Thanks to those who review: Boris Yeltsin and ButtonMashr!

The song for this chapter is 'Bad Moon Rising'! The original, or the cover by Morning Ritual.

Betty felt sick. She thought she might vomit, as she stood by her parents in her perfectly pastel sweater. Her mother had a firm grip on her arm. From the viewer below, they just saw Alice Cooper's hand comfortingly on her daughter. It was, however, a tinge too hard, pinching just right to keep Betty upright.

God, how Betty wished she could merely vanish.

Even as she thought this, a whiff of sandalwood curled around her and she felt the tingles that Sweet Pea had shown her.

She went rigid. Vanishing in front of the News Station would not be good, no matter how much she wanted to.

"There have been a swirl of rumors today about our daughter, Polly."

Betty's eyes scanned the crowd. Apart from the news crew, she saw a spattering of classmates and other townspeople, a lot who were on her side. Or, the Cooper's 'side' was perhaps overstating it. As far as Betty could tell, it's more they hated the Blossoms, and thus they were on Betty's side by default. Hell, she'd take it.

"And we're standing here to tell you that they're all false. Yes, Polly has been staying with her grandmother, and yes, she was around during the time in which Jason supposedly was killed."

The Blossoms were in the crowd. Of course they were. Cheryl was glaring at Betty, which wasn't surprising. The expression on the adult Blossoms were intriguing, however. Betty expected hate. She expected anguish. She even expected blank looks, on some level.

What she did not expect was the way that they were scrutinizing the whole family, like they were a riddle.

"When she found out about the murder, however, she was beside herself with grief. She had no idea he had passed, not until he was discovered on the banks of the Sweetwater River. She was lost...you see, my daughter, Polly, is pregnant with Jason Blossom's baby."

There it was. The big reveal.

Most of the town started talking amongst themselves.

Cheryl looked absolutely shell-shocked.

But Penelope and Clifford? It was an expression Betty couldn't place, but it was one that did fit into the scenario at all.

"Polly wouldn't hurt a fly," Her mother continued, "Let alone the father of her child. So you see, you all have made a grave assumption, one that is wrong. The killer you are looking for is not my dear Polly."

As her mother finished up the press release, Betty placed it.

Mr. and Mrs. Blossom looked relieved. They looked happy.

That wasn't a good sign.

Betty didn't want to jump into anything, however. As she was herded back into the church's main area, she did concede that maybe she imagined it. Maybe it was smug they had looked?

No, it was definitely happy, she decided. She trusted her memory.

"I need to go to the bathroom," She said, brushing past her parents.

Once locked in the clean, white stall, she fished the necklace out from under her jumper. Well, first she unbuttoned her jumper, feeling more than a little short of breath.

"Polly?" She whispered, grasping it, "Everyone knows now."

What?

"They know that you're pregnant. They know that you're with grandma. They know you freaked out. Crap, I'm sorry, Polls. Mom called a press conference and-,"

Betty, Betts...hey. It's okay. I mean, it was bound to come out eventually. And we know mom; something's an inconvenience until she can spin it to be the next day's news.

Betty wiped her hand across her eyes, "Yeah, yeah."

This does change things…

"What do you mean? Polly?"

Before Polly could answer, her mother was banging on the door.

As far as Betty knew, Polly didn't answer back anyway.

XXxxXX

Kissing Jughead was something new. Betty had entirely one other kiss under her belt before dating Jughead, but she'd been eight so that didn't really count.

But, Betty was a scholar. Therefore, she treated having a boyfriend, she treated intimacy like how she did to her academic papers and science experiments. Research and repeated trials.

Luckily, Jughead wasn't opposed to this.

In fact, he was a more than willing candidate.

That's how they found themselves on Betty's bed, Jughead curled over her, like he was shielding her, one hand curling under her back and one hand carded through her hair. Her arms were thrown around him, pulling him down.

Their kisses weren't terribly adventurous yet. Both seemed to be a little reserved, which was fine. Veronica might be playing tonsil hockey with guys from the first kiss, but the thought in itself made Betty blush and stammer.

So, when Jughead's tongue explored her mouth, she couldn't help but squeal at the unexpected motion. Instantly, Jughead was making shushing sounds as he kissed her neck. It caused goosebumps to rise on her exposed flesh and a purring sound ripped from her throat unexpectedly.

Jughead's hand covered her mouth.

"Don't want your mom checking up on you," He whispered, clearly enjoying the power he held over her, "Gotta stay quiet," He breathed, nipping along her collarbone.

"You're doing that on purpose," Betty whined. In a moment of bravery, she ran her nails on his skin right above his jeans. One finger skimmed the surface.

Jughead made a noise like a shout, and immediately covered his mouth.

He practically threw himself off the bed as they heard her mother's heels clacking up the stairs.

Not knocking, as Alice Cooper never did, she opened the door just as Betty watched Jughead scamper under her bed on the side opposite the door.

"Sorry, knocked over my water bottle," Betty said, holding up her thermos and turning a page in her textbook. She was very prepared for near-catch like this.

"It sounded like…" Alice took a step into the room, "You look a little flushed, dear. And the window's open."

"I'm feeling a little hot, thus the open window." Betty quipped.

"We don't want bugs getting in," Her mother frowned, shutting it tight, "You okay, dear?"

"Peachy, mom. But I do have a big test tomorrow," Betty said, meaningfully coughing, "So…"

As soon as her mom closed the door, and was down in the kitchen again, Jughead popped his head up.

"Pro to living with Archie; I can come up here anytime I like. Con to living with Archie; we have zero privacy. At least at Sweet Pea's, I have my own room." Jughead said, rubbing his jaw, "I think I fell on my face."

Betty scooped him back onto the bed, "I like having you close," She said truthfully. Jughead coughed a little, scratching his head.

"Arch asked me to stay. Like, forever." He said quietly.

"Oh?" Betty raised an eyebrow. She wasn't sure what else to say, "Would you? I mean, it's not like Sweet Pea is your favorite person…"

"Sure, but...well, I like the trailer. I like having my own room, I like not having to answer to people, and I like being around my dad. Don't let Sweet Pea know that. He'd surely kick me out."

Betty bit her tongue, but secretly, she was pretty sure Sweet Pea liked having another person around too. Living alone was lonely, which seemed obvious, but it wasn't always clear until you missed having a breathing, living person to shoot the shit with or take turns making dinner or to help take the garbage out. The little things.

Betty leaned into his chest, making patterns on his worn shirt with her nails. She saw goosebumps rise on his arms and grinned, pleased to elicit such a reaction, however small.

"I like this," Jughead breathed into her hair, rubbing her arms, "Makes me feel normal."

Betty snorted, looking up, "Juggie. We are normal."

"Oh? I don't think so. Most towns don't have a rampant serial killer on the loose."

"He's killed one person," Betty held up a finger, "Far as we know, it was an accident." Though, she doubted it.

"Jason Blossom accidentally ran into a bullet? Yeah." Jughead laughed quietly, rolling his eyes, "But, I mean besides just that...Riverdale's never been normal."

Betty's heart seemed to stop, just for a second, "What do you mean by that?" She asked, trying to sound totally confused.

"I don't know it all, but…" Jughead bit the inside of his cheek, "There's just something off about this town."

Betty said nothing. There was a beat of silence.

"I'm starting a new novel,"Jughead offered up hesitantly, "Just, a side project."

"About what?"

"Werewolves, witches...maybe even the stray banshee." Jughead said. Betty forced out a choked laugh.

"You going to be the next Stephanie Meyer or J. K. Rowling?" She questioned, "Seriously? I mean, fantasy just doesn't quite seem your style."

"Oh, it's not. I guess I was looking for it to be more...real." His eyes met hers for a second, "It sounds stupider than it actually is. Been researching a lot. You wouldn't believe the supposed magical history Riverdale has."

"I wouldn't," Betty agreed. Or, she hadn't. She never would, had her own powers not manifested, nor had she seen a teenage boy poof into a wolf.

Jughead looked about to say more, but his phone bleeped. He looked down, grinning.

"Gotta go. Fred thinks he's so sneaky about when he checks on us, but it's always after work, and he never gets done earlier than 8pm." He said, kissing her forehead. As Betty was coming to open the window for him again, her own phone chimed.

She looked at the message.

TONI to BETTY COOPER: Hey, I'll be at your place in like ten! Be ready girl!

She gave a soft smile. When Toni had approached her about attending a pack meeting tonight, she'd been a little uneasy. Toni wouldn't hear of it, and secretly, Betty was really interested.

She held up a finger to Jughead, before darting downstairs to quickly say goodnight to her parents, claiming to have a big test tomorrow that she needed to get her rest for. Once she said goodnight, her parents rarely doubted she was actually asleep.

Back in her room, she started shoving pillows under her blanket in a vaguely human shape.

"Uh...Betts?"

"I'm meeting Toni tonight," She said, standing back to admire her handiwork.

"Didn't know you two were friends," Jughead looked honestly mystified.

"New development. I'm just going to probably watch a movie with her, listen to her bitch about being single, I'll probably moan about homework. You know, girl stuff." Betty said, shrugging.

"Need a hand down the tower, Rapunzel?" Jughead joked as he got onto the ladder.

"Thank you, my prince," Betty teased back.

Once safely on the soft grass of the Cooper's lawn, Jughead re-positioned the ladder back on Fred Andrew's side. Then, departing with a final kiss to Betty and a farewell to have fun, he unlocked Fred's door with the key everyone knew he kept under his door mat.

Betty's smile slipped off her face.

She wished she could have told him the truth. She hated lying. But, he might have her institutionalized if she told him that Toni was actually taking her to a Pack Meeting with a whole group of werewolves. Or, worse, he'd believe her.

Betty?

Betty felt her necklace warm. Curling her palm around the charm, she let it slide through her fingers. She checked her messages, padding out to the driveway.

"Hmm?"

I don't know what to do.

"About...what?" Betty questioned.

Everything.

Polly was usually far more talkative than Betty. Her abrupt language caused Betty to more seriously pause, rubbing the charm.

"Polly…"

It was easy before, to just stay here. But now everyone knows and I've been getting texts all day and it just seems silly I'm still here, doesn't it?

"I'd love to have you home," Betty admitted softly.

If I come home...no. Maybe I shouldn't. At least Grandma is letting me have choices.

"What...what's that mean?"

Mom and Dad want me to give the baby up for adoption, they made that very clear. That's not what I want. Grandma thinks I'd regret I ended up staying here until it was born, we'd...I don't know, but I feel like I had more choices before today.

"This is their grandchild, Polly. I know they're annoying, but you have to admit family means a lot. To both of them."

I don't know what they'll do. And I won't raise my baby in a house that doesn't want it.

"Then where?" Betty asked, "Where would you go? Mom and Dad might not want it, but I do. You're nearly 18. If you just hold on a bit longer…"

And then what? Have mom and dad never talk to me again because I choose my child over them?

"There has to be a middle ground, Polly," Betty gnawed on her lip, "Give me a few days. I'll test the waters over here. You just stay stress-free. It's bad for the baby."

How would you know that?

Betty laughed, smiling, "I'd be a pretty shitty Aunt if I didn't look things up, huh?"

Wow. Aunt Betty. Never thought about it like that.

"Uh? Betty? Are you talking to yourself?"

Betty turned to see Toni giving her a curious look, one half-worried and half-amused.

"Oh, no. My sister. Connections." Betty said, holding up the chain. She squeezed the charm one last time, "I'll talk later, Polls. Stay safe, be smart."

Maybe a little late to say that.

Toni's eyes widened, "Never seen a charm like that actually work. Impressive."

"My grandma gave it to us. Had 'em made when we were born," Betty tucked it back under her shirt, "To the Trailer Park?"

Toni snorted, "You think we'd hold a super sensitive Serpent Meeting at the very obvious space where all of us live?"

Instead, she brought Betty deep into the woods, farther than she'd ever been before.

"You know, I sorta have the fear you've brought me out here to murder me," Betty joked, deadpanned, "You wouldn't even have to do it yourself. You could just poof away as a wolf and I'd never find my way back."

"First, FP would murder me if I killed you. Then, Sweet Pea would find a way to revive me and then kill me again. Third, I don't murder friends," Toni assured, nudging against Betty's arm.

"That's reassuring."

"It should be." Toni said. It seemed like hours, or maybe it wasn't, but Betty got the sense that there was magic around her that was messing with her mental idea of space and time. From the way that Toni's eyes were becoming more and more golden with each passing step, Betty figured the assumption was a good one.

At an area in the forest that seemed to hang dense with fog so thick Betty couldn't see a foot in front of her, Toni paused.

"So, you remember how like, at The Blossom's, you pulled me through the barrier? But I couldn't go through on my own?"

"Yeah."

"Same deal," Toni nodded to the fog, "So, if you value your life, do not let go of me."

Betty let out a nervous laugh, "Gosh, uhm, okay? What will happen if I do?"

"Really fucking bad things."

"Toni, I'm actually curious," Betty groaned at her vague answer.

"Decapitation? Sudden barfing of innards? Perpetually turned into a gecko? All three? Heck, I don't really know. No one is stupid enough to have tried since they set up the boundary. Lot of what I hear is rumors, I'm sure. Still, let's not tempt it."

"No, sure," Betty nodded, "High School is going to be hard to finish as a newt...or with no head...or intestines."

Toni held out her hand. Betty intertwined her fingers tightly, and then for good measure, grabbed onto Toni's flannel.

Toni took them into the mist.

As she walked, a path cleared in front of her, and then slid back into a gray, dense sheet behind them. Betty felt swallowed by this fog, this magic. She could almost see the magic zipping around them, like tiny electric bolts, shining in the darkness of the forest. The air was just a tad too cold, as compared to the rest of the forest, and when Betty breathed out, her breath hung in the air for a few seconds, like time did not truly exist, before sprinkling like snow onto the ground.

"So, only werewolves can come through here?" Betty found the courage to ask.

"Only Packmates," Toni said, twisting her fore-arm up to show a pair of crescent bites adorning her arm like a tattoo.

"Werewolves," Betty repeated, sending her a raised eyebrow, "Like I said. I mean, specifically your wolves."

"Just Pack," Toni shrugged.

Before Betty could ask what that meant, they existed out of the fog. The air was at least twenty, if not thirty to forty, degrees warmer even a foot outside. They were in a large clearing, surrounded on all sides by that same eerie fog. There were tables and large rocks, a strange mish-mash of nature and man-made items. The moon, full and welcoming, seemed to reflect off the earth like it was a mirror, making the whole clearing feel more like day than night.

There were more Serpents than Betty had ever seen in one place. More seemed to materialize from the forests around them, laughing and chatting and having a good old time. She saw Deni and Vade with some other younger wolves playing a game of catch. The tables were filled with food and people were digging in. In all, it seemed less like a Werewolf Pack Meeting and more like a strange midnight barbecue block party.

"You hungry? I'm hungry." Toni said, jerking her finger toward the food.

"I can't eat that! I didn't bring something. If you'd told me-,"

"You're a guest. It's cool." Toni assured, "Seriously. It would be rude for you not to eat."

Still, Betty pressed her lips together, frowning. Her eyes scanned the clearing. Just when she was about to ask where Sweet Pea was, she saw him step from the fog, Ginny's small figure behind him, holding onto his shirt. When Sweet Pea saw her, he gave a double-take.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too, Sweet Pea." Betty said, feeling a little hurt.

"You were the one who brought it up," Toni reminded, "I sucked up to FP for this, so…"

"Fine, fine, you're great and awesome," Sweet Pea snorted, "That what you want me to say?"

"I thought Sanders was part of the Pack?" Betty asked in confusion, realizing she'd been holding on too.

"Not until tonight officially. She's a wolf, and we have a claim since she turned on our land and her ancestors were Serpents, but it's a whole ceremony," Sweet Pea waved a hand, "Look, I'll answer any magicy shit you want in a sec, but I need to dig into those buffalo wings that Birdy makes. And I think I see Quest over there- we go way back, but we rarely see each other anymore." Sweet Pea jerked a finger to a blond wolf who looked to be slightly older than them, likely college, who was tearing into food like he'd been starved for three days. When he saw Sweet Pea, he gave a weird motion that Sweet Pea gave back. Probably a friendship something or other, Betty assumed. As Sweet Pea beelined for the food table, Betty followed.

"You're eating wings at midnight?"

"You're so judgy," Toni said, her eyes sparkling, "I love it. I wasn't sure about a Northsider square like you are, but if you weren't dating Jughead, I might try to take a bite out of you."

Behind her, Sweet Pea gave a warning growl. Betty only laughed.

"I guess thanks? I'm pretty much only into guys, though."

"I'd eat wings for breakfast if you gave me the chance," Sweet Pea finally got a word in.

"And to your question, wolves need to eat all the time. It's a lot of energy being furry," Toni said, nudging her to the food. As the other wolves loaded up on heavy things like potatoes and beef stew, Betty stayed to the light fair, eyeing the offerings of fruit.

Just as she was picking up a spoonful of strawberries, an arm threw itself around her neck. She went into panic first, until she realized it was a friendly- albeit unexpectedly touchy- gesture of friendship as the arms settled around her shoulders.

"Resident witch!" Jedi whooped, stealing a piece of cantaloupe from Betty's plate, "You joining our Pack? I'll be the first to say hell yes to that!"

Betty chuckled, but her heart warmed to be so accepted by most of the younger wolves, "Uhm, I'm a witch, not a wolf, remember?"

"Well, yeah?" Jedi scratched his head, untangling himself from her, "So?"

"I mean...how could I...I thought…" Betty looked helplessly to Sweet Pea, who was tearing through his plate like he was starved.

He wiped away some sauce from his lips, rolling his eyes at Jedi, then tilting his head for Betty to sit by him on a large rock with a mostly flat top. He held out a hand, helping her scramble up by him. She noticed the other younger wolves had begun to linger around him, some on nearby rocks and others on the grass, but no others sat higher than Sweet Pea. There was an obvious hierarchy, even if it was unspoken. She felt strange to be by his right-hand side.

"What about Quest?" Betty asked, realizing he'd never made it over.

"I'll explain this first, because otherwise you'll just nag me all night," Sweet Pea teased, which Betty had to admit was true. She sat, waiting for his explanation.

"So, Pack Magic isn't just for wolves, though that's who mostly use it. The idea of connecting a group through kinship magic can be used by anyone. It's super intense, and has a lot of rules, so most don't bother invoking it day to day. It's an echo of wolves in the wild, yeah, but it's so much more than that. Point being, you don't have to be a wolf to join a Pack, or even to join a wolf-centric pack. Don't even really have to be magic, but that doesn't hurt."

"Oh!" Betty felt herself blush, "They don't think...I'm not…This isn't…?"

"FP would have asked you personally. Though it's done, it's usual for non-wolves to join the Serpents." Sweet Pea assured through narrowed eyes, "We're pretty big on tradition and family and shit."

"There's only one in the Pack right now," Fangs said, but screwed up his face in displeasure, "The oracle." Though, he said it like he was saying 'vomit'.

Sweet Pea leaned in, "See that blonde over there?"

Betty followed his gaze to a woman that looked late twenties, mid-thirties. Something about her was off putting, though Betty couldn't say what. She nodded.

"Penny Peabody," Sweet Pea's tone was no less kind, "As Fangs said, she's an oracle. Though, I have a theory being an oracle is just that your brain can process more than the average can. She can 'see' the future, not all oracles have the same skills. FP once told me that he thinks she can process information faster and more effectively, so it's more or less she can calculate the. Most likely outcome of any given situation. Either way," Sweet Pea coughed.

"You don't seem to like her." Betty observed.

"She's not trustworthy. I don't know what bullshit she did or said to get FP to include her in the Pack but," Sweet Pea locked his jaw, "She gives us the deets, and only us, on her conclusions. In kind, we protect her like we would to anyone else in the Pack. Doesn't mean we have to like her."

"She has gotten a lot of us out of binds, though," Toni offered with a shrug.

"By advising you away from a stupid outcome?" Betty questioned.

"That and she's a lawyer in 'real life'," Toni added.

"Have I ever told you I also hate layers? Because I hate lawyers," Sweet Pea stewed.

Penny glanced Betty's way and Betty immediately felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Did she see Betty as another non-wolf? Was she seeing Betty's future? What was she seeing? Good? Bad?

Betty felt like a bug under a microscope. Even with Penny being all the way across the clearing and saying nothing at all, her gaze was far too intense for Betty's liking. She looked away, pushing her food on her plate around. Sweet Pea's head swung toward Penny and his scowl deepened.

"Just fucking ignore her," He breathed, "She probably won't come up to talk to you anyway. Sorta hates teens."

Betty gave a 'mhh', coughing. She sort of liked her future being a mystery, thanks. She wasn't too interested to know where it was going.

"Speaking of someone else who hates teens," Toni hit Sweet Pea's sneaker with her foot. Betty frowned, looking up.

"What?" She asked, not understanding.

"Ugg, Tall Boy. Beta of the Pack. Has it out for me," Sweet Pea said, "And really hates teens too. But-,"

"There's a kid by him. Who's that?"

Sweet Pea was chewing on the inside of his cheek, "The mysterious new fourth wolf. What's he doing with Tall Boy?"

In fact, the pair seemed...peachy. Friendly, even. Not the reaction for someone who disliked kids. Betty could see why Sweet Pea was examining them with a furrowed, concerned brow.

One of the young wolves that Betty didn't recognize, meaning a newly-minted trigger, coughed.

"I spoke with him a bit," A petite Asian girl spoke up, catching Sweet Pea's attention, "His name is Abraham Peabody. He's an oracle too."

"Peabody?" Sweet Pea all but spat out.

"Does this mean we gain get rid of Penny?" Fangs asked under his breath.

"Yeah," The girl seemed to ignore Fangs completely, "Half-siblings. Same mom, goes by her last name. Dad split. No one knew he was a wolf, or rather, had wolf blood. Apparently he goes by a nickname already. Casadaga, I think?"

Betty made a sound in the back of her throat.

"Well," She said, "Casadaga is a place in Florida where people can talk with the dead. Can Oracles do that too, and not just the future?"

"It's possible," Sweet Pea agreed.

"Think he could talk to Jason's ghost?" Betty asked before remembering that Sweet Pea was banned from having anything to do with the case anymore. His face looked literally pained.

"I don't...we...this is just weird."

Before any more could be said on the weird pair, the clouds seemed to evaporate from the sky, leaving a perfect full moon in its place. The ripple of magic that echoed across the clearing was one even Betty felt.

FP leaned his head back, letting out a single eerie howl, something very much non-human, despite being unchanged currently. Tall Boy came next, and then a few other elders, and before long, the entire clearing of wolves were howling together. Sweet Pea had his hands cupped around his mouth, grinning ear to ear. It sounded like a whole pack of wolves, not humans, all baying as one strangely melodic chant. Betty could hear individual wolve's tones; Sweet Pea's overpowering one, Toni's high pitched one, Jedi and Vade's discordant but similar howls, Darkon's low and throaty growl. However, the more Betty listened, the more they twisted into a single note. The Serpent Pack.

As soon as FP stopped, the howls died down, just leaving the wind whipping around the clearing.

The first part of the Pack Meeting was surprisingly mundane. It led more like a PTA meeting than a Wolf Pack meeting. FP discussed events going on in their community, highlighting wolves who had done something of note. He asked anyone with any baking ability to donate a dessert to the Southside High Bakesale, led by a middle-aged woman who looked more likely to wear horribly knit sweaters than a leather jacket. He mentioned that the Southside High Female Hockey team had just won against the Greendale Public School district, causing Deni to blush when he congratulated her. He mentioned in passing that the average grades for the first semester was higher than ever for the young wolves. He encouraged support to an elderly member of the Wolf Pack who had taken up painting and was trying to sell his art on Etsy.

Betty had heard Sweet Pea talk about the community itself, but until now, she hadn't seen it. The number of Wolves was frankly staggering, but many- such as the elderly- probably didn't actively practice anymore. She got the feeling you could never truly shake off your werewolf roots once you'd changed for the first time.

It was probably an hour before FP got into any news or agenda points that were vaguely supernatural.

"Now, let's invite the newly triggered wolves up here." FP said. Betty's eyes widened when she saw how many came up. She knew Toni had been freaked by it, but this number?

Ginny was by far the youngest, and her whole body was shaking like a leaf. She stood firm though, striding up to the middle, instead of lingering on the ends. Abraham seemed nonplussed, his face expressionless.

"While each full mean we might have one wolf, this...development is something else," FP began cautiously, "But, before much else is said, let's officially welcome them to our pack."

The wolves around the clearing whooped in joy. It was a homecoming of sorts, even if the circumstances around it sorta blew. FP motioned for the new wolves to step into a circle of stones Betty hadn't noticed before. She turned to ask Sweet Pea about it, and what it did or represented, but he was sliding off the rock.

"Stay there, gotta do something with this," He told her. She noticed for each wolf, an older wolf was coming forwards to stand near them. Toni was standing behind Ginny; just outside the circle. Sweet Pea was standing near a brunette wolf who was perhaps their age. Unsurprisingly, Tall Boy was by Abraham.

"I, Forsyth's Pendleton the Second, Alpha of the Southside Serpent Wolf Pack, move to officially include these wolves within the sacred circle to our pack. Does anyone protest?" No one did, "New un-bonded wolves. If you so wish to become one with this pack, repeat the rules after me. One-"

Betty felt herself zone out, more so because she was watching the way the ground around them started to flow. As the wolves echoed the rules of the pack after FP, one by one, the area around them grew fuzzier and lighter. The whole circle of stones was taking up a strange golden glimmer, not unsimilar to the sheen that a wolf's eyes sometimes took. And, she noticed the same gold tone was reflected in all the eyes of the wolves around her. Penny too, to be honest.

Betty could almost see it. She could touch it even more. The Pack Bond. It hung in the air like stardust, just beyond her each. However, when she breathed in, it almost tasted like spearmint gum and bonfires.

At the last of the rules recited, the older wolves stepped into the circle, breathing in like they were tasting the air for the first time. It almost seemed like a religious experience.

"We are all a family." FP said sternly.

"We are all a family," The wolves echoed. FP stepped into the circle with them, taking out a knife. Then, he we stepped up to the first new wolf. While phased in half-wolf form in front of them, he cut his palm open like it was nothing. He rubbed his thumb around the small pooling in his palm, his expression soft. Then, he pressed a thumbprint to the forehead of the wolf the same time that the elder wolf bit down on their skin. It almost reminded Betty of church or Ash Wednesday...but with blood. She internally reminded herself that many now-Catholic traditions stemmed from pagan roots, so who was to say that this didn't have some distant relations?

Each wolf seemed to offer a different place where to bite, Betty noted.

"Does that hurt?" Betty whispered.

"Uh...duh?" Jedi snorted, "But, it's worth it. I mean, I'll never forget how complete I felt when I got my mark."

"It's what unites us in one pack," Joaquin supplied helpfully, "Makes us telepathic between each other and such."

Toni bit Ginny on her shoulder, murmuring quite compliments to the young girl. Sweet Pea's wolf requested his leg, which seemed like a strange place.

As he got to the last wolf, Joaquin glanced up at Betty.

"Cover your eyes."

"What?"

"Oh, yeah, best to do that," Fangs agreed. Betty screwed her eyes shut, just as she heard FP say 'With this, it is done'. The next thing to follow was a blinding light, hot against her eyelids, like a thousand suns. It was only when someone nudged her, probably Fangs, that she cautiously opened her eyes.

"What was that?"

"The binding of them to all of us," Fangs said, "Connectings us with, well, light magic."

"It didn't hurt your eyes?"

"No. It felt like the warmest hug. It's comforting," Deni frowned, trying to explain, "It also bathes all of us with magic, showing us as our wolves all in white nothing, just for a second."

"So…" Betty ran her tongue over her teeth, "Would that mean that your wolves are your true selves? Erm, true form?"

"Not quite," Joaquin said. He rarely spoke, even less to Betty. Betty wasn't sure if he didn't like her (which, rude, because he was dating one of her best friends) of if he was silent by nature, "There's a reason humanity is magicless. Magic is instinctual and primal. Our wolves are those sides of us. It makes little sense for magic to favor the side that convinced it's mind out of believing in it, as humans did a long time ago."

"So," FP's face was stony, "Now that we're all nice and peachy and one big family, this is a fuck ton of new wolves. More than makes me comfortable. You," He pointed to the kid Sweet Pea bit, "Why are you a wolf?"

"It was my birthright, sir," He stuttered. FP just raised a careful eyebrow, before continuing on to the rest. Everyone had eerily similar answers, something akin to 'it was what I was always meant to be' or 'it's my right'. When he had properly interrogated everyone with an Alpha's command to tell, he gave a half-angry laugh.

"It seems one of you, though I doubt I'll get it out of these ones, have come very close to telling people explicitly our little secret. Not close enough to come right out and say it, but being sneaky and deliberate. If come next moon, we have this many wolves again…" FP pinched his nose, "No. I'm not going to give any of you the chance to fuck up again. Hell, I can't believe I even have to say this, because I thought we could all just go about our way with this understanding, but one of you has ruined it for the rest. So, make no mistake when I command all of you, that you will not, under any circumstance let an untriggered wolf in on our family history. You will not say it explicitly to them, you will not hint it, you will not nudge them in the right direction, you will not put them in situations in which a human could be killed, you will not even talk about your favorite werewolf pop culture with them. If I find any of you disobeying this, you will be excited from the tribe." He inhaled sharply, "Do I make myself clear?"

A chorus of 'yes, sir' or 'absolutely' followed, though there was no way for anyone to confuse or conveniently forget his law. He'd just put it in an Alpha's command.

Afterwards, he gave a grim smile, "Now, let's all enjoy the rest of our night."

Betty yawned, just as Sweet Pea was returning.

"I think it might be time for the witch to go home," Toni nudged him.

"I'm not a child or something. I'm fine," Betty said, but even as she tried to argue, another yawn overtook her. Sweet Pea and Toni share amused looks.

"I'll walk ya out." Sweet Pea said, "It's nearly 3 A.M."

"What?" Betty choked, "It's a school night!"

"You know I couldn't care less," Sweet Pea pointed out, "But you, Ms. Future-Valedictorian. C'mon, seriously."

Betty pouted, but nodded. She hugged nearly all the young wolves on her way out, and sorta caught FP's eye in a strange way just before she ducked through the boundary line with Sweet Pea, holding onto his shirt with a clenched fist, as not to find out what would happen.

Once back into the normal woods, Betty exhaled.

"I think I should tell Juggie I'm a witch."

"What? No." Sweet Pea gave a resolute shake of his head, "You're tired, Betty-,"

"No, I'm fine. I've been thinking of this all night." She argued.

"It's...just, no. We're not doing this." Sweet Pea said.

"I don't actually need your permission." She paused, "He's just...he's going to figure it out, on his own, even if no one says anything. I figured that maybe if I show him he's not crazy, and just tell him about me, he'll let it go."

"And pigs fly. Are you stupid, Betty?"

Her expression hardened. She locked her jaw, offended, "No."

"Well, seems like it! It's just a hop, jump, and a skip away before he figures out we're wolves! Once he knows about magic it's all connected!" Sweet Pea was hyperventilating, "And Betty, I will not be thrown out of the Serpents, I just won't." The shakiness, the fury- but also fear- that echoed around the woods made Betty nearly pause.

"It wouldn't be you telling him, it would be on me." Betty tried to comfort him.

"And you think FP would ignore that? His son?" Sweet Pea was furious now, stalking noisily through the undergrowth.

"But those wolves, the new ones, a part of them were right. It is his birthright. You all talk about how it fills that hole inside, and I just…" She gnawed, "He has nothing, Sweets!"

"He has his innocence!" Sweet Pea shot back, "He's still...clean. No blood on his ledger yet."

Betty got the feeling it would be foolish to say something else right then, so she stayed quiet.

"Most of us love being a wolf because we have no other option. You suppress the beast, it overtakes you. It's what a lot of wolves tell themselves to stay sane," Sweet Pea whispered, "But there is a reason it's called a curse. It's not a gift. It's never been a gift. Everytime you change, every bone in your body breaks. It doesn't just not happen after a certain point, you just get used to the pain, or you find some way to ignore it. But it's like a cavity, that ache, that hurt, always in the back of your mind. And to become a wolf, you have to kill someone," The seriousness in his tone chilled Betty, "Die. Poof. No longer living. We might sugar coat it, spin it a thousand different ways, but by the definition- and you, a journalist, should like this precision of language-all of us are murderers. Me, Toni, Fangs, Deni, even Ginny."

Betty still had no words, but Sweet Pea wasn't finished.

"So think about Jughead. Think about the guilt he'll have to live through everyday. Not just the guilt that he's killed someone, mind you, but the knowledge his father did too? Or that a lot of his neighbors growing up have literal skeletons buried. Like actual bodies buried in backyards. Think about the fact that it might not even be justifiable; no wars going on that he'd be enlisted in, probably not a scum or low life, probably just an average person. The girl Fangs killed on the Fourth of July, she was twenty-one. She was studying biology at Riverdale Community College. Maybe she would have been a doctor. We'll never know now. You'll drive yourself mad if you look that stuff up yourself, but I...I thought I should know."

Sweet Pea sighed, "You're quiet," He finished.

"I don't really have words." Betty said honestly.

"So, you get it?"

She kicked a stone. They were reaching town. It skittered across the asphalt, hitting a mailbox.

"I hate it when you're right."

At any other time, maybe Sweet Pea would have taken this opportunity to be cheeky. Instead, he just gave a nod. That, in itself, told her that this was a secret she could not speak of.

My notes/thoughts on the chapter:

-I think that Rapunzel is a lot more fitting of a comparison for Bughead than Romeo and Juliet is (but Sweetbetts? Well, we'll not get into that right NOW hehe)

-When i wrote the Mist barrier, I sorta imagined the scene in Howl's Moving Castle where Sophie's just walking through that inky blackness

-I do think that there will be actual future-tellers in the future, but for Penny, she can just decide the most probable calculated outcome

-Casadaga was made because there was this super young serpent who started appearing with Tall Boy all the time, I think he's basically just credited as 'Young Serpent', but he seemed important enough that I needed to make him someone of interest

-I know that all of you guys want Jug to find out, but there is a time and place (because of literary reasons, as well as logic) for him to find out!

As always, if you love this, please leave review!