Chapter Eight

Wolf Hunt

A/AN: I also wanted to mention to reply to a review that Kiri posted. Rumple can sense the Lycan, but he can't turn. Sorry Morena! XD Morena Rumple does crazy things sometimes, but Belle brings him great comfort, and he can't imagine leaving her behind period. He assumes she'll do as she's told, but we see how that went. Buckle up and prepare for some bumpy moments!

Rumplestiltskin tossed and turned in his sleep tremulously. He couldn't sleep with so much guilt settled on his heart. He threw off the covers quietly as not to disturb his son in the adjoining bed. He grabbed his breeches and pulled them on, along with his blue tunic. He lit a small candle and made his way out into the darkened hallway. He knew it was in the dead of night. He felt horrible about waking Belle, but he needed to make things right between them, especially since he didn't know if he would be returning after tomorrow night's mission. He swallowed back his pride, lightly knocking on the door. He awaited a moment but got no answer, so he decided to knock a bit heavier this time. He became frustrated when he got the same response, pushing the door open.

"Belle?" he called into the darkness. He became concerned when he heard no response. He made his way over to the bed to discover that it was empty with a tome laid across the pillow. He picked it up feeling panic begin to swell in his chest when he noticed it was the book about the Lycanthrope, she'd been reading in the carriage. He swallowed back the bile in his throat as he skimmed over the paragraph about ways to kill them.

"What have you done Belle!?" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed to the full moon pooling silvery light into the small room. He tossed the book aside rushing back to his room to grab his things. He had to find Belle before it did. He fastened his leather belt around his waist with his silver dagger sheathed by his side. He kissed his son's brow gently, pushing a mop of curls from his eyes. The boy stirred slightly in his sleep, and Rumplestiltskin sighed realizing this may be the last time he ever gazed upon his son.

"I love you Bae." he whispered softly to the snoozing boy. He gathered the rest of his belongings glancing back at the boy briefly, fearing he would never see him again. He took a deep breath before making his way out of the inn and into the forest, praying he found Belle before the wolf did.

~X~

Belle and Ruby settled in the hollow, keeping watch for the wolf if it decided to come by. Belle studied the thick darkness of the forest sharpening her gaze to see if she could see anything. Ruby huddled on the opposite side of her pulling the red adjoining hood from her cloak around her head tighter.

"Why are you wearing that?" Belle whispered to the girl who's eyes glowed in the moonlight.

"Granny says I'm always to wear it when I go out at night. She said it was enchanted and will protect me." Ruby explained giving her a small smile.

"From the wolf?" Belle inquired wrinkling her nose as she loaded the bow with a silver tipped arrow, ready in place to fire from a distance. The hollow had been the perfect place to hide to keep them safe from the wolf's eyes unless it sniffed them out first, and Belle didn't even want to think about that prospect.

"I'm not sure but it makes me feel secure. Granny is the only family I've ever known. My parents died when I was very young." Ruby revealed in a melancholy tone.

"I'm sorry to hear that…My parents are both dead too you know. There's no one left in this world that loves me." Belle imparted, a hollowness in her voice that she felt with her heart.

"My condolences." Ruby said softly, refusing to push the topic further.

"Thank you for journeying out here with me. You didn't have to come out here you know." Belle added meeting her gaze.

"I know but I wanted to help and besides I'm safer out here with you than I would be if Granny knew I'd stolen her arrows. She's scarier than any old lycan." Ruby chortled lightly.

"I really want to meet her." Belle replied with a serene smile.

"She would like you…She says I need friends who will be a good influence on me." Ruby said returning her smile.

"I highly doubt she would approve of you staking out a Lycan with me." Belle remarked with a heaviness in her voice.

"You're going to be a hero Belle and that's going to be something everyone in Elameth will approve of, especially the king." Ruby assured her, making Belle's heart beat quicken at the mention of her master. She wondered if she would ever see him again, but he had saved her once and now she must repay her debt.

"You know I still hardly know a thing about him…He saved my life and has treated me with nothing but kindness since he brought me to Albanaach but sometimes he can be cold and calculating. He's did nothing but push me away since we got here." Belle sighed averting her gaze to the dense dark forest.

"Maybe he doesn't know what to do with you." Ruby retorted causing Belle to face the red hooded girl skeptically.

"What do you mean?" Belle questioned with a wrinkle in her nose.

"You're really beautiful Belle and beautiful women can make men feel perturbed. Perhaps he has feelings for you that he's trying to sort through? Maybe you frustrate him? He hasn't had an easy life you know." Ruby supplied causing Belle's curiosity to swell.

"What kind of life has he had?" Belle inquired intrigued by her master's hidden secrets.

"Granny lived under the reign of his father Malcom, a selfish villainous king who drank too much ale and sent people to the stocks for his amusement. Rumplestiltskin was his only heir after many failed pregnancies. Granny said he was a sickly child for most of life. His mother died of the pestilence when he was just a boy and his father died of alcohol poisoning before he was twenty. He became king at the age of nineteen with many burdens to bear from his father's failed reign. It took him many years to get Albannach back in working order." Ruby imparted filling Belle's heart with grief.

"I had no idea he'd endured such pain." Belle almost whispered feeling the heaviness of Ruby's words.

"Yeah and to top it off his wife left him when his son was just two years old. They said she was a fair princess from a northern kingdom called Croiwen. Her father made her marry him to secure an alliance, but apparently she was in love with a pirate captain. She ran away with him and hasn't been seen since." She expounded causing Belle's heart to break even more for her master.

"Did you hear that?" Ruby whispered lowly, perking her ears up attuned with the nighttime sounds.

Belle concentrated hard as she heard the sounds of twigs breaking. She felt her heart begin to strum in her ears when she noticed a lupine like creature emerge from the shadows. The beast was at least nine feet in diameter. It sniffed around the grass its gaze narrowing at the hollow in the tree. Belle dared not to breathe as she readied her bow, aiming straight for the creature's heart. She pulled back and let the arrow fly. She heard a loud whimper and an angry growl. She felt her heart drop in her chest once she noticed the arrow pierced it's leg. She quickly readied another arrow, emerging from the hollow. The wolf glared at her with it's lunarian gaze. It began to growl lowly limping slowly toward her. Belle stepped back, ready to dispatch another arrow.

"Do the brave thing and bravery will follow." Belle recited the mantra over and over in her head trying to steady her nerves, the lycan's eyes boring into her. She was about to launch another arrow until she heard commotion coming from the trees. The lycan averted its gaze from her to the disruption. She was surprised to see an enraged Rumplestiltskin emerge from the undergrowth glaring at the beast.

"Let her be! I'm what you came for dearie!" Rumplestiltskin taunted holding a silver dagger that glimmered in the moonlight. The lycan studied his face and growled ferociously at him before leaping into the air.

"RUMPLE NO!" Belle shouted as the arrow left her fingertips simultaneously. She watched the wolf attempt to pin him down until she heard a loud whimper. She ran to his aid noticing the arrow had pierced it's left side, paralyzing it. The wolf moved away from Rumplestiltskin who laid on the ground in a heap. She pulled his head into her lap. He stared at her through his half lidded gaze.

"Belle…" he respired, reaching up to brush chestnut curls out of her face. He grimaced in pain and that's when she noticed his leg was bleeding.

"Hang on Rumple…It's going to be okay." Belle assured him, touching his brow lightly. She felt her breath hitch in her throat again once she noticed the wolf emerge from the shadows angrier than ever and ready to pounce. She shielded Rumplestiltskin with her body ready to make her sacrifice until she heard a loud whining sound. She opened her eyes in utter shock to see another wolf had emerged who was pinning the one she'd shot down. She felt her stomach lurch when the opposing wolf ripped out its jugular, giving it no chance to scream. The new wolf met her gaze with a very familiar pair of eyes.

"Ruby…" Belle whispered knowingly as the wolf prodded over to them quietly. She stared into its big yellow eyes, immobilized by fear, but the lycan just stared at her intently before turning in the other direction, dashing off into the forest.

Belle had no time to contemplate Ruby's Lycan genes. She had to get Rumplestiltskin back to the village and quick. He was bleeding badly.

"Rumple you need to try and stand up. I've got to get you some help." Belle instructed trying to help him up. He hissed in pain.

"I can't walk." he grimaced pointing to his torn ligament.

"Then I guess I'll have to carry you then…Get on my back." Belle commanded slumping down so he could climb on.

"You can't be serious…You can't carry me…I'm too heavy." Rumplestiltskin attempted to protest, but Belle shook her head fiercely.

"I'm used to a man's work now get on before I make you." she threatened lowly. He sighed climbing onto her back feeling more foolish than ever. He expected her to crumble under his weight at any moment but it never happened as she carried him a quarter of a mile back to the village. Belle felt her lungs burning with every step, but she trekked on until she seen the tavern still illuminated for the late night travelers.

"We're here…" Belle huffed depositing him gently on the ground.

"Thank you." Rumplestiltskin respired weakly feeling amazed by the feats of his beautiful servant.

"I'll be right back…I'm going to get help." Belle assured him as she made her way into the tavern.

Rumplestiltskin tried to focus as his eyesight began to blur. He couldn't pass out. He had to stay awake. He felt the world begin to fade around him as several strong arms lifted him into the air. The last thing he heard was her calling out to him in the distance with so much longing in her voice. He wanted to call back but the words wouldn't come as he drifted into unconscious.

A/AN: Well I hope you enjoyed that update! I'm really excited about the turn this tale is taking. Please review and tell me what you think! The next chapter will hold some pretty intense Rumbelle moments that might just take a turn in their relationship. Will it be good or bad! You'll just have to wait and see…;)