Chapter Text
Chapter 1
It is night. The moon is full, heavy rain pours down, and the air is bitterly cold.
It is mid-October.
Massive wolf paw prints sink deep into the soaked earth. Then, gradually, those prints shift into human footprints.
Enid has turned back into her human form. Her hair is drenched, her body covered in mud.
She slips into the house without making a sound. It is four in the morning. She heads straight to the bathroom and steps under the hot spray of the shower. Her muscles slowly relax.
After a long moment, she steps out, dries herself quickly, and pulls on her pajamas. Still silent, she makes her way to the bedroom she has shared with Wednesday for three years.
Wednesday is sleeping peacefully on her back, arms crossed over her chest. Enid cannot help but smile. She feels like she falls a little more in love with her every single day.
She slides under the covers and curls up against her. Instinctively, Wednesday opens her arms to welcome her in. Enid buries her face in her neck and breathes in her scent. The comfort is immediate, and she falls asleep.
***
A few hours later, Enid wakes up alone in bed.
She grabs Wednesday’s pillow and hugs it tightly, hoping it will help her fall back asleep—but it doesn’t.
So she gets up and joins Wednesday in the kitchen, where she is preparing breakfast. Enid wraps her arms around her from behind and presses a kiss to her neck.
“I don’t like waking up alone after a full moon night,” Enid murmurs.
Wednesday turns around and pulls Enid into her arms.
“A delivery came earlier,” she explains.
“A delivery?” Enid asks, surprised.
“It’s for you. I left it in the living room.”
Enid pulls away—after stealing a quick kiss—and heads into the living room, where a large envelope rests on the coffee table.
She sits on the couch and opens it. Inside is a file from a center for outcasts she has been collaborating with for several months. This is the first time they’ve sent her an actual file; usually, everything is handled by phone.
She flips through it. It concerns a nineteen-year-old young man who transmuted late; rejected by his pack, who believed him to be a lone wolf. He arrived at the center two weeks ago and is showing signs of being a potential Alpha. His name is Silas Anderson.
Wednesday joins Enid in the living room, bringing her a steaming cup of tea before sitting beside her.
“What is it?” she asks.
“A potential Alpha’s file. I’ll need to go to the center to call them. It was the full moon last night—he might still be stuck in his wolf form. And if that’s the case, transportation becomes very different.”
A faint, proud smile touches Wednesday’s lips. She rises, takes the file from Enid’s hands to place it on the couch, and takes her hand.
“Breakfast is ready.”
Enid smiles and follows her without another word.
***
Enid arrives at the center and heads to her office, which perfectly reflects her personality: colorful, filled with seemingly insignificant objects that hold deep sentimental value.
On her desk, prominently displayed, are two photographs: one of her and Wednesday, wrapped in each other’s arms, in love; and another of Wednesday alone, dark-eyed, unmistakably herself.
Enid sits down and, after one last glance at her partner’s photo, opens the file and dials the number listed inside. It belongs to the person who admitted Silas. A young male voice answers—nervous, clearly a new employee, visibly overwhelmed.
They speak for several minutes, long enough to gather initial information and prepare for the intake.
The door opens. Wednesday enters silently, listening closely to Enid’s side of the conversation.
“Everything will be ready for Silas’s arrival,” Enid says before hanging up.
She turns to Wednesday, who is watching her with a suspicious, analytical gaze.
“What?”
“I don’t trust this newcomer,” Wednesday admits bluntly.
“You’ve never even seen him and you already distrust him?” Enid laughs.
“I don’t need to. Something about this is suspicious.”
“How?”
Wednesday crosses her arms over her chest, serious.
“Enid… you have never received a file without a prior phone call. Not once. Not since you opened this center.”
Enid sighs. She stands, walks around her desk, and approaches Wednesday.
“I know,” she admits. “But the contact was new. Maybe he doesn’t know the exact procedure yet.”
Wednesday doesn’t answer. She doesn’t believe it. A quiet unease settles in her chest.
Enid slides her arms around Wednesday’s waist and pulls her closer.
“You know I love it when you come to visit me.”
Wednesday doesn’t respond. She simply kisses Enid—a soft, tender, reassuring kiss.
“And when does your new protégé arrive?” she asks, her face buried in Enid’s neck.
“Tomorrow evening.”
Wednesday holds her a little tighter.
A tender gesture… laced with quiet concern.
***
The next day, late afternoon, Enid finishes preparing Silas’s welcome space.
Like every new arrival, he will have access to a reinforced cage for critical moments, a private room, and shared access to the kitchen and lounge.
Enid briefly returns to her office to grab the file, then steps outside to wait.
Wednesday is already there, standing perfectly straight, arms crossed.
Enid approaches her with a smile.
“You know you don’t have to be here for every new arrival,” she teases.
“I’m offering my support.”
Touched, Enid presses a quick kiss to her partner’s cheek.
They chat idly while waiting.
A few minutes later, a taxi pulls into the driveway. A tall, muscular young man with short brown hair and green eyes steps out and approaches them.
“Hello,” he says hesitantly.
“Hello, Silas. I’m Enid, and this is Wednesday,” Enid introduces. “Did they explain a bit about what I offer here?”
“A little. You’re an Alpha, right?”
Wednesday remains silent, slightly behind. Something doesn’t add up—but she can’t pinpoint what.
“That’s right,” Enid confirms. “I created this center to help wolves who were rejected for being Alphas. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Enid leads the way, Silas following. Wednesday brings up the rear.
“The center has been open for almost three years,” Enid explains. “I don’t promise success, but no matter what happens, I won’t abandon you. I help you integrate into society as an Alpha, learn to control that side of yourself. And if it fails, I’ll find you somewhere safe.”
She opens the door to his room. It is simple: a bed, a table, a chair, a wardrobe.
“This is your private space. You can arrange it however you like. It has to feel like home.”
“How many have passed through here? And how many did you save?” Silas asks, dropping his bag on the bed.
“Six. Only one didn’t succeed. He’s somewhere safe in northern Canada. Maybe one day he’ll return to human form… We still have very little information about Alphas.”
Silas turns to Wednesday, who is still silent.
“And her? What’s her role? She’s not a wolf.”
“She’s my partner,” Enid answers proudly.
“A human partner?” Silas asks, surprised.
“You assume Alphas are doomed to end up alone,” Wednesday says coldly.
“No—well, I don’t know,” Silas stammers.
“That’s misinformation. Alphas are not destined for solitude,” Wednesday continues.
“That’s exactly what we’re going to work on together,” Enid adds.
Wednesday glances at her watch. Her writing hour is approaching. She takes Enid’s hand and pulls her slightly aside.
“I’m going to work on my new novel. Be careful.”
“Always.”
They exchange a chaste kiss.
“I’ll see you for dinner,” Enid adds.
Wednesday nods and leaves the center, uneasy.
Enid continues the tour with Silas. He tells her about his background, the first signs of his Alpha nature, the pack that rejected him…
“You’re in the hardest phase,” Enid explains. “You’re asking yourself a thousand questions, you’re afraid of what’s coming. And your biggest fear is getting stuck in your wolf form.”
Silas lowers his eyes.
“I went through that,” Enid says. “But nothing is irreversible. You just have to find your anchor.”
“How do you know?”
“I was stuck in my wolf form for several weeks, four years ago.”
“How did you come back?”
“Wednesday,” Enid replies simply. “She tracked me down for weeks. I wasn’t alone… and at the time, I didn’t even know she was my partner yet.”
Silas nods slowly.
“You can come back—as long as you have an anchor. Mine is my partner. For you, it will be something else. It’s loneliness that traps the wolf.”
Enid checks the time on her phone.
“Is that your partner?” Silas asks, assuming she received a message.
“No. Wednesday doesn’t have a cellphone,” Enid answers with a smile.
She puts her phone away.
“It’s getting late. Tomorrow morning, we’ll start working together. We’ll dig around in your head a little,” she laughs. “For now, get some rest. There’s food in the kitchen.”
“Thank you, Enid.”
“Thank me when your Alpha is under control.”
Enid turns on her heel and hurries home—eager to find the scent of her partner again.