Curiosity Caught the Miko by Stella Mira

I Am Alpha

Can someone drown in a sea of gold? Kagome didn't know how else to describe what she felt as she gazed into the daiyōkai's eyes. Never before in her life had words eluded her, yet she could not muster the strength to break free of this ensnaring spell he had woven around her. She felt as if something would break, shatter, disappear if she were to utter a single word at this moment. She remembered her grandfather advising her not to blink when faced with a dangerous animal. Sesshōmaru certainly reminded her of a predator – under the cold façade and calculative eyes lurked a savage beast, ruled by animalistic instincts. Seconds, minutes, hours passed in silence until all she could recognize was liquid gold.

"Miko." The rich metal of his voice broke through her mental stasis, awakening her from the weightless dream she had been floating in.

Kagome exhaled a long, shuddering breath, feeling thankful she had at least remembered how to breathe while trapped in this phantom prison. Her trembling fingers curled around the cup of tea in front of her and she winced when heat scalded her flesh. Faint, aromatic smoke rose from the cup, making her question her perception of time. Not hours, not minutes, perhaps not even seconds had passed. She blinked then, freeing herself from the compelling spell completely.

"I'm sorry, Sesshōmaru. I lost track of time… What did you want to ask?" Kagome was near breathless, overwhelmed by his larger than life presence inside the small hut.

"When is Rin expected to give birth?" Sesshōmaru appeared not the least affected by the magic she had been drowning in earlier.

Kagome contemplated his question while her heart slowed down to its usual beating rhythm. "Rin-chan? I would say she has at least two months before she gives birth."

"Are you experienced in such matters?" Signs of curiosity pooled in the gold of his eyes.

"I have assisted Kaede-baachan many times before, yes. You don't need to worry, Sesshōmaru. Rin-chan and her baby will be fine." Kagome gave him a reassuring nod, noticing her voice had become steadier at last. Not willing to revert back to the dangerous silence which seemed to elicit strange reactions within her, she spoke again quickly.

"Do inuyōkai pregnancies differ from ningen ones?" She blinked while she yet spoke, intrigued by the question her hazy mind had managed to come up with.

Sesshōmaru watched her closely, intently, but indulged her curious nature. "The only difference lies in the duration. An inuyōkai pregnancy lasts for six months."

Kagome squirmed with discomfort under his scrutinizing gaze.

"Inuyasha wishes for a pup?" His tone seemed disinterested; Sesshōmaru had made his own conclusions by her previous question, but Kagome could discern slight interest in his deep voice.

"Honestly? I have no idea." Kagome shrugged nonchalantly, hiding the unpleasant feeling that gathered in the pits of her stomach at the mere thought. "If he finds someone he wishes to spend his life with, I imagine that he would. Isn't it the same for you, too?"

"I was under the impression Inuyasha wished you for his mate." Sesshōmaru dismissed her last question blatantly; his arctic voice deepened, forgoing all of his previous indifference. "Has he not taken an oath to protect you as he has claimed before me time and again? Is he acting in a dishonorable manner now that I have no wish to take either of your lives? Tell me the truth." It was a command, low and dripping with aggression.

Kagome shivered, swallowed thickly. "He did promise to protect me, but that is all. He has kept that promise, too. I'm alive and well, aren't I?" Her voice held soothing nuances, trying not to agitate him further while she tried to understand the reason behind his reaction. It hit her like lightning, causing her gaze to widen in shock not a minute later.

"He is not your father, Sesshōmaru." A rueful smile tugged on her lips. "He did not betray me for another woman. He merely sought comfort in my presence since I reminded him so much of his previous love. But even that is over now."

"Inuyasha has inherited most of our sire's inadequacies. I have come to acknowledge him as my blooded kin. Hence, I am responsible for his actions as well. I will not allow him to act in an unbecoming manner. You belong to his pack, ningen you may be, yet pack mate nonetheless. Tell Inuyasha should he wrong you in any way, he will have to answer to his alpha." His tone was dipped in sovereign, carried finality and inflexibility.

Kagome was once again surprised by his admission….and strangely touched.

"You are just looking for an excuse to beat up your brother now that you can't use Tetsusaiga as a valid reason, aren't you? I certainly appreciate the offer, but it's not necessary. Inuyasha is my friend, pack mate if you prefer, but no more than that." She laughed then, her laughter light, casual. And fake. Kagome didn't want to fuel the brother rivalry into greater proportions.

"Hn." Sesshōmaru's neck tilted in a subtle nod, understanding the hidden meaning of her words as he reverted back to silence.

"May I ask y-" the miko began to form a question – since the opportunity to talk about the distant past had presented itself before her – only to be interrupted by an angry yell.

"What the hell are you doing here, Sesshōmaru?" Inuyasha barged inside the hut like a rampaging bull, ruining the moment. He stopped dead in his tracks when he took notice of the miko and the daiyōkai, sitting together in a non threatening situation, drinking tea leisurely.

"Sesshōmaru came to visit Rin-chan, but she is visiting the neighboring village, so I offered him tea while he waited. No need to cause such a fuss, Inuyasha," Kagome explained quickly before things escalated to an unreasonable fight between the siblings thanks to Inuyasha's big mouth.

"Tell Rin I will return at a later time." Sesshōmaru inclined his head at her then stood to leave.

"Am I invisible, jerk!? Since when do you talk to Kagome and not me?" Inuyasha spat with surprise coating his angry tone. Sesshōmaru approached his younger brother in measured steps, stopping a few inches before him to cast down a condescending glare.

"I am your alpha. You will address me with respect, Inuyasha." It was an order and a warning, growl-like and absolute. It succeeded in shocking the hell out of his brother before he disappeared in a blur of fast movement.

"A-alpha!? What the hell? I'll never accept you as my alpha, asshole! Come back here and fight me like a man for the position, Sesshōmaru!" Flaming red spread across Inuyasha's cheekbones after the daiyōkai's declaration, but he made no move to follow behind him.

Kagome snickered, more than a little amused. Heh? Trying to act tough when you're red as a tomato from embarrassment and joy… A smirk crept up her face at her friend's reaction to the unconventional way the daiyōkai had used to show his acceptance of him.