Chapter 13
A/N: I just realized that my paragraph breaks did not transferred when I copy-and-pasted the text over. I've gone back and fixed every chapter so far and will double check everything looks right for the future. Hopefully now it's not as confusing to read as the previous chapters have been.
The sky was growing lighter as three very tired Wolves made their way into the backyard, crawling under their blankets, falling asleep almost instantly, as their bodies prepared to shift back after a long night in the forest.
"WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!" Hope screamed, as she ran out into the back yard. The five year old launched herself onto her parents, waking them with a startle, as her knee made contact with Emma's stomach, knocking the wind out of her slightly.
"Good morning, Princess." Regina said, reaching to rub Emma's side where their daughter had just kneed her.
"Get up, lazy butt!" Henry said, nudging Ruby with his foot before plopping next to her in the grass.
"You know." Ruby said, peeking her head out from under the blanket. "Your Mom once threatened to remove my toes for waking her up like that." She laughed, pulling the blanket off her head completely.
"That's not very nice, Mommy!" Hope scolded, shaking her finger in Regina's face.
"Yes, well, it wasn't very nice of Auntie Ruby to kick me." Regina laughed, as she moved the child off their bodies, shifting as they all sat up, making sure the blanket covered their bodies.
"How was your night?" Henry asked, listening for stories of their time in the forest.
"Your Ma caught a chipmunk." Ruby said, stretching.
"Those are so hard to catch!" Henry exclaimed. "Good job Ma!"
"Thanks." Emma gloated. "Those suckers are fast. Not very big though. I'm starving." Emma laughed.
"Did you catch a chipmunk too, Mommy?" Hope asked, crawling onto Regina's lap.
"Your Mom only likes rabbits. She doesn't waste her time with anything else." Ruby laughed, as she slowly climbed to her feet.
"Can you teach me how to catch chipmunks when I get older?" Hope asked Emma, as she and Regina stood up, stretching after sleeping on the ground for a few hours.
"Of course, Princess." Emma answered, as they all made their way inside, where Mary Margaret was waiting with the rest of the kid's breakfast.
"Hey Kid, next month you'll be joining us!" Ruby said, following Henry into the kitchen.
"That's right, Henry! You're turning ten next week!" Hope screeched, climbing back into her chair at the kitchen table to finish her breakfast.
"Yeah." Henry muttered, as he sat in front of his own breakfast, shoveling it in fast.
"Ok, time for us to get ready. Have a good day at school, you two! We'll see you tonight." Regina said, kissing Henry and Hope on their heads as they finished their breakfast. Emma followed, as they all made their way out of the kitchen, Ruby rushing into the den, promising to have their usual breakfast waiting for them when they were ready.
"Hey, do you think Henry's ok?" Emma asked while they were getting dressed for the day, clipping her Sheriff's badge onto her belt. "I would have thought he would be more excited for his first shift."
"I think he's nervous." Regina said, slipping into her heels. "Before it was only just an idea. Now it's becoming very real."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Emma said, wrapping her arms around Regina from behind, kissing her cheek, being careful not to smudge Regina's makeup. "Were you nervous before your first shift?" Emma asked, nuzzling into Regina's neck.
"I definitely was." Regina said, leaning into Emma's body. "I don't think I slept more than a few hours a night the entire week before."
"Our little boy is growing up so fast. It felt like only yesterday he was learning how to crawl. And now he's a few weeks away from his first shift." Emma said, her eyes filling with tears.
"I know the feeling." Regina said, trying to hide her own emotion. "We better get going before Ruby scolds us for being late." She turned around in Emma's arms, kissing her sweetly before making their way to Granny's for breakfast.
Henry turned ten the following week. Hope insisted on decorating his chair in the kitchen with balloons and streamers, while Regina made a big breakfast for them all, including Henry's favorite, hot cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon. They laughed together as Regina and Emma told them the story of how Henry was born in the backyard after Wolf's Night. By the time they dropped him off at school, he seemed less nervous than he had the week before, knowing their birthday celebrations were distracting him from thinking about his first shift approaching quickly. As requested, they met for dinner at Granny's, including slices of Granny's famous apple pie, using apples harvested from Regina's favorite apple tree. By the time he went to bed that night, all thoughts and worries of shifting had disappeared, as he enjoyed his birthday with his family, excited about his birthday party that weekend.
Saturday afternoon after Henry's birthday included a backyard full of children, running around playing tag, balloons and streamers attached to every chair and tree, and a large piñata hanging from a tree branch off to the side. Henry ran around with his friends, while Hope clung to Emma, still shy around people she didn't know. Ruby offered to work the grill, cooking burgers and hotdogs, trying to keep up with the demand of hungry kids. The kids ran around, while the parents stood in little groups, enjoying a drink while catching up with each other. All the kids were already exhausted by the time they sang "Happy Birthday" recharging with a sugar rush after inhaling cake, before rushing off to smash the piñata, collecting the candy inside to add fuel to their sugar rushes.
"That was the BEST PARTY EVER!" Henry screamed, as he helped his parents clean up the backyard. Hope was napping in Granny's lap, the older woman dozing off every so often with her. "Thank you!"
"You're very welcome, little Prince." Regina answered, kissing the top of his head.
The sun had completely set by the time everything was cleaned up and put away. The trash cans were already filled with bags of garbage, leftovers in containers in the refrigerator, and two very tired children laying on the couch, by the time Granny and Ruby left, carrying bags of leftovers, eager to check on the diner before relaxing after a busy day. Henry requested they watch a movie together as a family before bed, which led them to sitting together on the couch in their pajamas, Hope snuggled in Emma's arms while Henry snuggled close to Regina. Both kids were sound asleep before they even made it to the middle of the movie, Hope needed to be carried to bed while Henry reluctantly walked upstairs, falling back to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
"Hopefully they let us sleep in a little tomorrow." Emma said, as she settled in bed, waiting for Regina to join her. "I'm so tired I feel like I could sleep for days."
"Well, I had another idea for us this evening." Regina said, walking towards the bed, slowly removing her shirt and pants, before crawling into bed naked next to Emma. "But, if you're tired, I guess I could just play by myself while you sleep." She said, reaching her hand between her legs, slowly stroking her penis.
"Don't you dare!" Emma scolded playfully, grabbing Regina's wrist.
"I thought you were tired?" Regina asked, a devilish grin on her face.
"For you, My Love, I am NEVER too tired." Emma said, as she quickly removed her clothes before disappearing under the blankets, settling between Regina's legs. Regina gasped as Emma slowly licked between her wet folds, not stopping as she continued up the shaft of her penis, taking the tip slowly into her mouth, a move she knew all too well would drive Regina crazy.
"Emma…" Regina moaned softly as Emma began to take more and more of her into her mouth, reaching below to run a finger between her folds. She teased her with the tip of her finger each time she passed, causing Regina's hips to buckle into her. "Emma…come here… you're too far away…I need…I need to feel you…" Regina moaned, breathing heavy, as Emma continued to pleasure her. "Please…Emma…"
Emma slowly made her way up Regina's body, leaving soft kisses in her wake, settling on top of her, feeling Regina wrap her arms around her, as she kissed her passionately. Regina reached between them, teasing Emma like she had done to her, pulling away suddenly, as she stared into Emma's green eyes.
"You're so wet." She whispered, lust and passion filling her senses.
"You make me wet." Emma whispered, before capturing Regina's lips for another deep kiss.
Regina slowly inserted a single finger into Emma's wet core, causing Emma to shutter, as Regina added a second one. Emma rocked against her fingers for a few moments, before running her hand down Regina's body, settling between her legs, thrusting two fingers into her. She quickly matched Regina's rhythm as they moved together, failing to contain their moans, as they grew closer and closer to climax.
They screamed each other's names as they orgasmed together, Emma collapsing into Regina's arms, their bodies twitching as euphoria washed over them, their hearts beating against each other's chest.
"I will never get enough of you." Emma whispered, as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Nor I you." Regina managed to say, as she held Emma tighter. Their moment was suddenly cut short as the monitor on the nightstand sprang to life, signaling that Hope was waking up. "I think we might have woken up Hope." Regina giggled.
"MAMA! MOMMY! MAMA! MOMMY!" She yelled, crying out for them.
"Crap!" Emma said, lifting her head off Regina's shoulder, moving to get out of bed.
"I'll go." Regina said, as Emma shifted off her. She kissed her lightly as she climbed out of bed, pulling on her bathrobe.
"What's the matter Princess?" Regina's voice rang through the monitor. Emma closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of Regina's voice, soothing their daughter.
"I got scared because I didn't know where I was." Hope said, settling down as Regina sat next to her in bed. "Then I heard yelling…" Hope added, her voice already heavy with sleep.
"You fell asleep watching the movie, so Mama carried you to bed. You're ok, Princess, go back to sleep." Regina whispered, as Hope settled down.
"Why were you and Mama yelling? Are you fighting?" Hope asked, slurring her words, sleep already starting to overtake her.
"Everything is fine." Regina laughed to herself, as she brushed her hand over Hope's face. "You'll understand when you get older, I promise." Regina said, before kissing her daughter's forehead, realizing the toddler was already fast asleep again.
By the time Regina made it back to their bedroom, Emma was already asleep as well, the covers still pushed down at the foot of the bed in the throes of passion, her naked body still very much visible. She quietly turned off the lights and carefully climbed into bed, pulling the covers over their bodies, brushing a stray strand of hair from Emma's face as she watched Emma sleep for a few moments. As if directed by a powerful magnet, Emma immediately shifted into Regina's arms, wrapping her own around Regina, holding her close. Regina kissed her forehead gently, as she too slowly fell asleep.
Two more weeks passed, and the familiar pull of the upcoming full moon could be felt by all Children of the Moon. There was just one more week remaining before Henry shifted for the first time.
"Hey, Henry. Do you have a minute?" Regina asked, knocking on Henry's open bedroom door.
"Sure Mom, what's up?" He asked, putting the comic book down on the bed, looking up at Regina in the doorway.
"I thought this might be a good time to have a talk. About some things." Regina said, moving to take a seat at the foot of Henry's bed.
"Oh…ummm….I don't think I'm quite ready for that talk…" Henry said, his face instantly turning bright red.
"No! No, not that talk!" Regina said, reaching to gently rest her hand on Henry's leg. "No! You're definitely not ready for that talk. I was thinking more a talk about next week. About your first shift, and what it means to be a Wolf."
"You mean there's more than just us turning into a Wolf three nights a month?" Henry asked.
"Yes." Regina laughed. "Although that is a very large part of it."
"Ok…ummm….I'm listening." Henry said, apprehension in his voice.
"Well. First off, can you feel it? The pull of the full moon? You should have started to feel it today." Regina asked.
"I don't know…maybe?" Henry said, not quite sure what he was feeling. "What does it feel like?"
"It feels like…like your entire body is being pulled slightly towards the sky. Just enough to be reminded that the full moon is close." Regina answered, smiling when she saw the recognition on her son's face.
"Yeah. I started to feel like that this afternoon. It's not strong, but I definitely feel something like that." He smiled.
"That's how we know the full moon is coming. You'll feel that until the moon is no longer full." Regina explained.
"Ok. That's not so bad." Henry said. "Is that all?" He asked.
"Not quite." Regina said, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "Now you know about our Pack, and how all the Wolves in Storybrooke and surrounding towns are all part of our community or what we call our Pack." Regina said, waiting for Henry to respond.
"Yeah, and how some of the people in our Pack aren't Wolves, but they can still be in our Pack because they are married to a Wolf, or one of their parents is a Wolf." Henry answered, showing that he understood what a Pack was.
"That's right." Regina nodded, relieved that Henry understood. "Now, there are actually three different types of Wolves. Alphas, Betas, and Omegas." Regina explained.
"Ummm….ok…." Henry said, pausing. "What type of Wolf am I?" He asked eventually.
"You're an Alpha." Regina smiled, resting her hand on Henry's leg again.
"What does that mean?" He asked, confusion crossing his face.
"Well, that means a lot of things. The biggest thing is this. When the time comes, you'll take over as the leader of our Pack." Regina explained, waiting for Henry to process the words.
"Oh…" He said, still trying to process the information. "Who is the leader now?" He asked.
"I am." She smiled. "I took over as leader when my father passed away." Regina explained.
"Wait! I take over when you die?! I don't want you to die, Mommy!" Henry said, panic rising in his voice, as he projected himself into her arms.
"No! Not necessarily, my Prince." She said, rubbing his back. "And even if that does happen, it's not going to be for a very long time. I'm not going anywhere for a very very long time." She said, comforting her suddenly scared son.
"Ok good." Henry said, as he calmed down, sitting back to his original position on his bed. "So, does that mean you are an Alpha too?" He asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Yes. You are an Alpha, just like me, and my father before us." Regina explained with a smile on her face. "There is one more thing about being an Alpha that I would like to talk to you about. It may be a little harder for you to understand, but I want to at least start to explain it to you." Regina said, shifting closer to Henry. "It has a little to do with that talk, but I promise not to go into more details than you want me to."
"Ok…" Henry said, looking concerned again.
"It has to do with who you will be with when you grow up." She said, waiting for Henry to catch up. "Being an Alpha means that you will only be able to have children with one person in particular. She has been chosen by destiny to be your other half, and your bodies will only allow you to have children with each other, and no one else. That's what an Omega Wolf is." Regina explained.
"So…" Henry said, as he thought about Regina's statement. "If you're an Alpha…does that mean that Mama is your Omega?" Henry asked, starting to understand the different dynamics.
"Yes. Mama is my Omega, but more importantly, I am her Alpha. From the moment we were born, we were destined to be together." Regina explained.
"So, does that mean that there's a girl out there that is destined to be with me?" Henry asked.
"Yes." Regina said.
"How do I know when I meet her?" Henry asked.
"You'll just know. The same way your body tells you when the full moon is coming. Your body will let you know when you've met her." Regina explained.
"Ok…" Henry said, nodding as he thought about his next question. "What about Hope? What kind of Wolf is she?" He asked.
"Hope is an Omega, just like Mama." Regina answered.
"So that means there's another Alpha destined to be with her too?" He asked.
"Yes. Exactly!" Regina said, pausing for a moment. "Do you have any questions for me?"
"No…not that I can think of." He said.
"Ok. If you think of anything, know you can always come talk to me or Mama. Don't be afraid to ask questions." Regina said, hugging Henry tightly. "I'll let you get back to your comic book. Dinner should be ready soon." She said, standing and making her way towards the door.
"I love you, Mommy." Henry said, before Regina could leave the room.
"I love you too, Henry!" She smiled, as she made her way out of his room and downstairs to make sure Emma wasn't burning the house down while she and Hope attempted to cook dinner.
The night before the full moon came far too quickly, and Regina and Emma found themselves settled into bed as usual, tangled in each other. The light from the nearly full moon filled the room, making their eyes sparkle.
"I can't believe he's shifting tomorrow." Regina said, as she ran her fingers lazily through Emma's long hair.
"Our little Prince is all grown up." Emma said, tears forming in her eyes. "And before we know it, Hope's going to be shifting too." She said, adding fuel to their emotional fire.
"Please don't remind me." Regina said, when they heard a soft knock on the door.
"Mommy? Mama? Can I come in?" Henry asked softly, popping his head in the room.
"Of course." Regina said, as Henry pushed the door open, closing it behind him.
"What's the matter?" Emma asked, as Henry approached the bed, Teddy tucked under his arm.
"I can't sleep. Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" He asked.
"Of course, come in." Emma said. Henry slowly climbed in bed, laying under the blankets between them. "What's really going on though? You haven't slept in our bed in a long time."
"I'm…I'm scared about tomorrow." Henry said finally, hiding his head under the covers.
"There's nothing to be scared of." Regina said, kissing the top of Henry's head. "What's scaring you?"
"I'm scared it's going to hurt." Henry said. "I was watching a movie with Nicholas and when the Werewolf changed it hurt…a lot…"
"That's not real." Emma said, looking at Regina. "I promise you, it doesn't hurt at all when you shift. Unless you accidentally step on your own tail." Emma laughed, speaking from experience. But even Emma's joke wasn't enough to calm the boy's nerves.
"What does it feel like? When you change?" Henry asked, his voice shaky with fear.
"It feels…almost tingly." Emma said, trying to describe the feeling of shifting. "Right before you shift, your skin gets all tingly, like the feeling you get when you get really excited about something." Emma explained. "Then, the next thing you know, you're a Wolf."
"What's it like to have four legs?" Henry asked, his mood changing.
"It might take you a few minutes after your first shift to get used to having four legs. And it might take a few hours to build your coordination to run without tripping, but it'll become second nature before you know it." Regina explained.
"It still takes me a minute to adjust to having four legs." Emma confessed, a crooked smile on her face. "And even though she would never admit it, I think it takes Auntie Ruby a minute as well." Emma laughed.
"It takes me a minute too." Regina admitted, causing Henry to seem surprised.
"What was your first shift like?" Henry asked, looking between them, a slight look of concern on Emma's face.
"Mine was exactly how yours will be. In the very same backyard too. My parents were there with me, as well as Granny. Auntie Ruby was there too, but she was too young so she didn't shift, but she was there to support me. She held a big mirror for me, so I could see what I looked like when I was a Wolf, the same way Hope and Mary Margaret will for you tomorrow." Regina explained, calming his nerves even more. "Granny and Auntie Ruby will be there with you tomorrow as well."
"Which is a big deal. Granny only shifts outside one night a year, but she insisted on being there with you for your first shift." Emma said, nudging Henry.
"What about you Mama? What was your first shift like?" Henry asked, turning towards Emma.
"Mine was a little different. But I think we should save that one for a different day." Emma smiled. Regina could see the pain behind Emma's eyes when she thought about her first shift.
"Ok…" Henry said, seeing the looks that Emma and Regina exchanged, getting the hint to not ask more about Emma's first shift. "Can I ask one more question?" He asked after a few moments.
"You can ask as many questions as you want." Regina said.
"Well…I was also thinking about what Mommy told me…about having an Omega somewhere out there…that's supposed to be with me and stuff…and I was wondering if…you guys could…"Henry paused, hugging Teddy tighter. "If you could tell me the story…of how you guys met." Henry asked.
"Of course!" Regina smiled, reaching out to touch Emma's head. "It was in the same forest we're going to be running through tomorrow night. In this beautiful clearing about a fifteen minute run from here." Regina said, starting the story.
"I had just moved from Boston and was living in Portland at the time. I think it was my first Wolf's Time since moving, and I was looking for good places to run. I pulled into a small parking lot and decided to run in Mommy's forest that night. And if I liked it, I would run there more often. I didn't even know that Mommy and Auntie Ruby were there the first night." Emma explained.
"But the first night she was there, we heard her howl. We thought maybe she was a Natural Wolf, even though the Natural Wolves have known for generations that this forest belongs to our Pack." Regina continued.
"The next night I decided to venture into the forest a little further, exploring, when I found the clearing, and immediately fell in love with it. The way the moon shone through the trees made it feel almost magical. That was when I decided this would be my forest where I would run every month." Emma said, pausing to look over at Regina. "And that's also when Mommy came bursting through the bushes, chasing a rabbit." Emma laughed.
"As soon as I saw Mama, I stopped dead in my tracks. Auntie Ruby crashed into me a few moments later." Regina said, pausing as she gazed into Emma's eyes.
"Why did you stop?" Henry asked.
"Because the moment I saw her, I thought she was the most beautiful Wolf I had ever seen." Regina said, tears forming in her eyes. "But it wasn't until she looked up at me, and our eyes met for the first time, that I knew she was someone special. I think I fell in love with her in that very moment." Regina said, as Emma reached over to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"I ran away as soon as Mommy tried to approach me." Emma said, breaking their trance.
"Why did you run away? Didn't you feel the same way about Mommy?" Henry asked.
"I felt the exact same way." Emma said, pausing. "But I was scared, so I ran away."
"Why were you scared?" Henry asked, a little scared himself.
"I didn't understand what I felt for her. No one explained to me what it meant to be an Omega, or what would happen when I met my Alpha. But I went back the last night and waited for her. And sure enough, she found me again." Emma said.
"And this time she let me nuzzle with her." Regina said with a smile. "Even if Auntie Ruby scared her away a few moments later." Regina laughed.
"Yeah, she did. But I came back after a few minutes." Emma added.
"Mama was really nervous, and it took almost three months of meeting in the forest as Wolves before she was comfortable enough to meet as Humans." Regina said, more tears forming in her eyes. "The moment I woke up and saw her laying next to me, was the moment I knew I couldn't live without her. She was the one."
"Is that how you felt too, Mama?" Henry asked, looking up at Emma.
"Exactly." She said, tears forming in her eyes as well. "That was exactly how I felt when I opened my eyes to see Mommy staring back at me." Emma said, tears falling down her cheeks.
"That was really pretty." Henry said, switching his gaze between both his mothers. "I hope my story is as pretty as yours." He said.
"I'm sure it will be, little Prince." Regina said, kissing his head.
"I feel much better. I think I can go back to my bed." Henry said, releasing a sigh of relief.
"You sure? You can stay if you want." Emma said.
"It's ok. Plus, you kick sometimes when you sleep." Henry giggled.
"She does, doesn't she." Regina said, laughing with her son, as he kissed them both before climbing out of their bed. He said another goodnight, before leaving their room.
They didn't speak another word, as they pulled each other into a deep and passionate kiss, so full of love and emotion, as their tears continued to fall together.
"What was your first shift like?" Regina asked a few minutes later, pulling away from their kiss. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"It's ok. I don't mind. I just didn't want Henry to hear because it wasn't nearly as nice as yours or his and Hope's will be." Emma said, shifting away from Regina slightly, as if putting up a wall against the painful memory. "I had no idea it was even coming. I had started feeling the pull of the moon a week before, but didn't know what it was." Emma said, pausing to collect her thoughts. "I started to feel weird right at sunset, and I wanted to go lay down, but the foster family I was living with was very strict and told me I had to stay with them and finish my homework. I was sitting at the coffee table when it happened." Emma explained.
"Oh Emma…" Regina said, her heart already breaking for her wife's experience.
"That's not even the worst part. Here I was, freshly shifted, still getting used to being on four legs, and scared shitless because I had no idea what was going on. Now, in addition to being strict, they were also super religious and a little bit gun crazy. As soon as the smoke cleared and they saw the foster kid, who you already thought was a little weird to begin with, standing in front of you as a Wolf, the husband immediately grabbed the shotgun he kept on the wall, pointed it right at me and pulled the trigger."
"Emma!" Regina yelled, one hand covering her mouth as tears of pain filled her eyes, her other hand reaching to grab Emma's hand.
"It's a good thing he wasn't a very good shot. He missed me completely, and broke the window behind me." Emma said, tightening her grip on Regina's hand. "Somehow, I managed to jump out the broken window and run away. I never went back." Emma said, wiping the tears from Regina's eyes. "I lived on the street, eventually figuring out that I turned into a Wolf for three nights during the full moon. CPS eventually found me living under a bridge and took me back in. That's how I got the last name Swan."
"Your name wasn't always Swan?" Regina asked, taking her attention away from the pain she felt for Emma's experiences.
"Nope. While I was living on the streets, I had an old book of fairy tales, and would read them to keep from crying. I eventually had to burn the book to stay warm, but I kept my favorite story, The Ugly Duckling. I felt so much like the ugly duckling from the story, living in a world that I didn't belong. I knew one day, I would grow up to be a beautiful Swan, and eventually find my family." Emma explained, pausing a second. "When the social worker asked my name I told her I wanted to be called Emma Swan. I guess she felt bad for me, because she permanently changed my name in the system to Emma Swan. I don't have an official birth certificate so I guess it wasn't that hard to change my name. That's how I became Emma Swan." Emma explained.
"What was your name before that?" Regina asked.
"Emma White. I think they gave me that name because my hair was platinum blonde when I was born, just like Hope's was."
"Emma…" Regina said, trying so hard not to cry again. "I'm so sorry you had to endure that. I can't begin to imagine what it was like for you growing up." Regina said, losing the fight against her tears again.
"It's ok. You know why?" Emma asked, wiping the tears from Regina's face. Regina shook her head no. "Because if things had gone differently in my life, I may never have found my way home…to you…" Emma said, causing Regina to sob. "Hey, don't cry. I would do it all again, if it means being with you."
"I'm so glad you found your way home." Regina cried, as she pulled Emma in for a deep kiss.
"Me too." Emma whispered, as she wrapped her arms around Regina, tangling their legs together. "Me too…"
The next several hours flew by in a blur, everyone feeling a little nervous for Henry's first shift just a few short hours away. Granny spent the afternoon cooking all of Henry's favorite food, making sure he had a happy and full belly for his first shift. Regina left work early, to make sure Henry's blanket was washed and dried and ready for him, as she tried to distract herself from her own nervous feelings. By the time Henry and Emma arrived home, everyone was at the edge of their seats, anxious and nervous for the night, except Hope, who ran around the house howling like a Wolf, excited to meet the Wolf side of her Big Brother.
After dinner, as the sun began to set, they gathered outside, standing on the very spot that Henry was born ten years prior, they began Henry's invitation ceremony.
"There is a long held tradition in our Pack, to drink from the goblet that belonged to our founding father, as you accept the invitation from the current Alpha and their Omega." Regina said, holding the goblet up for everyone to see. Tears were already forming in her eyes, as she looked down at her son, standing in front of her, all grown up. "Today, we are honored to officially invite our son, Henry, into our Pack." Regina said, her voice breaking with emotion. Emma slowly poured the wine into the goblet, giving Regina a few moments to collect herself before continuing. "Henry Daniel Swan-Mills, today we invite you to join our Pack. Will you accept our invitation?" Regina asked, all eyes falling on Henry.
"Yes…" Henry said, his voice low and scared for a moment. "Yes. Yes, I accept your invitation."
"I, Regina Swan-Mills…" Regina said, holding the goblet up, tears falling from eyes.
"I, Emma Swan-Mills…" Emma said, reaching out to hold the other side of the goblet, her other arm reaching around Regina's waist for emotional support, her own tears falling down her cheeks.
"Officially welcome you to our Pack." They said in unison, as they handed the goblet to Henry.
Henry took a small sip from the goblet, making a face at the taste of the wine, before handing it back to Emma. Emma took a sip herself, reaching to wipe the tears from Regina's face as she passed the goblet back to her. Fresh tears fell as she took a sip from the same goblet, emotions getting the better of her. Ruby took the goblet from her shaking hand, as she pulled her Wife and son in for a tight hug.
"Welcome, little Prince." She whispered into Henry's ear, as she and Emma kissed him on each cheek, tears streaming down their faces.
"YAY HENRY!" Hope screamed, running up behind them, throwing herself into the family hug, as faint sniffles from Ruby and Granny were heard behind them. "Now you get to change into a Wolf!" She added, jumping up and down with excitement.
"That's right kid. We should go get ready." Emma said, pulling out of the hug, scooping Hope into her arms.
Everyone made their way into the house to prepare for Wolf's Night, Hope and Mary Margaret staying outside so Hope could run around as they waited for everyone.
"Ummm…" Henry said, as they stood outside his door. "Can we…can we go to the place that you guys met? That clearing you were telling me about last night?" He asked shyly, as Regina handed him his own blanket.
"Of course." Regina smiled. "We'll go there first."
"Cool." Henry said, turning to go into his room, stopping suddenly. "Hey, ummm…wait for me before you go downstairs, ok."
"Of course. We'll meet you right here in a few minutes." Emma said, as Henry smiled nervously, before disappearing into his room, closing the door behind him.
Ten minutes later, Henry emerged from his room, where Regina and Emma were waiting for him, his brand new blanket wrapped tightly around his body. They slowly made their way downstairs, taking a moment before meeting the rest in the backyard, Ruby and Granny already wrapped in their blankets, a pile of pillows set out for Granny in the morning. Regina wrapped her arms around Emma under their shared blanket, Henry inching closer and closer to them, as he grew more and more nervous, while they all watched the sun dip low in the sky.
"Remember, you won't be able to talk when you're a Wolf, but don't worry. You'll figure out how we communicate with each other." Regina said, looking down at her son.
"Ok." Henry said, his voice shaking.
"We'll be right here if you get scared." Emma said, reaching her hand out from under their blanket, rubbing his arm. They all took a deep breath as they felt the tingle over their skin, indicating the shift was just moments away.
All eyes were locked on Henry, as a cloud of smoke engulfed his small body. When the smoke cleared, there stood a small dark grey Wolf, Henry's brown eyes shining back from his new Wolf face. Regina and Emma immediately moved to flank him on either side, pressing their shoulders into his, letting him know they were there, giving him support as he struggled to adjust to his new form, nuzzling his face lovingly. He shifted from side to side, feeling his weight distributed between four legs, as he tentatively took a step forward, tripping as he tried to figure out how to walk. By the third step, he seemed to be able to balance correctly, walking with a little more confidence, looking over his shoulder at his family, as they cheered him on.
"Henry! Come look!" Hope said, breaking the silence, as she and Mary Margaret moved to hold up the full sized mirror. Henry walked slowly towards the mirror, finding his stride along the way, stopping short when he saw his reflection in the mirror for the first time. "You look like Mommy!" Hope said, as she abandoned her post behind the mirror to walk up and approach her brother, wrapping her arms around his neck. The rest of the Wolves approached slowly, all nuzzling the newest Wolf as he played lightly with Hope, learning how to move his new Wolf body, Regina pulling away from the group suddenly.
Regina Yipped loudly to get everyone's attention. She tilted her head towards the sky, letting out a loud and excited howl. Emma, Ruby and Granny joined in a few moments later. Henry tried his best, not quite finding his voice just yet. Ruby nudged Henry's butt as they all started towards the forest, slowly at first, as Henry learned how to move quickly in his new body. Regina and Emma, as if they could read each other's minds, stopped just at the edge of the forest and turned around, waving their paws in the air together, waving goodbye to Hope, before turning around and joining the rest in the forest.
Regina led their way through the trees, Henry's eyes wide in awe of everything, his Wolf senses picking up on all the new smells. They eventually arrived at the clearing that had been the setting of Regina and Emma's first meeting, more than ten years prior. Although they had frequently returned to this very spot over the course of their relationship, this time was different. This time they were sharing this place with their newly shifted son, a product of their Love.
They spent the rest of the night in the clearing, Henry still exploring his new Wolf body, as the light from the full moon twinkled through the trees. By the time the sky started to brighten, Henry had nearly mastered moving on four legs, able to break into a slow jog as they made their way slowly back to the house. By the time they got back, Henry was completely exhausted, struggling to get the blanket back over him. Regina and Emma each took his blanket and slowly pulled it over him, as he struggled to stay awake, the rest nestled under their own blankets, falling asleep instantly. Regina and Emma nuzzled Henry's face gently, each leaving light licks on his snout, before crawling under their blanket, looking deep into each other's eyes as they slowly closed, preparing to shift back. The backyard filled with magical smoke, as the first rays of light touched their fur, transforming them all back to their Human form. Regina pulled Emma into her arms, their bodies molding into each other, smiles plastered on their faces, as they continued to sleep in each other's arms, their son sound asleep a few feet away.
"HENRY! WAKE UP!" Hope screamed, the back door slamming open a few hours later, as Hope bolted into the backyard. She completely bypassed her parents, launching herself instead onto her Big Brother, who was sound asleep in the grass. "WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!" She continued to scream, shaking her brother.
"Good morning, small annoying one." Henry laughed, as he struggled to open his eyes.
"How was your first night, Henry?" She asked, as Henry shifted to sit across from him.
"It was amazing!" Henry smiled, the rest of the adults staying under their blankets, grateful that Hope has yet to remember they were there. "I got to see where Mama and Mommy met." Henry said, excitement in his voice. Regina held Emma closer, as they listened to their son describe the clearing where they met. Regina kissed Emma's neck gently, as Emma reached behind her to run her fingers through Regina's wild and curly hair.
"Hey Hope? I think you should come inside and finish your breakfast and let the rest get ready for the day." Mary Margaret said from the back door.
"That's right." Granny said from her bed of pillows. "And some people have to get to work. The diner can only run itself for so long without us." Granny added, motioning for Ruby to get her ass moving.
Everyone made their way inside, Ruby and Granny saying their goodbyes before changing quickly and making their way home to get ready. After they said goodbye to Hope, Regina Emma and Henry made their way upstairs, stopping briefly in front of Henry's room.
"I'll see you guys tonight." Henry said, leaning in for a hug, confusing his parents.
"Tonight? Why tonight?" Emma asked.
"Yeah. Mary Margaret is going to give us a ride to school before you're ready." Henry said.
"Nope. Not today!" Emma said with a smile. "You're a Wolf now. From now on, you're coming for breakfast with us!" Emma said.
"Really?" Henry asked, excited.
"Totally, Kid!" Emma said, ruffling his already dirty hair.
"Go take a shower. Come to our room when you're ready." Regina said, as Henry ran into the bathroom to shower, excited for breakfast.
It took every ounce of their power to keep their hands off each other as they showered, knowing they would lose track of time and Henry could walk in on something he shouldn't. They quickly showered and got dressed, Regina working on her hair when Henry knocked on the door, indicating he was ready.
"I never thought I could possibly be this hungry." Henry said, as he sat on the bed next to Emma, while they waited for Regina to finish her hair and makeup.
"Yeah, that's normal, Kid." Emma explained, laying on her back. "We run so much that we get pretty hungry. It's not as bad if we hunt and eat something throughout the night."
"When can I hunt?" Henry asked, excited for his new life as a Wolf.
"Let's get you coordinated enough to run first." Emma laughed, as Henry flopped over on the bed next to her. "Once you can run, we'll teach you how to hunt."
"Did you know, Mama didn't know how to hunt before she met Auntie Ruby and I?" Regina asked, smirking from the mirror in the bathroom.
"Really?" He asked, sitting up quickly, looking down at Emma.
"Yeah." Emma said, propping herself on to her elbows. "I was a lone Wolf my entire life, until I met Mommy. No one taught me how to hunt until I met her and Auntie Ruby." Emma explained.
"That's right. I forget sometimes." Henry said, looking sad. "What was it like all by yourself?" Henry asked.
"I'll tell you all about it one day." Emma said, ruffling Henry's hair. "But right now, it's time to have breakfast before school!" Emma said, glancing over at Regina as she emerged from the bathroom, looking perfect.
"I'm starving!" Regina said, stepping into her heels. "Let's go eat!" She followed Henry and Emma out of the room and downstairs, making their way out of the house quickly, eager to get to breakfast.
"Henry! Welcome!" Ruby said, as they took their usual seats at the counter. She poured coffee for Emma and Regina, placing the freshly prepared hot cocoa in front of Henry. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Waffles!" Henry said, not needing to look at the menu.
"Bacon?" Ruby asked.
"Lots!" Henry said. Ruby nodded before disappearing quickly, placing Henry's order, checking on the status of the rest of their breakfasts.
They all started eating the moment Ruby returned with their breakfast, not a word spoken as they ate as fast as they could.
"You four need to hunt tomorrow night. You're going to choke if you don't slow down." Granny said, approaching them to refill their coffees, scolding Ruby to get back to work soon.
They cleared their plates quickly, and before they knew it, they were running late, as per usual, waving goodbye to Ruby as they rushed out of the diner towards their cars. Emma and Henry said goodbye to Regina, as they drove in the opposite direction towards Henry's school, his tardy note held tightly in his hands.
"Hey Mama…"Henry started to say, as he reached for the door handle. "Last night was the best night of my life. Thank you, and Mommy, for making it so special." Henry said, smiling at Emma.
"You're welcome, little Prince." Emma said, kissing the top of his head. "The best part is, we get to do it all again tonight!" She added.
"That's right!" Henry said, excitement in his voice. "I love you, Mama." Henry said, kissing Emma's cheek, before rushing out of her car and into school.
"I love you too, little Prince." Emma whispered, as she watched Henry run into the school, before making her way to the Sheriff's station to start her day.
A/N: Aww Henry's first shift. Our little boy is growing up.