*Head Shot... JJ451 has assassinated SPS2003*

"What the hell, Jones?! That's cheating man!" Sweet Pea snarled, kicking Jughead's feet off the coffee table in his frustration.

"Sweets, you're just pissed 'cause I'm the better sniper and shot your sorry ass in the eyeball. That's not cheating, that's skill man. I can't help it you suck at the game." Jughead laughed, slapping his friend on the back as Sweet Pea scowled.

Jughead Jones and his friends Sweet Pea, Fangs, Joaquin all sat sprawled across the sofa and living room floor of his family's trailer playing his new video game, Call of Honor, while his other best friend Toni and Sweet Pea's girlfriend Veronica sat off to the side scrolling through something on Veronica's phone.

With the exception of Veronica, this group had all been friends since birth and as such were all apart of the same pack. His pack. Over the summer break he had been named the new Alpha, the successor to the Serpent throne. A position that is currently held by his father, FP Jones, and had been held by his father before him and so on. It had almost become a given that he would take his fathers place as Alpha one day.

So when he was the first in his age group to make the change, at just 7 years old, no one was very surprised. Before his first transformation he had no idea that werewolves were even real, let alone that he was one. Jughead always suspected that he was different from a lot of the other children but he never imagined that he would be that different.

When his mother ran off shortly after his first transformation, he felt ashamed of what he was and he tried to keep it hidden. He felt responsible for his mother's abandonment and was afraid that his father would blame him for their broken family. That was until he learned that he was not the only wolf when a few years later all his friends started making the change.

Eventually they were all bonded as the new pack, the pack that would rule after the older wolves retired with Jughead as their new leader. Which would be an immense amount of pressure for most 16 year olds but Jughead had been preparing for this since he was 8 years old. He knew it wasn't a guarantee that he would be the next King but he wanted it, more than anything.

"Ok, just you wait Jones. Next round I'm coming for your ass." Sweet Pea grumbled, determination settling on his face.

"That's what she said!" Fangs and Joaquin shouted in unison, high-fiving one another and laughing.

"You guys know that joke was old like 5 years ago, right?" Toni pointed out, her eyes never leaving the video she was waiting with Veronica.

"Yeah Topaz, but that shit's still funny tho!" Fangs chuckled. Toni rolled her eyes and watched as Sweet Pea got sniped again.

"DAMMIT!" He yelled before throwing his controller down and pouting. Everyone, including Veronica, laughed at Sweet Pea's obvious tantrum over Jughead's repeated assassinations.

Sweet Pea may have been the largest and scariest looking member of their group, but he really was just a big kid deep inside. No matter how much he tried to give off a tough guy exterior, deep down everyone knew he was nothing but a big softy when it came to his packmates. That much was made clear when he met Jughead's cousin, Veronica, and they became bonded as mates.

Veronica changed Sweet Pea for the better, made him whole. Even though her father's family had a twisted history with the Serpents, they never treated her any differently than anyone else in the pack. Veronica had come in like a whirlwind and captivated Sweet Pea from the get-go. It wasn't long before she was cemented as a permanent member of the group.

"Sweets honey, don't whine. It's not a good look for you babe." Veronica giggled and blew him a kiss. Sweet Pea muttered something under his breath but before she could reply, the door flew open and Jellybean rushed inside.

Her face was flushed, eyes wide, and she was talking a mile a minute. So fast in fact, that no one could understand a thing that she was saying. Jughead threw his controlled down and rushed over to kneel in front of his sister, placing his hands on her shoulders to calm her down. He wasn't sure if she was scared or hurt but he was worried about what could have happened.

"Jelly, breathe." Jellybean closed her eyes and started taking deep breaths, slowly gathering her wits. "Now tell me JB, what's going on?" Jughead asked, panic in his voice evident. Jellybean's eyes beamed as she spoke.

"I made a friend Jug, like a real friend! And she's grown up and beautiful and strong and she doesn't care that I am a wolf and-" Jughead stood up, raising his hand to cut her off.

"What the hell are you talking about, Jelly? Who did you make friends with? And why would you tell her what we are?" Jughead knew that in the wrong hands this information could be deadly but he didn't want to frighten his baby sister with this fact. While it was common knowledge that there were wolves on the south side, no one outside of the clan spoke of what they were for fear that they would be hunted down by ignorant humans. Or worse, the Blossoms.

"It's ok J, she saved me! Some boys were throwing rocks at me while I was trying to get my wolf legs and she ran them off . She told me she would keep me safe, that she would protect me. She even walked me home so she knew I would be ok." Jughead still looked like he was uncomfortable with a stranger knowing his sister's secret but Jellybean just rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"She's really nice Jug and I believe Betty when she says she wouldn't hurt me." Jellybean states matter of factly, standing up straight with her hands on her hips and chin raised. She has been practicing her dominance stance to show everyone she wasn't a baby anymore, not since she had transformed. Everyone had grown silent, just staring at Jellybean and Jughead's exchange.

"Wait, Betty Cooper? As in the Betty Cooper. Riverdale's Watcher in training, that Betty Cooper?" Toni interjects, clearly impressed with Jellybean's new choice of friends. "Wow, good for you, JB."

Jughead sighed, pulling off his beanie to run his hands through his tangled curls. Because of course, it would be his baby sister that would run into trouble and be befriended by the local peacekeeper on her first lone run. He pulled his beanie back onto his head and knelt down again. Gently, he turned Jellybean's head towards his so he could look into her eyes.

"Well Jelly, are you ok at least? Did those boys hurt you at all?" Jughead asked while looking her over for cuts and bruises. She huffed and swatted his hands away. She hated it when he treated her like a baby.

"No Jug, I'm fine. I was still in wolf form so it didn't hurt. But Betty told me that if it was ok with you, she could teach me some fighting moves so I can kick ass next time!" Jellybean shouted and jumped up and down when someone in the living room snorted, catching the siblings attention.

"Yeah right short stack, you'll be the first 10 year old cub in the history of the clan to kick ass." Sweet Pea said snarkily.

"Bite me Samuel. Besides I'm 11, so shut the hell up." Jellybean retorts and flips Sweet Pea the bird.

"Forsythia, language!" FP's voice boomed from the front door. He was wearing his leather jacket over a black henley shirt and dark stone washed jeans with his black work boots. FP's eyes were bloodshot and he looked tired, no doubt worn out from sitting in negotiations all day. He slipped his jacket and boots off before turning back towards his children.

"What the hell has this one so worked up anyway boy?" FP asked Jughead pointing towards Jellybean.

"Well FP, looks like our little Jellybean here made friends with one Miss Betty Cooper tonight." Veronica interjected with a smile.

"She what now?" FP stammers, confused. "What happened?"

"It's ok Dad, some boys were being mean and Betty saved me. She brought me home and she said she'll teach me how to kick a-... I mean, defend myself, as long as you say it's ok." Jellybean paused. She was trying to recall exactly what Betty had said to her about why she needed permission when it finally came to her, "She said something about territory and needing to ask you and Jug. So, is it ok Dad? Please?" Jelly begged, fluttering her eyelashes for effect.

FP chuckled knowing that if anyone other than someone in the pack was gonna teach Jellybean how to fight, Betty Cooper would be the best choice. He knew full well what type of training Watchers went through. He had even assisted Betty's mother, Alice, with her training when they were teens so he knew they could hold their own.

"Well kiddo, as long as it's ok with Jug, I don't see any problems with it. I mean, who better to learn hand to hand combat from then Betty Cooper, am I right? I've seen what that kid can do, she's a beast. Fairly certain she could kick all our asses if she really had to." FP shrugged. Jughead had never met Betty but he saw no objections either, so JB ran to her room to message Betty before she got ready for bed.

FP walked around Jughead to reach into the fridge to grab a soda, handing one to Jug as well, before sitting at the kitchen table to put his feet up.

"Well that's kinda crazy huh boy?" FP said as Jughead pulled up a chair next to him, watching his friends laugh and play having resumed their video games.

"What's crazy?" Jughead asked. He wasn't quite sure what it was that FP was referring to but the wistful look in FP's eyes intrigued him.

"Just that your sister met the Cooper girl tonight and they're apparently friends now. And, of all the girls in this town, it was that particular girl JB bonded with." Jughead still wasn't understanding what his dad was getting at.

"I don't understand, Dad. Why is any of that crazy?" Jughead turned to look at him. Nothing FP said was making any sense to Jughead. FP just smiled and shook his head.

"Oh, you'll see Jug. You'll see." FP clapped him on the shoulder and walked away laughing leaving Jughead to wonder if his father had officially lost his marbles.

"Hey Jonesy, if you are gonna sit in the kitchen all night at least make me a sandwich why don't ya?" Sweet Pea laughed before Toni threw a pillow at him. "Ow, what was that for Topaz?"

"That was for you being a dick, Sweets. Besides, you know Jones can put away some food but the poor boy burns water. Do you want us all to die?" Everyone laughed again as Jughead flipped Toni off.

"In your dreams Jones." She winks.

"You wish Topaz." He shot back laughing.

Before long Jughead forgets about he and FP's cryptic conversation and spends the rest of the evening cutting up with his friends, enjoying his last day of summer before starting a new school.


Goosebumps formed on Betty's skin as she stepped out of her steam filled bathroom into the chill of her bedroom. She had come home only an hour before, having had her fill of laughter and milkshakes and was lucky enough to have dodged her mother's inquisition on how her late night run had been. In the last year her mother had tried her best to keep Betty on as short a leash as possible.

Alice Cooper wasn't always the strict, fire-breathing dragon she was now. With the exception of her constant pressure on her kids to strive in school and in their Watcher duties, she had always been relatively laid back when it came to the kids' social lives. However, all of that changed with Polly.

When Polly rebelled and ran away, something inside Alice broke. She tried not to let it show but when she started harping on Betty about who she was hanging out with or where she was spending her time, it became clear that she was more affected by Polly's choice to leave then she wanted known.

Betty couldn't really blame her for that, it had changed her too. Polly had left just shortly after the drama with Archie and Cheryl started and it made things that much harder for Betty. The anxiety and depression increased, as well as her constant need to bottle up her feelings. It took her awhile but eventually no one noticed when she was spiraling. No one except Chic that is, she couldn't get anything past him.

She and Chic shared a unique bond together. They could read each other's feelings better than anyone else they knew. He had been just 11 years old when Betty was born but the moment he held her, he knew that he would spend his life protecting her. Of course he and Polly were close as well, but with Betty it was different. It was like he knew that the two of them were going to be a team, that they would accomplish great things and protect Riverdale as a unit.

Betty is fairly certain this was the whole reason he'd agreed to come back to Riverdale in the first place. When his parents told him about Polly he had been in the middle of finishing up his doctorate. He agreed then to finish school and come home, to try to get Polly back and to train Betty. He said he knew it was his duty to come back to his family.

Betty sighed as she removed the towel from her head and began to run her fingers through her hair in an attempt to detangle it. She sat her towel down to look herself over in her full length mirror and sighed again. She was dressed in a faded pink tank top and matching sleep shorts, face fresh from being washed and skin still glistening in the lamp light.

Could it be possible? Could I really meet the person I am destined to be bound to soon? She thought wistfully as she rubbed her fingers across her cheeks. She had tried to never be too obsessed over her looks, preferring to wear simple makeup and less dramatic outfits.

She liked to be comfortable and just be herself but that hadn't gotten her very far with the boys. She did sometimes wonder if it was her plainess or the added curves to her figure that kept the boys at bay. She sighed once again and flopped onto her mattress.

Just keep an eye out for a crown.

Alright Kev, let's see what how accurate you really are. She thinks before she turns off her lamp and burrows under her covers.


"Alright guys, I'm cashing in best friend favors. I'm stressing out here and I could really use your help today. I've got a large group of kids coming from Southside this morning and Weatherbee is trying to stick the whole bunch with me but I'm only one person." Betty cornered her friends at Sabrina's locker as soon as she caught sight of them walking in the door.

"So, I was thinking maybe you guys could help and I'll split them into groups so it'll be easier for us to manage? Please, please, please?" Betty begged, Kevin and Sabrina knowing full well that they would help her regardless. She had no idea when she come in early to get the new student information from the office that she was the only person Weatherbee had appointed as a new student liaison.

Betty knew that today was all about first impressions and she wanted to make a good one on behalf of Riverdale High so she had gotten him to agree to let her grab a few volunteers to help her show the new students around. This way she wouldn't get flustered and possibly goof up the whole thing.

She also wanted to make sure she herself made a good impression but figured that she would feel more comfortable if she just dressed normal. She had spent at least an hour that morning looking for the perfect outfit before she finally just decided to wear her typical pencil skirt and sweater combo with knee high socks and keds. She was the picture of innocence and simplicity, just what she wanted to portray.

"Jeez Betts, chill. We got you. You just need to breathe girl, you're wound waaay too tight for the first day of school. Just let us know what to do. You know Kevin and I will always help you out. Do you have the clipboards?" Sabrina asked before slamming her locker shut and walking over to the welcome table Weatherbee had set up.

"Do you want me to cast a relaxation spell? You know, just to loosen you up a bit, B." Sabrina whispered as they reached the table. Betty shook her head remembering the last time Sabrina used something similar on Betty. That night the three friends ended up being caught skinny dipping in Sweetwater River by Junkyard Pete. Betty still cringed when she thought about how mad her mother was when she found out. Of course, this was before Polly had fled to her cult compound or even started dating Jason Blossom. If that sort of thing had happened now, Betty was pretty sure her mom would blow a gasket.

Betty could probably do with some relaxation help but she just needs to keep doing her breathing exercises. She's not even entirely sure why she is so nervous today, although she thinks it has something to do with what Kevin said to her last night. She had spent most of last night and this morning trying to figure out what a crown meant and how it had anything to do with her soulmate.

Maybe I am secretly a princess and a prince will show up to magically whisk me away to another land and we'll live happily ever after. Betty mused for a second before shaking those thoughts from her brain. That's just a childish notion and she knows it. Besides, she may look it but she is very far from being a princess. Unless you count Princess Leia, that is...

Betty tries not to put too much thought into the whole soulmate thing. She doesn't really have the time with her schedule to think about boys, let alone find her soulmate. She had already made a promise to Jellybean that she would come over to Sunnyside later in the week to meet her Dad and talk about what kind of training they could start with and how many times a week they could work together. That just added to her already packed calendar and obligations.

And frankly, she's not even really sure she believes in soulmates anymore anyway. Not since Polly left and all that mess with having her heart broken by Archie. She is content with the way her life it right now. Isn't she?

Before she had a chance to think to much more into it, the double doors opened and she put on her best 'Welcome to Riverdale High' smile...


"Jug, are you seriously still going on about what your old man said last night?" Toni asked while taking a drag off Jughead's cigarette before handing it back to him.

Jughead sat on his bike outside Riverdale High waiting for the rest of the guys to arrive so they could all go inside together. He had spent the better part of last night and this morning trying to decipher what the hell his Dad was talking about. Like why did it matter to him who JB was friends with anyway?

I mean, what was so special about Betty Cooper? She was just a Watcher, just tasked to protect both sides of the town and keep the peace. She was basically just a supernatural hall monitor so why all the fuss over her? Right now Jughead was more concerned with how the vamps would react to wolves being schooled in their territory. After all, negotiations were still extremely tense with a temporary agreement falling into place just in time for the start of the new school year.

We are gonna need to watch our backs here more than ever. Jughead thought as he took a puff from his cigarette and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not 'going on' about it Topaz, I'm just... curious. Dad likes to screw with my brain sometimes so I'll figure shit out on my own. Says it makes for a great leader. I just hate when he goes all Yoda on me and speaks in riddles and shit." Toni snorted at his reference and bumped him on the shoulder.

"I always saw you as more of a Han Solo then a Luke Skywalker," Toni laughed before continuing, "You're gonna be an amazing leader Jug, I have no doubts."

Toni's constant reassurance was never needed but was always welcomed by Jughead. She was one of his closest friends and his Beta in the pack. Being his second in command made them as close as they could be without actually being mates.

At one time she was what he considered a love interest, someone he thought could be his mate someday. They even dated for a few months in 8th grade until -after a few make out sessions- they realized that they weren't compatible in that way. Seemed that the strong connection they had was more pack hierarchy then romantic. Besides, Toni admitted that she actually liked girls just as much as Jughead did, and Jug didn't feel that connection to her. There was no wow moment like the stories talked about.

Some of the elders still told stories of mate bonds and finding your soulmate, even though over time the stories became fewer and fewer. He remembered hearing from the elders that you could detect your mate from all our creatures by their scent. That no matter where they were, you'd be able to feel their heart beat once your bond formed. Most people didn't have the desire to wait for their true bondmate however. They just picked someone they liked and went from there.

Mate bonds were so rare nowadays that up until Sweet Pea and Veronica, Jughead didn't believe it was even possible to find one. But those two blew apart all the beliefs he had when they bonded and declared they were mated. That was honestly the first time Jughead really let himself hope that he would find his own mate one day.

The roar of bikes in the distance signaled the arrival of the rest of the pack and Jughead shrugged off Toni's words.

"You guys ready for this?" Jughead snuffed out his cigarette as the others settled their helmets on their bikes and gathered around him. They all nodded in agreement and walked together as a group towards the front of the school. Jughead caught a scent in the air that gave him pause and he stopped everyone just outside the double doors.

"Do you guys smell that? It smells like...like cherry coke...and cotton candy..." Jughead said, sniffing the air. His mouth began to water at the scent, almost like he could taste it on his tongue.

"You sure you ain't just hungry, Jonesy?" Joaquin laughed, jabbing Fangs in the ribs with his elbow. Toni raised her hand to signal him to stop, quirking her eyebrows before sniffing the air too.

"I smell something too Jug, but it is definitely not that. It smells like lavender incense and peppermint." Toni and Jughead looked at each other confused but Veronica cleared her throat to catch their attention.

"Ok, so either you and your sensitive noses are picking up on someone's perfume or your mates are on the other side of that door." Toni and Jughead exchanged a shocked look before turning back to Veronica as she continued, "Either way, let's go inside before we miss the welcoming committee. I'm excited to see what kind of trouble this northsiders can get into." Veronica giggled, wrapping her arms tighter around Sweet Pea. Jughead laughed, shaking his head at his cousin as he pulled the doors open. Once inside, they all made their way towards the large table with a banner welcoming the new students.

The closer they got, the more overpowering the scent from earlier became and he found himself aggressively smelling the air again to see which direction it was coming from. Once his eyes laid on the source his legs went weak and his heart raced. If not for the constant scent permeating his nostrils, Jughead would have thought he had stopped breathing altogether.

Wow... Was his only thought as he studied the angelic creature with piercing green eyes that stood in front of him. He didn't know who she was but he definitely knew he wanted to find out. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on and he couldn't help but get lost in her eyes.

Betty wasn't sure of what to make of the gorgeous boy standing in front of her, clearly staring back at her. He was tall and slender, but you could tell he was also muscular just from looking at the way his clothes fit his body. He was wearing a grey t-shirt with black jeans, a grey flannel tied around his waist and suspenders that hung from his hips. His leather jacket was form fitting and made him look even more intriguing.

Beauty marks peppered his face and neck and his eyes were the most captivating blue she had ever seen, even more blue than Jellybean's had been. His jet black hair was mostly covered by a grey beanie but he had cascades of curls that escaped and fell into his eyes. It made Betty's fingers twitch, the urge to push those curls out of his eyes just to see how soft they were.

It was at that moment Betty's eyes went wide as her brain seemed to register two things. One, she was standing there gawking like an idiot and two, the beanie on his head was so much more than just that. It was in the shape of a crown. As if he noticed at the same moment, Kevin grabbed her shoulder from behind her and stared as well.

"Oh my God B, I was totally right! Look at him, he's a total snack. Hell, I think that boy might count as the whole damned meal." Kevin whispered into Betty's ear, eyes focusing on the boy in front before landing on another boy in the crowd. "Well now, that yummy snack I didn't see coming. But from the looks he's giving me, I definitely might later on." Betty hushed Kevin and smacked his arm before turning to the students to introduce herself.

"Hi everyone, my name is Elizabeth Cooper, but you all can call me Betty. I'm the new student liaison for Riverdale High and the students behind me will be helping me out with the tours today. We'll break you all off into groups and your peer mentors will show you around and help you find your classes. Our goal is to help you feel welcome-" a thunderous noise behind Betty cut her off.

"Not so fast, Season 5 Betty Draper," The red headed bombshell at the top of the stairs quipped before addressing the new students who had started chatting amongst themselves. Betty's teeth clenched as she turned to face the evil one herself.

"Shut it hobos." Cheryl commanded, "In case you welfare babies didn't know, I'm Cheryl Blossom, unofficial Queen and official HBIC of Riverdale High. I think I speak for all students when I say we are not welcoming any of these snakes and mongrels into our school."

As she spoke, she descended the stairs -almost floating- with her typical entourage of evil following behind: Archie Andrews, Chuck Clayton, Ginger Lopez, and Trula Twyst. Behind them were a number of faceless students, all familiars to the Blossom clan or those who wanted to be part of the in crowd.

Betty pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She should have known the Blossoms would try to cause issues with the school merger. Well, Cheryl more so than Jason. It seemed that since his split from Polly, Jason had become more understanding of Betty's family and their role in this town. If Betty didn't know better she would have believed that Jason truly loved Polly. Plastering the most neutral look she could muster on her face, Betty turned to face Cheryl.

"Cheryl, what are you doing?" Betty's tone spoke volumes: she doesn't have time to deal with Cheryl and her bullshit today.

"Why my dear privitor, we just want these miscreants to know that they will not be welcomed here in our lovely school with open arms," Cheryl sing-songs in a sickly sweet tone and stares the southsiders down, "We don't want you here so just slither back to the pit from whence ye came." Cheryl says stepping in Toni's direction only to be blocked by Sabrina.

"Alright, just back off Queen of the Damned. These guys are here to stay besides..." Sabrina cocks her head to the side and smiles, "you wouldn't want things to get... wicked." With a twitch of her fingers a locker behind them slammed shut, scaring Cheryl's crew.

"Peacekeeper, tell Bellatrix Lestrange to back the hell up before I end her." Cheryl snarled. Betty could see that this was about to get out of hand quickly and she wasn't in the mood to cover up whatever mess this would undoubtedly make.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Betty shouted. All eyes were on her as she stepped closer Cheryl so that only she could hear. "I swear to whatever daemon conjured your kind up from the pits of hell Cheryl, if you don't shut the fuck up, I will call the council. And we both know you don't want that. How many infractions would that be? 5? 6? Do I need to remind you what they said the last time you broke the rules?"

Cheryl's eyes narrowed as she tried to read Betty's expression. "You wouldn't dare."

"You wanna try me, bitch? I'm sure your parents are still in negotiations and would love to hear all about this." Betty challenged causing Cheryl's mouth to slam shut. She stomped her foot and huffed in frustration.

"Fine, but they better stay out of my way or there will be hell to pay. And Spellman, watch your back. My bite is definitely worse than my bark. Let's go bitches." Cheryl turned and stomped down the hall, all her minions in tow. There was a deep laugh from the group of new kids and the most beautiful voice she'd ever heard spoke.

"What do you know, the Devil really IS a female." Betty turned slowly to see the boy in the beanie smiling at her. Betty chuckled, a slight pink hue coloring her cheeks as she cleared her throat.

"Yeah that's a pretty fair description of Cheryl Blossom, even after she shaves down her horns. Anyways, let's get into our groups shall we? When I call your name, find your peer mentor. Joaquin and Fangs, you're with Kevin. Antoinette and Samuel, you are with Sabrina. And Veronica and, um, Forsythe?" Ok, strange name, she thought briefly. "Yeah, you guys are with me." Betty allowed a moment for everyone to find their mentor before she sent them all on their way to begin the tour. She turned to her group and smiled.

"Again, I'm so sorry about Cheryl. She hasn't quite figured out yet that being a Blossom doesn't give her a free pass to be a bitch." Betty sighed, clenching her sleeves in her palms to protect her hands.

"Oh it's ok, we're well aware of what kind of person she is. Let me formally introduce myself, I'm Veronica Lodge,' Veronica eagerly held her hand out for Betty to shake, "and this hunky piece of man meat is Jughead Jones. He hates the name Forsythe, just an fyi." Veronica whispering the last part for only Betty to hear.

Jughead put his face in his hands in embarrassment at his cousin's description of himself. There was certainly never a dull moment when Veronica Lodge was around.

While Veronica carried herself with all the poise and class of a high society debutante, she very much dressed the part of a badass biker chick. Leather skirt with a tight-fitted baby doll tee, fishnets, and stilettos. Completing her signature look with a leather jacket and (of all things) pearls.

"Ronnie, how 'bout reel it in just a bit? We don't want to scare off our peer mentor on the first day." Jughead said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh please Jug, you are a fine specimen and you know it. Maybe our new friend thinks you are too and needs to know you are single and down to mingle," Veronica says, wiggling her eyebrows at Jug before winking at Betty.

Betty could feel the flutters in her chest as Jughead eyes flickered from her eyes down to her lips and back, a noticeable flush covering his cheeks this time. It gave her a surge of confidence that she had never had around other boys before. "Oh, well that is interesting information to have. Thank you Veronica. And believe me Jughead, I may be a lot of things but scared of you isn't one of them."

"Well that's good to know. So, what else do we need to know about this school? Other than the fact that Cheryl Blossom is the resident succubus ice queen?" Jughead grinned at her, noticing the way her doe eyes sparkled as she stared at him, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth.

Betty chewed her lip to hide the grin that was forming at his words, feeling her stomach do a somersault when he winked at her knowingly. She didn't know if Kevin's visions were accurate, but she wouldn't be mad if they were.

Since the halls started to clear out, she decided now was as good a time as any to explain the territory condition and ushered them further into an empty part of the hall. "I'm going to assume that all of your friends from southside high are part of your pack?"

She quirked an eyebrow at Veronica, not knowing everything about her family history but of what she did know, the Lodges were most definitely not wolves. Veronica noticed her questioning look and didn't miss a beat.

"You could've just come out and asked me if you weren't sure, B. While I'm not technically full 'were', I do have wolf blood. I'm a wolf-shifter. My mother is a half-blood wolf and my father is a pure blood shifter. The New York Lodges, have you heard of them?" Veronica was throwing around her supernatural pedigree as if this was just any other normal conversation between highschool students.

Of course, Betty did know who the Lodges were and where they came from. She had been taught the mythos of all the original families that settled on the east coast, especially the ones residing in Riverdale.

The first known account of the Lodge family was in 1821 when Mexico signed its Declaration of Independence from Spain. They were the first recorded shifters to reside in Mexico then later settling in the United States, the former knowing them as the Nagual and the latter as Skinwalkers after they were encountered by the Navajo people.

While it was known that a great deal of the original Lodge clan was killed off by the Navajo, the remaining survivors fled to the North and settled in New England. Sometime in the 1930's, the family had relocated to New York and became part of the crime syndicate that took over the city. However after the death of Veronica's father, Hiram Lodge, she and her mother returned to Riverdale and took up residence on the Southside with the Serpents.

Betty even recalled the article her parents wrote when she was a little girl about Hiram Lodge being arrested and later another after he was killed in a prison riot at Rikers Island a few years ago.

She did vaguely recall that after his death, his wife and child had fled to Riverdale to seek asylum with her familial wolf pack. Betty decided that she would ask her brother more about the details on this later.

"Yes, of course I have heard of your family and I knew your mother came back here. I just had no idea that we had any shifters my age in Riverdale. Seems that your family has kept a low profile since none of the debriefings my father has on file from the council have mentioned you in any detail."

Veronica laughed and waved her hand in the air nonchalantly, "Well of course not, my sweet Bettykins. They know about us but we are in... hmmm, how to put this? Um, think of it as supernatural witness protection."

"After Daddy passed, it was made very clear that we were also targets and that the other New York families wanted us gone. Once he found out, FP had the idea to bring us to Riverdale. He and my mother grew up together. We're actually cousins, right Jug?" Jughead nodded in agreement and Veronica continued.

"Anyways, so apparently because of mom's ties to the Serpents we were able to hideout in plain sight. Even using our real names, we are under protection here. It worked out well for us, although I think Mom is afraid of the fact that I now have to go to school on the northside. Although, I think knowing that the next Watcher is my classmate and newest friend will help to ease her mind."

Betty tried her best to smile politely and not show her annoyance at the reminder of her own status. She knew from a young age that being chosen to follow in her parents footsteps would come with certain expectations, and she was proud to have been chosen.

However, she also didn't want to just be known as the next Watcher. She wanted to be seen as more, wanted her life to have more meaning than just that. Sometimes she just wanted to get away from the pressures of who she was and who she was meant to become.

Jughead must have noticed Betty's change in demeanor because he placed his hand on her elbow and leaned towards her as Veronica spoke. "So, how about that tour Betts?" He whispered, his voice deep and husky.

Betty felt her stomach clench in response to his breath on her ear and had to steady her breathing before she looked at him. She was afraid that he would see how visibly fast her heart was beating and she brushed a stray hair behind her ear in order to buy her more time to collect herself. When she finally took a chance and glanced at him, he smiled down at her softly. It was at that moment she knew she was a goner.

"Umm, yes. Let's finish the tour and I can show you guys the classes you will be in this semester. Principal Weatherbee has given us a hall pass for the day to help integrate you guys better so I hope you don't mind being stuck with me today?" Betty beams, trying to be as bubbly as possible without being annoyingly so.

Jughead wanted to give her a witty response but Veronica beat him to the punch, "Oh my, no B! I have no issues with that at all. I'm sure we will be the best of friends before the end of the day. And I am sure Jug here won't complain too much either." Veronica winks at Jughead, not even trying to be subtle.

When Betty's cheeks flare, Jughead coughs and stares daggers at Veronica. He's not wanting to embarrass Betty or have Veronica meddle too much. He may not have met his cousin until they were in middle school but he quickly came to realize that she rarely had boundaries with those around her.

To top it off, ever since her bonding with Sweet Pea she has become obsessed with the idea of helping others find their mates. While he did admit it was endearing on a certain level, Jughead was never one to like meddling when it came to his love life.

"Well if you really don't mind being stuck with me, and either of you are interested, I'm actually looking for volunteers for the Blue Gold. Right now it's just me, Kevin, and Sabrina but we are in desperate need of feature writers." Betty's eyes sparkle as she spoke of the school paper, her pet project, her baby. She walked them towards the classroom where the newspaper was located and showed them around inside.

Betty had revived the Blue Gold her freshman year and had even roped her best friends into helping her keep it afloat throughout the last two years. This year she wanted to shift her focus from puff pieces to hard hitting investigative journalism. Well, as hard hitting as a small highschool newspaper in a town like Riverdale could provide. There was only so much that could be written about without revealing too many of the towns secrets, but writing was her passion.

If she had a normal existence, this would be her dream career. Unfortunately, that dream was never a possibility. Not when she was tied to this town forever, just like her parents and her brother. She would have to settle for school papers and eventually the Register to fulfill that dream.

"Well, you are in luck Bettykins. Jughead was actually the head writer for our old paper and he is currently writing a novel in his free time." Veronica offers excitedly. Jughead sighs but his expression softens when Betty quirks her mouth up in a half grin at him.

"Oh Jug, please tell me it's not one of those angsty young adult novels about vampires and werewolves and forbidden love." Betty chuckles, her eyes gleaming with mirth. Jughead snorts, shaking his head.

"Dear God no! It's actually more akin to a gritty crime novel then it is to a sappy supernatural romance. Think more L.A. Confidential and less Twilight. Trust me, I get enough of that whole mess in my real life." He says as they turn a corner and bump into the other two groups they had parted from earlier.

"Oh! Betty, there you are! Sabrina and I were talking and we were coming to find you," Kevin says excitedly, his face beaming. "These guys invited us to some place called the Whyte Wyrm over on the south side. So we were thinking, since Weatherbee gave us a free pass for today anyway, what do you say we skip the stuffy tour and get to know these guys more intimately?" Kevin wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Betty looked at everyone, biting her lip. Veronica had already departed from her spot next to Betty to go wrap herself around the tall boy with the neck tattoo (whom she can only assume is her boyfriend) and Sabrina was busy exchanging flirty banter with the girl who had pink streaks in her hair. The other two boys are leaning against the lockers, watching Kevin and whispering to each other.

Betty wasn't sure what to do. She had always been the good girl who does what she is supposed to but when she looks back at Jughead, his eyes were bright with anticipation. Their eyes remain locked as he steps forward to come closer to her. He stops and leans in, still staring into her eyes.

"What do ya say Betts? Wanna be bad?" he rasps. Betty closes her eyes, her stomach coiling tight as she feels his words surging through her. It's as if he had struck a match and set her ablaze. She opens her eyes, his azure eyes piercing into hers.

If she wasn't sure before, now she definitely knows she's a goner.