Having found only a small bit of information on the White Wolf prophecy from the books she already had on hand, Belle decided to spend the next day going through the books she had taken from Rumple's shop after he had disappeared. As it was almost the scheduled time for the library to close, and given that there had only been three people besides herself that had come in that day, Belle decided that closing a few minutes early would be unlikely to bother anyone.
Gathering her things and locking the library door behind her, Belle began thinking over the discussion she wanted to have with Ruby that night. It was a shock to consider how much things had changed in only two days, and there were many things she knew they would need to talk about, just them.
She and Ruby had been having the same fight for months, always around wolfs time. Ruby, although she never said anything, was still scared of hurting Belle. With what had happened with Peter, she would always fear losing control like that again with someone she loved, and so Ruby had continued to refuse to allow Belle to see her in wolf form. She had also refused to discuss Belle's desire to become a wolf, too.
Ruby had only spoken to her once on the topic, saying that being a wolf was a curse and she would not turn Belle into a monster as well. From Ruby's perspective, she was protecting Belle. But to Belle, she was being denied a choice she felt was hers to make. Although the two were and are very different, she could not help but draw a parallel between Ruby and Rumplestiltskin on the issue of protecting her from their curse.
When she had voiced that thought during their last fight, Belle had immediately felt guilty. She knew they were nothing alike, and that Ruby had real and justifiable concerns. Ruby had left the apartment they share without allowing Belle to apologize, and they had yet to have time alone to talk and make up after that fight.
When Ruby had called in tears the previous morning to tell her that she had accidentally bitten Emma, she had felt jealous in a way she had never known before, hurt that Ruby bitten someone, and worried about Emma. Was she hurt? Angry? What would happen with Ruby and Emma now?
Although it was another thing that had never been discussed between them, Belle knew that Ruby longed to run with others of her kind. She was an Alpha wolf without a pack and had been forced to be a lone wolf for almost all of her life. Aside from a singular run with her mother's pack, she was alone aside from Granny. She was the only one of her kind in this land, and in their previous one she had never run into another wolf. Wolves were very social creatures, and to be alone like that would have been torturous to even the strongest wolf.
Belle could not help but worry about what that would mean for their relationship, having another wolf around, especially one like Emma. She had been positive that she had True Love with Rumple, but that had been an illusion and several curses and spells. Having been with Ruby for a year, she now knew the very obvious difference between what Rumple had shown her and what she had with Ruby. But Ruby now had someone that could be something to her that she refused to allow Belle to ever be.
She had gone to the diner at Ruby's insistence so that she could be part of the discussions that would be had regarding Emma's transformation, and so she could learn what her best friend would be going through. But upon seeing Emma waiting at the counter and offering her the same easy smile she always had, Belle knew that things would turn out alright in the end, that there was nothing to worry about.
When she had caught the blondes familiar scent, she had noted that it smelled better than usual to her. When Emma had given Belle her jacket, she had a desire to wrap herself in it, much the same way she did with Ruby's cloak. She had not noticed the intoxicated man who had sat next to her in Emma's seat until he had started speaking to her. And when he had begun to lean over into her space, placing his hand on her leg, she had frozen. It had brought back too many recovered memories of Rumple with a similar glint in his eyes. She had taken the lessons on how to defend herself from Emma and Mulan; and she knew how to escape situations like these, but in that moment, she had simply frozen. Emma had saved her and she had gotten herself a very large, strong drink as soon as she had been alone. Emma's jacket had been her only true comfort after the altercation.
When they had all been filled in on the prophesy and Emma had defended Belle's right to make the choice for herself, she was worried about how Ruby would react. Seeing the start of Ruby's mating to Emma and the way that the tension had left Ruby's body when Emma had pinned her, made Belle wonder if her girlfriend had just needed to know that she would still be loved if she gave into Belle's wishes. Perhaps Ruby had been scared that the town, her friends, and even Belle, herself, would reject her for changing her.
Belle's encounter with Emma that morning had left her feeling content in a way she had never experienced. She hadn't been shy with Emma the way she had with Ruby, and although she knew that Emma had kept her safety in mind, Emma hadn't held back with her. It was freeing, both in her openness and in Emma's. When Ruby had come up to get them, it had taken all her restraint to not simply lock the door and drag them both back to bed.
The scene with Snow had raised a few questions for Belle. Namely: why had Snow reacted so strongly regarding Emma and Ruby being together? As she thought back over those moments, Belle realized that it had looked almost like jealousy. Not that she could blame Snow for being attracted to Ruby, she was a gorgeous woman. But also why did Snow become so upset that Ruby and Emma were together, but had ignored Belle's part in the relationship? Was she really jealous over her own daughter? Or did she not think Ruby was enough for her princess?
Lastly, Belle knew that she and Ruby very much needed to talk about the move. They had all been very close friends before they had formed the initial mating bonds, each having hinted at feelings that were more than friendship to the other on occasion. She knew that her bond with both Ruby and Emma was incomplete, if the wave from the previous night was anything to go by. She was looking forward to completing their bond, but there would need to be a bit more forethought for the safety and peace of mind of the town. How would they all work together in one home?
When Emma had texted her earlier that the meeting was for 6pm and she would be back at the inn by 8pm, as promised, Belle began wondering if Ruby had taken the time to really think over everything that had happened. Belle knew that when everything hit Ruby, it would go one of two ways. She would either be beyond happy with everything, so excited she would be wagging her tail if she had it at the time, or her anxieties and guilt would go through the roof, leaving her a mess of anxiety and depression. If only Belle could be sure which one it would be. It seemed that she still had quite a bit to learn about each of her mates, and this time she would be getting just what she wanted.
Despite the diner being packed full of people wanting to eat before the town meeting, Ruby was still preoccupied with the coming discussion with Belle that night. Emma had texted her earlier to let her know that they wouldn't be explaining what exactly had caused the wave, aside from Emma's magic, and that she would be home by 8pm.
They had all agreed that though they were not ashamed of their new relationship, they didn't feel that the town had any need to comment on their new relationship. Or the fact that Emma was becoming a werewolf, as was Belle. It was private, part of their lives they didn't need to share with everyone, just yet. And it was also likely to result in another mob, like after the curse had just broken, and no one wanted to see that happen again.
Thinking back over the past two days, Ruby began to realize just how much everything had changed for both her and those she cared about. It was everything she had always secretly wanted, but everything she had feared as well.
Since the moment she had met the blonde, Ruby had been attracted to her. Before the curse had broken, she had never taken things further than flirting out of respect for their blooming friendship. When the curse had broken, and Emma had found her family, Ruby had missed the sheriff incredibly, and had spent as much time as possible trying to occupy herself at the diner.
Ruby and Belle had been up and down in their interactions when she was still Rumplestiltskin. And when they had finally gotten her away from the bastard, Ruby had been beyond happy. It came out that they were True Loves and they had both jumped head-first into their relationship. She had still felt deeply for Emma, but had pushed aside her attraction and focused on their friendship because Ruby had Belle.
When Belle and Emma had become close, Ruby had been ecstatic as she knew just how much a friendship with Emma could mean to someone. The blonde gave everything she had for those she cared about, not holding back any part of her trust. It was what they had all needed after the way their lives had been.
The fights with Belle about becoming a wolf and seeing her transform had Ruby panicking. She thought that she was about to lose someone she loved for the second time in her life because of her wolf. If she refused, Belle could leave her; but, if she gave in, to either request, Belle could die. So, Ruby had run to the Rabbit Hole to drink and try to calm her panicked thoughts as she had so often done in the past.
When she had sobered enough to realize that she had bitten Emma, Ruby was crushed. She had just sentenced the only person she loved, aside from Belle, to the life of a monster like her. But Emma hadn't hated her, and was actually embracing the wolf.
Finding out that Emma and Belle were her mates was shocking, if not thrilling. That they had yet another mate was almost unbelievable. Ruby had gone from being scared of losing her True love, to being faced with three people who would love her for the rest of their lives. It was terrifying to experience, but soothing to the chaos that usually was Ruby's heart. She was being accepted and loved for being who she was, not feared for the monster she could be.
When Emma had simply stated that it was Belle's choice to become a wolf, Ruby had reacted automatically, angered at Belle being put in danger. When Emma had put her in her place and then marked her, everything had suddenly clicked for her. She felt her fears leave and a sense of calm settle over her that she had not felt in years. When she and Emma had marked Belle together, it felt like one more step towards a future that was waiting for her.
Running with someone, it had been even more incredible then Ruby remembered. And she was sure it was only because she ran with one of her mates. They had been having such fun, before Robin had tried to kill her. Ruby was positive that he had to have known that it was her, and had fired regardless. He had been after Belle since their relationship came to light and she knew could not trust him.
Regina, however, she had no problem trusting him, oddly enough. She hadn't thought about it at the time, but when Belle had pointed it out later that morning, Ruby had realized that if anything, she had been feeling protective of Regina being stuck with the asshole that night, more then she had been concerned about the former queen being any type of threat. Robin being around Regina raised her hackles, and she fought hard not to step between them.
The wave, or more specifically what had caused it, had been incredible. Never in her life had she felt anything like it. There were no words to describe the connection Ruby had felt when she had marked Emma, or the fulfillment of being with her mate. If her time with Emma was anything to go by, Ruby was very much looking forward to having Belle mark her when the time came. It was like she had been living without several of her senses and one had just returned. Everything was sharper, more in she knew that soon she would feel complete.
And she was happy. As simply put as that was, it was the only way to begin to explain what she was feeling. Why she had fought against her own instincts to claim Belle fully was beyond her comprehension at this point. Ruby had been scared and let that blind her to what she had in front of her. Waking up in a tangle of limbs with the two other women had just felt right and her fear was all but forgotten in the wake of their joining.
Ruby had worried that when Belle and Emma became intimate she would be jealous. Again, she was surprised. Oh, there had been jealousy, but only that she had not been there to partake. Hearing Belle scream Emma's name had left Ruby struggling not to race back into that room and take both of her mates, repeatedly. She had never felt such arousal, the draw of her mates almost impossible to resist. But Ruby had resisted somehow, even when Emma had stripped her with her magic, when she went to warn them of Snow's meltdown in the middle of the diner.
Snow had hurt her with the way she acted about her relationships, and the things she had said, but she knew that there must be more to the story than she was aware of. There had been some minor flirting with Snow before Charming had come into the picture, but that was a lifetime ago, little more than a distant memory. It was nothing that she had ever really considered because Snow just wasn't her type.
Ruby would get over what had been said, but she still worried for Emma. That was her mother who said those hateful things, and they had only just started to connect. Ruby knew that she would have to be supportive and just be there for Emma as much as she could. Friend or not, Snow had crossed a line, and she firmly stood on her mates side.
The house had been another surprise, to say the least. That Emma had purchased it was surprising enough, but that she wanted to share it with both of them had Ruby very excited. She was already planning how she wanted the entertainment room to look. It needed to be something they would all enjoy, as she hoped that they would all get to spend a great deal of time together there as a family. Family that hopefully included Emma's son.
But how would Henry take their new relationship? Would they have to have separate rooms, or would he know that the all share the master bedroom? Would they all share the master bedroom? What would Emma design? Would Regina help? Would she eventually come to live with them as well, leaving her distant mansion behind? Would Emma ever admit how she felt about Regina?
The last thought had Ruby smiling to herself as she cleared away another empty table. Emma was stubborn, and would never be selfish about those she cared about and she certainly cared about Regina. Even when they had been fighting like cats and dogs, the blonde was always right there to take care of the former queen. And that didn't even consider the arousal that was thick enough to choke even someone as blind as David when Emma and Regina argued. It was almost painful to watch over the last few years as the two of them danced around their attraction to each other. At least Ruby knew she was looking forward to spending more time with Regina, and that she would at least get to know the brunette better. Even if she wasn't their mate, which was pretty unlikely, she had shown herself to be a very caring person to those who treated her properly.
Looking up at the door as it chimed yet again with another new person, Ruby was more than delighted to see that it was Belle. Checking the time, she knew that the diner would be empty in a few more minutes and then she and Belle would need to have a very important conversation.
Walking up and wrapping her arms around Belle's trim waist, Ruby nuzzled her jaw gently. Placing a soft kiss on her lips, she beamed at her mate, "Hello, gorgeous. How was your day at the library?"
Surprise flitted across Belle's face before she could school her features. Ruby was not often one for public displays of affection, and this was almost as open as she had even been. She looked almost blissful, and Belle had a great feeling about their talk tonight. And she was sure that when Emma joined them, things would only get better.
"Well, it started off with a lovely meeting with Robin." Belle said, rolling her eyes as she knew that Ruby would not be pleased at what he had tried to do. "So, I think it may be time for both of my mates to have a talk with him."