Chapter 16
Five years passed in a blink of an eye, and suddenly Henry was a freshman in high school, and Hope was in Mary Margaret's fourth grade class. The Pack was growing each month, as couples started having children, each being welcomed into the Pack the first full moon after their tenth birthday, as if they were to shift. Life seemed nothing less than perfect.
"Dorothy!" Emma yelled from her chair in her office, too lazy to get up and walk to the woman's desk.
"What can I do for you, Sheriff Swan-Mills?" Dorothy asked, rushing over to Emma's office door.
"I told you, call me Emma, please." Emma laughed, watching as her newest Deputy relaxed a little. "You're on call tonight, why don't you head home early today. David and I can hold down the fort until the night dispatcher gets here."
"Are you sure?" Dorothy asked nervously, afraid this was a test.
"Absolutely. Go, enjoy your afternoon." Emma smiled, as she sat back in her chair. "Oh, before I forget. David and I might be a little late for the next couple mornings. Do you think you can handle the office alone for a little while?" Emma asked.
"Oh. Yeah. I'm sure I'll be fine." Dorothy said.
"Great. See you tomorrow!" Emma waved, as Dorothy made her way out of the station, moving towards her car.
Dorothy Gale had been working at the Storybrooke Sheriff's department for almost a month now, being the newest Deputy in the small, quiet town. She had been on a mission to find herself, and when she stumbled on the job listing for a new Deputy in Storybrooke, Maine, she thought it was too good to be true. Less than a month later, she was moving to the sleepy town, accepting the job and starting her life over.
She let herself into her small apartment, boxes still littered the corners, waiting for the motivation to unpack them, as her best friend greeted her at the door, ecstatic to see her again.
"Good afternoon boy!" Dorothy said, as she scooped Toto into her arms, kissing his little head as he licked her face, his tail wagging with excitement. "Did you have a good day?" She asked, chuckling at herself, as she kissed him one more time before placing him back on the floor. She made her way into her small kitchen, quickly setting out to make a fresh pot of coffee, just enough for two more cups before dinner.
Once the coffee was made, she sat down on her old lumpy couch, turning on her laptop, sipping her coffee as the machine booted up. Minutes later, her second cup of coffee already half finished and abandoned on the table in front of her, Dorothy began digging through the internet, searching for answers that never came. She had been searching for so long, so very long and she was nowhere closer to finding her answers.
"What am I missing?" She asked Toto, who had curled up next to her on the couch. "You know what? I give up! I guess I'm never going to know." She said, slamming the lid to her laptop, jumping up to dump the remainder of her coffee before deciding to head to the local diner for dinner. She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a noise outside.
A single Wolf howl.
Moments later more and more Wolves joined the first voice, as their voices carried all across the small town of Storybrooke, Maine.
"On second thought, Toto…" Dorothy said, as she grabbed her keys from the table. "…I think maybe my luck has just changed." She smiled, making her way out of the apartment to pick up dinner.
Across town, Regina, Emma, Ruby and Henry said goodbye to Hope, who was already counting down the days until she shifts, as they ran full speed into the forest on their first night of Wolf's Time.
The night was quiet. At least the Sheriff's Department was quiet. The forest that surrounded Storybrooke was not, filled with the sounds of Wolves until shortly before sunrise. Dorothy smiled wide as she unlocked the doors to the Storybrooke Sheriff's Station, knowing the night dispatcher leaves at three am. David made it in a little while later, looking refreshed, followed by Emma a half hour later, flopping down at her desk to rest after her extremely large breakfast.
The day seemed to fly by, and around three o'clock Emma dismissed her once again, telling her to enjoy her afternoon before resuming her on-call duties for the second night. Before she knew it, she found herself standing in front of the Mayor's office, knocking on her door. Upon receiving permission to enter, she slowly pushed the door open, making her way into the large office.
"Deputy Gale? What a pleasure to see you." Mayor Swan-Mills said, standing to greet the Deputy. "How are you adjusting to your new home?"
"Quite well, thank you, Madam Mayor" Dorothy said, taking a seat in front of Regina's desk.
"What can I do for you?" Regina asked, settling back behind her desk. "Did my Wife send you?"
"No, she let me leave early today, on account of my on-call duties tonight. I came to speak to you about a personal matter…if that's alright." Dorothy asked.
"Of course, what can I help you with?" Regina asked, looking a bit concerned.
"For the past year, I've been searching for information regarding my mother." Dorothy began to explain. "I never knew her, and was told she left shortly after I was born."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Regina commented, waiting for Dorothy to continue.
"My father died when I was twelve, and I was raised by my Aunt and Uncle in Kansas. They have both since passed, Uncle Henry two years ago, Auntie Em a year and a half ago. Since their passing, I've been searching for information about my mother, desperate to find out about this missing piece of myself. What little information I was able to find indicates that she may have lived here, in Storybrooke, maybe even growing up here." Dorothy explains.
"You came to Storybrooke looking for answers?" Regina asked.
"Yes, and no. I was originally just planning on visiting, seeing where she may have lived. But then I saw the job listing for a Deputy Sheriff, and I thought it was a sign that I should stick around here for a while. That's when I decided to move here." Dorothy said, pausing. "I don't know much more about her, but I do know one thing. I've been told she was sensitive to the moon…more specifically…the full…moon…" Dorothy said, studying Regina's face for a reaction.
"Your mother…was…a Wolf?" Regina asked, whispering.
"I think so…" Dorothy said, looking down with embarrassment. "I almost gave up the search last night, when I heard the howling after sunset. And I knew that I was in the right place." Dorothy added.
"I think you are definitely in the right place." Regina smiled, picking up her office phone, dialing a familiar number before placing the call on speaker phone. The phone only rang a few times before the caller answered.
"Hey sexy!" A familiar voice purred on the other line.
"Sheriff, you are currently on speakerphone." Regina said, blushing a deep red color.
"Oh…shit…sorry Madam Mayor. What can I do for you?" Emma said, feeling equally embarrassed.
"Are you busy?" Regina asked.
"For you, I am never busy!" Emma chuckled, as the sound of a turn signal was heard in the background.
"Could you swing by the house and pick up… the drive …and bring it to my office?" Regina asked, rolling her eyes at Emma's previous comment.
"The DRIVE drive?" Emma asked.
"Yes. The Drive." Regina answered.
"Sure. I'm out on patrol but not too far from home. I can be there in…" Emma said, doing the math in her head. "Twenty minutes or so."
"Great! We'll see you then." Regina said, hanging up the phone before Emma could embarrass them anymore. "Can I get you something to drink while we wait? Coffee? Tea?" Regina asked.
"Umm…sure. Coffee would be great." Dorothy said, as Regina poured three cups of coffee, handing one to Dorothy while setting the other two on her desk, knowing Emma would want one when she arrives.
The two entered into idle chit-chat while they waited, sipping their coffee when Emma came walking in.
"Dorothy? What are you doing here?" Emma asked, handing the small drive to Regina.
"Umm…" Dorothy stuttered, not sure if she would be in trouble for visiting her boss' Wife.
"Dorothy is here looking for information about her mother." Regina explained, plugging the drive into her computer, quickly accessing the encrypted files. "She has reason to believe she was a Wolf."
"How cool would that be!" Emma smiled, taking a sip of coffee, pulling a chair next to her Wife, innocently reaching to twirl Regina's hair between her fingers.
"What other information do you have of her?" Regina asked.
"I think her name may have been Annie…and…" Dorothy said, pausing to figure out how to say the rest. "I think I know what she looked like…as a Wolf."
"We can work with that." Regina smiled, tapping away at the keys of her computer while Emma watched, sipping her coffee. "Ok. I found fifty women in our archives with the name resembling 'Annie'. Take a look at these and see if you recognize any of these Wolves." Regina said, shifting her laptop towards Dorothy, who started scrolling.
"Her! I think that's her!" Dorothy said, pointing to a very light tan Wolf on the screen. Regina clicked on the picture, opening the file.
"Annie Williams. She lived here until she was in her late twenties, leaving the Pack suddenly, with no information. Her whereabouts were unknown after that." Regina read. "Says here, she was very close friends with Anita Lucas."
"Lucas? Like Ruby and Granny Lucas?" Emma asked.
"Yes. Anita was Ruby's mother. Perhaps Granny remembers Annie." Regina said, checking her watch. "If we leave now, maybe we can talk to Granny for a while before…"
"Before the full moon?" Dorothy asked, sensing the tension in the room. "Is…is that why I am on-call for the next two nights and last night? Because you…are a…Wolf…too?" Dorothy asked, really shaky. Regina and Emma looked at each other, as if they were trying to figure out if they should tell Dorothy the truth.
"Yes." Regina said, finally, turning her attention back to Dorothy. "We both are. We are the current Alpha and Omega of the Pack that your mother was once a part of." Regina explained.
"Oh…" Dorothy said, part shocked, part intrigued.
"Shall we head to Granny's?" Regina asked.
"Ummm…maybe another time." Dorothy said, standing from her chair, placing her coffee cup on Regina's desk. "This is a lot to process. Perhaps I could set up a time to speak to Granny another time. Tomorrow maybe?" Dorothy asked.
"Yes, of course. I'll let her know what's going on, and to expect you tomorrow." Regina said, standing to shake Dorothy's hand. "And if you have any questions, or would like to know more about our world, please, do not hesitate to ask, either of us." Regina said, motioning between herself and Emma.
"Thank you." Dorothy said, turning to leave. "See you tomorrow Sheriff." She said, before leaving Regina's office.
Dorothy's head was spinning by the time she made it back to her apartment. She had so many questions. So much she wanted to know about her mother. Eventually, she found an old notebook, scribbling down each question that popped into her mind, making sure she didn't forget anything, as she listened to the sound of the howling Wolves outside.
"Her name is Annie Williams" she whispered, as she closed her eyes, visions of a tan Wolf flooding her mind.
The following afternoon, she opened the door to Granny's diner, and was instantly greeted by the friendly woman named Ruby, whom she had spoken to a handful of times over the few weeks she had lived in Storybrooke, but never more and a word here or there.
"Hey! You're here! Good! Granny said you'd be coming this afternoon. Take a seat in the booth in the back. I'll get her." Ruby said, pointing to a booth in the very back. "Coffee?"
"Yes please!" Dorothy said, making her way towards the booth, sliding in gracefully. A few minutes later, an older woman slides into the booth across from her, followed by Ruby with three cups of coffee and a plate of fries, sliding in the booth next to Dorothy.
"So…" Dorothy says, looking down at the table. "You knew my mother?" She asks.
"I did." Granny smiles, as she takes a sip of coffee. "She was Best Friends with my daughter, Anita. Ruby's mother." She says, motioning towards Ruby seated next to her. "She left the Pack suddenly after college, when she met a man named John. She never told anyone why she left so suddenly. I suspect my daughter knew though. She took it to her grave." Granny said.
"My father's name was John." Dorothy said, trying to hold back the tears. "You don't think she left suddenly because she was pregnant with me?" Dorothy asked.
"Perhaps. The timeline would add up. Anita was already pregnant with Ruby when she left. And you two are about the same age." Granny said.
"Can you…can you tell me about her?" Dorothy asked, sipping her coffee to try to hide her emotions.
Granny started to talk about Annie Williams, the woman who had been like a daughter to her. Ruby hung on every word, eager to know more about her own mother, who had passed away when Ruby was young. Dorothy tried desperately to focus on the woman in front of her, tried to listen to the stories she was telling, but all she could focus on was the long leg that was brushing against her own under the table, the smell of coffee and French fries mixed with vanilla and lavender shampoo that wafted from the woman next to her, and the way her heart started pounding in her chest whenever Ruby caught her looking at her.
After a while, Ruby and Granny excused themselves, saying they had some preparations to make before the final night of Wolf's Time, and said goodbye to Dorothy, who slowly walked back to her apartment in a daze. It wasn't until she heard the Wolves howling did she realize that Ruby was a Wolf as well.
That night, she dreamt of a tall brunette woman, with a bright red streak in her long black hair.
After that afternoon with Ruby and Granny at the diner, Dorothy found herself frequenting the establishment more and more, stopping by at least once a day, hanging out with Ruby while she worked, chatting in-between orders when she could. She used the guise of wanting to know more about the Pack and it's dynamics as an excuse to spend time with the brunette. But in reality, Dorothy couldn't stop thinking about the woman.
"Twice in one day!" Ruby said, as Dorothy entered the diner for the second time that day, only hours after spending her lunch break there. "How did I get so lucky?" Ruby asked, her smile wide.
"I…I actually came to ask you something." Dorothy said, the confidence she felt a few moments ago disappearing.
"What's up?" She asked, filling a to-go container of coffee, sliding it across the counter towards Dorothy.
"Would you…ummm….would you like…to…maybe….have dinner….with me?" Dorothy asked, looking intently down at her shoes.
"Oh…ummm….like a…like a date?" Ruby asked.
"Ummm….yeah….." Dorothy stuttered.
"I'd love to!" Ruby said, her smile wide across her face.
"Really?" Dorothy said, her head shooting up, a smile forming across her face. "How's Friday? Around seven?"
"Sounds good to me!" Ruby smiled.
"Great!" Dorothy said, pulling a pen out of her pocket, scribbling something in a stray napkin. "Here's my number. Text me yours when you get a chance and I'll give you the details." Dorothy said, handing Ruby the napkin. "I have to get back to work."
"Yeah, of course. I'll talk to you later!" Ruby said, clutching the napkin for dear life.
By the time Dorothy made the short drive back to the Sheriff's Department, her phone was already making noise, indicating she had a new text message from an unknown number.
"Hey, it's Ruby. Here's my number." The message said. Before she could respond, a second message came through. "Is it Friday yet?"
"REGINA! EMMA!" Ruby screamed, as she stormed into their house. "Where are you? I need your help!"
"Ruby? What's the matter?" Regina and Emma screamed in unison, as they rushed out of the den over to Ruby.
"Dorothy…Me…Friday…HELP!" Ruby yelled, out of breath, unable to complete a sentence.
"I'm going to need more words." Emma laughed, once she realized Ruby wasn't in danger.
"Dorothy…asked me out…on a date…Friday…" Ruby explained, catching her breath. "Help! What do I wear? What do I say? What if I need to fart?" Ruby rambled, pacing in the entryway.
"Where is she taking you?" Regina asked, a smile forming on her face seeing her friend so excited.
"Nowhere. She's cooking dinner." Ruby said, her eyes wide with fear, as she stopped pacing.
"Oh. That's serious." Emma said, grabbing Ruby's hand, pulling her into the kitchen. "This is going to require some wine." She said, pouring three glasses of wine. "So…I'm thinking you should go with that black skirt you bought last year, the one with the red trim. Black button down shirt, Red earrings, and a matching red necklace…" Emma said, as they started to plan Ruby's date attire.
Ruby's heart was pounding in her chest, as she stood in front of Dorothy's front door, trying to gain the courage to knock. In a sudden burst of confidence, she knocked on the door, hearing a small dog bark inside at the sound. A moment later, the door swings up, revealing Dorothy, the smell of food cooking spilling into the hallway.
"Hi!" Dorothy says, stepping aside to give Ruby room to walk in. "Come on in!"
"Something smells amazing!" Ruby said, stepping into the small apartment. "Oh…I brought some wine….I hope it's alright." Ruby said, handing the bottle of wine to Dorothy.
"It's perfect, thank you." Dorothy said, moving to the small kitchen to open the wine. Toto sniffed Ruby's ankle and immediately started growling, backing away slowly. "Hey! Toto! That's rude!" Dorothy said, rushing over to scoop the small dog off the floor. "Be nice!"
"It's ok." Ruby said, taking a step away to give Toto some space.
"No, it's not. He's not usually like this." She said, as she held the small dog, who was still growling and barking at Ruby.
"It's probably…" Ruby said, staring at the floor. "He can probably smell…"
"Oh…right…" Dorothy said, without Ruby finishing her sentence.
"Dogs can sometimes smell that side of me…" Ruby said, hesitating. "He'll probably stop once he realizes I'm not a threat."
"Gotcha." Dorothy said, placing Toto back on the floor. "Dinner's ready. I hope you're hungry!" Dorothy said, smiling at Ruby again.
"Yes! I'm starving!" Ruby said, following Dorothy into the kitchen.
They sat at the small kitchen table and had dinner, laughing and joking with each other, both feeling extremely comfortable with the other, as if they had known each other all their lives. Before long, dinner was finished and the dishes loaded into the dishwasher, they found themselves sitting on the couch, drinking another glass of wine, continuing their conversation. A few minutes later, Toto jumped onto the couch next to Ruby, sniffing her hand once more, before curling up in her lap.
"Looks like someone likes you." Dorothy said, scratching Toto behind his ears.
"He must be able to sense how much I like you." Ruby said, turning a deep red, the same color as her lipstick. Dorothy was silent for a few moments, her eyes fixed on Ruby.
"Would it be weird if I said…" Dorothy started to say, suddenly feeling very shy. "…if I said I really wanted to kiss you right now?"
"Not at all…" Ruby said, smiling. "…because to be completely honest, that seems to be all I can think about since I walked through the door."
Dorothy smiled, and took the glass of wine from Ruby's hand, placing both glasses on the table in front of them before turning towards Ruby. The room was suddenly so silent they could hear each other's hearts pounding in their chest, as Dorothy slowly closed the gap between them. Ruby's breath caught in her chest when Dorothy gently pressed her lips to hers.
The feeling was incredible!
Ruby leaned forward, deepening the kiss, as she reached out to cup Dorothy's face gently. They continued to kiss for a few minutes, before Dorothy pulled away, causing Ruby to pout slightly. Without saying a word, Dorothy gently scooted Toto off Ruby's lap, replacing the small dog with her body, her legs straddling Ruby's hips. Before Ruby could comprehend this movement, Dorothy's lips were back against her own, their kiss deep and passionate, a stark contrast from their first kiss. Toto's whines for attention were ignored from both women, who were too preoccupied with each other to notice.
Three hours later, Ruby shifted slightly in Dorothy's bed, shifting the blanket and sheets that covered their naked bodies, reaching to run her fingers through Dorothy's hair.
"I literally have never done that before." Ruby says, gazing deep into Dorothy's brown eyes.
"Have sex?" Dorothy asked, part teasing, part intrigued. "Could've fooled me."
"No, not that!" Ruby laughed. "Slept with someone on the first date. I don't want you to think I'm some huge slut or something, that sleeps with people before dessert."
"I don't think that." Dorothy whispered, her voice sweet and serious.
"You're special." Ruby whispered, falling into a comfortable silence. "So…you grew up in Kansas?" Ruby asked after a few minutes, eager to learn more about the beautiful woman beside her.
"Yeah. Well since I was twelve. My father and I lived in Vermont until he died. I moved to Kansas after he died to live with my Aunt and Uncle." Dorothy explained, gazing deep into Ruby's blue eyes.
"My mom died when I was eleven." Ruby said, understanding Dorothy's sadness with losing her father. "Granny raised me after that."
"What about your father?" Dorothy asked.
"Never met him. My mother never told anyone who he was. I suspect he was a one night stand. The only thing we know for sure is that he was a Wolf, obviously." Ruby said, saying what she was for the first time.
"So…you're a…Wolf…too?" Dorothy asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah." Ruby said, studying Dorothy's face for signs she was going to bolt. "Both of your parents have to be a Wolf for you to be one too. That's how we know my father was a Wolf. And also why you're not one. Your father wasn't a Wolf. But you have Wolf blood in you, which makes you a part of our Pack…if you wanted." Ruby explained, rambling.
"I could? Even if I'm not a Wolf?" Dorothy asked.
"Yeah. Your mother was part of our Pack, which makes you part of it too. Regina and Emma made that ruling right after Henry was born. Before that it was just the four of us. And before Regina and Emma met, it was just three of us." Ruby explained.
"So the Mayor and the Sheriff, they are like, the heads of the Pack? And you're like the third?" Dorothy asked, trying to understand the rankings that Emma explained to her.
"Yeah. Regina is the Alpha, and Emma is her Omega. I'm Regina's Chosen Beta. I was her second until she met Emma. If something were to happen to them before Henry is old enough to take over, I would become the interim Alpha until Henry was old enough." Ruby explained. "But we don't talk about stuff like that. I don't want to think about losing my Best Friend."
"So…what's up with their freaky eye thing?" Dorothy asked, trying to change the subject. "I mean, it's almost like they switched eyes."
"You noticed that?" Ruby laughed.
"It's hard not to." Dorothy laughed.
"A few years ago, Regina was attacked in the forest during Wolf's Time. She almost died from blood loss." Ruby explained, remembering the day like it was yesterday. "Emma gave her some of her blood to save her. Because of her act of heroism to save her Wife's life, they basically became one. Like their soul's became one. They had a wild and intense night one night and when they woke up, their eyes changed and they have these markings on their chests. Basically to show that they are one soul now. It's all incredibly romantic." Ruby explained.
"Wow. That's intense." Dorothy said. "Must be a Wolf thing."
"It's an Alpha and Omega thing actually. Stuff like that doesn't happen to us lowly Betas." Ruby laughed.
"I would hardly call you a lowly Beta." Dorothy smiled, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on Ruby's lips. "I would say you are nothing short of extraordinary!"
"I think you're pretty extraordinary yourself." Ruby smiles. "Tell me about your mom. How did you figure out she was a Wolf?" Ruby asked after a few minutes, breaking their silence.
"I never met her, and my dad never really talked about her. But every full moon, there was a tan Wolf in the backyard. She would just stand outside in the backyard and look at the house. Sometimes she would howl. No matter what time of the year, nor what the weather was, she was always in the backyard. Even if I wasn't home, she would find me and sit outside whatever house I was in during the full moon." Dorothy explained, smiling at the pleasant memory. "When I got older, I started going outside to try to make contact with her. My father never seemed worried about it for some reason. I eventually found the courage to fully approach her, she let me pet her. After that I always went outside during the full moon to see her. And she was always there, even when my father died and I moved to Kansas, she followed me."
"That was your mom, wasn't it?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah. I know now that it was definitely her." Dorothy said, her expression suddenly changing. "She stopped coming around about a year and a half ago. I haven't seen her since. I never found out what happened to her."
"Maybe she's still alive, but just couldn't get to you." Ruby said, trying to make Dorothy feel better.
"Maybe. But I'm not getting my hopes up though." Dorothy answered, yawning suddenly.
"We should get some sleep. It's late." Ruby said, wrapping her arms around Dorothy.
"Toto needs to go for a walk before I can sleep." Dorothy sighed, moving to get up.
"Stay here. I'll take him." Ruby said, kissing Dorothy quickly before climbing out of bed.
"Thanks." Dorothy smiled. "Umm…are you going to leave after?"
"I…uhh…I…mean…I could if you want me to…" Ruby stuttered.
"I don't. I want you to stay." Dorothy said, sitting up in bed. "Only if you want."
"You have no idea how much I want to stay!" Ruby said, pulling on her clothes quickly, before leaving the bedroom to walk Toto.
Ruby stretched to find she was alone in bed, Dorothy missing and the bedroom door open. Toto was curled up at the end of the bed, sound asleep, exactly where he was when they came back from their walk hours ago. She was just about to climb out of bed to find the woman she had curled up next to hours ago, when the bedroom door opened a little more, revealing Dorothy walking back into the room.
"Good morning, Wolfie." Dorothy smiled, as she handed Ruby a fresh cup of coffee, before sitting on the bed across from her, sipping her own coffee.
"Wolfie, huh." Ruby smirked, sipping her coffee.
"Oh…sorry…" Dorothy said, embarrassment falling across her face.
"No, it's fine. I like it!" Ruby smiled. "As long as I can call you Kansas."
"I can live with that!" Dorothy smiled, moving to sit next to Ruby in bed. "Your phone was going off like crazy."
"It's probably Regina. I told her I would call her after our date." Ruby blushed. "She probably thinks I'm dead." She laughed.
"Do you want to go call her?" Dorothy asked.
"No. I told her I would call her after our date was over. The way I see it, the date is still going on." Ruby smiled.
"Well, in that case, can I interest you in some breakfast?" Dorothy smiled, climbing out of bed, making her way out of the room.
"Breakfast sounds heavenly!" Ruby said, following Dorothy out of the room.
"So…would you like to do this again next Friday? I'm on call so we can't leave town, but I could always cook again." Dorothy asked, as she walked Ruby to the door a few hours later, neither happy she was leaving.
"I can't. It's Wolf's Time." Ruby said, embarrassed.
"Oh…right…" Dorothy said.
"But, Saturday night is the last night. Maybe I could come over Sunday afternoon after the breakfast rush, and we can spend the day together." Ruby offered.
"Yes! I would like that very much!" Dorothy said, leaning in to kiss Ruby goodbye.
"It's a date!" Ruby smiled, kissing Dorothy one last time before she left the apartment, her cell phone ringing in her pocket.
"RUBY LUCAS! ARE YOU OK?" Regina screamed into the phone before Ruby had a chance to speak.
"Good morning, Regina. Yes, I am fine." Ruby smiled, as she made her way to her car.
"I've been calling and texting you for the past twelve hours! Where have you been?" Regina asked.
"I told you I would call once my date was over." Ruby said, pausing to allow Regina to catch up.
"Oh My god! Really?" Regina yelled, her tone changing instantly from anger to excitement, realizing what Ruby was telling her.
"I'm just leaving Dorothy's place now, I'll be over in a few minutes and I'll tell you everything!" Ruby said, hanging up the phone and pulling out of the parking spot, making her way to Regina and Emma's, a smile so wide her face hurt.
Six months passed in a blink of an eye. Six glorious months that turned Dorothy Gale and Ruby Lucas from strangers to lovers. Six months of pure bliss. Six months of the most pure and unadulterated love, a feeling that neither have ever felt. Six months of perfection.
"You know…" Ruby said, one night, as she held Dorothy in her arms, the light from the nearly full moon lighting the room. "I think I finally understand what Regina and Emma feel for each other. That strong and intense love they share. I finally understand it."
"What are you saying, Wolfie?" Dorothy asked, turning around in Ruby's arms.
"I love you, Kansas." Ruby whispered, her heart pounding in her chest while she waited for Dorothy's response.
"I love you too, Wolfie." Dorothy smiled, leaning in for a sweet kiss. "I thought the reason I was supposed to come to Storybrooke was because my mother grew up here. But it was really so I could meet you." Dorothy said. Even in the darkness of the room, Ruby could see her blush.
"I am so incredibly grateful that you did." Ruby said. "And to think, if things were different, we could have grown up together."
"I wonder what they would have thought, our mothers, if they knew their daughters would one day fall in Love with each other." Dorothy said, reaching to gently cup Ruby's face.
"I'd like to think they would be happy about this." Ruby laughed, leaning into Dorothy's hand.
"I think so too." Dorothy said.
"I have something to ask you." Ruby said after a few minutes.
"What's up?"
"So…Hope's first shift is next week. And we have a tradition within our Pack during a kid's first shift. Someone close to them, often a younger sibling or Best Friend, holds a mirror for them, so they can see what they look like as a Wolf." Ruby explains. "I held it for Regina during her first shift, and Hope held it for Henry during his first shift."
"Who held it for you?" Dorothy asked.
"No one, actually. I was the last pup to be born into our Pack until Henry, so there wasn't any member of our Pack that didn't shift. We just kinda propped it up against a chair for me to see." Ruby explained.
"I'm sorry, Wolfie." Dorothy said, reaching for Ruby's hand.
"No, it's cool. I didn't care. Regina was there with me when I shifted and so was Granny, and that's all that mattered to me." Ruby said, making sure Dorothy knew she wasn't upset about not having anyone hold the mirror for her. "So, Hope called me this afternoon. She specifically asked me if I would ask you if you would be the one to hold the mirror for her next week. She would have asked you herself, but she didn't have your phone number."
"Really? She asked for me specifically?" Dorothy asked, shocked that the young girl asked for her.
"Yeah. She really likes you." Ruby said, running her fingers through Dorothy's hair. "She said she would totally understand if you said no. There's going to be a lot of Wolves there, and she understands if you don't feel comfortable being around so many Wolves.
"She's a good kid. I would be honored to be there for her!" Dorothy said, a wide smile on her face.
"There's something else though." Ruby said, her demeanor changing suddenly. "I'm going to be there too…and…I'm going to…" Ruby said, trailing off at the end.
"You're going to shift too." Dorothy said, finishing Ruby's thought.
"Yeah…" Ruby said, her voice small. "We never really talked about you seeing that part of me. I don't want to freak you out."
"I can't wait to see that side of you." Dorothy smiled. "Can you talk when you're a Wolf?" Dorothy asked suddenly.
"No. But I can still understand you. So I can communicate a little." Ruby explained.
"Good!" Dorothy said, pulling Ruby in for a deep kiss. "I can't wait!"
Suddenly, it was the night before Hope's first shift, and it seemed like everyone else was nervous, except the soon to be newly shifted Wolf. Hope was beyond excited, running around the house practicing her howling, hoping to find her voice sooner than her Big Brother, which took almost six months before he uttered his first howl.
Emma had been putting off having the "Wolf talk" with Hope for a while, but time was up and Hope was less than twenty-four hours away from her first shift. It was time to explain things to her. As she quietly made her way up the stairs, she heard Hope knock on Henry's bedroom door.
"Henry? Can I come in?" Hope asked, popping her head in her Big Brother's bedroom.
"Of course." Henry said. Emma watched as Hope walked into Henry's room, closing the door a little, leaving it open a crack. Enough for Emma to hear what they were talking about without being seen. "What's up?"
"Can I ask you something?" Hope asked, suddenly sounding shy and nervous.
"You can ask me anything!" Henry said, turning his attention to his sister, who flopped down on his bed.
"What does it mean that I'm an Omega?" Hope asked, her voice sounding really low. "I heard Mama tell someone recently that I'm an Omega like she is. But I don't know what that means." Hope said. Just then, Regina came walking up the stairs, searching for her family, finding Emma perched outside their son's room, listening.
"Shhhh…." She whispered, pointing at the door, waving Regina over to listen with her. "Hope just asked Henry what it means that she's an Omega." Emma said quietly.
"Emma. You were supposed to talk to her about this." Regina said, a little disappointed.
"I know I know. I put it off too long. She went to Henry on her own though." Emma whispered. "I'll jump in if he needs help." Emma added, turning her attention back to Henry and Hope.
"Oh…shouldn't you ask Mama about that?" Henry said, a little embarrassed.
"Yeah…but I would rather talk to you about it…especially if it's something gross…" Hope said, trailing off.
"Something like sex?" Henry whispered. Hope just nodded, her face turning red. "It's ok. We don't have to talk about that just yet. Mommy talked to me about all that already, but when I as your age she skipped the sex parts." Henry laughed.
"So it's not about sex?" Hope asked.
"Well, yeah it is a little. But there's more to it. Stuff like destiny and love and stuff." Henry said, starting to explain.
"Love and stuff?" Hope asked.
"Yeah. Well ok. So you know how there are Alpha and Beta and Omega Wolves right?" Henry asked.
"Yeah. I know that stuff. Auntie Ruby is a Beta. But I don't know much about Alphas and Omegas though." Hope said.
"Well basically, when you are an Alpha or an Omega, you can only be with one specific person. Like you can only have babies with this one other person. Someone that is like destined to be with you." Henry said, trying to explain things.
"Wait." Hope said, trying to wrap her head around the situation. "You're saying there is someone out there that's destined to be with me?"
"Yeah. There's one Alpha that was born to be with you, and only you. And they are out there, just waiting to meet you." Henry said, seeing the slight excitement in her face.
"That's kinda cool." Hope said. "So wait, what kind of Wolf are you?"
"I'm an Alpha." Henry said, sitting up straighter, a big smile on his face.
"So there's someone destined to be with you too?" Hope asked, more excitement on her face.
"Yeah!" Henry said. Emma and Regina listened as their children grew more and more excited about their destined partners.
"I wonder who they are." Hope said, a dreamy look on her face. "Wait! Mama said I was an Omega, just like her. If she's an Omega, does that mean the Mommy is an Alpha?" Hope asked, connecting the dots of their family.
"Yeah! Mommy is an Alpha. She's like the head of the Pack, and I guess so is Mama. They are like the King and Queen of our Pack. Or, well…I guess like the Queen and Queen of our Pack. Mommy said one day I'll take over as the head of the Pack because I'm an Alpha like her." Henry explained. Regina reached for Emma's hand, lacing their fingers together.
"That's so cool!" Hope exclaimed.
"It kinda is!" Henry smiled. "So. Are you nervous for tomorrow? I was so nervous the night before my first shift."
"Not really. More excited actually." Hope said.
"Oh! We should totally go see the place where Mama and Mommy met. It's in the forest!" Henry said. "You have to ask them to tell you the story of how they met. It's really sweet. A little sappy, but really sweet."
"Cool! I'm going to go ask them now!" Hope said, jumping off Henry's bed. "Thanks for answering my questions." She said, before rushing out. Emma and Regina barely made it out of sight before Hope came rushing out of Henry's room, searching for her parents, eager to hear the story of how they met.
Henry seemed to be the only person who was able to sleep that night, even though he would admit he was also pretty excited for his sister's first shift. By the time three o'clock rolled around, Emma couldn't focus any longer, deciding it was better to leave work than sit around staring at the clock. She and Dorothy walked out together, leaving David to man the phones until the night dispatcher came in.
Hope was beyond excited when Emma picked her up at school, unable to sit still as she helped Granny cook dinner, announcing every thirty minutes that they were closer to "go time". She rushed everyone through dinner, and promptly ran upstairs to change into her new dress that she picked out especially for her welcoming ceremony.
By the time the sky started to light up with the amber tones of sunset, Hope was standing in front of her parents outside in the backyard, under the very same tree they were married beneath. She was surrounded by everyone she loved as she waited to be officially welcomed into the Pack. Granny and Henry stood off to the side, Granny already sniffling. Ruby and Dorothy stood closer, Ruby ready to step in if Regina or Emma became too emotional to finish the ceremony, Dorothy's arm held tightly around her waist.
"Today, is a day we have been both excited for and dreading for the last ten years. Today we welcome our youngest child, our beautiful daughter, Hope, into our Pack. It seems like only yesterday that we found out Emma was pregnant, and suddenly, she's ten years old, ready to become a Wolf for the first time. Time is moving far too fast." Regina said, tears already forming in her eyes, as Emma poured the wine into the sacred goblet. "Hope Ruby Swan-Mills, today we invite you to join our Pack. Will you accept our invitation?" Regina asked, her voice laced with emotions.
"Yes! Yes! Yes I accept!" Hope answered, practically bouncing up and down.
"I, Regina Swan-Mills…" Regina said, holding the goblet up, tears instantly falling from eyes.
"I, Emma Swan-Mills…" Emma said, reaching out to hold the other side of the goblet, her other hand reaching for Regina's, lacing their fingers for support, tears streaming down her face as well.
"Officially welcome you to our Pack." They said in unison, as they handed the goblet to Hope.
Hope took a sip from the goblet, trying so hard to not make a face at the taste of the wine, before handing the goblet back to Emma. Emma took a sip, handing the goblet to Regina, wiping the tears from Regina's face as she took a sip herself. Ruby was instantly at her side, taking the goblet from Regina's hand, knowing her Best Friend was too emotional to hold it any longer.
"Welcome, Princess!" Emma whispered, as they pulled Hope into their arms, as they had done for Henry five years prior, their tears falling into Hope's hair.
"Don't cry Mama! Don't cry Mommy!" Hope whispered into their ears. "We're going to have so much fun!" Emma and Regina laughed, as they pulled apart from their hug.
"We still have some time. Dorothy, would you like to be welcomed into the Pack as well?" Regina asked, wiping her tears from her face.
"What? I? What?" Dorothy asked, shocked at this opportunity. "But I'm not…"
"Your mother was a member of this Pack, which qualifies you to become a member as well." Regina explained.
"Yeah! Come on Auntie Dorothy! Join our family!" Hope yelled, grabbing Dorothy's hand and dragging her towards Regina and Emma.
"Oh. Ok. Sure." Dorothy said. She had secretly thought about joining her mother's Pack for a long time, but never voiced her desire, afraid it would freak Ruby out. But, by the look on her face, there was nothing to be worried about. Ruby looked thrilled to have Dorothy in her Pack.
"Today, we welcome another sister to our Pack. Dorothy Gale, your mother was once a member of this family. Wolf blood runs through your veins, which makes you just as much of a Wolf as we are." Regina said, as Emma poured a little more wine in the goblet. "Dorothy Gale, today we invite you to join our Pack. Will you accept our invitation?" Regina asked.
"Yes. I accept." Dorothy said, a smile forming on her face.
"I, Regina Swan-Mills…" Regina said, holding the goblet in front of her.
"I, Emma Swan-Mills…" Emma said, as she reached out to grab the other side of the goblet. Before they could finish, Regina reached out for Ruby, grabbing her hand, bringing her to stand next to Regina, moving her hand to the goblet.
"What?" Ruby asked, confusion on her face.
"You know what to do." Regina smiled, nodding as Ruby suddenly realized what she was saying.
"I, Ruby Lucas…" Ruby said, as tears filled her eyes.
"Officially welcome you to our Pack." All three said in unison, as they handed the goblet to Dorothy. Dorothy took a sip, handing the goblet to Ruby, who immediately took a sip, passing it to Emma. Emma quickly took a sip and handed it to Regina, taking a sip, before pulling Emma back a step, leaving Ruby and Dorothy to have a moment together. Ruby's arms were instantly around Dorothy's neck, pulling her in for a kiss, despite the gagging sound of the kids behind them.
"Welcome home." Ruby whispered, as tears streamed down both their faces. "I have to go get ready." Ruby said after a few minutes, the sun dipping farther down in the sky.
Twenty minutes later, they were all gathered outside, blankets wrapped around themselves, watching the sun disappear behind the horizon.
"We'll be right here." Emma whispered to Hope, moments before the sun fully set.
Dorothy stepped back and watched as smoke engulfed the six other people in the backyard, transforming them into Wolves in front of her eyes. Regina and Emma quickly shed their blanket, rushing over to Hope, helping to pull the blanket off her back. Before them stood a small light grey Wolf, Hope's green eyes looking back at them. Regina and Emma quickly stood on either side of her, supporting her as she adjusted to having four legs.
Hope wasted no time in taking her first steps as a Wolf, finding her coordination faster than anyone expected, slowly walking away from her parents' support. Ruby stayed hidden under her blanket, not quite ready to emerge.
"Hope." Dorothy said, drawing the young girl's attention behind her. "Come look!" She smiled, holding the large mirror up for the girl to see.
Hope slowly approached the mirror, seeing herself as a Wolf for the first time. She yipped when she saw herself, jumping up with excitement, as her family surrounded her, sharing the same excitement that she had.
"Let me get a picture of you guys!" Dorothy said, pulling her phone out of her pocket. The four of them stood together, Emma and Regina on either side, with Henry and Hope in the middle, smiling as wide as their Wolf faces allowed. Dorothy snapped a few pictures of them, eventually encouraging Granny and Ruby to join them. Granny trotted over, joining on Regina's side, while Ruby shook her head, still hiding under the blanket.
Once the pictures were taken, Hope looked towards the forest, jumping up and down, clearly eager to start her first night in the forest. Regina nudged Ruby, encouraging her to come out and join them, Ruby simply motioning for them to go without her, knowing she would catch up with them. Stepping away from her Best Friend and making her way back to her family, Regina lifted her head high in the air, letting out a loud and powerful howl. Emma was the first to join her, followed by Granny, Henry, and even Ruby under her blanket, before they took off towards the forest, taking it slow as Hope still tripped over her feet.
"Wolfie?" Dorothy said, once the backyard was empty, reaching out to place her hand gently on Ruby's back. "Wolfie, come out."
Ruby shook her head, her body trembling under Dorothy's hand slightly.
"Hey, I can leave if you want. So you can join the rest." Dorothy said.
Ruby shook her head again, shifting to sit in front of Dorothy.
"Can I move the blanket?" Dorothy asked after a few moments.
Ruby nodded her head slowly. Dorothy reached up and slowly started pulling the blanket off Ruby's face, her body trembling slightly, as the blanket fell from her head, revealing the Red Wolf beneath it, Ruby's blue eyes staring back at her.
"Hey." Dorothy whispered, slowly reaching out to touch Ruby's face. "God. You're so beautiful." She whispered, trying to hold back tears.
Ruby nuzzled her face against Dorothy's neck.
"Thank you for letting me see you." Dorothy said, placing a soft kiss on Ruby's fur. "Go. Catch up with the others. Be there with Hope for her first Wolf's Night." She said, pulling the rest of the blanket off Ruby's back.
Ruby licked Dorothy's hand gently, before turning around to start walking into the forest.
"Wait!" Dorothy yelled, grabbing Ruby's attention. "Can I take a picture of you?"
Ruby nodded and made her way back to Dorothy. Her hands were shaking as she pulled her phone out again, taking a couple fast pictures of Ruby, sitting up tall in front of her, her eyes shining in the moonlight. When Dorothy put her phone down, Ruby got up and sat next to Dorothy, nudging Dorothy's arm with her paw.
"Selfie?" Dorothy asked, as Ruby nodded her head quickly. Dorothy laughed, as she raised her phone in front of them, wrapping her arm around Ruby's neck, snapping a few pictures of the two of them. "Go have fun. I'll text you tomorrow." Dorothy said.
Ruby nudged her once more, before making her way towards the forest again.
"Hey Wolfie!" Dorothy yelled again. "I love you!"
Ruby stopped in her tracks, rushing over to Dorothy, pouncing on the seated woman so hard she knocked her onto her back, licking her face frantically, showing Dorothy how much she loved her back.
"Get out of here, weirdo!" Dorothy laughed, as Ruby jumped off her. She howled loudly, before running full speed, disappearing into the forest to catch up with the others.
By the time Ruby caught up with the rest of the group, they were almost halfway to the clearing in the middle of the forest, as per Hope's request. Regina and Emma stayed close to Hope, as she quickly became more comfortable on her new legs, Henry leading the way. Ruby walked close to Granny, enjoying the time she gets to spend with her grandmother as a Wolf, since the older woman long ago decided her days of running in the forest were over.
When they finally made it to the clearing, Henry started running around, eager to stretch his legs as Hope tried to catch up, stumbling and falling occasionally, jumping right back up, eager to get the hang of being a Wolf.
"She's a natural." Emma thought, looking at Regina, pride in her eyes.
"She really is. She's going to be chasing Henry and hunting squirrels in no time!" Regina thought, nuzzling Emma, as they watched their children play in the clearing.
Hope was pouncing on Henry playfully, when the sky began to brighten slightly, indicating the upcoming sunrise. Henry once again led the way back home, racing Hope, who had begun to learn how to move faster and longer without falling. She was exhausted when they made it home, as Henry had been on his first night, and was asleep before she could crawl under her blanket. Emma covered her daughter with her blanket while Regina made sure Henry was tucked away, before they curled up together. Regina looked around at her family, all already fast asleep under their blankets, before turning her attention back to her Wife, who was struggling to keep her eyes open.
"Good night, My Love." Regina thought, nuzzling Emma's face, licking her sweetly.
"Good night. I love you." Emma thought, returning the affection with sweet licks on Regina's face, snuggling as close as she could to Regina, resting her head next to Regina's, as both their eyes closed on their own.
"That was SO FUN!" Hope declared, as she sat up under her blanket, her blonde hair wild from her night in the forest.
"Shhh…not so loud kid!" Ruby said, pulling the blanket over her head.
"Is it always that awesome?" Hope asked, ignoring Ruby's request.
"Pretty much!" Henry said, sitting up next to his sister.
"I'm starving!" Hope yelled, crawling over to her parents, shaking Regina, who was desperately hoping for a few more minutes of sleep.
"Ok, Princess. Let's get going. Everyone needs to shower and get ready then we can go for breakfast." Regina said, shifting under the blanket, helping Emma up while making sure their blanket stays tight around them, as they all made their way into the house, bidding Ruby and Granny farewell as they all made their way upstairs.
An hour later, they were at the diner, eating their massive breakfasts, while Hope talked a mile a minute about her amazing first shift. Ruby absentmindedly pulled her phone out of her back pocket when she felt it vibrate, smiling so wide once she read the message.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Emma asked, as Ruby typed quickly.
"It's Dorothy." She smiled, flashing her phone for Emma and Regina to see. On the screen was a picture of Dorothy, her arm around the Red Wolf, a smile so wide it almost didn't fit on her face.
"So you did let her see you last night." Emma said, poking fun at Ruby. "And I take it everything went well with that?"
"Very well!" Ruby said. "She said I was beautiful." Ruby blushed, flipping through the other pictures Dorothy had sent.
"She's right." Regina said.
"Regina Swan-Mills! Your Wife is right there! Stop flirting with me!" Ruby laughed, tucking her phone back into her pocket.
"I'm ok with it!" Emma laughed. "I totally agree, by the way."
"You both need to stop." Ruby laughed, her face turning as bright as the red streak in her hair.
"In all seriousness, we're happy for you. Really happy for you." Emma said, reaching for Regina's hand under the counter. "You deserve nothing but the best of the best."
"She gets our seal of approval." Regina said, raising her coffee cup towards Ruby.
"Shut up!" Ruby said, clanking her own cup against Regina's. "And thank you."
A/N: Hope's first shift! Our little girl is growing up so fast!