This is my first ever omegaverse fic, so hopefully it's not too bad.

Henry presented when he was fourteen. It had been a surprise, as everyone expected him to be a beta, just like his biological parents and just like three out of four of his grandparents. The fourth, of course, being Gold, who was likely classified as the scariest omega to ever live. In fact, none of the family could even remember an alpha being born into Henry's bloodline at all.

Once the novelty wore off (which took longer for Snow, due to her excitement over finally having an alpha in the family), life went back to normal.

Normal, that is, for everyone except Henry, who was suddenly bombarded with extra hormones and found himself in a near-constant state of arousal, his penis rarely completely soft.

It was something that Regina had noticed early on, and taken precautions for. As an alpha, Henry would instinctively be drawn to any omega he came across. Thankfully both alphas and omegas were quite rare, perhaps only a dozen or two in all of Storybrooke. Unfortunately, she was one of them.

So she used magic to cloud her scent, as she had done when she was queen in the Enchanted Forest, making her smell like a beta. It had worked perfectly in the past, but she'd also never shared such close quarters with an alpha before, not one that wasn't related to her, anyway. (Cora could never have been mistaken for anything but alpha, and had been extremely disappointed when her daughter had presented as an omega.)

As the days wore on, the magic seemed to work less, and Regina noticed Henry watching her more. His erections became more frequent and more prominent, and just when she was considering how to deal with the situation, everything came to a head.

Regina stepped into the mansion, distracted by her thoughts. It was becoming apparent that Henry couldn't stay there much longer, but where should he go? Emma and Hook were just married, surely nobody would want that. She supposed he could stay with Snow and David. They certainly had the room now that they'd moved to an actual house, and Henry loved their new dog.

"Hey, Mom."

Jerked out of her thoughts, Regina just had time to smile and say, "Hi, Henry," before she was engulfed in a hug. Before Henry's presentation, his hugs had been largely limited to 'we just survived a magical attack, I'm so glad you're alive' reasons, but lately he'd been finding any and every excuse to put his arms around her. She wasn't even sure he knew he was doing it.

Still, she hugged him back warmly. It was nice to have his affection, especially since she could still remember a time when he'd hated her.

Almost immediately upon their bodies touching, the bulge in Henry's pants grew larger and harder, pressing against her. Their close height made him line up almost directly, and Regina pulled in a quick, short breath before pulling away.

"What," her voice cracked and she cleared her throat, starting again. "What would you like for dinner?" she asked, moving toward the kitchen.

Henry watched her intently, his body slightly tensed all of a sudden. "I'm not hungry."

Glancing over her shoulder, Regina's eyes widened as she noticed his body language. And, before she had a chance to formulate a diversion, warmth rushed through her, bringing a flush to her cheeks. No, she thought with a growing horror. As her body warmed, Henry's eyes dilated. No no no no! Not now, not like this! "Excuse me," she choked out, hurrying past him and up the stairs to her bedroom, locking the door behind herself.

Her reprieve didn't last long, as Henry followed after her, the doorknob jiggling before he knocked. "Mom? What's wrong? Let me in."

Even his voice was affecting her, and she shrugged out of her coat, dropping it uncaringly on the floor and stepping out of her heels. She ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath, pushing away the fog of heat that was beginning to descend. She needed him. No! She needed him gone.

Fumbling with her purse and trying to ignore the continued knocking, the calls growing more insistent, Regina took out her phone. Her hands trembled, making it difficult to type out the message, an entreaty to Emma to pick up Henry right away and take him home with her for a few days. Once she received an affirmative response, she dropped the phone, sitting on the floor and leaning against her bed, focusing on breathing to block out everything else. To keep herself from standing up and opening the door, no matter how much her body was beginning to scream at her to do so.

Finally the knocking stopped, and she lifted her head, listening to the sound of Henry's footsteps walking down the hall. Voices followed, but she couldn't hear what was said, and finally the front door slammed shut.

Regina sagged with relief and pushed herself to her feet. She needed water. Water, and food that could sit out for a few days. Soon she would be in no condition to focus on anything more than her immediate surroundings, and if she wasn't prepared, the recovery period would be brutal.

Leaving her bedroom, she was halfway to the stairs before she realized something was wrong, and it was only a moment after that that Henry came around the corner and into view. They both froze, and his nostrils flared as he breathed in deeply, his eyes dilating so suddenly and so harshly that there was barely a ring of green around the black. She backed up.

Henry followed, fasted than expected, and when her back hit the wall, his body boxed her in, his arms resting on either side, his erection digging into her belly. "Mom," he said, the word reminding her of the many ways this was wrong, even as his tone set her aflame. He leaned in, nuzzling her neck and making tingles race across her skin.

She wanted to say no, to push him away, but her body wouldn't let her. Her need was too great. She was in heat, and had probably set him off into his first rut; it wouldn't be fair to deny them both. "Henry," she moaned back, low and throaty, tilting her head to bare her neck to him.

It was a whirlwind of movement then. Yanking at clothes, frustrated growls. He'd ripped three buttons off her shirt before abandoning it in favor of struggling with her pants, and she fumbled desperately with his jeans until they, and his boxers, were low enough that his cock sprang free, hard and weeping and ready to fill her. By then he'd gotten her slacks undone, but she didn't want to waste time in undressing any more than she had to, so once they were pulled down her thighs, along with her panties, enough to bare her, she turned around, facing the wall and pushing her ass back.

Grunting as she brushed against him, Henry shifted, instinct, sex ed, or his voracious reading working in his favor as he took himself in hand and found her entrance. Then, with a hard thrust, he was inside her.

To Regina, it was the most beautiful feeling in the world. And it would lead to the moment her biology had prepared her for. The moment, biologically-speaking, that she was meant for. When Henry would develop his knot and tie to her. Outside of her heats, she'd never cared much about orientation, but here, like this, it was more important than anything.

Henry braced himself with both hands against the wall, using it for balance and leverage as he thrust into her, hard and fast and rough. He grunted and growled into her shoulder as he fucked her, the sounds blending with her own moans and cries, until they reached a climax, both in sound and body.

Even as she came, Regina pushed back harder against him, trying to get him deeper, to fill her entirely. But he pulled away, leaning against her, his cock still hard against her ass. She needed more. He did, too, if his subtle movements against her and the swelling knot at the base of his erection were any indication.

Bucking against him to push him back and give her more room - and drawing a moan from him as she did - Regina stepped away, walking backward toward her bedroom and pulling her clothes off as she did.

Henry looked ready to protest, opposed to anything that meant they were no longer touching, before he realized what she was doing and followed, yanking at his clothes. Neither cared about the fabric trail they left in their wake.

Once she was naked, Regina slid back onto her bed, thighs splayed wide, skin flushed pink and eyes dark and shining. "Henry," she called, turning his name into an enticing moan.

He didn't need to be seduced, and the sound made his cock pulse, twitching in desire. "Yeah," he groaned in response, crawling up between her legs and sliding into her again without hesitation.

Moaning happily, Regina wrapped her legs around Henry's hips, drawing him deeper into her. But not deep enough. His knot was already swollen from earlier, not to full size yet, but big enough that it wouldn't just slip into her. If he didn't hurry, it would be trapped outside her, and Regina wasn't willing to let that happen.

"Knot me," she whispered, pulling him closer, her lips at his ear, his knot tight against her entrance. "Henry," she moaned urgently, "knot me." He pushed harder against her, and she willed her muscles to loosen for him. "Knot me!" she repeated again, demanded, and dug her heels into his ass. There was a brief flare of pain, and then overwhelming pleasure as she came around an alpha's knot for the first time in her life.

Emma returned to her parents new house somewhat confused, but mostly shrugging off the incident with Henry. When she entered, Killian and David were still discussing sword fighting techniques, and Snow was making dinner, Neal playing in a bouncy chair nearby.

"Where's Henry?" Snow asked, noting that Emma, who'd left to pick him up, hadn't returned with him.

Shrugging, Emma paused to tickle her little brother. "He didn't want to leave. Made a huge fuss about it, so I let him stay. Regina didn't say why she wanted me to pick him up, just that he needed to stay with us for a few days. I figured it wasn't all that important."

Snow raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Regina asked you to keep Henry away and you don't think it was important?"

"Well when you put it like that… Look, she wasn't even there. Henry answered the door, and he was really agitated. Said he wouldn't let me take him away from her again. I assumed Regina's just going through a rough patch or something and wanted to be left alone, but everyone knows she does better with Henry around."

Pausing, Snow slowly turned to face Emma directly. "You didn't see Regina?" she asked, pieces reluctantly fitting into place.

"Nope."

"And Henry was agitated."

"Yup."

"And said he wouldn't let you take him away from her."

"Yeah. Mom, are you okay?"

A cold chill settled over her, and Snow turned off the stove. "We need to get over there now."

"What?" Emma straightened from where she had been leaning against the counter. "Why? They're fine."

Snow shook her head. "No… I really don't think they are."

It took longer than Snow would have liked to leave. She'd tried to have Emma stay behind to watch Neal, but her daughter was having none of that, and Snow wasn't willing to take the toddler with them. Finally Killian volunteered to stay behind, and she, David, and Emma headed to the mansion on Mifflin Street.

There was no answer upon knocking, and while Emma was ready to be deterred by it, Snow and David, since informed of the situation, were not. Luckily the door was unlocked.

The house was quiet, and Snow immediately headed upstairs, the bad feeling she had about everything only intensifying upon seeing the scattering of clothes in the hallway.

A moan filtered through the air, and all three froze. "What was that?" Emma asked quietly, then added, "Look, I really think we should go."

"We need to be sure," Snow replied in a grim voice. She exchanged a look with David, and they all continued to the open bedroom door.

David immediately turned away from the spectacle. Snow sighed and pressed her lip together in a tight line, shifting her gaze to the floor. Emma gaped. And when she found her voice, she did so loudly.

"What the fuck, Regina?!"

She didn't even react, continuing to writhe beneath her son, moaning and whimpering quietly.

Henry, on the other hand, reacted immediately, his head whipping up to glare intensely at them, his lip curling in a snarl. Despite that, he never stopped rocking his hips against Regina.

Emma went to take a step forward, but David quickly grabbed her, holding her back. "Hey! Let me go! We have to stop them!"

"We can't, Emma," David said quietly, pulling her back from the doorway as Snow carefully leaned in, catching the door and pulling it shut. Just before it closed, she saw Henry turn his attention back to Regina, and a louder moan filled the air before the door muffled it.

"What the fuck!" Emma exclaimed again. "Why are you letting them… They're… they're…"

Snow gave her a small smile. "We know what they're doing, Emma. Better than you do. Let's go downstairs and talk."

"I don't want to talk, I want to- David, let go of me!" Emma yanked her arm from his grasp, but he placed himself between her and the bedroom door, not allowing her to pass.

"Emma, it's not what you're thinking, trust me. Let's talk about this before doing anything."

Emma glared at him for a long moment before turning and stomping down the stairs.

"This should be fun," David sighed, reaching out to take Snow's hand, squeezing her fingers. They followed Emma down and the three went into the sitting room, David and Snow taking the couch and Emma across from them in a chair.

"Okay, so you mind telling me why I can't go up there and rip them apart?"

Exchanging a look with David, Snow took a deep breath. "You're a beta, Emma, like David and I. And Killian is a beta, too; in fact, the vast majority of the population are betas."

"I know that."

Snow ignored the interruption and kept speaking. "So we didn't really see any reason to teach you what alphas and omegas are like. It was never relevant to you. But now, since Henry presented as an alpha, and… Regina being an omega..."

There was a pause, and Emma filled it with, "You say that like it explains why my fourteen-year-old son's other mother is currently fucking him."

"It's a complicated situation, Emma," David tried to explain. "It's going to take some time to get everything out."

"What is so complicated about it? I can go up there right now and pull them apart! And arrest Regina, too! What is she even thinking?!"

"She's not," Snow jumped in firmly, seeing an opening. "She's not thinking, she's feeling. She's in heat, Emma." She received a doubtful look in response, but continued. "It was probably brought on by Henry, because he's an alpha and his hormones are raging and his body is trying to figure out what's it's supposed to do with them. Normally, when a child presents, it's not a problem for the parents, because alphas and omegas have a built-in genetic safeguard. They cannot be triggered into heat or rut by anyone closely related to them."

"Problem is," David picked up the thought, "Regina and Henry aren't related. So that safeguard wouldn't work for them."

Emma took a moment to struggle with the idea of heats and ruts, but finally decided to go with it, at least for the moment. "If that's the case, then why didn't she send Henry to stay with me in the first place?"

"Well, she used to use magic to cover up the fact that she's an omega," Snow said, shrugging slightly. "Maybe she's been doing that. Or maybe she just thought she could handle it, because Henry's her son. I don't know. What I do know is that an omega in heat - or an alpha in rut - is not responsible for their actions. It's pure biological drive."

Leaning forward, Emma rested her forearms on her knees, letting her hands dangle between them. "Okay, say that's true. I'm still not seeing why we can't just go up there and separate them."

"It would be cruel."

At Emma's disbelieving look, David expanded on his wife's simple statement. "It's also not that easy. An alpha in rut…" His cheeks began to turn pink as he considered how to give his grown daughter The Talk. "Their penises have a knot at the base. And, um, when they're mating they, well, they tie to their partner. They physically can't be parted."

"Jesus Christ, I don't believe this," Emma groaned, rubbing her hands over her face. "This is crazy. You know that, right?" Shaking her head and huffing out a breath, she finally asked, "Okay, so how long are they gonna be… tied?"

"It's usually about an hour," David answered.

Before Emma could suggest pulling them away from each other once they were no longer tied, Snow stepped in again. "But they still can't be separated. The mating cycle has started, it would be cruel and possibly even cause emotional or mental damage to try and stop it before its conclusion."

"Damage? Come on, guys."

David tilted his head, asking, "Emma… do you really think we would let anyone have sex with their fourteen-year-old child if we had a way to stop it?"

"Well no," Emma muttered, shifting uncomfortably in her chair, now even more bothered at the thought that there was nothing she could do to stop what was happening upstairs. As if on cue, a faint cry came from the direction of the bedroom, and all three winced. It helped Emma to realize that, as calm as they were about the situation, David and Snow were bothered by it, and that made her feel a little better. "So, uh… how long does it last?"

Snow and David exchanged another long look, long enough for Emma to voice a suspicious, "Guys?"

Finally Snow answered quietly, "Three days."

"Three days?!" Emma jumped up and started pacing around the room. "They're gonna… for three days? What the fuck!"

"It could be shorter," Snow said quickly, and immediately wished she hadn't when Emma rounded on her, demanding to know how to speed it along. "Well… the mating cycle is for the purpose of procreation. So if… Regina were to get pregnant… it could be as short as a day." She didn't add that Regina was unable to get pregnant, unsure if Emma knew about the potion she'd taken back when she was queen. Snow herself had only found out about it during Zelena's pregnancy.

Emma froze, gaping, and slowly began to shake her head. Once she could speak again, it was a quiet, "No." Then, more firmly, "No. No, that's not… She's not getting pregnant by our son!"

"I'm sure that when they're thinking clearly, they'd both agree with you, but unfortunately, that's not really up to anyone," David said with a sigh. As much as he didn't want Regina and Henry to spend three entire days in a mating cycle, he wanted even less for there to be a pregnancy.

Grumbling, Emma flopped back down into her chair, then frowned. "Wait. Why would it end early if she gets pregnant? It takes like a day for an egg to be fertilized and at least a week to be implanted."

"For humans, yes," Snow agreed. Emma stared at her, eyebrows raise, and realization dawned. "Emma… you do know that we're not human, right?"

Emma's eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about? Of course we're human."

Shaking his head, David softened his tone slightly in response to how freaked out his daughter looked. "No, Emma, we're not. We're very close, nearly indistinguishable, but not quite the same. Humans don't have heats or ruts or scent glands the way we do."

"You know what," Emma jumped up again, heading for the door. "This conversation is insane. And if there's nothing we can do here, let's just leave."

They followed her to the foyer, but once at the door, Snow stopped Emma from leaving by saying, "I'm staying."

David just nodded while Emma asked, "What? Why?"

"To take care of them. It's dangerous for an alpha and omega to go through a mating cycle alone. In the Enchanted Forest they always choose a trusted beta before the cycle begins to make sure they have food and water and to bathe them. Without someone there, one or both could die." Turning away from Emma's incredulous expression, Snow gave David a kiss. "I'll call in a couple hours to say goodnight to Neal, and I'll be home as soon as this is over."

After saying goodbye, Snow locked the door behind David and Emma with a sigh. She wasn't looking forward to the next three days, but there really wasn't anyone else who could help, and she wasn't about to let them risk death. So she put aside her discomfort and started a list of things she needed to do, the first being to bring Regina and Henry some food and water.

She started with the water, pulling two bottles out of the fridge and cautiously heading upstairs with them. The house was still and silent, and there was no answer when she knocked on the bedroom door. Opening it slowly, she peeked in, grimacing slightly at the sight of Henry sprawled half on top of Regina, both asleep.

The room smelled like sex and pheromones and it made Snow a little nauseous, so the first thing she did after setting the water down on the nightstand was open the window. Part of her wanted to cover them with a blanket, but she knew it was pointless - she would be seeing much more of them over the next few days, and being squeamish about it would only make it more difficult.

Rustling from the bed drew her attention, and she looked over to see Regina stirring, tired eyes blinking open. Snow grabbed one of the water bottles and rounded the bed, sitting on the edge next to Regina. "Here, drink this," she offered after unscrewing the cap.

Regina sat up slowly, her muscles twinging with overuse, but the water was much more pressing than the questions her fuzzy mind was coming up with, so she took the bottle and drank slowly but steadily. When it was half empty she stopped and asked, "Why are you here?"

With a small smile, Snow explained, "You're in a mating cycle. I'm here to make sure you're both okay. I can get someone else if you want, but this was so sudden and unexpected that nobody else knows about it. Just me, David, Emma, and Killian."

"Mating cycle…" The words seemed foreign to Regina. She'd been in heat before, ones both left untreated and treated by a beta, but never a true mating cycle with an alpha in rut. She looked over at Henry, still asleep with one leg thrown over hers.

"When this is over, there's going to be a lot to figure out," Snow said quietly, watching her.

Regina hummed, too distracted by the undercurrent of warmth in her body and the pheromones released into the room to be concerned. She was with her alpha, and her need had been sated, for the moment. That was the only thing that mattered.

"Regina?" Snow waited until the other woman looked at her again, and asked, "Do you want me to get someone else to take care of the two of you?"

Shaking her head slowly, Regina answered, "No. You're already here, you might as well stay." She paused, then asked, "Do you know what to do?"

Snow gave a small smile and nodded. "Yes. I'll take good care of you both, Regina. Why don't you have a bath while I get something to eat. When Henry wakes up, we'll eat dinner, okay?"

"Okay," Regina agreed quietly, shifting to the side of the bed and standing up slowly with a wince. Waving off Snow's offered help, she protested, "I'm fine, just a little stiff," which was a bit of an understatement. Her core radiated a deep ache, and every shift caused sharp pains like needles piercing into her. And they still had approximately seventy hours to go.

Snow waited until she heard the bath running before going back downstairs to call an order in to Granny's.

The rest of the evening went as she had expected. Both Regina and Henry had bathed and eaten, and Snow had finished making a detailed list of what she needed to do. Tomorrow, she knew, would be much more difficult. Today, at least, Regina and Henry could move under their own power. By morning that would probably no longer be the case and she would need to help them into the bathroom.

As it got late, Snow worked until the last minute before Regina and Henry were taken by the mating cycle. She set out plenty of water and finger foods that could last sitting out all night, along with a package of wet wipes she'd had in her purse. Then, ignoring the sounds of pleasure as best she could, she went to bed in the guest room.

In the morning, the first thing she did was call in to the school to let them know that she and Henry wouldn't be there for the rest of the week. Then she called in to the Town Hall and let Regina's secretary know that the mayor would be unavailable as well. Since the mating started Tuesday evening, they wouldn't be free of it until Friday, and having the whole weekend to recover was ideal.

She wasted no time in returning to them, only going downstairs to turn the coffee on and grab more food. She helped them clean up, unsurprised that her guess was correct - both Regina and Henry needed support to get to the bathroom. When they were clean and fed, she left to go shopping for the essentials she needed to properly care for a mating couple.

The day continued on in much the same fashion, with Snow finding things to occupy herself with while they mated, and making sure they were taken care of during the hours in between. Most of the time they napped, the physical exertion paired with short breaks making it difficult to get much sleep.

By Thursday morning, Snow was bored with the endless routine, then something happened that made her blood run cold.

Regina rocked her hips firmly, grinding down as Henry thrust up into her. The friction was wonderful, and even after a day and a half, her desire was still as strong as it was in the beginning, her heat driving her to work herself roughly over him, chasing that feeling of being locked tight to him.

Henry seemed to be feeling the same way, his fingers digging bruises into her hips overtop the marks he'd already left, his breath coming out in grunts timed to his thrusts up into her.

As she moved over him, Regina could tell he was getting closer to the edge, as the base of his cock began to swell, making it harder for her to move, so she switched to grinding back and forth, moaning as his knot began to stretch her again. As it grew, it put pressure on her g-spot, and with a shuddering roll of her hips, she came, head thrown back with a moan escaping her lips.

The tight squeeze of her around him set Henry off as well, and he pulled her hips tight against him as he jerked up, his release pulsing into her.

As they both came down, they relaxed slightly, although Regina's hips continued to move even as she curled over him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Feels so good," she sighed, nuzzling his collarbone and pressing a kiss there.

Henry nodded, sliding his hands up her back. "Yeah," he agreed, closing his eyes to focus on the sensation of her wrapped tight around him. Even after a day and a half, being locked to her a dozen times, it still made him crazy. "Roll over," he said, nudging her slightly. "Wanna be on top of you."

Regina hummed and did as he asked, the two of them carefully switching positions, moving slowly so they didn't accidentally pull too hard where they were joined.

Once he was on top, Henry kissed her neck then trailed his mouth down her check, nibbling on one nipple until it was hard and tight, then switching to the other one and giving it the same treatment.

"Oh," Regina moaned, bringing her hands to the back of his head and twining her fingers in his hair, holding him in place. "Henry, yes…" Tilting her hips in a now-practiced move, she whimpered as he settled deeper into her, his knot pressing against all the right places inside.

The shift made her tighten around him, and Henry growled against her breast, biting her nipple more sharply and making her gasp and arch against him. One of the things he'd learned was that Regina liked a bit of pain, and he was in the mood to indulge that. Pulling his knees a little higher beneath him, he moved his hips back until he felt the pressure on his knot, the resistance keeping him inside.

Groaning in dismay, Regina shook her head and wrapped her legs around his hips. "No, no, Henry, don't pull out, stay inside me." He couldn't pull out even if he wanted to, but she wasn't thinking clearly beyond the fact that he was trying, and she grasped at his hair and shoulders to bring him back to her.

Resting his weight on his elbows next to her, Henry brought his hands to her nipples and pinched them between his fingers, tightening his grip until she gasped. "I want to know how much you want it. I want you to want it more than anything."

"I do!" Regina exclaimed, sliding her hands to the back of his neck and curling her fingers, nails digging into his skin as she pushed her hips up to try and get him settled deep inside her once again. "Henry, I do, I want you so much," she whined, "please."

"Are you sure, Mom?" Henry asked, pulling further back and making them both wince.

Regina practically yelled, "Yes!" and tried to pull him closer with her legs, but his knees under him kept him away. "Please, Henry, please, I need you, I need your knot," she begged, squirming and clutching at him desperately, her nails leaving red lines in their wake.

Henry growled again and lowered his head to her neck, breathing her in and mouthing at her collarbone. "Ready?" he asked, his voice rough.

"Yes, yes, please," Regina moaned, tilting her head to give him more room. When he abruptly thrust forward hard, pinning her hips to the bed with his weight, she cried out, and when his teeth pierced her skin, it turned into a scream, only muffled when she instinctively curled forward and sank her own teeth into the thick muscle where his neck and shoulder joined.

Snow sat on the couch, idly working on a needlepoint that she'd taken up again from her Mary Margaret days. There wasn't really anything else to do when Regina and Henry were busy. She nearly stabbed herself with the needle when a scream rang out, then was abruptly silenced, only to be replaced by a more masculine outcry.

"Oh no…" Snow dropped the needlepoint and sat up, tense, listening. No other sounds followed, and she grabbed her phone, forcing herself to stay calm as she dialed David's number. When he picked up, she forwent a greeted and jumped right in. "Have you ever heard a mating scream?"

David was quiet for a moment before slowly asking, "You mean someone scream while they're in a mating cycle?"

"No, David," Snow corrected, annoyed, "I mean the scream when a mating bite is given."

A longer silence, then he said, "No… Did you… hear…?"

"I don't know." Snow ran a stressed had through her hair. "And they won't be finished for about another half hour, so I can't go up and check yet. David, what if they did?"

"Calm down, Snow," David said in a soothing voice. "If they did, well… there's nothing we can do about it now. They'll just have to work it out afterward, just like everything else."

Snow let out a distressed moan, then sighed and slumped back on the couch. "I should've said something. I should've reminded Regina to not bite him or let him bite her."

"And for all you know, if you had, that might have planted the idea. You know it's impossible to control anything in a mating cycle. There was always the chance that they would share a bite."

"David…"

He shushed her gently. "It'll be okay, Snow. They'll work it out. Try not to worry about it too much, okay?"

Sighing again, Snow nodded, quietly agreeing, "Okay."

They talked for a few more minutes before David had to get back to work, and Snow picked up her needlepoint again, working at it distractedly until she felt it was safe to go upstairs.

When she entered the bedroom, she immediately noticed that, while the drive to mate had abated, both Regina and Henry clearly still felt the desire to. Regina laid on her back, one hand fisting the sheet beneath her, the other curling and relaxing against her stomach as her hips rocked minutely. Henry, laying on his side next to her, had one hand on her hip, and his penis half-hard, as if it was trying to recover faster than it was meant to.

Between their body language and the needy pheromones, Snow's skin crawled slightly, and she squared her shoulders as she stepped inside.

The first thing she did as she rounded the bed to sit next to Regina was take a close look at their necks and shoulders, and the smear of blood on Regina's left collarbone told her everything she didn't want to know.

"Oh, Regina," she sighed, leaning over her to take a closer look at the bite. When Regina hummed, she met her glassy-eyed gaze and pressed her lips together. "Did you bite Henry, too?" she asked, despite the answer being evident in the trace of blood on her lower lip.

Regina didn't answer, her eyes fluttering shut as she moaned softly, and Snow closed her eyes as well, gathering her strength.

After a moment, she opened her eyes again and turned to Henry, coaxing him to roll onto his back, then jerking away as he snarled at her, his hand on Regina sliding down to grip her thigh possessively. Regina reacted to the movement by parting her legs, and Snow turned her gaze to the ceiling, silently asking for help.

Counting slowly to five, Snow finally turned her gaze back to Henry and, in the softest voice she could muster, said, "Henry, will you show me your claim?" She wasn't sure if he consciously knew what that meant, but she was counting on instinct helping her along. And thankfully she was right, as he propped himself up on his elbow and turned his head, stretching his neck to display the bite that matched Regina's.

"... Okay," Snow sighed, her heart sinking. It was one thing to have a claim go in one direction, that could possibly be broken, or at least worked around. But they'd both been bitten, and there was no going back from that. She really should've realized when she'd entered the room and smelled the pheromones, but she'd been hoping so hard that it wasn't true that she'd ignored what her senses told her.

It took longer than she'd expected to clean the bites, as neither Henry nor Regina wanted to be touched by anyone besides each other, but with a lot of patience and soft words, Snow finally managed to get the bites disinfected and bandaged. Whether or not the bandages would last through the next cycle, she didn't know, but she did what she could.

And just in time, it seemed, as the pheromones in the air intensified and Henry's erection returned completely. It was quicker than usual, but from what she knew about mating bites, that was to be expected. Until the entire cycle ended, they would be getting much less sleep.

Regina stirred slightly, her body attempting to wake up as heat flooded her. It was the middle of the night, and she was exhausted, having falling asleep - or more aptly, passed out - immediately after the last mating, Henry still curled around her back.

They hadn't moved in the hour they'd been asleep, but as the drive to mate grew, they shifted and squirmed, their bodies urging them closer regardless of their somnolence.

Henry tightened his grip around Regina's waist, pressing his face into her shoulder and groaning as his hips moved, mindlessly trying to find the wet heat his erection needed.

The thrusting against her had Regina arching, her back curving so her hips pressed more firmly against Henry's, and after several minutes of blind thrusting and squirming, finally Henry's cock found Regina's entrance, and they both sighed in relief as he sank into her.

It wasn't as rough and desperate as their previous matings, their bodies heavy with exhaustion and minds firmly wrapped up in sleep. But they still moved together, Henry slid down behind Regina to curl around her, rubbing his face sleepily against her back as he struggled to stay asleep against his body's wishes. One of his legs pressed between hers, causing her upper leg to slide over his, giving him room to rock against her, his knot slowly growing inside her.

Once they were locked together, their movements became even more subtle, hips lazily shifting against each other. Small noises escaped them, soft sighs and whimpers, and when Regina finally shuddered in orgasm, her eyes fluttered open. She slowly blinked a few times, and moaned as Henry released into her, the pressure inside her growing. Then, as his movements settled and he slipped into deeper sleep again, her own eyes shut and she sighed as she returned to slumber, uncaring that they were still locked together and would be for some time yet.

Regina awoke in pain.

Her hips ached, her thighs felt like rubber, her back twinged sharply when she tried to move, and most of all her core burned as if one of her fireballs had accidentally gotten stuck there.

She'd barely even grimaced in pain before something heavy and cool was placed between her thighs, soothing the burn. Sighing in relief, she forced her eyes open, taking a moment to focus on the form above her. "Snow?" she asked, her voice rasping dryly.

"Yes," Snow replied, holding out a glass of water with a straw and letting Regina drink. When she was satisfied, Snow asked, "How much do you remember?"

Regina furrowed her brow, her brain feeling thick and fuzzy as she thought back. Her memories came in flashes, beginning with the feeling of being stretched by an alpha's knot, and she bit her lip. It explained why she hurt so much; a mating cycle was brutal on the body. The memories came faster, filling in the blanks, and when she finally remembered it had been Henry, she gasped, her eyes wide. "Oh no…"

Reaching out, Snow rested a hand on Regina's shoulder and, in her best 'calm teacher voice,' said, "Don't freak out. This doesn't have to be a big deal."

"Don't freak out?" Regina repeated disbelievingly. "I mated with my son! I-" she cut herself off with a gasp as more memories clicked into place, and her hand flew to the bite mark.

"We can fix this," Snow said quickly, trying to calm Regina down as her breathing sped up, heading toward hyperventilation. It was a lie, there was no way to dissolve a mating bond - Regina and Henry would be required to mate every year when the cycle came around, or risk death on both their parts - but right now, Snow just wanted to keep Regina from panicking, and she hoped that the lie would be accepted.

"This can't be fixed, Snow!" Regina yelled. She could feel her heart pounding and her vision began to blur as panic started to take over.

The shouting finally pulled Henry out of his slumber, and he groaned as he rolled onto his back. "Was there another curse? I feel like crap."

Regina looked like she was going to cry, so Snow answered him. "No, Henry. You went into your first rut and just came out of a mating cycle. It will happen every year for the rest of your life. It's not usually this hard, because normally there's a warning and everyone can prepare for it."

As he listened to Snow's calming voice, Henry began to remember the events of the last three days, and he turned his head to look at Regina, laying tense and naked next to him, her eyes squeezed shut and a slow trickle of tears falling from the corners of her eyes. "Mom…"

Regina gasped and opened her eyes, her brow furrowed in distress. "Henry… I am so sorry," she said, slowly turning her gaze to him. "I never, ever meant for this to happen."

"It's okay, Mom. I think…" Henry paused, trying to remember. "I think I started it, anyway. Yeah, you tried to make me leave, but I didn't. It's not your fault."

Before Regina could argue, Snow spoke up again. "You'll have time to discuss this later. Right now you both need rest. And probably several painkillers. Let me get you cleaned up and settled and you can get back to sleep."

Henry agreed quickly, Regina somewhat more reluctantly, but they both let Snow take care of them. Snow dealt with Regina first, knowing that the painkillers would be kicked in by the time she was done, and the likelihood of her still being awake once Henry was finished was slim. And she was right; once Henry was settled back into the bed, Regina was already drifting off, much too tired to continue arguing her culpability.

When Regina woke up the next morning, she felt significantly better, although physical exhaustion and aching muscles still made her feel weighed down. Lifting a hand, she flicked her fingers, happy to see sparks of magic appearing. She'd been much too tired the night before to even think about performing magic, much less doing so effectively. Now that she was sure that she had control again, she waved a hand, using her magic to heal herself of the aches and pains associated with mating. Then she repeated the move on Henry.

"Mm…" Henry smiled in his sleep, relaxing into the bed, and Regina watched him for a moment before slipping out. She showered quickly and dressed in a sharp pantsuit, needing the metaphorical armor in order to face the day. Once she was dressed, she headed downstairs, following the scent of fresh coffee to the kitchen. And Snow.

"Good morning," Snow said, cradling a mug in her hands and watching Regina over the rim as she took a sip.

"I really don't see what's good about it," Regina replied stiffly, pouring her own mug and taking a sip. Straight black coffee wasn't her preference, but she needed the comfort of the caffeine and very much felt like punishing herself in some way.

Snow hummed. "Well, you're both alive, that's good."

Regina scowled at her coffee and muttered begrudgingly, "Thanks for taking care of us."

"You're welcome." They were silent for a while longer before Snow attempted to lift Regina's spirits. "It could be worse. At least you know you're not pregnant."

The mug of coffee clattered and spilled as Regina dropped it on the counter. "Shit," she hissed.

"Regina?" Snow frowned at the unexpected reaction.

Louder, Regina swore, "Fuck!" A stream of vehement profanity that Snow never would have expected from the other woman followed and Regina brought her hand up to the bite mark at the base of her neck.

"You… can't get pregnant, can you?" Snow asked once the diatribe died down.

Regina stood stiffly, her jaw clenched. "Yes," she answered in a clipped tone.

"But you said…"

Blowing her hair out of her eyes, Regina tapped her foot and waved an impatient hand, using magic to clean up the mess of coffee. "The potion I took was part curse and part poison, so that it could never be accidentally neutralized. But there was a failsafe, in case I changed my mind and decided I wanted to have children. True Love's kiss would break the curse part of it, and the poison would be neutralized by the chemical changes caused by a mating bite."

Snow's eyes widened as the put the pieces together. "Henry gave you True Love's kiss three years ago."

"Yes."

"And now you have a mating bite."

"Yes."

"So… you could be pregnant."

"... Yes."