Lisa growled as she came upon Cora and Regina in the forest. "You called, I came." She immediately took the shovel from Regina, tossed it over her shoulder and picked Regina up to place her next to her mother. She then shifted into wolf form and began digging.
"And you're sure this is where we're supposed to dig?" Cora asked, watching the werewolf closely and she removed mounds of dirt easily with massive paws and powerful shoulders.
Regina sighed. "Yes, Hook marked it clearly. Rumpelstiltskin's dagger is here."
"Unless Hook lied to us."
"Then this map is useless. Gold is the only one who can translate it."
"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart. Hook could have saved us a lot of effort with honesty, but the truth is, we don't need anyone. I can reconstruct the map. It'll just take a little more time. And when we find it, I promise you, I'll use that dagger to force the Dark One to kill anyone you like. Lisa dear, you can stop digging." Cora peered into the hole that the werewolf had dug herself into. She was answered by a loud sneeze that blasted dirt out of the hole.
Both mother and daughter laughed as the sneezing wolf pulled herself out. She shook dirt from her coat, receiving glares from the sorceresses as some landed on them. Lisa shifted back and smirked.
"Let's head back to the mansion." Regina said, raising her hands, preparing to teleport them there.
"Wait, it's such a nice day, why don't we walk?" Cora asked. She walked towards Lisa and linked her arm through hers. "Shall we?"
Regina looked a bit skeptical, but Lisa only shrugged and escorted the woman back to the path.
"So, you two have yet to actually become mated?" Cora asked.
"Yeah." Lisa answered, glanced at Regina, who was walking behind them, simply listening.
"Your connection is still intriguing to me. I know the bonds between werewolves are strong, but never have I seen it transcend a world."
"My mother told me that the bond can even transcend death." Lisa said.
"How much do you actually know about werewolves?" Cora asked.
"Very little, considering I am one."
"Did you know that once the two of you fully become one, certain...abilities will be available to you?"
"Such as?"
"Well, you will feel each other's pain, know where the other is at all times or easily find each other. You are already mentally linked and Regina could summon you if she desired to. Once you've bonded of course."
"Summon me?"
"Indeed, she will call you and you would be compelled to come to her. It's quite handy."
"And how you know so much about werewolves?' Lisa asked.
"Simple, knowledge is power."
"Then you could tell me more?"
"Certainly dear."
Regina stopped as her phone rang and scowled.
"What's wrong?" Lisa asked.
"Snow wants to meet me at Granny's."
"Think it's a trick?"
"I don't know."
"Then allow me. Sorry Mom, rain check on that conversation." She nodded to Regina and took off down the trail before poofing herself straight to Granny's. She easily spotted Snow in a booth and avoided the gazes of her sister and grandmother as she sat down.
"Where's Regina?" Snow asked.
"She didn't think you were worth her time."
"Not even to hear about Henry?"
"No, you only use Henry when you want her to do something. Once she's done, you take him away from her again."
"Look, fine, I just wanted to talk to Regina about Cora, but I can talk to you just fine. No more lies. Why are you working with them? You were a hero. Now, you're just Regina's lapdog. Don't you see that she will never love you?"
Lisa sighed. "I've heard this little speech before. Move on princess."
"I know you've been lying and I know you're working with Cora to Gold's dagger."
"What we're doing is our business."
"There is a war starting, Lisa. Lucky for you, you've earned enough goodwill with me to give you one last chance. To choose the right side, the side of good. You and Regina."
Lisa chuckled. "You are so self-righteous sometimes that you kill me." She leaned forward and asked, "Have you ever considered that maybe, perhaps, we are good? Regina was always the Queen, it was you who added Evil to her name, and just because I want to show her a little kindness, give her a little happiness, you want to ostracize me. I regret nothing that I have done, half of this your fault anyway. I told Emma that taking Henry would push Regina right into her mother's arms, and it has. But you don't trust anymore, do you?"
"Good doesn't do what you and Regina and Cora do. Why would you help her go back to being this way after everything she's done to change?" Snow asked.
"What did it get her? Dinner with a bunch of hypocrites who pretend they'll forgive her, when, in their hearts, they know they never will. You're giving me a chance? How about I give you one: stay out of our way."
"Listening to them is a mistake, Lisa."
"Because listening to you will work out so much better." Lisa retorted.
"She doesn't care about Henry, or Regina, or you. All she wants is power. Why are you defending them?"
Lisa took a deep breath and crossed her hands on the table. "Miss Blanchard, you know how I feel about Regina." She said slowly. "You know that she is my heart and soul, and you know that I am in love with her. I will do any and everything in my power to protect her and make her happy. She cares about Cora, so I shall protect her as well. I don't care about being good or evil, nothing is black and white in real life."
"And what about Henry and Emma-"
"You use that boy's name like he is a weapon. You're trying to force me to do your bidding, he is a child. I love Henry like a nephew and I will protect as well, as though he is my own son. I have done anything to hurt Henry and I hope I never will. As for the Savior, she can take care of herself." She stood up and turned to leave, but Snow grabbed her arm.
"I know you lost your mother, that you never knew her. If you're protecting Cora because she is a mother, Regina's mother, then you should know that she abused Regina, forced her into a loveless marriage, killed her True Love in front of her-"
"What would you know about mothers?" Lisa growled, turning wolf was growling and the lights around them began flickering. All eyes turned to her and Snow. "You put your daughter in a fucking tree and sent her to another world! Your mother is dead and your dumbass father married Regina just so she could be a mother to you. It must have been hell for her. I hate to imagine you as a child." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Don't ever touch me again, unless you don't want that hand." She shrugged off the other woman and made her way outside.
"Lisa!" Ruby ran after her.
Lisa tried to ignore her. She was angry, so angry, and she didn't even know why. She needed to get away. Ruby grabbed her arm and she immediately broke free. "What?!"
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you. We're sisters, we shouldn't fight this way. Forgive me."
"Forgive you?! What have I done for you not to trust me?! All I did was spend time with Regina and now it's like everything that comes out of my mouth is a lie. Some sister." She scoffed. "I don't even know why I bother, I've never needed anyone my entire life."
"You don't have to feel that way any-" Ruby reached for her arm again and as soon as she touched her sister, Lisa reacted violently. She spun around and shoved Ruby hard. Her eyes were bright silver, rimmed with gold. Ruby hit the steps of the diner, crashing straight through them. Lisa growled, body coiled for an attack.
"Lisa!" Granny and Snow said as they came outside. "What are you doing?"
Ruby shifted and launched herself at Lisa. Even though Ruby was older, Lisa was bigger than her in wolf form. She shifted and both she-wolves met in mid air in a swirling mass of teeth and claws and fur. Neither held anything back, it was a pure fight.
"We have to stop them." Snow said. "Where's your crossbow?"
"Shooting them isn't going to help. They won't even feel it." Granny growled, watching her two granddaughters tear each other apart. "You need to call Regina." She commanded before leaping over the broken stairs and walking up to the battling wolves. If she could get Ruby under control, then she could help with Lisa. Ruby surprised her by throwing Lisa and taking a step back. Lisa was back on her feet in an instant, snarling. Ruby was bloody from head to toe. Lisa was merely scratched, except for the massive deep gash on the back of her left shoulder. "Enough! Both of you, stand down!" Lisa roared at her, but didn't attack. Instead, she turned and took off, bounding off into the forest. Ruby was prepared to give chase, but Granny stopped her and made her shift back. "What the hell happened?"
"I don't know, I don't remember anything." Ruby said, rubbing her head.
"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up. It'll take some time before those wounds are healed."
"Yes Granny."
They paused as the squeal of tires came around the corner and Regina skidded to a stop in her mercedes. They were surprised when it was Cora who stepped out of the car and roared, "What the hell did you do?!"
"Where's Lisa?" Regina demanded.
"She took off." Snow said.
Regina sighed and was about to get back into her car when a massive earthquake shook all of Storybrooke to its roots. "It's Lisa, we need to go." She shared a worried look with her mother before they both back into the car and she pushed the gas pedal to the floor.
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Lisa sat in a crater of her own destruction. She hugged her knees to her chest and silently shook with cold and anger. Cora's words echoed in her head. We don't need anyone. She didn't need anyone. Cora had no heart, she couldn't love. Regina might never return her love. She and Emma no longer trusted each other. Henry probably hated her now. Who did she really have?
"Do not doubt me now." She jumped and turned to look at Regina and Cora.
"Go away." She growled.
"Why?"
"Because?!" Lisa snapped. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"You have so much magic and power inside you. It needs to settle." Cora supplied softly. "You just need to rest."
"I can't rest. My blood is boiling, everything is so loud." Lisa growled, clutching her head in pain. "Just go away. Please."
"No." Regina said firmly.
"Do not argue with me." Lisa turned to glare at her. "I will send you away if I need to."
"Lisa, please." The brunette stepped forward and knelt in front of her. "What set you off?"
Lisa looked her in the eye. "Will I ever be enough?"
"What?"
"I didn't stutter."
"What do you mean?"
"Will you ever love me? That's all the Charmings seem to be able to say, She will never love you." She chuckled. "Do you know how much that hurts? The only thing you want, and it's the only thing you could never have."
Regina sighed, glancing her mother. Cora was silent, actually looking worried. "Lisa, I care about you, a lot. So much that I'm scared to admit it. Love for me has never ended well, you must understand."
"I do understand, that's why I try not to tell you every fucking second I lay eyes on you." She growled and ran her fingers through her hair. "There are people in this world, that mean the world to me. I protect those that I love, but it feels like I don't mean much to anyone."
"You do." Cora voiced. "And I can say that without my heart."
Lisa looked up at her and smiled. "Thanks Mom."
"What do I need to do?" Regina asked.
"Nothing. I just need time to be alone."
"Sex won't work?"
Lisa chuckled. "Maybe later. You guys just go finish your plotting and planning or whatever. I'll catch up later." She lowered her head back on her knees. Regina looked ready to resist, but a signal from Cora forced her to leave. Lisa was left alone with her anger, and her power. The solution she could think of was to burn herself out. After healing, she went for a Run. It took two days and nights of constant running, shifting back and forth and practicing with her new magic and Guardian weapons to finally do it and she curled in a small den she'd scratched out in the forest to sleep in.
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When Lisa awoke, everything was much calmer. She could breathe easier without wanting to kill something, or worse, herself. As she climbed out of her den, she could smell the change in the winds, feel the shift in the air. The Savior had returned, and the heroes...were preparing to do battle.
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