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Chapter Text

It was incomprehensible to her how Enid put up with the rhythmic pounding in her ears all day long. Going from her own carefully controlled body where she allowed her heart to rarely ever exceed sixty beats and more often than not sat at a comfortable forty to Enid’s wild hormonal mess of a form where even just sitting around had a thump sounding every half second.

And now, stalking her way through the empty halls of Willow Hill it dared to race even further.

She had lead Enid, in her body, straight into the bowels of the building and down into the L.O.I.S chambers below, encouraging quiet in the slightly whimpering girl, a truly loathsome sound to be coming from her own body. Reaching the top of the spiralling staircase a familiar scent she had already learnt in her own body washed over her, heightened further by the wolf’s senses, two Hyde’s and Pugsley’s pet zombie who was twenty years overdue for a shower.

The scents triggered a somewhat primal response in her, an itch setting down her fingers, an unconscious grinding of her teeth and the settling of something heavy in the pit of her stomach, the wolf rearing up in fight or flight and already heavily leaning towards one.

Beyond that was a faint smell of rose and jasmine coming strongest from the end cell, how Enid ever missed Agnes when she was invisible was beyond her. Though maybe she couldn’t smell her past the misting of her own perfume that she had dared to also adhere to Wednesday’s own body, a thorough scrubbing would be necessary later.

With the three occupied in the chamber Wednesday ignored Enid’s pleas and quietly slipped down the stairs and across the floor to the cell, opened to reveal Agnes desperately trying to pry off the manacle she had been confined with. Letting the door close itself behind her she began working on popping open the lock that was keeping the Vanisher held, managing to release the clasp just as the heavy metal door scraped open behind her revealing a heaving Tyler.

“Well look who showed up” He got a step forward before Enid leapt onto his back, a woefully ineffective tactic in her small frame, that was not how someone built like Wednesday was meant to fight. Enid was discarded as quickly as she had arrived, thrown against the wall with the breath knocked out of her. He turned his attention back towards her, the bigger threat.

“There’s no full moon to save you” Tyler taunted. She didn’t need it, could feel it in every fibre of her being, the animal force that most wolves needed the magic of the Moon’s glow to bring out was simmering in Enid just under the surface, an Alpha’s strength. He felt the full force of that strength as she landed a solid kick to his gut and sent him sailing several metres across the room into the opposite cell door.

Enid had taken the opportunity to free Agnes of the last of the chains and had started to manoeuvrer the younger girl towards the door.

“Wednesday?” Enid started, drawing a look of confusion from Agnes “You need to stay calm or you’ll wolf out!” It was far to late for that, with Tyler’s stench permeating the air he had been identified as a threat that could not be ignored, she could already feel the shift beginning internally, heart growing and flooding the body with fresh blood and hormones ready for the change.

Setting aside reason for instinct her temporary body made it’s choice.

Fight.

“Too late!” She managed to growl out through her sharpening teeth. Her chest bulged as her arms flashed out, snapping and reforming into their more powerful shape until suddenly the room went dark, the latch of the door automatically engaging as Tyler swung it shut.

But she was not a meek and worn down prisoner of Judi Stonehearst and with her clothes a shredded mess on the floor and a new strength at her fingertips it took only three full bodied blows to knock the door clean off of it’s hinges.

Quicker than he could blink Tyler was slammed up against the wall, her claws at his throat, a karmic reversal of how they found themselves that Blood Moon night. Blinking now his eyes started to bulge, the first sign of his own transformation.

“Tyler no!” His mothers voice cut across the din and his face returned to their normal proportions, cowed by his mothers worry of his own rapidly failing health.

“Wednesday?” Enid’s frantic voice mingled in with the cacophonous mix of Isaac’s failing machine, already a few steps up the stairs with Agnes by her side watching fearfully on “Wednesday! We have to go!”

There needn’t have been so much worry in the air though.

Snap.

The sound cracked through the air like a whip as Tyler’s body went limp in her clawed grip. How anticlimactic, she had been all geared up for a showdown but if he wouldn’t give her that he could at least die quickly for her.

“NOOOO!” A sorrowful screech echoed out from the chamber and in her periphery she could make out Francoise struggling to shift under the power dampening effect of Isaac's experiment. But Wednesday had had days to think over the machine that she had witnessed the first time she had found herself down here and so after discarding Tyler’s cooling body like the trash that he was she bound over to the console and straight to the door control, with a slam of the button the chamber door swung shut, heavy bolts reaching out to hold it fast. With one last growl at the Night’s she turned heel and hurtled her body over to the stairs, jumping up in a few short leaps.

Running through the corridors with Enid and Agnes trailing behind she could make out the explosive rumbling coming from below and the smell of acrid smoke bellowing through the vents.

Finally.

She was finally free of Tyler and his whole damned family.

The thought of which alone knocked the breath right out of her, the roaring feeling of Fight or Flight quickly bleeding off from her as she acknowledged that the threat had passed and she collapsed to her knees and with a delightful level of pain she found herself slowly returning to her prior form.

Heaving into the fallen leaves while propping herself up on shaky arms an overly fluffy monstrosity of a coat was carefully dropped over her back and even in her aversion to everything about the garment she clung to it like a lifeline and slowly pulled herself to her feet, securing the garment and preserving Enid’s dignity. Against herself and someone who had probably seen the girl changing clothes already while hiding invisibly but still.

“Are you okay?” She opened her eyes to see Enid contorting her own face into a look of strangled worry, she could only imagine that strain her bodies facial muscles were going through to hold the unfamiliar emotion.

“I am fine now Enid” She exhaled heavily, curling her toes into the soil below as she flexed her fingers, the last vestiges of her transformation coming to an end.

“So you did swap bodies?” Agnes piped up from the side, looking between them in wonder and no doubt picking through every interaction they had throughout the day. She’d have thought someone who was such a devoted follower would have been able to tell the difference but maybe that was thinking too highly, suspecting a body swap was admittedly low on any list.

“Agnes, go back to Nevermore. Enid, follow me” Without looking to see if she was followed Wednesday set off a heavy pace towards Rotwood’s grave, they still had some time to set things right.

---

The light of the morning was starting to herald it’s arrival as they reached the accursed grave and each placed a hand upon it.

“To undo the switching curse we must peel away the bodies mask and reveal what we find hidden within” Wednesday explained, Enid staring back at her expectantly before cottoning on that Wednesday was waiting for her to go first.

A humoured huff came from her body at that little realisation “Fine, I’ll go first then”

“You said your shoes were filled with broken glass and razor blades but if they are you put them there yourself, a metaphorical aching constant that reminds you to keep people at arms length because if you let them in you can let them down. You fear putting yourself in a position where people can see you, the real you, like with your Mom and, hello, maternal trauma, I get that but I see you, I'm not running, maybe she wouldn’t either”

For all her life all but her family had fled from her, from the burning ache to unapologetically be herself and the flash of pain that came with the inevitable rejection stinging in equal measure she had built up wall after wall. After Crackstone sycophants had fallen for an idealised image of her but Enid... Enid saw the spikes, blades and razor wire she had wrapped around herself and pulled closer anyway.

What a foolhardy girl she was but she had managed to clamber to the top of Wednesdays walls and was now happily perched atop them, kicking her legs and humming a nameless tune. Normally she couldn’t even get close to verbalising just how much she meant to her but if vulnerability would save Enid’s life then she would have to crack open her fortress gates, just a little.

“From that first night out on the balcony it became clear that you had spent a lifetime being pushed down by both your mother and your peers, but it is in the strongest pressure that diamonds are forged and that is what you have become, a diamond” She ignored her own mouth dropping open in surprise, clearly she had been expecting some cutting if honest remark picking apart her very being. She didn’t deserve that.

“Yet when you realised how much you shined you did not hold that strength over others, but instead quietly kept it behind kind smiles and gentle words that had people underestimating you, myself included. You should never let anyone diminish that light, it is what makes you Enid, the one person that I know I want in my life, my... bestie” She half gagged getting that last word out, even if she meant it.

Before Enid could respond with more than just an out of place looking smile, her mouth could stretch like that?, a flash of light suffused their bodies and suddenly left became right and she was once again looking at her roommate's face.

The sudden shift sent them both staggering forward, catching each other with newly awakened limbs, the coloured fur of Enid’s coat achingly soft under her fingers made her glad that Enid had taken her pills.

“Wednesday?!” Enid looked down at her arms, figuratively chased her tail as she span around in a circle before facing Wednesday again “We’re alive!” The first of dawns rays was setting it’s heat upon them as Wednesday fought off a small twitch of her lips at Enid’s exuberance. She took a half step forward while raising her arms before catching herself. With a sigh she raised her own slightly.

“I believe it would be an acceptable response given the circumstances” She had only gotten half way through the sentence before Enid crashed into her.

“You said bestie” Enid teased into her ear after a few seconds of half trying to crush her ribs.

“I am aware, it is a cloying word and I am glad to have left it in your mouth instead of staining my own with it” Wednesday bit lightly back.

“I’m your bestie” She could practically feel Enid’s beaming smile being pressed into her shoulder and she was sure Enid could feel her rolling her eyes as she finally broke off the hug and began the trek back to Nevermore, Enid quickly racing to catch up and link their arms together.

Simply for the elation at having vanquished her foes and survived a deadly curse Wednesday allowed it.

No other reason.

She didn’t even believe her own lie.

“Well done Miss Addam’s, you finally did the right thing” Weem’s entered into step with them, her presence unseen by Enid who was happily chatting away about the luxurious bath she was planning to have “And it’s paid off” Wednesday fixed her with a sideways glance and pointedly ignored the smug smile stretched across her face “Despite all of your many missteps your vision of Miss Sinclair’s demise has been wiped away” Wednesday gave a small nod of acknowledgement, she would inform Enid later once she was rested.

For now she would just take solace in the sunrise as one more day staving off the Reapers hand.

Chapter Text

The sun had fully risen by the time they had made it back to Nevermore and after having been awake all night and whatever exhaustion Enid had saddled her with while in control of her body Wednesday allowed herself a rare indulgence and slept the morning away and by the time she had finally awoken and slipped out of the room for lunch Enid was still drooling into her pillow.

Catching up on some things she had set to the side she didn’t see Enid again until Thing informed her that she had already headed down to the Lupin Cages, two nights before the full moon, under Capri’s order.

The jolt of surprise that surged through Enid bought a flicker of satisfaction to Wednesday after she quietly manifested outside of the cage, now surprisingly colourful as Enid sought to make it a home away from home.

“Geez Wednesday!” Enid clasped a clawed hand over her chest “Could you stop doing that?”

“Start hearing me coming then” Wednesday taunted back drawing a huff “... Are you moving in?” Enid’s second set of bedding had been fluffed into position on the cot and her gaudy pink speakers were quietly pumping out pop music.

“Figured I'd decorate, if I have to start spending my nights here” Enid seemed... resigned behind the worry, a state for the girl that Wednesday couldn’t abide.

“For how long?”

“Well, that’s something Capri told me today, that if a young Alpha wolf’s out on a full moon before the changes have settled there’s a good chance I might never change back, and if that happened other werewolves would be compelled to hunt me down” Even if she didn’t let her face show it rage flooded through Wednesday’s body, that her own kin would hunt her down rather than seek to help her? If that future came to be she swore that the hunters would become the hunted.

But it wouldn’t, she wouldn’t let it.

Yet a part of her unhelpfully reminded her that if she hadn’t been so focused on her vision she might have known that Enid had been going through this without learning for magical happenstance.

“And how are you supposed to stop that?”

“Staying calm, I’ve got meditation tapes” Enid could barely sit still for five minutes, lengthy meditative focus seemed unlikely “Distracting myself with things that make me happy” She was very easily distracted “Like the Gala tomorrow night, I’ve been picking out a dress” That surprised her, it was hardly a prudent decision, but Enid never could resist a good dance.

“You still plan to attend?”

“It won’t be the full moon yet so Capri gave me an exception for my dance” Even in her absence from their dorm Wednesday was quite aware of all of the time and effort that Enid had put into the routine “I’ll have to come and lock up straight after” Wednesday nodded, already making plans on what she could do.

“Listen Wednesday” Enid started, fidgeting with her hands “Capri said that I don’t have to face being an Alpha by myself, that I can draw strength from my pack... and that’s you Wednesday, you are my pack” Her tongue felt heavy in her mouth and she couldn’t bring herself to return the sentiment in the face of such a sudden and honest confession before Enid was talking again.

“If I did wolf out and couldn’t change back, would you come for me?” Enid’s eyes were pleading, was she asking for her to hunt her or save her?

“You have my word” Of the two options Wednesday only had intentions of fulfilling one of them, even if the two of them had to live in the woods for months together hiding or fighting anyone who dared come after them she knew that nothing would stop her finding a way for Enid to live the life that she deserved, not the cruel fate that was being dropped on her. 

She was about to say more before the moment was broken by Ajax running into the room waving his phone around and talking about Bianca, Gideon Sterling and her missing mother. It seemed that taking care of Enid would have to wait, she wouldn’t want to lose her sparring partner after all.

---

The after affects of a Sirens song came with something of a head rush as her mind raced to fill in the missing gaps in the void Bianca had carved into her head, with Agnes bringing her up to speed with everything Bianca had confirmed.

Bianca was feeding her families legacy to the wolves to save her own, would she do the same in her position? Either way by bringing her Grandmama into things Dort had made it personal and she felt a great deal of anticipation of his downfall as her plans grew. 

-

Hours before Enid’s dance and her plan to free Bianca and her Mother from underneath Dort’s thumb Wednesday was left internally aghast as Agnes came visible next to her, a sight she had become quite used to, what she wasn’t used to was Agnes looking like a discount copy of her, a styled black wig and one of her own blazers had been donned to create a fun house mirror reflection of her.

Did she really think the way to endear herself to Wednesday was pale imitation?

The progress that she had made in regards to emotional honesty towards Enid still crashed and burned when dealing with others, the blunted edge that she dulled for Enid did nothing to stop the sharpness of her blade when dealing with others.

‘You failed’

It had been too much, she’d seen it straight away, it struck too close to an old wound, a trigger word as Enid would say. Instantaneously she could chart the consequences of her razor tongue as the two damning words bit into the girl, only regretting causing the wound after seeing how deep the damage was.

She couldn’t admit to her harshness though, a rotten combination of her own pride and the fact that Agnes had instantly vanished from sight, her sobs and footfalls echoing as she fled down the hallway. Catching a reflection of own judgemental fury in a nearby window pane she let out a heavy sigh.

While Agnes’ desire to become her friend had been clear and simple enough to dissect and understand the motivations behind them had eluded Wednesday. If she was being honest with herself she had put little time or effort into thinking about it, a lack of interest and her focus on Enid stopping her mind from wandering down those paths. Now though it was easy enough to make some assumptions based on the extreme reaction to Wednesday’s words; parental issues.

Ironically it seemed like she had more in common with Wednesday than she had thought.

Whereas Wednesday had sought to bolster her own strength it seemed Agnes’ answer had been latching onto someone else that she thought could grant it, even though she had proclaimed it out into the Nevermore crowd the night that her manuscript almost went up in flames that she wasn’t some idol to follow.

Bianca, Agnes, her Grandmama, all these thoughts and things had suddenly piled on top of her when she thought that she was finally free to devote her time to the one person she thought truly deserved it.

She clenched her jaw in annoyance before letting out a long steadying breath.

One problem at a time.

---

Three problems rapidly tumbled to zero within a single hour;

Enid had, with what was undoubtedly a saccharine pep talk, restored Agnes’ emotional equilibrium enough that they were able to perform a remarkably synchronised dance routine for two people who had been at each others throats for the past month.

Shortly thereafter both Bianca’s and her Grandmama’s issues went away in a rapid fire confession turned hostage situation to a full body stoning and destruction thanks to Ajax finally stepping up and making Medusa proud.

Her respect for the Gorgon had actually risen up several notches, though he would not ever hear that praise coming from her lips and he was already near zero to start with but it certainly put him notably above ninety nine percent of the other students at the school.

As the evenings entertainment died down Police statements were taken and the debris of what used to be Dort was quickly being swept up before the petrification wore off and the stage was permanently stained by his once again fleshy remains.

Yet by the time Wednesday had successfully blackmailed her Grandmama into funding Nevermore for the foreseeable future and letting out a little of the respect that she held for her Father she found that Enid had already quietly slipped out of the door to face the night alone.

Unacceptable.

---

Enid had managed to change out of her dress and was already locked behind the cage door by the time Wednesday arrived to see her staring morosely through the small barred window at the nearly full moon peeking through the a gap in the clouds.

She quickly span in place as the cage door opened with a squeal, Wednesday shifting her bag on her shoulder and casually marching into the cage like she wasn’t literally walking into a wolves den.

“Wednesday! What are you doing in here?” The anxiety was swiftly setting in, the opposite of what Wednesday was aiming for.

“We are roommate's are we not? For this statement to be true sharing a room is necessary” Her bag was deposited at the end of Enid’s bed.

“Wednesday” Enid voice was whisper soft.

“Though what I did was done in the interest of your survival I am fully aware that the manner of execution was hurtful to you. But now that the danger has passed please allow me to stop being selfish and make it up to you, to be there for you as you have been there for me” She held her hands behind her back, the trust in the act of leaving her chest and thus her most vital organs vulnerable was not lost on her. Only for Enid.

“Oh Wednesday” Enid was contradictorily both tearing up and smiling, stepping forward she had a clear goal in mind, Wednesday permitted it with a small nod and not even a second later Enid was tightly clinging on to her, this time she let Enid fully dictate the length, this was a form penance for her actions after all.

“Two hugs in just a few days” Enid teased “So all this time not accepting hugs was because of your colour allergy?” She questioned after they finally broke apart.

It had been one of the longest 2 minutes and 24 seconds of her life, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to regret it.

“No. Typically the idea of someone wrapping their arms around me makes me want to flay my skin off” Toning down her predilection towards brutal honesty was clearly still a work in process as Enid took a step back, a flash of hurt racing across her face, Wednesday stepped closer in return “Typically. Enid” she held out a hand “I have found that you are somehow the exception to many of my rules” A seconds pause followed before Enid took the offered hand, bringing it up to her lips briefly to place a feather light kiss to the knuckles before hugging it tightly to her chest.

The spasm in her lungs from the action was something she was quite unaccustomed to, though she didn’t altogether hate it.

What was this girl doing to her?

-

Pulling a black blanket from her bag she carefully laid it over half of Enid’s colourful monstrosity of a duvet and took a seat.

“Even with those oversized clothes as a barrier you still can’t just sit on my bed?” Enid asked as she joined Wednesday on the hard cot, side by side, backs to the cold stone wall.

“My allergy? That is really what you want to talk about?”

“You’ve literally locked yourself in a cage with me, you really thought I wouldn’t take full advantage of you not being able to run away?” Enid’s smugness was blinding. She was forced to look away, letting out a long suffering sigh.

“It is not an allergy to colour per se but to the dyes and pigments often used to create them” She explained. A few seconds went by before a metaphorical lightbulb lit over Enid’s head.

“But aren’t all clothes dyed? Even your black ones?”

“Not all dyes are the same, through the years we have found safe brands to buy from and when things fall outside of that we can also put the clothes through an alchemical process to make them safe to wear”

If it was a lightbulb lighting up before this next realisation was an entire lighthouse, illuminating the walls of the cage “Then we could make all of my clothes safe too right?!” The light was practically pouring out of her wide elated eyes.

She supposed they could... she had actually considered suggesting it during their first term but had thought that it would only serve to encourage her “So you can ambush me with affection whenever you please?” She really could be so transparent.

“Exactly!” And she wasn’t even ashamed of it “I mean you already said you loved to hug me” A flash of confusion surged through her.

“I have said no such thing” She clearly remembered every word she had ever shared with her. She couldn’t not.

“Nuh-uh ‘Enid you are the exception to all of my rules’ That was you” Not only unashamed but delusional as well.

“I said ‘many’, ‘many’ of my rules and that says nothing for loving being smothered by you”

“I read between the lines” She had the gall to look proud now.

“Get an eye test” Wednesday bit back.

“How soon can we do it?” She ignored Wednesday’s retort, eagerly leaning forward, propping herself up on her arms.

“... Next weekend” Making enough of the solution for all of Enid’s wardrobe would take a few days. It was simply practical. That’s the lie she told her self. Studiously ignoring the twist in her gut from Enid’s pleased smile.

-

“You know Agnes was really upset earlier” Enid certainly wasn’t holding back this evening. She quickly weighed the pros and cons of exiting the cage and sitting outside in the corridor instead. With noise cancelling earphones on.

Enid would be miserable.

Unacceptable.

She stayed.

“You saw her?” They had obviously met, that wasn’t the question.

“Yes, and okay, it was a little creepy and over the top” Enid admitted, Wednesday’s reply was a simple raised eyebrow “Okay, quite a bit over the top but she’s thirteen and has found something she desperately wants. She just isn’t really equipped with a good way to get it”

“You have become quite the ardent defender of someone you have referred to as a ‘creepy little creeper’ several times over the past weeks” Wednesday shot back.

“I mean I'm still not happy about her hiding in our room or following me around or you know the whole chaining me to a chair in Iago tower thing...” Enid trailed off, realising that she was actually trying to come to her defense “Anyway, when I got to see the girl behind all of that I kinda saw a lot of myself in her, you know, someone desperate to belong” Her normally bubbly voice painfully quieted at the admission.

Wednesday’s traitorous hand itched to be placed over Enid’s own, offer some comfort.

She resisted.

She did however move their hands side by side and lightly wrapped their pinky fingers together. Enid clung back not so lightly.

“See Wednesday, you can be caring” She swallowed her rebuttal “And now I want you to show some of that to Agnes, I think I really started to get through to her but now it’s your turn” Enid said it so matter of factly, like it was a done deal “And I’ll cry if you say no” She cut off Wednesday’s refusal before she gave it. She could only imagine the aghast look on her own face right now.

What a shamelessly overt manipulation. And how shameful it was that it worked. After a few seconds thought she agreed with a shallow nod and ignored the pleased knowing smile Enid gave her in return.

-

“Have you talked to your parents?” It was Wednesday’s turn to go for the jugular this time after a few minutes silence between the pair. As much as Wednesday had researched werewolves in her youth and had temporarily became one just a couple of nights she still couldn’t properly sympathise like her family should be able to, the pack dynamics still going over her head.

“Have you talked to yours” Enid deflected back. Or maybe the sympathy wouldn’t be there to find if Enid preferred stubbornness. Something she could admittedly understand quite well.

It seemed she would have give to get. Compromise? What a heinous concept.

“When in my body were you able to speak to Weem’s?” They hadn’t really talked about what Enid had gotten up to in her body beyond a meal of ‘Roadkill Pot Pie’ that she would have surely been put off by and her colourful dance routine in the courtyard.

She was still thinking up an appropriate punishment for that one.

“Uh, no” Enid was clearly a little thrown off by the shift in conversation “When I had the meal with your Mom she could see her but I couldn’t” Wednesday nodded, it made sense, she had been able to become a werewolf because of Enid’s genetic ability but Weem’s was her spirit guide, not Enid’s, so even in her body she wouldn’t necessarily gain the ability to perceive her.

“She has elucidated, with great satisfaction I might add, that the problems surrounding my Psychic ability is reflective of my fractured relationship with my Mother. That if we are to picture my ability as coming down a familial hosepipe then my section is marred with holes and cuts, and in the end all but a trickle is coming out” She wouldn’t mention Weem’s attacks on her character or her believed lack of feelings or empathy.

It was never a lack.

That’s what even Spirits got wrong. Except Enid. The only one that could see right through her.

“Knowing how to do something does not make it easy” Wednesday pinned her with a look, Enid looked away, picking at non existent lint “The idea of sitting down with her and talking honestly until we reach an emotional equanimity...” She huffed out a puff of air. It really did seem like an insurmountable task, so much easier said than done.

She’d had a lifetime of her Mother trying to impose her hopes and dreams for Wednesday under a guise of wisdom and Wednesday had spent that time baulking at the idea of accepting any structure other than what she imposed on herself.

What would her life have looked like if she had allowed her Mother to sculpt it as she had wished?

And why did ache to think that she simply wasn’t the daughter she wanted? Even if she knew her Mother would never verbalise such a thought, and maybe she had truly never had it. It was a stubborn fear that kept her from finding out one way or the other.

“Someday soon I will have to... maybe I will end up having us locked in a cage like this” Wednesday gestured to the bars “But my timeline is not as tight as your own” The idea of Enid losing herself to the wolf set a tight constriction around her throat.

“You know Capri said I’m supposed to be avoiding stressors right?” Enid joked, but her heart clearly wasn’t in it.

“I am certainly not going to press you into talking to her for emotional reconciliation, it would be hypocritical of me if I did. But I would have been remiss if I did not suggest a potential font of knowledge, because as knowledgable as Capri may be there might be other things she does not know”

“I get that, I do... listen, I’ll tell you what, if I survive tomorrow night I'll call her” She had been literally stabbed in the gut just a few months ago but the suggestion that Enid might soon not be there ached more than that wound ever had.

“Do not make that joke Sinclair” She sharply admonished, breaking off their still joined fingers and swifty wrapping an arm around her colourful shoulder and pulling her tightly into her side, letting what warmth her body had to give comfort her in a way that she couldn’t with her words right now “Don’t you dare”

She tried to ignore the way Enid’s physical presence was grounding and comforting her just as much in return.

“Knew you loved hugging me” Enid quietly whispered as her shoulders began to shake, tears starting their voyage down her cheeks.

“Shut up, mutt”

-

They had stayed like that until Enid’s tears had dried up, and then longer still afterwards. Eventually nearing midnight they readied themselves for sleep.

“Why are you being difficult Enid? Just take the bed” Enid huffed, tossing her pillow to the floor and placed her hands on her hips.

“If you’re gonna sleep on the floor then so am I” Wednesday’s jaw clenched.

“I am sleeping on the floor because the bed is barely big enough for one as it is, there is no reason that you have to”

“La la la la, can’t hear you” Enid mockingly covered her ears with her hands

“Obstinate little.. should give you dog beds in here” Wednesday grumbled under breath, feeling Enid’s glare on the back of her neck as she settled down onto her pillow.

“Rude”

Enid was sure to be miserable and complain filled the next morning. Plans would need to put into place.

“Goodnight Wednesday”

That was a problem for tomorrows Wednesday.

“Goodnight Enid”

Chapter Text

A few hours into Sunday morning, and a couple of hours after having to listen to Enid’s complaints of a sore back, Wednesday found herself on the third floor of Puck Hall, knocking at the door sharply and waiting for a response.

The door swung open and Agnes’ eyes visibly widened as she saw who was on her doorstep.

“Wednesday?”

“You will require a light but unrestrictive jacket or top” She ignored any of societies vague yet annoying rules about small talk or building up to things.

“An investigation?” While still clearly interested Agnes wasn’t as visibly enthusiastic about the prospect as she would have been just a couple of days ago.

“No” Wednesday wouldn’t elaborate, she knew the itch that came with curiosity, knew that if Agnes truly was anything like her she wouldn’t resist. She looked unsure for a second before nodding and after disappearing for a second emerged wearing a dark green zip up hoodie.

Nodding at her choice Wednesday turned on her heel and marched off, Agnes quickly falling into step beside her.

“Where are we going?” Agnes had made it until the entry hall in silence before finally asking.

She lasted longer than she expected.

“The woods” She didn’t elaborate and they once again fell into awkward silence as she unerringly lead them though a thicket of trees into a small clearing. On the trees were small one foot boards nailed at various heights, distances and angles and a circle had been marked into the ground in the centre of the clearing.

“By your own account Tyler was able to not only sense you but capture you and lock you away without any resistance. Unacceptable” As Wednesday began to talk she could see the spark within her start to diminish as she began to shrink in on herself and was no doubt itching to vanish completely. But Wednesday hadn’t bought her out here to destroy her, she wanted to build her up “If you intend to continue your friendship with Enid and myself you should know how to defend yourself” She had pulled a pouch from her backpack while talking and held it out to the girl who had rapidly gone from despair to tentative elation.

Agnes gingerly took the pouch and undoing the clasp released it’s contents; half a dozen throwing knives and a narrow but exceedingly functional dagger, all taken from her personal collection.

Agnes’ carefully but near reverently ran a finger over the flat of the blade before looking back up at Wednesday who took her cue to carry on speaking “We shall go over proper blade maintenance at a later date but before they need maintaining they need to be thrown” She drew one from the pouch herself and with practised motion landed it centre target to a plank several metres to her side without even looking.

-

Agnes had achieved no similar feat by the time they stopped for a lunch break a couple of hours later. But she had managed to at least strike the target 95% of the time, only really having difficulty at the furthest target from the centre circle.

She was subtly trying to stretch out her aching hands as Wednesday passed her a stacked but nutritious sandwich and a cup of black coffee from her thermos.

“Enid put you up to this didn’t she?” She had eaten half of her sandwich and hid a wince after a sip of the bitter coffee before the silence was broken, a knowing smile on her lips.

“She encouraged making my appreciation known but the choice of activity and words are my own” Wednesday started, lowering her own sandwich to her lap and properly regarding Agnes “And despite how you originally made your presence known to me I do appreciate what you have done for me and by extension Enid. I would say you are not likely to hear that often but I expect that will very much depend on Enid”

She had always been irritated by peoples belief that she was too rigid and stubborn to ever realise her own faults or seek to change them. That was something even her own mother, seemed to miss about her; that she was open to change but not being changed, compromise not capitulation. She had always wanted to be the best version of herself and if that meant allowing Enid’s encouragement in articulating herself better to the people she chose to keep around her then that is what would happen.

“How long until she forgives you?” She supposed it was only natural that someone invisible would be good at observation.

“I believe it likely that she will be holding my actions over me for a long time to come” Wednesday admitted with a sigh. It was no less than she deserved, she should have held her closer instead of pushing her away, should have trusted in the strength of her friend instead of attempting to be her unseen shield from afar.

“Have you told her how you feel?” Wednesday snapped quickly to her, sharp eyes demanding an explanation “I’ve followed the both of you unseen for days at this point, the way you look at each other when the other isn’t looking... not exactly subtle”

Wednesday first response was to deny, launch a scathing counter attack, but there was no use pretending. She huffed out the urge with a heavy exhale “... You have witnessed this behaviour from Enid also?” She had thought that she had seen hints of it over all of their time together, more in the past couple of days but reading social cues and other peoples emotional states had never came naturally to her and she had part assumed that she was maybe just seeing what she wanted to see.

The other part was just cowardly. Afraid to risk losing what she had gained.

“Definitely” Agnes was at least confident about that “You two are like magnets, always drawn to each other” An apt metaphor even if Wednesday was liable to dig her heels in and resist the pull.

She’d done enough introspection for now, she’d already carefully allotted her time today “Finish your sandwich” She all but commanded, taking another bite of her own.

-

They’d gotten back to the school proper shortly before the cafeteria would be open for the evening meal, Agnes noticeably dirty and half dead on her feet from exhaustion.

“And just what have you two been up to?” Like Agnes had said, like magnets, Enid had marched up to them within seconds of their arrival, looking of Agnes’ condition and fretting like a mother hen, pulling a stray leaf from Agnes’ now messily braided hair.

“Wednesday’s been teaching me how to fight with a dagger!” Through her exhaustion her elation wouldn’t be tamped down.

“Oh she has, has she?” The hands were out on the hips now “You look like you need a shower” Enid’s tone brokered no disagreement and Agnes quickly made herself scarce “Wednesday”

“Yes Enid?” What exactly had earned her that tone?

“You’ve been gone for nearly seven hours, you haven’t been training her the entire time have you?” Ah, that was the issue.

“We stopped for lunch” The groan that Enid let out told her that wasn’t the answer she had been hoping for.

“Wednesday she’s thirteen and not genetically predisposed towards masochism like others I could name”

“She did not ask to stop” Was Wednesday’s rebuttal. Enid’s was a suffering sigh.

“Of course she didn’t she wanted to impress you dummy” Oh.

“I am not a dummy” She muttered, fighting the urge to cross her arms.

“Listen, we’ll talk about what’s normal for an Addam’s and what’s normal for everyone else another time okay? Right now I need to eat my weight in steak before getting down to the cages early”

“Very well, if I do not otherwise see you I will meet you at in the hall at 8pm”

“See you then bestie” Enid threw a single arm around her shoulder and all but dislocated Wednesday’s shoulder pulling her in tight.

Aside from being in a public area Wednesday wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Chapter Text

They ended up not seeing each other again until meeting in the early evening, heading down to the cages, Enid carrying another bag of things, Wednesday visibly free of carrying anything. Enid would only argue.

But when they had gotten to Enid’s cage, last in the row and tucked around a corner the refusal that Wednesday knew was coming arrived when Enid caught sight of Wednesday’s bag already in the cage along with a couple of mattresses on the floor.

“Wednesday no” Enid was blocking the doorway, crossing both her arms and eyebrows.

“Enid yes” Enid scoffed, biting at a nail in worry.

“I don’t trust myself not to hurt you”

“Then borrow some of my trust in you” Wednesday reached a hand out and placed it on one of her crossed forearms “And unless you plan on standing in the doorway all night I will just let myself in later” Enid visibly looked for an argument for a few seconds before giving up, huffing and turning into the cage properly.

“First sign of danger..” Enid warned.

“I will run head first into it” Wednesday promised, which was not at all the answer Enid had been looking for but it seemed like she had learnt better than to argue, only groaning into her hands.

If she wanted things to always go her way she should not have made such an effort to obtain such a stubborn ‘bestie’. If anything it was her fault. Though she knew better at least to not say that right now.

“Where did these mattresses even come from?” She deposited her bag at the foot of the cot.

“Some freshman’s dorm, I do not know their names. But do not worry, they have been sanitised” Extensively.

“Wednesday! you can’t go around stealing peoples beds!”

“Evidentially I can” She didn’t even bother hiding her smirk, proud of her actions. She knew Enid would insist on sleeping on the floor again if Wednesday stayed the night and there was no way she wasn’t “If you do not want one then I will simply stack them for my own bed while you can enjoy your hard uncomfortable cot” It was a taunt she knew Enid wouldn’t be able to resist.

Enid’s cross armed glare increased as did her pout before she huffed “Jerk” and swiftly grabbed her duvet and lazily chucked it over the closest mattress to claim it, though she was clearly fighting a smile by the time that she turned back around.

“It is getting easier to make you complicit in my crimes, that is good”

“You’re impossible” Enid shook of her feigned annoyance with an eye roll.

“And yet you chose me” Enid’s face immediately softened.

“I did, didn’t I?”

The fact that Wednesday had chosen her in return went unsaid.

-

They had gotten through a couple of episodes of some detestable Outcast dating show on Enid’s laptop, somehow without Wednesday clawing her eyes out, before she started to fret more and more, leg bouncing and hands fidgeting.

“You should leave” She was chewing her lip now, eyes flicking to the clock in the corridor. A little over an hour to Moonrise.

Wednesday’s answer was to settle back on the mattress further, actually looking more like a relaxed teenager than poised Victorian lady for once.

“I’m serious Wednesday”

“As am I Enid. As your claimed ‘bestie’ it is my pledge to you that you will never spend a night in these cages alone” Enid looked of inordinately pleased and incredibly worried all at once at the promise.

“This isn’t just me being a wolf though but an Alpha! If I start to turn and you can’t get out quick enough I could claw or bite you before you got away, or worse... stop looking so enticed by the idea!” Being mauled to death by Enid’s wolf would be an acceptable demise except for the anguish it would cause her later.

“Alpha or not the last I saw your wolf you were essentially a giant puppy. Now that I have reciprocated some of your physical affections I am sure that your wolf would remember and you will no doubt be wagging your tail and asking for belly rubs”

“Rude” She didn’t deny it though.

“If you started to turn I have ample time to leave. But the point is moot, because you will not” If only belief could be shared as a tangible object Enid would never have to worry again.

“...How can you be so sure?” Wednesday reached into the backpack she had left in the cage earlier and pulled out a small metal case, Enid instantly zeroed in with undisguised interest.

“Because if I do leave” She opened the case and span it around to face Enid “You will never get to paint my nails in all of these horribly bright colours” Inside the case was two dozen freshly acquired bottles of nail polish, all in the myriad of colours Enid chose to clad herself with rather than Wednesday’s usual two different shades of black. Though she had already stripped off the colour earlier in anticipation of having to deploy this overt bribe.

“That’s so unfair!” Enid gasped, dramatically throwing herself down onto Wednesday’s mattress and overlooking the bag of goodies “But what about your allergy?”

“If you are neat it will all be on my nails, not my skin, and when taken my medicine is effective. You will not harm me” Wednesday’s words clearly allayed her fears and the offer was doing a good job at distracting her.

“I feel like you just Pavlov’ed me” Enid groused as she emptied the case of it’s contents and started planning her colourful attack.

“I had considered testing out his techniques on you last semester until Thing pointed out it was ‘Unethical’ to experiment on your friends” She actually used air quotes to emphasise how adamant he had been.

“Very! Very highly unethical” Enid’s voice took on a shrillness.

“You would have loved every sugary mouthful” Wednesday teased back, getting a stuck out tongue in return.

For the next hour they sat knee to knee on the mattress, Enid taking extra care to keep all of the colour off of Wednesday’s skin. The process of diligent application was peppered with light and unimportant conversation but she knew that it was the kind of bonding Enid had always wanted from her but that she had never felt equipped to give.

And for that hour Enid didn’t look at the clock once.

-

It wouldn’t distract her forever though. Wednesday had kept a careful count of the time internally and knew the earmarked hour was rapidly approaching, heralded first by the invigorating jolt that ran down Enid’s spine, distracting her from their conversation and over to the window where the pale silver glow broke through the sparse cloud and followed shortly after by the first eager howls starting to echo through night as Nevermore’s Lycan population gave into their primal urges.

But it wasn’t just Enid that felt the presence of the moon, with the light spilling in Wednesday felt a tight cramp forming her hands and fingers. For the first few seconds she thought it was the nail polish, affecting her despite careful placement and an increased dosage of her medication but as she tried to rid herself of the stiffness by stretching out her fingers ten sharp, and unfortunately garishly coloured, blade-like claws were ejected into the world for the first time.

Anything Enid had been thinking or worrying about clearly flew out the window as she turned to the new development in stunned silence, broken only after a few seconds as Wednesday tapped her new claws against each other with a satisfying ‘clack’.

“H-how? How do you have claws?” She was seemingly unaware that her own had emerged as well while Wednesday was wasting no time testing their sharpness against her pilfered mattress, cutting a fine line through the material like a knife through butter as the old saying went “Wednesday! That’s someone’s bed!” Enid wasn’t so far gone to not point that out.

“Nothing a needle and thread will not fix” Though she had no plan to do the fixing herself, it wasn’t her mattress, not her problem. Her problem had been, and would continue to be, Enid, her plan for the evening had been there for her in whatever way would work to calm her down at that moment but if distraction would continue to work then she’d roll with it “As for the how? The most logical explanation is to do with the magic of Rotwood’s grave”

“Like, something got transferred when we body swapped?” Enid all but collapsed down on her own mattress, eyes flicking between the claws and Wednesday's face, her worry palpable.

“My spirit resided in a Lycanthrope body for nearly a full day and during that time I underwent a full transformation. And though I had noticed it at the time it seemed largely irrelevant after we swapped back so I did not mention it but when I transformed at Willow Hill it was not into your wolf”

“... Your fur was black” She breathed. For Enid it had clearly been noted and cast aside for more pressing matters and then not picked back over due to the elation of being back in her own body.

“Not your wolf but my own, a new born, a new turning in an older wolf's body” Wednesday finished for her, surely a case of the annals in it's uniqueness. Only then noting the near distraught look on Enid's face “Enid? What is wrong?” Enid threw herself up into standing, pacing around the cage around the mattresses that took up most of the floor.

“That's not... it's not how it's done Wednesday! It takes a wolf years after their first transformation to develop the ability to turn another... and it's always consensual” She seemed more upset at that last fact than anything else. Wednesday knew that well, it took most wolves until they were in their twenties for the venom of their bite to gain enough potency to transfer the Lycanthropic trait, a type of reproduction outside of birth. She was chewing at her nails again, eyes glistening with unshed tears and to Wednesday's keen eyes the top of her ears started to form into a slight point.

No. She would not transform. She wouldn't risk losing her.

She couldn't.

Wednesday quickly stood up and drew the her into her arms, pulling down the taller Enid into her shoulder.

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Wednesday” Her shoulder grew wet and from the corner of her eye she warily regarded the still sharp ear tip.

“You have nothing to apologise for Enid. Nothing” Enid sniffed but didn't say anything, gave no acknowledgement, Wednesday pulled back and lifted up Enid's hanging head in her hands, waiting until she met her eyes “Look at me Enid. Do I look upset?” She gave no response “Enid?”

“... No” Her voice was as quiet as it had ever been.

“Because I am not. In any way. The fact that we swapped bodies in the first place was a product of my own arrogance trying to wield a magic I had no more knowledge on than hearsay” It had come from a trusted source in her Grandmother but how much of that was Hester truly helping her and how much of it was a form of mildly spiteful joke as she was wont to do, unconcerned with how it would affect even her own Grandchild.

“And I would never regret becoming further entangled with you, it is a gift to allow me to share this part of your life. You said that I was your pack, and now I truly can be” Enid had always tried to get Wednesday more involved, to share her interests and have Wednesday actively engage with her, and now she could.

“... You're sure?” Enid finally spoke again. The sharpness of her ears started to recede and without looking Wednesday heard her claws retract back into their normal nails.

“You have my word, Enid”

“Urgh, this is sooo not what I was expecting from tonight” With a few last sniffles Enid stepped back out of Wednesday's grip, wiping at her face and collapsing back into sitting on the cot, Wednesday joining moments later, offering a hand that was quickly captured.

“Okay. Okay” Enid took a few calming breaths, patting at her leg to straighten out some wrinkles in the fabric “Okay, so the first full moon after someone is bitten they won't transform, I guess it'll be the same here” Enid started to explain not releasing Wednesday's hand but twisting her body to face her and shifting the conversation to her knowledge of werewolf biology was allowing her to focus past whatever inner turmoil she was facing.

“On the first moon the new wolf will typically start to exhibit some of the Lupine traits such as claws or sharper senses but it varies from person to person” Enid gave a pointed look towards Wednesday's nails “With most turned wolves typically transforming on the second rise though for some it takes several moons... and you already know all of this don't you?” Enid realised half way through.

“Lycanthrope's were one of my favourite research subjects growing up, yes” Wednesday confirmed, but she would have been happy to let her talk for as long as she wanted. She would have been even happier if her materials contained more about Alpha's but it seemed like that sort information was kept within packs which was hardly helpful.

“Why did you let me carry on then?” Enid pouted.

“Because I like to listen when you talk. You are most you when you let your passion show. It is one of your most admirable traits” Enid seemed shocked at her honest admission but she had always felt that way, even from that first day when she skipped across the dorm room floor and tried to hug someone who looked as unapproachable as she did. Enid had always unapologetically herself and that honest way of living her life had always drawn Wednesday in, even when she hadn't intended to be.

She just hadn't been able to verbalise it before, but now she felt... unburdened, and for the first time in her life trusted someone else with her heart, she felt like she had met someone that wouldn't judge her or push away when Wednesday got too.. Wednesday, but would instead pull closer.

“Aww Wednesday, that's one of the sweetest things you've said to me” She briefly felt Enid's warm breath wash over her face as she pressed a brief kiss to her cheek before quickly dropping her head down onto Wednesday's shoulder, missing the rush of crimson heat that briefly seared the top of her ears.

“Don't take this the wrong way but I really like this new Wednesday, you've really opened up these past few days” Enid quietly admitted, playing with their linked fingers, an action that just a week ago would have gone very differently.

She'd felt it as well. Though given that both events happened at once she figured that she would never know whether it was something more than just the wolf copying over from the body swap, that maybe even Enid's optimism was so intrinsically tied to her very being that she was 'infected' with it or maybe it was simply freeing herself and Enid from the mistakes of her past in the form of Hyde's, Zombies and crazed Avian's. A release of fears that were weighing her down.

“I take no offence. Being open with you it... it is not as daunting as I had built it up to be”

-

They'd made it another half an hour without incident, with Enid's head resting on her shoulder and her breathing starting to even out as she circled sleep, the exhaustion bought about from her worry finally catching up with her. But as Wednesday was starting to believe the threat of the night settled a howl rang out just outside the cages, the sound startling Enid back into full awareness.

A sharp sniff from Enid had Wednesday following suit, Bruno, her mind readily supplied. For a human she had always had a second to none sense of smell and after having put up with his scent mixing in with the sanctuary of her room for the past couple of weeks she already had it memorised, her nascent wolf only enhancing this.

“Why is he here?” Enid hissed, shooting up to a standing position and clutching her arms tight to her chest as she stared up through the barred window as if some answer would arrive.

The answer seemed fairly obvious to Wednesday; when the wolf was out on a full moon most werewolves reported as it being the wolf and the person having one hand on the wheel each, enough for the wolf to follow it's instincts to fight, play or hunt but enough human still there to stop the beast from taking out those instincts on another person and mauling someone.

But it was also said to be similar to having imbibed a few drinks, with inhibitions lowering the thought of 'calling an ex' clearly made way more sense to Bruno right now rather than a 'sober' one who knew better than to show his face right now. Especially since he would be able to smell Wednesday's presence. Like she would allow him anywhere near Enid right now.

Or at any point in the future if she could avoid it.

Of course he didn't know that Enid was an burgeoning Alpha, he would have been looking for a transformed Enid, someone from his pack to spend the evening with. None of that helped Enid as she started to visibly spiral at the thought of him barging his way into the cages right now. Her once steadying heartbeat was starting to rise and she was taking in sharp shallow breaths of air.

“I don't want to see him right now!” Her voice sounded different now, teeth starting to sharpen to match her once again pointed ears.

“Enid, you need to calm down”

“I know I do! I can't just calm down because you tell me too Wednesday!” Enid lashed out, swiping a clawed hand through the air, no where near hitting her, she hadn't been trying to.

Outside the cages Wednesday could hear another wolf coming, making sounds that part of her instinctively knew but that she couldn't instantly put a name to, Capri, her smell was over every instrument in the music hall, made sharper in her memory by her attendance while in Enid's body. Bruno's presence was retreating now, followed quickly by Capri as she literally chased him off from doing something stupid.

Enid was getting to close to the edge now, growls mixing in with her panting breath as she struggled to hold back the flood. It was far too late for breathing techniques or any form of sedation, at this point she needed to be stunned or shocked, a slap was fifty fifty, either accelerating the transformation through anger or pausing it through surprise.

Too risky.

Only one thing for it.

Not the way she wanted it.

“Enid” Wednesday stepped closer “Please forgive me if I misread things” That was Enid's only warning before Wednesday firmly grabbed her face and crashed their lips together.

She really hoped Agnes was right.

Enid was still for a few seconds before a puff of air swept over Wednesday's face as Enid's halted breath resumed. Lips slowly moved back against her own as Wednesday moved one of her hands to cup the back of her head. She could feel that slight bite of Enid's claws on her waist as she held her in return.

“Enid” Wednesday muttered against her lips as they parted, reminding “You are Enid” Their lips connected again, this time from Enid's effort.

This was nothing like kissing Tyler, that had simply been a pressure on her lips and a rising feeling that something was wrong, but with Enid flush against her, breaths mixing, warmth pressing in. Even her smell, heightened by her new senses, filled her head.

Intoxicating.

She could feel the growth of Enid's mouth steadily recede and a quick check with her thumb against the tip of Enid's ear revealed a rounded edge.

Finally breaking apart Wednesday took a step back but held on to Enid's arms. Looking into her eyes it was hard to judge through the haze but they were distinctly Enid, staring back at her in dawning confusion.

“You kissed me” Enid whispered quietly.

“I did” Wednesday licked over her lips, warmer than they'd ever been.

“You kissed me” Enid's eyes were flicking everywhere over her face, a thoughtful frown creasing her forehead “Why? Was it just to calm me down?” She sounded almost hurt for asking the question.

Wednesday reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair back behind Enid's ear “I kissed you because I wanted to kiss you” She could only hope she came across as reassuring as she wanted to “Though this was not how I pictured our first kiss” She wouldn't pretend that it wasn't also a way to kill two birds with one stone, that was obvious.

“Our first kiss?” Enid's blue eyes pinned her to the spot, hopeful, vulnerable... guarded.

“The first of many?” Wednesday hadn't sounded so shy since she was a child asking to put Pugsley in the electric chair for the first time.

Enid tugged her forward and she gave no resistance as their lips met once again, gentle and honest, a first step in building something new, something bigger than either of them.

They had formed a new pack.

A pack of two.

Chapter Text

Wednesday woke up warm which had not happened since she'd camped out on the side of an active Volcano while on a 'work' trip with her Uncle, this time however it was due to Enid having rolled over from her mattress onto Wednesday's own and pinning her underneath the furnace of her body.

Before Enid joined her in the waking world she had a few minutes to contemplate whether she was some kind of sleep ninja who had somehow managed to roll over from her own mattress and onto Wednesday's without disturbing her or that Wednesday herself had unconsciously welcomed the embrace, not only not awakening to someone else's physical presence but even wrapping an arm around the colourful girl in return.

Even her own Mother, who near floated through the halls of their house, couldn't get within ten feet of her bedroom door without waking her but Enid had managed this. Enid, who regularly tripped over her own feet getting out of bed in the morning.

So the only obvious explanation was that even her own subconscious had surrendered Enid's continued presence in her life

How heinous.

-

Enid had come to with her usual reluctance to meet the day before realising where she was positioned and took on an unexpected shyness. Wednesday had figured she would be tackled into a kiss the second her eyes flicked open.

She ignored the part of her that was mildly put off that that didn't happen.

When Enid still hadn't spoken by the time that they had nearly packed up their backpacks Wednesday chose to tackle the silence head on instead of letting the subject fester.

“Enid” Said girl fumbled her phone in surprise “You have been uncharacteristically subdued this morning” She wasn't regretting the events of the previous night was she?

“We kissed last night” Enid couldn't meet her eyes

“We did. Is it your wish that we did not?” She hated the treacherous beat of her heart as she anticipated the possible sting of rejection.

“No, no, I thought you might, you know, feel like that...” She trailed off. It turned out that they were both stood on that fearful precipice, scared that the feelings that had been shared would be rescinded in the light of day.

Urgent correction was needed.

Wednesday marched across the cage with purpose and winding a hand around the back of Enid's neck pulled her into a searing kiss, feeling Enid's growing grin stretching against her own as she eagerly reciprocated.

“Are things clear now Enid?” Wednesday had given one last nipping bite to Enid's kissed swelled lip before parting, she could only imagine her own looked much the same.

“Y-yeah, crystal” She managed to breathe out, the redness in her cheeks spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.

-

“Are we telling people?” They were halfway back to the school, the mattresses Wednesday had borrowed stacked atop each other and carried between them. Wednesday was leading and glanced back over her shoulder to regard her.

“Do you want to?” She would understand either way. Mostly.

“I do” If her hands had been free she would have no doubt been fiddling with a lock of hair. A nervous habit that Wednesday did not find at all endearing.

“Then we will”

“As simple as that?” Enid's glow was out in full force.

“Just how would one hide someone clinging to them all the time?” She threw back. Entering into this relationship with Enid she expected nothing less than to lose use of one of her hands for an estimated 70% of out of class situations.

“Not all the time” Enid defended behind a gentle smile “Sometimes I'll be carrying things”

They reached the main entrance way before any students were around, and in that silence echoed the thump of two mattresses being unceremoniously dropped. Though she probably should have given a warning as Enid stumbled forward at the unexpected momentum, catching herself and then straightening up with a light glare.

“Wait, that's it? We're just leaving them here?”

“No” Wednesday fished a small purple antique perfume bottle from her bag and gave several quick spritzes to each mattress before turning to leave “Now that is it” She was already marching away as she heard Enid scrambling to follow “No doubt the owners informed their dorm leader yesterday so when they are found this morning it will be obvious who they belong to” And with her Grandmothers solution liberally applied then even the most sensitive nose wouldn't be able to tell who had slept on them.

Or who had split a large tear in them with their new claws.

-

They'd reached their dorm without crossing anyone's path but for the distant footfalls of an insomniac Vampire. Enid instantly claiming the shower meant Wednesday knew that she had a good half hour before she emerged again.

Left alone Wednesday hastily stripped the offensive colour off of her nails before spending her remaining solo time reacclimatising to their shared domicile and all of the new sights and smells that greeted her including one interesting fact she found out when examining her wardrobe; every piece of clothing smelt like Enid. Considering Wednesday had only just started permitting her physical affections it certainly begged several questions.

Questions that she ambushed an unsuspecting Enid with as she exited their bathroom, rubbing a fluffy pink towel through her hair to dry it off and started to put together her polychromatic outfit for the day.

“It is interesting to come back to somewhere so familiar with a fresh set of eyes”

“Oh yeah, it must be pretty different for...” She trailed off as she turned to see the shirt clutched in Wednesday's hand, some of the colour visibly draining from her face as she made a show of sniffing at the garment.

“And a fresh nose”

“Ah, t-thats, I can explain..” The fluffy towel was dropped to the floor as she wildly gestured.

“You can explain how all of my clothes, even ones that I have not worn in weeks, clearly smell like you?” It was fortuitous that she had so many years of not letting her face reveal her heart as Enid tried to explain, awkwardly circling around the fact that her burgeoning Alpha tendencies had started to manifest weeks ago without her realising, just that she was experiencing the irresistible urge to 'mark her territory' as she started spending more time with Agnes for her investigation and less time with her.

“And you're not actually at all mad are you?” Enid realised, finally catching the small upturn of her lips that had crept through her stoic look.

“No” She really wasn't and it certainly gave an explanation to the strange looks the Nevermore pack had been giving her for the past few weeks, she had thought it was just because Bruno had told people about what Agnes had done in Iago tower and now Wednesday was 'hanging out' with the girl.

“Urgh, you had me really worried there, jerk” Enid groused, skipping across the room and all but draping herself over her to calm herself by claiming a few kisses.

-

When they were both finally ready for the day and left the room for breakfast around eight they only made it halfway before they moved past a large group of freshmen and Wednesday suddenly broke off their joint fingers and swiftly pushed her way into an empty classroom. For someone who had conducted numerous animal autopsies and much worse through her childhood she was now having to actively resist the urge to gag. By the time Enid had come up behind her Wednesday was futilely holding a hand up to her nose.

“Hey, you okay?” A warm hand rubbed a circle on her back.

“Is it always so...?” She gestured to the air. Only mostly unashamed at showing herself becoming overwhelmed. Only in front of Enid.

“You will get used to it I promise” Enid wrapped herself around Wednesday, allowing her to bury herself in Enid's scent instead “That's why all the dorm bathrooms have those alchemical soaps and shampoos, but not everyone chooses to use them, you'll figure out who doesn't pretty soon” What a wonderful thing to look forward to.

-

They were further doomed to not make it to breakfast as by the time Wednesday had rallied herself to face the masses, unwilling to let herself be defeated by such a thing, Capri had apparently blood hounded her way over to find Enid, cornering them in the hallway and guiding them into an empty classroom just before they reached the cafeteria.

“Good morning girls” Enid greeted her back warmly, Wednesday did not “You were gone when I got to the Lupin cages this morning Enid”

“Oh, um, yeah, I wanted to get a long shower in” Wednesday knew that wasn't what Capri was pointing out, the entire purpose of the cages was that they needed to be let out after using them not let themselves out like Wednesday had done for them. And no doubt she wanted to talk to Enid about the whole Alpha situation and how she had handled it.

“I see. Because when I was at the cages I did manage to catch an interesting scent inside the cage” Capri zeroed in on their joint hands “Wednesday, the Lupin cages are for werewolves who need them for whatever reason they may have, not for visiting girlfriends. And given the circumstances what you did was incredibly reckless” Save her from the judgement of people who thought they knew better or could decide what actions were 'unsafe', like it wasn't her risk to take. Her choice.

She could feel Enid's hand tighten in her own at the reproach, so even though it wasn't the ideal time or place she needed to rip the band aid off before her words could cut into Enid any further as they echoed her own doubts and fears all to closely.

Her free hand was raised and with a flick of tension five plain claws sprang into readiness “I needed a cage”

“You're a wolf?!” Capri all but yelled before catching herself, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the classroom door was still shut. Leaning closer she sniffed at Wednesday deeply, something that really should be consented to in her opinion but it told her what she needed to know “But you haven't shifted yet, and Enid's wolf scent is masking yours”

“It is a new development” Wednesday replied flatly. Capri looked over to Enid, a confused but clearly judgemental frown beginning to take shape on her forehead.

“I didn't bite her” Enid was resolute, no flicker of a lie crossing over her ever expressive face.

They had gone over it that morning as they were packing up the cage and manoeuvring the mattresses out of the cage “People are going to ask how I am suddenly a wolf, the lie will be easy to tell because it is the truth 'I did not bite her', even to the keenest ears it will ring as a truth”

“Then how? None of the Nevermore pack are mature enough to turn someone” Capri's question was met with a cocked eyebrow and no more “As both your dorm Mother and head of the Lycan's at Nevermore I do need to know” The gulf between what Capri wanted to know and needed was vast and filled with man eating predators.

“No” Wednesday bit out simply “You need to know that I am a wolf, not the how's or whys or the fact that you were not consulted. Do not overstep” Capri went to respond but Wednesday cut her off, not done yet “And yes I did spend the night in Enid's cage and will continue to do so for as long as she is required to place herself in them” That was as non-negotiable as the need to breathe to stay alive “Which actually proved quite necessary as had you not chased him off Bruno would have burst into the cages and may well have provoked what we were all attempting to avoid”

Capri pursed her lips at that, whether recognising the truth in Wednesday's words or measuring the look on Enid's face she accepted the truth without further complaint “I have already talked with Bruno about his actions, he should have known better than to bother anyone using the cages and won't be doing that again” For his own sake he had better not. The only reason he hadn't already faced any of Wednesday's ready to be unleashed wrath was because Enid had asked her not to.

Capri sighed and rubbed at her forehead, smoothing out the stressed induced wrinkles that were forming “Fine. I'll let you two go for now, we have enough going on at the school already without making this more of an argument than it needs to be” Or she was realising that pissing off the only Granddaughter of their new biggest benefactor wasn't a great move “Come by my classroom tomorrow after classes have ended and we'll update your student file”

“Thank you Miss Capri” Enid politely replied while squeezing Wednesday's hand and making encouraging gestures with her head.

“... I concur” She eventually added, to Enid's exasperation.

“You should be nicer to her” Enid remarked after they were left alone in the classroom.

“We shall see if you still feel that way when she starts asking you to play Cello in the Nevermore Orchestra” Wednesday replied as she started towards the door.

“Why would she ask that?” Enid asked as she chased after “Ness?”

“Because she already thinks I taught you how to play” As she turned to show a small smirk she caught some of the flushed colour draining from her face, eyes going wide in realisation.

“Oh my goddess, you played in my body didn't you? And she saw?” Enid all but whimpered.

“And you danced in mine. And everyone saw” Maybe Wednesday could consider them equal now after seeing the distress on her girlfriends face.

Maybe.

-

Finally reaching the cafeteria they took a seat with Enid's, and apparently her, friends who were already finished with their own meals.

“Hey hey” They took their seat opposite Bianca, Yoko and Divina, their knees brushing up against each other under the table.

“Morning you two” Yoko raised a half empty mug of blood in salute, likely her second of the morning by Wednesday's estimate.

“Well aren't you positively glowing this morning Enid, good full moon?” Divina asked from her place curled into Yoko's side, legs strewn over one another's. Was Enid going to want to impose her presence on Wednesday in public like that? It seemed like a big step up from holding her hand or having her arm seized.

“The best” She could near feel the heat of Enid's admiring gaze.

“Did... something happen between you two?” Bianca slowly asked, looking between the two of them.

As Wednesday's hand snaked out to reach for her coffee Enid caught it in her own and tightly claimed it in victory, making quite a show of it she bought Wednesday hand up and kissed the back of it before lowering their joint hands back to the table.

Her hopes that her hitch of breath went unnoticed were dashed with the knowing gleam peaking out over Yoko's ever present shades.

“Damn pup” Yoko whistled.

“How'd you manage that?” Divina questioned with a laugh.

“You need not act like she has tamed a wild manticore. I am not that unapproachable” Wednesday cut in, holding back the annoyed huff that threatened to bubble out and fighting the urge to fold her arms. Not that she could, Enid still had her hand.

And she still didn't have her coffee.

“Little bit”

“Yeah” Some 'friends' they were.

Looking to Enid she saw a glint of agreement in her partners eyes. She narrowed her eyes in return and Enid at least had the decency to look a little bashful.

“Sorry Ness” Enid dropped another kiss on her hand before releasing it, allowing Wednesday to claim her coffee and use it as a prop to avoid the gazes of the other girls.

“Gotta say, didn't think you'd ever make your move on Prince of Darkness here E” Yoko remarked, still overly smug for Wednesday's liking.

“But, but I never said?” Enid was both confused and timid. Wednesday glanced to her, she had figured that Enid would have at least told Yoko, were her feelings that new a development or something she had just hidden deep? She looked to the wood grain of the table for answers.

Was she ashamed to feel like that towards her?

Or was Wednesday truly so unapproachable that Enid's only recourse had been to bury her feelings?

A gentle warm hand landed on her knee, her spiral paused as she looked up at Enid, closer than before, eyes soft and knowing “I didn't dare hope”

She could suddenly breathe again. Heart warm, steady and reassured. There was so much subtext in just those four words she could write a treatise on it.

“You give me hope” Wednesday quietly admitted, leaning forward and meeting Enid halfway in a soft kiss she tried her best to ignore their audience and the gasps echoing from nearby tables.

“Aww, you two are really cute together” Divina would have been losing a few scales to a sharp knife for calling her cute if Enid hadn't looked so satisfied with the praise.

“This” Yoko gestured at the preening Enid “This is how I knew. You weren't exactly subtle” She talked about Wednesday like she was a bomb that only Enid knew how to defuse.

Maybe Agnes had been right. Looks given while the other was unaware, just she wasn't the only one who noticed.

Speaking of the younger girl she could sense her close and looking up she quickly found the redhead staring at them from across the courtyard, halfway hidden behind a pillar. She mouthed to Enid and nudged her a little further down the bench and followed suit before giving a small glance back to Agnes and then the empty spot beside her.

Seconds later Agnes shyly took the silently offered seat, with Enid reaching over Wednesday to warmly greet her.

-

Agnes seemed to fit in well with the group after a little expected frostiness from Yoko and Divina. Enid had no doubt regaled them both with stories of the descending sword trap and weeks of 'creepy stalking', but they seemed to take Enid's forgiveness in stride, genuinely complimenting the Vanisher on their shared dance and part she played in stopping Dort.

So with the others talking Wednesday was left mostly free to sit back and watch, not only the interactions at the table but in the courtyard as a whole, where pointed whispers caught softly in her ears, with some people even returning to the courtyard after having already eaten to catch a sight of the two of them sat close and holding hands, one of those individuals being Bruno whose face had settled on a constipated mix of sad puppy and unjustified anger.

With a mindset of 'Lets get this over with' they bid their friends goodbye and Wednesday followed Enid over to talk to Bruno, lingering back close enough to intervene but otherwise leaving it to her.

“I see you've moved on” His mouth was as impulsive as his wolf. Enid bristled briefly before smoothing herself out.

“That makes one of us then” Enid pleasantly bit back, she lead here, not him, he just didn't realise it yet “You have to leave one partner to move on to another after all”

He opened his mouth but caught Wednesday's look, as sharp as the clawed nail she was toying with, and stopped himself, he sighed and rubbed the back of his head “Yeah, that's fair I suppose” He supposed? “I really didn't mean to hurt you though”

“What did you mean to do then?” Enid's voice was overly sweet, a trap, one she personally was acquainted with. It appeared that for Enid to emotionally move on from him it was more an act of forgetting than forgiving

“Because breaking up with an ex and moving on? Fine, that's great. Not really breaking up with your girlfriend because you keep calling her to talk about walks on the beach while you lead someone else along? That's quite a few miles from great” It seemed like Bruno had never been on the receiving end of Enid's bite before, looking like a fish out of water with no idea how to smooth things over.

“It's not like that, we were together for two years, it's not that easy to just end things”

“Yeah I mean what a messy break, just having to see her all the time, it's not like you were several time zones and thousands of miles away”

“Eight thousand two hundred and sixty, as the crow flies” Wednesday supplied, Manila to Jericho.

“Thank you Ness” Enid's smile was as blinding as it was beautiful as she glanced back.

“You know what, never mind, I just came to apologise for last night” Bruno started before Wednesday cut through.

“Because Capri told you to” She had a fiercer glare than him when she was four.

“Because I wanted to” He refuted before turning back to Enid “And to say goodbye, with all the stuff going on here I don't think Nevermore is really for me”

That seemed to deflate Enid's anger quite a bit, folded arms dropping back down to her side “Oh... I see, when are you leaving?”

“I'm going back tonight, sending for my stuff later” Enid gave a stiff nod in reply.

“Well, good luck in Manila then” She sniffed once and turned, walking away down the corridor.

Wednesday pushed off the pillar she was leaning on and went to follow.

“Didn't know you were a wolf” She turned her head to glance at him.

“We can add that to the vast list of other things you do not know about me, such as how many weapons I have on my person” The implied threat was pointless if he was leaving anyway but she was never one to not get the last word in.

-

She found Enid waiting for her around the corner, a conflicted look on her face, rarely one to want to leave things on a sour note.

Wednesday drew close and pressed a kiss to her jaw. Not saying anything, just offering understanding, presence, the support Enid needed right now.

“I'm okay Ness” That seemed unlikely, her eyebrow told Enid so “I can be okay with it and still justifiably pissed off at the same time, I'm a complicated woman”

“Does this complicated woman want to return to our dorm?”

“Hell yeah I do, how is it only like 10am?” Wednesday agreed wholeheartedly, by her standard she had already gone through a weeks worth of emotional conversation and socialising and it wasn't even midday yet.

Chapter Text

Another night in the cages came and went with a bed Wednesday actually bought instead of 'borrowed' at Enid's insistence and with no other wolves howling the night away there were no further wolfing out incidents. So come Monday afternoon Wednesday reluctantly made her way to the music hall with Enid for their meeting with Capri.

“I assume you still have no intention of telling me the details of your turning?” Capri's voice carried over the desk and into the cavernous room.

“You assume correctly” Enid had questioned Wednesday's decision to keep things secret but it seemed to her that the only thing that would come from honesty was the risk that someone would try to follow in their footsteps and that someone would wind up dead.

Capri tensed her jaw before exhaling, already getting a taste of how it will be like to be Wednesday's 'leader' “Will you at least tell me how long?”

“... Four days” Four days since she walked a mile in Enid's shoes and found that there was more there to fill than she was expecting. Four days since she decided to follow her rarely heard heart instead of her cynical head. Four days since she found a contentment she hadn't realised she was missing.

“Oh, right before the full moon then” She scratched a few notes into Wednesday's file “I've already seen the claws, have you presented any other traits?”

“Hearing and smell, unfortunately” She had poured herself into bringing her enhanced senses to heel with the same level of rigour as she attacked her investigations with.

“Do you need any help?” Did she honestly think Wednesday would say yes?

“I do not. I have Enid” She could see Enid beaming from beside her, she was by far the only one she felt she could turn to when she was feeling overwhelmed.

“Well, don't hesitate to reach out if you need to” With a last couple of notes added her student file was closed “And you Enid, Any problems last night?”

“Nope, a little twinge but it went away quickly, we just cuddled up and watched a movie” Enid happily disclosed, which was much more disclosure than Wednesday was truly happy with.

“She did not need to know that” She wasn't ashamed of any aspect of her new relationship with Enid but years of seeing her parents practically climbing on each other regardless of the setting had made her weary to be seen as anything like that.

“Sorry Ness”

“While we are on that subject, you staying in the same cage as Enid..”

“Is going to keep happening” Wednesday interjected, Capri really needed to learn to pick her battles. The only reason she wouldn't stay in the cage would be if Enid told her not to and truly meant it, not just trying to protect her.

“We're going to have to start training this week, it may not be safe” Not safe? That hadn't stopped her standing out in thunderstorms holding up a TV aerial as a child or facing down an undead pilgrim. She wasn't looking for safe.

“Life is not safe. There are no guarantees. Just experience, and that experience has shown that my presence provides a calming effect” The idea that if she hadn't been there then she could have lost Enid to the beast within without even knowing sent a fearful jolt straight through her.

“She does” Enid reached over an took her hand “I was opposed to it at first as well but it's what works for us”

“Okay fine, I see I'm not going to change either of your minds on this” Capri conceded “I would say it's unconventional but there's really no convention for this, each Alpha's case is different and a lot of accounts can be quite vague” She had to agree, for all the knowledge in the Addam's family library there was a woeful lack of information about Alpha werewolves, the one subject that all the werewolf clans were cagey about sharing was the one piece of knowledge she needed.

“So what do we need to do?” Enid's hand felt tense in hers, she gave a reassuring gentle squeeze back.

“Well, by all accounts you've already got past the most difficult stage, the first full moon after presenting” Capri got up from behind her desk, walked in front of them and leaned back against the oak “I know you're not going to want to hear this, but I need you to stay in the cages until we're all confident that you can feel a possible shift coming” Enid nodded in acceptance of the imposition and it was unquestionable to Wednesday that she would be with her the entire way.

“So over the next week or two we're going to work on recognising your triggers and learning how to diffuse them. And then when we're all confident with that the next step is purposefully triggering transformations” Enid's gasp rang out like a gunshot “Being an Alpha doesn't just mean transforming without the moon but the ability to gain more Lupine traits without fully transforming”

“You mean partial transformations?” Enid looked to her arm like it might suddenly sprout fur.

“Yes, I've been reading the diary of someone called Hagen and he talks about changing his ears to a wolf's, his entire hands into claws and even forming a tail” A tail in human form, what a valuable skill to have. The sarcasm sounded thick even in her own head.

“We'll be starting tonight” Capri's order was resolute on that and neither of them bought argument to it “The first hour in the Lupin cages each day will be for practise and then you'll be free for the rest of the night okay?”

---

They had indeed started that night and by the time they walked back to their dorm a few days later on Friday morning they had discovered a few things;

The smell of meat, cooked or not, had her not only salivating but drew out aggressive behaviours towards anyone who tried to stop her from reaching and eating it, which had Capri dodging a clawed swipe and Wednesday spending fifteen minutes talking Enid down from a shame-filled spiral about her behaviour.

Secondly, to Enid's frustration the smell of blood also started to set her off in various ways. Human blood did little to move the needle, Werewolf blood bought up feelings of protection and worry, animal blood made her hungry and Wednesday's blood drove her into a defensive rage, one that was not at all helped by the fact that Wednesday had purposefully cut herself to draw the blood instead of just producing a vial that had already been safely drawn.

That night's training had been completely aborted after that experiment and it took Wednesday suffering through Legally Blonde 1 and 2 for Enid to calm down enough to release her iron grip on her arm.

The third discovery was that sudden crashing sounds instantly set off her Fight or Flight and had a growl rumbling from behind sharpened teeth before the source of the sound was even consciously recognised.

There was hope though. They had noticed that the second time experiencing one of the stimuli she was better at resisting her instincts. So as long as she could control her reactions in an uncontrolled environment as well then they would have made some good progress.

---

Friday afternoon had Wednesday no longer putting off what she had been ignoring all week; talking to her parents. In person. Because 'using a crystal ball when they are a five minute walk away' is rude by Enid's standards. So after her final class let out she trudged down through the woods to reach her parents temporary abode.

She entered without knocking, of course, and found her parents in the lounge. Her Mother was tending to one of her numerous carnivorous plants while her Father was practising his golf swing by launching balls through the open patio doors and out into the woods.

“Mi pequeña tormenta! How good to see you!” Her Father casually tossed his club and belying his size and manner Lurch deftly caught it.

“Wednesday, what a lovely surprise” Her Mother placed her pruners down and went to stand with her Father.

“Father, Mother” She clasped her hands in front of her as she prepared her announcement “I will not stay long, I simply came by to inform you of two recent developments”

“Well? don't keep us in suspense!” Her Father was as jovial as ever, a trait that had thankfully passed her over.

She looked to her Mother “I can only assume that you have informed Father about my misadventures with Rotwood's grave”

“Naturally” Could she live such an honest life with her new partner? Of the hurdles she'd no doubt face for this relationship sharing truly came harder for her than the affection.

“A day in another's skin, how exciting!”

“A couple of days after returning to my own body it became apparent that something else came back with me” She raised a hand and with a now practised flick loosed her claws “I have become afflicted with Lycanthropy and will likely transform for the first time next moon”

“Ah mi pequeña lobo, how wonderful!” She allowed him to sweep her up into a brief hug that lifted her off the floor “It's been such a long time since we had some wolfblood in the family!” Undoubtedly her Father was sure to have many new wolf themed nicknames for her soon.

As she was returned to the ground her Mothers hand reached out and hovered an inch from touching, just enough to feel the warmth and presence “Magnificent” Her Mother agreed, the single word bleeding from widely stretched lips, eyes aglow with a warmth she had spent years rejecting only to fall in love with the most affection driven person she had ever met.

Was that irony or was she just a hypocrite?

Might as well get that reveal over with as well. She had made sure that Pugsley knew better than to let rumours spread to her parents, they did at least deserve to hear it from her mouth.

“The second piece of news is that I have entered into a relationship of a romantic nature with Enid Sinclair” There was no need to mince her words, she held no fear for her parents reactions other than how ebullient they were likely to be.

“Oh Tish, did you hear that” Her Father gasped “Oh what a magical place Nevermore is” He was seconds away from praying at her Mothers altar, the telltale signs were all there and crystal clear.

“I did not come here for yet another repeat of this love scene” She bit out, in her mind she folded her arms again.

The look her Mother gave her was torn between calling her out on her previous words about ever falling in love and supporting her daughter without gloating, she thankfully settled on the latter.

“Why we must have a family meal. Tomorrow night. You'll bring Enid?” While phrased like a question it only had one answer. Would Enid be overjoyed at the parental attention or a panicked mess?

“Very well Mother, 7pm?”

“We look forward to it, I'll send Lurch out to hunt something fresh” Wednesday gave a curt nod and turned to leave before remembering something else.

“One more thing before I leave, the materials that I sent for?”

“Came in yesterday, I recognised the ingredients though the quantities seemed a little high” How could she not? She was the one that half developed the process when she was eight.

“I have discussed my allergy in greater depth with Enid and she now wants her entire wardrobe put through the process” She ignored the knowing smug look her Mother wore at that.

“Well then why don't you bring the clothes with you and I'll treat them for you, I can't imagine the residents of Ophelia hall would appreciate the odour” Putting the hall through that had actually been something she had been looking forward to but she couldn't imagine Enid being appreciative of the lingering smell either.

“Fine. Till tomorrow then”

---

Enid had settled somewhere in between the extremes of excited and freaked when informed of the invitation they had received when Wednesday had returned to Nevermore, but that's what she got for insisting on a personal visit rather than a call via crystal ball so having to suffer through this meal was on her as much as on Wednesday.

So Saturday night at a quarter to Seven they made their way towards Rotwood cottage, each carrying two large sacks of Enid's clothes over their shoulders. She had already thought her closet contained a ridiculous amount of clothes to own even before she pulled out her 'summer wardrobe' from boxes under her bed.

“You know you kind of look like a Goth Santa carrying that sack like that” Wednesday spared a light glare, admittedly not her best work, back at her smiling partner.

“I would prefer the anagram of that” She could practically see the gears turning for a few seconds as she worked it out.

“Ooh, there's a couples costume idea, Angel and devil!” Couples costumes? What kind of bleak hell scape had she agreed to live in?

“Do not suggest it” She knew what was coming.

“And you'll be the Angel, it'll be a subversion!” And she suggested it.

“It is an Angels duty is to smite devils” She shot back.

“You wouldn't smite me, you like looking at me too much” She didn't dignify that with a response other than rolled eyes which only served to make Enid happier, knowing that she had won the verbal joust.

Insufferable mutt.

She did happen to like looking at her though. There was always some new facet to find.

---

Lurch opened the cottages door at their approach just as Wednesday was raising a foot to kick it open, her hands overly laden with technicolour monstrosities that Enid would soon be smothering her in.

What a heinous looming doom.

“Good evening Lurch” He groaned a welcome in response.

“Is that you girls?” Her Mothers head poked out from the kitchen, eyes widening minutely as she took in the large collection carried in their arms “Oh my, what a vibrant collection” While not allergic like she was all that colour wasn't to her Mothers style either.

“Thank you Mrs Addam's” Enid stepped forward, a warm but slightly nervous smile stretched across her face.

“Oh come now there's no need for that, please call me Morticia” She didn't hesitate to place a comforting hand on Enid's shoulder as she guided them into a yet undecorated side room “If you leave the clothes here I'll have them all ready and back in your dorm by Monday”

“Thank you Mrs.. Morticia, I'm really looking forward to it” The look Enid shot her was just plain evil in Wednesday's opinion, a look that promised the unleashing all of the affection she had been holding back.

As her Mother returned to the kitchen they headed into the parlour, finding Pugsley and Thing sat by the lit fireplace.

“Pugsley”

“Hey sis” His smile 'didn't reach his eyes' as Enid would put it. It seemed that with everything that had happened that her brother wasn't really having the 'Nevermore experience' that her parents had been so excited about, preferring to invest his energies in a brain hungry zombie rather than connecting with the living.

A quite understandable stance really. One she may well have fallen into if Enid hadn't been so... Enid, and wormed her way in through whatever minute cracks Wednesday hadn't managed to seal.

And it wasn't even that he had been on the receiving end of a terrible room-mate, but Pugsley arguably had even less social skills than she had started Nevermore with and hadn't managed to really connect with Eugene straight away and then had stopped trying.

“Hey Pugs, hey Thing” With all of their evenings occupied Thing had been spending a lot more time with the Spark. If you could call Thing anything it would be annoyingly persistent, pushing her into action quite a few times since she started at Nevermore, maybe he could do the same for her brother.

They idly chatted for a short while, or Enid incessantly chatted while Wednesday stayed mostly silent, until the dinner gong was rung, a much smaller one than the one in the Addam's manor, and they piled into the dining room where her Father stood at the head of the table ready to warmly greet them.

“Ah children, welcome welcome!” They took their seats, her Mother and Pugsley sat either side of him while Wednesday was beside her Mother, Enid opposite and Thing stood near the middle of the table to be able to talk to everyone “Lurch will be out with the meal momentarily”

She could see Enid's eyes go wide that all of the food already on the table, a dozen bowls of different vegetables, wasn't the meal itself.

Moments later Lurch near silently appeared in the doorway, a silver platter wider than his shoulders and covered with a cloche carried in his hands. Gently deposited into the centre of the table the cloche was raised and a waft of smells washed over her in a way that just a week ago would have struck differently. Dozens of pieces of Deer of various cuts had been cooked from rare to well done and were piled high.

“Lurch hunted it fresh just yesterday” Her Mother delighted in informing but Wednesday wasn't paying attention to that but to the near primal look that had come over Enid's face.

Wednesday wondered that if they hadn't dealt with recognising Enid's triggers would she have mounted the table and planted her face into the pile of meat? Fought everyone off for trying to take their share? As it was her hands were white knuckled as she held onto her knife and fork, eyes wide and breathing heavy.

“Guests first of course” He gestured to the platter.

Enid took a single cut of the steak, with a polite but tense “Thank you”

“Take as much as you need Enid” Wednesday softly cut across, knowing all too well how much she was trying to impress but Addam's were rarely impressed by restraint. Enid still looked shy but at her families encouraging looks took several more large pieces until half her plate was stacked with meat and by the time everyone else had claimed their desired fill she had the original steak a third devoured.

“Ah, to come between a werewolf and a meal would take a brave man wouldn't it my dear?” Her Fathers eyes flicked between Wednesday's and Enid's loaded plates as he belted out a jovial laugh, easing the worry that flashed over Enid's face.

“A reckless fool yes, but what a sight it would be” She breathed out in return, taking her own meal at a much more sedate pace.

Maybe it took recognising a little of the frenzy that Enid was attacking her food with before tempering off but her parents were mercifully silent for a couple of minutes before the questions began.

“I cannot help but confess to being curious about how this relationship blossomed” She glanced at her Mother but gave no answer, Enid could tell the story she wanted.

“Oh well, I guess at Rotwood's grave” Enid paused her feasting “To swap back into our own bodies we had to be open and honest with each other” Enid's gaze steadily met her own across the table, warmth stirring in her chest at the care shining out of those blue eyes “That honesty kind of never stopped, especially when I had to start staying in the Lupin Cages every night, Wednesday didn't want me to go through that alone”

“I'm delighted to hear of the devotion you bring out in my darling daughter, but why are you staying in the cages so much dear?” Enid's glance flicked to Wednesday who lowered her loaded fork to regard her.

“I did not have your permission to share that information” She wouldn't betray Enid's trust like that.

“It's okay, I don't mind... we recently found out that I'm an Alpha” Enid quietly admitted. It suddenly struck her that it was actually the first time Enid had told anyone that, with Capri figuring it out and Wednesday and Agnes finding out by themselves, she hadn't even told her closest friends yet.

“An Alpha! A dangerous and violent beast!” Her Fathers excitement was genuine and not meant to insult but Enid wasn't an Addam's, she lived in sunlight and soft pastels, not in darkness and blood.

“Father!” Her voice cracked across the room like a whip. Her hand itched for a dagger to remind him of his manners.

“It's okay Ness, gotta accept it all right?” Her voice was low but sure “We're still getting used to things. Miss Capri and Wednesday are helping me figure things out so it's safe for me to transform on the full moon”

“Ah yes, I've heard about that” The concern bled from her Mothers eyes.

“Heard about what?” Pugsley seemed lost in the conversation.

“If an untrained Alpha transforms on a full moon there is a chance they might get stuck in their transformed state” Enid's head hung a little low, her mouth a little too tight.

“Which is not going to happen” Wednesday firmly assured, piercing Enid's grateful eyes with her own. She cursed her ego and whatever stupid sense of propriety had her on the other side of the table instead of dragging her chair to sit side by side and close with her love.

Curses, she really was turning into her Father.

---

They had stayed for another hour or so, moving on from the heavy mood that had settled over the table with her Fathers excitedly delivered stories of his time at the school, before having to return to Nevermore. While they weren't training tonight but still had to get to the cages by 9pm as per Capri's orders.

“Look Ness, I've got a food baby!” She paused in her trek back to the dorm to and looked over to see Enid lifting the hem of her shirt slightly to show that her stomach was indeed slightly distended and she was rubbing a hand over it in slight awe. Unsurprising given Enid being granted freedom to truly eat till she was full.

Lowering her top Enid captured her hand with a grin, happily swinging their arms.

What a stupidly endearing girl her heart had chosen.

Chapter Text

A week after their family meal and with several voices, even if Thing couldn't actually talk, not letting up Wednesday had reluctantly given in and called her Mother to arrange to meet her in the Lupin Cages on Sunday morning.

She had left the dorm early so she would have time to drag her feet but still arrive early for their meeting, making her way to the cage at the far end that they had all but fixed a nameplate to at this point and took a seat in one of the two high backed leather chairs she had bought into the room.

Minutes later her Mothers soft footfalls echoed their way down the corridors until she was stepping through the cage door.

“Wednesday” She willed herself to relax, forced her heart rate to slow.

“Mother”

“Well you've made quite the cosy little abode haven't you? Is this what you wanted to show me?” She ran a finger over the end of the wooden framed bed they had installed into the room.

“No” She replied simply “If you could shut the door and join me” She gestured to the empty chair next to her.

Her Mothers eyes narrowed in thought at the request before complying with an unsure smile, the mildly enchanted door automatically locking behind them. Though she knew that it would take either of them more than twenty seconds to free themselves if they wanted to.

“Well this is all very dramatic my dear” It wasn't for drama. It was a necessity to be here like she had told Enid those weeks ago.

They sat in a patient silence for a minute as Wednesday gathered herself. This meeting wasn't something that she was at all looking forward to but if she was spending her time helping Enid to unburden herself of all of the things that were holding her back could she offer any less in return?

“For the last fortnight Weem's has tended to show herself once a day to either make a comment about the school or to remind me that I have yet to fix the issues that I have been having with my powers and now even Enid is getting incessant about it as well” She had specifically used the phrase 'stop hiding behind my Alpha issues' to really rub salt into the wound as she shined a spotlight on Wednesday's cowardice.

“Which is why you have locked us in a cage?”

“If the urge to leave” Leave, not flee “Arises then I would have to feel your judgement on my neck as I worked to free myself. It is a useful motivator” She laughed at Wednesday's 'confession' and settled back in her chair, ceding the floor.

“I take pride in my independence, some might say I fight to hold onto it to a fault” As much as she might try to act like she didn't have them she was fully aware of her faults, it just wasn't so easy to change behaviours. But with Enid's help she was working on it.

Slowly.

A few weeks ago she had described her situation to Enid as being akin to a hosepipe with holes in it and since she had been smugly elucidated on both the cause and the fix to her psychic block she couldn't help but let her mind wander in quiet moments to how those holes were made in the first place, which ones she was responsible for and which were her Mother.

“So given both of our stubborn natures, and I will not deny that I am probably the more stubborn one of us, that when you try to guide it feels like control and my first impulse nearly always becomes to fight against it, to take the more difficult path if only out of misguided spite” There was no point in this meeting if she was anything less than honest, even if it meant cracking open her chest and spilling out what she had buried inside.

“I see. I do hope you know that I have only ever wanted the best for you, to be there for you in a way that my mother never was for me” Hester Frump certainly could never be called the warmest Mother, glacial was a fairer term. Wednesday felt that even more now that she found out about her Mothers secret literary career and why she had hidden it for so long.

“You have been. You have taught me well” Her knowledge of Botany and Alchemy largely came from her “Provided the best instructors for language and combat. Prepared me as best as you could to be the strongest and most versatile version of myself” And while she might not have ever verbalised it she did truly appreciate the life and opportunities that her family had provided, that she was allowed to explore whatever passion ignited in her without ever seeking to stifle it out or tell her that it was wrong for an eight your old to learn surgical skills or for a six year old to learn how to wield a sword.

“But then it seems like you have let yourself be guided by the mistakes you yourself made during your tenure at Nevermore, that instead of believing in my abilities it feels like you would rather that I never got an opportunity to put what I have learned into practise and simply never made any mistakes in the first place rather than trusting that you have given me the skills to get out of them”

She was silent for a pause as she thought over Wednesday's words “The deaths of Garrett and Isaac have periodically haunted me in the quiet hours” She softly admitted, a slight distance in her gaze. Their accidental deaths, dealt with as they did, had clearly never been buried right in her Mothers heart.

“But I never want you to feel that I don't trust you” Her mothers hand visibly itched to reach out “I just didn't want you to get to my age and find yourself filled with regrets” An understandable worry for any parent she supposed, likely exacerbated by the nature of her regrets.

“It has sometimes felt that way yet other times I have actively given you no reason to trust me, again, the spiteful path”

Had she lost Enid to the beast within or worse, if she hadn't stopped the Night's and her premonition had come true, she knew that she would have never forgiven herself. Had her Mother been living with similar thoughts all these years?

She felt a small pang of regret to have never noticed the burden her Mother had been carrying, or maybe she just ignored it, too focused on herself.

What she had wanted was room to grow and flourish outside of her parents ever present shade and had took to ignoring just how entwined their roots were under the surface as she tried to pull away.

Had thought that having space meant keeping distance rather than accepting an orbit.

Never shared how she was feeling even when it wouldn't have hurt.

“I am an ungrateful daughter” Wednesday muttered before anything else could be said “I spent years considering your caring embrace as a hangman's noose” Until Enid she'd thought that surrendering to love meant capitulating her own strength “So I never showed my appreciation, took what you gave as a given rather than a gift”

“It's both, dear daughter, always”

---

The walk back to the dorm had been circuitous and taken at a leisurely pace as she took the time to properly absorb everything that they had spoken about. For an hour every fault or fear her Mother had admitted to Wednesday offered up one in return, dredging up long smothered thoughts and feelings and constantly fighting the urge to go for the door.

What they had managed today wasn't a fix, it was never going to be, it was the first stitch in a suture so that the open wound could finally begin to heal.

They'd left with a very awkward hug and tentative plans that for as long as her parents lived in Rotwood cottage that they would make an hour a week to have a Mother/Daughter meal, one where truths weren't something to guard or hide.

“Hey Ness” Enid span around in desk chair as she entered the room “Oh, that's a new look” Enid was getting entirely too good at reading her.

“It is the look of someone who has undergone emotional surgery and is still coming down off the anaesthetic, it is not a look you will see often” She sat back onto her now rarely used bed, Enid bouncing over the room to join her seconds later.

“You okay?”

“You were right, she did not run” She'd thought a lot about what Enid had said to her that night at Rotwood's grave “It was... cathartic” Part of her was tempted to attempt channelling a vision to see if anything had changed but that was what caused her problem in the first place so she resisted, allowing Enid's presence to ground her instead.

---

That evening Enid had decided it was her turn for maternal reconciliation, taking a phone call with her Mother out on their balcony while Wednesday watched from her bed after Enid extracted a promise from her to not use her enhanced senses to listen in.

With Wednesday's support she'd already gone through a tearful conversation with all of her closest friends in their dorm a couple of days before but she had wanted to do this call alone.

For ten minutes all Wednesday could see through the window was Enid pacing, passionately gesturing, smiling... crying.

She rose off the bed when she saw the tears. Esther Sinclair was swiftly about to find out why you didn't hurt what Wednesday Addam's loved.

But as a dozen different forms of revenge flashed through her mind Enid saw her, no doubt recognising her anger and raised a hand up to stop her.

Now that they were properly facing each other she could see the honest smile stretched across her face as she mouthed 'happy tears' through the glass and gestured Wednesday to return to her bed which she reluctantly did, pushing down on her legs to keep herself pinned to the bed lest she start impatiently pacing herself.

Happy tears. What a moronic concept.

Enid kept her waiting another mildly tortuous ten minutes before climbing back into the room through the window and tossing her phone onto her mattress, running her hands over her face to rub away the exhaustion.

Wednesday would not admit to fretting but she was stood near in... anticipation for when Enid again opened her eyes. A half second later Enid was crashing into her, arms pulling tight, nose buried into shoulder, body sagging in relief. From Wednesday's mirrored position she could feel that same tension bleeding away from her, with the scent of her chosen one filling every breath it was no wonder Enid, or really any wolf, were such tactile beings.

“Are you okay Enid?”

“I think I will be” They took a seat on Enid's bed “It went better than I expected, she said she was proud of me and that I'd always be part of the Sinclair family but we've decided...” She trailed off, melancholic.

“That you are leaving the pack” Wednesday finished for her, Enid just nodded, unable to say it herself even if she had agreed with it.

They had both known it going into the call that it was going to happen, the only unknown being her mothers reaction. A pack could only have one leader and since an Alpha would never bow she was left with only two choices; break off and form her own pack or be compelled to challenge for leadership of the Sinclair pack, a course of action that meant a no holds barred fight against her own mother, and exile for the loser.

There was no way Enid would have chosen the latter option.

“Werewolf law is stupid” Summed up Wednesday's thoughts quite well.

“Yeah, well, welcome to the club” Enid laughed settling herself against Wednesday's side “And look at that, you didn't even have to defend my honour or whatever you were gearing up to do”

“I do not defend. I attack”

“Oh well that makes all the difference then”

---

Enid held on tight around her waist as she deftly navigated her ATV between the trees of the unfamiliar woods, just over eight miles North East from the woods where the Nevermore pack would soon be frolicking the full moon away. The three of them had agreed given Enid's impending first Alpha transformation, Wednesday's first transformation period and their plan to let their wolves establish their pack of two undisturbed that they would lay claim to the distant woods.

It had been a couple of weeks since she had locked herself up with her Mother and since then had; a couple of afternoon teas, spent time with and trained Agnes, improved Enid's grades through Wednesday's tutoring and worked with Capri to get to the point that other people could eat in front of a hungry Enid without even the barest hint of a growl and when Wednesday bled she didn't get a rage filled beast on the prowl but a concerned girlfriend hovering.

She'd even been able to grow her wolf ears and tail, happily gasping over how 'adorbs' they looked.

She eased the ATV to a stop under a small wooden shelter she had sent Lurch out to construct earlier that week and released herself from Enid's white knuckle grip.

“Enid you are about to transform into a four hundred pound apex predator, is my driving really that scary?” Wednesday deadpanned as Enid got off with shaky legs.

“You drive too fast!” Enid whined, stretching out tense muscles.

“I could drive faster” She'd been twenty under the bikes top speed.

“Don't you dare” Enid glared. Wednesday smirked.

A quick check of her watch showed fifteen minutes until moonrise so they stripped off ready using the privacy of a nearby tree between them and leaving them both clad in just a loose robe and disposable shoes, before storing their clothes in the ATV's saddlebags.

They found a fallen tree to sit on while they waited for the last few minutes to tick by.

“I feel nervous, do I look nervous?” She did, despite the cold she had a light sheen of sweat and her hands were tapping a restless rhythm against her thighs.

“Yes” Enid groaned at her simple response, not at all what she was looking for “Needy wolf” she sighed and dropped off the log to stand in front of her, taking her hands into her own “We have been preparing all month for this Enid, you are ready for this”

Enid's fingers nervously played over Wednesday's hands “I know that like, in my head, but it seems like my heart hasn't got the memo”

“I am going to be with you the entire night Enid, every step of the way” Every night, that was her pledge, an adamantine promise. She released one of her hands from Enid's and raised it to her cheek “I love you Enid” Enid gasped at the admission.

“That's the first time you've said that” Her eyes were quickly misting up as a beauteous smile spread across her face.

“Certainly not the first time I have felt it” Enid quickly pulled her forward, claiming her lips in a searing kiss.

“I love you too” A statement Enid repeatedly made every time their lips parted.

They soon broke apart with a gasp, the moon's illumination pouring through the tops of the trees.

She gave one last look to Enid before letting the glow suffuse her and as the transformation took over she savoured every cracking bone and torn muscle as it bought her further into Enid's world, a world for them to share.

As the transformation ended and heavy paws fell onto the forest floor she ignored the flood of sights, smells and sounds that lay their assault on her senses and instead looked to Enid who was taking a few slow steps towards Wednesday before remembering their promise.

Three weighty slaps of her paw against the ground echoed out, a sign she was still in control.

Wednesday let out the warm breath that she had been holding and moved to meet her, fur brushing against fur and scents mixing, a scent they would never let fade.

That was a promise of a lifetime.