"Damn it, Charming, what happened?! Where did they go?!" Snow rushed to him from across the room. She had only seen Regina cradling Emma in her arms before they vanished, too busy with the citizens who were still concerned.
"Emma was sick. Regina took her to Ruby and Granny. They know the most about what she is going through, and we thought it would be best to get her there now." David shrugged, still stunned at everything he had experienced that day. "And Regina knows the most about magic, so she should be there, too."
"How could you send her back to them?!" Snow screeched, gathering the attention of the few remaining people in the hall. "They probably did something else to her now, and that's why she's sick. She was even cuddled up to Regina of all people! She's probably in on it with them!"
"Snow, take a deep breath, and lower your voice. What are you talking about?" David may not have been the most quick-witted man in town, but he was no idiot, despite what Regina thought. If Snow was this upset about Emma going back to her mates, then he figured that he must not have the entire story.
"Ruby bit Emma and now our daughter thinks she's becoming a wolf and that Ruby and Belle are her mates. They have to have her under some type of spell or have confused her somehow. Maybe Regina took her heart to get back at me. Emma's not like that. She isn't a pervert and we have to save her," Snow hissed to David before storming off towards the front of the building.
Ignoring the curious looks of the people still in the hall, David chased after his wife. "Wait, Snow. Just wait! Why do you think that? Emma told me about everything earlier, she didn't seem to be under any spells or confused, not to mention Regina can't take Emma's heart, and you know that."
"How can you be sure?! Regina could have found a way! And Emma, she thinks they are all supposed to be together. It's wrong, unnatural. She should be with a Prince or a man she loves, not with some woman, or should I say women? It's disgusting what they are making her do, David. I heard them earlier. The entire diner did. They were doing things; wrong things. And Ruby made her attack Robin last night. Did you know about that? And the wave that caused all the damage was from them, too. Don't you see? They are twisting her to do things, making her think she isn't doing anything wrong, but it is wrong. It's not natural. And Ruby, she was supposed to be my best friend, not some corrupt sex-fiend that ruins my daughter. She's trying to steal Emma from us, Charming, and we can't let her be tainted like that. We have to get her away from all of them."
During her rant, David had taken the time to really look at his wife. She was as pale as her namesake, looking panicked and slightly wild, panting as if she had run a marathon. He knew it didn't happen often, but it was very clear to him that Snow was having a panic attack and not able to think clearly.
On the first night that they had spent together, David had woken to Snow curled into a ball on the bed beside him, rocking back and forth, muttering to herself about how she had done something wrong again and she needed to be punished again. He had been able to calm her after a few hours, but it had taken years to get her to talk about the cause behind her fears.
Snow had told him that she had engaged in something inappropriate when she was younger and had been taught about the wrong she had done. She said she was also shown how to punish herself if she had felt the urge to do those things again. He convinced her that being together wasn't wrong, but it had left him chilled to the bone to know that Snow had been taught to punish herself for loving someone.
Even though she had never specified what she had done, he knew enough about Royalty to know their views on sex, sexuality, and the role of a woman. He had assumed that she had been doing something with a boy and that had led to her "lessons", but now he was beginning to wonder. She and Ruby had been close, but since Ruby and Belle had become an item, Snow's behaviour towards her best friend had subtly changed. It had almost seemed like jealousy, mixed with disgust, but he could never believe that Snow would turn against Ruby. Especially for something like being with the person she loved.
"Snow, the wave, it was like the magic we made when we broke the sleeping curse. It was True Love magic. Emma is finding her happy ending. There is nothing wrong with her." Guiding the still panicking Snow to his truck, he helped her on to the seat before pulling her into his chest. "I need you to breathe with me. We can talk about it more, but you need to calm down first. Just like last time. Ok?" Placing her hand over his heart, he took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Feel my heart? I need you to count the beats for me. One, two, three. Now breathe with me, in and out. In, one, two, three. Out, one, two, three. Good. Good. Just like that."
After several minutes, Snow began to calm, her breathing returning to a more normal pace. "We need to get her away from them. She can't be like that. She just can't. They can't be together. It's not right. We need to save her, Charming. We have to save our baby from this."
"Snow, I love you dearly, but Emma has never really been the type to be with a Prince. You and I have True Love, and I know you want that for our daughter. She's finding that now. It may not be what we expected, but love is love. I think it's time you talked to someone about what happened with your 'lessons'. "
"What are you talking about? Of course she will be with a Prince. She is a Princess, and that's who she is supposed to be with. Not with another woman, and especially not two or three other women. And I don't need to talk to anyone about my lessons. They fixed what was wrong and I am good now. Emma can be, too. We just need to get her away from them and then-"
"Snow, Emma has found her Happy Ending. We can't stand in the way of that. I know you have very strong feelings about this, but this is about Emma and her happiness, not us. We just have to trust in fate like we always have. And I really do think it's time for you to talk to Archie about what happened. Promise me you won't do anything until you talk to Archie?" Receiving a nod, David took a deep breath and gently squeezed Snow a little tighter, before pulling back to face her again.
As Snow opened her mouth to speak, David pressed a finger to her lips. "We don't need to talk about this anymore tonight. It's been a really long day, and honestly, I am having trouble processing everything. We can talk more about it tomorrow. Please?"
Nodding again, Snow shifted further back on the seat of the truck. Pouting and crossing her arms, she looked every bit the Princess who wasn't getting what she wanted in that moment. Sighing, David knew he was not in any head-space to deal with Snow fairly, and gently closed the door before taking a seat behind the wheel. He knew Snow would not speak to him again that evening, as she typically did when she made that face, but it was for the best if they wanted to avoid an overly dramatic fight.
Pulling away from the curb, David could not help but think to himself. 'As much as I love her, this woman is just ridiculous sometimes.'
As the smoke cleared, Regina's mind froze. Belle and Ruby were standing beside the bed, both in just their panties. Their very small, lace panties.
Turning at the smell and feel of magic in the room, Ruby and Belle froze with their eyes wide. Sitting in the middle of the floor was Regina holding a whimpering Emma, who had curled into the older woman's neck.
No one moved. No one breathed. And then the spell was broken. A loud, pained whimper left Emma, bringing the women back to the situation at hand. With a lazy flick of her wrist, Regina had covered the smooth, tempting skin of the women in silk sleepwear from her own collection.
"What happened?" Belle was the first to rush forward, checking first Emma, then Regina for any signs of injury. Cupping Regina's cheek without thought, Belle gently ran her thumb across the skin. "Are you alright?"
Beyond shocked, Regina stumbled over her answer. 'Why is she so concerned with me? Emma is her mate. She barely knows me.' Those thoughts saddened her and she replied as carefully as she could. "I don't know. Something happened with Emma after the meeting. She was fine before I went to talk to my secretary, but then something changed. She just suddenly became pale and looked to have a fever. When I got back to her, she was complaining that she was hurting and everything was too much. It sounded like a migraine but when I got close, she practically crawled into my lap muttering about how good I smelled and she hasn't moved from my neck since. She growled at David when he tried to pull her away."
Ruby had yet to join the trio in the middle of the room, too caught up in the scents of the three other women. It was the first time they were all together since everything started, and the combination was causing Ruby's focus to turn into a haze. She could smell the scent of sex from Belle and the bed behind them with her own arousal mixed in. She could smell the intoxicating scent of Emma also mixed with arousal. She could smell the arousal lingering around Regina, and the scent of Emma on Regina as well. It did not stir her jealousy, only her excitement. 'She is our mate. OURS! Emma may not want to tell her, but she is ours as much as she is theirs and she needs to know. We cannot be whole without her.'
Shaking with her desire, Ruby was struggling to remain across the room and not dive for her mates. She knew Regina was meant for them. Her wolf knew. And she could not stay away from her new mate if she tried. "Gr-Granny. I-I'm going t-to get her. She'll kn-now what to do." Rushing for the door, her cheeks red and eyes glowing yellow, Ruby almost ripped the door from its hinges in her haste to escape.
Concerned with the odd behaviour, Belle only watched for a moment after Ruby before realizing what this issue likely was. Earlier in the day, Ruby had been aroused almost beyond control at the sounds and scents of Emma's and Belle's lovemaking. Having the four of them in a room together that still smelled of sex was likely triggering Ruby's instincts. 'My poor wolf. We will have to talk soon.' Briefly checking on a still wide-eyed Regina, Belle rushed to the window, swinging it wide open to air the room out.
Returning to Emma and Regina, Belle began checking Emma for fever and pulse rate. Both were elevated, although not to a threatening level. 'Thank goodness I read that book on emergency medical procedures last month,' she thought absently while she worked.
At that moment, Granny and Ruby rushed back through the door. Ruby spotted the open window, and gave Belle a thankful smile. "What happened to the pup?" Granny demanded in a no-nonsense tone.
"The meeting went fine. She was fine until after the meeting broke up. She just suddenly looked sick. She was fine all day, even keeping her temper with Robin when he was yelling at her. I don't know what happened." As the explanation continued, Regina's voice began to waiver until she was almost sobbing. "Is she going to be ok?" Unable to stand the fear and anguish in Regina's voice, Belle began to gently rub circles on her back.
"What happened with Robin? And be specific child." Granny had begun to check Emma's temperature, noting that she was almost as warm as the night she had been bit.
"He was yelling at her, being irrational. He tried to grab my arm but she wouldn't let him get close enough. She was calm but kept close to me. She…" Thinking back to the exchange, Regina realized several things at once. "Her eyes turned yellow, her teeth elongated noticeably, and when he made a comment about Belle, I think her wolf took over for a moment."
Three pairs of wide eyes stared back at the former queen. "What do you mean her wolf took over?" Granny was the first to ask, her face ashen.
"Robin had been ranting about Belle and Ruby and about how their relationship was unnatural, and I told him to leave. He didn't listen and made a comment about Emma not being able to keep her mates happy. Emma lost control and lashed out, but I transported Robin back to his camp before she made contact." Seeing the angry look in three sets of eyes and hearing the deep growls of the other women, Regina knew that the topic would have to be revisited later to explain the entire situation properly, but now was not the time. "When she turned back to me, her eyes were yellow, but the way she spoke, it was different. She said 'we' not 'I' and she, well she nuzzled my jaw, similar to how she is curled up to me now. I just- I just knew it was her wolf, not Emma. It only lasted a few moments, but I felt the change. Her wolf was in control. She was back a moment later though, as if it was as simple as the flick of a switch."
"Ruby, get Emma on the bed. Keep her tucked close to you; she will want your scent. Regina, give me your jacket as soon as Ruby has her." Granny ordered, gesturing around the room. "Belle, close the window and get me a wet cloth."
Wrapping her arms gently around Emma, Ruby shivered at the swirl of scents and the warmth of both Emma and Regina. Blushing, Ruby gestured with her chin for Regina to help guide Emma to her. At the pained whimper that came with the removal, Belle, Ruby and Regina all grimaced. When Emma shifted over to Ruby's shoulder, Regina looked both relieved and pained. 'We have to tell her. If she is feeling the pull, it will only cause her more pain if we keep it from her.'
Setting the thought aside for now, Ruby settled Emma into the same position that she had been in with Regina. Letting out a groan that sounded almost sexual, Emma burrowed deeply into Ruby's neck and began nuzzling her mating mark. The sensation shot a surge of arousal straight to Ruby's core, making her gasp. "Mmm, mine." The almost drunken mutter was punctuated with a small nip, making Ruby whimper.
"Alright you two, up onto the bed. Put the pup in the middle of the bed, and give me some room to work." Granny's gruff voice was filled with amusement. Taking the blazer that Regina had quickly stripped off once Emma was situated in Ruby arms, Granny thought, 'As adorable as this is, we need to get this sorted out immediately. These pups really need to talk.'
Lifting Emma to the bed was surprisingly more difficult than Ruby imagined. Between the distraction of her arousal and instincts, and the dead weight of her mate, Ruby ended up dropping Emma unceremoniously into the middle of the bed, almost falling in with her. Emma landed with a squeak followed by a pained groan, gripping her head tightly.
Acting quickly, Granny tossed Regina's blazer onto the pillows at the top of the bed before brusquely shoving Emma's face into the pile and holding her there for a moment. Belle, Ruby, and Regina watched, shocked to see Emma practically start rolling into the pillows and blazer, groans of pleasure falling from her lips continuously.
After a moment, Emma curled into what appeared to be a comfortable position, arms wrapped around two pillows and Regina's blazer, and she immediately began to snore. Tucking her gently under the covers, Granny turned to face the women, eyeing them each respectively. All sported a deep blush and were shifting uncomfortably, their eyes never leaving Emma.
Chuckling at the obvious reactions of the three women, Granny decided they needed both her reassurance and guidance, or this situation could rapidly get out of hand. "Belle, please put the cloth on her forehead, and then I would like to see all of you in the living room. We need to have a very important discussion. She will be fine for a bit while we talk." Turning, Granny left the room, knowing that they would need a few minutes to check their mate before joining her.
Gently laying the cloth on Emma's head, Belle tucked a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear. Leaning down she gently placed a kiss on her forehead and received a contented hum and smile from a soundly sleeping Emma. "She doesn't feel as warm as before. I think she will be ok for a few minutes while we go speak with Granny." When neither Regina nor Ruby acknowledged the statement, Belle reached out to them, motioning them forward. "Come see. She's ok."
Both women shared an unsure look with Belle, before stepping up beside the bed. Leaning down Ruby, repeated Belle's earlier action, gently kissing Emma's forehead, and receiving the same response, causing the waitress to chuckle. Regina waited for confirmation from Ruby before leaning over. Gently stroking her hair before placing her own kiss, Regina was too focused on Emma to see the look that Belle and Ruby shared.
Each taking a hand, Belle and Ruby led a dazed Regina from the room, knowing she was too preoccupied to consider the situation or the contact. Regina needed to know why her blazer is currently being used like a teddy bear by the blonde, and neither woman was willing to hold back their feelings any longer. They knew Emma would not be happy about it, but they knew it was for the best.
"We need to talk, Regina, and I think Granny will be able to explain a bit better about everything." Ruby started, as they walked down the hallway. "There is a lot more that is going on than we talked about earlier; and some of it has to do with Robin, but a lot has to do with you."
Confusion swept over Regina's face as her thoughts began to race. 'What didn't they tell me? What does Robin have to do with any of this? Will Emma truly be alright? Why are Ruby and Belle holding my hands?' At the last thought, Regina quickly pulled her hands away, not missing the saddened looks on both women's faces. Realizing that they were upset, she quickly took up their hands again before realizing that she did so. 'What on earth is going on with me?! Why am I reacting to them like this?'
"Please, just come speak with us. We won't force you to, but there are things you need to know. The decisions you make after you hear everything are entirely up to you and there will be no pressure from any of us, Emma included, about any of it. Please, can you trust us right now and come listen to what Granny has to say?" Belle's soft voice matched her earnest expression and Regina found that she did trust them, even though she could not pinpoint the exact reason why. 'I know they won't push, and I trust them but I need them to explain what is happening. And I need to know what the situation with Robin is. If he is my soul mate, I need to know what he's done that has them all so on-edge.'
Nodding slowly, Regina squared her shoulders, and motioned for the women to lead the way. "Alright. Let's hear Granny out. But I want a full explanation, no more half stories. And I want a proper clarification about Robin's part in all of this. I do not care to have the truth softened; I want to know all of it. Agreed?" The former queen was agitated and she could not stop her imperial tone from slipping out. When both Belle and Ruby nodded, she relaxed, knowing that they would spare no detail for her benefit.
Entering the living room, Belle and Ruby guided Regina to the couch, taking the seats on either side of her, their hands still joined. "Ruby and Belle have assured me that you have an explanation for everything Eugenia. First, will Emma be alright?"
"Yes dear. The pup is just going through one heck of an adjustment period. People who are not born wolves, but are infected through a bite unfortunately experience a number of side effects. Sometimes people are not strong enough and they do not make it through the transformation." Seeing the panic on all three women's faces, Granny simply held her hand up, signalling the women to wait. "Usually those people are too old or are already sick. Emma is young and strong, not to mention magical and part of a prophesy. Headaches are normal, and although Emma's reaction is not normal by any means, she will be fine."
"What do you mean she isn't normal?" The only werewolves Regina had met in person were Ruby and Eugenia and she had never researched much into them during her time training with Gold.
Cutting in quickly, Belle knew Regina needed reassurance that nothing dangerous was occurring. "Emma's change is happening much faster than any I have ever heard of. We believe that because she has magic, and is part of the White Wolf Prophesy, it is causing the acceleration. I did a fair amount of reading during my time at Rumple's castle, and werewolves were a favourite subject of mine. May I?" Blushing at her own admission, Belle shyly eyed Granny for permission to explain their people. Receiving a nod of permission, she continued, "The first transition is usually a painful one. When a person is bitten, they usually will progressively develop the werewolf attributes over the course of one to two months. If they were bitten immediately before the full moon, they would transform likely on the next moon. But all wolves will either transform or perish before the second full moon. All wolves heed the call of the full moon, forcing the transformation. However, there are very rare instances when a wolf, such as Ruby for instance, has the ability to transform without the power of the moon, and people have been bitten in the middle of the lunar cycle. They are the ones that typically take longer to transform.
As the curse spreads, different senses are intensified over the course of the month. These can lead to headaches, fevers, pain, and general malaise. There is also a large increase in hunger, aggression, mood shifts, strength, libido, and other typical wolf behaviours will also begin to present. It's much like a magical virus spreading and developing, with a bit of animal nature mixed in. The closer the person comes to the full moon, the more the symptoms intensify. I was bitten the night after Emma, last night, by both Emma and Ruby before they completed their mating bond, and I have yet to show any symptoms. The night Emma was bitten, she began showing symptoms within an hour. As I have been bitten by Ruby as well, if the rapid progression was related to her particular bite, I should have already begun to show symptoms as well, but as of yet, I have not. We believe Emma's progression is related to the fact that she possesses magic, due to this fact, and the fact that she seems to more in touch with her wolf than most full-wolves.
Those that are born wolves, and develop the ability to change at will are very rare. It typically takes many years of practice and even more control to be able to call the wolf up without the full moon being present. There are only two exceptions to this. The first is similar to Ruby's experience; her mate was being threatened. Werewolves are a very pack oriented people, almost irrationally defensive of their mates and their pups. They will defend their pack to the death if need be, but it is an instinctual reaction when it is related to their mates and pups. When Ruby saw me with Rumple, her instincts kicked in, resulting in the confrontation that day. Your assistance in removing the magic that had been placed on me allowed Ruby to calm and return to her human form, sating her instincts. The only other documented occurrence was within the White Wolf family line. They were the rulers of the Kingdom of the Wolves for 1000 generations. They were all magic practitioners as well as wolves."
"Ruby informed me of the prophesy earlier, although I am beginning to believe I have not been fully informed about it." Eyeing the younger brunette with a small scowl, Regina returned her attention to Belle. "Can you please elaborate further as to what it entails?"
"The Prophesy of the White Wolf states that there will be a person of royal birth who is also a magic user that will be bitten by a werewolf. They will bear a mark, and this person and his or her mates will re-found the kingdom. Due to the mark we found on Emma and her instinctive reactions to both Ruby and myself, as well as the True Love bond that had already been established with Ruby and I, we were able to rather easily determine that we are all mates. But the prophesy states that Emma does not have two mates-"
"Wait, I thought that Emma had more than one mate?" Turning to Ruby, betrayal evident on her face, Regina pulled her hand away sharply. "You lied to me?"
"No! No, no, no. Regina, Emma doesn't have two mates-"
"I have three."