Happy Halloween y'all!

Thank you to my reviewers: Bellatrix Grindelwald, Boris Yeltsin, bluexaphre, and guest!

Guest: Aww, thank you so much!

Reggie sat on the wooden bench of the locker room, his gaze solely focused on Jordan Karan who was drying out his hair with a towel. A teammate was jabbering his ear off about some maneuver that Reggie had done flawlessly today, which was a shock he'd been able to do anything of note on the playing field. Reggie was surprised he could even still walk around without tripping on something, his mind so distracted by everything he'd been told.

The past few days had been enlightening to say the very least. Or crazy, however you prefer to see it.

Werewolves.

And he was supposed to help his family legacy by hunting them down and killing them.

He'd tried to argue it. Yes, it was annoying that Jordan had just swooped in and made it on the team, but if he was helping the win, was it really such a bad thing? Plus, he seemed alright. It was obvious he hated Chuck as much as Reggie did and he hung around fairly good people…

And yet, his family was advocating that he help them kill a minor.

He remembered his grandfather's weathered voice, "The only good werewolf is a dead one."

So he'd fumbled with his sureness, trying to find a solution.

"I mean, I can't be sure he's a werewolf. Maybe the Serpents accept anyone now?" He had suggested, having no solid proof that Jordan was a monster.

Yeah, he was good at football, but by that logic, Reggie should be a werewolf too. And he liked his burgers on the rare side, but so did Archie and Archie was too stupid to be a werewolf. But it wasn't like he'd ever seen Jordan turn and more than that, all of it seemed very made-up as it was.

So, he had to be sure.

"Wolves burn at silver," His father had said, "So, that's a sure-fire way to know."

Reggie had been ruminating on this for a bit now. There was silver in the school, but nothing pure enough to burn Jordan, if all of this was true. Which meant that Reggie needed to see another way, a test.

He had to be sure, 100%, and then some.

"Hey," Reggie said, standing, "Let's all go to Pop's," He suggested, "It was a hard workout today."

"Most of the team agreed immediately, as it wasn't uncommon to end up at their watering hole after a rough day. Archie, who looked a little pale, said he had to get home. Fine, Archie wasn't his main concern. Jordan, though, shook his head.

"Would love to man, but-,"

"Look, c'mon. I'll pay for the team. My treat." Reggie pressed. His father certainly had the money and if it helped figure out that the kid was a werewolf, he doubted they'd care.

"Well," Jordan said, crossing his arms, "I suppose I could...for a bit…"

Okay, that was step one, Reggie figured. Getting him there.

Pop greeted the team with a warm smile as they settled into the booth. Whenever the team came in, he made good money for the dinner rush. Reggie's eyes scanned the restaurant and he saw a bucket of silverware up near the trash bins. Silverware was silver, wasn't it?

Sure, most of the time one ate a burger with their hands, but he had an hour or two to try to see if Jordan would touch it.

They all ordered- burgers for the table- and Reggie waited until his order had arrived in its little plastic basket. Conveniently, Jordan was sitting on the edge of the booth.

"Hey, man, will you grab me a knife?" Reggie asked, "I like to cut my burger in half."

"Weirdo, but whatever," Jordan shrugged, agreeing much quicker than Reggie would think a werewolf would. Maybe he wasn't and his whole family should see a shrink. He was starting to doubt this himself, all things considered. It was crazy to believe in the first place.

Sweet Pea came back with a plastic knife. Interesting.

"You know this is awful for the environment, right?" Reggie said, giving him shit.

"Didn't know you cared?" Jordan raised an eyebrow.

Reggie gave a casual shrug. Shit, he couldn't ask for a different knife. That would be totally weird. Now Jordan was watching him. Did he know that he knew? Had he just blown his cover? Would he be murdered in his sleep?

After a second, however, Jordan dove into his burger. He did seem particularly wolfish when he ate, chomping, and attacking and demolishing it within a few quick bites. His teeth glimmered, and he focused on the canines, trying to figure out if they were more dog than a human. As Jordan licked the ketchup from his fingers, Reggie felt a cold shiver down his back as he imagined that it was blood and Jordan had just killed someone.

"No one can become a werewolf without killing a human," His father had explained, "Which means that that kid is already a murderer."

If it were true, Reggie wondered who he killed? Was he sitting across from a fucked-up human being? Was Jordan going to kill them all one day?

Reggie finished his food and shoved the two teammates out so he could pay the bill.

Some of his other teammates had grabbed silverware for their food. Reggie offered to grab all their baskets and someone made a joke about how thoughtful he was being today and wondered if he sustained a concussion during the practice.

He was just trying to figure shit out.

Purposely, as he was leaning over his own table, he dropped all the silverware onto the countertop. Jordan, as well as the others, sitting there, all jumped.

Though the pieces skittered, none touched Jordan. He didn't reach for them, but that didn't mean he was a werewolf. It was Reggie's mess, no one else was clambering to help pick up the thirty pieces either, he realized. Still, though…

"Oh, fuck, my fingers are just a bit sore after practice," Reggie laughed, "Hand 'em to me?" He asked, shaking a plastic basket. Immediately, his teammates began collecting.

Except for Jordan. How peculiar.

Right when nearly all were picked up, he turned to the Serpent, "Dude, grab that spoon will ya?" He asked, inclining his head toward a spoon that was right in front of him.

"Lazy," Jordan joked, grabbing it without a pause. Reggie watched carefully, but he didn't seem bothered to the touch. Maybe this wasn't real silver. Maybe it wasn't enough.

Or maybe, the kid just wasn't a werewolf.

He put the dishes in the plastic bin next to the trash for Pop to clean later and began walking home.

His mind was all sorts of confused.

He hated the Serpents. Despised them. If most of them were werewolves and his family was intent on wiping them out, fantastic. However, it seemed extreme that Jordan should have to die because of that. He was just a kid.

Reggie didn't have a great amount of love for the surly teen, but he was a damn good football player, and other than just a weird aversion, Reggie didn't want him dead. No, he'd prefer he went back to Southside High or drop out, but to kill him? That seemed extreme.

And, Reggie was more leaning toward that he wasn't a werewolf than that he was at this point.

But his family was expecting an answer. He promised he'd know by tonight.

Reggie saw the door to his house and made a sharp turn. He wasn't sure where he'd walk, but he wasn't going home until late that night when he could be sure everyone was asleep.

He doubted he'd figure out his response to this impossible query in the next coming hours, but maybe he'd figure out something.

But he probably wouldn't.

XXxxXX

As soon as Sweet Pea locked his trailer behind him, he unclenched his hand, hissing at the sharp sting as he flexed his burnt skin.

The memory of the spoon was imprinted upon his palm.

Stumbling into his bathroom, he found his dob-kit and dumped everything out on the floor. He was sure he still had a healing mint somewhere from years ago when they traded last with a witch. Fuck, he needed Betty to learn this, he was nearly out.

He found it and stood, running his palm under the cold water, waiting until the redness paused. Then, he crunched the mint in his hand, rubbing the dusty powder into the open wound, and clenched the sink.

Mother fucker.

It had been years since he'd been burned by silver.

FP had given him these mints back when he was younger. They were especially good at these sorts of wounds, though they would work on near anything. As a young wolf, it was easier to burn one's self on silver, as you hadn't gotten that wherewithal about the world to recognize when it appeared.

Most things were not pure silver and while the burn would hurt, it wouldn't kill you. Still, Sweet Pea's wolf had long ago learned the slight trace of the metal, enough so that even coming near it had his heart racing and he stayed the fuck away from it.

Thank god silverware wasn't what it once was. Unless he was going to a dinner party at the Blossom's, chances were that most establishments only had trace amounts of silver anyway. Pop's sure as hell didn't have the money for pure silver spoons or knives. Didn't mean that Sweet Pea was willing to touch it, but he knew that this was a fairly simple burn, all things considered.

He couldn't very well say no when Reggie asked him to.

Mantle had been looking at him weird the last few days. Sweet Pea didn't like it. It was suspicious.

He hoped that whatever Mantle thought was going on would be fine when he showed up tomorrow with not a scar on his hand in sight.

He'd have to be careful around him.

His skin bubbled and burned as the mint did its job, a cold sharpness tingling at his newly formed skin. Gingerly, he began to pick up all the items he'd dumped on the floor.

Two mints were left.

Exhausted, Sweet Pea slumped against the tile of the bathroom, stretching his fingers out to accustom himself to his newly mended-palm. He knew he should probably tell FP about the incident, but he was just a bit tired…

XXxxXX

Veronica preened as she listened to Betty, Polly, and Mrs. Smith talk. It seemed her plan would go smoothly. The idea for a baby shower had been given and they were all agreeable to it.

People might claim that she had no idea what was going on lately, but she knew how people worked.

Plus, she'd always loved a good reason to throw a party.

"Maybe once we're all there, we can really talk," Polly said, which was about the third time she'd said something of that nature. Veronica nodded. That family really needed to get things out in the open! She didn't understand why Betty stiffened whenever Polly said that and would shoot narrowed glares at her sister.

"The guest list will be curated perfectly, of course," Veronica broke in, cutting her pancakes delicately.

"V." Betty warned.

"Huh, what?" Polly frowned.

"There are just certain people I don't want here," Veronica said innocently, staring at Betty. She had found Sweet Pea fine at first since he was very close with Betty, but in recent days she'd found him disfavorable. Plus, mooning over someone in a relationship was so ick, "I said if he could fix his attitude…"

"If Sweet Pea is smiling then the world is probably ended," Betty snapped, "You're being childish."

"Wait, huh?" Polly asked, squinting.

"Betty hasn't told you about Sweet Pea?" Veronica raised an eyebrow, "Hm, interesting."

"That's quite a name," Mrs. Smith said carefully, leaning forward with interest.

"Hardly. Jordan," Veronica said his name with a scowl, "He just has a nickname because he-,"

Before she could break the news of his unsavory association, her mother waltzed in. For the better, Betty looked about ready to strangle her. She was being unreasonably loyal to that dog, in Veronica's opinion.

"What am I hearing about a baby shower?" Hermione asked.

"Here! For Polly. I thought it would be a perfect way to smooth things over," Veronica said, "And with everyone here, Mrs. Blossom and Mrs. Cooper wouldn't be able to do anything. It's perfection."

Her mother did not look as though she believed it, "Veronica, a word?"

Veronica shrugged, getting up and following her mother into the side-room.

"The Blossoms and Coopers in our pre-war apartment? Mija, what have you suggested?" Hermione seemed nearly aghast, "It will be a war."

"No, it won't. Not while we're all here."

"That has hardly stopped them before," Hermione muttered, "I know you think you've found this solution, but my darling, this will end badly. There's a reason that the three of us don't talk to each other anymore."

"Because you're all holding stupid grudges?" Veronica questioned, crossing her arms, "This seems like the perfect time to bury the hatchet."

"Veronica," Her mother reached out with her icy-cold hand, caressing her cheek, "If only you knew. Your kind heart is sweet, but you are still so innocent."

"Then tell me," Veronica said, her voice shaking with frustration. This was hardly the first time something of the sort had been alluded to and frankly, she was getting tired of it, "Tell me what's really going on. I'm sixteen, I can handle it."

"No, you cannot. And you should not have to," Her mother said simply, backing up, "I will allow this, but if I say the party is ended, the party is ending. Are we clear?"

Veronica beamed, "Crystal."

XXxxXX

Sweet Pea was on edge, always.

He watched Reggie with one eye, continually focused. Half his mind was trying to figure out the dark-haired boy.

And, part of him knew for sure now that this teen was doing the same to him.

He should tell FP, he really should, but he had nothing more to report.

He wouldn't know where to begin.

And part of him knew it was irresponsible to put himself anywhere near Reggie. No, if Reggie was suspecting him to be something...otherworldly, then Sweet Pea should find a reason to do anything other than be in his vicinity. He should keep his interaction minimum, or, within reason.

Would it be better, he wondered, to act as though all was normal, as not to tip Reggie off? Or, was he tempting fate, temping some mistake or a worse reaction than he'd had to the silver, something telling and undeniable?

Fuck, he should really ask FP.

But he figured he knew what FP would say, or rather, tell him to do.

He'd be donezo on the football team and goddammit, Sweet Pea was selfish. He wanted to stay on the team. He wanted to feel the rush, to stand under the lights as the crowds cheered...he wanted to be noticed for what he was good at.

He wanted to fit in with the other high schoolers, something that, until now, he'd never done.

Shoddy luck he was just starting to figure it all out mere months before he would graduate.

So, he kept quiet.

At Andrew's Construction, Reggie was staring at him. Sweet Pea turned his expression and Reggie sharply turned away.

He was tired; Reggie was. Even without Sweet Pea's skills of deduction and upper-hand with his heightened senses, it wasn't hard to see. He was slouching...he had bags under his eyes...he was pale. Sweet Pea wondered if he'd gotten an inch of sleep last night.

Good, his wolf snapped, the side of him that was sometimes petty or cynical, Let him. Let him wear himself out and then he'll have to focus on other things.

"We're bruiser studs, Mr. Andrews!"

Sweet Pea turned his head back to the only sane parent in Riverdale, as far as his own judgment went. Which is why he'd agreed to help out here, despite the fact it was bound to be a bad idea. He liked Mr. Andrews and he tolerated Archie, who on average was too dumb to truly be malicious or cruel.

Plus, he wasn't sure he had all the details, but something about this entire thing had the Blossom's stench all over it. He could smell it, faintly, but here. Something sickly sweet, like a fake rose or the smell of bad magic.

And if he could piss off a Blossom? Well, that was a win for him.

Fred looked over the crew of high schoolers, giving a grateful smile. Sweet Pea straightened his shoulders and surveyed the space.

"What do you need us to do, sir?"

XXxx

"You must be loving this, Hermione," Alice said, her fingers playing with the crisp edge of the paper napkin, staring at the woman in front of her, "Providing sanctuary to my daughter. And you're here to what, gloat?"

"Firstly, I am doing this as a favor to your mother, and we both know why," Hermione said with a serious tone, "And I'm trying to help. I wish you'd-,"

"No," Alice stopped her, "None of that."

"None of what?"

"I've been taking vervain every day since you returned," Alice informed her with a snide scowl. Hermione, if this surprised her, made no such motion.

"Then it wouldn't work if I were trying to do what you think I was." She said, "When did you stop trusting me?" She asked, almost forlornly, though it seemed it was rhetorical.

"I never did."

"It doesn't matter. Your daughter wanted to come home, back to Riverdale, so I'm just helping. She deserves to feel loved," Hermione said.

"She is a teenager who hasn't finished high school. The father of her child has been murdered and beyond that you cannot be so...so...blinded to the machinations of what is going on behind all of this. You know it isn't safe for her, or her baby here." Alice said hurriedly, frantic.

"I know I will be able to protect her. Lodges do not lose wars." Hermione said firmly.

"This is bigger than just what you can do. I tried to protect her at home. I crossed lines and did things I have to live with for both of my daughters. You are lucky," Alice said almost too quietly, "That it will always be a choice for Veronica. It wasn't for Betty or Polly."

"Choice," Hermione sighed quietly, "As though any of us had a say in what became of us...even if what you say is true,"

"You know it, Hermione," Alice said tartly.

"Why not let Polly have one night of normality? Of joy?"

"Because tomorrow all these things will still be true. She will still be in danger."

"Then, let's figure that out next. One step at a time," Hermione gave a near sly smile, "Baby steps." At Alice's reluctance, Hermione sighed, "Come to the shower. Be there for Polly. Help her. Otherwise, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life."

Hermione threw a few dollar bills on the table, "That wasn't a demand, it was advice. Think about it, Alice."

XX

Sweet Pea dropped the stones he was lugging in the pile, wiping sweat off with the back of his hand.

Football was a workout that was unfamiliar, but welcome. This? This sort of basic, manual labor? Well, Sweet Pea knew where he had talents- strength, for one- and so he'd done the odd job for a few summer's past doing anything that someone would hire him to do; move rubble, spread mulch, landscape, dig...a kid had to make money somehow, and an honest way.

He spotted Jughead and Archie approaching. Jughead nodded to him, acknowledging him, and Sweet Pea raised a hand. He hoped that Jug was doing okay over at Archie's. He'd never, ever say it out loud, but he'd grown used to living with a roommate. It was nice...even if most of their bonding relied on watching Youtube videos at 3 A.M.

Jughead was in far better shape than Sweet Pea would have guessed from the baggy shirts he wore. If the girls at school saw him like that, he could probably get anyone he wanted.

So even though he was a bit surprised, he was overall annoyed he'd picked Betty.

Not yours, not yours, not yours…

He fought with himself, trying to snap back those questions he had in the middle of the night about what it might be like to kiss her or to hold her hand or-

Not. Yours.

"Your dad's path is not for you. Trust me, I get it," Jughead said from across the way. Sweet Pea didn't even need to use his better-than-average hearing. The wind carried on this empty lot.

Sweet Pea grimaced; if his father had anything to say about it, it would remain that way. Letting Jughead, on one hand, believe his father to be a dead-beat alcoholic was maybe fine. If Jughead got too curious if he made one little mistake…

Instant wolf.

"He works his ass off for me, bro, but never asks for anything. Always has my back, even when I mess up. So if having his back means I gotta haul some rocks, then bring it on."

"Agreed," Jughead huffed, "Your dad's got my back too," Jughead said, turning, "More than some people."

It wasn't spoken explicitly, but Sweet Pea understood his jealousy and his hurt feelings. You always wanted to please your parents.

Fuck, Sweet Pea hardly had any parents to please (tally of parents in actuality; zero) but part of him still held on to some faint hope that his own father would show back up one day and have some explanation on why he was away and they'd bond and be happy.

It was a stupid-ass dream, but Sweet Pea couldn't help wondering or hoping.

"Hey, guys!" Archie waved his hands, "Let's go in; it's getting dark!"

XXxx

"Hey, guys, you were a life-saver today. I appreciate it. Hard hats go in the bin and there's soda in the fridge."

That was the magic word. Just like that, a hoard of high school boys descended upon the mini-fridge, doling out the cans among them and clinking them together. Someone threw Sweet Pea a coke; Reggie.

Was this an olive branch or a ploy? Either way, soda cans were aluminum and therefore non-toxic. Sweet Pea clinked the can twice and popped the can open, letting the fizz take him out of the moment for just a second, like white noise. He leaned against the wall, hardly paying attention. He watched Moose leave the trailer but did not think anything about it until he heard noises.

"What are you-,"

"Moose is in trouble!" Sweet Pea said, throwing the door of the work shed open, jumping down into the mud. As everyone trailed behind him, the sound of banging became clearer.

Two figures spooked and bolted as soon as the boys started yelling. The smell that hit Sweet Pea froze him; a covering smell. It was the fact he smelled nothing. Someone was trying to keep their allegiance covered up, but underneath it was a whiff that had Sweet Pea confused and furious.

It was some of his own.

Well, not his pack. But a wolf. But also...not a wolf?

He felt ill, and let everyone pick Moose up and brush away the blood forming at a cut on his head, asking a thousand questions at once.

By the time Keller arrived, all Sweet Pea wanted to do was vanish. He was so unsure of everything and nothing was making sense. He wanted to go talk to Betty, or even get Kevin alone, because what the fuck was going on?

"I mean, this is Serpent territory, right? Maybe it was them?"

Sweet Pea tried to slide back into the shadows, unwilling to answer questions.

"When I worked at the drive-in, the Serpents never bugged me," Jughead snapped, shocking Sweet Pea.

It was all just guesses, of course, they would have no idea that-

"It was them, Serpents, though," Moose mumbled, "I know it."

As he was trying to do the math in his head (Why were there other werewolves here? Did FP know? Were they suicidal, coming to Serpent territory?), Reggie spun on him.

"You heard that noise awfully quickly compared to the rest of us. What's your plan with your drug-dealing thugs, Karan?" He demanded, shoving him.

"Hey!" Keller snapped, separating them before something worse happened, which Sweet Pea was a bit offended about. Well, the insinuation was shitty, but the idea that Sheriff Keller thought him one second away from getting all fuzzy and snarling was more infuriating. He wasn't going to get as emotional as to accidentally change in front of this idiot.

"He was standing by the window, and it was open, I'm sure you're not suggesting…" Fred came to his rescue, staring at Reggie with disappointment.

"Well, then?" Reggie fisted his palms, "Look what they did to Moose!"

"He was the one that heard it. Why would he come to save Moose if he was working with them?" Jughead asked, "I'm not sure I also like you just assuming it was the Serpents. Seems like profiling to me."

"But they-," Moose began to protest.

"I'm not sure if it was Serpents unless you noticed them wearing a leather jacket or saw tattoos. Without that, we can't do much in terms of ID-ing these guys," Keller added in agreement with Jughead, apologetically, "Just a feeling doesn't work in law."

"If it was Clifford Blossom, you'd say yes," Archie spat.

"Archie-,"

"What, Dad? It's true!"

Just like that, Sweet Pea could see the darkness growing on Archie's face, one where he did not like where it was going at all.

Why werewolves attacking Andrew's construction site?

XX

"Is mom coming?"

Betty inhaled sharply, pressing her lips and looking at Veronica.

"She's...invited," Veronica said carefully and Betty hated the look of disappointment on Polly's face.

"Hey! It doesn't matter. It's her loss if she decides not to show up tomorrow. And you have so many people that support you. Me, Veronica, Grandma, Hermione…" She wanted to say Jason; it was screaming and on the edge of her lips, but she could not.

He still had not woken up.

Betty was starting to get frustrated. Having a dead body not far away from where you slept, or rather, an un-dead body wasn't exactly the thoughts you wanted to have right before sleep.

Polly gave a sad smile, "Veronica, can you get me a glass of water?"

"Anything for our mother-to-be!" Veronica said brightly, jumping up. As soon as she was gone, Polly hugged Betty.

"I want you to be the baby's godmother. Whatever happens, if something does happen to me...I only trust you to care for it."

"Oh my god! Polls, yes of course-,"

"I don't know everything about magic yet, but is there a way to make it...official? You know, witchy? Because if this is a girl...she'll be like you." Polly said meaningfully.

"There has to be some protection spell, something I can find," Betty said, nodding enthusiastically, "I'll ask Sweets and we'll figure it out! It might take a while, but I'm sure there's some sort of ritual-,"

"What about a ritual?"

"Oh, just a dumb family thing," Polly laughed it off, shrugging as Veronica returned. Betty exhaled hard; she hadn't even been listening for her friend's return, "Not as exciting as it sounds."

"Right," Veronica said, but it was clear she was a bit suspicious, "Anyway...so for food..."