunt. He was going to see it through to the end, right when his fangs sank into her neck, marking her as his. Until then, he'll need to learn more about her. He needed to figure out what would work best to woo her. All he had to do was wait until she was alone, then he could go talk to her with no distractions.

And as much as he loathed to admit it, he would have to learn more about that meddling mutt as well... He didn't understand the relationship between him and Kagome. The hanyou was protective of her, but whenever she saw or talked about him, there was sadness in her eyes and voice. It was hard to miss. Clearly the mutt didn't have a claim on her, he could smell that much, so what was their deal? It was something he would need to learn moving forward, so he could know how to handle the mutt and their odd relationship. And if he was bothering his woman... Kouga's hand flexed, his claws extending ever so slightly as he stalked through the trees.

He'd have to take care of that mutt, Inuyasha...

–––

A large fire crackled and burned in the center of the village, casting embers up into the air. Everyone was celebrating the boar that Inuyasha had brought them and roasting it. Of course, some of it had been taken off previously and set aside to be dried and preserved. But what was left was being roasted and served on top of steaming bowls of white rice.

Kagome sat in front of the fire, holding a bowl of food in front of her. She hadn't wanted to take one of the first bowls of food, but the villagers had insisted. It was in thanks to everything she's done for them over the years, and she couldn't deny that it warmed her heart. But still...

She took a small bite of her food and watched Inuyasha and Kikyō on the other side of the fire. It didn't sit well with her that he was taking all the credit.. but at the same time, she wasn't sure how everyone would have reacted to the truth.. That a wolf youkai had actually gotten it, and it was supposed to be a courtship gift for Kagome, one of the town's only mikos, but she had denied a youkai's offer and had Inuyasha give it to them instead.

She didn't see that going over too well... so she figured it was best Inuyasha took the credit.. but still... She let out a soft sigh and took another bite of food. No sense in dwelling on it. And she couldn't deny that it was nice to see everyone so happy and celebrating. They hadn't had a chance for a feast like this in a while. Some of the crops hadn't been doing so great as of late, and no one was sure why. Kagome prayed that the hardships would end soon; she couldn't stand to see anyone suffering...

But Kagome didn't want to linger on such sad thoughts.. this was a celebration after all, she ought to enjoy it. And so she did her best to do so. She ate her food and chatted with the townspeople, catching up on their lives and a couple of them asking her for favors, to which she assured she would get done tomorrow.

The sky grew darker and the flames burned hotter and brighter. Kagome got up to get another small helping of rice, laughing at a joke that had been told, when her eyes involuntarily shifted to the side. She caught sight of Inuyasha and Kikyō, standing close to one another and chatting idly. Their hands were clasped together, mostly hidden between the two of them, and the looks they were giving each other made her smile falter and her laughter die on her lips.

She quickly averted her eyes and looked towards the house she shared with Kikyō. Her appetite now gone, she figured it might be best to turn in for the night. After all, she had been given plenty of tasks to do tomorrow, so getting some rest would do her well...

Or maybe she could start on those tasks early... She wasn't exactly tired yet.. what harm would it do? She took one last glance back at the festivities, doing her best to avoid looking at the hanyou and her fellow miko, and then fully turned and started to walk away. She would just need to make a quick stop at her home to put her bowl away and then she could go collect some ingredients she would need. So, she did just that. She entered the hut and set her bowl among her things and grabbed her basket. She took note of things she would need to gather before exiting. There were some things that only bloomed at night, so this actually proved to be the perfect opportunity. At least, that's what Kagome kept telling herself as she snuck out of the village and into the forest, heading towards the fields.

Kagome took her time walking through the forest, her hands brushing along the bark of the tree trunks and grazing the occasional soft covering of moss. She collected some of the moss, but made sure to only take small portions. She didn't want to disturb nature too much, after all. She only ever took what was needed; a good policy to have.

She gathered a couple mushrooms as well. Some were quite intriguing, glowing in the moonlight like they were. She found them interesting, and while she wasn't sure if they were safe or not, they were pretty at the very least. So, she picked a couple but made sure to keep them separate from everything else she had collected, just in case. She continued to make her way through the forest until she reached a field.

She let out a soft sigh as she stepped out into the field. Scattered throughout were flowers that glowed in the moonlight. Kagome had never really come out at night, Kikyō usually did that with Inuyasha at her side... Just one more thing Kagome had been robbed of...

Kagome shook her head, clearing the thought from her mind. She shouldn't think like that.. it wasn't fair to them. She ran a hand through her hair, lifting her bangs off her face and letting out a huff of breath. She came out here to clear her mind, to be at peace and collect things she would need for her tasks. She needed to focus.

She released her bangs and moved further out into the field before taking a seat. She began picking herbs and flowers, taking her time doing so. It was a simple task, but it always had a way of relaxing her.

She let out a soft sigh as a small smile worked its way onto her face. She looked at the glowing flowers, delicately touching the soft petals before reaching down and digging into the ground. She wanted to get the roots so she could grow one. There weren't any medicinal properties to these flowers, but they were pretty. It took her a moment, but she finally dug up the roots and pulled the flower out of the ground. She grinned to herself and set the flower aside.

She then went about continuing to pick the things she needed as the moon continued to rise in the sky. It was soon right above her, casting its light down and fully illuminating the field. Kagome took a moment to look up at the sky, enjoying the light of the nearly full moon and the stars twinkling around it.

As she took in the sight, a fog started to slowly roll in from the forest. The hair on the back of her neck pricked up and she turned to look at the fog. Something tightened in her chest and she found it a bit difficult to breathe. What was this feeling? Something didn't... feel right... But.. it was just fog...

Her eyebrows furrowed together and she moved to get up, ready to investigate. Before she could even fully get up, a rush of wind hit her and an arm was encircling her waist. She almost let out a shriek, but a warm, calloused hand covered her mouth before she could.

"Shh! We need to get out of here, quickly and quietly."

Kouga!

Her initial feeling of terror faded, leaving her in a mild panic. Something was definitely wrong.. but what?

Kouga removed his hand from her mouth, and before she could blink, he was scooping her up in his arms. She gasped, and then in a second, he was taking off running. She held onto him tightly, pressing the side of her face into his cold chest plate. "K-Kouga! What's going on?"

"Shhh!"

Kagome pressed her lips together tightly. She'd have to stay quiet, she was certain he would explain everything to her later. So for now, she just held onto him tightly, trying to ignore the panic she felt.

Kouga held her close and did his best to make sure he didn't dig his claws into her skin. He had just been watching her, ready to approach her once she had relaxed when that fog rolled in. Something about it didn't sit right with him, made his hackles rise... His beast had just started screaming at him to grab her, take her far away. And before he knew it, he was taking off towards her and gathering her in his arms. He knew she was going to have questions for him.. He could see them brewing in her eyes... but he wasn't sure how he was going to answer them, or if he'd even be able to.

He cradled her protectively against his chest. He had no idea where he was running to, but he knew he couldn't stop until he felt like she wouldn't be in danger anymore. He just had to wait for his beast to settle and for this feeling in his gut to disappear.

He wasn't sure how long he ran, or exactly how far, but eventually, he felt more at ease. He slowly came to a halt, letting out a sigh of relief. Once he fully stopped he, a bit reluctantly, set Kagome down on her feet. He watched as she looked around, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion as she tried to figure out where they were. Even he wasn't fully sure, and these woods were part of his territory; he had just been running in a blind panic.. or maybe rage... maybe a mix of both. He had just been so worried about her and her safety, and at the same time wanting to sink his fangs into whatever had threatened his woman's safety.

Kouga stepped a bit closer to her and she turned to look up at him. Her soft, warm brown eyes pulled him in with their curiosity. It melted his heart and he couldn't help but smile warmly at her, bringing a hand up to cup her face. Kagome blushed, embarrassed at their closeness. She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away from her face.

"Kouga.. what's going on?" she whispered.

He let out a sigh, eyebrows furrowing together. "I don't know. But something didn't feel right. Whatever was in that fog.. or maybe whatever caused it wanted to hurt you. I don't know why, but..." He looked at her, and she gulped at how intense his gaze was. It was like he was staring into her, and there was an emotion hidden in their depths that she couldn't quite place. Or maybe she could and she just didn't want to admit it... He took her hands in his, clasping them tight. "I couldn't let anything happen to you. You're my woman, Kagome, and I'm going to protect you with my life."

Too much... Her breath caught in her throat. She felt like she was drowning in his bright blue eyes. He was so intense.. she didn't know how to handle it. She averted her gaze, not able to stand it any longer. She nervously licked her lips. She would try to back away from him again, but he was holding onto her so tightly... She wasn't about to try and test her strength against a full-blooded youkai.

"How did you know what was going on anyway? Were you watching me?" She wasn't sure if she really wanted to know the answer, but she felt like she needed to know.

"I was." Kagome's mouth fell open slightly at the honesty. He just straight up told her! "I was going to come up to you in a moment to talk with you, but then the fog rolled in and well..." He shrugged.

"Why?"

"I want to know more about you, Kagome. You didn't accept the boar, so I want to know what you will accept."

She blinked up at him. He was just.. so... honest... It shocked her. Was that just him or were all wolves like that? She wasn't sure, and she didn't know if she really wanted to know.

"I just..." She took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "Kouga I.. I don't know you. And I have things I need to do around here. I made a promise to guard something, something important, and I can't just abandon that. This is going to be my main focus. It has to be my main focus, or else there will be consequences."

His brows furrowed together. She could see the protest in his eyes and she prayed, prayed that he would just accept what she was saying. It wasn't like she was lying, she was telling the truth! With Kikyō being distracted by Inuyasha, it was up to Kagome to protect the Sacred Jewel. There was no one else she could turn to.. she had accepted her fate long ago.

She sighed and pulled her hands away, and Kouga let her. "I've accepted this long ago... It wasn't originally up to me, but now it is. There's no one else who can do this now. It has to be me." Kagome turned away from him then. She wasn't sure why she was even telling him this, but she just felt this urge to talk to him. She felt like she could trust him.. which was ridiculous since she didn't even know him! Ugh.. this is all so confusing! What is so difficult about all of this?

Kouga placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to look up at him. She wasn't sure she liked that look in his eyes...

He brought a hand up to cup her cheek, rubbing his thumb underneath her eye. She couldn't deny the fact that it was soothing. "Let me help you." He whispered softly. Her cheeks flushed as her mouth hung open in shock. What? "I can help you guard whatever it is you're in charge of. You don't have to be alone in doing this, Kagome."

She blinked, unsure what to say. It took her a moment to find her voice, but Kouga was patient with her. He continued to stroke her cheekbone as she found her words. "But.. you... aren't you like.. in charge of an entire pack?"

He grinned. "That just means whatever you're protecting will be extra safe. Maybe you could take a day or two off."

Her head was spinning. This was honestly too much... She could barely process what he was telling her! An entire pack of wolf youkai? Protecting the Sacred Jewel? Ha! Hard to believe... If he knew what it was she was guarding, she was certain he'd be singing a different tune. He would want to take it and keep it for himself, or rather his pack. That way they would be the strongest wolves out there. She was not about to let that happen.

"No... No, you don't understand, Kouga. It has to be me. It has to be a miko... I..." She let out a small growl of frustration. Kouga couldn't help but think it was kind of cute. "You can't help me with this. And I don't want you to help me either. Just..." Her eyes drifted towards the forest floor and the unmistakable scent of her misery hit his nose. It sent his beast into a rage, and it took everything in him to keep calm, to listen to her.

"I have to do it, and I have to do it alone." She looked back up at him then, their eyes locking and Kouga felt his heart clench in his chest. The utter sorrow in them... She brought her hand up to grasp the one holding onto her cheek. "Please understand. Even if I wanted to, which again, I don't... I can't."

She pulled his hand off her cheek and then released his hand, letting hers fall to her side. She was resigned to her fate; had been for a long while, since she had become a miko. And this only grew with the development of Kikyō and Inuyasha. It was up to her and her alone.

Kagome took a step back from him, folding her arms in front of her chest and looking down at the ground. Kouga didn't like the scent she was giving off. He didn't like how resigned she was to this "fate" of hers. He wanted to change her mind, make her see reason and realize there were multiple solutions and options for her... but he knew it would take time.

She sighed, turning her back to him, but her head still lowered. He hated how submissive she was being. This wasn't who she was, he could tell by her natural scent and the power and ferocity she radiated and would occasionally showcase. What, or who, had turned her into this?

"I wanna go home..." she whispered softly, barely audible. If he were a human instead of a youkai, he was sure he wouldn't have heard her.

"Alright.. I'll take ya home, Kagome."

Kouga moved closer to her, circling around to face her and held out his arms. She blushed slightly, but nodded, brushing the heel of her palm against her eye to deter any tears. It would be faster for him to carry her after all... He scooped her up into his arms, plucking her from the ground like a delicate flower. He held her close to his chest and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tight. She knew how fast he could run, and she didn't want to fall off. Not like she was scared he would drop her... but it was instinct, and it was hard to fight your instincts.

Once she was settled, he took off. It didn't take him long to recognize his surroundings. Once he had his bearings, he easily made his way towards the village. He didn't run as fast as he usually did, wanting to be a little selfish and hold onto her for as long as he could. He knew she wouldn't be able to notice the difference in speed; it was still too fast for her, considering she was a human.

He took this time to analyze her scent, or at least smell what he could while weaving through the trees. He searched underneath the waves of remorse, trying to get to her natural scent. Once he found it, he did his best to take a subtle deep breath. Her scent already had a way of calming him... She smelled the way the air did in the spring; lush with flowers and herbs and life, just after a light rain. It had always been a nice scent for him, a soothing one... And now he found it attached to this miko. A nice, calming scent along with the power she held within her. She practically radiated holy energy, and while that should be terrifying for a youkai, it only drew him to her more. He could tell how strong she was, maybe not physically like him, but in her own way. And power was attractive to wolves; it was part of how they selected their mates, and the longer he spent with Kagome, the more his choice solidified.

It wasn't long before they broke through the trees and could see the village in the distance. Kouga was disappointed his time with Kagome would be coming to an end shortly, but there was always another day.

He slowed his pace to a brisk jog, not really needing to run anymore. Besides, he didn't want to attract the attention of the villagers and a certain mutt. He didn't want to get into another argument and lose precious time with his woman.

Kagome almost directed Kouga towards her home, but before she could open her mouth, she clamped it shut. He knew where she lived.. he had left that boar on her doorstep after all... The boar...

She licked her lips, working up the nerve to speak. "Kouga..." He shifted her in his arms slightly, and she took a moment to herself, collecting her words, before looking up at him. His eyes were already on her and she had to fight another blush. Why was his gaze always so intense? "I... wanted to thank you for your gift this morning, even though I didn't accept it..." He raised an eyebrow at this. "Our village... it hasn't been doing so well. Our harvest has been poor and quite a few people are getting sick. Needless to say, it's been a while since everyone has had a good meal..." Her eyes flickered away from his for a moment before she met his gaze once more, this time with a soft smile on her lips. "Thank you. Because of your offer, everyone was able to relax and have a good night, not having to worry about their next meal."

He grinned down at her. "Then I'll do it again."

Her face paled slightly and her smile dropped. "N-no, really it's fine. You don't have to-"

"But I want to, Kagome. If it makes you happy, then I would gladly do it a thousand times over."

Her cheeks felt hot, no.. her entire body felt flushed. W..what...? It took her a moment to realize that he has stopped, and that they were in front of her house now. How long had they been here? She somehow became even more flustered than she already was. She shifted a bit in his hold and Kouga chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest that reverberated through her body. He delicately set her down on her feet, his hand lingering on her upper arm for a moment before falling at his side. She took a moment to collect herself, calming down her frayed nerves.

She placed a hand on her chest, taking in a deep breath and then slowly releasing it. It was then that she remembered they had left her basket in the field. Her eyes snapped open and she turned to look at Kouga, who was just standing there with his arms crossed, looking at her. "My basket with the herbs and mushrooms... It's still out there in the field..."

"I'll go get it for you. Stay right here."

Before she could open her mouth to protest, he was off and running. Kagome let out a sigh and crossed her arms over her chest. She leaned back against the wall of her home and waited for the youkai to come back. He was so quick to help, and she still wasn't sure how to feel about it. She felt like she was using him, and she didn't like that feeling. She would have to find a way to really get it through his head that she wasn't interested. But she was also scared to unnecessarily hurt him, so she was in a bit of a pickle to say the least.

Kagome let out a huff and looked up at the sky, hands clutching her arms as she tried to find comfort in the stars. But they were just cold white lights, as they always were, and provided her no solace. Kagome directed her gaze to the ground then, holding herself just a bit tighter.

She wanted to leave. She desperately wanted to run from her responsibilities, find someone else to watch over the jewel so she could travel. She wanted to travel all across Japan, visit different villages, meet new people and provide help when and where she could. She hated being confined to Edo.. but there was nothing she could do. Unless another miko came along that was of the same standing as her and Kikyō, she would be stuck here until the end of her life. Only then would she be replaced..

Tears welled in her eyes and she bit her lip in frustration. She should be over this by now. How long had it been since she resigned herself to this? Half a year? Maybe a bit longer? She wasn't sure anymore... but regardless.. it was enough time for her to accept this.

But even she had her limits she supposed...

Thankfully, Kagome wasn't left to dwell on her thoughts much longer as she felt Kouga's presence approaching her once more. She lifted her head up and searched for him, doing her best to clear her mind and hopefully hide the changes in her scent from him. She didn't want to deal with any more questions..

He soon came into her line of vision and then she blinked and he was right in front of her. She couldn't help but jump slightly. Gods was he fast!

Kouga held her basket out to her and she smiled softly, taking it from him gently. "Thank you, Kouga."

"Anything for you, Kagome."

She did her best to bite back the blush that wanted to form. She wasn't used to this kind of attention...

"Well, I should get some rest. Thank you for all your help today Kouga."

He nodded, grinning down at her. "I'll be glad to help with anything else in the future. Anything at all."

He took a step closer to her, and Kagome tried to step back, but she had forgotten she had been leaning against the wall. Shit... She looked up at him, eyes wide with suspicion, maybe a small hint of fear at what he might do.

He brought a hand up to cup her cheek, his thumb stroking tenderly for a moment before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Kagome's body felt hot, and she blamed it on the heat radiating off the wolf and his close proximity to her. And in a flash, he was gone, leaving Kagome confused and shaking.