What Was Expected

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND CO, NOR DO I MAKE MONEY FROM THIS.

Thank you to Possessed for beta-ing.


Chapter 8: Limits

It was apparent that his uncle would not take any further action tonight. For some reason the that fact that the little miko had left with the dog was beyond irritating to Floin. Add to that his uncle’s inaction and the young fox was not in the mood to sit idly by.

Floin figured that if the bitch he smelled on the miko had the audacity to attack her while the human carried an obvious scent claim, then said bitch probably had much to gain from removing the miko from the side of the heir of the West.

With his mission in mind, Floin searched out the source of the scents that had radiated off his brother’s miko. He was surprised when he found one with relative ease, however she was having a heated conversation with a male. If his sense of scent was accurate then the male was more than likely her sire.

Nori had not wanted to listen to her father’s lecture about proper protocols. The whole situation was simple, she had seen a threat and had gone about the most efficient method of eliminating said threat. Now, she was being chastised like a young puppy for chewing something of value. She had played her part correctly, done everything she was supposed to and now she was just supposed to back down to a human?

No, the human bitch could play her second, but Nori was not willing to give up on the heir to the West. She had been groomed for the inu-youkai ever since her sister, Kai, had died. In addition, too young to remember her elder sister, Nori had been enamored with the silver-headed son of the West since she could remember and it had been her father who encouraged such affections. Her entire life had been calculated so that she would catch the amber eyes of the dai-youkai, yet no matter what she did, she failed.

Actually, all females failed to capture his attention for a longer duration than it took to rut. It seemed even his lust was minimal because there were very few females that could claim to have shared his bed in last few centuries and the dog never invited any back for a second time.

So here Nori was listening to her father, tell her how selfish and spoiled she was that she would dare assault a female under the West’s protection. It was becoming harder and harder to bite her tongue rather than let it fly. Her patience had run out when she was cut off by an unknown male’s voice.

“I believe that an alliance between our two clans could become very beneficial.” Nori and her father turned to see that it was a Kitsune that had approached them without introduction.

Turning her venom on the unknown foreign youkai, she quipped, “And proper introductions no longer hold importance in the New World?”

Floin smiled broadly at the bitch, he could tell that she would be such a joy to work with. “I apologize for my offense, but I thought finding a solution to the removal of the miko from the heir to the West’s side held enough importance to forego normal pleasantries.”

Nori’s full attention was now on the Kitsune but her inner excitement was hidden under a placid exterior. “Hn.”

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Sesshoumaru had been expecting his mother as he sat on the sofa lost in thoughts. However, he was not expecting the pack in almost all its entirety to descend upon him, the only missing members were his own son and mate. It became apparent in his father and alpha was more than displeased with him.

Standing in a reaffirmation that he, Sesshoumaru, was no longer a pup. He awaited whatever his father had to say. It was not a very long wait.

“You were warned. She was not to be unprotected at any point, and yet you allowed her to be!” The snarl was withheld by the elder male. Fueling his own rage, Toga forged on, “You, pup allowed the miko to walk into the room with mixed scent claims. Do you wish all of youkai to view the West as weak? That we are so incapable that we cannot keep a simple miko? This Toga never thought that he would live to see the day that his heir so shamed the West’s honor.”

Sesshoumaru could not keep the red from tinting his eyes, in fact, it was all that he could do to keep from issuing a formal challenge to the aging alpha. While the others within the room were well aware of the raging battle within the normally stoic inu-youkai, his sire remained oblivious within his rant.

“Her family has been contacted and informed that she will be residing here until the marriage is formalized. It would seem that I will have to rely on your mother’s ability to protect your female, seeing how you have proved so utterly a failure.” No longer could Sesshoumaru suppress the urge to growl and bare his teeth.

“You will not threaten me, pup. I am still your alpha. I am still the Inu no Taisho, I will not see this pack fall into ruin because my heir finds it too detestable to tie himself to a human. Tell me now if you are not male enough to mate that woman. For if you are not, then I will find another who will. Your son has earned the right to take a second, or even I could take a third if it meant the longevity of the pack.”

The youki crackled around the heir to the West. He would not allow this old dog to dictate his life any longer. It was time that his sire understood the way of the world. When the alpha was no longer the strongest, he was replaced.

The voice could no longer be recognized as Sesshoumaru’s rich baritone, though it fell from his lips. “She is mine,” came the guttural growl, “She will belong to no other, and she will be claimed when she has given her consent. This Sesshoumaru would never be so foolish as to risk his pack with an untrained, powerful miko.”

The challenged was not veiled at all. No, Sesshoumaru let everything from his stance to his words declare that he would bare to his sire no more. As the Inu no Taisho moved to respond to his son’s declaration, an unexpected event occurred.

A shimmering pink barrier blocked Toga’s claws from his son’s flesh. Immediately, the alpha’s eyes narrowed on Kikyou but just as quickly he denied her any responsibility by her look of utter shock. There was only one other within the apartment that could control reiki and he did not want her to have been aware of anything he said.

Kagome had woken to voices. She had emerged to figure out what people were arguing so passionately about. When she listened, she knew that it was just one voice, Sesshoumaru’s father. What was he doing here? Answer soon came when she understood his words. The anger that filled her could not be contained.

She knew it. She was nothing more than a prize to be coveted. They cared nothing for her as a person. As she moved into the room, all there seemed so thoroughly engrossed in what was occurring between father and son that none seemed to notice her presence. She would have used the moment to slip away, but the claim from Sesshoumaru stilled her.

There was no doubt of the fervor with which the claim was issued. However, the ardent declaration still allowed for her own consent. He had made concessions to her feelings, though his reasons behind were not the best, at least he had included the fact that she was a person. For the first time in over a year, Kagome felt hope.

His proclamation had not been the whisper of sweet nothings to her in privacy. No, this proud male had faced off against those he held above all else, and claimed her. The flattery was not lost on her and yet she knew that her hope came not from vanity, but the promise that she might actually find within this “man” that which she so desperately wanted. It was in this moment of realization that she saw the one that held the seed of her hope about to be attacked. With all of her being, she desired his protection.

Running forward t place herself in between the two feuding males, Kagome noted that the elder one had been stopped by some sort of barrier. She came face to face with this “man”, who saw her as nothing more than a means to an end. Standing to her proud height of five foot three, she directed all her venom for her current situation at him.

“I am not a tool. I am not a trinket. I am a person, who can make her own decisions!”

Toga was flabbergasted . Was the girl daft? What fool put herself, willingly and purposefully, in the way of his wrath? Furthermore, she would make demands of him. Red eyes scrutinized the tiny woman. She was physically nothing, yet she held the power to stay his hand. With how unruly his eldest son had been acting lately, it would probably be disastrous if these two mated.

Sesshoumaru was having a hard time controlling his baser self. The insult of her assumption that he needed protection was compounded with the fact she was now standing with her back to him, denoting that he was the lesser threat. With the beast boiling just below the surface, he had not lost his cognitive abilities, his crimson orbs took in the calculating gaze of his sire.

No, this would not do. Now there was not one but two powerful beings that needed to be taught their place, which was most decidedly beneath him. His towering form moved to place his bitch in a submissive stance. With an elegant bow of head, his jaws clamped around the exposed throat of said female.

Kagome’s anger was instantly replaced with fear as she registered that something very lethal had wrapped itself around her throat. Desperately fighting the urge to jerk away from the threat, knowing that it would result in a fatal wound, wide panic-filled eyes scanned the others within the room for help. The only answer that she found was utter shock.

Pleading sapphire orbs landed on the elegant silver-haired female that she knew to be Sesshoumaru’s mother. Kagome had no idea what she was supposed to do and the thundering growl resonating behind her was not helping to calm her panicked state.

Sayami regained herself quickly and offered the trapped female only one word of advice. “Submit.”

Submit? Submit to what? How? Oh Kami-sama help her, she would never disobey her elders again if only the Kami would see fit to allow her to live through this night. Her silent prayer was sent off with a pleading whimper.

The soft frightened noise of the female was enough for the inu-youkai to register her humanity. For the first time Sesshoumaru registered that she was not a true bitch and therefore all the slight and challenge for dominance that he had interpreted from her probably were not meant as such. He would teach her, but now was not the time.

Snaking his tongue to soothe the abused flesh of her throat, he used his head to nudge hers so that she was baring her throat to him. His eyes never leaving his father’s, he placed a gentle kiss upon her neck. A soothing thrum left his chest to show her his pleasure in her submission. Sesshoumaru straightened to his full height while guiding Kagome to the protection of his back.

“Kagome has submitted to my dominance. This Sesshoumaru will hear no more about another making a claim on her. The pack will be protected, however it would be wise, Father, to allow time for a proper bond to develop,” the biting tone was one that Sesshoumaru had often used within the business world when talking to those having trouble grasping simple ideas.

Snarling, Toga’s voice held very raw quality. “This Toga will not be challenged! As alpha, I will decide what is beneficial to the pack not you, pup. Submit!”

Pressing Kagome’s form further into his back, Sesshoumaru knew his only option now was to back down or flee. He could not fight his father and ensure the safety of his female at the same time. Throwing caution to the wind he declared, “She is mine.” He could feel her struggle for freedom but would not allow her the separation.

Toga began to circle his son. Lip raised in derision, he spat, “She belongs to whom I say.”

Sesshoumaru followed his father’s dance, always keeping himself between Kagome and the enraged tai-youkai.

“No. I belong to no one. I am Kagome. Do you hear me? Ka- Go- Me. I may be this miko as you say, but I am still a person. A person who will control her own destiny. Why don’t you pack of dogs go snarl and snap over some other bone. I am going to go home.” At the end her speech, she started to push more of her inner warmth out into the room.

Sesshoumaru felt the slight burn on his hand, but he had never met a human who contained enough reiki to purify him. With this knowledge in place, he pushed his own youki down onto the female to subdue her.

Kagome felt the cold creep back in, but she would not yield to it. Apparently, the only thing that registered to these beings was power. Fine, if she had to prove her power then she would. Searching deep within herself, she brought to the surface something that could only be described as an inner ball of light. Unleashing it on the room, she felt the hand that had imprisoned her jerk away.

Sesshoumaru stared at his singed hand for a moment; he noted that his father had moved to protect his two mates and other son. Casting one final look in his father’s direction, he concluded that the old dog would stand down until the untrained miko was contained.

Sesshoumaru found the irony in the fact that he was still at this point under his father’s protection seeing how the elder male was still alpha, but the task of soothing the miko fell on his shoulders. However, he would not have it any other way because if he could not support his claim then he had no rights to her. Moving cautiously towards the glowing beacon of purity, Sesshoumaru fought against his instincts screaming to him to release his aura.

Kagome noticed the number of bodies that stood between her and the exit; neither did she miss how none of those individuals looked on her with anything less than hostile fear. She also did not let it slip past her mind that she was still only attired in a “simple”, when she had started think of silk as simple she did not know, sleeping yukata. How was she going to get out of this one? The exhaustion was seeping into her bones.

Home. She wanted to go home.

The smooth baritone broke through her tired fogged mind, “Kagome, you must calm down.”

“Why? So that no one will listen to me. This is my life!”

Sesshoumaru wanted to growl at her, but resisted the urge. “It is not only your life. From this display, it is obvious the amount that you could offer protection. It is also this very display that will attract much unwanted attention.”

The silent tears fell unchecked as she voiced what seemed to be a simple request. “I want to go home. I want to sleep in my own bed. Please, just let me go home.”

“It is not safe to leave you unprotected. If you care nothing for yourself, then think of the danger to your family.” It was an underhanded trick, but it was not a completely unwarranted concern. At this point he would use anything he could because he knew that the level at which she was fluctuating it would not be long before she harmed herself.

The silent tears turned into uncontrollable sobs. It was too much. She longed for the numb feeling she had felt only that morning. Was it not enough that she had to question the one she loved so ardently? No, apparently now she had to comprehend that she could be a source of danger to the only ones she had left to hold onto. She needed something to hold onto, anything.

She had let go of the need to protect herself because quite frankly she no longer had the energy nor the want to do that anymore. Delving into the amber orbs of the tall male in front of her, she desperately tried to find something to anchor herself. It was there. A pleading concern slipped past the stoic mask of the emotionally constipated man.

With the last of her strength she stated, “I don’t want to be beyond myself. I am just Kagome.”

He quickly moved to her while stating, “I know.”

When his arms came around the petite woman, he felt her legs give out on her. It took less than a second to scoop her up so that she was cradled to his chest. He rumbled softly to calm the weeping woman. Kami-sama he detested when females cried but in her case, he saw no weakness in her. Her world had been shredded in a few short hours.

The silver-headed dai-youkai turned to look into the eyes of his alpha. His stare dared the older inu to threaten taking away the small bundle he held within his arms. It was tense moments that pasted between father and son, the only sounds that broke the silence was the of the miko’s heartache.

Izayoi had remained silent through the entire encounter, but she would not let her mate destroy further the broken woman in his heir’s arms. Slowly, she reached out to place a soft hand on her mate’s arm. The physical connection forged was not meant to impede his ability to attack or defend, but to remind the stubborn male that more was at stake than his pride.

Toga felt the hand of his second mate, the mate who always seemed more meek. It was in her humanity that she found strength to break from pack protocols and it was in these small breaks that he found her wisdom. She did not let pride cloud her judgment. True, Izayoi was born of noble blood, but she was born into an era where nobles had little more stability than the peasants in the fields. She had been gifted with a knife on the third year of her life. A knife that was meant to protect the family’s honor, and its protection would be through the end of her life if her father should ever fall. For it was well known that suicide is far more hoNorible than surviving to be disgraced.

It was with her reminder that Toga perceived the sight in front of him. Before him, he saw his heir cradling a torn woman in such a way that the ever-dutiful son had not even held his own pups. It was over this woman that his dutiful son would defy everything that was known about his character. Sesshoumaru had stood by his father when said father chose a human for a second mate. Toga had known other tai-youkai to fall under their sons’ claws for such a choice.

If his heir felt so strongly about the miko, then he could only return the favor his son had bestowed on him all those centuries ago. Allowing the tension to drain from his body, Toga simply nodded his assent to Sesshoumaru.

At his father’s resignation, Sesshoumaru’s muscles began to relax. He did not understand what it was about the girl in his arms nor did he care to understand. She was worthy of him and he would enjoy the day that he knew he commanded her full loyalty.

The tears were beginning to dry and Kagome felt the hard the muscle become less taut. She tried one last time for her freedom. With a weak voice she said, “Let me go.”

Sesshoumaru leaned his head down so that his cheek rested against hers. His lips brushed the shell of her ear as he spoke, “Never.” It was a declaration made with tenderness that none in the room had ever heard from the ‘killing perfection’ before.

As she relaxed into the gently soothing motions his hands made on her body, Sesshoumaru realized that this woman would be conquered when she knew that he did not possess her but cherished her. Though he did not feel that way now, he knew that one such as her deserved it.

He watched his pack filter out of the apartment save his mother. Standing in the middle of the living room, holding the sleeping miko, he did not look forward to the morning. It would now fall on his shoulders to tell her that her life had been so completely commandeered.

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AN: So we come to the end of another chapter. I want to take the time to thank all who have reviewed. It means so much and I am horrible about sending any sort of reply for that I apologize. I look forward to what people have to this time around. Thank you for reading. Thank you for enjoying. And note that anything that seems unclear will be addressed in later chapters.

emmaren