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Chapter Text

Wednesday pushed open the door to the Hummer’s shed, finding Eugene inside. “Hello, Eugene,” she greeted quietly, glancing around.

“Hi, Wednesday!” he answered enthusiastically, moving over to make room for her, “You can sit with me, I don’t mind.”

She nodded once. “I apologize for my absence the past few days.”

“Don’t sweat it! There’s a rumor going around that you fought someone? I bet you totally kicked their ass!” he said, shoving some toast in his mouth.

“Yes, I…fought Esther,” she whispered, sitting across from him, “I wiped the proverbial floor with her. And on Monday I had…several visions. I am still not fully recovered, but I am at an acceptable point to resume my routine.”

“So it went well with Enid? Or do you not want to talk about it?” he asked.

“It…did,” she confirmed with a nod, “We have…a lot to talk about still, but…we are on the same page.”

“Are you gonna ask her to the dance?”

“I…am planning to. There are some logistics I have to work out, and I may require your…assistance, if it is not too uncomfortable for you,” she whispered.

“Hummers stick together,” he assured with a smile, “I kinda had a feeling she was your mate when she ran off to help you when I called her. And then you let her hug you. I had the whole break to grapple with that stuff.”

Wednesday furrowed her brow. “You are an adequate coconspirator, Eugene. I came here to invite you to join us for meals. I should have done so earlier. You are welcome whenever you wish.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I mean, I’m not cool like everyone else,” he whispered.

“They were all in agreement that you are a suitable companion. And…you are my friend,” she whispered back.

“Okay,” he sighed, “I’ll give it a shot at lunch and see how I feel about it. Is it true Enid threatened to rip Xavier’s throat out?”

Wednesday smirked. “It is true. He has not been leaving me alone, despite my numerous requests. She is very protective of my wellbeing.”

“I noticed something yesterday. I was scoping out spots to gather specimens when spring comes, and I saw him walking to his art shed. He didn’t see me, but I saw him. He was muttering to himself, I didn’t catch what he said, I was too far away,” he said.

“Do you remember specifically when?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

He shrugged. “Um, in the morning. I remember thinking he should’ve been in class, so he must’ve skipped. It was definitely before lunch.”

“Interesting,” she mumbled, mostly to herself, “I wonder if Enid sensed him without realizing. It would explain the sudden change in her demeanor.”

“What happened yesterday?” Eugene asked.

Wednesday looked up at him. “There was a…moment between us where her wolf side was very much in control. I did not realize that part of the woods was close to Xavier’s art shed.”

“Did she bite you?” he asked, abandoning his breakfast.

“I…stopped her,” she answered, her brow twitching, “We have not yet had the opportunity to properly speak about it. I did not want her to feel guilty about not being in control when it happened.”

“That’s really considerate of you, Wednesday,” he whispered, “Was it hard to stop her?”

“She did not resist my request,” she said.

He shook his head. “I meant, like, was it something you wanted her to do?”

She nodded her head once. “I…did. If she were in control, I would not have asked her to stop.”

“So you think she, like, got a little wolfy cuz of Xavier?” he asked.

“He brings out a very primal side of her. I should tell her, she has been a little stressed about it,” she pushed herself to her feet, brushing off her uniform, “Thank you, Eugene. I will see you at lunch if you decide to sit with the others.”

“Bye, Wednesday, see you at lunch!” he promised, waving at her with a smile.

She nodded, striding across the grounds and back to the quad. Enid was sitting at the usual table with Yoko, Bianca, and Divina, the four of them chatting idly.

“Wends!” the werewolf greeted loudly, almost falling off her seat to make room.

“I have to tell you something,” she mumbled with a frown, standing stiffly.

Enid untangled herself from the bench, looking at her with concern. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? Are you okay?”

“I am fine,” she whispered, pushing air out of her nose, “I do not wish to tell you here.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back, you guys,” she said over her shoulder, grabbing Wednesday by the arm and pulling her into a secluded and shady spot, “What’s up?”

“I spoke to Eugene-” she started.

“Oh! Does he not wanna sit with us or something?” she said, cutting her off.

“ Enid ,” she said, looking up at her pleadingly. Her mouth snapped shut and the psychic continued, “I was talking to Eugene, and he said he saw Xavier going to his art shed yesterday morning when he should have been in class. I think you sensed him when we were in the woods and your wolf took over because he has proven to be a threat. I…did not realize we were close enough, and it did not cross my mind as a possibility. I…am sorry.”

“Okay, that actually makes sense, and kind of makes me feel better?” she responded, scratching the back of her head, “But, like, I don’t know how to tell if I smelled him or heard him or whatever. And I don’t really want to lose control like that in class or something.”

“Yesterday was…a more intense response because of my state. Now that I am recovered it should be more manageable for you to control,” she mumbled.

“Wends, I don’t want to lose my shit in front of so many people,” she quietly cried.

The psychic reached up, cupping her face. “I am not certain what solutions I can offer that you will deem acceptable.”

“But there are solutions? We don’t have any classes together today, you won’t be there if something happens. And I know you have classes with Xavier, what if he tries something while I’m not there?” Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, and Wednesday wiped them away.

“I am not certain how much more public embarrassment he can withstand, but I will not hesitate to make him look like a fool. Bianca will be in both classes I share with him, she will have my back. And you have several with Yoko, she will have yours,” she whispered, “You can text me if anything starts to happen, but wearing one of my hoodies should be enough to help. And…you may not like this suggestion, Enid, but it will be effective.”

She frowned. “What is it?”

Wednesday opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “You can…display your…claim…without biting me on my neck. It…will signal to other werewolves at the school, and I believe that many of them would come to my aid if something were to happen, even if they don’t understand why. You…started a howl on the last full moon, that means they recognize your strength and authority, even if they do not know it was you. Their wolves will know, and will push them to show their suitability as allies.”

“Oh my god,” she groaned, slumping a little as she closed her eyes.

“You do not have to, I know it is a lot. It…is an option,” she mumbled.

“I can’t believe I’m actually considering this,” she muttered, shaking her head.

Wednesday ran her thumb along her cheekbone. “The decision is yours, Enid. However you want to handle this, I support you.”

“You’re seriously okay with that? You’re so private, Wends,” she whispered, opening her eyes.

“I am not ashamed of you,” the psychic assured.

She let out a little laugh. “I don’t think that at all. But I know it’s important that you keep a lot of things to yourself.”

“Enid, I do not care if people know. Besides, I am certain the majority of our peers already suspect it, aside from a select few.”

“Xavier,” she whispered with a laugh.

Wednesday nodded. “Do you wish to think about it?”

“No, I’ll do it. Where should I, um, bite you?” she answered quietly.

“Make it clear. I trust your wolf to choose a suitable spot,” the psychic whispered, stroking her cheek.

Enid took a deep breath, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. “Okay, I got this, totally not stressful.”

Wednesday leaned up, pressing her lips softly against the corner of her mouth. “Calmate.” 

The werewolf sighed, her shoulders loosening. She pulled her closer, nuzzling her cheek and nipping it experimentally. Wednesday sucked in a breath, her hands sliding into blonde hair. 

“Is that spot okay?” she whispered, her voice shaky.

“Perfect,” she assured.

Enid poised her teeth, reassured by the steady grip on her hair. She squeezed her eyes closed as she bit down, her fangs gliding through Wednesday’s flesh. Blood immediately sprang to the surface, filling her mouth with the taste of iron. 

She pulled back, whispering, “Okay?”

The psychic sported a small smile, pulling her back in and kissing the blood off her lips. “Yes.”

“I kinda can’t believe I just did that,” she mumbled.

“If he bothers me now, he truly is stupid,” Wednesday whispered, bumping their foreheads together, “I apologize for pulling you away from your friends.”

“Don’t be sorry, I’m kinda glad there was, like, I reason I went berserk yesterday. Thank you for telling me,” Enid said, returning the gesture, “Guess we should get going.”

“I will grab one of my hoodies for you and then join you,” she promised.

The werewolf nodded. “Thank you, Wends.”

“You are welcome, lobita,” she whispered, taking a step back so she didn’t pull Enid with her, “I will be right back.”

She nodded again, watching Wednesday melt into the shadows before returning to her table. “Sorry, guys.”

“All good?” Yoko asked, leaning her head on her shoulder once she sat down.

“Yeah, it was about something that happened yesterday,” she answered.

“That’s not vague at all,” Bianca teased.

“Something that has to do with Xavier,” Enid clarified.

Yoko nodded knowingly. “Did you go apeshit on him? You could’ve called, I would’ve skipped class to watch.”

“No, I didn’t, but I kinda went all wolf brain yesterday and Wednesday said she thinks it’s cuz he got too close while she was recovering,” she explained.

“Dude,” Bianca breathed as Wednesday approached, “Did you bite her?”

Yoko whipped around to look, nearly falling off the bench. “Oh my god, you did .”

Wednesday didn’t say anything, holding her hoodie out to Enid and sitting on her other side.

“I feel like I’m missing important information,” Divina whispered to Bianca.

“You aren’t the only one,” she whispered back.

“So, uh, Wednesday,” Yoko said as nonchalantly as she could, “How’s it going?”

“Small talk is pointless, just ask your question,” she answered.

“Why did Enid bite you?” Bianca asked.

She sighed dramatically. “Xavier has refused to acknowledge that I am not interested. Enid’s bite on my face signifies that I am not available for romantic pursual. Obviously.”

“Right, just checking,” she whispered.

“Obviously,” Yoko teased the siren in a whisper.

“So you think he’ll leave you alone?” Divina asked.

Wednesday shrugged. “The message is very clear.”

“Well, we’ll find out just how clear it is to him,” Bianca said.

“It will be fine,” the psychic assured.

“You sound confident,” Yoko said.

She shrugged again. “I will make it clear by any means necessary. Violence is not off the table.”

The first half of the day went smoothly. No one commented on Wednesday’s bite mark, and Bianca made sure to sit next to the psychic so Xavier couldn’t. The beginning of lunch was a relaxing affair, and true to his word, Eugene made an appearance.

“Yo, Bee boy! Glad you joined us,” Yoko greeted with a smile, leaning her head on her hands.

“Oh, really? So you guys actually are okay if I sit here?” he asked, sliding in next to Bianca when she moved over.

“Dude, you kicked Thornhill’s ass,” the siren said.

“Well, Hummers stick together,” he said, glancing over at Wednesday, who nodded.

“Consider us Hummers, then, dude,” Yoko said, chewing on her straw, “If you need help around the hives, just let us know.”

He smiled broadly. “Seriously? There’s not much happening right now because the bees are still hibernating, but when spring rolls around it’ll be super busy. It would be awesome to have more help harvesting.”

“I firmly stand by my no bees policy, but I can totally boost your honey on social media and stuff,” Enid said, her arm linked with Wednesday’s.

“That would be awesome!”

“You better get more beekeeping suits,” Bianca said.

“I will!” he promised, his smile growing.

Wednesday leaned her chin on her head, entertaining herself with the behavior of the other furs. They had given her a wide berth all day, moreso than usual. Even now, they refused to sit at their usual table right next to the group’s, choosing a spot on the opposite side of the quad. It confirmed her suspicions that they recognized Enid’s authority, their wolves driving them to comply. They were trying to stay on her good side.

“Don’t look now, but did someone order lanky, greasy, and stupid?” Bianca mumbled, directing her gaze down at the table.

“Ohmygod, this is going to be incredible,” Yoko breathed with a smile.

Enid bristled, hiding her lengthening claws under the table and hoping her teeth weren’t too obvious. The only thing that kept her steady was Wednesday’s hand on her wrist, cold and calming. It was fine, everything was fine.

“Hey, Wednesday,” he greeted with a half-hearted wave, “I missed you yesterday. Did you get in a fight?”

“No,” she responded in a clipped monotone, raising a brow up at him.

He lifted his hand, pointing to his cheek. “Looks like you did.”

“This was not acquired in a fight,” she said levelly.

“This is going well,” Yoko whispered. Bianca nodded, not taking her eyes off the interaction.

He shuffled his feet. “So you, uh, you let someone do that?”

She nodded.

He squirmed under her unrelenting gaze. “Who?”

Wednesday squeezed her wrist reassuringly. “Enid.”

His face darkened. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack,” she replied without missing a beat.

Enid felt every fiber of her restraint fraying, held in place only by her mate.

“Kick his ass, Wednesday,” Yoko whispered quietly.

“Don’t do it, Xavier,” Bianca whispered, shaking her head subtly.

“Is this just some ploy to get me to leave you alone? There’s no way you’d let her do that,” he said, shaking his head and shoving his hands in his pockets.

A hush fell over the quad as Wednesday stood up slowly, glaring at him. “Say that again,” she instructed menacingly.

He clenched his jaw, mustering up the courage to repeat, “I said there’s no way you’d let her do that.”

“I would. And I did,” she whispered, but her voice carried through the quad.

“Walk away Xavier,” Enid growled, standing firmly behind her.

He scowled at her. “Put a muzzle on your dog , We-”

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence. Wednesday grabbed him by the collar, tugging sharply to pull him down and slamming her head into his nose. It broke with a crack and he groaned, reaching up. Immediately after, she drove her knee into his diaphragm, feeling his floating ribs fracture from the impact.

She didn’t stop there, grabbing one of his arms and twisting it behind his back, pushing him against the table, right into Eugene’s remaining food. “Say anything like that again and I promise that you will not live to insult my mate again. This will be your one and only warning.” She brandished her favorite knife, driving it into the table right next to his eye. “I have no more patience for you and I do not care about the consequences of killing you. Nod if you understand.”

He squirmed, trying to throw her off, but she held firm.

She twisted his arm further, baring her teeth at him. “Do not make me repeat myself.”

He nodded frantically, sputtering into Eugene’s potatoes.

“Good,” she whispered, twisting his arm the rest of the way, dislocating his shoulder with a satisfying pop .

He cried out, his whole body trembling.

Enid watched the whole thing, unable to get her brain to do anything. Wednesday was so strong. So protective. She wasn’t about to stop her, even the part of her that hated conflict and violence knew he deserved this. And she definitely wasn’t about to get between them right now. Not that Wednesday would ever hurt her , but she knew how her instincts worked. If she didn’t get this violence out of her system, she would struggle more than she needed to. Besides, her wolf really liked to watch Wednesday beat the shit out of people.

“Addams!” someone shouted, and they all turned to look at the source.

Wednesday let go of Xavier with a shove. She glared in Principal Bray’s direction, pulling her knife out of the table without looking.

“My office, now!” he shouted, pointing down one of the hallways.

“Enid, please call Dr. Hill,” she said, handing the werewolf her phone and following his instructions.

“Shit, we better go with her and help explain,” Yoko said, standing up and grabbing Bianca and Eugene by the shirt.

They stood up, giving Xavier a wide berth as he slumped to the ground clutching his shoulder. 

“Come on, eenie meenie,” the vampire whispered, lightly tugging her sleeve.

She nodded, tapping on the screen and holding the phone up to her ear as Yoko led her.

“Hello?”

“Dr. Hill, it’s Enid. Could you come to the school? Something…happened,” she said.

“I’ll be right there. Can you tell me anything?”

“Umm,” she glanced back at Xavier, “Wednesday broke Xavier’s nose, possibly his ribs, and dislocated his shoulder. He had it coming, but Principal Bray isn’t happy with her. She asked me to call you.”

“Okay,” keys jingled in the background, “I’m on my way, Enid, just hang tight.”

“Please don’t let her get expelled,” she whispered, gripping Yoko’s arm.

The therapist’s car roared to life. “I’ll do my best. Do you have someone with you or do you need me to stay on the phone?”

“M-my friends are with me,” she answered.

“Give me five minutes, Enid,” the therapist said before ending the call.

Wednesday sat stoically in Principal Bray’s office, not answering any of his questions. He paced erratically around the room, which was filled with plants, shouting at her. It was nothing like Weems had been. Even at her angriest, she had been more composed. It was easier to respect her. And if Weems had been the one questioning her, she might have answered. But she didn’t feel the need to explain herself to this man, who was short and round and average in every way.

He stopped mid-tirade when the door to his office burst open to reveal Yoko, Bianca, Eugene, and Enid.

“Okay, I know what she did might seem extreme,” Yoko started.

“Extreme, Miss Tanaka?” he interrupted, “Extreme is an understatement!”

“Xavier has been-” Bianca tried.

“Then you should’ve reported him!”

“But-” Eugene tried.

“No!” Principal Bray shouted, his face an unflattering shade of red, “There are procedures to be followed!”

Yoko rolled her eyes, muttering, “Like you would actually do anything about it.”

“Principal Bray,” Enid whispered, her fangs poking her lip, “Would you let us explain?”

“What’s there to explain? She broke Mr. Thorpe’s nose and dislocated his shoulder. Regardless of the circumstances-” 

He was cut off by Natalie, who gently weaved through the quartet gathered at the door. “Principal Bray, please allow me a moment with Miss Addams.”

“This is my school,” he said, his face bordering on purple.

“And I am her court-appointed therapist,” she countered steadily, “Considering her actions and unwillingness to speak to you, I don’t think it matters if this is your school or not. This is my area of expertise, not yours. Perhaps you should listen to what Wednesday’s friends have to say while I speak with her.”

His fists clenched at his sides and he ground out, “Fine.”

“Thank you, Principal Bray,” she said, crossing the room, “We will only be a moment, and then we can all discuss what occurred.”

He stormed out, and Natalie winked conspiratorially at the quartet. “He should listen a little better, just give him a minute.”

“Thanks, Dr. Hill,” Enid breathed, deflating a little.

“No problem. If you guys don’t mind, I’m going to have a little talk with Wednesday. Try to be calm when you tell him what happened,” she said, pulling up a chair and sitting across from the psychic.

They nodded, trudging out the door. Enid lingered behind, her hand on the door as she glanced back at them.

“It’ll be okay,” Dr. Hill assured.

“Thank you, Enid,” Wednesday whispered, looking back at her.

She nodded again, worry pinching her brow together, but she left, closing the door softly behind her.

“Tell me what happened,” Dr. Hill requested.

“He called Enid a dog,” she whispered, clenching her fists together and staring at them angrily, “He told me to put a muzzle on her.”

“What else?” she asked quietly.

Wednesday exhaled forcefully through her nose. “He has been pursuing me despite numerous rejections, and today I…I asked Enid to bite me to display that I am not available. He ignored that.”

She nodded. “There’s one more thing, Wednesday.”

“He…what he said reminded me of my vision,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes closed and clenching her jaw.

“Okay. I don’t think you took things too far. It sounds like he had plenty of warnings and opportunities to back off, but I think what really clinched this was that he insulted your mate,” the therapist said.

“Enid told him to walk away,” she mumbled, squeezing her hands together, “I do not wish to be separated from her. I tried , but I can only do so much. I have to defend my mate.”

“I know,” she assured, crouching down in front of her, “Trust me, Wednesday. I’m going to take care of this, but I need you to be calm while I do the talking. Can you do that for me?”

“Can I…have a minute? With Enid?” she asked quietly.

Dr. Hill nodded. “I’ll get her for you. I don’t know if I can make this whole thing go away, but I promise you won’t be separated from Enid.”

She nodded.

“Okay, thank you for having Enid call me, Wednesday,” she whispered before standing up. At the door, she said a quiet, “Enid,” before waving her inside.

“Wends,” she breathed, tackling her in a hug.

“Enid,” she whispered, gripping her shoulders tightly and burying her face.

“It’s okay,” she mumbled, her claws dragging along the nape of her neck, “It’s okay, I know why you did it. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

She inhaled shakily, pressing her face harder into her neck. “I…I heard the man in smoke call Izzy’s mate a dog,” she sobbed, “And I…I saw what he did to her. I couldn’t- I didn’t-”

“Oh, Wends,” she breathed, pulling her off the chair and into her lap, holding her tighter.

“Enid,” she cried, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

“I gotchu,” she whispered, stroking the part of her hair with her claws, “I gotchu.”

She let out a shaky breath, gripping her shirt.

“I know, just let it out,” she encouraged quietly, pressing a firm kiss to the top of her head.

When she calmed down a little, Enid pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Take a look at this. Someone sent it to me, it’ll make you feel better, I promise.”

Wednesday turned her head slightly to look. On the screen was a video that played when Enid tapped it. It showed Xavier clutching his shoulder, leaning against the table they had been sitting at with tears and blood streaming down his face. One of the teachers tried to approach him, and he kicked out, sending himself crashing to the ground, landing on his dislocated shoulder with a cry. He had to be picked up and carried away, crying pathetically the entire time.

“One of the furs sent it to me, they blocked some of the entrances to the quad, that’s why there weren’t any teachers there faster,” she whispered, putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Thank you,” the psychic mumbled, “Dr. Hill said she will make sure we are not separated, but there may be other consequences.”

“That’s dumb, he was the instigator of everything,” she muttered, kissing the top of her head again.

She nodded. “Let us get this over with. I think…I should go with Dr. Hill after.”

“Whatever you gotta do, Wends,” she whispered, cupping her face, “Want me to meet you in town after?”

“No, I will be returning to our room as soon as we have finished. But if you desire time in town with me, I will accommodate you,” she mumbled.

Enid shook her head. “No, we’ll hang out in the dorm and just take it easy. I’ll let Dr. Hill know she can come back in.”

“Everyone can come back in,” she whispered, wiping her face with her sleeve.

“Okay, let’s do this,” she said, pulling them both to their feet.

Wednesday nodded, sitting heavily back in the chair she had been occupying. Enid opened the door, gesturing everyone inside. They gathered around the psychic, Principal Bray facing them with crossed arms.

“I’m sure, Principal Bray, that being an Outcast yourself, you understand that mates have no choice but to protect each other,” Dr. Hill said quietly but certainly, “And I’m sure you recognize that the bite on Miss Addam’s face is an indication that she and Miss Sinclair are stating their involvement.”

“Yes,” he grumbled.

“Mr. Thorpe has made repeated advances, witnessed by multiple people each time, that Miss Addams has refuted without the use of extreme violence. Mr Thorpe instigated today’s event, and Miss Sinclair requested that he walk away. Miss Addams did not jump to violence. It was only when he disrespected her mate that she responded with such measures. Surely you understand that it was not entirely a choice. She was not acting with malice, she was acting in defense of herself and her mate,” she continued.

“She has a history of extreme violence against other students,” he said, uncrossing his arms.

“And it was agreed by the board that her history would be overlooked if she continued to see a court mandated therapist, not to mention her actions that saved this very institution last semester. I am not suggesting her actions go unpunished, this cannot be allowed to become a habit, but she does not need to be expelled. I’m sure the board would agree. Would you like me to call them?” she asked, pulling out her phone with a raised brow.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “No.”

She nodded, sliding her phone back into her pocket. “I thought not. Now, I recommend that Mr. Thorpe be given a stern warning for his harassment, as well as issuing an apology to Miss Sinclair for his words, volunteering at the Lupin cages for the rest of the semester, and being removed from the fencing team. As for Miss Addams, I’m sure being excluded from today’s fencing practice will be a suitable punishment.”

“Fine,” he agreed.

“Excellent. Thanks for your cooperation,” she said, grinning smugly.

“I think I’m in love,” Yoko whispered to Bianca.

“Lowkey same,” she whispered back, “I’d siren song myself for this woman.”

“Dude, I’d carve my own stake and impale myself,” the vampire countered.

“I’m gonna give her so much honey once the bees start making it again,” Eugene sighed next to them.

“I think you should all get back to class,” Dr. Hill suggested.

“Damn, we still have to go?” Yoko grumbled, “Not fair.”

Bianca nodded. “Yeah, I’m, like, traumatized, or whatever.”

The therapist cleared her throat, giving them a pointed look. They scampered off, leaving just Enid and Wednesday behind.

“Come on, you two,” she ushered them out of the room, “Let’s go.”

“Dr. Hill, can I…go back to Jericho with you?” Wednesday whispered.

“You can,” she nodded, “Enid, do you need to be excused from any classes today? Do you have any with Xavier?”

“No, I’m fine, I don’t have any classes with him until tomorrow,” she mumbled, “But he’ll probably still be in the infirmary, anyway.”

“I’m going to speak with the board about rearranging his schedule so he has as few classes as possible with both of you,” she said, leading them through the halls.

The psychic furrowed her brow. “Dr. Hill?”

“Yes, Wednesday?” she asked, turning to look at her.

“Are you…upset with me?” she whispered, her steps faltering.

“It wouldn’t be fair of me to be upset with you, Wednesday,” she answered, immediately softening her tone, “We can talk about this more in the car, okay?”

She nodded quietly, looking down at her shoes. 

“Come on, we’ll stop and get coffee if you want,” she offered, her shoulders slumping, “I’m not upset with you, Wednesday.”

“Okay,” she whispered, reaching for Enid’s hand.

The werewolf immediately threaded their fingers together, tugging her closer. “I’ll see you later, Wends. Don’t rush it, okay? Just do what you gotta do, and I’ll meet you in the dorm.”

“Thank you, Enid,” she mumbled, allowing herself to be wrapped in a hug. Her arms stayed at her side, but she leaned her head against her shoulder.

“Anytime,” she whispered, kissing the top of her head, “Thanks for coming to the rescue, Dr. Hill.”

“You’re welcome, Enid,” she answered with a strained smile.

She let go of Wednesday, skipping off to her next class.

“Come here,” she said, waving the psychic closer, “Let’s chat a little. I’m sorry for how I came across just then. I’m not mad at you, and I’m not upset, either. This…was not an ideal situation, how about that?”

“That is an adequate description,” she whispered, walking next to her, “I truly did not mean for it to escalate so far.”

“I believe you,” Dr. Hill assured, leading her back to her car.

“Thank you for coming,” Wednesday mumbled, watching her feet.

She nodded, opening the door. “I meant it when I told you I’m here to help how I can.”

She slid into the passenger seat, buckling herself in. “I…have never had a non-relative adult defend me before.”

“Well, I can’t exactly say you did the right thing, but I can say you didn’t do the wrong thing.” Her tone was gentle as she started the car. “How come you didn’t tell me about Xavier?”

She shrugged. “I…did not think it would get to this point. I…can tolerate the advances without resorting to outright violence. I was not expecting him to say such a thing about Enid. It caught me off guard and I…lost control. Especially because of the vision I had. He just…did not seem important compared to the other stuff.”

“Okay, I understand,” she said with a nod, “Do you know why I said it wouldn’t be fair of me to be upset with you?”

“No,” she answered quietly, directing her gaze out the passenger window.

“Because you’re still learning how to ask for help. And when you should. You did ask for my help when you realized you needed it, and I am proud of you for that, but if, in the future, we can avoid these kinds of situations, I would really appreciate that. Do you think this could be a learning experience for you?” she explained.

She thought for a moment before nodding her head. “Sometimes I should ask for help before it becomes a necessity.”

“Yes,” she confirmed.

“Did the board really agree to overlook my history of violence?” she whispered, staring out the window.

Dr. Hill nodded. “They did. When you arrived at Nevermore, it was with a clean slate. And after Crackstone, they decided to wipe it clean again. But I’m not sure I’d advise against trying to do it a third time.”

“How do you have the board’s number?” she asked, glancing over at her.

“I…am…close…with one of the board members,” she answered quietly, “But I don’t want to abuse that. Principal Bray is fairly easy to intimidate, but threatening to call the board will only work so many times.”

“I…am sorry I put one of your personal relationships at risk,” the psychic whispered, “But I appreciate that you were willing to do that for me.”

“Hey, like I said, you didn’t do anything wrong. And too often the real aggressor gets away with it. The system is biased, and addressing that wouldn’t jeopardize that relationship, but I said that because I want you to understand that I can’t play that card every time,” she said, pulling into her parking spot, “I don’t want you to think you can get away with anything just because your therapist knows someone on the board. I can’t promise that there won’t be more serious consequences if something like this happens again. But this is the first time this semester that you’ve been in that kind of trouble, and it wasn’t even your fault. Do you know what that tells me?”

“That I have changed?” she answered as they got out of the car, looking up at her.

She nodded. “That’s right. And I think it’s a very important one. One that will go a long way in overturning your court mandated therapy, but that’s something we can talk about another time. Let’s get a coffee and then we can go upstairs and sit there for a bit if you need, or talk, or whatever. I have Jenga, if you want to give it a try.”

“Perhaps,” she mumbled, kicking at the ground. It was strange to care about other people’s feelings. Normally it didn’t matter if she upset or angered people. But she respected Dr. Hill, she would even go so far as to admit that she was one of the few people whose company she would actively seek. “I do not like feeling like I upset you,” she whispered.

“I promise that you haven’t upset me,” the therapist assured, stopping and turning to look at her.

She frowned down at the ground, staring at her shoes. “May I…have a…hug?”

“Of course you can, Wednesday,” she said, taking a step closer and opening her arms.

“It is not…crossing a professional boundary?” she whispered, tilting her head up.

“You aren’t asking me as a professional, you’re asking me as an adult you trust and need reassurance from,” she said softly, opening her arms a little wider.

She nodded slowly, stepping forward and standing passively in her reach. Dr. Hill smiled at her, coaxing her closer and loosely wrapping her in a hug.

“No more apologies, okay?” the therapist whispered.

“Okay,” she said with a nod.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel that way when you were already in a vulnerable state. Going forward, I’ll try to be more clear with you,” she said, placing her hands on her shoulder and holding her at arm’s length, “How does that sound?”

“Acceptable,” she mumbled, pausing before saying, “Thank you, Dr. Hill.”

“You’re welcome, Wednesday. Do you need a minute?” She let her arms fall to her sides, shoving her hands into her pockets.

“I am ready,” she answered quietly.

“Come on, then,” she beckoned for her to follow, “Are you ready for the tournament next week?”

Wednesday fell into step with her, watching her shoes as she walked. “You know about the tournament?”

“There’s not much going on in this town,” she laughed.

“That is a fair statement,” she whispered, looking up, “I believe we will be victorious. Bianca and I have been working with everyone to get them ready. Many people have improved since we began training.”

“Do you enjoy being co-captain?” the therapist asked, pushing open the door to The Weathervane.

Wednesday shrugged. “I…only agreed to do so because Bianca asked me to. We are…friends. And…I enjoy winning.”

“That doesn’t surprise me at all. The thrill of victory and all that,” she responded, ordering their coffees.

“You did not have to do that,” the psychic whispered, shuffling her feet.

“I know. If it makes you feel better you can pay next time,” she offered.

She nodded.

Dr. Hill smiled at her, passing her drink to her. “Let’s go back to my office.”

They turned to the door, coming face to face with Galpin’s former deputy.

“Miss Addams? Shouldn’t you be at school?” she asked, raising a brow.

“The school made an accommodation for her to meet with me following an incident,” Dr. Hill explained easily.

She nodded with a shrug. “Okay. Just checking. While I have you here, is there any chance you can swing by the station before you go back? You’re not in trouble.”

“Today is…not ideal,” she whispered, furrowing her brow, “But I have a session with Dr. Hill again tomorrow. Perhaps…after? It will…depend on my state.”

“Tell you what, since you’re willing to work with me, I’ll work with you, too. You swing by when you can, but try to come by before the weekend. That gives you three different days to make it to us,” she offered.

“Can…Dr. Hill be there with me?” she asked.

“Of course. I’ll let all my officers know that we’ve worked something out, that way if they see you around they won’t approach you,” the newly appointed sheriff said.

Wednesday nodded. “Thank you, Sheriff. I will…see you before the weekend.”

“Take care, Miss Addams, Dr. Hill.” She nodded at them, moving aside so they could keep walking.

“Thank you, Sheriff,” Dr. Hill said, encouraging Wednesday forward.

She didn’t speak again until they were going up the stairs. “I would like to do an activity today.”

“Okay, did you have something in mind?” the therapist asked, pulling her keys out of her pocket.

“We shall play this…Jenga game. If I do not like it…I do not know,” she whispered, “I wish to talk about my visions but I will require a…distraction.”

Dr. Hill unlocked her office, holding the door open. “Well, I’m sure we can come up with something suitable if you don’t like Jenga.”

She did like Jenga. It was the perfect amount of pointless and strategy to distract her as she filled in the necessary details before moving on to her visions.

“I did not realize that Izzy also fell in love with a werewolf,” she whispered, pulling one of the blocks out with surgical precision, “It…has been a challenge to separate myself from her. I get…caught up in how similar we are. Seeing that…and Lina looked so much like Enid.” She placed the block on top, waiting to see if the tower would fall. “I watched her die. And then after…it was replaying in my mind, but it was Enid in her place. The things she went through…and for her to be so alone in her last moments…she did not deserve that.”

“Is that why you watched?” she asked quietly, pulling out a block and setting it on top in a smooth motion. It wobbled, but didn’t fall.

She nodded, clenching her jaw. Her eyes surveyed the tower for her next target. “I…could have looked away, but I did not want her to be alone. Even though it is too late to save her.” Wednesday placed her fingers on a block, pulling them away and choosing another. “I…can be very callous at times. It is not always intentional. Last semester, shortly after Enid and I met, she told me how she could not wolf out, that if she did not wolf out, she would not be part of a pack, and if she was not part of a pack she would die alone. I…I told her we all die alone. Knowing what I do now, I never would have said that. So when I saw Lina, and she reminded me so much of Enid, I…I didn’t want her to be alone when she died because I don’t want Enid to die alone.”

Her hand trembled slightly as she placed the block on top, and the tower wobbled, threatening to fall but still standing.

“I have worked very hard to show Enid that I did not mean those words. That moment…I think it was when I began to really see her. A person’s fears can reveal so much,” she mumbled, her eyes following Dr. Hill’s movements, “I think…I think it was that point that I began to love her. It…happened so slowly I did not even realize it was happening. Little by little she clawed her way past everything, and I let her. She…has always belonged there, maybe that was why I did not notice the little changes. It was not until she hugged me for the first time, after Crackstone, and I…I hugged her back, that I began to see. And on the way home, it hit me what it all meant. All those little things, leading up to that one big thing. We call it the Addams Family Curse. Love. I…always thought I would be exempt from it.”

“You didn’t think you would ever fall in love?” she asked, her eyes darting up to her before she focused back on the blocks.

Wednesday shook her head, watching as the block was placed on top. “No. I was adamant that I would never allow myself to.”

“And why is that?” Dr. Hill let go of the block, and the tower didn’t move.

The psychic stared at the tower. “I had many reasons, but the truth of it was that I…did not think I deserved it.”

“That’s very insightful of you, Wednesday,” she whispered.

“I have always been physically distant. Most of the time, I do not like to be touched in any capacity. My family…is very affectionate in every way. I…have never been. My mother says that we provide love as it is needed and accept the love we are given. But I…have only ever given them criticism and harsh words, and I have more often than not spurned their affections.” She pulled a block out of the tower, watching as it began to lean.

“I’m not certain I believe that,” Dr. Hill said quietly, watching her carefully, “Maybe that’s how you view it, but I think you help people get better because you care about them, and the only way you were able to show it was through challenging them to learn and grow in different ways.”

She frowned, trying to balance the block on the top. “My mother says something similar. That I have challenged her and my father to love me creatively and there is no better gift a child can give their parents. But I know that there have been several occasions where I have hurt them because I cannot say what they wish to hear.”

“But they do know, don’t they?” she asked softly.

Wednesday took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut. “Does it matter that they know it to be true if I cannot express it in a way they deserve? Can I call myself an Addams knowing that I cannot uphold that single statement that defines who we are?” She let go of the brick, listening to the sound of the tower crumbling. “Izzy did not believe herself to be worthy of the Addams name. This is just another way we are the same. And if we are the same, what if I bring about our destruction when it is my turn to lead us?”

“But you aren’t the same,” Dr. Hill whispered, “You aren’t Izzy, Wednesday. You’re walking a different path. Look at the bonds you’ve formed, the relationships you’ve built. Even sitting here, sharing this with me, that makes you different. Izzy didn’t have what you have. And it’s not just that. You care, Wednesday, so much more than you will ever be able to admit. You care about your friends, your family, your mate, in so many ways. And they all care about you. When it’s your turn, it won’t be just you. Enid will be right there beside you. So will your friends and family.”

She clenched her jaw hard, digging her fingers into her knees. Tears escaped from the corners of her eyes and she clenched her jaw harder. “I don’t want to be like Izzy. I don’t want to be the reason people I care about get hurt. And the closer they are, the more likely that is.”

“Is this about what happened last semester?” she asked gently.

Wednesday nodded, curling into herself and pressing her face into her knees.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” She pushed the blocks out of the way, sitting next to her without touching her.

“I don’t want to feel like this,” she cried, wrapping her arms around her legs as tightly as she could, “Like it’s all my fault. But if I hadn’t been here, then the blood seal never could’ve been broken. Crackstone never would’ve come back. Eugene never would’ve been in the hospital, Weems would still be alive.”

“But Tyler would’ve still been a Hyde. Enid wouldn't have wolfed out. You wouldn’t have your mate, or your friends, and there’s no guarantee that they wouldn’t have found another way to bring him back. What would’ve happened then? The kind of responsibility you’re being faced with…it isn’t fair, even if you’re capable. I know you’re an Addams, and I know this is just the kind of stuff you do, but…Wednesday right now you’re at an incredibly difficult part of your life without all of that.” She picked up a handful of blocks, lining them up like dominoes. “All it takes is one thing to throw you off balance and the whole thing can come crashing down around you. Guilt is heavy . And it’s piling up.”

She pushed the first block, watching them fall. “What do we do about guilt? How do we let go of something like that? How do we see past it to the truth? I know you know the truth of what happened, Wednesday. I know you know, deep down, that it wasn’t your fault. You just don’t believe it.”

“I don’t know,” she sobbed.

“I’d like to touch on something Enid spoke about,” Dr. Hill whispered, “Control. If what happened is your fault, if it’s because of your failure, it’s easier to stay in control of the narrative. But if that control is taken away, what’s left? A woman so lost to her hatred and sadness that she would manipulate everyone around her to get what she thought would be revenge. Cruelty. Malice. I don’t think those things fit in your worldview like that. Because I think, even though you’re capable of incredible violence, there is one thing that is central to you . At the very core of who you are, there is one thing that holds you together. Justice . Every act of violence that you have ever committed has been in response to some transgression or another. But what she wanted wasn’t justice. What Crackstone would’ve done wasn’t justice. And for you, for someone who views the world in a very distinct way, you can’t fathom cruelty for the sake of cruelty. So it doesn’t fit unless it’s your fault.”

Wednesday sobbed harder, her fingers digging into her skin. She knew it was true. She had already started coming to the same conclusion after watching what happened to Lina. But she didn’t know how to let go of that control. That guilt. She didn’t know how to view the world any other way.

“Give me a sign that you’re still with me, otherwise we’ll put this on pause for now,” the therapist instructed gently.

The psychic tapped against her head, the only way she could think of to tell her that she was following.

“This won’t go away overnight. But it’ll get better. And then maybe worse, and then better again. There are no guaranteed solutions. Letting go is hard . Forgiving yourself can be even harder. Do you think you can tell yourself out loud that what happened wasn’t your fault?” Dr. Hill asked.

“It wasn’t my fault,” she hiccuped, lying on her side.

She nodded, sitting patiently beside her. “I think we should start here. Can you tell yourself this at least once a day? It might feel like you’re lying to yourself at first, but it won’t be that way forever.”

The psychic nodded, curled into a tight ball.

“I think it’s very interesting that you don’t see yourself as someone worthy of being an Addams. I can’t think of anyone except an Addams who would watch someone’s final moments just to keep them from being alone. And I know it was hard because she reminds you of Enid, but you did it anyway. You almost died alone. You know what it feels like, how scary it is, even for an Addams. You acted with so much compassion for someone you’ve never even met, just so she wouldn’t be alone. I don’t think it gets much more Addams than that,” Dr. Hill whispered, placing a hand next to her.

Wednesday peeked at her hand, thought for a moment, and grabbed it.

“You see yourself as someone very different than who you are,” she said softly, giving her hand a squeeze, “I looked at all of the notes from your previous therapists. They approached your treatment the way they would approach a normie’s and that’s why they failed to make any progress with you. From the start, they all told you that there’s something wrong with you. Not a single one of them gave you a real chance. And I think, to cope with that, you tried to get some kind of control out of it. If they were going to call you all those things, why not become exactly that? But now,” she squeezed her hand again, “Now your identity is very entwined with those ideas, to the point where I think you’ve lost who you really are. But you’re finding her again, Wednesday. Some things will stay the same, some parts of yourself will be new. You have me, you have Enid, your friends, your family, all of us to help you with this.”

She tugged on her hand, looking up at her with tear-stained cheeks.

Dr. Hill moved closer, pulling her into her lap. “I know it hurts, Wednesday. You’re going to feel out of sorts for a while. I encourage you to let Enid know, but it’s entirely up to you.”

“Can you? I can’t…I don’t…I don’t know what to say,” she sobbed, burying her face in the therapist’s shoulder.

“If you want me to,” she answered, rubbing her back.

Wednesday nodded, holding onto her shoulders. “There’s no passcode.”

“Okay,” she whispered, reaching for the phone on the table and pulling it closer, “Is she still in class?”

“No, she’ll be on her way to one of her clubs. She’ll answer. But don’t…don’t let her skip it for me. They make her happy,” she mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Okay,” she said, finding Enid’s contact and pressing call.

She answered on the first ring, asking, “Wends? Is everything okay?”

“Hi, Enid, it’s Natalie,” she began.

“Ohmygod, did something happen? I’ll be right there-”

“It’s okay, Enid,” she assured calmly, “Wednesday and I have had a very productive but difficult session. She doesn’t want you to miss your club, she just asked me to let you know that she might be a little different while she comes to terms with some things. I’ll leave the details to her. She’s okay, a little worked up but I have it under control.”

“Can I talk to her?” the werewolf asked.

“Of course you can, but I’m not sure how much she’s able to speak right now,” she warned.

“That’s okay, I can talk enough for the both of us,” she said.

The therapist put the phone on speaker. “Okay, Enid, she can hear you.”

“Hey, Wends,” she said softly, “I’m so proud of you right now.”

“Enid,” the psychic whispered with a sniffle.

“I know. It’s okay, Wends. You’re doing a terrible job. I’ll probably finish a little early today, we don’t have much to do, so when I get back to the dorm, I’ll make sure it’s nice and dark and have some cold water waiting for you, okay?” she whispered.

“Okay,” she mumbled.

“Take your time, sit with Dr. Hill for as long as you need, I’m not going anywhere. Do what you need to do and I’ll take care of everything else,” she promised.

Wednesday nodded even though Enid couldn’t see her. “Thank you.”

“Cualquier cosa para ti,” the werewolf let out a little laugh, “Oh my god, you said that to me the first time you helped me shift. I never thanked you for giving me all that time to figure things out, Wends, but it means so much that you did that. And I’m gonna give you all the time you need to figure this stuff out because I know that no matter what, you’re still gonna be my mate and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“That will never change,” she whispered.

“Never,” Enid promised, “I do have to go so I can get this done, but I’ll see you as soon as you get back. Let Dr. Hill drive you so you don’t have to go so far, I know it drains you more when you’ve been upset.”

“Okay,” the psychic mumbled.

“Thank you, Enid,” Natalie said.

“Thanks for calling me,” she said before hanging up.

Dr. Hill placed her phone back on the table, still holding her in her lap. “Enid’s very sweet.”

“Sometimes I wonder if it is because she consumes absurd amounts of sugar and there is no other way for her body to handle it,” she whispered with a small smile.

“I heard about her mother,” the therapist said, “You’re just as good for Enid as she is for you. Or horrible, if that’s what you prefer.”

Wednesday hummed, pulling away a little bit and scooting out of her lap. “Esther Sinclair’s defeat was incredibly satisfying. She has caused Enid so much unnecessary pain, but now she never will again.”

“I know it’s something you would’ve taken very personally. Is that what helped you tell her?” she asked.

“Kind of. Enid…took care of my injuries after. It was…nice. I…was able to tell her that my statement about never having feelings was not true, but I was not able to be more specific. It was the next day that I was finally able to be clearer,” she answered, reaching out and toying with one of the blocks, “I…kind of wonder if I was unable to tell her sooner because part of me knew she was not ready. I…like that she knows.”

“Do you feel like you expressed yourself the way you wanted to?”

Wednesday shrugged. “Not exactly. It is still…difficult…to say some things. Certain things…I try to say but I have to rephrase to make the words come out. But…it is enough that Enid understood my meaning. The words are not as important as the sentiment. There is so much I still have to tell her, but even trying to rephrase it does not work. You told me that wanting something and being ready for it is not the same. How do I…get to where I am ready?”

“Practice. And patience,” she answered, making a little stack of blocks, “You’ll have to develop the necessary skills to say exactly what you want. You can try writing it out first, just to practice finding the right words, and then you can tell it to someone to get the hang of getting the words out, and then you can try telling Enid. Each step will start out hard, and then it’ll get easier, and then you’ll move to the next one and it will be hard again, but you just have to keep at it until you get it.”

“Can I practice with you? Not today, I want to calm down. I think this is something that will frustrate me,” she mumbled, stacking the bricks into the Jenga tower.

“If that’s what you want, we can certainly work on it together. You’re becoming very self-aware, Wednesday. Actually, I think you always have been, it’s just a matter of expressing it. You’ve been very effective at communicating your inner state lately,” Dr. Hill said, moving the blocks closer to her.

Wednesday nodded once, her eyes glued to the tower she was making. “Thank you. Your assistance has been…invaluable. What…what happens when the courts decide that my sessions with you are no longer required?”

“It just means you won’t be legally required to see me, but you can still be my patient,” she answered.

“You…would continue to work with me?” she asked, glancing up at her with a small frown.

“Of course I would, but only if that’s what you want. You don’t have to stop being my patient just because the courts don’t think you need me anymore.” They alternated stacking the blocks. “You can be my patient for as long as you think you need to be. But unless I file an appeal, the courts won’t look at your progress for at least another year, and I wouldn’t do that unless you asked me to.”

Wednesday nodded slowly. “I do not wish to stop working with you. And…the courts have put me through enough therapists, they can continue to foot the bill until they decide I am sufficiently rehabilitated. After that, it will be at my expense. Do not file an appeal. Please.”

“I promise. I think the courts have put you through enough, this is kind of the least they can do,” she said, letting her stack the last block.

“Thank you, Dr. Hill,” she whispered, dropping her hand to her side.

The therapist pulled the first block, stacking it on top. “You’re welcome, Wednesday. I appreciate how much effort you’ve been putting into this.”

She frowned, surgically pulling out a block. “Your effort is also appreciated. None of my previous therapists ever tried the way that you have.”

“Well, I think you deserve the effort,” she said, taking her turn.

“I wanted to…work on a song for Enid today. I thought it would be a suitable way to ask her to the dance at school. She…she enjoys when I play my cello. My…friends…have agreed to help me,” she whispered.

“That’s very thoughtful, Wednesday,” Dr. Hill said quietly, watching her choose a block.

She frowned a little. “She is very important to me. I think…I think she thinks that I will not want to go. She has not brought it up at all. I know it is something she would want to do, and I do not mind going if it is with her. It would make her…happy…and I…want her to be. I usually…express things with the opposite sentiment. My whole family does. But in some ways she is not yet used to it, so I…try. And so does she.”

“I think the two of you do well with meeting in the middle. Your relationship is very balanced,” she whispered, pulling a block out of the tower.

“I did not think I was capable of compromise until I met her. Many people have tried to get me to bend, to give in even a little. Enid was…very different in her approach. It was like…” her frown deepened, and she poked at the Jenga tower carefully, watching it sway without falling, “It was like that, I think. She knew when to stand her ground against me, which…was kind of surprising in some ways. But I respect her immensely for it. Even though it was irritating at the time. I am…a more complete person for it, I think.”

“How was it surprising?”

Wednesday tilted her head. “I was not certain she was capable of it. She…is so used to giving in to the whims of her so-called mother. There were many times she would fold under the slightest pressure to avoid conflict. But…she knows when a battle is worth fighting and when it is not. Whereas I had not learned that lesson. I approached everything with the same amount of stubbornness. Getting my way was more important than anything else. And then…it was the first time I had seriously endangered her that she really stood up to me. She was angry and upset, and I was callous about the wrong I had done. She told me since I wanted to be alone, I could be alone. She packed up her stuff and stayed with Yoko. She kept finding reasons to come back into the dorm, and I know now that she was hoping I had come to my senses and would apologize to her. And I kept thinking that if I waited it out, she would give up and come back.”

“So what happened?” Dr. Hill asked.

“Thing got hurt, and she came back because she was worried and wanted to be around. I was…relieved that she came back, but I am not certain I ever properly apologized, and she never asked me to. I think…I think she knew it would have been a waste of her energy, but she could tell I was sorry. She could always tell. I have…tried to be better to her since that moment. Apologies mean very little when there is no action behind it,” she whispered, placing her block on top.

The therapist smiled softly at her. “Looking back, at what point do you think you started to change?”

“I truly think it began the moment I met her, but I was so focused on my goal that I did not notice it. There are several events that I had to justify, when truthfully, I think they happened because I wanted to make Enid happy. The Poe Cup, for example. Her co-captain was sabotaged, and I offered to help. My justification was that I wanted to take down Bianca, but…she was so upset about not being able to compete.” She furrowed her brow, looking down at her hands. “It…bothered me, when nothing like that had ever bothered me before. I did not want to admit that I was doing it for her, but she knew. She never…pushed me about it. If I told her I did something for a reason, even if it was not completely true, she just let me have that.”

“And what about now?” she asked.

“Now…I do not feel the need to justify it. It is okay if I am doing something to make her happy. I…tell her when I am able,” she whispered.

Dr. Hill pulled out a block, holding her breath when it started to lean to one side. “Do you find it easier to express things to Enid?”

Wednesday nodded, whispering, “Sometimes I do not have to say anything and she can have an entire conversation with me.”

“That’s actually very impressive,” she said, carefully balancing the block on top.

“It is. I am trying not to become dependent on her ability to do that. It…would not be fair if she had to do it all the time. It makes her happy when I am able to express things to her,” she whispered, swiftly pulling out a block.

“Does it make you happy when she does the same?” Dr. Hill asked.

She balanced her block on top, smirking at the delicate balance she had created. “Yes. Especially when she allows her wolf side to show. I have told her. It…startled her the first time.”

She nodded with a grimace. “I think you’ve got me stuck here, Wednesday. I can imagine it’s a big adjustment for her, but I’m sure being part of a pack will go a long way for her.”

“Enid belongs. Seeing her interact with the pack…it was incredible,” she breathed.

Dr. Hill hummed, still studying the Jenga tower. “I can tell it’s very important to you that she feels like she belongs.”

“It is. My family loves her very much,” Wednesday whispered, “They have been extremely supportive of both of us.”

“But you never doubted that,” the therapist said, trying to coax a block out without making the tower fall.

“I did not,” she confirmed, “And it makes me very happy that Enid has gotten to the point where she contacts them when she requires support and guidance.”

Dr. Hill nodded, gently wiggling the block. “It doesn’t bother you at all?”

“Of course not,” she answered, leaning back, “Enid is my mate, I want her to have everything she never had. I grew up being loved, she did not. I grew up being supported, my every whim taken care of, she did not. There is enough room in the cavity where their heart is for her to exist there without taking anything from me.”

“That is well said, Wednesday,” she whispered, pausing to look up at her, “I wasn’t trying to offend you. We haven’t spoken much about your family, I’m just trying to establish how you view the different relationships in your life. But I acknowledge that I could have gone about it in a better way.”

She furrowed her brow, frowning at the tower. “My parents are very doting, but they respect my space, even though they want nothing more than to smother me in affection. And then there is Enid, who is in need of it. They can give her all the affection they could never give me. In some ways…it has helped me be more expressive toward them. It feels like their need to love is met because they have someone else to give it to. I think…they had too much, and it was overwhelming. But now they have just the right amount, and I do not have to pull away as much. I have reached out to them more since returning to Nevermore than I ever have before.”

“I see what you mean. About Enid always belonging there. It shows in so many ways,” she said, shimmying the block. The whole tower moved with it, and she stopped. “How do you feel about the timing of it all?”

Wednesday looked down at her hands. “I think I met her exactly when I was supposed to. Though there are some events that I wish had not transpired, our meeting is not one of those.”

“I think you’ve really got me stuck here, Wednesday,” she said with a little laugh, the whole tower moving with the block as she tried again to pull it out, “Would you change anything about the way you met?”

“I do not think so. We would have been mates regardless, but this way…this way I had the opportunity to fall in love with her. She challenged me the way I challenge the people I care about. If I had been kinder, it might not have happened,” she whispered, reaching up and prying the block out without making the tower move, “But if the outcome was the same, if it meant that we still fell in love the way we have, then that is what I would change.”

Dr. Hill let her drop the block into her palm. “I don’t think you’re supposed to help me. Is that what motivates you to try so hard now?”

“Yes,” she whispered with a nod.

“Because you want to be a worthy mate?” she asked quietly, poising to place the block on top.

“Yes,” she whispered again.

“Thank you for sharing all of this with me, Wednesday. I don’t think we should delve any deeper today, so if you want to keep talking, I’d advise a subject change. How do you feel about that?” Dr. Hill asked.

She thought for a moment. “I feel like I am ready to return to Nevermore. This has been productive, but…tiring. Experiencing so many emotions in a short time is very draining. But it is slowly getting easier. Thank you, Dr. Hill. I…really needed this today.”

“You’re welcome, Wednesday. I think today has been a very important and big step. Let’s take it slow tomorrow, it might seem tempting to take more big steps, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. I appreciate that you’re acknowledging and communicating your limits so readily,” she whispered, placing her block on top and letting the tower collapse.

“You and Enid have done a lot to help me learn and understand,” she mumbled, helping her put the blocks back in the box.

“Let’s get you back. I’ll call the board after I drop you off and work something out, okay?” she asked.

Wednesday nodded, looking up at her. “Thank you.”

Dr. Hill smiled at her, gesturing to the door. “Come on.”

The psychic followed her back to the car, getting inside the passenger seat quietly. She leaned her head against the window, staring at everything that passed by. “Dr. Hill?”

“Yes, Wednesday?” she answered, glancing over at her.

She furrowed her brow, turning her head toward her a little more. “My parents will be in town this weekend. They are primarily coming to visit Enid, but…I think they will want to meet you. Is that…okay?”

“Do you want them to?” Dr. Hill asked.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“We’ll work something out,” she promised.

Wednesday nodded slowly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She pulled the car to a stop outside the gates of Nevermore. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Wednesday.”

“Until tomorrow, Dr. Hill,” she mumbled, sinking into the shadows.

Enid was in the movie fort watching videos on her phone, the only source of light in the room. She had somehow managed to cover their window with an opaque sheet. It moved just a little, and Wednesday realized the window was propped open so it would be cold.

“Hi, Wends,” the werewolf whispered, putting her phone next to her and smiling up at her.

She didn’t say anything, sitting down in her lap and wrapping her arms and legs around her.

Enid pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I have something for you,” she whispered against her head.

Wednesday frowned. “You do?”

“Yeah,” she answered, feeling around under her bed, “The past few days have been pretty difficult for you, and I had some leftover yarn from when I made you that sweater and snood. Not a whole lot, but enough to make you a little something.”

“You have hardly left my side, how have you had time for that?” she whispered, leaning her head on her shoulder.

“I made time,” she grinned, pulling her hand out from under the bed. In her grasp was a monochrome crocheted wolf with blue buttons for eyes, “Ta da!”

Wednesday reached out, squeezing its head experimentally. “You made this for me?”

“Yeah,” Enid answered with a toothy smile.

She took it from her, studying it in silence for a moment. “Because I have struggled the past couple days?”

“Yeah, I mean, it’s probably a little silly, but I thought it might help,” she whispered, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve.

Wednesday quietly examined the eyes, “I have seen these buttons before.”

“Oh, yeah, well, I didn’t have anything for eyes, so I, uh, I took some of the buttons off one of my sweaters,” she answered quietly.

The psychic nodded slowly. “The pink one. Enid…that is your favorite sweater.”

“Yeah, but I mean, it’s just a sweater, it’s no big deal,” she shrugged, “There are plenty of pink sweaters out there. But there’s only one you.”

“Thank you, Enid,” she whispered, hugging the crocheted wolf to her, “It is not silly. I appreciate this.”

The werewolf sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you like it. I wasn’t sure if you wou-”

Wednesday leaned up, pressing their lips together softly. “It is from you, lobita. That is more important than anything else. It could be a pink unicorn, but it would still be from you. You have put considerable thought into this gift and even sacrificed your favorite sweater to make it for me. I…feel very…cared for.”

Enid squeezed her with a grin. “Wends,” she gushed, nuzzling her cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered, holding onto her tightly, “May I…tell you about what I discussed with Dr. Hill?”

“Of course you can, Wends. Do you want to tell me while you sit in the tub?” she answered, kissing her temple.

“I…yes,” she mumbled with a nod.

Enid held onto her, awkwardly rising to her feet. “Everything is in there for you.”

“Thank you,” she breathed, carefully tossing her crocheted wolf onto Enid’s bed.

“I told you I’d take care of everything else,” she said, nuzzling her cheek.

Wednesday bumped her forehead against the werewolf’s shoulder, letting her carry her into the bathroom. “Enid?”

“What’s up?” she asked, nudging the door open with her foot.

“Does it…bother you that I have had so many days in a row where I have needed more support than I usually do?” she asked in a small voice.

“No, of course not, Wends,” Enid answered softly, “Does it bother you?”

She frowned, unwinding her legs to put her feet on the floor. “I am not certain. I…do not mind when you take care of me, but…it means I take less care of you.”

The werewolf nodded. “I get it. It does and it doesn’t. But needing me doesn’t make you any less of a suitable mate, especially because you still take such good care of me when I need you.”

“I do not understand how something can simultaneously bother me and not bother me,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, emotions don’t really care about all that,” she whispered, fluffing Wednesday’s bangs, “But, I mean, it’s okay to have conflicting feelings about things.”

She frowned. “I do not like it.”

“Who does?” Enid asked with a soft smile, “It sucks, and not in the Addams way.”

“It does,” she agreed in a whisper, shrugging off her blazer.

The werewolf spun around, squeezing her eyes shut. “Do you remember when I was moonsick, and really stressed out and confused, and you told me it wouldn’t always be like that leading up to the full moon?”

“Yes,” she answered, loosening her tie and pulling it over her head.

“This will kinda be like that for you. And just like you’re there to help me with my wolf, I’m gonna be there to help you with this,” she said.

Wednesday paused, took a few steps forward, and wrapped her arms around Enid’s waist from behind. “Thank you,” she mumbled, leaning her head against her shoulder blade. 

“It’s just another way that we work,” she said, squeezing her hands.

“One of the things I spoke about with Dr. Hill today was…was how happy it makes me to watch you interact with my family,” she whispered, hiding her face in the small of the werewolf’s back, “And how in many ways, you have always belonged with us. With…me. That the reason I did not notice what was happening over the course of last semester was because you have always had a place in my soul, and you returned so slowly to that place that I did not realize until it was over.”

Enid held her hands tightly, taking a deep breath and letting out a long howl. Wednesday felt herself smile, hiding from her own vulnerability in the safety of her mate’s proximity.

“I will…tell you properly. When I am able,” she whispered, pressing her head into her back, “But I hope it will suffice for now. Please…do not move. I-”

“It’s okay,” she assured with a squeeze, “I won’t, Wends. I know it’s hard for you to say that kind of stuff, even though it sounds so normal for crazily romantic words to come out of your mouth, but thank you for telling me. It’s more than enough. And I feel that way, too. But we’ll leave it there for now, okay?”

“Thank you,” she mumbled, pushing air out of her nose.

“You don’t have to thank me, Wends,” she whispered with a small smile.

The psychic nodded, tightening her grip on Enid’s hands. She took a deep breath, slowly removing herself from her hiding place. Her hands lingered for a moment longer than she did before she pulled them away to finish undressing.

When she was in the bath, she whispered, “Dr. Hill suggested today that…that I tell myself daily what happened with Crackstone was not my fault.”

“Oh, yeah?” Enid whispered back, sitting and leaning against the tub.

“We…spoke about…things…about…guilt,” she mumbled, letting her face dip below the water for a second, “She said that deep down I know what happened was not my fault, but…you talked about…disconnect the other day.”

“Mhm,” she breathed, laying her arm on the side of the tub in case Wednesday wanted it.

“She…was getting at something similar, I think. It…I cannot describe it with the ease that she did,” the psychic said, looking at Enid’s offered arm.

“That’s okay, Wends, just take your time,” she whispered encouragingly.

Her brow twitched, and she dipped her face under the water again. “My…the way I see the world…certain things do not…fit. I have to…make them. Doing so distorts the truth. I…am not certain what to make of her assessment. Not…not in terms of accuracy, more what it…means for me.”

The werewolf nodded, showing she was listening.

“My…sense of self has always been defined by a handful of things I thought to be true, but now…I am faced with the likelihood that…” she swallowed hard, staring up at the ceiling, “That some of those things are not. I have been for…quite some time now.”

Enid leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, looking up at the ceiling. “Does it bother you that you’ve changed? That you’re still changing?”

“No,” she answered easily, her eyes drifting to look at her, “I would not have you in the capacity that I do if I had not. It is just…difficult. But also not. The…the hard part is how it affects the ideas I have about myself. Some of which…Dr. Hill believes began as a coping mechanism because of my previous therapists.”

Wednesday paused, reaching out and brushing her fingertips against Enid’s. The werewolf threaded their fingers together, giving her an encouraging squeeze.

“What if…what if I-” she took a shaky breath, closing her eyes tightly, “I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

“You’re scared,” the werewolf whispered, squeezing her hand tightly, “And it’s scary, Wends, it is.”

“Yes,” she mumbled in a small voice, sinking into the water a little.

Enid ran her thumb across pale knuckles, her heart aching in her chest. “Wends. It’s gonna be okay. I know it doesn’t feel like it right now. It might not for a while, but I promise it will. And the one thing you never have to worry about is us. You are so important to me, and it doesn’t matter how much you change, you’ll always be my Wednesday. I know who you are in all the ways that matter and I’ll remind you every second if that’s what it takes.”

A tear escaped from the corner of her eyes, prompting more to follow.

The werewolf squeezed her hand, pulling on it as she stretched to reach her towel. “Come here.”

Wednesday sat up, laying her head on the edge of the tub.

“I know,” she whispered, pulling the plug and draping the towel over her shoulders, “I know. Let me take care of you.”

The psychic nodded, and Enid pulled her out of the tub, wrapping the towel all the way around her and holding her in her lap. Wednesday wrapped her arms around herself, letting her pull her close. She leaned her head against Enid’s shoulder, her wet hair soaking her clothes. Claws moved against her scalp as the werewolf hummed softly against her temple. Her warmth drove away the cold, winding around her and squeezing her tight.

She tried to imagine what it looked like, picturing it in her mind. The golden-blue tendrils twisting around her lungs, her heart, pushing through to her veins to spread to every dark and cold corner. Normally she would put up a fight, clawing tooth and nail at anything that threatened her status quo. But she had gradually stopped doing that since she met Enid. Now the only status quo was Enid, but it was more stable than what she had previously relied on. 

The light that had been shined on her soul had penetrated the shadows she had used to conceal her fears. Doubts. Insecurities that had no place in the person she had needed to be. That person had no place there now, not with Enid around. She was safe. Loved, even if it hadn’t been said by either of them. 

Enid pulled Wednesday closer, curling around her as much as she could, uncaring of the hard floor and water seeping into her clothes. The only thing that mattered was her mate. She ran her claws through loose hair, letting them prick her scalp every now and then. Against the psychic’s temple, she hummed her favorite song, one she hadn’t even known until Wednesday sent it to her at the beginning of the break. They had come so far from that moment. So far from the first time they had met.

She hadn’t been sure what to make of her on that first day. Or even the next few. Then they reached a tentative understanding, and then they fought, and then she saved Wednesday’s life. Her mate’s life. It made sense now, why she had wolfed out when no one else had, why she had run to the rescue even though she had no idea what she was doing. The instincts that she had never felt before took over, guiding her to do what she needed to. But it wasn’t just her instincts as a werewolf, it went deeper than that. She could feel it.

The psychic’s shoulders shook, and Enid nuzzled her temple, her fangs poking her bottom lip. “My Wednesday. Mes ténèbres. Mein Mond. Sei tutto ciò che ho sempre desiderato.”

She turned her head, looking up at her with teary eyes, sobbing out, “¿En serio?”

“ Yes, Wednesday ,” she breathed, dragging her teeth along the healing bite mark on her cheek.

“Enid,” she cried, hugging herself tighter.

The werewolf nodded, opening her mouth wider to nibble around the mark. “We still have a ways to go before we get all the way there, but you’re always gonna be mine and I’ll never let you forget it.”

She cradled her head sweetly, piercing her flesh and dragging her teeth from temple to chin. Tension melted from the psychic as she breathed heavily against the juncture of Enid’s neck and shoulder. Kisses followed it, soothing the sting and smearing blood across a pale face. Wednesday closed her eyes, knocking her head against her shoulder in silence.

“Stitches?” Enid whispered, still peppering kisses up and down the wound.

She shook her head slowly, gripping her towel and pulling it tighter.

“Okay, let’s get you into some pajamas and then I’ll wrap you up nice and tight in a blanket,” she breathed, nuzzling her temple.

Enid picked her up, keeping the towel wrapped firmly around her as she carried her into her closet. Wednesday pointed to a pair of sweatpants.

“Can I have a hoodie?” she asked quietly.

“Anything you want,” she promised, grabbing the sweatpants for her and turning to go to her own closet.

Wednesday surveyed the options in silence, her head against Enid’s chest. She pointed to a light blue one. “That one?”

She grabbed it, pressing another kiss to her temple. “Let me clean your face.”

“Okay,” she mumbled, letting herself be put down on a colorful blanket. 

“I’ll be right back,” the werewolf promised, placing her clothes beside her and the crocheted wolf in her lap.

Wednesday nodded, toying with the ears in silence. Enid came back less than a minute later with a damp cloth. Tenderly, she grabbed the psychic by the chin, holding her head still in the way she had shown her to. Dark eyes looked up, swirling with a silent storm. Enid flashed her teeth, her mouth still covered with blood. The psychic reached up with trembling fingers, a frown pinching her brows together.

“Don’t worry about me,” she said quietly, grabbing her hand and squeezing, “It’s not so bad anymore.”

Her brow twitched, and she squeezed her eyes shut, slumping forward.

“I gotchu,” Enid promised, steadying her and helping her into pajamas.

She cleaned her own face in the bathroom as she rinsed out the cloth, scrubbing the blood away before changing into her pajamas. It really didn’t bother her as much as it used to. It wasn’t her favorite thing in the world, but she didn’t feel sick to her stomach. And when it was Wednesday’s, she enjoyed the way it tasted. That seemed like a weird thing to admit, even though it would probably be considered romantic. But now wasn’t the time for it anyway.

“Do you need anything?” she asked, waiting by the doorframe.

Wednesday shook her head, grabbing the blanket that was draped over her shoulders.

“Just checking,” she whispered, crouching in front of her. Enid grabbed the blanket, poking her tongue out of her mouth as she wrapped it as tightly as she could. “How’s that?”

The psychic sighed through her nose, her eyes closing as her face relaxed a little more.

Enid crawled into bed next to her, pulling her closer before throwing her blanket over them. She cupped Wednesday’s face, tracing the line of her bite with her thumb. The psychic leaned into the touch, doing her best to scoot closer. She pressed her lips to a cold forehead, letting them linger as she ran her claws through hair that was still out of braids, pulling her as close as possible.