Chapter Text
"Hey," he peeked out from the cave entrance, hoping Enid would see him before venturing further inside. "Sorry for the delay," he tried to smile at the wolf, but it came out more as a twisted grimace that, contrasted with the rest of his appearance, made him look exactly as he felt inside: defeated.
His clothes were soaked from the rain that was still falling outside—though less heavily than before—and his hair, also drenched, hung down and stuck to his forehead, appearing a darker shade than usual.
It was clear he was tired, and understandable, but what betrayed something more were his eyes; not only were they red from the tears he'd shed in the middle of the forest, but if you looked closely enough, you could see there was no light, no anger, no sadness, much less happiness—it was simply an empty gaze.
"I brought this," he said, pulling the first-aid kit from his backpack. "There should be something in here that will help." He opened it and took out a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and some bandages to apply later.
It felt kinda -too- strange to be tending to a wolf's wounds; it's not something you do every day, and the situation became even stranger knowing that this wasn't just any wolf—it was Enid.
If Tyler had been told a week ago that he'd be helping his... Wednesday's best friend, the one he'd fought to the death with and then—as if that weren't enough—tried to kill her a second time, not to mention that she most likely hated him for real, he most likely would have laughed and thought the other person was having a psychotic break.
But life seemed to love constantly mocking him, and here he was, helping Enid.
A small, incredulous chuckle escaped his lips, catching the werewolf's attention. Her large blue eyes fixed on him curiously. "It's nothing," he assured her, returning his attention to the wound he was disinfecting, but Enid wasn't satisfied with that answer and moved her face closer to Tyler's, sniffing, searching for more information.
Tyler froze, unsure how to react. For a moment, he felt intimidated, too closely watched, as if he were Enid's next prey. Even so, and more out of reflex, he expressed what he had been thinking earlier: "It's super weird that you and I are like this, you know? Without trying to kill each other." A small smile formed on his lips as he picked up the bandage to wrap Enid's paw. "Although I must admit I prefer it this way..." He paused briefly, considering whether what he was about to say was worthwhile. "I know you won't believe me, and I wouldn't either, but I never meant to hurt you. I never really had a reason to." His silence stretched for quite a while, considering saying nothing more, but he had already started speaking and felt that the best thing to do was not to stop, but rather to let his words flow and express everything that, perhaps in a more lucid moment, wouldn't have even crossed his mind, "I guess fate put us both in the same place at the worst possible time."
Enid seemed to analyze his words, as her gaze shifted for a moment to another part of the cave and then returned to him as if searching for something. "I'm not looking for your forgiveness," he clarified quickly, "I know I don't deserve it, but I feel that after everything, I have to be honest with you and with myself." A heavy sigh escaped his lips, feeling as if he were truly lifting a weight off his shoulders by saying all this. "You're a good girl, Enid, like, a really good one, and the least I can do is help you with whatever you're going through..." And that was something he still didn't fully understand.
This—helping none other than Enid—something that, the more he repeated it in his mind, sounded more and more like utter madness—wasn't some act of good Samaritan seeking to redeem his sins. Tyler certainly wasn't seeking forgiveness from anyone, not in this astral plane nor in any other. So, what was driving him to act this way?
If he thought about it a little more deeply, he might even believe this was some kind of urge from the Hyde lurking beneath his skin; his reactions since encountering the wolf had been mostly primal, not giving him the time to even realize what he was doing.
And it wasn't that Tyler, without the intervention of his second conscience, hadn't done anything about it. He truly believed Enid was good, too good for this world, frankly, and no matter what path he took, he was going to end up helping her sooner or later, he was sure of it. What bothered him so much was that everything had happened so fast that only now could he truly stop and analyze everything.
"I guess I like you more than I thought," he concluded his wave of thoughts and let out a chuckle that this time was genuine, simultaneously pulling away, thus ending his duties as the on-duty nurse.
"Try to rest, I'll stay at the entrance and keep watch," he gave her a small smile and received a small nod in response, which was his cue to grab his backpack and go where he'd said, giving Enid her space.
Once at the entrance, he settled down next to a large rock and sat on the ground, letting out a long sigh of both physical and mental exhaustion.
So many strange things happened today.
“...werewolves possess physical strength superior to any human…”
“...each full moon they transform, allowing their nature to take control and forming bonds…”
“...their claws are among the few characteristics that don't require a full moon to manifest. Emotions like fear, anger, or the desire to dispel a threat can trigger their appearance…”
All facts Tyler already knew.
Perhaps he wasn't the most knowledgeable person about the Outcasts—not that he'd ever been interested in being one, at least not until he discovered he was one—but everything he'd read in the fifty-six pages of the book he'd taken from Capri's room was already familiar to him.
He'd only read every word on the pages because he had nothing better to do.
While it was true he should be alert, few creatures were seen in that forest, and he seriously doubted the wolf from hours before would reappear—even as a specter—and attack him from beyond the grave. The idea of coming face to face with a phantom wolf that somehow wanted to avenge his death made him laugh so hard his stomach hurt a little.
When silence returned, Tyler stared at the dark forest before him and realized two things: first, it was the first time in years that he'd laughed without faking it. So much time had passed since he'd felt genuinely happy that he'd almost thought he'd forgotten something as simple as laughter. And second, he was possibly reaching the peak of total madness of a Hyde without a master, the kind they talked so much about, because now that he thought about it, it wasn't normal to laugh alone at such stupidity—a scene his mind had created effortlessly, involving a creature he'd killed haunting him for having killed it.
He'd check himself into a psychiatric hospital—one that wasn't Willow Hill—again before he saw himself in such a deplorable and humiliating state.
But the reality was that nobody was watching, and if his life had been a mess for the last few years, what was stopping him from feeling halfway decent and somehow happy, even if just for a moment?
At the end of the day, he had to find something to occupy his mind. What could be so bad about entertaining himself if the outcome could be positive?
However, the idea itself, and that electric burst of momentary happiness, vanished as quickly as it had come. The memories of his previous hallucinations, how his body responded to them in such a painful way that he felt the only solution was to tear off his skin to stop feeling, his emotions swirling simultaneously, leaving him wondering what he should feel versus what he wanted to feel, and not knowing how to do it… yes, it was definitely better not to play with fire.
So, instead, he decided to take out the book and start reading. At least he would be doing something more productive, something that would keep him distracted from the wave of negative thoughts that he saw approaching slowly but savagely.
It would be a long night.
Around page 120, a section caught his attention:
“But what does it mean that a wolf can become wolfish without a full moon?”
Exactly the information he needed.
“Recent studies have shown that wolf-out outside the lunar cycle is a primary characteristic of an alpha wolf, which is accompanied by other symptoms that at first glance may seem irrelevant or be interpreted as biological glitches that eventually resolve themselves.
First, there is late wolf-out; a werewolf typically becomes a wolf around the ages of eleven to fourteen. If this average period is exceeded, it would be pertinent to begin considering the possibility that we are dealing with an alpha. Although the probability of becoming an alpha is relatively low, and in most cases wolves manage to wolfed-out late but successfully, adapting to their packs and subsequently reorganizing their lives according to the species' routine, we shouldn't ignore the possibility of this categorization...”
Tyler knew that Enid wolfed-out too late compared to the rest of her family. He had once overheard Enid herself at Weathervane talking with some of her classmates before family weekend, if he remembered correctly, about the pressure from her family, especially her mother. At that moment, he felt a little sorry for her and even felt a certain connection, considering the very…special relationship he had with his father.
“...Another factor that could be considered paramount, and which is linked to the previous point, is that the first enlobation occurs during a blood moon. A total lunar eclipse, also known as a blood moon, is when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, and sunlight filters through the Earth's atmosphere, which scatters blue light and refracts red light toward the moon, giving it its reddish appearance.
This phenomenon occurs only once every two or three years (with some exceptions), and its visibility is only possible from certain parts of the Earth. Therefore, along with the time, place, and context, it is even more relevant for identifying an alpha…”
A shiver ran through his body as the cold night breeze hit his face, and he tried to convince himself that the latter was the cause of the former. The shiver had nothing to do with the involuntary memories of that blood moon night.
Of course not.
Tyler didn't really know how the werewolf transformation process worked—information that was unfortunately missing from the book; perhaps it was obvious enough to werewolves that it didn't need explaining in a book—but if it was in any way similar to the Hydes' transformations, then most likely the events, conveniently or inconveniently, combined with the characteristics of the night, and Enid's transformation was finally triggered.
Well, at least she transformed naturally, he thought, and returned his attention to the book.
"...Alpha wolves possess far greater strength than the average werewolf, and therefore, greater strength than almost any other creature or category of outcasts.
Furthermore, their leadership instincts come with admirable naturalness, to the point that they go unnoticed unless someone else points out these abilities to the pack.
However, like all creatures on the planet, alphas have certain weaknesses that, though few, can be deadly...”
Tyler swallowed hard at that last paragraph and turned the page hesitantly.
He already knew he wasn't going to like what followed.
“...Alphas tend to be more emotional beings compared to the average werewolf, and a lack of control over their emotions can trigger spontaneous and/or unwanted transformations, which, although some may consider an advantage, can also be inconvenient and even dangerous.
As mentioned earlier, a primary difference between a ‘normal’ werewolf and an alpha is the ability to transform. While most can only transform on a full moon, an alpha must absolutely avoid transformations on these nights. If, for some reason, a transformation occurs on a full moon, the alpha must be aware of the risks involved:
- There is a 95% probability of not being able to revert to human form: there is still not much information explaining why this happens. Some researchers speculate that the inability to transform back could be due to hormonal factors linked to the wolves' most primal instincts in the presence of a full moon, but this information has not yet been proven. Likewise, there are very few known cases of an alpha successfully transforming back into a human; most attempts have resulted in malformations, physical disabilities, cognitive impairments, and even death. However, all these experiments have allowed researchers to begin establishing parameters that increasingly reduce the likelihood of this error.
- Loss of Humanity: This point stems from the previous one. The longer the alpha remains in their animal form, the more imminent the loss of their rational side becomes. Although this is not considered a disability or cognitive impairment because it is completely reversible, it can certainly work against the wolves. If an alpha begins to forget what its life was like as a human or stops recognizing its loved ones, it can reach the point of not recognizing itself and, therefore, refuses help in any situation.
- Persecution: Finally, we have the point involving the rest of the species and the well-known packs. If an alpha hasn't been integrated into a pack and a sufficiently strong bond hasn't been formed, ordinary wolves will begin a hunt until the alpha is eliminated. Specialists in psychology and psychiatry explain this phenomenon as a protective and survival response of the group, since, in the wrong context, the alpha could become a threat to them. In this sense, the alpha, who is recognized for its leadership and socialization skills, will be forced to constantly flee and live in absolute solitude.
Tyler swallowed hard as he finished reading the page and slammed the book shut, trying to regulate his breathing, which he couldn't pinpoint when it had started to quicken. A wave of guilt began to rise in his chest, stronger than ever, as he replayed the events of that night over and over in his mind.
He never really bothered to consider what options Wednesday had for surviving after being buried alive; he simply clung to the hope that fate wouldn't let her die and that the redhead—who watched everything from afar, trying to remain silent while hidden in her invisibility—would find a way to help her, and when he saw her alive in the tower, breathing, he was immensely grateful that she was alright.
At that moment, that was all that mattered, but now…
How else could Wednesday have escaped if not with the help of a super-strong creature like a werewolf? And even more so, one that appeared to be an alpha?
Clearly, that girl—whom he could tell was much younger—and Enid herself proved to be far braver and smarter than him, and they sacrificed themselves—literally—to save their friend, regardless of the consequences for their own lives.
Enid sacrificed herself because he lacked the courage to do so.
Enid saved Wednesday because he wasn't capable of doing so.
Enid was like this because of him.
A tear slid down his cheek, then another, then another, and in the blink of an eye, he was sobbing uncontrollably at the cave entrance.
In the past, he had struggled to believe that his existence was truly so terrible that everyone around him hated him or that he didn't deserve even a sliver of happiness, but now, after so much, he was beginning to think that perhaps his existence really was a mistake for this world, and everything would be better if he simply disappeared forever.
Perhaps only in this way could the world improve for everyone.
A rapid, familiar tap-tap interrupted her session, in which, for the thousandth time, she was analyzing the forest map and trying to get her powers working again so they could finally guide her toward her goal: finding Enid.
But obviously—and for the thousandth time—it didn't work.
Thing positioned itself over the map and began gesturing—as much as a hand can manage—too quickly and agitatedly, making it impossible to understand what he was trying to say.
"Slow down," Wednesday requested in her typical cold tone, but her eyes revealed a fleeting glint of curiosity. "What's wrong?"
Thing began gesturing again, this time more calmly. "I found a cave, to the north. It's very well hidden among the trees."
"I assume you went in to investigate. I don't want to think you're leaving your work unfinished." The hand shook its head frantically, and she nodded in approval. "Okay, continue."
“There were drops of blood all the way down to the very bottom. It wasn't anything scandalous, but noticeable enough to know someone was taking refuge there.”
“So? Get to the point, Thing. I have things to do, and your unwelcome interruption is wasting my time.” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, fixing her gaze on her companion with a threatening look.
“Yes, yes, sorry… Enid is the one taking refuge in that cave.”
Wednesday's expression shifted immediately. Irritation transformed into intrigue and a faint, barely perceptible glimmer of surprise. At the same time, her arms went from being crossed to resting on the table, and she moved even closer to the hand. “Are you sure?”
The hand nodded confidently and added, “I didn’t get too close since she was asleep and I didn’t want anyone to see me, including her, but I’m one hundred percent sure it was her…and she’s injured.”
“Interesting,” Wednesday commented as she began gathering the things scattered across her desk and putting them away. “Get ready, as soon as the sun sets we’ll leave for that cave and finally find Enid.” She paused and, without turning around or stopping, whispered to herself, “I can finally keep my promise.”
Thing tapped on the table, catching her attention again, and asked, “And your uncle?”
“We don’t have time to wait for him,” she said coldly and resumed packing her things. “We don’t need him, and sooner or later he’ll find us… I think this is something I have to do on my own, one way or another, without interruptions or unwanted company. Enid is my friend, and it’s my duty to help her, no one else’s.” The hand simply nodded and stepped off the table, quickly disappearing from the room.
Although her facade would never show it, Wednesday had to admit she was somewhat… not scared, more like nervous. For months she had been reading everything she could about alpha werewolves and had found that there were more cons than pros for these creatures. It was a relief to know that Enid was safe and alive, but at the same time, it was worrying to know that she was hurt.
Who had hurt her?
Had it been an attack?
Had it been something reckless on her part?
Was she with someone?
Was she hiding from someone?
Questions raced through Wednesday's mind, and she couldn't find coherent answers; instead, more questions flooded in like an avalanche. She shook her head, trying to dispel the wave of doubt. She couldn't let her own thoughts distract her from her main objective.
Finally, after months of wandering, she had a lead. She had to start moving if she wanted this to end as soon as possible.
The moment the sun began to disappear behind the mountains surrounding the forest, Wednesday left the cabin—which had become her temporary home since the search began—with only her backpack on her shoulder, Thing inside, and a flashlight in one hand, along with her ever-present knives strategically concealed between her body and clothing.
The hike to the cave would be quite long, but according to her calculations, they would arrive in about three hours and, with luck, find Enid still resting—or hiding—there.
Each step she took was barely perceptible. Since childhood, thanks to her favorite uncle, she had learned to move through any environment in such a way that her presence was almost undetectable. And in a hostile environment like a forest teeming not only with common predators but also with supernatural creatures, going unnoticed was a luxury only Wednesday could afford.
Silence was her only companion on her walk, giving her ample time to lose herself in her thoughts once more. Despite not having her powers, a strange feeling had settled in her chest, a kind of premonition that constantly left her wondering what she would actually find when she reached that cave. It could be Enid, yes, and she truly hoped to find her and end this unpleasant torture of not knowing what was happening to her day after day. But at the same time, she felt there was something else lurking around this whole situation she had involuntarily become entangled in.
Fear was a word that didn't exist in Wednesday's vocabulary, but she couldn't deny that perhaps, just perhaps, she felt a certain unease at not knowing what she might find and having so many highly probable possibilities. She didn't like being surprised, much less not having everything under control, and therefore the uncertainty was beginning to unsettle her.
In her mind, she began to imagine every possible scenario she could think of and all the ways she would face it. Whatever she found - because she was increasingly certain that Enid wouldn't be the only thing that crossed her path - she wouldn't catch her off guard.
“Thing,” she called, waiting for her companion to emerge from the backpack and settle on her shoulder. “We’re in the area you indicated, so from here you’ll guide me to the cave. I trust your directions will be precise enough,” she stated in her characteristic neutral yet intimidating tone. The hand simply nodded and made a couple of gestures indicating the way forward.
No more than twenty minutes passed before they finally stood face to face with the blessed cave that could, at last, solve all their problems.
“Go and take a look. I don’t want to go in without knowing what’s there.” Thing nodded somewhat apprehensively and, with quick steps, ventured into the cave. Once completely alone, Wednesday let out a shaky sigh, her gaze fixed on the stone entrance, its long branches concealing it within the surrounding forest, making it imperceptible at first glance.
From outside, nothing could be heard; there were no signs of movement either inside the cave or in the surrounding area. She had to admit it was a very good place to hide or simply take refuge; that was a good sign. It could mean that Enid still retained some human reasoning and was combining it with her instincts.
Her analysis of the place was quickly interrupted by a noise from inside the cave, and in less than five seconds, Thing appeared.
"What?" she asked, seeing that his companion was somewhat agitated and his gestures were erratic, making them difficult to understand. "Calm down and start again."
"There's no one inside. I went all the way to the back, and there's no sign of Enid anywhere. In fact, the place feels cold, as if no one had been there for several hours." Wednesday frowned and immediately went deeper into the cave without waiting for Thing.
Shining her flashlight on the ground aasshe advanced, she noticed a trail of dried blood leading to the very back of the cave, just as Thing had indicated earlier. It had probably been a day or two since Enid had first entered, as the color of the dried liquid was almost blending or fading into the ground.
She continued forward, keeping an eye on the trail, and when it disappeared, she realized she had reached the end, or rather, the deepest part of the cave, and there was nowhere else to go. “It ends here,” she said aloud, more to herself, but obviously also so Thing could hear. “If she was hurt, there should be even more blood here than before, but there’s nothing…it’s like someone cleaned her up.” Her confusion was evident in her tone of voice; it didn’t make sense that where there should have been the most traces of Enid was where, literally, there was nothing.
Thing snapped her fingers twice to get Wednesday’s attention and pointed to a piece of bandage barely stained with a few drops of blood. “Looks like someone helped her,” he gestured as she approached and carefully took the bandage between his fingers.
“Interesting.” She pulled a clear plastic bag from her backpack and placed the piece inside as if it were police evidence. “Who would be crazy enough to approach a creature over three meters tall trying to help her?” So she’d been right all along; there was something—or someone—more involved. The whole situation was too strange, and the options were few. She knew Enid, and even though she knew her to be a very trusting and sociable person, in her current state, she couldn’t afford to let just anyone approach her, regardless of their intentions. So this third party had to be someone Enid would at least recognize.
She raised an eyebrow slightly at her own thoughts and put the bag back in her backpack, not without giving it one last look. Then she set out to search the entire area, hoping to find any other clues that would help her discover not only Enid’s new whereabouts but also who this new person was and why they would even be interested in approaching a werewolf in its most dangerous form.
As she approached one of the walls, the back one to be more specific, she noticed a small bloodstain, a brighter shade than the previous trail, indicating it was more recent. She moved closer and crouched down in front of it, reaching out with her free hand. The moment her fingertip touched the red liquid, she felt an intense electric current surge up her spine in a flash, followed by an involuntary, abrupt jerk of her head back. This told her that, after so many months, a vision was attacking her completely willingly and unexpectedly, as they used to.
Everything around her was blurry and dark; she didn't know where she was, and everything seemed to be spinning. Suddenly, she saw Enid lying on the ground somewhere. Everything blurred again, and she heard a distant roar that wasn't a werewolf's. Her vision cleared once more, everything stopped moving, and total darkness was all that lay before her. With some hesitation, she took a couple of steps forward, unsure if she was approaching anything. Her body froze abruptly, before she could fully process what had happened. She tried to keep walking, but it felt as if her mind was completely disconnected from her body. She didn't know why, but she sensed something in front of her and looked up. At first, she saw nothing, but gradually, she noticed a pair of yellow eyes becoming visible in the darkness, their light growing ever brighter. It took her no more than three seconds to understand whose eyes they were, but she couldn't muster any reaction because, in the blink of an eye, the creature was before her, claws raised, ready to attack—and it did.
The attack felt so real that for a moment Wednesday felt she had died. Her face burned intensely, and she could feel the blood trickling uncontrollably from her eyes, mouth, and neck. There was no one in front of her anymore, not a sound. She spun around, searching for anything around her that wasn't darkness. Returning to her starting point, she saw a mirror in the distance. Confused, she approached it and stood in front of it. At first, nothing was reflected, as if she weren't there, but soon a silhouette that wasn't hers began to slowly appear until it became completely clear, revealing Enid. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips, and she immediately brought a hand to her face, seeing that her friend's silhouette was mimicking her movements. And indeed, she had the same wounds that Hyde had inflicted on her just minutes before.
She stared at Enid for a few seconds, unable to react. It was too intense an image, even for Wednesday Addams. She only snapped out of her trance when Enid stepped out of the mirror and grabbed her shoulders roughly, shaking her back and forth while yelling,
"You can't even keep a simple promise, Wednesday! Anything that happens to me is your fault!"
Everything started spinning again, and Wednesday felt herself falling into the void.
Air rushed into her lungs too quickly and unevenly, as if she had been underwater for too long and, after struggling, had finally managed to surface for air. Her breathing was ragged, and she couldn't feel her hands at all. She also felt something warm on her cheeks, so she quickly touched her face, wanting to confirm that the vision hadn't gone beyond the spiritual realm and that what she was feeling were the black tears that were now part of the visions' side effects.
She sat like that for a few minutes on the cave floor, trying to compose herself. Thing kept asking her how she felt, to which she repeatedly replied, "I'm fine," even though, for the first time in her life, she truly wasn't. This vision had been one of the strongest and most vivid she'd ever had; she could still feel the ghost of Hyde's attack on her face, Enid's hands on her shoulders, and the buzzing of her words in her ears. It was the first time she'd felt completely out of control. Visions had always given her the feeling that her mind was far beyond her control, but feeling her body unresponsive triggered a feeling she'd sworn she'd never experience in this world: fear.
"What did you see?" Thing asked when he saw that his companion had largely regained her composure.
“I saw Enid…” she paused to stand up and gather her things, “she may be in danger so we have to find her as soon as possible, but we have an advantage.” The hand looked confused and asked what she meant, “this danger is one I know all too well.” she raised an eyebrow slightly as a smile appeared at the corner of her lips.