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Kagome wrung her hands together as she paced in front of the cave. She knew she had nothing to worry about—it's not like this was his first battle—but a storm had raged through the mountains almost an hour after they'd left, completely washing away his scent.
A hand made contact with her shoulder, and she jerked in surprise, her ponytail hitting Ginta in the face. "He'll be fine, sis."
She rubbed the back of her neck. "Am I that obvious?"
Hakkaku grinned as he joined his brother. "Only when you're really worried about someone."
Glancing toward the trees, she shivered as a wayward breeze ruffled the leaves, several falling to the ground. "This one was bad," she hedged.
They crowded around her, offering body heat as a means of comfort. "He'll get mad if he finds out you're doubting his abilities," Ginta said.
"It's not that," she argued. She started wringing her fingers again. "Why wouldn't he let me go with him?"
The two men sighed. "It's a territorial thing, sis," Ginta replied.
Hakkaku nodded. "Yeah, if you'd shown up, even if they had won, the other tribes would've claimed it wasn't his victory. He had to show he was capable of doing it himself."
"Even if his luna is a badass," Ginta added. That earned him a smile, but it was short-lived, shadows coming into view through the trees. Several members of their pack howled to signal their return, and Kagome stiffened, trying to get a better view.
Ginta and Hakkaku shared a look, then patted her shoulders. They knew the first separation was always the hardest, and if it had been anyone else but him, no one would've been able to hold her back. They'd joked about it, but her trust in his ability not only to fight but to lead was why she was standing there in the first place.
The first group of soldiers broke the tree line, continuing to howl as they beat their chests in victory. Ginta and Hakkaku finally relaxed, the former nudging Kagome happily. "See, sis? Nothing to worry about."
But Kouga had yet to appear, and each wolf that emerged that wasn't him only had her panic growing. Knuckles turned white as the group thinned out, her breath coming out in short pants as blue eyes scanned the trees. She stepped away from her brothers' comforting touches, skin crawling as she began to shake.
He was fine. He was fine.
Yet, no matter how often she told herself that, the thought wouldn't take root in her mind. The next group collectively whined as their shadows took form, some of them staggering while others held onto bloody limbs. She tried to focus on which herbs would be needed for the fasted healing, but her heart was pounding in her chest.
A glimpse of cerulean was her only warning, her only reprieve, and he finally stepped into the moonlight. Two wolves held onto his arms for support, another on his back, and it took a moment for her to realize that none of the blood he was covered in was his own.
The despair rooting her to the ground finally relinquished its hold, and she darted across the clearing. Those who could cleared a path, weakened chuckles licking at her heels as she ran past. There may have been a few knowing comments, but she heard none of them, eyes zeroing in on her mate.
Kouga handed off his charges, barking orders about which were to be seen first, but she didn't give him time to address the group, tackling him to the ground in a flurry of limbs and kisses. They rolled twice, his arm instantly coming up to protect her head, and she buried her face against his neck.
"Damn, Kags. You couldn't wait until I—"
"Don't you ever do that to me again," she hissed, arms tightening around his neck. He balked at the venom in her voice. She knew the alpha's job was to ensure everyone got home safe, but the fact that he'd been the last to come back had been too much for her human heart to bear. "I'm sorry—"
He grabbed her ponytail, yanking her head back before claiming her mouth. Kagome sank against him, the tension finally dissipating. She breathed in his earthy scent, uncaring of the blood and dirt that covered his body. More howls erupted around them, most congratulating their leader on the spoils of war, and when he finally pulled back, he yelled at them to get inside before the next storm rolled in.
She was still getting used to the pack mentality, but she thrived on his open affection and indulgence in her need to reaffirm their bond each time he left.
He was home, and he was in one piece. That was all that mattered. The fact that she wasn't going to let him out of her sight for at least a month was beside the point.