Jughead sat in Pop's, staring at the screen. He'd tried to re-write the new chapter a million times.

"More?" Pop asked, coming around with coffee. Jughead nearly jumped out of his skin, "You okay, son?"

"Yeah, yes, please," Jughead waved a hand, and when Pop lingered, "I'm fine."

He shook out his thoughts and wrote: People like to say that the death of Jason Blossom changed everything at Riverdale High…

He didn't get farther than that.

His original plans, prior to yesterday when he'd been ruminating on this chapter in his head, was that he was going to say that certain things, such as Homecoming, never change. And that he hadn't felt like things had changed since Jason's death, but he was wrong.

So very wrong.

Jughead realized when he went to sip the coffee that he must have been zoning out for a long time, for it had grown tepid. He pulled a face and closed his laptop, shaking his head.

Words would not come for him today. As it was, he hardly knew how to describe what was brewing inside of him. Of all the words he knew, there were no words for what he was feeling, what he was grappling with.

You are the son of a werewolf. The world is a much bigger place than you thought. And so very, very different.

That was the first thought that rang around his brain, rattling and disturbing his concentration.

Then, secondly: Sweet Pea knew and never told you. So many people knew and you're left looking like the clown.

It was hours after his failed birthday party. He hadn't been able to sleep at all since and had wound up here, thinking at least he could put his insomnia to good use.

All that did happen, however, was that he found himself more troubled than when he sat down.

As he gathered his things, unsure of where to go next, he did have the persistent thought; Jason's death did change everything.

If not for his death, he doubted all this truth would have come out.

He didn't wish death upon anyone, but heck, Jughead was almost tempted to thank him.

He knew now, and that was what mattered.

He just wasn't sure what to do with that information.

XX

"Wait…dad, you knew ?" Archie sputtered, "All that time that I was trying to keep it together, what, did you think I was just…going through puberty?"

"Look, now," Fred raised his hands, "First, we had no idea it would happen so early! And second, I'm not…" He rubbed the back of his neck, "It's not my heritage. My knowledge of it is fuzzy at best."

"Yes, dear, don't be mad at your father," Mary said, coming to kiss Archie's cheeks, settling back to examine him with a nearly regretful sigh, "He did the right thing by getting me, that's what you need to remember."

"A little warning would have been nice. Hey, Arch, you might start seeing monsters." Archie muttered.

"Not every kid gets it. We wanted you to live as normally as possible," Fred said after a long moment, "And, well, we thought it would…skip you."

"Why?" Archie knitted his eyebrows together.

"It usually goes like that. The lineage is spotty," Mary said, "Fred, why don't you start some coffee and I'll explain it all. I promise." Mary said, grasping Archie's hands.

"You'd better."

By the time the three of them were settled, Archie was wired. He felt like he could hear every creak of the old house, every leaf falling outside. He realized his stiffness and turned. Mary was watching him. As a leaf hit the window on its way down, he nearly jumped out of his skin, but he noticed his mother turned her head too.

"You…can hear that?"

"I can. It's more…it's background noise at this point," She said, "You learn just to ignore a lot of it."

"So, remind me again why you left me with this big terrible secret and dad chose not to tell me?" Archie asked, "Because it ruined everything. My sanity, the way people see me at school, my girlfriend…she refuses to be seen with me! Because she's a siren and she's freaked out I'm going to ax murder her in her sleep! What the fuck?"

"Language," Mary hissed, then sighed, "Honey, oh, baby," She added apologetically, "Usually if you have powers, they don't come into maturity until you mature. At least 25. I've never known a Grimm to develop so young."

Archie bit back taunting his mother that Cheryl had done it, but he had a feeling that would make things very much worse to bring it up.

"A Grimm is-,"

"I know what it is," Archie cut his mother off angrily, "I have friends that have…filled me in." He said, also decided not to let too much on yet.

"Do you?" Mary's eyes narrowed, "What…sort are they."

"The loyal type," Was all Archie said, "I know I'm supposed to kill them, but naw, no way. I won't."

"You shouldn't. It gets messy." Mary said with a mischievous grin, something unsettling all the same, "It's also a new day and age. Grimms aren't so much reapers as they used to be."

"Why did you leave, if you knew? Why was I left here?" Archie had never disliked growing up in Riverdale, but now, he wondered. It seemed this town was teeming with supernatural activity. Seemed rather like a bad choice for his mother, no?

"Once I knew too much, II just couldn't stay," Mary sighed, "But Fred had his company and your grandfather was ailing. We'd already decided to take some time apart. I knew there was goodness I could do as a lawyer, getting on cases with supernatural folk that would be wrongly prosecuted otherwise. When I came into my powers it was an awful time and I just wanted to forget it all here. The reason I thought you'd be safe is that FP took over and his pack continued to be not dangerous. And the Lodges left, meaning the vampires were gone. The Blossoms seemed preoccupied with magic, but nothing bad had occurred and they seemed to want to keep it that way. I thought…nothing would happen. And that if you had to grow up somewhere, and learn, there were plenty of kind magical folk here. Good people, like the Klumps, who just want to raise their daughter."

"So you thought I'd be okay."

"We also guessed you'd be long gone if it did arise that you had the genetics," Fred added, "We never thought it would manifest here."

"I guess that's not your fault," Archie agreed with a long sigh, "I have…a thousand questions. Things that my friends can't answer because they're not Grimms." He admitted after a moment.

Mary settled into her armchair, "And today, I have all the time in the world to answer them. We'll go on a walk later, but right now, let's hear them."

XX

"I gave you one…one very simple rule! And you both couldn't keep from fucking it up?"

Sweet Pea flinched under the harsh chastisement of his mentor and semi-father figure.

"Weith all due respect, sir, Jughead was a sneeze away from figuring it out himself," Sweet Pea tried to offer, hoping logic would prevail here.

From FP's glare, it was clear this assumption was wrong.

"I would like to scratch my previous words from the record," Sweet Pea muttered, ducking his head.

Joaquin looked like he was about to cry.

Okay, dude, it wasn't that bad.

"Oh, it is that bad," FP said, eyes wide, reading Sweet Pea's mind. Somehow, "Now I have to figure out how to tell my son that one wrong move will plague him to live this life forever!"

"Excuse me?" Sweet Pea said, the hair on the back of his neck rising, "Plague? Sir, if I had the chance to go back and stay human, I'd pick this life. Thousand times over."

"You're the model wolf, we get it," Joaquin muttered, "Not everyone is like you."

"If you'd rather be human, stop changing." Sweet Pea snapped back, "And go live your life with your mortal boyfriend and do us a favor and fuck off."

"Boys!" FP's voice broke them apart before he had a pair of wolves rolling and snapping in his trailer, "Tensions are high. I know that. But I need you both to understand what you've just done."

"What were we supposed to do, sir? Lie?" Sweet Pea demanded, "He wasn't looking for confirmation It wouldn't have mattered."

"You were supposed to contact me immediately! And I would have dealt with it! I am the leader of this pack and I would make the choice whether he should know or not!" FP thundered, "You think you know it all, Sweet Pea. You have no idea what I go through. To keep us safe? Protected? You live such a blessed life." He spat.

Sweet Pea, for once, was at a loss for words. FP sat down, staring deeply at the pair.

"Go." He said simply, "I am meeting with my son soon, and trying to figure myself out of this gordian knot puzzle. I need time to think."

"I'm sorry, sir," Joaquin whimpered as he left, "I let you down."

"Life let us down, kid," FP sighed, his anger washing away, "Go do something useful with yourself."

"Okay, not as bad as I thought," Sweet Pea said as they exited. He was sure FP was going to rip their throats out or put a changing ban on them for a few weeks. They'd gotten off relatively…good? Almost too good.

"Maybe it was just for appearances," He continued, "Because we broke a big ass rule."

"I don't care what it was, shut up," Joaquin snapped, "I'm going to take a nap."

"Righteo. That is useful," Sweet Pea said, trying to smile at him. Joaquin just looked right through him, rolled his eyes, and walked away.

As Sweet Pea slowly made his way from FP's trailer, he saw his least favorite pack member. Worse than Tall Boy.

Ugh, Penny.

Beeling…right for FP's trailer?

He paused, frowning.

Why was FP having a seance with the worst person in the world?

XX

"Yeah, boss?" Penny knocked on his door. FP resisted the urge to correct her, to say that he was her 'alpha', not her boss, but he pursed his lips.

"I am in need of your specific skill set," He said quietly.

"Which one? Suing people or-,"

"The other one. The future." FP tilted his head, "Sit, please. Water? Soda? Beer?"

Penny gave a throaty laugh, "Hell, I'd take a beer. Must be serious, then?" She asked.

FP offered a smile, consolation smile, unwilling to share more than strictly necessary.

"It is. Of utmost necessity." He agreed, grabbing a beer for Penny and a Diet Coke for himself. Penny noticed.

"Not partaking?"

"Jughead is coming over soon." FP said, and that was enough to be an explanation.

Penny sipped her beer, watching FP. FP felt as old as ever as he creaked himself down into a sofa. Being a werewolf, changing so many times, eventually took its toll. Most wolves ended up with broken bones in old age, or arthritis if they stopped too late. He feared he was well on his way to the retirement of wheelchairs and canes.

"I need to know. How likely is it that I will end up in jail in the near future?"

If Penny was surprised by his question, she didn't show it. Instead, she narrowed her eyes.

"Sir, you know I can't work with vague statements. I need absolutes. Numbers." She said, "or else nothing I tell you is worthwhile."

"Right, within…two weeks?" He asked, "Within two weeks, how likely?"

Penny looked concerned now, "is there reason to believe you would? If that's the case, I am also an excellent lawyer, and-,"

"I know what you are, Penny, don't worry," FP assured, "Let's…take one problem at a time, hmm?"

Penny shrugged, though she looked uneasy, spooked. He knew that asking her this was a big concern, a huge secret he expected her to keep within herself that he would even have the slightest worry about this. Instead, she did her job.

He watched as she inhaled slowly, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. He could taste the magic occurring, swirling around her as she pulled from every inch around her to rapidly switch through a thousand different outcomes like she was changing channels on a T.V. It never would cease to amaze FP as he watched her do this. For all the magic he knew, sometimes, it still made him feel like a child on Christmas morning to discover new smells, new avenues of pure magic.

He wouldn't admit it to the pups, but he agreed with Sweet Pea.

He never regretted being a wolf and never would.

Penny came back up for air, startling herself as she threw her body back into the present.

FP saw Jughead walking up the path. He didn't want Penny around when he got in; they had perhaps two minutes left.

"So?" He asked without preamble.

Penny smiled placidly at him, "Sir, your reign is safe. There is a very slim chance of you going to jail soon."

FP grinned widely, offering a handshake, "Thank you for confirming that for me, Penny. Take the beer as you go."

"Always happy to help the pack, sir," Penny said pleasantly, slipping out the back door just in time for Jughead to knock.

XX

Jughead looked around the trailer, seeing the same thing he'd seen last time.

A clean space, devoid of any indication his father had fallen off the wagon.

"I'd ask if you'd been body-snatched, but I'm beginning to realize the ruse of your alcoholism is just that…" Jughead said, wincing as he finished. That was a stupid thing to say, wasn't it?

"Unfortunately so." FP readily admitted, "Easier to seem like the town reject than to have someone start paying attention."

"Right," Jughead didn't know where to start.

"I got us coffee and donuts."

Jughead scoffed as he sat, "What? Not raw meat and blood of innocents?"

FP took his jibes with grace, "That's only reserved for Fridays."

Jughead cracked an inch of a smile, taking a donut on a plate for himself.

"Wolves."

It was one spoken word, stumbling out before he could stop it, but the question hung there, waiting to be harvested.

It hung there for a long time.

"Yes."

That was what his father finally replied.

"Werewolves," Jughead corrected himself. Once again, FP nodded.

"I…" All the questions Jughead had pre-written seemed to vanish from his memory. He looked at the clock, "We don't have a ton of time."

"You have school," FP agreed, though Jughead had been hoping he'd let him skip.

"I could…not go. This seems more important," Jughead said, offering a hopeful smile. FP shook his head.

"No, boy. You go, get an education. All the knowledge of us will still be around when you're done. Plus, this is better taken in…in stages."

"Did you get that opportunity?" Jughead asked.

"No. But I wish I had. So would every other poor unsuspecting werewolf." FP said, "So perhaps this is a blessing."

"So when will I turn?" Jughead licked his lips, "I've been trying to figure it out. Is it an age? I mean, Sweet Pea is older than me, but Joaquin isn't, nor is Toni. Is it a certain…combination? Is it that they asked for it? I just can't figure it out."

"You might turn," FP said, "But I hope you don't. You have the genetics for it, same as Jelly, but the gene isn't expressed just by birth. It's…triggered." He said, trying to explain it the best he could.

"An action. Something all the wolves have done, then?" Jughead rubbed his chin, "Moved to Sunnyside?" He knew that wasn't it, otherwise, he would have poofed into fur when he moved in with Sweet Pea.

"No, not that. A dark, terrible act. Has Sweet Pea given you any magic theory?" FP questioned.

"No, I barely knew about any of this. Just theories, but I thought I was dead wrong. Probably a good thing books on werewolves aren't very useful, huh? So I don't know anything."

"Ah, well." FP rubbed his chin, "What you, or what humans may call 'evil' or 'dark' magic is where magic usually resides. It's just because magic exists beyond human moral compasses. What we see as wrong, magic sees as natural. It does not mean it is evil, or dark, it more means that magic will go where it wants to. It's a river, stubbornly pushing against a rock until it wears it down."

"Right," Jughead said with a serious nod, "I follow."

"You kill someone. A human. Humans are, unbelievably, pure of heart. And killing something pure is...well. Doesn't matter if it's on accident or purpose, but that triggers it. So you'd understand why you might consider what we are 'evil'." FP said with a sad, weary shrug.

"Oh."

Jughead felt fine, just for a second, and then it was like he was inundated with the knowledge that anyone that was a wolf had killed someone.

His father. Sweet Pea. Toni. Joaquin. Tall Boy.

He always shared the assumption that the Serpents were evil, murderous individuals, but it was like a slap to the face to figure out they were all right about it.

"Wha…how…you…" Jughead whispered, "Killed someone?" He knew it. His father had just told him. But he needed confirmation. A chance for his father to laugh and say 'Oh, but I was the exception!' But he didn't.

He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it.

FP gave a long, tired nod.

"Oh," Jughead repeated again, trying not to jump away from his father's movements.

"Don't look at us too harshly. It's not always fair, the way it works. More of us than not didn't mean to, and magic just made it happen." FP said. It was unclear if he was included in it.

"Now, wolves-,"

"I need time," Jughead stuttered, "you're right. To process. I need a day or two."

FP didn't seem disappointed. If anything, relieved.

"That's perfectly natural, Jughead. Take it slow. As I said, I will tell you it all, but it's overwhelming." His father drummed his fingers on the table, "How's your novel? It's about Jason's murder, right?"

"I thought…it was meant to be easy. Not easy, but not…" Jughead swallowed, "I think somewhere it became the question of if Riverdale was a place of darkness and evil or lightness and good. I think my answer is so much more complex, but I don't know how to navigate that. His death was magical in nature, wasn't it?"

FP sighed, "That, I don't honestly know. I have my theories, but it's nothing to share with you," FP admitted, "Most things are both though. Good and evil. The world isn't split into two sides of a chess board, Jug. real life is much grayer, though the shades do darken and lighten with everything we find out."

"I know, I know," Jughead said, but did he? Did he really? Did he really comprehend the equal darkness and lightness of the magic that buzzed around him, invisible for most of his life? He doubted it.

"I should get going," Jughead checked his watch, "We will continue this, right?" He asked uncertainly.

"All cards on the table, yes," FP promised.

Jughead paused, "Maybe…after this week? This weekend we could spend time together like we used to? And watch movies and you can explain it? What my legacy means?"

FP grinned, "I would really enjoy that, son."

XX

"Sweet Pea!"

As Sweet Pea and Joaquin left, tails tucked between their legs in embarrassment from getting a good earful from their Alpha's trailer, Sweet Pea turned to see a figure stomping toward him with purpose.

"Sanders!" He said, glad to see the little wolf, though less glad when he charted the scowl on her face, "How are you?"

"You wouldn't know that it's been terrible because you've hardly been around," She pouted, crossing her arms, "I thought you were supposed to be mentoring me."

Sweet Pea winced hard, "Ach, yeah, sorry, fuck, sorry." He mumbled, "It's been…busy."

"You're busy?" She squeaked, "Think of how I feel! I almost turned in the middle of science class yesterday because we had to dissect frogs and I freaked out!" She threw her arms up, "I hate being a wolf! I hate it!"

"Hey, hey," Sweet Pea stopped dead, "Don't say that, it's a gift."

She sniffled, "Sure doesn't feel like it."

"Okay, I've been lacking in terms of mentor duties. I totally agree," Sweet Pea said, crossing his heart, "I gotta get to school now. We'll hang out today after school."

Sanders looked at him doubtfully, "Ya promise?"

"Yeah, kid, I do." He ruffled her ginger hair, "Go off. You need to get going too. I'm sure today will be better."

Sanders rolled her eyes, "No, probably not. I mean, school sucks, the pack here sucks…it's whatever."

"The pack here…" Sweet Pea blinked hard, "Wait, wait, what do you mean?" He called after her, but Sanders was already walking away.

"She means you have missed a ton," Toni said, materializing behind him. He jumped, swearing loudly, as she continued, "Hey, why didn't I get an invite to Jughead's birthday party?"

"I was there because I'm annoying. Joaquin was there for Kevin. Don't take it personally. You really, really wouldn't have wanted to be there," He said, "I'm so tired I feel like I could just…whatever, never mind."

"What happened at the party? Oh, please tell me, I'm dying for good gossip!" Toni begged, falling into step with Sweet Pea as he went toward his trailer to grab his backpack.

"Can't say. Literally. Boss will kill us." He said, wincing at the hint of a migraine for even thinking of blabbering, "But you should still tell me what's going on here."

Toni looked around cautiously.

"What are you doing?" Sweet Pea asked dryly.

"Seeing if…if Tall Boy's men are in earshot," She whispered hastily.

"What?" Sweet Pea undid his lock, "Why should that even matter?"

"It's weird, Sweets," Toni said, following him into his trailer, "We've had three more new, young wolves changed."

Sweet Pea dropped his apple. It rolled on the carpeted floor with a dull thud.

"What?" He croaked, "Why didn't I know? Why wasn't I alerted?" He demanded.

"Because something is going on where they get routed to Tall Boy and Cassadaga first. I don't understand it. I don't know why they're still changing or why you're not being told. Maybe the boss thinks you just have a lot going on?" Toni asked with a shrug.

"I'd be far more inclined to believe you if you weren't checking over your shoulder like the FBI was after us."

"Okay, yeah," Toni agreed, "I don't know what's going on. There just…whispers."

"Not good ones?"

Toni laughed, "When are pack whispers ever good?"

XXX

"Ronnie, hey, wait up a second." Archie said, jogging to step in line with Veronica at school, "I just wanted to explain why I didn't call you after the party."

"It's fine," Veronica said with a kind smile, but Archie shook his head.

"Naw, seriously. My mom sort of showed up. There's been some…family stuff," He said, for lack of a better term, "And she appeared to explain it? I guess there's this family legacy and…" He trailed off, leaning against the lockers, "I don't want to bore you."

"You hardly bore me, Archie," Veronica said, tilting her head, "You are the absolute opposite of boring."

"Right, well…look, that kiss was…incredible. The moment was great. But I don't want to break any hearts. I have a lot going on right now." He said, half sure Veronica was about to burst into tears. Instead, she giggled.

"Breaking hearts? I'm almost flattered, or perhaps offended." She placed her hand on his chest, "Our moment was beautiful and fleeting and because of that, it was perfect. I also don't really have the bandwidth for anything either." She said. Archie let out a breath of relief. Then, he remembered her sobbing at the party.

"Is everything…okay?" He asked. Veronica just gave a shrug and a smile, though the light didn't reach her eyes.

"No," She said, "But c'est la vie. My father might be getting out soon, no matter how much I refused to participate. Somehow he always gets his way," She said, tugging angrily at her collar, "So I'm just dealing with all of that, yeah?"

"Oh, family stuff blows," Archie said, "Okay…erm, we good?"

Veronica examined him, "We're very good."

"Hey…before you go," Archie swallowed, "You going to the Homecoming Dance?" He asked.

Veronica waggled a finger, "Archie, we just talked about this."

"Naw, no, not as dates! Just, maybe performing together?" He asked. Veronica seemed ready to agree, but she gave a long, weary sigh.

"I don't know. Can I think about it? As I said…lots going on." She said, waving her hands around. Archie tried not to let his hurt show through.

"Course. Sure. Get back to me." He said, and then gave her a double thumbs up, backing away, "See you later, V."

XXX

Veronica only heard half of what Alice Cooper was talking about.

Shoved into the journalism room with her best friend and her best friend's mother, Alice was going off about…murder. Or something. Probably related to Jason's murder. You couldn't sneeze in this town on a conversate of late without it being about that.

And usually, Veronica would love to be included in on the action, but today?

Today she was entirely preoccupied with Betty.

There was an entire argument going on between the mother and daughter but all Veronica could do was stare at Betty.

Nick had made some reference that Betty might have told Veronica that he was a vampire.

Now…why in the world would Betty know that?

What was she not telling her?

What secrets was Betty hiding from her?

…Did she know about vampires?

Quickly, she checked Betty.

No, Veronica did not think Betty was one. There was some relief in that.

"-Come on, V, let's go."

Veronica was jerked out of her musings by Betty grasping her arm, pulling her forcibly from the room. Some part of Veronica's subconscious mind had been paying attention, because as Betty began swearing up and down about the gall of her mother, Veronica pieced together what had been said.

Alice was sure FP was the killer and she wanted to do some digging.

"Can you believe her? She just hates Jughead, I know it! All the more reason to get us to break up. Seriously, I mean, seriously?" Betty was spewing fire and brimstone, stalking down the halls.

Veronica opened her mouth, feeling ill.

What did Betty know that she did not? How many conversations had Veronica been left out of, in the dark?

Here is what she did know as concrete facts.

Nick, as well as her parents and Smithers, were vampires.

Betty knew some inkling about the supernatural world.

And, if she had to bet, Jughead or FP did too.

"Betty, you go to the gym. I forgot my handbag. I just need to grab it." She said. Betty locked her jaw, annoyed to be cut off from her ranting, but waved Veronica away.

Luckily, Alice was still in the room, gathering her things.

"Mrs. Cooper?"

Alice looked up, wary, but hopeful, "Yes?"

"I understand why Betty doesn't want to get in the middle of this. But I don't feel the same loyalty for the Jones family that she does." Veronica said, not one for beating around the bush.

"I'm listening."

"Helping you find out the truth about FP will help me…" She hesitated, "Figure out some truths I need. And maybe put a rest to this whole thing." Honestly, the drama bout Jason was so last week. And sure, it was sad he was dead, but god, could they gossip about something else, please?

"What are you saying, Veronica?" Alice said, and Veronica gave a wicked smile, knowing Betty would kill her if she found out, but Veronica just had to know.

"I'm saying…I'm in."

XXX

Sweet Pea was summoned to the journalism room after second period. Weird; Betty usually just found him.

All these questions (or, at least, the most obvious one) were answered when he pushed inside to see Betty's mother sitting there instead.

"Oh, Jordan, good." She said.

"Uhm, hi?" He asked, scratching his head, "What's…why am I here?"

Alice examined him, "I'm going to be honest with you because I think you'd appreciate that. There are some…mechanisms going down. Things having to do with issues far above you, as a high schooler. But Betty might get caught up in the crosshairs." She strode forward, to stand chest-to-chest with Sweet Pea, "Do I have your promise that you'll watch over Betty? Keep her safe?"

Sweet Pea frowned, furrowing his eyebrows, "What's…what's going on?" He asked.

"Jordan!" She said sharply, "Do you promise?"

"I…already have?" He shook his head out, "Why does it matter?"

"You promised FP. But now you need to promise me." She stared Sweet Pea down, "I will not lose my daughter. Do you hear me? You will keep her safe…for whatever's to come."

Sweet Pea didn't understand all of it and doubted he would, but he knew love and desperation when he saw it.

Sweet Pea gave a firm nod, "Always. Of course."

Alice let out a physical sigh of relief, "Thank you, Jordan. Now shoo; back to class."