I Stand Alone
By: AndiKaneUnderwood
AU: Alpha/Beta/Omega
Everything is the same except Veronica and Betty are dating and Archie and Jughead are dating. I've been watching season 2 of Riverdale and episode 5 hit me hard. So, character study (I guess) of Betty and her decisions.
Vladimir Lodge: Alpha
Alexandra "Alexi" Andrews: Alpha
Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper: Omega
Jughead Jones: Omega
Betty's entire world crumbled in one phone call.
The Black Hood demanded that she comply with his orders.
Otherwise Polly, Vladimir, Jughead, Alexi, Kevin, her parents?
Every one of them would die if she didn't do as the Black Hood asked of her.
So when he called her as she got ready for bed and demanded she cut ties to her friends, to her Mate, her immediate reaction was fear.
Don't make me do this, she'd pleaded.
You have until tomorrow night, or he dies. was the Black Hood's response.
So she lied to Alexi, she lied to Jughead, she unleashed Hell on Vladimir.
She couldn't let them get hurt because of her.
She'd sooner slit her own throat like Miss Grundy's had been.
Betty pushed Vladimir away, saying awful things that she didn't believe, things that hurt just as much to say as they did to hear.
Betty felt the anger and pain from the Bond right before it was locked away behind a wall Vladimir put up.
Why don't you leave then?
So Betty did. She left Vladimir's house knowing she'd not be welcomed back.
She successfully pushed Vladimir out of line of fire; got hit by the bullet herself in order to save him.
Betty sat down at a bus stop and cried, wanted nothing but her Alpha's comforting presence, his forgiveness, and his love, but knowing she couldn't have it.
Betty heard the shitty ring tone she'd programmed to play when the inhumane killer called and held back a fresh wave of as she answered the phone.
I did it.
She listened to his next words with rage and pain in her heart.
He told her to cut ties to Jughead next and everything in her collapsed for a second time.
No. she pleaded.
Cut him out of your life, or I'll do it for you.
What her friends' sins where, she wasn't entirely sure.
Vladimir, she knew was the son of a man who'd been on trial for embezzlement and fraud, but what did that have to do with Dimi? The only other thing was premarital and underage sex.
Jughead, she guessed, was in a gang by blood alone and engaged in underage and premarital sex, but then so did she so why was it such a big deal?
Alexi could legally be stuck with a rap of adultery, but Miss Grundy had manipulated her, so it wasn't her fault, and also engaged in premarital and underage sex*.
Why was this happening to Betty?
Why did it have to be her?
Why did the Black Hood want her to be miserable and unhappy and possibly end up sick?
Why was this happening?
Betty had so many questions but not a single one could be answered unless she did as the Black Hood asked and hurt both herself and those she loved more than anything.
She'd never ever let her loved ones be put in danger because of her, so she pushed Jughead away too.
She thought about doing the same to Jughead as she did to Vladimir, but that would break Jughead down to nothing and she just couldn't.
Betty begged Alexi to tell Jughead that he needed to stay away from Betty. She begged Alexi to keep it quiet. She told Alexi that she'd repair all the damage she'd done to the bridges.
Betty had to believe she could repair it.
When Jughead texted her, asking why, and begging for answers she couldn't give him, Betty sobbed harder; flipping her phone over and burying her face in her hands.
She knew Alexi and Kevin where next, so she texted them both to inform them that she needed time to herself, not to contact her for any reason, that she was fine and that she'd text them when she was ready.
Kevin texted back, an offer of support if it was needed and a hope that she would be able to work through whatever was hurting her soon. That he'd miss her, that he was always there for her, and to text him whenever so they could go out for ice cream when this was all over.
Alexi texted back to tell her that she was worried about Betty and wished she wouldn't do this, but she supported Betty in everything and she'd be here when the Black Hood was gone. Alexi told Betty to stay safe and have courage and be strong and to never stop fighting and to remember that no matter what happened the Black Hood was nothing more than an abusive, cruel, cowardly creature.
Betty put her phone down and cried.
The next morning she woke up, put her clothes on, brushed her teeth, ate her breakfast, grabbed her cell phone and left the house.
She didn't reach out to Vladimir over the Bond to see what he was doing after school because her Heat was due soon and she wanted to make sure their Nest was perfect.
She didn't message Jughead to offer her support of going through the trials, to tell him she thought he was brave for doing this, and don't you ever give up.
She didn't text Alexi to see she could walk with her to school because she hated going by herself.
She didn't check her phone for any new messages from Kevin.
Betty steeled her gaze and her nerves, straightened her shoulders, and walked into school with her head held high.
She didn't make eye contact with anyone.
She didn't let anyone see the tears in her eyes.
She didn't dare crack and break down when people were watching.
Betty kept her head high and her back straight and kept going.
Because it was all she had left.
Because in this, she stood alone.
* Let's just clear one thing up real quick, okay? Premarital and underage sex refers to A) the Core Four being under sixteen (as far as I know) which is the legal age of consent, and B) the fact that Betty and Jughead are Omegas and Vladimir and Alexi are Alphas and Heat and Rut are both very much a real thing in this story. Vladimir and Betty are dating and when Heat and Rut come around they will take care of sexual means of it, because of prolonged avoidance causing Health Concerns, same deal for Alexi and Jughead.