Since the day Jughead realized Betty Cooper is his mate, he's felt different around her. His mind still wants to hate her, but his wolf refuses to let him. Every morning, on their walk to school, he finds himself hurt and almost angry that Betty is so invested in Archie. Out of jealousy, his cold shoulder and annoying poking and prodding at her increase tenfold over the next year, and with it her hatred for him.

"Ow, Jug, what the heck," Betty whines as she regains her footing from Jughead's shove.

"Oh, whoops. Didn't see you there," he scoffs, wedging himself between Betty and Archie. Betty gives him her usual death glare before grabbing his backpack and giving it a yank, pulling him back with it and causing him to fall to the pavement on his butt. Archie rolls his eyes at the never ending torture the two of them cause each other as Betty sticks her tongue out childishly at Jughead.

Jughead gets to his feet and chases after her down the sidewalk, leaving Archie in the dust. As they round the corner to the school, Betty stops dead in her tracks, Jughead slamming into her back before realizing she's stopped running. Something tangy and heavily metallic lingers in the air, and it's extremely potent. Jughead can nearly taste it on his tongue like a mouthful of pennies as he recognizes fear in Betty's eyes. He follows her gaze, immediately putting himself in front of her to shield her from the horrifying sight before them.

"Don't look Betts," he whispers.

Betty looks him dead in the eye. The terrorizing fear he finds in her gaze will forever haunt him and he vows in this moment that he will never, ever, allow anything to instill such immense fear in her again.

Archie catches up and Jughead thinks fast. "Arch. Take Betty home and stay there," he demands.

"What why?"

"Just do it ok," he clips, shoving them away in an attempt to keep Archie from seeing what Betty had. "Betty, stay with Archie," he adds and Betty nods, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.

Jughead pulls out his phone, "Dad," he say, when the line picks up after a few rings.

"Jug? Why aren't you in school," FP questions with a disapproving tone.

"Dad, you need to get here. Now," he mumbles. The line cuts out and Jughead lowers his phone, searching the area for any onlookers before walking across the street.

Archie gets Betty home and praises the universe that her mother is at work. Alice Cooper would have a conniption if she knew Betty was missing school. He follows her up to her room and they sit on her bed in complete silence.

Betty hadn't uttered a single word the entire way back and Archie is beyond confused. Why did Jughead seem like he was protecting her from something, and since when does Betty ever listen to anything Jughead says?

"Betty. What's going on," Archie questions. Betty just shakes her head, not even lifting her gaze from her white knuckled grip on the hem of her skirt. The two of them sit in complete silence for what seems like ages. Just as Archie has started to become antsy, the front door slams shut and heavy footsteps can be heard stomping quickly up the stairs. Betty startles at the sound, snapping out of her daze. She stares at her bedroom door just as it swings open and Jughead comes barreling inside.

"Arch, get to school," he demands.

"What? No," Archie retorts, "What is going on?"

"I'll talk to you later. Just go to school" Jughead pleads. Archie gives him a scowl as he begrudgingly exits the room and then the house.

"Pea," Jughead calls and a dark haired boy Betty has never seen before steps into her bedroom from where he'd been hiding in the hall. "Betty, this is Sweet Pea."

Betty looks at the boy, but her eyes are blank. She is stricken with terror and it's ripping Jughead apart inside, his wolf whimpering within him.

"Hey princess," Sweet pea says softly as he kneels down at the edge of her bed. He takes her face in his hands and brings her gaze to his, a pang of jealousy bubbling in Jughead's gut as he looks on. "Betty, I want you to look into my eyes ok, can you do that for me," he says softly. Betty nods and fixes her empty gaze on Sweet Pea's eyes.

"Wait," Jughead calls out. Sweet Pea shoots him a look of confusion but steps back. Kneeling down in front of Betty, Jughead looks into her eyes, only now realizing the depth of their emerald greens and yellows.

"Betts. I swear to you, I will protect you for as long as I live," he tells her with urgency, anger mingling with the ache of concern in his chest. "I will make sure that you never feel this way ever again if it is the last thing I do. I promise."

Sweet pea gives him a weird look as he retakes his place in front of Betty.

"Ok princess. Look at me," he demands gently. With a low steady tone, Sweet Pea wills away her fear. "Betty. You walked to school with Jughead and Archie this morning, just like you always do."

Betty nods, her eyes glazed over as she is entranced by Sweet Peas ever changing pupils.

"There was a dead deer on the side of the road and you were upset. You used Jughead's phone to report it and Sheriff Keller and his crew came out to take care of it while you were at school. It wasn't a big deal and you didn't worry about it much afterwards."

Betty continues to nod as he steps back before becoming eerily still. Jughead and Sweet Pea step out of the room to allow her to come out of her trance.

"You want to tell me what the hell that was," Sweet Pea questions and Jughead palms his face.

"She's-" he clears his throat, "She's mine," Jughead replies, scrunching his face in anticipation for his friends reaction.

"What? Like, yours, yours," his nose scrunches slightly before he breaks into a short laugh, "No fucking way. You already found your mate, and she hates you."

"Shut up," Jughead clips.

"Holy shit. You've known for a whole year that she's your mate haven't you," Sweet pea wonders as he realizes Jughead and Betty see each other almost every day. "Oh, this is great. I can't wait to watch you try to win her over," he laughs and Jughead punches him in the arm.

"Remind me why we're friends again asshole," Jughead chuckles with a scowl.

"You're probably just using me for my highly sought after and rare services in compulsion," Sweet Pea teases.

Sweet Pea's change came over the summer and with it, his ability to compel humans. Compulsion is a skill typically reserved for vampires, but every once in a while it will occur among wolves. It's rumored to be caused by the cross breeding of a vampire and a wolf somewhere along the bloodline. For a long time, possessing the skill brought shame to a pack, but in more recent years it's become an asset.

"Let's get your wife to school so I can go to mine," Sweet Pea teases.

Jughead and Sweet Pea walk Betty to school in a strange silence. Betty has no idea who the dark haired boy beside her is and she finds it strange that Archie is not with them. When they arrive at the school, Sweet Pea compels Betty once more.

"Betty," he says softly as he fixes his gaze on hers. "When you got to school, you realized you forgot your textbook. Archie had already gone to class, but Jughead was in the hall. You asked him to walk you home to get it. He did, and you both missed first period."

Betty nods mindlessly and Sweet Pea shoots Jughead a wink before running off to his own school. Jughead waits outside with Betty for a few moments until her daze has broken then they hurry inside and get to their respective classes.

That afternoon on their walk home from school, a thick tension lingers between Archie and Jughead. They'd been weird all day, but Betty had brushed it off, figuring it was an argument or something they would get over by the end of the day. Clearly something more is going on between them.

"I can't take this anymore," Betty cries out in frustration. The boys look at her, shocked by her outburst as she puts her hands on her hips in front of them. "What is going on with you two? You haven't said a word since we got out of class," she states as she points at Archie, "and you haven't even tried to annoy me once," she clips turning her pointed finger on Jughead.

"Uh, I-" Archie starts.

"It's been a rough day, ok. Excuse me for not being in the mood to take your nagging this afternoon," Jughead grumbles. His inner wolf growls, displeased with his treatment of his mate, but he ignores it. He needs to keep her life as normal as possible right now, and arguing is what's normal for them.

"My nagging? You're the one who's always acting like a jerk," she retorts, shoving Jughead's chest.

"Just go home Betty," Jughead demands, his wolf seeming to agree and enforce the command. He scowls as he steadies himself on his feet, prepared for her argument to fly, but when her eyes meet his, he watches submission consume her. Archie and Jughead glance between each other and to Betty, entirely puzzled as she walks away without a fight.

"What just happened," Archie wonders aloud, furrowing his brow.

"I have no idea," Jughead mutters under his breath and the two boys continue home in complete silence.

When they walk through the door of the Andrews house, Archie is surprised to find both his parents and FP waiting for them in the foyer. He glances over his shoulder at Jughead who is casually removing his sneakers, then back to their parents.

"Hi," Archie says in question, a strange sort of discomfort pricking at the back of his neck with four sets of eyes on him.

"Have a seat Arch," Jughead suggests firmly as they enter the living room, their parents following closely behind. Archie is on edge, trying to figure out what they could have done to have gotten themselves in trouble. Jughead sits casually on the couch and Archie slowly takes a seat beside him. The expression both his parents faces he knows to be concern, but there's something heavier beneath it. Regret maybe?

"Did somebody die," Archie jokes halfheartedly. Panic sets in when not one of them so much as cracks a smirk, and his parents look to FP.

"Archie," he starts as he kneels down in front of him. "I'm not sure how much Jug has shared with you about our family, but it's time now that you're informed."

"What? What are you talking about? What is he talking about Jug," Archie wonders, feeling his panic rise with the bile in his throat.

"Dad, I haven't told him anything," Jughead admits and FP rakes his fingers through his hair with a heavy exhale.

"While I'm proud of your loyalty, this is going to be much more difficult than I had anticipated," FP states with a scratch to the scruff on his chin. "I suppose it's best to just show him," he suggests, exchanging glances with Fred and Mary behind him. The two of them give him a nod before he turns back to Jughead and Archie on the couch. "Jug," he suggests with heavy implication.

"What? Dad," Jughead whines, not wanting to strip down in front of Archie or his parents.

"Boy," FP scolds, forcing Jughead's wolf to submit to its Alpha. "Take Archie upstairs."

Jughead obeys his father's command and thanks him silently for allowing him the privacy of Archie's bedroom as the two of them head for the stairs.

"What is going on Jug," Archie wonders frantically as he shuts his bedroom door. Jughead stays quiet as he begins to remove his clothes. "Woah, Jug. What are you doing," he questions, his hands coming up to cover his eyes.

Jughead sighs heavily, "Just sit down and don't freak out," he suggests nervously.

Archie moves to sit at the edge of his bed, watching Jughead cautiously as he continues to remove his clothes. Before he has a chance to further question his nudity, the cracking and popping of Jughead's bones being displaced has him panicking. Within a few seconds, Archie's eyes go wide with the sight of a black wolf standing barely a foot away from him. He shuffles back until he hits the wall as the wolf stalks toward him. Jughead nudges his chin with his cold black nose and he squeezes his eyes shut in fear.

"Jug," he questions with a shaky voice. He swallows hard and takes in a sharp breath. "Jughead, back off," he commands angrily. Jughead sits back on his haunches and Archie bolts out of the room.

"You all knew," Archie accuses, yelling as he enters back into the living room. "Every single one of you knew. How is this even possible," he clips, throwing his hands in his hair as he paces frantically. Jughead enters the room after shifting back and sits nervously on the couch.

"Archie, I-" Jughead starts.

"Shut up Jughead. I can't believe you kept this from me. We're brothers," Archie scolds, and Jughead bites his tongue, looking every bit like a kicked puppy.

"Archie, Jughead was only following our rules. He had no idea that your parents knew until this morning," FP tells him calmly.

"I just… I don't understand. You guys are- You're werewolves? Werewolves exist" Archie questions incredulously.

"I know this is a lot to take in son," Fred comments, taking Archie's shoulders in his hands. "I found out about FP when we were kids and I know how unbelievable it can be, but it's very important that you listen to him right now," Fred tells him, urging him to sit on the couch beside Jughead. The two of them exchange nervous glances before returning their attention to FP.

FP goes on to explain to Archie that not only do werewolves exist, masked under the alias of the Southside Serpents, but other mythical creatures exist among them. He tells Archie of the purpose of the pack, to uphold the peace among all creatures and keep those who challenge their law under control. FP explains that on their way to school this morning, Betty had seen a young woman lying in the ditch that had been attacked by a vampire sometime in the night. He left out the details of the girl's throat being ripped to shreds and the sickening amount of blood Betty had seen, only telling him that Betty had been traumatized. Archie's worry for her spiked before Jughead explained the power of compulsion and assured him that Betty has no memory of the event. FP goes on to explain that Sheriff Keller is well aware of the supernatural goings on within the town, and he has sworn to protect their secrecy with his life. It's well into the night by the time they are through with explanations and endless questions. It's a lot to take in and Archie still isn't quite sure he's not dreaming.

"Jughead is going to be staying with you for a while to keep an eye out for you and Betty until we get this situation under control. I know this is a lot, but Jug is still the same person he's always been. Try to remember that. "He places a firm hand on Archie's shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze. "Jug, I'll have the boys run you some of your things in the morning. Stay safe," he pleads pulling his son in for a hug and nuzzling his cheek with his nose.

"I will." Jughead promises as FP heads out the front door.

Things are tense between Archie and Jughead for the rest of the night. Archie hardly acknowledges his presence and by the time they settle into bed, Jughead is feeling restless. He can't stand the rift that's been forced between them and his wolf is begging to release the tension with a run.

After sneaking carefully out of the house, Jughead makes a mad dash across the street and into the woods. He folds up his clothes and nestles them in the base of a tree before he takes off running. As his speed increases, the earthy scents of the forest overwhelming his senses, the leaves crunching beneath his bare feet, he shifts, all fours breaking ground on the forest floor. The shift occurred faster than ever before, the adrenaline of already being mid stride encouraging it somehow and he's never felt more alive. He follows the light of the moon to the forest's end and howls at the sky over the cliffs edge, looking out over Sweetwater River below.

When Jughead arrives back at the tree where he'd left his clothes, he catches a strong whiff of Betty's sweet aroma in the breeze. He freezes in place, fearing for her life before hurrying to follow her scent. He arrives at Betty's front porch, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of Betty's wide eyed expression from her place on the porch steps.

"Oh. It's you," she whispers. "You nearly gave me a heart attack," she giggles, offering her hand for the wolf to sniff. Jughead walks forward cautiously before sniffing her fingers. A low whine builds in his chest with his worry for her being outside alone in the night. "What is it," she asks, as if the wolf could answer her.

Jughead steps forward whining as he rests his head in her lap. Betty looks on in amazement before carefully resting her hand on top of his head. She strokes his ears and Jughead's body vibrates with contentment as he nuzzles into her touch.

"I have to go inside boy," she says after a while. Jughead whimpers, but allows her to get up. He follows her to the door and nudges her hand with his nose before she goes inside. He can't bear to leave her unprotected and decides to lie down on the rug in front of her door. Eventually, he dozes off, feeling content that he is here to defend Betty if need be.

With the rise of the sun on the horizon he wakes and hurries to collect his clothes. Shifting back was more painful than it's been in a while, most likely caused by the stiffness of remaining a wolf all night long. After dressing quickly in the forest, he hurries back to Archie's room before anyone notices he's gone.

Jughead's visits to Betty in his wolf form continue over the next four years. After dealing with the rogue vampire that disobeyed the rules everything has been quiet for the most part, but he just can't bear to leave her vulnerable. Whether he is home in Sunnyside trailer park or sleeping at Archie's, he often ends up spending his night on Betty's porch. It's gotten to the point where Betty expects his arrival and waits for him. She always leave him with a bowl of water before going up to bed. On a few occasions, he has been allowed inside to sleep in her room, but he prefers to sleep on the porch. If Betty knew who he really was, she would never allow him into her room. Though, there are some nights he can't resist the burning need to be close to his mate.

At sixteen, Jughead has been experiencing an overwhelming amount of new feelings for Betty, for quite some time now. Her scent not only overwhelms him emotionally, but drives him absolutely crazy physically. His need for her heightens at the simplest of touches and he often times can hardly stand to be near her. In his wolf form, his urges calm a bit, but in his human form, his damned raging teenage hormones are heightened by his wolf's sharp senses. He can smell Betty's desire when she looks at Archie and it's both intoxicating and infuriating. Most days he can't get away fast enough before he does something stupid like kiss her or beat Archie to a pulp.

"Hey Jug. You think Betty would want to go on a date with me," Archie asks as he leans against the locker beside Jughead's.

"No," Jughead clips, slamming his locker door to glare at Archie.

"What's your problem," Archie scoffs.

"Nothing," he grumbles before storming off down the hall.

"Hey," Archie calls angrily as he catches up to him. "If you like her, just say so. You don't need to be an asshole," he argues, holding him back by the forearm.

"Get out of my way Arch," Jughead demands. "I don't like Betty. Date her. What do I care?"

For the rest of the day, Jughead refuses to speak to Archie, and on the way home, he's sure to stay as far back as possible from him and Betty. A deep scowl settles over his features as he watches Betty reply in elation to Archie's question of a date.

Glancing over his shoulder, Archie eyes Jughead cautiously. The uncertainty of what's going on inside his stubborn best friends head is irritating to say the least. When they reach his front porch, he and Betty exchange an unusually goodbye before he get inside.

"Hey Jug," Betty calls as Jughead walks past her driveway. He ignores her and continues walking, not at all in the mood to deal with her right now. "Jughead, I'm talking to you," she calls, running after him. She steps in front of him and he scowls down at her as he comes to a dead stop on the sidewalk.

"What do you want Betty," he grumbles.

"I just wanted to see if you're ok," she says softly. "You've been acting weird all day. Did something happen between you and Archie?"

"What do you care," he clips, pushing past her. Betty grabs him by the arm and it's like a jolt of lightening, forcing him to a halt.

"Can we just stop hating on each other for like five minutes," she pleads and Jughead is confused by her gentle tone. He turns around to face her, eyeing her hand on his arm and wonders if she can feel the vibrations it's sending over his skin. "Jug, I don't want to fight anymore. We've know each other since we were three years old. I know you better than anyone, except maybe Archie, and I know when something's bothering you." She looks into his eyes and he practically melts under her gaze. "Talk to me Jug."

"Don't go out with Archie," he pleads quietly.

"What? Why," she wonders, with slight annoyance.

"Just don't," he pleads without reason.

"What do you care if I go out with Archie," she questions, crossing her arms.

Jughead groans in frustration. "You're right, what do I care? Do what you want." With a clenched jaw he fights desperately against the urge to force her into submission as he storms off towards home.

Back when they were twelve, the horrible day that Jughead had Betty compelled to forget, he discovered something new about himself. On their walk home that day, he remembers feeling overwhelmed with annoyance and he was far too stressed to deal with Betty's bad attitude. When he'd told her to go home, he felt himself become one with his inner wolf. She had immediately submitted and obeyed him without question and he had been entirely confused by the whole event. When he finally got a chance to speak with his father in private, he learned of his potential.

FP had been shocked at first, in part because Jughead had found his mate so young, but more so because he knew of his son's rocky friendship with Betty. He'd gone on to explain that only an Alpha possesses the ability to force submission upon the pack, including the submission of his mate. The timber of his Alpha should only be used in dire situations, but it can be hard to get a handle on at first. Jughead had been surprised to learn he would be the next Alpha. He had always wondered since his father is the current one, but it isn't always guaranteed that the Alpha's offspring is next in line. Since that day, he has been careful not to lash out at Betty without keeping his wolf in check, but it can prove to be difficult when she's so damn infuriating.

After Betty and Archie's date that weekend, it's as if they've become totally different people and it only worsens over the next couple of months. Their constantly making gushy faces at each other, always holding hands and touching in some sweet gesture. The whole thing is absolutely sickening and Jughead can't stand it.

A deep growl rises in Jughead's throat, his wolf becoming infuriated as he watches Archie kiss Betty goodbye on his front porch. He's seen them do it countless times and it never fails to piss him off, but today he is beyond pissed. He wants to rip Archie apart for putting his lips on his mate. As quickly as possible, he hurries to get ahead of Betty before she makes it back to the sidewalk. He's almost relieved when he gets past her house, only to realize she isn't going inside. She's following him. Of course, she's following him!

Jughead turns abruptly and Betty walks straight into his chest.

"What do you want Betty," he growls, still seething from her kiss with Archie.

Looking straight up at him, only now does she notice that he's gotten incredibly tall over the summer. He towers over her by at least a foot and she feels surprisingly small under his glare.

"Uh-" Betty swallows hard, putting her hands on Jughead's chest and taking a step back. "You, uhm… are you ok," she asks sweetly, her emerald eyes boring into his soul and her sweet, sweet aroma flooding his veins with an insatiable desire to mark her.

"Do I look ok," he clips before walking away from her. He has to get away, he can't be near her right now.

"Jug, wait," she calls as she hurries to catch up with his quick pace.

Jughead stops, squeezing his eyes shut and pinching the bridge of his nose as his frustration heightens.

"What," he grits through his teeth. He's startled with the sudden wrapping of her arms around him and even more so when her embrace tightens. His body goes ridged, feeling both strange and comforted by her touch.

They spend so much time hating each other that they ignore the fact that they really do care about each other in their own messy way. Archie has never been able to grasp their relationship. With their constant arguing and torturing of one another, it's pretty easy to assume that they dislike one another, but there's always been a sort of understanding between them.

Jughead hesitates before giving in and pulling her tight against his chest. He breathes her in and feels oddly calmer with her scent lingering in his nostrils. His calm fades quickly as it turns over to arousal and he swallows hard, hoping desperately that Betty doesn't notice.

"Jug," Betty starts and worry sets in that Betty knows he's barely containing himself.

"Yea Betts," he questions, his throat run dry with panic.

"Are we ever going to be ok," she wonders, feeling strangely comforted in Jughead's arms.

"Someday," he tells her quietly as he steps away. He gives her one last pained glance over his shoulder before walking away. Betty watches him go as new feelings arise, feelings she's never had for anyone. It's in that moment that she realizes she doesn't want to date Archie at all.

That night, Jughead tosses and turns all night. No matter how hard he tries, he can't get Betty out of his head. The way she had hugged him made him feel everything he's been working so hard to avoid. He never wanted to complicate her life. From the moment he realized she was his mate, he just wanted to ignore it. He's tried to push her away, he's tried to let her be with Archie, knowing that's what she's always wanted. He hasn't even been to see her in his wolf form since the beginning of last summer, but he can't do it anymore. He can't watch her love Archie.

It's nearly midnight when Jughead gets out of bed. An urgent need to see Betty has him itching to shift and go to her. He runs faster than ever before through the trees under the cover of night, determined to be with her, even if she can't know his true identity.

Jughead reaches Betty's front porch in record time and is surprised to find her sitting out on the steps. He keeps his head low as he walks closer. Betty startles at the unexpected visitor, smiling once she realizes it's her wolf.

"Where have you been," she wonders softly, holding out her hand for a sniff as she always has. Jughead sniffs her fingers and nuzzles his wet nose into her palm, whining in apology for not coming around.

"You've grown. You must be twice your size," she giggles as she kneels and grabs him by the fur of his face for a scratch. Jughead sniffs her all over, coating himself in her scent and she, in his. He craves to nip her. A strong territorial desire to mark her with his teeth overwhelms him. He takes a careful step back and Betty tilts her head in confusion. She carefully takes a seat on the stairs, remembering that this is still a wild animal and gives him the space he's obviously asking for. She waits patiently and after a moment, Jughead has calmed himself enough to be near her again. He climbs the steps and lays down beside her, resting his large head in her lap. Betty places a careful hand on the top of his head and begins rubbing his ears. She sighs heavily and Jughead knows something is bothering her just by the way her shoulders slouch slightly on her exhale. He lifts his head and looks at her as he whines in question. Betty could swear his stormy blue eyes belong to someone else, but she can't quite place it. She pushes the thought aside and gives the wolf a sad smile.

"Sometimes I wish I could just wander off into the woods with you," she admits with a sad laugh through her nose. "Things would be a lot easier that way." She sighs heavily and Jughead whines in response. "You're lucky you're not a human, you know. Love stinks, I don't suggest it," she chuckles and pats him on the head. She stays quiet for a few moments, and by the look on her face Jughead knows she's thinking hard about something.

Betty sighs out of frustration and straightens up a bit as her brows knit together. "If he wasn't such a jerk all the time-" she grits her teeth, "Uhg! Why does he have to be so damn hot? His stupid dark hair always in his eyes and that dumb hat that I for whatever reason find embarrassingly adorable," she grumbles. The confession of her feelings for him to no one in particular makes his heart skip a beat. He had no idea she felt anything for him other than annoyance.

"God, when did he get so tall, and that stupid smirk," she mumbles and Jughead is overwhelmed by the scent of her arousal. Stupidly, Jughead nuzzles his nose between her thighs and breathes in the sweetness of her middle. His stomach swirls with his own arousal and the urge to mark her is far stronger than it had been earlier. In an instant, he darts back into the tree line, running for home as fast as his paws will take him. He skids to a stop in the dirt in front of his trailer, shifting in a hurry and rushing inside to his bedroom. Once inside he paces back and forth, raking his fingers through his hair anxiously. He wonders how long she's liked him. Has she always found him attractive? Even before he knew Betty was his mate, he's always thought she was the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. The fact that they've always been at each other's throats is the only real reason he's never made a move, other than her obvious crush on Archie anyways.

Jughead settles himself in bed and tries to calm down. He tries to think of anything and everything other than Betty, but he can't get the scent of her arousal out of his nose. With a heavy exhale, he gives in to his urges, wrapping a firm hand around the base of his aching erection and begins a slow but steady rhythm. His inner wolf whines at the memory of his mate's scent. Her sweet arousal lingers in his nostrils and he bites back a moan, in an attempt to keep quiet within the thin walls of his bedroom. As he pleasures himself, he imagines what her juices would taste like on his tongue and it brings him to the edge. His fangs extend as his pace quickens to a punishing rate. He imagines sinking his fangs into Betty's soft, porcelain skin and lapping up the candy scented blood that would coat his lips. With a growl, his inner beast surfaces as he plunges over the edge. His climax rips through his body, pulsing in waves of thick, hot desire as he cries out Betty's name loud enough to wake the dead.

As he pants, coming down from the most intense orgasm he's had to date, he feels nothing but guilt. He's ashamed for thinking such things about Betty. His wolf whines in his head, reminding him that his mate is just out of reach. Jughead rubs his face, frustrated with himself for being unable to assert himself with her, but how could he when their relationship is so complicated?

Lazily, he rolls over and grabs a dirty shirt from the floor. He cleans himself up quickly and wills sleep to come. Instead, he lies awake most of the night, wondering how he will ever end up with Betty.

Jughead wakes to the sun shining brightly through his bedroom window. He rubs his eyes before squinting at his alarm clock. He blinks a few times, not sure if he's seeing correctly through his groggy vision before nearly falling out of bed and scrambling across the floor to get dressed. He's already five minutes late to meet Betty and Archie. He hikes up his jeans and takes a quick sniff of a t-shirt from the floor before pulling it over his head. He hurries to the bathroom, putting toothpaste on his toothbrush with one arm through his shirt and sticks it in his mouth to pull his other arm through his as he sprints back to his room. Snatching his beanie off his dresser he yanks it down over his ears and gives his teeth a quick scrub before making a mad dash for the front door.

Archie and Betty are halfway to school by the time Jughead catches up with them. He sprinted nearly the entire way wishing he could have shifted, because oh man does he need to work out! He slows his run to walking pace as he falls in with Archie and Betty, panting heavily to catch his breath. Neither Archie, nor Betty says anything to him and he quickly notices that they aren't holding hands. The tension between them is thick and he wonders if his arrival has caused the awkwardness or if they'd already been this way.

"So, uh, what'd I miss," he wonders aloud. Archie picks up his pace and Betty rolls her eyes as he walks off ahead of them. "What's his problem?"

Betty shrugs, "He's just mad because I didn't want to hold hands this morning," she tells him simply as she takes in his slightly disheveled appearance.

"What," he wonders self-consciously as she visibly stifles a giggle. Betty slows to a stop and turns to him. She steps closer and before he can protest, she grabs the fly of his jeans and zips them up. Jughead's cheeks burn with both embarrassment and arousal as he watches her walk away. He swallows down the thick lump in his throat before gaining his composure and hurrying to catch up.

The two of them walk in a comfortable silence the rest of the way, neither knowing exactly what just happened between them. Betty wonders to herself if she had been too forward with him and Jughead fights with himself not to reach for her hand. Archie would never forgive him, but Betty is his, whether either of them knows it or not yet.

Slowly, Jughead inches closer to her as they walk. Reaching his fingers for hers, he gives a careful brush to her knuckles with his own. Betty looks at him from beneath her lashes, the slightest touch of a smile on her lips. They reach the school sidewalk as Betty grazes his fingers in return. He glances at her cautiously, surprised that she returned his gesture. With a small smile over her shoulder, she walks ahead of him and into the school.

Jughead spends the entirety of his morning classes wrapped up in his thoughts. On one hand, he feels guilty for making a move on her. Archie and Betty have been dating for a couple of months now and Archie is his best friend, his brother. He couldn't just take her from him, could he? On the other hand, Betty is his mate. She was never Archie's in the first place and he's tired of watching his girl be with another guy. Maybe he should just talk to Archie and tell him that Betty is his mate. He would understand, wouldn't he?

The lunch bell startles Jughead from his head. He gathers his things quickly and hurries out into the hall.

At his locker, he puts his books away just in time for the metal door to be slammed shut in his face. He turns to meet Archie's angered expression and wonders if he's ever seen him so mad before.

"Hi Arch," Jughead mutters.

"What did you say to her," Archie questions through his teeth, holding Jughead up against the lockers by the lapels of his jean jacket.

"What? Who," he wonders, not one hundred percent sure what Archie is asking about.

"Betty," he clips, "What did you say to her," he asks again, slamming his fist against the locker beside Jughead's head.

"I didn't say anything to her," Jughead replies, shoving Archie off of him and straightening out his jacket. "What the hell's your problem Archie?"

"What's my problem? What's your problem," Archie grits, shoving Jughead hard in the chest. Jughead stumbles back, glaring at Archie as he catches his footing. "I saw you with her yesterday," he accuses, pointing an angry finger.

By this point, they've begun to draw a crowd, their peers looking on as they argue in the hall.

"What the hell are you talking about," Jughead grits.

"You think I'm stupid? That's why you told me not to ask her out isn't it," Archie accuses.

Jughead stays quiet, only scowling at his best friend.

"Isn't it," he asks again, shoving Jughead with a heavy hand.

Jughead's wolf snarls in his head, "Don't," he warns Archie with a huffed exhale through his nose.

"Or what Jughead," he challenges, shoving Jughead back again. Jughead puts his tongue in his cheek, fighting hard not to throw a punch.

"I said don't Archie," he grits through his teeth as he gets in Archie's face.

The two of them glare, challenging one another to make the first move.

"Betty hates you," Archie reminds him in an angry whisper.

Jughead's gut twists in knots as his words hit him like a ton of bricks, but his scowl is unwavering.

"She'll never want you. Not the way she wants me," he smirks.

With that, Jughead swings, his fist colliding with Archie's jaw, knocking him out cold, then turns on his heels and storms out of the school.

Betty pushes through the crowd of her peers, spotting Archie on the floor and catching a glimpse of Jughead's retreating form through the glass doors. She looks between the boys, making her choice as she rushes out the front doors.

"Jughead," she calls as she runs after him.

Jughead doesn't even look back, just continues walking in the direction of fox forest. He's too angry to deal with whatever she has to say right now and he needs to shift.

"Jughead, slow down," she calls, her voice getting nearer. "Please Juggy," she tries, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Her nickname for him has always been her last resort to get his attention and he can hear the plea in her tone.

"Please Jug. Talk to me," she requests as she stops just a foot behind him.

"What do you want me to say Betty," he questions a bit more sharply than he had meant to.

"This is my fault," she whispers, dropping her gaze to the sidewalk. Jughead's scowl softens instantly, hating that she thinks any of this is her fault. It's his fault, not hers.

"You didn't even do anything. Just go back to school Betts, I'm fine," he tells her before quickly turning to walk away. He gets a few steps ahead of her before she begins to follow him again. He groans internally, pinching the bridge of his nose before turning around sharply. "I said go," he clips.

"No. I'm not leaving you like this," Betty argues, crossing her arms and putting her foot down.

"Why do you even care? We don't like each other, remember. Go take care of your unconscious boyfriend," he retorts, waiving her off.

"I broke up with him," she admits so quietly he may not have heard her without his keen wolf hearing.

"You what? Why did you do that Betty," he panics, fully understanding Archie's anger now. "You realize Archie hates me now because he thinks you did it for me," he tells her angrily.

"I did," she admits, not daring to look him in the eye.

Jughead's breath catches in his throat, hardly able to believe what's happening. He takes a steadying breath and steels himself for what comes next.

"Go back to school Betty," he demands gently, allowing the Alpha timbre of his wolf seep into his tone. Without question, Betty turns and heads back in the direction of the school.

Jughead hurries off to Fox Forest to run off his emotions.

The next month is the worst month of Jughead's life. He and Archie haven't spoken since their fight over Betty and she is actively avoiding the both of them. The strain on his relationship with Archie has been difficult. He hadn't really realized until now just how big a part they were in each other's lives. He can only hope that even with Archie's new found hatred for him, that he will still keep his secret. Aside from that, he feels incredibly bad for using his Alpha on Betty, but he was desperate to get away from her. He couldn't allow her to choose him after the fight he'd had with Archie. It wouldn't have been right, but now he's ruined everything.

On top of the implosion of his friend group, the Blossom's have moved back into town. The Blossom family has been a problem for thousands of years in Riverdale. Clifford Blossom, the head Vampire and leader of the Blossom clan, is a vile man. He's the kind of man that will offer you the shirt off his back, only to later strangle you to death with it. His countess, Penelope Blossom, is just as vile as her male counterpart. She spends her evenings seducing unsuspecting men on the streets, bringing them home, and adding them to the Blossom fortune. The Blossom's run an underground blood supply industry. They supply vampires all over the world with packaged Blossom Blood under the cover of a maple syrup industry.

At a glance, packaged, ready to drink blood is seemingly a good thing, but there's a dark underbelly to the industry that isn't visible on the surface. Sure, the vampires that are buying Blossom Blood think they're doing something good. At least they're not hunting their victims, but the Blossom's are doing it for them instead. The Blossom family moves around every hundred years or so to keep up appearances, but everywhere they go, people start disappearing. The last time they were in Riverdale, nearly two hundred years ago, there had been so many disappearances that the town was nearly left abandoned.

With the return of Penelope and Clifford Blossom, comes also their daughter, Cheryl. Not a whole lot is known about Cheryl other than the fact that she is highly intimidating and has a taste for human boys. Jughead has been tasked with keeping an eye on her at school, and he's found her to be quite surprising.

"Barf, could you stand down wind, mutt," Cheryl complains as she lights up a cigarette.

Jughead laughs and hops up on the fence surrounding the football field. He swiftly plucks Cheryl's smoke from her cherry red lips and takes a long drag.

"Ew, keep it dog breath," she scoffs with a slight smirk. Pulling out a fresh cigarette, she joins Jughead on the fence.

After about a week of stalking Cheryl in the halls and keeping watch for bite marks on classmates, he was caught. Cheryl had known he was following her from day one, but she decided to toy with him. She would continually pull unsuspecting 'victims' into bathrooms and janitor closets, only to release them unscathed. Jughead had been highly confused why he wasn't finding any bite marks and she just seemed like an ordinary girl aside from the fact that he knew otherwise. On a Friday afternoon, Cheryl pulled him by the collar of his shirt into the girl's locker room and pinned him against the wall. She had interrogated him as to why he was following her and ended up explaining to him that she was nothing like her parents and had no part in the industry. She was simply guilty by association. For whatever reason, Jughead believed her and they became fast friends.

"So what's the deal with your bitch," Cheryl questions.

"She's not a bitch you succubus," he argues, giving her a playful shove. She doesn't even waiver, only laughs in his face.

"Isn't a female dog called a bitch," she challenges.

"She's not a wolf," he tells her and her eyes go wide with intrigue.

"My, my. You've mated with a human girl," she teases, winking as she takes a long drag off her smoke. Jughead's cheeks flush at the thought of the mating process as he swallows thick saliva.

"We uh, we haven't-"

"Oh for fucks sake J. Wolf up and mount the bitch," Cheryl challenges.

"Jesus Cheryl," he chokes out, coughing on his last drag. "I can't just mate with her. What do you expect me to do? Walk up to her and be like, hey, you hate me, but I'm gonna need you to hop on my dick for a sec," he mocks and Cheryl rolls her eyes.

"Of course not. Don't you have that like, Alpha thing or whatever," she suggests.

"No. No way. I'm not gonna force her to mate with me Cheryl. I'll figure it out," he sighs heavily.

"Eek! I have the most perfect idea," Cheryl shrieks, shoving Jughead in the arm and knocking him backwards from the fence. The two of them laugh as he gets to his feet, rubbing his now damp backside. Cheryl hops down with grace and cups his face in her hands. "We're having a Christmas Party," she tells him, then pinches his cheeks and skips off.

"W…wait, what," he calls after her as he hurries to catch up, stumbling in the ankle deep snow on the field.

"A Christmas party," she repeats.

"How is a Christmas party going to solve my mating problem," he laughs.

"Because J, my Christmas parties are simply themed house parties," she tells him as if it were obvious and Jughead raises an eyebrow at her. "You know, liquor, a few kegs, tons of sloppy drunken teenagers and of course seven minutes in heaven," Cheryl gushes excitedly.

"I don't know Cher. I don't see how a party is going to get Betty to talk to me," he argues, rubbing the back of his neck. He's never been one for crowds, and the thought of being stuffed inside a house surrounded by his drunk classmates makes him cringe.

"Just trust me," she huffs. With a roll of her eyes and a peck to Jughead's cheek, she's gone.

Jughead grimaces as he wipes off Cheryl's lipstick smudge with the back of his hand. It's not that he hates that she's become so affectionate towards him, it's just that he doesn't want Betty to have any reason not to trust him. Bright red lips on his cheek are definitely something that would ruin his chances with her.

Back inside the cafeteria, Jughead is immediately hit with Betty's scent. He tries to avoid looking in her direction, but a flash of red hair catches his eye. He turns his head just in time to catch Cheryl acquainting herself with Betty. Shooting Cheryl a pointed look, he makes himself scarce. He waits anxiously near Cheryl's locker for what seems like forever before she finally emerges from the cafeteria.

"What the hell Cheryl," he whisper yells, tugging his hat down over his eyes.

"You didn't tell me she's a witch," Cheryl says calmly as she turns her locker combination.

"She what? She isn't," he argues, furrowing his brow. Cheryl spins around with the grace only a vampire possesses and folds her arm over her chest.

"Oh, she is. She just doesn't know it yet. Soon though," Chery tells him with a grin.

"What are you talking about," he asks, wondering is Cheryl has finally lost her mind with her old age.

"When does she turn sixteen," Cheryl inquires, completely ignoring Jughead's obvious confusion.

"Uh-" Jughead thinks hard for a moment. "Shit, what's the date today," he asks in a panic.

"The twelfth," Cheryl replies, cocking a brow at his sudden worry.

"Shit," he groans, palming his face. "Her birthday is tomorrow."

"Please tell me you've planned something," Cheryl says as she pulls her lipstick away from her lips to look at him with a worried expression of her own.

Jughead shakes his head anxiously.

"I, I mean- I've never really done anything for her except give her a stupid card," he cringes, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Alright calm down lover boy. We're going shopping after school, my treat," she says with an excited smile.

Jughead groans at the thought of shopping, "Should I really get her something, I mean we're not even talking and I never have be-"

"Yes, J, you are getting your mate a birthday present," Cheryl demands and Jughead wonders how he's even going to give it to her.

Jughead spends the rest of the day worrying about what to get Betty, and even more so how he's going to gift it to her. He can't just walk up to her and give it to her can he? No. That would be weird. They haven't even spoken in a month, she'd probably just glare at him.

With the sound of the last bell, Jughead is startled from his mental argument and he hurries off to find Cheryl. She's nowhere to be found in the hall, so he waits for her outside on the front steps. After nearly five minutes, he's fed up with waiting and decides to sneak out to the field for a smoke. Cheryl can find him if she really wants to take him shopping. It's not like he wants to go anyways.

As he rounds the corner to the back of the school, smacking his pack of smokes against his palm, he comes to an abrupt halt, his eyes going wide before he quickly covers them with his forearm.

"Toni," he wonder in disbelief. He hears an audible gasp and a muttered shit before he dares to open his eyes. "Toni? Cheryl? What the fuck is this," he questions, hardly able to believe what he's seeing.

"Jug, please don't say anything, please. I'll kiss your ass for the rest of my life, please just don't say anything," Toni begs, falling to her knees at his feet.

"Get up. You're gonna have to kiss my ass as your Alpha anyways," he laughs, pulling Toni up by the elbow. "I'm not gonna say anything, but what exactly did I just see," he questions, looking between the two girls before him.

"She's mine Jug," Toni says, hanging her head in shame.

Cheryl hangs her head low, obviously feeling the same shame and it makes him sick. He never quite understood what the big deal has always been when it comes to wolves bonding with vampires. If they can bond with humans and apparently witches, which he still needs to talk to Cheryl about, then why not vampires. He supposes it's due to the longstanding feud between wolves and vamps, but it's stupid nonetheless.

"Your secrets safe with me," he assures them both before offering them each a smoke. "So, Cher, what makes you think Betty's a witch," he asks as he lights his cigarette.

"You can't smell it," Cheryl questions, sounding almost shocked.

"I guess not," he shrugs, "I don't think I've ever smelled a witch."

"I have. They smell delicious," Toni grins as she takes the lighter from Jughead's outstretched hand.

Cheryl shoots her a glare and she quickly corrects herself, "I mean, not like you babe. They smell more like, eh… like that sweet sugary smell you get when you walk into a candy store almost."

"Holy shit. Betty's a witch," Jughead realizes in amazement. "But- I thought she just smelled like that because she was my mate. Is she not my mate then," he wonders aloud, second guessing what he's been so sure of since he was eleven years old.

"She's your mate Jug. Your wolf would never make a mistake like that. She's probably like a million times sweeter to you than she is to the rest of us," Toni assures him with a soft smile.

"So sweet," he groans "She smells so god damn incredible," he shudders, remembering the thick scent of her arousal in his nose.

"Oh she's definitely your mate," Toni laughs, looking pointedly at the bulge forming in the front of his jeans.

"Shut up Toni," he grumbles, smirking with the flush of his cheeks and adjusting himself discretely.

Cheryl and Toni share a laugh in his expense and he rolls his eyes, knowing for a fact he's going to have to put up with their shit for the rest of his life, and then some.

"Alright you mangy mutts, let's go get a birthday present fit for a baby witch slash werebitch," Cheryl giggles running off to her car.

Jughead looks to Toni apologetically, teasing her for having to deal with Cheryl's drama for all of time. The two of them share a laugh, shoving each other playfully as they run off in the direction that Cheryl went.

"Uhg! This is hopeless," Jughead complains as they walk out of yet another store empty handed.

"You're thinking to hard J. Just look for something that speaks to you," Cheryl suggests as they walk into a popular jewelry store in the mall.

"Ok, but I don't-"

Almost in slow motion, Jughead walks across the store, eyeing a piece hanging from a display on the counter.

"It's perfect," he whispers to himself as he carefully examines the howling wolf charm on a rose gold chain.

Toni and Cheryl come up beside him and exchange a knowing grin.

"No. This is stupid," he grumbles, dropping the necklace back in place, sending it swinging on its display. "She would never even wear it because it's from me. I'll just drop her a card under her door or something. I'm done." In a huff, he storms out of the store, through the food court and straight outside, taking a sharp breath of the frosty winter air. He lets the sting of the chill in his nostrils calm his sense and he slowly uncurls his balled up fists.

"J," Cheryl calls softly as she steps outside. "I know you're nervous, but- J she's your mate. You only get one. You can't just let some petty argument you had with Archie ruin this for you. She was never his and maybe if you explain it all to him you might be able to move past this." She links her arm with his and leans her head gently against his shoulder. "Right now, you need to take this necklace and do the right thing."

As she holds out a small bag from the jewelry store, Jughead scowls at it hard, but he knows she's right.

"Fine," he groans, snatching the bag from her hand. "But I'm not gonna like it."

That night, Jughead wraps the tiny necklace box up in a bit of wrapping paper they had lying around and writes To: Betts, Love: Juggy on the front with a permanent marker. He immediately regrets the last bit and contemplates rewrapping it, but he brushes it off with a deep breath. He's going to have to tell her someday. If not now, when?

With the box sitting securely in his teeth, he makes his way up Betty's front steps. Just as he's about to thank the universe for her not being outside, the door opens and Betty steps out, greeting him with a smile.

"Hey there boy. I was wondering if I would see you tonight," she beams, patting him on the head. She takes a seat on the porch swing and Jughead stays back, not wanting her to see the gift box in his teeth. "What's that you've got there," she wonders, trying to get a good look at his mouth.

Jughead whines but steps forward. He places his head in her lap and releases the box with another whine before making a run for the woods.

Betty watches in confusion as her wolf runs off for seemingly no reason. It's not until she turns away that she notices a neatly wrapped box resting in the crevice of her thighs. She lifts it up to examine, her breath catching in her throat as she finds, To: Betts, Love: Juggy,written in Jughead's unmistakably neat script. He remembered, but how her wolf ended up with the gift is a mystery.

Quickly, she unwraps the tiny package, desperate to know what's inside. Jughead has always gotten her a birthday card of some sort. They're usually something snarky or ridiculous but she's always loved them, even if she's never told him. She was worried with the implosion of their friendship that this would be the year he forgot. As she pulls a tiny rose colored chain from the box, she's assured he would never forget. She examines the charm, wondering curiously of the significance of a wolf, but ultimately shrugs it off as a strange coincidence. She holds it close, smiling to herself.

She has to forgive him. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

Betty wakes up early to the smell of French toast. She snuggles deeper into her comforter, a bright grin on her lips as she fingers with the new accessory resting against her collar bone. Since opening it, Jughead has consumed her every thought, so much so that she's almost forgotten today is her sixteenth birthday.

For a witch, the sixteenth birthday is the day their powers are finally unlocked to them. Betty has been studying witch craft throughout her entire life under the careful teaching of her mother, who comes from a long line of witches. Only recently has she learned that a part of her parent's separation was due to her father being unable to accept that his daughter was born a witch. In turn, Hal's desire to visit with her diminished as she grew, but Betty feels better off without his hypocritical judgement. He did fall in love with a witch, after all.

It hasn't been difficult to keep her secret from Archie and Jughead. Since witches aren't granted their powers until sixteen, when they can handle the responsibility, there weren't any slip ups for her to make. She does however, suspect that the new girl, Cheryl, is suspicious of her. How or why, she doesn't know, but there was just something about her that gave it away. She'll have to keep an eye on that.

"Good morning birthday girl," Alice beams, smiling from ear to ear as she wraps Betty up in her arms. "Oh I can't believe my little girl is sixteen," she gushes, squeezing at Betty's cheeks with the pads of her thumbs.

"Mom, stop," Betty giggles, awkwardly tucking her messy hair behind her ear.

Alice rolls her eyes dramatically, smirking as she walks back into the kitchen.

"So, do you feel different? Powerful," Alice wonders as she plates French toast topped with powdered sugar and raspberries.

Betty shrugs, "I guess," she says, sounding unimpressed and Alice's shoulders slump. "I mean, it was a little bit cool to make my bed with a flick of my wrist," she smirks and Alice crosses her arms, seeing right through her calm and collected exterior.

"It's cool and you know it Elizabeth," Alice argues with a chuckle.

"Yes! It's so amazing," Betty finally gives in, hopping up and down excitedly. "I feel, like- like I'm buzzing with electricity. I just want to get to practicing and see what these babies can do," she says with excitement, wiggling her fingers in front of her face.

"There's my girl," Alice laughs, handing the plate of French toast to Betty. "Alright birthday girl. Go up to your room and enjoy your deliciously sugary breakfast in peace. I'll drive you to school on my way into the paper."

"Thanks mom," Betty smiles, kissing her mother on the cheek and bolting up the stairs.

As she enjoys her breakfast, her mind wanders back to Jughead. His words linger in her head, a promise that he will protect her for the rest of his life. At first, she can't make sense of it, but as she focuses on it, she can feel her own terror quickening the rhythm of her heart. Images of blood and a mutilated girl hit her like a knife to the chest. The face of a boy she doesn't know appears alongside Jughead's and with it the name Sweet Pea. The memory of dark chocolate colored eyes invades her mind, their pupils ever changing. Reassuring words follow, and the story of the occurrence that day, the one she had thought to be true until now. All the memories of that day come flooding back to her in an instant and she's suddenly lost her appetite.

While getting dressed for school, she tries to make sense of the memories. In her studies, she's learned of the power of compulsion, which is what she assumes the boy, Sweet Pea had done to her. Compulsion is something that vampires do, she knows that, but what was Jughead doing with a vampire? He seemed to know Sweet Pea, like they were close even. Just as she's about to give up trying to make heads or tails of the situation, she gasps with a strike of realization.

Her wolf.

The present.

The necklace.

It all makes so much sense now!

Jughead Jones is a werewolf.