Cycle of Mating

Summary: On the first day of the mating season, every demon and half-demon must go out into the world and find their future mate. It's been tradition passed through species for thousands of years. Now the humans are more openly involved in certain mating's. Including the almighty Sesshomaru, prince of the Western Lands. During the next few months of the mating season, both him and his human mate must go through the trials and the forces of the demon council. Consequences are dire to them both if neither go through with what was destined for them. The questions is, will Sesshomaru give everything to get out of having a human mate? Or will he accept it?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters.

"…" for talking

"…" for thoughts

Italic: flashbacks and letters

Bold: Demon's instinct or demon talking

Bold/Italic: Demon's language, humans do not understand.

Chapter Seventeen: What Lies Ahead Part 2

Sweat dripped from his forehead as he ventured through the quiet corridors in search of someone. At first, he wanted to have the long-awaited conversation with Sookie before confronting the council about his decision to part from Sookie. That conversation felt most important; yet would be the hardest. Part of him felt guilty for his feelings, while another part of him felt trapped.

How do you tell your mate of many years that you have fallen in love with another? How do you explain to her that he's kept their mating together only for the good of politics?

The main concern was how to make this easier on Sookie. How can he make her understand? Sookie is an honest and understanding woman, but this she would not understand.

His overwhelming feelings hit him at once, everything felt surreal as he stopped in front of his bedroom door. He touched the doorknob and slowly turned it. Clouded with nerves, he took in a deep breath and opened the door. Glancing around at the furniture around him, everything still remained untouched just like he left it weeks before.

From the vacant scent he could tell Sookie had not been in this room. Sookie had not slept in their bed since they last laid together; which had been a little over 2 months. It seemed that she stayed away from their joined quarters, stayed far away from this hallway in particular. He could not sense her aura, nor her very distinct perfume she sprayed every morning after every shower, after every bath. Oh, how he missed the sweet smells of vanilla and cherry blossoms.

He shook his head, everything he had come to love about coming into their personal quarters was gone, including her. Even now his selfish mind wished to hold her once more.

Before stepping out the room, he sensed another. One who was not his mate. This aura smelled all too familiar, yet so distant as well. A hint of cherry blossoms flew past him as his bedroom window shuttered open from the strong winds outside. Only one other beside his absent mate had a distinct smell of cherry blossoms in their hair. His heir.

Sesshomaru.

How could a father forget his own son? Inu Taisho realized he had been gone for too long, and never stays home for a long period of time once he's back. 'How could I forget my own son? Forget his scent all together?' He thought to himself as he stepped back to investigate.

All he could think of was how foolish and selfish he was for involving his son in this. He brought shame, pain and disrespect to his family and destroyed the only woman who cared more about him then their own kind. Inu Taisho never even thought about how this separation would affect their son, how it would change the way his heir looked at the world and others in it. Inu Taisho wondered as he looked for the hiding boy If Sesshomaru would grow up with hatred and rage in his heart his entire life.

The young prince had the potential to do so. But it was a trait he hoped his heir would never become accustom to.

But he could blame no one except himself if his son changed.

He had hoped one day once the dust settles, he could introduce Izayoi, the woman he had fallen in love with, to his son. Izayoi wasn't maternal like Sookie is, but she also doesn't have any children.

The only thing that would crush him wasn't Sookie's broken heart, but the thought of his son forever hating him. He had hoped one day Sookie would forgive him for his foolish deceit, but could his young child?

Sesshomaru was merely a toddler, could he truly understand what Inu Taisho did? Could he understand why his father decided to leave? Better questions, would he be okay with this huge change at such a young age? Sesshomaru, unlike other demon children that roamed the palace, he knew a lot, Inu Taisho made it his duty to teach Sesshomaru young, maybe that would be his downfall.

Maybe one day he could explain it better to Sesshomaru, when he was older. Either way this change will change his son forever. "Sesshomaru?" he shouted across the room in hopes his son would pop out from behind a door. "Are you in here son?" The young prince always spent time in his private quarters. His scent lingered, so he knew the boy must be somewhere within this room.

But when he did not show, Inu Taisho cleared his throat and gave the boy one more time to show himself. Sesshomaru knew better then to hide from him. But did he blame him. Even he could hear the angry tone in his voice. "Sesshomaru, come out now!" he growled.

In complete obedience, the small, silver-haired child crawled out from under the bed. He had heard that tone in his father's voice once before. It was right after Sookie announced her mischarge of his baby sister. He swore he never wanted to hear it again or witness such anger in his father.

At the sight of his father in the middle of the room, he dashed over to him in full speed. He's grown a few inches since the last time Inu Taisho was home, he also gained some speed. Could it really have been four months since the last time he interacted with his son?

As the time had passed and his distaste for being home had gotten stronger, he saw his son less and interacted with him very little. After meeting Izayoi in the old meadows at the bottom of the palace walls, Inu Taisho stopped bringing his son there, afraid to run into his mistress with his son. He didn't want to complicate things more than they already were. Nor did he want Sesshomaru to witness them together and rush back and disclose this information to his mate.

Izayoi started traveling more through the forests and the lakes around the palace in hopes of running into him on purpose. She succeeded once while Inu Taisho was teaching Sesshomaru how to swim in the lake no more than fifty miles from his palace. It became hard to keep the two from ever meeting.

On that day Izayoi ran into them, Inu Taisho introduced Izayoi as a princess who cares for the human village in the lower providence. He tried to explain to his son as ruler, he had the power to authorize a set of human members of the village to take his place in ensure his laws were followed. That set of humans were considered royalty.

After that day, Inu Taisho kept his son inside. He rather not risk the situation.

Inu Taisho thought well on the past and how long it had been since he saw his son. It pained him to stay away this long. That day felt like yesterday, he remembered he got into an argument with Sookie about always leaving, never being home for his family. All he wanted to do was get some fresh air and a clear head, patrol his kingdom borders for a week, no longer. That would give them both some time to cool down, and hopefully be able to discuss the situation like adults.

But that didn't happen. All he could remember when he returned that night, he had just finished picking up a gift for Izayoi at his jeweler. Sookie waited for his return. All she wanted to talk to him about something, he didn't know, nor at that time cared if it was important. Instead Inu Taisho refused to listen and just left.

He found Izayoi with a few of his few female companions walking around the Autumn Woods. Izayoi had hoped she'd run into him.

The sound of his son's voice brought him back to reality. "Papa, your back!" he jumped into his father's arms. Inu Taisho's gladly took his son into his arms. The feeling of his son's small frame clutching tightly to his body broke his heart. He let a tear fall from his eyes as he held him close. He feared his son would not understand and he would grow to hate him. Sesshomaru was a reflection of himself in his eyes. Sesshomaru clenched his father's chest before looking up and seeing the tears flow from his eyes. He reached up and wiped them away. Although he was a toddler, he had become quite amazing at reading people's aura and feeling when something is wrong. "Pa! Your crying…" he continued to wipe his father's tears, which in turn made him tear up as well. "Why do you cry Papa?"

So innocent and so young. This Sesshomaru truly cared for his father, he felt love for him. What neither of them knew, his love for his father would change over the course of time when the truth finally came out. Sesshomaru would show his father and his mother both the same hostility and violence that Inu Taisho had showed throughout his entire childhood. The carelessness his father showed his son and his mate would come back and bite him.

Although Sookie was the innocent one in this situation, he would hate her for not controlling the situation the way she should have. He would hate her for not taking care of it as soon as she became suspicious. He would even hate her for being weak.

"Sesshomaru, where is your mother?"

Inu Taisho placed Sesshomaru on the floor, he kneeled down to the young boy's height and stared into his golden orbs. Brushing the silver strands of hairs from his face. The small child eyes were filled with tears just waiting to fall. "Pa, why do you cry?" He asked, he ignored what his father asked him, to him it was irrelevant. Once again, he asked, "Why do you cry Pa? Mama's crying too…why…why Pa, why?"

As soon as his son announced Sookie had been crying, he immediately felt guilty. He knew he caused her pain; he just didn't care. At some point he did want to drop everything and try to make it work. To work on his family, to be a better mate to Sookie. But the love he had for Izayoi was too strong. Her hold on him overpowered him.

To ignore something so strong would destroy him. It was either him or her. He chose himself. If he decided to stay, he would grow to hate Sookie, there would be a possibly of treating her worse than he had been already. He'd make it his life mission to make her life a living hell.

Inu Taisho would rather Sookie hate him for how he felt, then to continue to treat her so cruelly.

"Where is she Sesshomaru?" He growled; the little boy backed away from him. This was not his intention.

The bedroom door creaked open, Inu Taisho turned to the person whom opened it. His eyes bloodshot, he knew it was not Sookie. "She is in her private studies Milord." The woman answered, Sesshomaru ran over the to servant girl and hid behind her. She frowned as she saw the tears in the boy's eyes. She set down the basket of clothes and lifted him into her arms. "I apologize for intruding Milord. I had hoped to get this laundry put away before I retire for the night." Inu Taisho nodded his head. Seeing his son afraid of him for raising his voice put his actions in perspective for him. "I also had hoped to find Master Sesshomaru in here, it's way past his bedtime."

"Mina, please retire him to his quarters. Don't worry about the rest of the laundry tonight, you can finish it in the morning." He whispered. "Have a good night Mina, I must find my mate." Soon she'd be known as just the mother of his child, his only heir.

"Yes Milord, right away." She picked up the remaining load of the laundry basket in one hand, while carrying Sesshomaru with her other arm. He reached out trying to get to Inu Taisho. He begged to be put down.

Sesshomaru kicked, threw his arms in the air as he screamed for his father. Inu Taisho ignored his futile pouting and temper tantrum. "No Pa, please…"

Inu Taisho waited for Mina to leave the room before teleporting to Sookie's study. Her study was located on the other side of the palace. Far away from their private chambers. She kept the largest room in the west wing as her personal study from when she was pregnant with Sesshomaru. She couldn't go anywhere because her pregnancy was hard on her body and the doctor demanded rest for her.

Since the moment she found out she was pregnant with her beautiful boy until the moment she gave birth, she declared that room as her own. It was spacious, private and had a beautiful lookout of her entire kingdom. No one interrupted her peace inside her study. Inu Taisho often found her crying in the windowsill. She would find herself locking herself in this room after heated arguments with Inu Taisho.

Just mere inches away from the door that separated him from Sookie. Inu Taisho sighed as he gripped the handle, prepared to walk into a mass of destruction that only he created. But something stopped him, well more like three figures waiting for him 5 feet away. The very presence he almost forgot about.

"Inu Taisho don't do this!" Nayru appeared out of the shadows. "You can walk away, save her from this pain." She cried as Inu Taisho turned to face her. She could hear him sigh. Each of the three ladies of the council cried as he stepped away from the door. From the looks on their face, they already knew what he was prepared to do. "Do you really wish to hurt her?"

He sighed once again, "That is the reason I NEED to do this Nayru, I don't want to hurt her anymore. I can't do this anymore." He whispered. Nayru growled softly, he didn't want to hurt her, but he decided his mate's fate the moment he met that human woman. "I cannot continue this charade any longer." Closing his eyes, he imaged the good times he had with his woman. Once he reopened his eyes, he was faced with sapphire orbs staring angrily at him. Her tears disappeared. "Why are you still here Nayru? Why are all of you still here?"

She growled, 'How dare he forget he called us here!' Inu Taisho knew not to challenge Nayru, he may be leader and the face of the council, but Nayru was the strongest of them all. She made the final say on every mating and could knock him on his feet without getting her hands dirty. "HOW DARE YOU! You called us here Inu Taisho, you specifically requested an audience!" Nayru shouted as she placed her hand out, a letter levitated from her hand, it was signed by him. The letter detailed the reasoning for calling the female council members to his home. "You wanted us here remember? Clearly your judgment of right and wrong has been clouded by this human girl."

Nayru could preach all night if needed, she needed to make him see he is about to make the biggest mistake of his life. The council is supposed be a sacred group, they could not be prejudice, nor should they pick sides. But it was clear whom they chose to stand against in this matter. Nayru in particular had become quite fond of Sookie over the last few hundred years. "You are making a mistake Inu Taisho!" She stated, she waved her hand and created a picture of Inu Taisho and Sookie, and Inu Taisho and Izayoi- this picture aged to show Inu Taisho the life he would have with a human. "Can you truly picture yourself without Sookie? Starting a new life with a different woman? She's HUMAN, she will age, and she will die." Nayru had nothing against humans, if Inu Taisho decided to mate this human princess, she would gain immortality, she wouldn't age as fast as a normal human. She pointed out her humanity so Inu Taisho can understand.

Auzume stepped closer to her sister, she placed her hand over Nayru's which caused the pictures to fade. "What life do you think you will have with this woman?"

Over the years Auzume had grown closer to Inu Taisho. Six hundred years ago he saved her from a painful mistake she made, she never forgave herself for what happened, so she needed to save him from his own selfishness.

All three ladies judged him for his decision, they all had a past, some worse than other, but it was their past that made them strong. They all have learned from one another. It made them all closer. Not even his fellow associates could persuade him from abandoning his mission. "I love her, I will make it work!"

Sienna's eye beamed crimson, "Have you even considered what this will do to Sookie? Does her feelings mean so little to you?" She stepped into the light, shaking her head, she continued on. "What has become of you Inu Taisho? You've become a monster!" Sienna raised her voice, not too high for Sookie to hear, but enough for Inu Taisho to get the point. It didn't matter, Sookie knew the truth, she was already aware of his deceit. "She gave you a son, the very son you asked her for! She gave you an heir, don't you remember?"

"And yet she is the reason my daughter is dead!" All three ladies gasped at his accusation. Sienna growled, he crossed a line.

"How dare you Taisho!" Nayru shouted, her voice rang through the halls. She was sure Sookie could hear them now, if she didn't already. "She miscarried your child, there is a difference." Nayru found herself pinning him to the wall right next to Sookie's study. Her claws clenching around his neck. He attempted to fight back, but her power was too great for him to fight. "You mistreated her so terribly. Ever think that had you loved her and cared for her like you did many years ago, she would never have miscarried?" Inu Taisho gasped for air, instead of giving him some to breath, she squeezed tighter, "Of course not, you are selfish Inu Taisho! You verbally abused that woman until nothing was left but a broken shell. All Sookie tried to do was show you she loved you, she gave you everything you ever wanted." Nayru let up her grip. Sienna and Auzume could feel Nayru's fueled anger. Her aura glowed all around her. "Nothing is ever good enough for you Inu Taisho, the great phantom dog of the west has everything, yet that wasn't even enough for you."

Inu Taisho attempted to push her off him, she had such a strong hold on him. "You my dear friend are a coward. Instead of mourning the loss of your child and comforting your mate, you indulged yourself in infidelity and found yourself in the arms of that human! She knew about the loss of your child, yet she didn't care." Nayru growled once more, she released Inu Taisho from her hold, "Neither did you…do you even love Sesshomaru?"

Inu Taisho growled as he flexed his claws at Nayru. Her brow raised, she knew he would never lay a finger on her, he wouldn't be able to touch her even if he tried. "Watch your tongue Nayru!" He may not always show it, but he loved Sesshomaru.

"I choose to advocate for Sookie. Honestly how do you think she feels? You leave for large timespans and then return with an attitude; you treat her worse than the dirt you walk on." Inu Taisho felt as they weren't seeing the entire picture. "You know we're right, don't you?" He shook his head, "This is a battle you will not win, even in a million years, you will forever lose."

Yes, they were right. He already made up his mind. He despised Sookie and blamed her for everything has happened. "I care about Sookie…I really do. I just…" He looked up at the ladies, "I don't love her anymore, just let me go Nayru!" When the council was formed, they made strict rules for mating pairs. Inu Taisho and Sookie were betrothed through their close family's centuries old tradition. They created the trials for demon pairings. It wasn't until a few hundred years ago that they decided to add humans into the mix. It was this reason they had to. Nayru more than anyone regretted allowing humans to be a part of their tradition, but it kept the balance of nature and humanity safe. "Things have changed, I can accept my part in my treachery, but we aren't meant to be together anymore. Even you can sense that!"

"You made it hard for us to ignore it." Auzume stated.

"Would you rather me stay mated to Sookie even though I no longer love her? What example am I setting for my son when his time comes?"

Nayru scoffed, "Clearly your setting the perfect example you want for the young lord." Inu Taisho decided to bring Sesshomaru into this. "Your teaching your son to run out on his responsibilities and obligations to satisfy his own needs while ignoring others."

"I don't want him to follow my path. I want him to be happy. Would you want me to deny my own happiness?" Inu Taisho kneeled in front of the women. "I do blame Sookie for miscarrying our daughter, that is no secret."

Inu Taisho could no longer hide his pain, he tried to bury it, but he could never get over it. After their doctor examined Sookie and removed the remnants of his unborn daughter from Sookie's womb, he made a special orb to help Sookie mourn. The only part of their baby that completely formed was her heart, so he had it placed inside this orb which glowed at his or Sookie's touch. Once their hands touched it, they could feel heartbeat. If they both listened carefully, they could even hear her heartbeat.

"I didn't go looking for her, I just needed time." He whispered. "I didn't plan on meeting her; I didn't know she existed until I laid eyes on her in the woods. I never felt anything so powerful until I saw her. Sookie and I have been railroading this compromise for so long, I just can't do this anymore."

"Compromise? Is that what we're calling it now?" Auzume asked, she thought she knew him better than this demon whom stood before her. Turns out she knew nothing about him. He was not the same man that he used to be, Sienna was right, he was a monster. Her face frowned as he could see his sadness painted across his own face. Her heart sunk at his words.

"Inu Taisho, tell us, how do you figure this to work?" Nayru stepped in, she couldn't stand here and argue any longer with him. He made up his mind, he made his choice. He would be the one to live with his choice. "Tell us and we willingly will remove your mating mark, as well as Sookie's." Sienna growled, "We will allow you to find love in this human girl you speak so generously of. But we need you to explain what makes her so special that you'd give up everything you built." Nayru announced as she awaited his answer. Instead she angered her sister.

"Remove his mating mark?" Nayru nodded, Sienna shook her head as she flexed her claws. Her aura changed in a matter of seconds. A blast of energy flew past him as she growled, "I will not willingly do a damn thing for you Inu Taisho. You are a coward!" Whatever power Nayru held over Inu Taisho minutes prior, she used it on Sienna. She made a quick glance at her sister and quieted her instantly.

"Silence Sienna! You have caused enough problems this evening, you will remain quiet. You will say nothing else. Am I understood?" Nayru growled, her right hand raised ready for her sister to challenge her. But Sienna remained silent, she only nodded.

Auzume choose to walk away, she couldn't stand there and listen to Inu Taisho declaring his eternal love for this woman. Inu Taisho grew up with Sookie, he knew everything about her. She just couldn't take the heartbreak he would cause Sookie in the end.

Not by choice, Sienna remained silent. She needed to hear what Inu Taisho had to say. Although she would never approve of his decision, she would be the first step of removing the mark. And if Nayru deemed necessary, she would do what her sister requested.

IN a whisper Inu Taisho started, "You wouldn't understand…" before he continued, he let out a soft cry, "I loved Sookie, but I have become distant. This is no fault on her by any means. I used my rage of losing our child as a way to cope. I resented Sookie for the longest time, coming home… it was torture. Then I ran into Izayoi at that clearing and it all just went away." He continued to express his deep feelings. Auzume leaned against the wall on the other side of the hallway crying, Sienna listened carefully to his excuse. "I felt it all, the anger, rage, even the pain of being with her. I regret the way we found each other, but I do not regret being with her."

He paused, Nayru listened to every word, "Izayoi was pure, her love, her care for her people, MY PEOPLE, it was pure. I found being with her was easy. She strayed me away from becoming the very person I was afraid of becoming. Being with Sookie, I loved every moment of it, but something in me snapped me back into reality. I realized the more I stayed unhappy after she miscarried, the more I would regret everything about us. I would have regretted Sesshomaru, and I would never want to do that. I would hate her for causing me such pain. Izayoi saved me from becoming that person."

He couldn't explain it, but he felt alive with this woman. It almost felt as if it was him and her this entire time, and no one else could even compete. "I'd be lying if I said the miscarriage didn't give me reason to leave, it put in perspective how unhappy I was." He shed a couple of tears before continuing, "I'm no longer the same person Sookie mated six hundred years ago." He could hear Auzume's sobs around the corner, "Izayoi makes me feel alive. I cannot explain it. I do know I love her and she loves me."

"Very well…" Sienna broke through Nayru's compulsion. She held out her clawed hand, within seconds a small clear orb formed and floated out of her hand and spun in circles as she spoke to him.

"You are aware of what this crystal does, am I right Inu Taisho?" Nayru's asked, Sienna watched as it stayed floating above her hand spinning slowly. They have only used this crystal a few times throughout the years.

This crystal had special powers. It held memories of the mates they paired up over the years. It also had memories of people that would be paired together, gave the council ammo to learn everything they can about a person. It held the darkest past of every mated pair, woman and man. Call it a timestamp, a crystal that could see the future of those that have not been born yet, it had the power to look into their hearts.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the kingdom, the crystal also had another special job. A power only the council knew about. It had the power to erase a mating mark from a pair. It forced the pair to feel the entire extent of its erasing power. Those that weren't already mated, or weren't allowed to mate, their memories of each other's would be erased. There would be fragments of memories of a time they were happy, but they would never know why. This was the consequence of failing. In this case where a child is involved, the crystal could not perform it's entire duties due to that child.

Sienna gained control of the crystal; her hand reached out to Inu Taisho. Inside the crystal flames burned as it begun to spin faster. Sienna closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. The power used to remove a mated mark drained her strength, she hated to perform this process. Nayru's eyes glowed as the crystal increased spinning. She lightly tapped it and watched as the flames inside vanished and the crimson hue diminished to a clear hue.

Inside they all watched as a turquoise moon appeared. Sienna opened her eyes, her eyes burned like the flames that vanished moments ago. Although she hoped to stay out of this process, Auzume had to return, she was the final piece of removing the mark.

Auzume stared at the crystal for a second longer before looking back up at Inu Taisho. A single tear fell from her eyes. She never expected this from her friend. Never expected him to cause her pain in her chest, much less ask to remove his mating mark from Sookie. Another tear slipped past her eyes as his mark on his right hand glowed. Reluctantly she held out her index finger from her left hand and cut an inch-long cut onto her right palm before grabbing Inu Taisho's wrist.

Drops of her blood pour over his mark as she used her thumb and index finger to sink into Inu Taisho's wrist and grab ahold of his mark. Her blood removed any blood bond mates make during their mating night. It was usually the male that would cut their wrist and have their demon mate drink from their wrist. Or in a case of a human mate, they would pour their blood into their final mating mark which will seal their bond.

Auzume blood acted as a toxin, once her blood touched their mark, it would incinerate the mark from the inside. This alone was a painful process on both ends. Once her blood finished erasing the mark, it would leave a burned 'X' over where it used to be. All remnants of the past mark gone, only a mark of disappointment left.

She shed another tear as she could hear Sookie's cries from behind the wall. Unbeknownst to Sookie, she was no longer mated to Inu Taisho and she would feel this painful process once more when she came to retrieve her mark as well.

Holding out her hand in front of the crystal, Inu Taisho watched as his mark appears floating above her hand. Without a second thought, Auzume grabbed ahold of the mark and squeezed until it shattered like glass. Thus, forever destroying Sookie and Inu Taisho's destined mating.

She may not feel it now, but Sookie would no longer be called the mate of the great Lord Inu Taisho. All she knew was he would be the one to tell her, not them. They did their job, nothing more, nothing less. All they could do now is be there for her once she realizes the truth.

Watching the crystal fall back into Sienna, the female council members all looked at each other and nodded. The deed was done. They could all feel the disconnection of the pair.

"It is done!" Nayru stated, her eyes filled with tears, but she would be damned if she let him see them.

"Like that?" He asked stupidly. Even he should know what happens during this process.

"Yes." Nayru answered simply. "There is nothing left for us to do. Your mark has been permanently removed from your wrist and Sookie's will follow shortly." She backed away from him, "We will give you time to talk to her, to discuss the details before we remove hers. But this doesn't stop her from feeling the breaking of your bond. I assure you Sookie will suffer great pain." He nodded in understanding, "One more thing before we depart."

"And that is?" He asked so vaguely. He longed to have this conversation with Sookie, there was no more waiting, it needed to be done.

"Beware Milord," She started, "we cannot change what has been done. There will be no redo's, you will not be able to ever remark Sookie. If your love for this woman Izayoi changes, you cannot ever re-mate with Sookie, you have chosen your path. As foolish as we believe it to be, it is after all yours to choose."

"I understand." He swallowed a lump in his throat. Deep down he knew he made the right choice, but the hear the words that he could never go back to Sookie. Well that stung a bit. Now he would have to live with that choice for the rest of his life.

Nayru disappeared with her last words. Her sisters followingly shortly afterwards. Auzume waited until after Sienna left, she needed him to hear one thing. "Inu Taisho!" It came out in an angry whisper. His name echoed the halls in the sounds of her voice. It pained him to look at her. She vanished, but her voice remained. "Sookie may never forgive you for this betrayal. And your son, he may soon grow to hate you." he tearfully listened to her echoes in the hall. "Will it all be worth it? Would it all be worth destroying your family for this woman you barely know?" She stopped for a moment before continuing. "Know that if you desire to make this woman your mate, I will of course stand beside my sisters and honor your decision, but I do promise you… I will make it incredibly hard for you. You have disappointed me." And with that she completely faded with the shadows. A soft whisper escaped her lips, "I guess you are not the same demon who rescued me."

"I-I…I understand Auzume. I am forever sorry to have disappointed you." Tears streamed down his face as a heavy burden lifted off him. He felt free. The truth finally spoken, but now the hardest truth was left; to finally tell Sookie.

Inu Taisho wiped away his own tears and turned to his mates- no Sookie's door before Sienna reappeared before him. She stared at him; it was no surprise that Sienna waited until her sisters left before speaking her peace. Inu Taisho waited for her to speak, instead he felt a warm hand strike him. Tears poured down her face, "I may have remained silent during this entire ordeal, but do know Inu Taisho, I will hate you for as long as Sookie does." She growled, "How dare you put us all in this difficult situation." She too disappeared in the shadows with her voice echoing, "I've said it before, and I will say it again. You are nothing but a coward. I hope you lose everything."

Her words repeating as it faded with her body, "I hope you regret your decision."

"I hope you regret your decision!" He stood in the hallway alone in front of Sookie's door. It had been only minutes since the sisters left. Sienna's words rang through his head. He tried pulling himself together, gather the confidence and courage to tell Sookie about his affair with his mistress.

Although he knew in his heart and mind that it was the right thing for them both, he couldn't help but wonder if he was ready to let go of his life with Sookie. But the scorned burning from his right hand reminded him that he had no choice, but to let go. Yes, they have a child, a child whom they could raise without being together.

In his heart he knew Sookie would hate him. Sesshomaru would surely grow to hate him much like Auzume said. The young child won't understand why his father left his mouth and broke up his family for some human.

With the last bit of courage he had left, he twisted the door knob, took a long breath inward before opening the door. There was no going back now. The mark on his wrist had already been removed and soon Sookie's would follow. Surely Sookie felt a change in the air already, surely, she knew something has happened. Although the ladies of the council disappeared, they would be back, their aura lingered the palace walls. For now, they remained out of sight, which may be for the best.

Inside the study he found the curtains drawn close. Sookie wept beside the windowpane with her knees pulled close and her hands clutching her stomach. Her face remained hidden between her knees. He couldn't see her tears, but he could smell the salt from them. From where he stood, he could see her left hand rubbing her left side of her neck. His mark on her neck glowed, it looked faded.

The mark remained since the ladies had not removed her mark on her wrist yet. But with his mark already removed, he knew she could feel the after affects from it.

Deep down Sookie knew what happened, she knew what would become of this night. Somewhere inside her heart she had hoped he would be rational about this. OR at least talked to her before he had gone to the council. But he didn't, he choose to leave her last to know. She didn't want to believe that this is the end of their reign as Sookie and Inu Taisho, the end of their life together as mates.

"Sookie?" He whispered as she looked up at him. She stayed still; all he could make out through her sobs were her soft growls. Inu Taisho stepped closer to her which caused her to growl even louder. This would not stop him from getting his guilt off his chest. "Please Sookie…we need to talk." She chose to ignore him once more, "Damnit Sookie, it's important!"

That gained an even louder growl from her. In a stern voice he stood in front of her, in hopes she would react differently. He ironed out his kimono top with his hands. She remained inside her safe cocoon as her tears continued down her face. "Sookie?"

His voice sounded sad, almost apologetic. "It's about her…" She looked up, her voice trembling as her eyes met his own, "…isn't it?" she replied in a low whisper. Her eyes red from the many tears she cried. Inu Taisho stood frozen across the room from her.

"Wait…what?" he played dumb. But how could she possibly know about Izayoi?

Sookie's gaze met his own, her lip trembled as she replied once more, "I'm not a fool…" Her claws shook as she tapped the windowpane vigorously. "This is about that human princess from the southern providence, is it not?"

"How do you…?"

Sookie rose from the windowpane, her hands fell beside her, "Gosh you really think I'm a fool!" She growled as she made her way over to him, "These trips to patrol our lands started to go on for longer and longer. Many weeks would come and go before you'd return." She couldn't even look at him. He betrayed her trust, betrayed her love for him. "Each time you came back home, you were a different person. Your attitude, posture, even your feelings toward me had changed!" Coming face to face to him, she fixed the collar of his kimono, "You'd return happier…it's even sadder knowing Sesshomaru and I were not the reasoning behind it."

A tear slipped past her, "I-I…" He couldn't form a sentence; he couldn't justify his reasonings or find the words to make it up to her.

"Never in a thousand years did I expect you to hurt me…"

"That was not my intention Sookie." He genuinely stated, "Please believe that."

Before he could continue, she interrupted him, "And why should I believe a damn word you have to say?" she spat as she spoke. Her own anger rose, the time for being sad paused from the moment he walked into her study. "All you have done is purposely hurt me Taisho and continue to lie."

"I never wanted to hurt you; I wouldn't be standing here if that was the case. You know that!" He tried pleading with her, but that was worse than talking to a wall. She wasn't trying to hear what he had to say. All he wanted was for her to be open to listening to his side, to understand where he was coming from. "Sookie…I couldn't keep this from you any longer, that's not fair to you. But I also have to be honest about where I stand," He reached out to rub her cheeks when she flinched away, "You deserve better than this."

She pushed away from him, "I thought I deserved you Taisho!" She shouted, his words only made her blood boil, "I thought we were better than this. Never have we ever kept secrets from one another, what changed? Even when we were kids, we were always honest to each other." She was infuriated, how could he lie to her? Why did he think it was okay to shut her out? "How long have you been seeing this woman? And do not lie to me Inu Taisho, I will sense it!"

"A couple months…" He shuttered at the thought of Sookie tying it all together. He met Izayoi when they were both at their lowest. They had just lost their unborn daughter. And instead of mourning with Sookie, he was found miles from his home romancing a human princess. "Possibly a year."

Sookie broke down, she didn't want to believe any of it, but she'd be an idiot to ignore it. "You monster…I can't even look at you!" She cried into her hands. "What about your son? Did you even consider what this indiscretion would do to him? What about me, did you even think about my feelings?"

"Of course I did."

"Bullshit! If you considered my feelings, you would have ended this relationship LONG before it started." The orb he made her after her miscarriage, she pulled out of her kimono pocket. Her clawed fingers grasped it tightly as she continued. "Are you in love with her Inu Taisho?"

He remained silent.

She shook her head, "You bastard." It took everything in her to not start a fight. She wanted so badly to hurt him like he hurt her. Make him suffer as she has been suffering these last couple months. They have been together for centuries; they shared a child together. Hell, they even grew up together.

Sookie looked at the glowing orb in her hand and cried. That orb represented what they lost. It allowed her to grieve over something other than a corpse. Starting at it, she begun to doubt Inu Taisho's love for her at all. Without a second thought, she allowed the orb to slip past her fingers and fall onto the floor.

She watched as the contents of the orb spill across the floor. The glow from inside diminished as the orb shattered. All that remained was dust.

Sookie could no longer mourn over an object that signified her pain as well as her mate's pain. She could no longer cling to an object that presented as a lie to her. Her love for her lost daughter would remain in her heart.

"This wasn't supposed to happen Sook, at least not like this. I wanted it to work, I wanted us to return to who we once were!" Inu Taisho expressed his heartfelt feelings. "I wanted us to continue as lord and lady, to raise Sesshomaru together, I wanted us to work, but…"

She scoffed at his words, "There are no longer any 'buts' in this conversation Inu Taisho, you have made you bed." She stared into his golden orbs, his eyes were filled with such sorrow, such guilt. "How can you stand here and say you wanted to make things work? You ran off and found yourself falling in love with someone else." Sookie yelled, Inu Taisho's head lowered, he was ashamed. "You destroyed this family!" She poked his shoulder as he backed away from her. "You fell in love with this human princess?" She chuckled at her own words. Princess. She gave her that title, "Instead of her protecting her village as royals are supposed to, she whored herself off to the Lord of the West! Some princess she is."

Inu Taisho growled as he took offense to Sookie's words. Sookie was taking it too far. He expected her to be upset, but to talk so poorly about the woman he loved. "That is not what happened Sookie!"

She chuckled as she could tell she struck a nerve. She knew Inu Taisho better than anyone, eventually he would show his true colors. All she had to do was push the right button and keep hitting until he lashed out. "Have I hit a nerve Taisho, have I offended you?" she asked so innocently. He chose not to react; he knew this was what she wanted. Sookie lashed out the best way she knew how. With her words. And her sarcasm.

"You need to understand Sookie, I didn't want to hurt you." He stared honestly in front of her. His heart laid out for her, whether for her to smash it with her cruel words or for her to see he too was hurting. But from her glowing aura, he could tell she was past hurt, past her sadness and just plainly angry. Rightfully.

"Oh no Inu Taisho," She started off, "I understand completely. I understand that you betrayed me, your family, betrayed everything you stood for! I understand while you pretended to love me!" She flung her arms in the air, "Have you forgotten I was perfectly content on where we stood when we were younger? Before the council, before our parents set up our betrothal. I was fine with our friendship!" She moved away from him, she let a few of her long-forgotten tears fall down her face as she continued. "You are the one that suggested our arrangement, 'it'd be good for our kingdoms Sook', those were your words Inu Taisho." She clung to her chest as she turned back around to look into his eyes, "…you asked for an heir, you begged me for Sesshomaru. And now that we have him, you barely even interact with him."

Even the demon lord couldn't deny her words. He suggested their mating to both his and her's parents long before the council chose everyone's mates. Inu Taisho trusted no one even as a child, except Sookie. When they were kids, she didn't even see him as a potential mate until he brought it up. He broke up their family, he fell for Izayoi. It didn't even click to him if Izayoi cared that he was ignoring his family to be with her. All that mattered was HER.

"You're right Sook, and for that I am truly sorry. This is not how I wanted things to go. I wanted to rekindle our love, fall in love with you all over again, grow our family further." His voice cracked between his own tears. "The closer I got to her, the more I learned about her, the harder it was to leave and became that much easier to let you go." Sookie couldn't hold it together, she fell to the floor in tears. How could he say that to her? Harder to walk away from a stranger and easier to let go of his family. Her tears heavily streamed down her face as he appeared before her. Pulling her into his embrace, he allowed his own tears to continue to flow.

Sookie tried breaking free from his embrace. Pounding his chest and pushing away, but with no avail, she relaxed in his arms. "I had hoped this want I have for her was just a phase. Maybe I was mourning, maybe I was vulnerable to her. The more time I spent with her, even if it was just watching her, the more evident it became. I couldn't walk away."

Between her sniffled tears Sookie whispered, "Do you really love her?" she didn't wish to know the answer, but she needed to know. He nodded his head, "What happened to us Taisho? Didn't you love me enough to stay, didn't you love me enough to walk away from her?"

He sighed; his answer would surely crush her. "I love you enough to tell you the truth now. Although it's taken some time to do so. I just don't want to hurt you anymore." He captured her hands into his own, rubbing them together, he could see her mark on her right wrist pulsing. It was time. "Sook, from the moment we met, you have always held my heart. I could stay and make this work; I could walk away from her and try to be happy. But what will that achieve? I love you and I always will, but I am not in love with you anymore. You are not my soulmate as I thought you were."

'You are not my soulmate.' Those words rang through her head. It fueled her fire, fueled her hatred for this man. This coward. She ripped her hands of his. Her tears refused to stop. She knew right then she lost him, but she forgot about the one other person this would affect. Sesshomaru. How will her son feel once he hears the truth? How do you tell a young child that his family is splitting up?

Will he stand beside his mother or his father? Will he feel neutral about this situation? Or will this forever ruin his future, ruin the way he looked at things, including his own mating?

"What about Sesshomaru?" She sighed; in her heart she knew she wouldn't win this endless battle with him. She hated to quit a fight, but she needed to advocate for her son now. "What will you tell him?"

Surprised by her sudden acceptance, Inu Taisho turned around. "He's still a child Sookie…He won't understand." He could hear Sookie pull herself off the ground. "I will tell him the truth when he's older." Sookie stood behind him, he wiped away her tears, "I won't force you out of your home either Sookie, this palace is your home. I plan on spending more time traveling and getting to know my kingdom…with her beside me." He wiped away the last of her tears as he leaned in and planted a last kiss on her cheek before whispering in her ear. "I truly am sorry Sook."

And with that he started for the door. He barely caught her soft whisper just as he opened the door, but it was hard to ignore. "Have you slept with her?"

Inu Taisho felt a single tear fall as he ignored her. Why would he hurt her more with his answer? "Goodbye Sookie!"

The words of his goodbye weren't what killed her as he walked away. It was the complete silence that came before his goodbye, the silence for the answer she never received. She knew the truth from that alone.

Despite her rantings and her sarcasm, she never thought the demon lord who held her heart for so many centuries would hurt her in the way that he did. She never thought he would be the one to break up their family. Inu Taisho was different than her father, she had hoped he was. But now, she didn't know what to believe.

As he disappeared into the hallowed halls of his old home, the home she once shared with her mate. A home she would share solely with her young son. Her knees buckled as she fell to the ground. Her arms wrapped around her knees. The moment of her weakness, that was the moment the pain of her mark erasing began. The burning of her flesh caused her to scream in pain.

Her screams at first started low, but soon raised as her flesh literally started to peel away her mark. Every ounce of her being begun to crumble. Small amounts of blood dripped onto the floor and down her neck as she realized what was happening. As the pain got worse, the louder her scream was.

It has been hard enough to hear her mate say the words of his own deceit to her. Now she had to writhe in pain, losing the last physical evidence of her mating. This feeling humiliated her, made her feel like to failed as a mate and a mother.

Auzume and Sienna appeared beside her. Both women fell the floor in tears beside her, holding her shaken form closely. Sienna cried with Sookie, she placed her hand on Sookie's shoulder and winced. All of Sookie's emotions flowed into her, she could feel it all. This pain was miserable, even for Sienna who only felt it through touch. The only thing she could do for her friend was to take away from of Sookie's pain and endure it herself. Still she could only take in so much before it crumbled her as well.

As Inu Taisho walked down the hall, preparing his leave, he saw his son standing outside his mother's study. Tears in his eyes, he could even hear his whimpering as Inu Taisho walked out the study. Surely his son heard some of his conversation with Sookie. When he went to grab him, Sesshomaru kicked and screamed at him. Punching violently at his father's chest before escaping his arms and running away. That's how he knew his son hated him. Sesshomaru heard everything his father said, from speaking to the ladies of the council, right down to the part where he said his goodbyes to his mother.

Nayru reappeared in ghostly fashion, only for a few seconds to scold him once more. "Was it worth it Inu Taisho? Was it worth hurting her and your child? Is the love you share for this Izayoi really worth losing everything, including your family?" Her words couldn't make him feel guiltier than he already had or cause him any pain. Her words only alerted him of what would happen from this change.

Sookie cried into the arms of her friends, the women whom have stood beside her every time her mate left her. Although she wished to be a lone, she knew she shouldn't be. And their company made the weight of her pain less. Plus, they had to finish the process before they too can leave.

Sienna felt responsible, she couldn't leave Sookie at this point. She knew that the removal of the mating mark hurt the female more than the male. And the pain would only get worse over the course of time.

Between sobs Sookie whispered. "He's gone and now she takes what's mine…what was mine." Sookie cried out as Nayru appeared before her. She sat in-between her sisters and held Sookie into her lap. She allowed the broken women to hold onto them for however long she needed.

Something alerted Sienna, something much more concerning. She had almost forgot Sookie had wanted to make an announcement earlier. But they had been interrupted and Sookie left saddened.

Placing her hand in the center of Sookie's belly, her deep amber eyes changed to a dark blue as she rubbed her belly. Her eyes widen as she gasped and looked at Sookie with a stunned face. How could she not have sensed it? "Milady, is it true? Are you...?"

Without letting her finish her sentence, Sookie broke down and nodded.

End of Flashback

End of Chapter

Author's Note: Figured this would be a great place to stop. I will start chapter eighteen with the conversation Sienna and Rin have after this flashback. I am sorry it's taken me a while to upload. I have a lot on my plate, but this story will not be forgotten, that is my promise. It just may be time in between my uploads.

It's kind of freakishly weird, I have an outline of this story already done, but for whatever reason I can't get myself to finish this chapter so I can get to the chapter I really am excited to write.

Let me know what you think, not much changed from the original chapter other than some of the descriptions and how the conversation between Inu Taisho and the female council members flowed. I cleaned up some of the awkwardness with Inu Taisho and Sookie's conversation as well.

Until next time.

Lady Siyana.