Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, or rather, Jughead Jones, had been born into the small, seemingly perfect town of Riverdale. He had not been born into one of the perfect homes surrounded on all sides by a white picket fence. No, he had been born of a family on the south side of town.
The south side of Riverdale is a place of secrets. While the north side is all sunshine and rainbows, the south side is the grim keeper of all that goes bump in the night. While the children to the north are tucked in their beds each night, with kisses and nightlights, and promises of their safety, the children to the south are not so lucky. Southside children are tucked in their beds with tales of horrid creatures who just might come to feast while they sleep. The children are born and raised as keepers of the peace, for it is they who are next in line to be the protectors of the smiley town of Riverdale.
"It's time for school, boy. Get yourself up before I- Well shit," mutters FP Jones after barging into his son's room. He finds Jughead lying in the middle of his bedroom floor, his room nearly torn to shreds with claw marks on every surface. The stuffing has been ripped out of his mattress, the blankets shredded in a heap on the floor. FP grins wildly as he slaps his son hard on his bare ass cheek.
"Ow," Jughead hollers as he jerks upright. "What was tha-" he starts before taking in the destruction of his bedroom with wide eyes.
"Congratulations boy! You're a man now," FP beams as he ruffles Jughead's already messy mop. "Now get your ass to school," he clips, still beaming from ear to ear as he leaves the room.
Jughead takes in his surroundings once more. Memories of the previous night come to him in short flashes, but he knows not to be worried about the missing pieces. His father has told him all about the change and how recalling his inner beast's memories would be difficult at first. If he focuses and truly becomes one with his beast, the memories will become his own.
Sitting up straighter, he takes in three deep, cleansing breaths, just as his father had taught him and searches deep within himself to confront his beast. He feels no fear as he walks towards it, only honor and pride. With the raise of his right hand, he places it atop the beast's nose. It does not growl, but bows in the presence of its other half. An electric vibration passes through his hand and with a blinding explosion of white light, he's back in his bedroom.
The memories come flooding in, seeming to originate from the palm of his right hand as a heat travels up his arm and into the base of his skull. The heat spreads, warming his head as if the onset of a sudden fever. He winces at the memory of bones cracking and shifting into place. He can feel the air moving across his fur, his tail swishing freely as he ran around the room. He had been stuck in his room the entire night and he can feel just how bored his beast had been. The urge to run had been so intense that the beast had taken it out on anything he could find, which subsequently had been everything in his room.
With a smirk and shake of his head, Jughead rises from the floor to get ready for school. It is in this very moment, that he realizes he had been completely naked the entire time his father had been in the room. His cheeks burn with a fire that makes him want to bury his face, but he knows there's no use in being embarrassed. His father hadn't even batted an eye, and through all his training, he's well aware of how a change works. Still, as a modest boy of only eleven, his indecency is hard to bear.
Jughead finally gets to dressing himself. The entire time, he can't stop sniffing at the air. The smell of something delicious cooking overwhelms his senses. As he pulls his crown beanie down into place, he follows his incredible sniffer straight out into the kitchen.
"What is that," he wonders as his father comes into view. His mouth salivates heavily and it drips from the corner of his mouth, collecting on his chin.
"Bacon," FP laughs, knowing all too well the draw of food once the beast's sniffer becomes your own. Jughead takes a seat at the table with enthusiasm and FP piles his plate high with bacon. He can't stop chuckling as he watches his son and beast become one, devouring the entire plate in a record amount of time, even for Jughead.
"Thanks for breakfast," Jughead mumbles as he gets up from the table, still chewing a mouthful of bacon. "Bye dad," he calls, slipping out the front door with only one arm in his oversized jean jacket. FP shakes his head, giving a knowing smirk as he watches his son make a run for the tree line.
Adrenaline and excitement runs like a rapid river through his veins as Jughead runs through the forest. The heightened senses of his beast allow him to dodge branches and skip over exposed roots like never before. The clumsiness of his own human senses no longer ails him, only his beast's sharp eye and quick reflexes exist within him. As he reaches the middle of the forest, he can feel the deep rumble of his beast's growl within his chest as it pleads to stretch its legs for the first time. He stops in a small clearing, deep within the woods, giving in to the begging of his inner beast. He swallows hard, double, and triple checking that there is not a soul to be found before beginning to remove his clothes.
The whole being naked part of the change was the one thing Jughead was not excited about. His father has assured him countless times that he'll get used to it, but it's getting to that point that he's not looking forward to. Begrudgingly, he removes his jacket and it drops to the dead leaves with a gentle thud. The silence that can be felt in the surrounding forest amplifies the rustle of the leaves to a seemingly deafening level. Jughead surveys the forest once more before removing his clothes and setting them on top of his jacket, beside his backpack. He comes to the center of the clearing as the clouds clear out, washing sunlight over his naked skin. He basks in the light, feeling its warmth permeate him though to his core. The beast within whines, drawing his attention to the itch of the turn creeping over his limbs. He welcomes his beast, granting him permission to show himself and does his best not to cry out as his joints pop and bones crack while his entire body changes its shape.
Only the beast remains in the forest, Jughead's lesser form having given itself over as a host. The beast sniffs the air, huffing out hot billows of smoky breath into the cool autumn air through its nostrils. The cold that had left him briskly chilled is unable to permeate the thick black coat covering him from head to tail. In this form, his senses are heightened even more, experiencing now only the full capabilities of his beast. The air seems fresher, crisper than before, like that sudden relief of the ice cold breeze that rushes from an opened freezer door on a dreadfully hot day. He can smell the damp ground beneath both the rotting and freshly fallen leaves. It's earthy and strangely inviting. He can't resist the urge to coat himself in it and he dives into the leaves, rolling his body and nuzzling his nose into the ground below. The scent coats the fur of his muzzle in a thick, wet mud and he shakes his coat out before the need to run overwhelms him.
Trees zip by in a blur, roots and rocks seemingly inexistent on the forest floor as he propels himself forward on all fours. He skids to a stop, leaves flying through the air as his paws dig a trail into the ground. His keen senses have become completely overwhelmed by a scent so sickeningly sweet it has him salivating more than any bacon could ever be capable. A long string of sticky drool clings to his top fangs and drips to the ground below. He laps up the glue like moisture on his lips with his purple tongue before sniffing at the air and following the sickly sweet scent through the forest.
The walking trail through Fox Forest can be seen just through the trees and Jughead ducks himself into thicker covering. Surely no one would be in Fox Forest at the early hour and on a week day no less, so Jughead dares to check it out. There's not a person in sight, but the smell is getting stronger. With his nose to the trail, he runs after the scent, feeling what he imagines drunk to be like as he gets closer to its source.
"Aaaah!"
Jughead stops dead in his tracks, staring straight into the eyes of Betty Cooper. Of course it would be Betty. No one other than perfect Betty Cooper would spend her morning on a walk in the woods before school. He tilts his head to the side as Betty clutches her jacket, taking a very careful step back. Jughead takes a step closer and she freezes in place. He stalks closer, the sweet smell seeming to radiate from where she stands. His large, wet nose bumps into her cheek as he sniffs her neck, then her hair. The sickeningly sweet scent of her skin envelops his senses and it's all the confirmation he will ever need. Betty Cooper is his mate.
Betty squeezes her eyes tighter as Jughead sits back on his haunches and waits.
With the absence of the predator's nose on her skin, Betty dares to open her eyes. Jughead's soggy purple tongue juts from his lower jaw as he yawns and she surprisingly giggles.
"Hi there," she whispers. "I won't hurt you." She offers her outstretched hand for him to familiarize her scent.
He sniffs at her fingers, again being overwhelmed by her sweet aroma.
"That's it. You're a friendly little guy aren't you," she smiles as she slowly moves her hand to the top of the small wolf's head.
Jughead lowers his nose and allows her to pat his head. The moment her hand makes contact with his fur, the jolt of their connection buzzes through him like a bolt of lightning and he makes a mad dash for the tree line, leaving Betty completely astonished. The excitement of a wild animal, a known predator no less, allowing her to get close enough to touch them has her both bewildered and giddy. Hurrying along to get home in time for school, she is enthusiastic to tell her friends of her wild nature encounter on her usual morning walk.
The pain of shifting has seemed to have lessened a bit, or maybe the adrenaline of finding his mate on his first change just has him distracted. Jughead dresses himself quickly and hurries to catch up with Archie for school. He can't wait to tell the pack about his shift after school, and of course brag about being the first among them. However, he won't be telling them he's already tracked down his mate.
For starters, Betty Cooper is not a wolf. It a bit uncommon for wolves to mate outside of their breed, but not entirely unheard of. Secondly, Jughead really hasn't given much thought to the whole mating thing. He's known a few older wolves that had found their mates at a young age, but none younger than fifteen. At eleven years old, mating is a cringe worthy subject for Jughead, which brings him to his last thought. Why of all people did it have to be Betty Cooper?
Since the day Betty and Jughead first met, they have never gotten along. It all started when she moved in next door to his best friend Archie Andrews. Archie and Jughead have been practically inseparable since the two were in diapers. Their father's grew up together and to this day share a bond akin to family. Jughead's mother passed away due to complications of his birth and FP was left as the sole parent of a newborn werewolf while still trying to juggle leading his pack. As a result, Jughead was left in the care of Fred and Archie's mother Mary whenever pack matters would arise. The Andrews' were well aware of what FP and his "biker gang" truly are and were more than willing to keep Jughead safe when need be.
The day they met
A three year old Betty had been enjoying a tea party with her two most favorite teddy bears on the front lawn of her new home.
Betty's mother Alice and her father, Hal, had fought endlessly since the day they were married. It seemed the excitement of young love wore off quickly when the reality of marriage, job instability, and bills piling up on the kitchen table was then topped off with the pregnancy of their first child. The pair had stuck it out as long as they could, but ultimately decided together that their separation would be best for everyone. So, Hal stayed behind in Greendale and moved back in with his mother for the time being. Alice packed up Betty and set out for a fresh start in the neighboring town of Riverdale.
"Mommy's going to bring in these boxes and then we'll have some lunch, ok sweetheart," Alice called to Betty from the driveway, balancing a stack of moving boxes in her arms.
"Ok mommy," Betty called back as she poured more pretend tea for her teddies. As Betty sipped on her own pretend tea, she caught the eye of a red haired boy staring at her from the front steps of the house next door. Immediately she was thrilled to have someone to play with. She got up from her picnic blanket and ran to the neighboring house, tea cup in hand.
"Tea," she asked as she held out the cup to the boy at the top of the stairs. The red haired boy nodded, smiling brightly and bolting down the stairs to follow after her. The two of them sat together on the blanket and Betty proceeded to pour him a cup of invisible tea.
"Elizabeth," Alice called from the front door. As she headed down the steps and onto the lawn, she was startled at the sight of a little boy giggling with Betty on her blanket. She rushed over, but not briskly enough to cause alarm between the children.
"Hi there," Alice greeted softly as she knelt down beside the ginger haired boy. "Who's this," she asked Betty with a touch of confusion as to where the boy had come from.
"Archie," Betty piped up happily.
"Well, Archie honey, where's your mommy," Alice wondered aloud, looking in all directions for any sign of his parent. The little boy pointed at the yellow house beside theirs and a wave of relief came over her with the knowledge of his mother being close by. "Elizabeth, let's go meet Archie's mommy," she suggested, holding out one hand for each child.
"Oh! Archie! There you are," a very distraught woman with vibrant red hair cried out upon opening the door. She fell to her knees and hugged him tight as the toddler wiggled to be set free. "Mommy was so scared when I couldn't find you," she told him, grasping his shoulder's to look in his eyes.
"Sorry mama," he muttered, dropping his face. His mother cupped his little cheeks in her hands and kissed him on the forehead before he ran inside.
"I'm Alice," Alice spoke up.
"Oh. Mary," the red haired woman greeted as she came up to stand from her knees. "God, I don't know how he got outside. I stepped in the kitchen to make up some lunch and he was just gone," she told Alice, a guilty confusion settling over her features.
"No judgement here," Alice smiled, "I once lost my Elizabeth for nearly an hour inside our house. Found her taking a nap under the bathroom sink after I'd already called her father at work in a panic." Alice chuckled lightly and Mary was quick to join in with a shake of her head.
"They keep you on your toes, that's for sure," Mary laughed. "Would you like to come inside? I've got pizza in the oven and a fresh pot of coffee if you're interested."
"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose," Alice replied, not wanting to disrupt her new neighbor's afternoon.
"Nonsense. Come in," she suggested, waiving them inside. "Elizabeth, Archie is in the next room with his friend Jughead if you'd like to go play with them," she told her, pointing in the direction of the living room. Betty looked to Alice for permission and with her nod ran off to play as the two women had a chat over coffee.
Betty had rushed to Archie's side, immediately sitting down beside him to play with cars. She looked up shyly at another little boy with dark hair and a mean scowl. The boy crossed his arms and pouted as Archie's attention was fully turned on to Betty. Betty played cars with Archie, feeling nervous about the other boy glaring at her. She took a long look at the funny hat on his head and wondered if they were playing castle because of its crown shape before holding out a car for the boy to play with. With a scowl down at the car he slapped it out of her hand and stormed off into the kitchen.
"Jughead? What's wrong buddy," Mary asked, setting her coffee on the table and lifting the grumpy boy into her lap. "Did you meet Elizabeth? She lives next door now."
Jughead nods, but his scowl persists.
"Maybe he's just hungry. There's nothing grumpier than a hungry three year old," Alice suggested with a light chuckle.
"Oh, Jughead's always hungry, aren't you pal," Mary laughed and the little boy nodded excitedly before hopping down to squat in front of the oven, seeming to have forgotten his dislike for the new girl as he peered in at the cooking pizza.
"Archie, Elizabeth. Pizza's done," Mary called after allowing the pizza to cool for a bit. Archie came barreling into the kitchen first, Betty following closely behind until she caught sight of the other boy. Jughead's scowl returned as the three toddlers sat down to the table. The hostile stares between Betty and Jughead hadn't gone unnoticed by Mary and Alice, but they didn't press the issue. As the kids ate, Alice and Mary sat at the island and continued chatting.
"I don't think they like each other much," Alice commented as she watched Jughead and Betty exchange glances.
Mary sighed, "Jughead is a little, uh, complicated. He has a hard time with new people. I'm sure he'll come around," she assured Alice, though she wasn't certain he ever would.
Jughead has always been territorial when it comes to Archie and he's never shown much kindness to anyone that show's interest in the ginger boy. When Betty charged in and began playing cars with him, Jughead felt like he was being replaced. Archie was clearly excited to play with the new girl and he was not at all willing to share his friend. He knew then and there that he did not like her and nothing has really ever changed.
Present day
"Archie! Archie," Betty calls in excitement as she runs to catch up on the sidewalk. "You, are not, going to-" Betty holds up a finger and tries to catch her breath. She had just sprinted from Fox Forest knowing that Archie would already be leaving to walk to school and her morning excitement had her a little behind schedule.
"Jeeze Betty," Archie laughs, "Get on with it."
"Shut up," she scolds with a breathless laugh. "OK, ok. You are not going to believe what just happened to me. So I was on my walk in Fox Forest, and I-"
Betty snaps her mouth shut and glares as Jughead runs up after them.
"You what," Archie inquires impatiently.
"Nothing," she clips then storms off ahead of the boys.
"What's her problem," Jughead questions, out of breath. Archie gives Jughead a pointed glare. "Yea, yea. I know," he groans rolling his eyes.
Jughead and Archie had started walking to school together last year and Betty, of course, decided to join them after a few weeks. Betty's obsession with Archie is sickening and Jughead was not at all happy about her joining them, but he sucked it up, knowing that Archie would never forgive him if he told her off. For whatever reason, Archie likes Betty and there's nothing he can do about it.
Walking to school with her hasn't been completely terrible. For the most part she and Archie talk the whole way and he gets ignored, which he doesn't mind, mostly. Occasionally though, Betty will ice them out at the sight of Jughead, and he's noticed it always seems to be when she's excited about something. It's like she doesn't want him to know her happiness, so she keeps it even from Archie, not willing to risk a single ounce of it to be overheard and enjoyed by Jughead.
Due to Jughead ruining her mood, Betty never does tell Archie, or her friend Kevin for that matter, about her crazy experience with the wolf. That boy just gets under her skin. He's always so snarky and grumpy. She can't stand the way he can walk into a room and instantly kill the vibe just by being present. And the glare, oh the glare. The ever persistent scowl that lives on his face just makes her want to smack him. What does he have to be so broody about anyways?
After school, Jughead goes straight to the Whyte Wyrm, eager to rub his news in his friend's faces.
"Pea," Jughead hollers in excitement as he climbs the stairs at the back of the bar two at a time.
The Wyrm fronts as a biker bar, just as the pack fronts as a biker gang, wearing the emblem of the Southside Serpents on their backs. In truth, the bar is a safe haven for all wolves in the area. It's where they gather, where they both celebrate wins and mourn losses, but mostly, it's a place where they are accepted without judgement of the human world.
"Sweet Pea," Jughead calls again as he throw open the door to the unoccupied upstairs apartment he and his friends hang out in.
"Shit Jones, you made me die," Sweet Pea complains, tossing down his game controller as Fangs laughs beside him. "What the hell's got you so worked up," he questions, raising a brow as he tosses an arm over the back of the couch to look at Jughead in the doorway.
"Guys," he starts as he walks over to the couch, still panting from his hurried climb up the stairs. "It happened," he tells them, trying hard to contain his excitement.
"No fucking way," Sweet Pea retorts.
"Ha ha," Fangs teases, "Looks like you owe me ten bucks," Fangs laughs, holding out his hand expectantly. Sweet pea rolls his eyes and slaps a ten dollar bill into the palm of his hand.
"What did you guys bet on," Jughead questions.
"Sweet Pea thought he was gonna be the first to change, but I thought it would be you," Fangs tells him before smiling cheekily at Sweet Pea, "Looks like I was right."
"Well. How was it," Sweet Pea wonders expectantly.
"Fucking awesome! I mean the whole shifting and being naked part is weird and painful, but I felt like I could run forever, and everything smells so different now, like stronger," he tells them, full of excitement. "And bacon! Eat bacon after you change, cuz holy shit does it taste a thousand times better than ever before."
The three boy's laugh together, congratulating Jughead on becoming a man, before losing themselves in video games for the remainder of the evening.
