A/N: ***Trigger Warning: Violence. ***
This chapter contains a pretty nasty fight between two Wolves.
Chapter 14
Over the ten years since Regina reversed her father's decree, more and more Wolves have returned to the Pack. With each passing month, the vast forest of Storybrooke, Maine slowly became more populated with Wolves during each full moon, the sound of howling could be heard for miles. While many Wolves created smaller pods and claimed areas for their own, every Wolf in the Storybrooke forest knew who was a part of the Alpha's pod, and where they ran, never crossing over into Regina's territory out of respect. With the exception of David and Archie, who occasionally stopped by to say hello, before taking off again. Because of this, Regina was able to lower her guard, like she used to when it was only her and Ruby in the forest.
It was because of this reason, Regina never saw the other Wolf, until his mouth was wrapped around the back of her neck, his teeth piercing her flesh.
She yelped in pain as she violently shook him off, stumbling to the side in shock. Before her brain could process what was going on, he was lunging at her again, catching her on the side of her face, ripping open the skin above her mouth. Regina stood her ground, growling loudly, until the unmistakable whine of her scared son behind her distracted her for a moment. Regina growled as Emma took a step forward, turning around to make eye contact, her expression fierce, as she made sure Emma and Ruby knew they were to protect Henry at all costs, even if it meant leaving her.
The momentary distraction gave the Wolf the opportunity to strike again, this time catching Regina on her left shoulder. The sound of ripping flesh made Emma cringe, as the Wolf jumped back, a clump of fur and skin dripping with blood hanging from his mouth. Regina howled in pain, blood beginning to pour from her shoulder, as she finally had the opportunity to strike. A deep growl sounded from her throat, as she leapt into the air. She pounced on the Wolf, whose fur was a deep honey brown, clamping down on the side of his neck so hard she tasted blood. Before he could get his bearings, she lunged again, catching him this time on his left ear, ripping the top off, spitting the tip of his ear out onto the ground.
Henry cried again, and Emma and Ruby tightened their stance around him. The three watched in horror as Regina and the new Wolf fought hard, growling and snapping, claws and teeth making contact with the other, as they both attempted to incapacitate the other, targeting the most vulnerable and unprotected spots, at the throat and belly. Blood spattered in every direction as the fierce battle continued, Regina eventually gaining the upper hand when she managed to pin him down on his back, exposing his throat. She bared her teeth, and lunged forward, her intention was to incapacitate her opponent, when she felt his feet against her stomach. Within seconds, Regina was being launched into the air, crashing into a tree, her head hitting the trunk with a bone crushing force, momentarily stunning her. Regina's head pounding and her vision blurred while she struggled to stand, the Wolf taking this opportunity to strike once again, making contact with her stomach. She howled in pain, as the Wolf tore a large piece of flesh and fur from her stomach. She tried to fight back, blood pouring out of the large gashes, as he continued attacking her. Emma cried out as she watched her Wife, laying on the ground, the screams of pain ripping her heart out, standing her ground to protect her son, his cries matching hers.
The Wolf stopped when Regina went limp and stopped fighting, blood pooling below her on the ground.
As soon as Regina stopped moving, the Wolf turned his attention to the three remaining Wolves, standing a few yards away. He stalked towards them, his eyes trained on Henry, who was shaking and crying. Emma and Ruby growled in unison, as the Wolf stalked closer and closer, moving around them, looking for an opening. Just as he leapt into the air to pounce, a flash of black shot out from the side, colliding with him in mid air, knocking him to the ground with a large thud. Before anyone could process what was happening, Regina's teeth were sinking into the Wolf's throat, ripping a large piece of flesh, causing blood to spray onto their fur. The Wolf screamed, as Regina attacked again, growling loud, her teeth removing more of the Wolf's throat, this time backing away, watching as the Wolf convulsed, until he eventually stilled, his chest rising and falling for the last time.
Regina stood over the body of her opponent for a few moments, her chest heaving as her eyes remained trained on the Wolf on the ground, making sure he was dead before she took a tentative step back. She limped slowly towards the rest, stopping just a few feet away, collapsing with a hard thud, as her body hit the ground.
Emma ran to her, as Regina cried in pain, blood already beginning to pool in the ground under her, her body shaking as the pain overtook her. Emma cried when she realized there was nothing she could do to help her Wife. All she could do was lay on the ground next to her, nuzzling her, Emma's white fur staining red from Regina's blood. The moment Emma made contact with Regina, her cries stopped, as Regina focused on the feeling of having Emma next to her, distracting her from the pain. Henry moved slowly next to her, laying beside her, his head next to Regina's, his breath gently moving the fur on Regina's neck. Ruby circled around the three of them, protecting them with her life, as she tried not to think about her Best Friend dying on the ground beside her.
Emma kept her green eyes fixed onto Regina's brown eyes, as she could see the pain behind her. She knew Regina was masking the pain to keep from scaring Henry, each breath excruciating. Emma suddenly cried, as she watched Regina's eyes close, nudging her softly, encouraging her to stay awake.
Regina didn't move.
Emma tried again, nudging her harder, crying louder, in another attempt to wake Regina. Henry cried behind her, as he sensed something was wrong.
Regina still didn't move.
Emma growled and barked in Regina's face, pushing her hard with her head, causing her to roll into Henry slightly, in a final attempt to wake Regina.
Regina's eyes slowly opened, whining in pain, as she pawed for Emma to lay next to her again. Their eyes locked, as Emma laid close to Regina, their noses touching, Regina whimpering and crying in pain. Emma could feel the pool of warm blood grow larger beneath her, when the sky finally started to brighten above them. Ruby settled beside them, protecting Regina's head, as they all struggled against the rising sun, staying awake as long as they could, before eventually falling asleep, huddled around their injured Alpha.
Regina was screaming again as soon as she transformed back in her Human body, waking the other three with a start. Ruby was instantly by their side, crouching next to Regina, a scared look in her face.
"What do we do?" She asked, her eyes stuck on Emma.
"I…I don't know!" She said, moving away from Regina's body slightly.
"Don't leave, Emma. Please, don't leave." Regina cried when Emma's body left hers.
"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Emma said, as Regina reached out to grab Emma's hand, gripping it with all her strength.
Her injuries were suddenly visible now that her dark fur was gone. Regina was covered with blood. Mostly her own blood, deep gashes and gouges covering her body. She was shaking and crying, as Henry crawled up to her, gently moving her head into his lap.
"I'm here, Mommy! I'm here too. We're not going anywhere." He whispered, stroking her hair gently, his words causing her to calm down slightly.
"We have to take her to the emergency room!" Ruby exclaimed.
"We can't take her there, Ruby!" Emma snapped, as Regina's grip tightened on her hand.
"Why not?" Ruby asked, anger filling her voice.
"Because LOOK at her! Don't you think her additional appendage might arouse some suspicion?" Emma said, trying to regain control of her emotions.
"Then what do you suggest we do, EM-MA!?" Ruby screamed.
"I…I….I don't KNOW!" Emma screamed, her mind trying to grasp the situation, as her Wife lay bleeding to death next to her.
"Belle…" Regina whispered, her voice hoarse from screaming.
"Doctor French?" Emma asked, her voice quickly becoming softer.
"Yes…her mother…one of us…she can help…" Regina managed to say.
"Ruby! Run home and call Doctor French. Her number is in Regina's phone. She has a private practice right outside of town. Her mother was a Wolf, so she's an advocate. Call her and tell her to come as soon as possible!" Emma said, calmer now that they had a plan.
"Ok!" Ruby said, jumping up and instantly taking off towards the house as fast as she could.
"Regina…" Emma whispered, as she stroked Regina's face, blood smearing onto Emma's fingers. "Regina, we need to get you back to the house. Do you think you can walk?" Emma asked, her eyes locked onto Regina's.
"No…" Regina whispered, her body shaking.
"Ok. I'm going to carry you back." Emma said, moving to slowly lift Regina into her arms, Regina's head falling into the crook of Emma's neck. Henry jumped up to adjust her arm, which hung limp to her side, kissing the top of Regina's head, as they started walking towards the house. "Just hold on a little longer, My Love. Help is on the way." Emma said, trying to ignore the steady stream of blood that was now dripping down her own body, as she held Regina tightly.
"Can I wake them up now?" Hope asked, shoveling her cereal into her mouth, milk splashing everywhere.
"One more bite then you can go." Mary Margaret said, taking a sip of coffee, as she watched Hope shovel one last spoonful into her mouth before taking off towards the backdoor, flinging the door open in her usual manor, leaping into the backyard.
"Mary Margaret?" Hope asked, walking back into the house, her voice a little scared.
"What's the matter?" Mary Margaret asked.
"They're not there?" Hope said, half saying, half asking.
"Really?" Mary Margaret asked, following Hope back out into the empty backyard. The two stood in confusion for a few moments, before Ruby emerged from the forest at the edge of the yard, running at full speed towards the house.
"Auntie Ruby?" Hope asked, as Ruby ran past her, without acknowledging the toddler, running into the kitchen to find Regina's phone.
"Ruby?" Mary Margaret asked, following the brunette into the kitchen, noticing the splashes of blood on her skin, coupled with the fresh scratches from running through the forest.
"We have a problem." Ruby said, frantically scrolling through Regina's phone. "Regina was attacked last night." She added, as she pulled the phone to her ear.
"Oh my god…David…" Mary Margaret whispered.
"David wasn't there. It was just us." Ruby said, listening to the phone ring.
"Ruby, what can I do?" Mary Margaret asked, clutching a scared Hope.
"If you could call David and let him know what's going on. Let him know that obviously Emma wont be at work today." Ruby said, suddenly turning her attention to the phone call, explaining quickly what happened.
"What's going on?" Hope asked, as Mary Margaret frantically called David, still a little too early for him to answer. When no one answered her, Hope walked back out into the backyard, frantically searching for the rest of her family.
A few moments later, Henry came running out of the forest, dirty with a few spots of blood, running straight for the house like Ruby had.
"Henry!" Hope screamed, as her brother approached her. "Henry what's going on?"
"Hope! I need you to help me!" Henry said, coming to a sudden stop. "Mommy is really hurt. I need you to help me get as many towels as we can find. Can you help me?" Henry asked. Hope nodded, as he grabbed her hand, leading her into the house to search for towels.
A few minutes later, Emma emerged from the forest, Regina clutched tightly in her arms. She walked as fast as she could towards the house, screaming for Ruby as she got closer. Regina was shaking in her arms, blood still dripping down Emma's body, as she placed her gently on the ground on top of their blanket.
"Emma…" Regina whispered, grabbing Emma's hand as tightly as she could manage.
"You're going to be ok, My Love. Just hang on a little longer." Emma whispered, as Ruby and Mary Margaret exited the house. "Ruby, what did Doctor French say?"
"She'll be here as soon as she can." Ruby said. Henry and Hope emerged from the house a moment later, carrying armfuls of towels, dropping them in front of Emma.
"MOMMY!" Hope screamed, when she saw Regina.
"It's ok. Mommy is going to be ok. The Doctor is on her way to help her." Emma said, grabbing the towels and pressing them against Regina's wounds, attempting to stop the bleeding, enlisting Henry and Hope's help in pressing the towels against Regina's wounds.
"Emma…" Regina whispered again, reaching out for her Wife. "Emma…come here…"
"Regina?" Emma asked, grabbing Regina's hand. "What is it?"
Regina's grip was weak, her strength all but gone, as her body continued to shake. Emma crawled towards Regina's face, finally noticing how pale her skin was suddenly, how cold she was to the touch.
"Emma…I need…I…need to…tell you…" Regina whispered, her breath rigid as she struggled to breathe.
"Regina? Regina, what are you doing?" Emma asked, her eyes shifting slightly towards their children, who sat silently watching.
"Emma…I…I…I love you." Regina said, struggling to breathe. "You…and Henry…and Hope…you three…are…my…life…" Regina continued.
"No! No Regina! Don't! You are NOT doing this!" Emma said, forcefully. "You are NOT saying goodbye! Do you hear me, Regina Swan-Mills! You are not saying goodbye, because you are going to be fine! Do you hear me!" Emma screamed, tears falling from her eyes.
"Emma…" Regina whispered, her eyes growing heavy.
"No! You can't say goodbye, because you can't leave us. You have to fight because we can't do this without you." Emma said, crying.
"Emma…I love you…" Regina whispered, her body shaking, as tears fell from her eyes. "I…will always…" Regina said, stopping mid sentence.
Regina's body stopped shaking as her eyes closed slowly, her hand slipping from Emma's, hitting the ground suddenly.
"REGINA!" Emma screamed, as she pressed her fingers into Regina's throat, trying to find her pulse. It was weak, but it was still there. "REGINA! WAKE UP!"
"Mommy? Mommy wake up!" Hope said meekly, shaking Regina's leg. Henry couldn't speak. All he could do was watch Emma try to wake Regina, visions of the fight still fresh in his mind, as he tried to focus on pressing the towel into Regina's side, tears falling onto her blood stained skin.
"What happened?" A voice asked from behind them.
Doctor Belle French came running out of the back door, a large medical bag in her hand, rushing towards the family on the ground.
"She was attacked last night." Emma explained, moving away from Regina slightly, her hand still grasping on Regina's unresponsive one. Doctor French quickly inspected Regina's injuries, her stethoscope pressed against Regina's chest.
"She's lost too much blood. She doesn't have much time." She said, moving to check the injuries under the towels. "She needs blood."
"So, let's get her some!" Ruby said, annoyed.
"It's not that simple. I can't just walk into the hospital and get blood. There's procedures that need to be taken. Forms to fill out. If the patient isn't admitted into the hospital it takes longer to obtain the blood. It could take over an hour before I have it back to her." Belle explained.
"How long does she have?" Emma asked, weakly.
"Twenty. Maybe thirty minutes." Belle said, sadly. "I wouldn't make it back in time."
"Take mine!" Emma said, firmly, sitting up straight.
"It's not that simple, Emma. We don't know if you're the correct blood type. If your blood isn't compatible, it could be fatal." Belle explained.
"And if she doesn't get the blood, she dies either way." Emma said, her eyes fierce. "We were made for each other, surely our blood is compatible as well."
"Ok." Belle said, closing her bag. "Get her inside. I'll start the transfusion right away." Emma quickly scooped Regina into her arms, carrying her into the house, laying her on the dining room table, the same table they had had dinner the night before.
Within a few minutes, Belle had quickly started stitching up the most severe wounds, attending to them first before setting up the transfusion, knowing the extra blood would only leave her body as soon as it entered. None were fatal, but still quite severe, and time was against them as she frantically stitched them closed, Emma holding Regina's body up as Belle addressed the wounds on her back.
Emma had no idea when Granny arrived, only becoming aware of her presence when she appeared at Emma's side, insisting she put on the offered clothes before she caught a cold.
Once the major wounds had been cleaned and tended to, Belle started the transfusion, insisting Emma sit as to prevent collapsing. Emma sat next to the table, as she watched her blood fill the small tube, traveling into Regina's arm, while Belle continued to address the less severe wounds, cleaning and stitching them all closed.
"Her heart rate is already getting stronger." Belle said, pulling the stethoscope from her ears. "I think she may have broken her wrist as well, but I won't know until I get an x-ray. I have a portable machine in the office. I'm going to swing by and grab it. Once I get back we'll end the transfusion. Until then, stay where you are." Belle said, pulling off her gloves.
"Thank you. I can't even begin to truly thank you for this." Emma said, reaching for Regina's hand, tears welling in her eyes.
"It's my pleasure." Belle said. "I'll be right back." She added, before leaving the room. Emma stood on shaky legs, moving to cover Regina's body with their blanket, before settling back into her chair, pulling it closer to the table, as she clutched Regina's hand in hers, waiting for her wife to wake up.
Emma sat in silence, for what felt like an eternity, watching Regina's chest rise and fall, when she suddenly heard a quiet grunt.
"Regina?" Emma asked, moving closer to Regina.
"Emma?" Regina whispered, her eyes slowly opening to meet Emma's.
"Hey. How do you feel? Are you in pain?" Emma asked, kissing Regina's forehead.
"Better. Still in a little pain, but it's bearable." Regina said, shifting slightly, feeling the IV in her arm pull slightly. She followed the tube with her eyes, until she discovered the end in Emma's arm. "What? No! No! Take it out!" Regina said, her eyes wide.
"Regina. It's fine." Emma said, trying to calm her down.
"Emma. You shouldn't have to give me your blood. You need your blood." Regina said, tears falling onto the table.
"I need you more." Emma whispered, her words calming Regina instantly. "Regina, you were dying. I would give you every drop of blood in my body if it meant you could live." Emma said, kissing Regina softly.
"Henry? Hope? Are they ok?" Regina asked, shifting closer to Emma, wincing slightly.
"They're fine. They're in the den with Granny and Ruby." Emma answered.
"The male Wolf who did this…is he…" Regina asked.
"He's dead." Emma answered, causing Regina to wince. "David and Archie went back to check on him. They are putting the official cause of death as wolf attack. They said it was some guy named Robert Gold. Do you know him?" Emma asked.
"Gold?" Regina asked, her face confused. "I do know him. He left the Pack when my father died and I took over. He's…He's Neal's father."
"Neal? Neal Cassidy?" Emma asked, her voice shocked. Regina nodded. "Why would Neal's father attack you like that? Do you think this has something to do with me?"
"I have no idea. And I guess we never will." She said, as Belle returned with a small machine in her hand.
"You gave us quite a scare, Madam Mayor." Belle smiled, as she moved to disconnect the transfusion. "How are you feeling?"
"Better. Thank you." Regina said, turning her attention to the Doctor. "Truly, thank you, for saving my life." Regina added.
"It's my pleasure." Belle said, setting up the machine. "Just a few more things, and we'll be done." She said, turning her attention back to the machine.
An hour later, Belle had finished building the small cast on Regina's arm, leaving strict instructions on how to care for Regina's wounds over the next few weeks while she healed, handing Emma a bag of sterile bandages that Emma would need to use to ensure the wounds stay clean while healing. Emma disappeared upstairs for a few minutes, while Granny and Ruby led the kids into the dining room to see Regina, calming their fears as they hugged and kissed her gently, while she still lay on the dining room table.
"Hey guys, I need to help Mommy a little more. Why don't you guys go with Granny and Auntie Ruby and make us all some lunch. I'm sure we are all starving." Emma said, when she walked back into the room. "And I bet, if you ask really nicely, Granny will make us all a big pot of her famous Chicken noodle soup." Emma smiled, winking at Granny.
"After you're done, we can all have lunch together." Regina said, smiling at her family. "But promise you won't let Auntie Ruby chop the vegetables. I don't think Doctor French will make two house calls in one day." Regina laughed, wincing slightly.
"Haha, very funny. That happened one time!" Ruby laughed, leading the kids out of the room towards the kitchen.
"Thank you." Regina mouthed as Granny walked by. The older woman simply nodded a few times, wiping tears from her eyes, as she walked out of the room, leaving Emma and Regina alone.
"Do you think you can walk?" Emma asked, helping Regina sit up. Regina nodded, slowly sliding off the table, her legs collapsing the moment her feet hit the floor. "Nope." Emma laughed, as she scooped Regina into her arms, Regina's cast nearly smacking her in the face as she overcompensated for it's extra weight. Regina protested for a moment, before Emma told her to hush, as she walked slowly upstairs and into their bathroom where a warm bath was waiting.
Emma carefully placed Regina in the bath, being mindful to keep her cast dry, as Regina lay back against the back of the tub. Emma knelt by the side of the tub, carefully washing the dirt and blood off Regina's skin.
"Emma, you don't have to…" Regina started to say, only to be stopped by a sweet kiss.
"You did this for me when I needed it. Let me take care of you for once." Emma said, as she helped Regina sit forward to gently wash her back. "Don't do that again, ok?" Emma said after a few moments, carefully pouring water over Regina's head to wash her hair.
"I'll try not to." Regina said, as she watched the water wash the dirt and blood off her skin.
Emma never left Regina's side for the remainder of the day, even when Regina dozed off in the afternoon, getting some much needed rest.
"Don't go into the forest tonight." Regina said, as they watched the early stages of sunset creep in. "Stay in the backyard. Come inside the second something feels off."
"We're staying in tonight." Emma said, tightening her grip on Regina's hand. "I don't want to run without you. And Henry is too scared to run tonight, which I don't blame him for. To be completely honest, I am too. Ruby and Granny are going to stay here tonight too. They'll probably stay downstairs or in the den. Ruby insists on protecting the doors just in case. And Granny doesn't want to be alone tonight." Emma explained.
"What about Hope? Does Mary Margaret feel alright with staying in a house with so many Wolves?" Regina asked.
"She said she's fine with it. She trusts that we won't hurt her. Hope can't wait to play with her Wolf Brother once he shifts. Ruby said it's all she could talk about all afternoon." Emma laughed, as she ran her fingers through Regina's hair. "We think it was a deliberate attack on our family, but an isolated incident. Gold was no longer a member of the Pack, and often expressed his disdain for you being Alpha. We don't think it'll happen again, but David and Archie have already agreed to patrol around the house tonight to be sure." Emma explained.
"Ok." Regina said, shifting into Emma's touch. They laid together in silence, watching the sunset through the window, the room filling with amber light as the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon. Emma didn't get off the bed to shift, instead shedding her clothes a few minutes before the sun completely set. Her eyes remained locked with Regina's as the smoke engulfed her body, leaving in its wake a White Wolf, her green eyes never leaving Regina's.
"You're so beautiful." Regina whispered, as she shifted closer to Emma, her good hand running her fingers through her white fur, feeling the softness of her fur with her Human hand for the first time. A sudden scream of laughter rang through the hallway, no doubt the result of Henry pouncing on Hope, fulfilling his promise to his younger sister. They laid in silence, gazing into each other's eyes, as they listened to the sound of their daughter's laughter, as she played with her brother.
Regina dozed periodically, her hand never leaving Emma's back, a smile on her face as Emma scooted closer to her, until a light knock on the open door woke her up.
"I'm sorry to wake you. There's a few people who want to say hello." Mary Margaret said, as Hope pushed the door open and slowly walked in the room, followed by three Wolves.
"Are you feeling better Mommy?" She asked, climbing onto the bed.
"Much better now that you're here, Princess." Regina smiled, as she reached out for Hope's hand. "I think it's time for bed though."
"Yeah, that's what Mary Margaret said." Hope said sadly. "I want to keep playing with Henry though."
"Henry liked to play with me when he was your age too." Regina smiled, looking over at the small dark grey wolf standing by the door. "I'm sure he'll want to play again another day. But for now, it's time for bed."
"Ok. Night night Mommy." Hope said, reaching to give Regina a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek. "Night night Mama." She said, wrapping her arms around Emma's neck, kissing her head. Emma licked Hope's face, causing her to laugh hysterically, before jumping off the bed, following Mary Margaret out of the room. Ruby approached the bed slowly, eyes fixed on her Best Friend.
"I'm ok, Ruby. You don't have to worry. You and Granny can relax tonight. Plus Emma is here with me, and I really don't think she's going to leave my side for the rest of the night. I'll yell if I need you." Regina smiled, Ruby's posture instantly relaxing. "Rest. I'll see you both in the morning." Regina said, as Ruby and Granny left the room, leaving Henry standing alone in the center of the room. "What are you doing all the way over there, little Prince. Come lay with us if you want." Regina said, motioning for Henry to join them on the bed. He took a tentative step forward, before rushing towards the bed, jumping up. Emma curled up closer to Regina, giving Henry room to lay next to Regina, his head resting on her legs. "I'm probably going to sleep most of the time, so I don't blame you if you want to roam around the house with Granny and Auntie Ruby. But please stay with me until I fall asleep." She said, reaching for Henry's head. He licked her hand, before returning his head to her leg. She closed her eyes, as she wrapped her good arm around Emma, her body heat warming her as she quickly fell asleep.
Emma watched Regina's chest rise and fall as she slept soundly for most of the night, her hand eventually reaching out for her paw, as Emma did when she was recovering from childbirth. The full moon bathed the room with light, making Regina's skin glow.
"Hey. Are you still awake?" Regina asked, waking up slowly around three in the morning.
Emma nodded, nuzzling Regina gently.
"Henry's still here too." Regina said, shifting her leg slightly, feeling their son nuzzled up next to her. "Is he sleeping?"
Emma nodded again.
"I was so scared today, Emma. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life." Regina said suddenly, tears welling in my eyes. "I thought I was going to die. And the thought of never seeing you or the kids again, it scared me."
Emma whined slightly, nuzzling Regina's arm.
"I know. I know. I'm going to be fine. I know." Regina said, reaching to run her fingers through Emma's fur. "When I was di…when I was saying goodbye, you told me I couldn't leave you because you and Henry and Hope couldn't do it without me. You couldn't be more wrong." Regina said.
Emma whined again.
"You're stronger than you think, Emma. You all are. But you specifically, are stronger than all of us."
Emma shook her head no.
"Yes, you are, Emma. Me, Henry and Hope, we grew up in a family that accepted us. My parents explained who I was when I was young, just like we did for Henry and Hope. When our first shift came, we knew what to expect. We understood what was happening. We never had to hide who we were at home. None of us ever felt unwanted." Regina said, rolling over to face Emma, being careful not to disturb Henry. "Emma, you grew up in the dark. Your foster father tried to shoot you when you shifted for the first time. You were so scared. You had to hide who you were your entire life. You struggled. You were alone your entire life, until we met. I would never have made it if I were alone. If I didn't have Ruby and Granny, I would never have made it, and I would never have met you." Regina said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
Emma nuzzled her again. If Wolves could cry, Emma would have tears rushing down her face.
"You're the strongest person I have ever met, Emma. The things you've had to endure in your life would have destroyed me in a heartbeat, and you just kept going. And I thank the gods every day that you did, because it eventually led you to me. But my heart breaks every time I think that, because I can't imagine the amount of pain you've felt before you made it home." Regina said, her cries turning to sobs, as she continued to think of everything Emma went through to get to where they are now. "I love you so much, Emma. I love you more than anything in the world. I love you so much it hurts sometimes. I love you, and Henry and Hope so much that sometimes it feels like my heart is going to explode." Regina cried, clutching Emma as tight as she could, kissing her softly on the snout. Emma licked Regina's face, kissing away the tears, as Regina cried. She cried for Emma, and all the pain and torment she endured in her life. She cried for herself, after being attacked in the forest in front of her family. She cried for her children, who had to see her broken and bloody. She cried so hard the bed shook with her sobs, Emma whining with her, Regina clutching her tightly. She cried until the feeling of Henry's paw on her legs startled her.
"Henry?" Regina asked, as they both turned their attention to Henry, Regina wiping the tears from her face. "I thought you were sleeping. Did I wake you?"
Henry shook his head.
"Were you awake this whole time?" She asked.
Henry slowly nodded his head.
"I'm sorry you had to see me break down." Regina said, putting up her tough exterior now that she knew her son was awake.
Henry nudged as close to Regina as he could, not wanting to come between his mothers, letting Regina know he was there for her, and that it was ok to cry if she needed to. Regina instantly started crying again, the bed shaking with her sobs. Emma pressed her forehead against Regina's as best as she could, as Regina slowly cried herself back to sleep.
Henry finally closed his eyes and fell asleep, as the first signs of sunrise began to brighten the sky. Just before she fell asleep, Emma nuzzled Regina, waking her up motioning towards the window, letting her know the shift was about to happen. Regina watched as Emma's eyes closed, falling asleep just moments before the cloud of white smoke engulfed her body. The pressure on the bed shifted, as Henry and Emma returned to their Human forms. Regina reached over, cupping Emma's face, her eyes slowly opening again, green meeting brown. Emma kissed Regina's hand, before rolling off the bed slowly, covering Henry with a blanket, before climbing under the covers with Regina.
"I love you, Regina. I love you so much more than you will ever know." Emma said, her own tears falling, as she pulled Regina into a deep and passionate kiss, their tears mixing on each other's cheeks.
Emma wrapped her arms around Regina, careful not to press on the multitude of healing wounds, falling asleep again in each other's arms.
It took almost three months for the wounds to completely heal. By the time Regina started to feel the pull of the moon again, the only thing left of the attack was the fresh scars that now littered Regina's previously perfect skin, including the one on the right side of Regina's top lip, the wound never healing correctly because Regina refused to stop kissing Emma.
When the time came for her first shift after the attack, Emma could feel how nervous Regina was, her body shaking subtly as she wrapped her arms around Emma, waiting for the sun to set. No one said a word, as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, transforming everyone. When it came time for Regina's howl, it was low and shaky, her fear apparent to everyone around her.
Emma and Ruby never left Regina's side as they slowly made their way through the forest the first night, Regina's senses on high alert, shifting her head at the slightest sound, periodically panicking if she couldn't see Henry, who stayed close at all times. Emma could smell Regina's fear, as they walked through the forest slowly, never breaking into a run. Regina's heart pounded in her chest the entire night, as she pushed herself to keep going, even when her every instinct was telling her to run back to the house to hide. They finally broke into a run, once the sky started to brighten slightly when the dawn approached, Regina leading the way back to the house, running faster than she had in a long time, until she was safely back in the backyard. She was already burrowing under her blanket when the rest of the group arrived, Emma covering Henry with his blanket before joining Regina under their shared blanket, her green eyes fixed on Regina's brown. She could see the fear slowly leaving her eyes, but not leaving completely, as they slowly closed their eyes to prepare for their shift. Emma woke up a little while later, when she felt Regina shaking beside her, her body tucked into the fetal position, her arms wrapped around her knees instead of Emma like usual.
"Hey, you ok?" Emma asked, noticing that Regina was wide awake.
"Yeah, of course." Regina said. "I'm just cold."
"You know I can always tell when you're lying." Emma said, reaching to run her fingers through Regina's hair, an act she knew would relax her Wife.
"I'm scared." Regina whispered.
"I know." Emma whispered. "You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you." Emma said, moving to cup Regina's face.
"I know." Regina said, kissing Emma's hand.
"Try to get some sleep. I'll stay awake until you fall asleep." Emma said, wrapping her arms around Regina tightly, her body still in the fetal position. Emma rubbed Regina's back softly, as she watched Regina's eyes slowly close. True to her word, Emma stayed awake until she recognized the telltale signs that Regina was asleep, before slowly closing her eyes and falling fast asleep.
By the second night of Wolf's Time, Regina was a little more relaxed, eventually able to run slowly, making it farther into the forest than she had the night before. Emma stayed glued to Regina's side, while Ruby ran ahead with Henry, the young boy growing a little restless with their slow progress. Regina's eyes never left their son, as her senses remained on high alert the entire time they were in the forest. By the time they made it back to the house just before dawn, Regina seemed to relax a bit since the night before, helping Emma cover Henry before curling under their blanket. Her eyes showed less fear than the night before, and the sour smell of fear was less apparent, Regina's natural Wolf scent overpowering it, as they fell asleep staring into each other's eyes. Emma woke up again shortly after they shifted, once again finding Regina curled up in the fetal position, her arms wrapped around her knees, her body shaking from fear.
"I'm here." Emma said, wrapping her arms around Regina's body, rubbing her back for support. Once again, Emma stayed awake until Regina fell asleep again, holding her tightly as she felt her body relax against her. By the time Hope woke them up after the second night, Regina's body had relaxed against Emma's, waking up tangled with Emma, instead of the tight ball she had awoken in the previous morning.
"Follow me." Emma whispered in the final moments before their shift on the third and final night of Wolf's Time. Before Regina could answer, the sun set completely and they shifted. After Regina's customary howl, which sounded a little stronger and less fearful than the first two nights, Emma led the group slowly into the forest, being mindful of Regina's continued hesitance. She picked up speed periodically, knowing exactly where they were going.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at their clearing, Emma making her way into the center, sitting as she waited for Regina to join her under the moonlight. Ruby and Henry held back, watching as Regina slowly made her way into the clearing, joining Emma in the moonlight. Emma motioned for Regina to lay on the ground, pushing her over with her nose until she was laying on her side, Regina's heart pounding in her chest at the vulnerable position Emma was putting her in. Emma circled around and laid behind Regina, pressing her body as close as she could, draping her front leg over Regina's side, resting her head gently on Regina's neck, nuzzling her face. She closed her eyes and let out a high pitched whine, to indicate her contentment, as she snuggled close to Regina, holding her tight, as they laid together under the moonlight in their special place. The place they met and ultimately fell in love. Regina made a cooing sound, as she slowly relaxed, melting into Emma, closing her eyes slowly as she enjoyed the sweet moment with her Wife.
They laid like that for a little while, Regina's fear disappearing completely, replaced with the love that was radiating from Emma. After a while, Henry burst into the clearing, Ruby close on his heels, as he made his way over to Regina, licking her face, pawing at them to get up, ready to finally run with her mothers for the first time in months, after waiting for Regina to recover. Emma quickly climbed off Regina, as Regina shot up, knocking Henry over with her shoulder, taking off in a full run, Henry chasing after her, as she ran into the forest for the first time in three months.
They were all exhausted by the time they made it back to their blankets, falling asleep almost instantly. Emma woke up shortly after they shifted, when she felt Regina's arms wrap around her tightly, as they usually did automatically after Regina shifted. She turned her head to see Regina sound asleep, a wide smile on her face, as she slept soundly, pressed against Emma's back.
Regina was back.