Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Heavy raindrops were gently falling on the windows while the wind was trying to sweep them all away. The long mud lines were running inescapably into each other then rolling down in odd forms, painting the glass with their dust stories. It had been 6 hours since Wednesday Addams received a call from her mother telling her that her brother Pugsley, had been kidnapped. A million different things were going through her head at the moment - who took him? Why? Was he alive? She was trying to go over her family's list of enemies and look for reasons someone might have to attack them, but alas, all avenues she could mentally explore turned out to be dead ends. The faint smell of gasoline engulfed her senses all at once and made her grip the car door handle. The road was getting uneven, and it irritated her.

“I'm sorry. We should have used the other route. I picked this one because it said there are fewer roadworks ahead-”

“It's alright, it's not your fault,” Wednesday said, interrupting Enid. The brown haired girl had to come with her because they were mates now.

Wednesday knew the main concept of the werewolf mates, but she didn't think she'd ever be in a situation where she's going to wish she had read more. Growing up as a human, she thought her life was going to be pretty straightforward - torturing people who had done her wrong, unveiling mysteries, uncovering dark secrets, then falling into Death’s sweet embrace. Fortunately for her, Fate had other plans. Reconnecting with her old high school flame - Enid Sinclair, Wednesday set foot on a road full of adventures and mishaps. She had to fight to protect Enid and her 6-year-old son, who Wednesday, was already deeply attached to her, from an unlikely threat. In the process of aiding her now girlfriend, Wednesday got herself turned into an Alpha wolf by none other than Selene, the Moon Goddess herself. After receiving her new status as a Blood Moon Wolf, Wednesday rushed into battle, where she managed to defeat Logan, a lowlife criminal turned Alpha, who had ridiculous plans for world domination and an insatiable ego. Taking him down from his throne, Wednesday had earned herself the Alpha title and gained a whole new territory to rule, which she politely declined, leaving it all to Enid's brothers, Bern and Rain.
After reconciling with Enid, Wednesday was planning to move back to the city, to the new house she bought, where she could live with the brown-haired girl and their little boy. But why the need to reconcile with Enid? The answer, my friend, was fairly simple - Wednesday had actually found out she was Enid Sinclair's mate almost 7 years ago, while they were still roommates at the Nevermore Academy. Upon finding out, however, instead of being overjoyed, she felt … well, Fear. Wednesday was scared to be in love. She was scared to be loved and vulnerable, so she ran away and never looked back, leaving a confused Enid, still looking for her mate.
After Enid found out, she understandably didn't want to have anything to do with Wednesday, but since her son got kidnapped almost right away, she didn't have the capacity to sit down and process everything that Wednesday told her while she was trying to explain herself. Three months after the kidnapping and the Logan accident, Enid actually visited Wednesday, and they discussed everything and cleared things up. That same morning, Wednesday received a fateful call from her mother that sealed her fate for the next couple of months. Pugsley had been kidnapped. This is why Wednesday and Enid were in a car, on this gloomy Saturday afternoon, speeding towards the Addams’ mansion, after a 3-hour flight that got delayed two times.

“We're almost there, right?” Enid asked, breaking the silence. She had offered to drive since Wednesday was clearly not in a condition to do that. The raven-haired girl just nodded, then kept staring at the window.

“Thank you… for taking me with you. I know you didn't have a choice, but you know what I mean.” 

“Enid,...” Wednesday started, then turned to look at her. Enid looked like she hadn't slept at all. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her face bore a sombre expression. Wednesday assumed she had a similar look about her, but she didn't say anything. She was very grateful that she didn't have to do this alone.

“You're here because I need you here. Not because I didn't have a choice,” she said eventually and reached out to hold the other girl's hand, which was currently gripping the gearbox lever.
“It's going to be okay,” Enid said and caressed Wednesday's hand with her thumb. “We will figure out what happened. It's probably for ransom. You're a name now. Maybe someone is trying to make quick money. They will let him go. You'll see,” she said, then turned right towards the long lane that would lead them straight to the mansion's doors.

Getting out of the car, Wednesday realised she had missed home. It had been a while since she had time to visit her family. The thought brought uncomfortable emotions that she didn't have time to deal with. Lurch opened the door, gathering their suitcases and dragging them slowly down the corridor. Wednesday was looking around, but Thing was nowhere to be seen.

“Lurch. My mother?” she asked, and Lurch nodded towards the office on the first floor. That was where Gomez usually did his experiments. She took Enid by the hand, making the girl blush, and pulled her towards the door.

“Oh, my little storm cloud”, Morticia said and rushed to get out of her armchair and into Wednesday's embrace. Hugging her mother was not something that Wednesday usually did or tolerated, but today, it didn't feel as uncomfortable.

“Mother,” she whispered, then nodded towards Enid. Morticia exclaimed quietly and pulled the other girl into a hug as well.

“I am so pleased to see you here, together like this. So sorry that this is such an unfortunate occasion.” She said, caressing Enid's hair.

“Mrs. Addams, it's so nice to see you again. I'm also sorry about the circumstances.” Enid apologised.

“Oh, honey, just call me Mother,” she said and pulled Enid for another awkward hug.

“Mother, what is going on?” Wednesday asked, and Morticia pulled away.

“Wednesday, you didn't have to come all the way here. Your father and Uncle Fester already left with the first flight.” Morticia said and invited both of them to sit down. “Father left?”
“Yes. He got a flight this morning. You know how he feels about flying, but he did it all for our boy.” Morticia said, then got teary again.

“Who could have done this? Why?” Wednesday inquired, but Morticia shook her head. “We don't know much. Just whatever Valentina told us.”

“Who's Valentina?”

“Pugsley's girlfriend. Remember?” Wednesday nodded almost imperceptibly. She had a faint memory of the Italian girl's face. Pugsley looked happy with her. She should have paid more attention.  “Does she know what happened?” 

“Yes. She showed me the video this morning. I just want my boy back.”

“What video?” Wednesday asked right away, but Morticia was too focused on whimpering and wiping her tears to hear anything.

“Mother!” she said loudly, trying to get her attention, but was met with Enid's disapproving face. “Mother..” she said more softly, “I understand this is hard for you, it is hard for me too, but please try to focus. I need to understand what is going on.”  Morticia nodded, then waved at the girls and took them to the old wooden desk, where a black laptop was sitting, covered with dust.

“Your brother got it for us, so we can contact Pugsley,” Morticia said, then called out for Lurch. The tall man walked in slowly. “Lurch, please bring my son-”

“No need. I'm already here.” Pubert said and walked into the office.

Wednesday stopped dead in her tracks. Pubert Addams, her baby brother. He was probably 14 now, tall, clean-looking, just like his father. His hair had turned curly, sitting neatly on his head, while a rogue curl was bouncing softly every time he walked. He was dressed in a simple outfit with a black robe, sitting untied on his body, and had a pair of big headphones around his neck. “What do you need? To turn on the laptop?” he said, completely ignoring Wednesday and Enid.

“Yes, I need to call Valentina.” 

Pubert took a few steps towards the desk, then broke into a jog, lifted the laptop lid and started working.

“Pubert, where are your manners? Your sister is here. Wouldn't you say hello?” Morticia scolded him, keeping her gentle tone.

“Hello,” he said without looking up from the screen.

Wednesday knew that she deserved this. She had barely spent any time with him, especially since she started travelling to promote her books. She couldn't blame him for being distant. A quick thought of a teenage Charlie crossed her mind and made her feel uneasy. Is this how she was going to lose him, too?
“I'm calling. Come here, she might pick up,” the kid said, then moved away.
“Pubert,” Wednesday tried, but he ignored her again 
“It's RT now,” he said without making eye contact, then left the room.

“Apologies,” Wednesday said, looking towards Enid.
“It's all right. He's a teenager. I'm thinking Charlie will probably be the same. We have to p-, I mean I,” she corrected herself. “I have to prepare.”
“No,” Wednesday replied right away. “We. We have to prepare,” she said softly, then grabbed Enid's hand and rubbed it with her thumb.

“Valentina! Hello. My daughter is here, Wednesday. Do you remember her? She wants to know about Pugsley?” Morticia said, getting upset again. Wednesday approached the desk and tapped on her mother's arm. Morticia walked away while wiping her nose, and Enid helped her sit down.

“Valentina? I'm Wednesday Addams.”

“Hello. We have met before, I believe,” the girl said. She was young, maybe in her early twenties, and she looked thin. It was obvious she wasn't sleeping or eating. Wednesday almost felt bad about her, but she couldn't exclude anybody. This was an investigation now, and Valentina was her first suspect.

“What happened to my brother? Stay brief… we don't know who's listening.” Wednesday said, and Valentina looked at her confused, then everything clicked.  She looked around her own apartment nervously, then rubbed her face.

“It all happened 5 days ago, on Tuesday, Pugsley had volleyball practice. We usually go to these places together, but he insisted on going alone, because he had made plans with Matteo and the others to meet up after practice and get a drink. He doesn't drink. They decided to celebrate someone's birthday a bit late.” Valentina said while playing with a piece of paper she found on her desk.
“He never stays up, he always gets home on time, but I knew they were celebrating that night, so I didn't want to bother him. I waited until 6 am, but he didn't come home. I assumed he stayed with Aldo or Francesco, even Matteo, cause they go everywhere together, so I finally went to bed around 7 am. I woke up late, cause I didn't have classes that day. It was probably 3 or 4 pm when I called him, because I saw he wasn't home yet. He didn't pick up, so I got worried. I thought that maybe he was tipsy, so he stayed longer at someone's house, but I knew that he'd usually text to let me know. I started calling his teammates, but no one picked up, so I assumed they were doing something together. It was around 8 pm when Matteo called me.” Valentina said and teared up. “He asked why Pugsley missed practice. They hadn't seen him since the night before.. Apparently, he left around midnight and said he was going to walk home. He wasn't drunk, so they said goodnight and let him leave. They thought he got home, and I thought he was with them.” Valentina finished, then covered her face and started crying. Wednesday felt somewhat bad about interrogating her. She was trying to imagine how she'd feel if someone was trying to ask her questions when Enid got taken. She knew she wouldn't be in her right mind to answer anything.

“Why didn't you call right away?” she asked eventually.

“It was very late when I found out. The police precinct was closed, so I couldn't report him missing. I tried calling the emergency number, but they said I need to wait 24 hours. I was hoping he'd come home, so I waited, but he didn't.” Valentina cried. “It was my fault, I should have called earlier.” 

“I don't think it has anything to do with you. You did what you had to.” Wednesday said calmly.

“He didn't come home… I tried calling the police again. They agreed to start looking for him on Thursday. There were people here in the apartment, analysing things, touching our belongings. They couldn't figure out anything. They said to stay in touch cause there might be a call for ransom, but no one called. Then yesterday, I found this on the bed.” Valentina said and showed them a blue flash drive. “It was on our bed, in the locked apartment… How did they get in? I was not here. They don't have a key,” she was crying again.

“What's on the drive?” Wednesday asked, and Valentina replied. “There was a video file. I sent it to your mom.”

Wednesday looked at Morticia, and she looked at the laptop. Minimising the video call, Wednesday saw a single video file on the desktop. She double-clicked it, then tried to prepare herself.
In the video, there was a swimming pool, but only a quarter of it was visible. Then there were a pair of hands, holding someone who had a bag over their head, and pushed him under the water surface. The person appeared to be struggling. He had Pugsley's build. They repeated this a few times, then a male voice said, “You should have stayed human” 

Wednesday knew right away that this message 
was
for her.

“What does this even mean?” Morticia cried from the armchair. Enid was caressing her hair while looking at Wednesday with a scared expression on her face. This was about them. Someone took Pugsley because of them…

“I'm coming to Italy,” Wednesday said, and Valentina nodded. “I'll be on the earliest flight. Come meet me at the airport.” 

She hung up and looked at her mother. “I have to go. I need to figure out what happened. I can find him,” she said, determined.
“Your father has already left. He's probably arriving in Italy as we speak.” Morticia said.
“My father is not a Detective. He doesn't have the connections I have, and he hadn't dealt with things like this before. This is my life, Mother. This is what I'm good at. I'm going to find him.” Morticia nodded, and Wednesday looked at Enid. They needed to talk.

Walking around in Morticia's winter garden, they held hands. Wednesday knew that what she was about to ask was too much, but she didn't know what else to do.

“Enid-”

“I know. You have to find your brother. You already helped my family. It's time for me to help yours.” Enid said while squeezing her hand.

“Charlie..?” Wednesday asked.

“What about Charlie? I'm sure he'd love Italy. It's full of history and-”

“He can't come with us, Enid”, Wednesday said, and Enid stopped walking. “I know… I just don't know how to leave him. I don't want to, not after everything that just happened.

“I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to force you to be a part of any of this, but I'm afraid I have no choice… You are my mate. I cannot leave the country without you. I don’t want to put you in danger, but-”
“I know,” Enid whispered reassuringly.
“This won’t be like going on a vacation. These people… We don't know what they're after. They already took Pugsley, we won’t let him hurt Charlie, too. He’s been through enough. We all have. We can't take him with us.”

“I know,” Enid said, defeated.

“I wish I could go alone”, Wednesday said, and a noise was heard behind them.

“You're leaving?” It was Pubert who was hiding behind the gardening equipment.

“Pubert..”

“I want to come with you!” he said, determined, and Wednesday looked at Enid, who nodded and went back inside the house.

“You're not coming with me,” Wednesday stated, looking at him.

“Yes, I am. I did the research. I know where that pool is. I know where they might have taken him. These pools have surveillance cameras, there's a chance we might figure out where they're going, if we start observing-”

“It wasn't him.” 

“What?” Pubert asked, confused.

“That man on the video, that wasn't Pugsley,” Wednesday said and sat down on one of the benches. Pubert approached and stood in front of her.” “What do you mean?”

“Pugsley, he's been trained. Uncle Fester has taught us everything. I have been waterboarding him since he was 5. He knows how to keep his air for longer. He wouldn't have struggled like that. It wasn't him.” Wednesday explained calmly.

“Well…wait, what does that mean?” 

“It means that he's either not with these people, or… he wasn't in the condition to be shown on camera, so they had to use a double…” 

“So-”

“So, I'm going to Italy to find him.” She said and stood up. “You're a brave boy, Pu- RT, “ she said, trying to respect his new nickname, “But this is dangerous, and I refuse to put your life at risk.” She said, then moved to walk away, but RT stopped her.

“Why are you acting like we're not related?? Pugsley is my brother, too! I know that neither of you wanted me, but I'm still part of this family, whether you like it or not! … I'm here for Mother. I wipe her tears when she's crying over you, and she cries a lot. I'm here to help Uncle Fester unload the carriage and organise the loot, even when he wishes it were one of you. I'm here to help Grandmama gather her herbs. It's me going with her. I'm the one who knits with Thing and watches sunsets with Lurch. It's me, Wednesday. And I deserve to be here just as much as you do. Everybody is acting like I'm some replacement for you guys and that I'll never be good enough - well, I'll prove them wrong. I don't need to be like you to be successful. I can be me and-”

Before he managed to finish, Wednesday was pulling him for a hug.

The guilt of not being there for him crushed her. She was always there for Pugsley. They've always had each other's backs. Then they grew up and moved away, and it was almost as if they didn't care as much about Pubert, but it wasn't true. Wednesday knew that Pugsley loved his brother just as much as she did. It was just harder to stay in touch because he was a lot younger. She knew it wasn't Pubert's fault, and she felt horrible that everything fell on him, and he felt unwanted. She needed to have a long conversation with this family.

“This is not about hate, RT. This is about me losing one little brother, and not wanting to lose the other one…” She said and pulled away to look at his surprised face.

“I'm sorry that I don't spend more time with you. I'm trying, but I know it's not enough. I apologise for not being there. But I'm not going to let you risk your life like this. We have no idea what we're going to encounter. I will have to protect Enid. She doesn't have a choice in coming with me, because we're mates. You, on the other hand, do. Stay with Mother. I promise I will update you, alright? You're too young to be part of this… please. I don't want to worry about you too. Do you understand?” Wednesday asked, and RT nodded faintly, still shaken from her unexpected answer.

“So, you don't hate me?” he asked, while his deep brown eyes filled up with unshed tears.

“No, RT. You're my little brother… I could never hate you. Sure, you were an annoying baby, but… You mean so much to me.” She said and gave him a faint smile, then ruffled his curly hair.

“I'm still learning how to… I'm not good at feelings, so forgive me if I came out as uncaring. It was not my intention.”

Pubert nodded, then pulled Wednesday into a deep hug.

“You are coming back, right?” he asked carefully.

“... Yeah. I am,” she assured him, then pulled away. He was growing so fast. They were almost the same height now. Guess she never really noticed.

“I will be coming back.”

Enid was pacing around the room, trying to figure out what to do. It was all happening way too fast. First, it was Bruno, then it was Logan, and when she finally thought she might have a chance of being happy with Wednesday and Charlie, this had to happen to Wednesday's family. But who would want to hurt Pugsley? He was human? Was Wednesday the real target? The man in the video did say, “You should have stayed human”, so it was definitely targeted towards her, but who actually knew about everything that happened to them in the past 3 months? Only the people from the pack. Wednesday hadn't shared anything about her transformation to anybody, including her family. Her mother was the only person who knew. It didn't make sense. She understood why Wednesday wanted to go after the kidnappers, Enid would have done the same to save her brothers, no questions asked. The problem was Charlie. Enid didn't want to leave him alone after everything that happened. Her mother was still on the loose. Nobody knew anything about Esther. It was almost as if she disappeared after Wednesday took Logan down. Esther was the one who organised Charlie's kidnapping. She was the one who paid Bruno to do it and asked Logan to participate. She was the one who had told Logan about Enid being a blood moon wolf. It was so unfair how she got put unscathed. Enid knew that she couldn't have gone far because of the curse, but at the same time, she didn't want to look for her and open that can of worms again. The thought of Esther being involved in Pugsley's disappearance crossed her mind, but her mother didn't know enough about Wednesday to be able to pull this off, nor did she have the connections in Italy to do it.

The only person they knew who had connections in Italy was Yoko, but then again, why would Yoko kidnap Pugsley? Ugh, her brain was about to explode. Wednesday had gone to talk to Pubert half an hour ago, and Enid knew that she would walk through that door any minute now and ask for a plan, and then the thing is, Enid couldn't come up with one.

The situation was so complicated!

Wednesday had to go look for Pugsley in Italy, which was too far of a stretch for the mate bond. If they didn't want to feel excruciating pain, Enid would have to go with her. Enid going with her, though, would mean leaving Charlie behind. They couldn't risk getting him hurt. But then again, Charlie got kidnapped just a few weeks ago. Enid couldn't just leave him on his own for a few days while she's exploring Europe with Wednesday. It was irresponsible! Yes, her brothers were there, but Charlie was still doing therapy!

Wednesday walked in and locked the door behind her. Enid looked at her, then walked towards the bed.

“So..” she said and sat on the bed.

“Pubert-, RT wants to come with, which is absolutely out of the question. I already told him I'm not risking his life, but he won't let go of the idea. He wants to participate.” Wednesday said, then rubbed her temples.

Enid patted the bed, and Wednesday sat in front of her.

“I know you want to leave right away, but-”

“Enid, I'm not a different person. I'm not a monster either, even though I've lived with that notion for far too long. We’re not leaving without seeing Charlie first, and making sure he’s alright. We will go back to the pack first thing in the morning.” Wednesday said and held Enid's hand. Enid took a relieved breath, she didn’t know she was holding.

“I'm worried because I have no idea what's going on, but that doesn't change the relationship between us in any way. I'm happy we managed to talk things through. We slept together… Does that mean you're giving me another chance to make this right?” Wednesday asked hopefully.

“Yes, I thought that was implied,” Enid said and blushed. She looked down, and her hair fell into her eyes. Wednesday reached out to fix it. They were sitting cross-legged in front of each other on the king-size bed.

“What do you want to do? I'd love to go on this reckless rescue mission, but I'm not on my own anymore. I have you, and we have a son. So, how do you want to do things?”

Enid felt her heart accelerate when Wednesday called Charlie her son. Her stomach fluttered, and her cheeks grew red again. It felt just right.

Wednesday noticed right away so she reached out and pulled Enid closer by holding tightly onto her butt. Enid uncrossed her legs and put them around Wednesday's body. Wednesday pulled her up on her lap and then stayed like that for a few seconds.

“I can't lose any more people. If there was a way, I would have gone by myself.” Wednesday whispered.

“I know,” Enid said, putting her head on Wednesday’s head. Wednesday leaned on her shoulder and kissed her arm.
“With Logan gone, you’re the active Alpha. You transferred that right onto Bern, but in front of the Council and the Elders, you are still the official representative of the Nightscrawlers' territory. We can merge the packs, but you have to be an active Alpha to do that. Then you will have to connect everyone from their pack to our pack’s link, and then give up the title… I know you don’t want to be part of this world, but-”

“What happens if I give up the title?” Wednesday asked and pressed her lips softly on Enid’s collarbone.

“I will lose the right to be a Luna, and Charlie will lose his future as Alpha of the pack. If we stay with my brothers, he will grow up and he will have to challenge Bern, eventually, for the Alpha title… There is no non-violent way to do this. Not in our world. The only way we could keep everything peaceful is if we keep the Nightcrawler’s territory as our own. This way, Charlie will have a future as a pack leader, in case he wants that.” Enid finished and caressed Wednesday’s hair.

“I understand. I’ve never said that I don’t want this life, Enid. I have just never considered it, given that I was born human. But a lot of things have changed now, so I will have to change my goals and priorities accordingly.”

“ You wouldn’t mind being an Alpha?” Enid asked quietly.
“ I already am, aren’t I? I might have liked my abilities a bit too much”, Wednesday said with a smirk.
“ I knew it,” Enid giggled.
“ To be a giant wolf, dark as the night, and choke petty humans bathing in greed for fun, from a distance - It is almost a dream come true.”
“ So you like the big black wolf.”
“ He’s growing on me. But don’t tell him that. Nero’s ego is big as it is.” Wednesday said with a smile.

“There is another problem, though,” Enid started.

“The crown prince?” The raven-haired girl asked, and her mate nodded.

“He won’t give up… He’s greedy. He wants all territories to be dependent. Once he finds out we started a Royal line, he will demand an audience with us. He will feel threatened. Charlie is a Lycan, realistically, he will be able to challenge the Prince for the throne once he is of age.  Prince Julian is not famous for his patience… I’m afraid he wouldn’t wait. He will probably try to take over now, while we’re still vulnerable, so to say, and confused about what to do and where to go.”
“This is all happening at a very unfortunate moment. This is not the time to travel.” Wednesday deducted.
“No, it is not, but it’s not as we have a choice. So we have to go.” Enid said and pulled away so she could look at her mate. “We have to save your brother. Julian might take a few days or weeks to organise his plan. If Bern and Rainie call a Council meeting, they can buy us some time, but-”
“Ultimately, he will attack, and we won’t be there to help our family if we are in Italy.”
“Yes,” Enid said and kissed Wednesday’s forehead.
“We have to do this fast, then,” Wednesday said and exhaled rather loudly. “What do you reckon happened?”
“I have to admit, my mind was running with different scenarios, but then they hit us with the “yOu sHouLd hAve StaYed hUmaN” Enid said imitating a deep male voice, which made Wednesday smile, “So now, I have no idea what’s this all about, but one thing does come to mind.” She said pointedly looking at her.
“Yes. I realised that too - Not a lot of people know I am not human anymore.”

“Exactly. Only the people in the clan knew, which means there was a spy. Someone who was playing for two teams.”

“And until we figure out who that is, Charlie will not be safe, and neither will your family. Wednesday said, and Enid nodded.
“We have to tell your brothers what we know. And I suppose we could ask Bianca and Yoko to move into my house, so they can keep an eye on everything,” she suggested, and Enid caressed her back.
“I will feel better if they stay there with Charlie,” Enid confirmed, and they both stayed silent for a few moments.

“I thought it was over…” Wednesday said quietly, and Enid hummed in agreement.

“Let's go to the pack tomorrow. It's Sunday. If we leave right away, everything will most likely be closed, and we wouldn't get much information. We can pack and leave on Monday morning. This way we will have one day to figure out what to do.” Enid suggested, and Wednesday nodded, then pulled away. They looked at each other for a few moments, then Wednesday leaned in a kissed Enid.

“Thank you for being with me,” she said. 

Enid kissed her back, then Wednesday lay them on the bed and cuddled her.

********************************************

“What if it's a trap?” Bern said and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “What if they want to eliminate you and they're using him as bait?” 

“I have no choice. He's my brother. What would you do if it were Rain or Enid?” Wednesday asked while playing with her coffee mug handle. Bern exhaled loudly, then rubbed his beard.

“I would have jumped in. No questions asked.” 

“I have to go… I wish there were a way to leave Enid here. Getting her hurt after everything that transpired is the least of my intentions.”

“We don't have a choice, that's true. But even if we did, Wednesday, do you seriously think I would have let you go on your own?” Enid asked, crossing her arms too. “I already told you, I’m coming. I don't care that you're a Blood moon wolf, it's still dangerous.”

Wednesday took a deep breath.

“You're leaving”, a tiny voice said, and they all turned towards the door. Charlie was hiding behind it, hugging his plushie.

“Baby..” Enid started and got up instantly, but the little boy shook his head and ran off.

“Shit.” Rain exclaimed quietly, saying exactly what everyone else was thinking as well. “I'll go.”

“No, Rainie, it's okay,” Enid said and walked past her brother, getting out of the door and closing it behind her.

Wednesday looked at that door for the next five minutes without saying anything. She wished she could run after Enid and explain, but she didn't know if it was her place. She talked to Enid a lot in the past 48 hours, but somehow, they still hadn't discussed where she stood with Charlie. She didn't want to leave him unprotected. She hated the fact that he would be alone if anything were to happen. She hated the fact that this could all be a big diversion in order to get her out of the territory, so someone dangerous could come over and hurt these people that she unexpectedly grew to care about. She knew very well that this could have been a calculated move, but she couldn't leave her brother to fend for himself. She had no idea what condition he was in. She knew that she had to hurry in order to catch the trail while it was still hot.

After saying goodbye to her brother, she found her mother in the office, looking at old maps of Italy.

“Mother.”

“Wednesday, I was just-, I thought I could help if… There are places where supernaturals hang around. Maybe if we could-”

“Mother”, Wednesday repeated, and a distraught Morticia looked at her.

“I will bring him home,” she promised.

Morticia started crying again and hugged her daughter. This time, the hug wasn't awkward. Wednesday wasn't used to seeing her family like that. Gomez had called a few minutes before they left to say that he had been held at border control. Apparently, Uncle Fester ran into some problems, so he had to try and help him so they could enter the country without a tail on their tracks. He was frustrated, and he somehow looked 20 years older.

“I will get my brother out of here, and then I will go and find yours,” he told Wednesday, and she nodded. She knew that her father would do anything for them. RT was there too. He hadn't fully given up on the idea of travelling on his own and then trying to go the detective way and find his brother. Wednesday admired his courage, but he was still a child. She didn't want to see him get hurt. So she managed to convince him to stay and help their mom and Gomez, in case he needed something. Wednesday left the house with a heavy heart and promised herself that she wouldn't disappoint anyone else today, but seeing Charlie's face right now, she knew that she was lying to herself.

“You want to go talk to him?” Bern asked after a few seconds, and Wednesday nodded. “Go then. We will finish this when you come back.”

“There's nothing else to finish. I have to leave tomorrow morning. Enid has to come with me. Charlie has to stay with you.”

“We will double the guards.” Rain suggested, and Wednesday nodded.

“I will ask Yoko and Bianca to move here for a bit, too. They can stay at my house. Just in case.”

“That man on the video, how sure are you he wasn't your brother?” Bern asked. 

“130%. I know my brother. He doesn't act like this. All of the movements were off. I need to go find him while all of this is still fresh. I'm already 5 days behind. Hope it won't be too late.” She said, and the brother nodded. There was nothing else to be done.

“Where are you going?” Charlie asked and hugged his mom.

“Baby, remember when I told you we had to visit Wednesday's family?” Enid asked and Charlie nodded, “Well, it turned out that someone took her brother... He was kidnapped, just like we were a few months ago, remember?” she asked, and Charlie nodded. “We have to go get him. I can't let her go alone because … Well, Wednesday is special for me. A few months ago, when we talked about mates, you asked me how they find each other, and I told you that sometimes it's hard, but when the Moon Goddess makes it possible, it happens.”

“Is Wednesday your mate?” Charlie asked, surprised. “She is a wolf now, and she is your mate?” 

“Yes, baby, she is my mate. You know how mates can sense each other's emotions? Well, we also can't be apart from them for too long. We feel pain when they go away from us. So Wednesday and I will be in pain if we separate, therefore we have to leave together.”

“But I will be alone..” Charlie whined and hugged his toy.

“No, Charlie. You will have your uncles and Yoko and Bianca,” Wednesday said and walked in. Charlie got off the bed and ran to hug her. She picked him up and hugged him back.

“I'm very sorry we have to leave you here. I promise it's going to be okay. We will go, find my brother, and come home. We'll be back before you know it.” Wednesday said carefully, then lowered him on top of the bed.

Charlie stayed quiet for a few seconds.

“Will we be a family then?” he asked suddenly, and Wednesday felt her heart leap out of her chest. Charlie looked at her and nervously started folding the plushie's ear.

“We already are a family, Charlie,” she said, then ruffled his hair. Enid leaned in and hugged him. Wednesday joined reluctantly. She really needed to get used to the hugging. Charlie was very affectionate, just like his mom.

“We're going to protect you, alright? Stay here with your uncles, and when this is all over, we could maybe try something a bit different, yeah? The three of us,” Wednesday asked, looking at Enid, and Charlie nodded.

****************************************

The drive to the airport was quiet. Wednesday and Enid were upset over the fact that they had to leave Charlie. Enid was obviously taking it worse. As she told Wednesday multiple times, she had never been apart from her son for that long. The thought that she's abandoning him made her heart feel heavy. Wednesday, on the other hand, kept thinking about what Bern said, “What if it's a trap?” She was hoping he was wrong and that Charlie would be safe. Bianca and Yoko promised to help right away after Wednesday explained the situation.

“I have a friend who lives in Florence. If you're going that way, I could call and ask her for help.” Bianca offered.

“I have friends there, too. You never know when you're going to need a vampire. There's this family I know, they've lived there for centuries. If you run into any trouble, I'd give them a call.” Yoko offered and hugged Enid. 

Enid was so grateful to have people like them around. Between her friends and her brothers, she knew that Charlie would be in good hands, but still… he was going to be alone.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we will soon land in Rome, where the local time is 10:30 and the current temperature is 25°C.”

Wednesday took a deep breath and looked at Enid, who was already looking at her. They had absolutely no idea what dangers lay ahead, but they knew that whatever happened, they would face it together.

Pugsley's love for volleyball remained unshared by Wednesday throughout his career. He joined the team a few years ago and started travelling a lot for competitions. At first, Wednesday thought it was some sort of a joke or a lost bet with someone, but as time passed, she realised that Pugsley genuinely loved and enjoyed the game. It was such an unexplainable feeling. At first, he started growing up rapidly, then he lost his baby fat and got a more muscular body, then his hands got bigger, and one time, she saw him for the Day of the Dead, he looked like a grown-up man. Wednesday could not believe her eyes. Her brother, who used to be scared of his own shadow, grew up to be a strong man. She knew that she wouldn't have to fight his battles for him anymore, but she still wished they had something left in common. There's nothing worse than realising you have nothing to talk about with someone you used to be close to. During family gatherings, Wednesday was usually discussing her book while Pugsley was telling fun stories from competitions all over the world. They both got to travel around. That was something they had in common, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough. They used to text each other a lot, but that died down too. Most of their messages now were short and straightforward.

PugG: “Mother is asking if we're going to go home for Grandmama's birthday “

Addams: “I will, if you go.”

PugG: “Same. Don't want to be alone with them”

Addams: ” Yes. Alright then.”

PugG: “okay”

or

Addams: “Bianca said that this video is funny. I don't see it.”

PugG: “Oh, I've already seen this. But it's good, haha.”

W.Addams: “Right. Never mind then.”

Looking back, Wednesday wished again she could have turned back time and talked to him more. He was gone before she knew it, as he was sold to an Italian team. Pugsley moved to Napoli and stopped coming home for the holidays. Wednesday didn't want to ask him why, but her Mother, of course, found out. Pugsley had fallen in love with a volleyball cheerleader who happened to be Italian. She was the reason he agreed to sign the international contract and move abroad. Valentina was a very sweet, nice girl, according to Morticia. She genuinely cared about Pugsley and made sure to text everybody from the Addams family whenever there was something to be celebrated. Wednesday barely remembered meeting her, but she knew that she had. Her only hope at the moment was that Valentina would really turn out to be nice and not be involved in anything that happened to her brother. IF she was involved in any capacity, Wednesday knew that she wouldn’t hesitate to destroy her, pleasant or not.

“Are you ready?” Enid asked as they landed at the Napoli airport, their second flight for the day, and held her hand, intertwining their fingers.

“No. But when has that ever stopped me?” she replied and tried to smile.

Enid looked at her worried, but couldn't do anything to help. They needed to figure out what had happened.

“Hello?” a young girl said and waved at them. Enid recognised her voice from the video call. Valentina was young, maybe in her early twenties, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a baggy shirt and sweatpants and still looked like she hadn't slept.

“Wednesday and Enid?” she asked with a slight accent. Wednesday nodded, and Enid smiled at her. The girl leaned in and pulled Enid in for a hug. She kissed both her cheeks, then pulled a startled Wednesday and kissed her as well.

“I am Valentina, Pugsley's girlfriend. We saw each other on the video call?” she said and nodded at them. “The car is outside. Let's get out before I get fined.”

Following the girl to the parking lot, Wednesday was already psychoanalysing her. She was wearing simple clothes, meaning she didn't really care what people thought about her. She wanted to be comfortable. It could have also been, of course, a sign of depression or stress, but Wednesday didn't want to go too deep for now. Valentina was trying to smile, even though the situation didn't require it - was she trying to be polite? No. She was most likely used to using a sense of humour as a coping mechanism, which would point to her not having a lot of friends when she was younger. Wednesday noticed how she clumsily bumped into Enid, and they were both trying to get to the door. She was either a middle child or the youngest. When Wednesday met Enid, she was bumping into doors sometimes because she was used to someone opening them for her. She had stopped doing this now, Wednesday noticed, because she was taking care of Charlie. The girl kept pushing her hair behind her ear, for no reason, which was an indication that she was nervous. Was this a mere nervous tic, or was she hiding something?

“I know what you're doing. Don't.” Enid whispered, then smiled at the girl who went to the other side of the car and got in.

“What do you mean?”

“Please, Wednesday, I know you're worried and frustrated, but she's his girlfriend. He trusted her, maybe we need to trust her too. We have no reason to believe she's involved-”

“She's a suspect, and she will continue to be a suspect until I see the apartment and collect more evidence. Don't get too attached.” Wednesday stated then got in the back seat of the car. Enid exhaled and climbed in after her.

The ride to the apartment building was awkward. Valentina kept trying to say something every few seconds. Wednesday found it very annoying. She was pointing out buildings and statues, and mentioning places she had visited with Pugsley before. Wednesday still couldn't believe it. Her brother was actually living here, in this country, in this city, with this girl. He had a whole life she didn't know anything about. The realisation made her uncomfortable.

Enid seemed to be feeling fine around the girl. She kept agreeing with things, nodding and smiling. Wednesday didn't know if she was just trying to be nice or if she actually liked the suspect. 

“No, I couldn't stay there. Not after everything that happened. I asked my best friend to stay at her place, but she didn't have any free rooms. I'm currently staying with Enzo. He is one of the guys on the team. He was close to Pugsley, so he understands the situation.”

‘The little criminal was sharing a room with a man. How very interesting.’ Wednesday thought and started paying more attention to the ongoing conversation.

“We booked a hotel, so we won't bother you,” Enid said

“No, no, oh God, I wish the situation had been different. I wanted to invite you to our home, I didn't think we would be meeting like this.” Valentina sighed deeply.

“ Don't worry. It's not your fault.” 

‘Isn't it?’ Wednesday thought.

“Okay, I know I promised I'd stay away, but… come on,” Nero said, getting through Wednesday's mind block.

“Who let you out?” she asked, visibly annoyed.

“wHo LeT u- Me. I let myself out! Will you let me know what's going on? I smell pizza, I need to eat and catch up.” Nero said, stretching his back.

“Pugsley's missing. We're in Italy with his little possibly guilty, criminal girlfriend, trying to figure out what happened.”

“Wait, what?? When did this happen??” 

“Now… I'll fill you in later. I need to focus on this now.” 

“Thank you. I haven't slept in a few days… I keep thinking he might come home, but- ” Valentina said, defeated, then smiled bitterly and parked the car.

Wednesday missed the conversation. Thank you, Nero.

The building was located in a busy part of the city. There were a lot of stores and coffee shops. Wednesday was wondering if any of these places had security cameras. Valentina was walking with an even pace, and Enid was right behind her. They were still talking about something that Wednesday couldn't bother with. She noticed they were going around, headed to the side of the big building. Apparently, the entrance was on the other side. Once they took a turn, all of her hopes and dreams of camera footage died there. The front of the building faced a street that could only be described as sketchy.  Few people were there, and the place appeared abandoned. Opposite the large iron door of the apartment building was a former establishment, perhaps a Chinese restaurant. It appeared to have closed down a while ago, and the wooden planks covering the windows were giving it an eerie look. A few feet after the last boarded window, there was a closed pharmacy and a closed lottery kiosk. Someone could have been observing Pugsley's moves for weeks, and Wednesday would have no way to prove it.

“I promise it doesn't look like that on the inside” Valentina smiled and led them in. “We used to live in a different apartment before, but had to move here when I lost my job.”

‘She doesn't work. noted’

They entered the elevator, and Valentina grew quiet. It was such a contrast to her behaviour for the past hour. Wednesday couldn't help but ask.

“Is there anything wrong?”

The girl looked at her, almost surprised, and it made sense. Wednesday had barely said two words since they met.

“Nothing, I just- I haven't been back here ever since I found the pen drive…”

Wednesday nodded, and it got quiet again. The elevator arriving on the floor somehow startled all of them. Valentina seemed hesitant to walk up to the door. Enid noticed and put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright, you’re not alone,” Enid said. The girl nodded and covered Enid’s hand with her own. The uncomfortable feeling which nestled within Wednesday’s soul earlier, came back. Jealousy? She hadn’t felt that since their days at the Academy.

The three women walked into the empty apartment. Wednesday insisted on being first. Nero used his senses and told her the place was empty. They walked around without touching anything.

“The bedroom is on the right. I haven't tidied up. The police said to leave everything as it was.” 

Wednesday walked into the small bedroom and noticed the police markings and tapes. It was surreal to think that her brother's room had turned into a crime scene.

“What happened, Valentina?” Wednesday asked and turned around, facing the door. “I know this is hard for you, but I need to find my brother. You are going to have to tell me everything, even if it doesn't seem important.” 

Valentina walked in and sat on the armchair.

“We didn't have any problems,” she started. “Sure, we were fighting from time to time, but that's normal, I think. I was working, he was going to practice. We were both studying in the same University. I have no idea what happened. The police were trying to convince me that he might have run away, but I know it can't be true. He was not that kind of person. If he didn't want to be with me, he would have said so… And even if he did run away, wouldn't he go back to his family?” Valentina asked, and Wednesday nodded.

“Did anything out of the ordinary happen that day?” Enid asked to join the conversation after looking around the room carefully.

“Not as far as I remember. As I told you, he went to a birthday party. His friends said he left around midnight. He didn't appear to be drunk. He looked fine. They thought he was home, I thought he was with them. The police went to the restaurant, but they couldn't find a lead. That's what they told me.”

“What about his friends?” Enid continued her little, uninvasive interrogation.
“Well, they are all close because they're on the team together,” Valentina said and went through her phone. She pulled a picture and showed it to Enid.

“This is Matteo, Aldo, Francesco and Enzo.” They used to go everywhere together up until two weeks ago. I think Pugsley had a fight with Matteo, but he never told me what it was about. After their fight, he mostly went around with Aldo. Enzo, this one here, is the guy I'm staying with right now. He and Francesco are dating.”

‘Enzo was gay. So much about the cheating theory, Wednesday thought.

“Is there any chance I could speak with any of these people? Matteo, perhaps?” Wednesday asked almost immediately.

“Well, I could ask. Enzo probably has Francesco over. He hasn't asked him to stay the night since I moved to his apartment. They are both very sweet and considerate. They are probably together right now. Aldo… I think he's probably at work. He works with his dad. Well… FOR his dad. They have a construction company. They recently got a big job from the municipality, and they have to renovate a few buildings. He's most likely at the construction site. His father wouldn’t let him go home until they finished everything on time. I feel bad for him. He has always been nice to me. As for Matteo, hmmm, Matteo, I can give him a call? He said not to hesitate to look for him if there’s a problem. He always helps, but he’s been extra attentive since Pugsley disappeared. He's Pugsley's oldest friend. They met back in the States. He was an exchange student there. Should I call?” Wednesday nodded, and Valentina left the room to try and get hold of Matteo. Enid walked up to her mate.

"So? Where did the analysis lead you?”

“ As much as I want to take the easy road and accuse her, then evoke a round of applause for myself and my impeccable logic, I don't think she's involved. If she is, she's a brilliant actress.”

“Well, I found out a bit while we were in the car. She's originally from Milano. Has an older sister, Margarita. Worked in an art gallery for a few months, before that at a local pizzeria. She became a cheerleader for a volleyball team, and they travelled to the US for a tournament. That's how she met your brother. I can tell that she really cares about him. She's genuinely upset, Wednesday.” Enid said and rubbed Wednesday's arm.

“Noted. I noticed these little… never mind. They are small details, and so far, don't mean anything significant. I'd love to have an honest talk with Matteo, though…”

“You think it's someone from the team?”

“Affirmative.”

*********************************

After getting the address from Valentina, Wednesday and Enid headed for the public pool where Pugsley's team apparently liked to practice and swim. Matteo had agreed to meet them, which surprised Wednesday. He was either guilty and trying to play brave so he wouldn't stay among the suspects, or he had no idea he was a suspect in the first place. Upon walking in, the chlorine smell hit Wednesday's nostrils. It reminded her of that one incident that put her in Nevermore. Pugsley was getting bullied in school by the water polo team, and Wednesday decided to take matters into her own hands. She released a bag of pirañas in the pool, effectively hurting most of the boys. Someone possibly died. The thought made her smile. They deserved it.

“Is that him?” Enid asked, interrupting her thoughts. Wednesday looked at where she was looking and nodded. He looked like the boy from the picture. 

“Wednesday? You're... Pugsley's sister?” he said with a thick accent. Wednesday nodded. He immediately tried to invade her personal space by offering a cheek kiss. Wednesday took a step back, letting him know this was a boundary she wasn't intending to cross. He looked at Enid, who was politely smiling at him and gladly accepted his cheek kisses. Wednesday looked at her incredulously, and Enid shrugged right away.

“Sorry, we greet like that. With a kiss,” he said, then gestured to the nearby benches.

“I believe you know why I'm here,” Wednesday said.

“Yes, Pugsley. I am very sorry. I do not know where he is. I already told the police. We went to a birthday party that night. He left. He wasn't drunk. He had a bit of limoncello but that was it. He doesn't like drinking. No birra, no vino, nothing. We thought he went home to Valentina. But then she called to tell me he wasn't there. I'm very worried. He is the first friend I made in the team. My oldest friend in this place. I wish I could help you, but..” she said then shrugged, shaking his head and making a hand gesture.

“Was he close to the other guys from the team?” Enid asked.

“Oh, sorry, are you investigator?” The man asked.

“No, no. I'm Wednesday's girlfriend-”

“Oh! Girlfriend! Oh, okay. Our friend Enzo is gay too. He dates Franche from the team. They got together last year.” 

“Yeah, Valentina might have mentioned it. She also mentioned that you and Pugsley didn't get along.” Wednesday deadpanned looking at him.

“Uffa, it wasn't like that. Pugsley and I have been friends for very long time. It all started because of Aldo.” Matteo explained. “Aldo is a bit of a loner. He likes being alone. But he started inviting Pugsley to go with him, to hang out. And Aldo is … bad news.”

“How so?” Wednesday questioned him, interested.

“Aldo's father has a lot of connections, but only bad people. Criminals. So you don't want to be around that. I'm not saying Pugsley was doing anything bad, I'm just telling you about Aldo.”

“You don't like him?”

“No, it’s not about that. He…one time he got caught with doping. You know? When you take things to make you stronger—”

“I know what doping is,” Wednesday cut him off.

“Yeah, eh that. I don't know if he was offering to Pugsley, but ever since we had our fight, Pugsley started hanging out with Aldo. I was worried, so I followed them one time. He took him to the docks. This is Aldo's father's territory. No police, no control, nothing. I don't know what he was doing, but if I was doing this investigation, I would ask Aldo.”

“Didn't he talk to the police?” Enid asked.

“Ma no, what police? Aldo's father has the connections, I told you. He not afraid of the police.”

Wednesday looked at Enid for a few seconds, then asked.

“Do you know where we can find Aldo?”

“Eh, this is why I tell you the story. Aldo was not at the birthday party the night Pugsley went missing…” Matteo finally said.

“What do you mean?”

“He didn’t like going out with us. He said he has a family thing, but he always do that. I think he lied. And then puff - Pugsley was gone.” Matteo finished. “to tell you the truth I haven't seen Aldo since then. He skip practice.”

***************************************

Wednesday and Enid were sitting in a hot car under the scalding rays of the sun. The temperature inside, according to the thermometer on the dashboard, was 32 degrees Celsius. It was so unbelievably hot that the leather saloon of the car smelled like it was melting.

“So, why are we here again?” Enid finally asked while looking at the construction site with her zoomed-in phone camera.

“We're here because something doesn't add up,” Wednesday said and pulled down her binoculars.

“Matteo is trying to set up Aldo, Aldo is supposedly nowhere to be found, but according to Valentina, he is working here at his father's construction site.”

“Do you think that Matteo didn't know or-”

“I think he doesn't know Aldo that well,” she said, then passed the binoculars to Enid.

They saw Aldo covered in cement, carrying a bucket, walking at the site and yelling at an older man and laughing.

“The question is, why does Valentina know him?”

And just like that, Valentina was back on the suspects list.

Aldo was a tall young man, much like Matteo. He had brown hair and green eyes. He was trying to tie his shoe while sitting on a rock, in front of the construction site, when Enid and Wednesday approached him. Surprisingly enough, he didn't make a run for it.

“Aldo? I'm Wednesday Addams. I need to ask you a few questions about my brother," Wednesday said.

The boy looked up at her and nodded, getting up right away.

“Hello. I’m very sorry to meet you under such horrific circumstances,” his English was very different from Matteo’s.

“I'm Enid, Wednesday's girlfriend,” Enid said timidly and received a timid nod from the boy.

“Valentina called us to tell us what happened. As far as I understand, the whole team has already given their statements to the police. I have heard the official version, and it doesn't interest me. I need more details. What can you tell me about the night my brother disappeared?” Wednesday questioned.

“Not much, unfortunately. I know that the boys gathered to celebrate Davide's birthday. It was two weeks ago, but we were busy then preparing for the tournament. There was simply no time. I wanted to go, but my father's company finished a renovation for this building in the city centre, and there was an event. The Mayor was invited too. He got drunk, started a fight. It was a mess. All over TikTok.” Aldo said and took a sip of his water bottle. “I just know what I've heard from Enzo and Francesco. I know he isn't a drinker. They said he left before midnight, he always takes the same road home.” he shook his head “I don't understand. Why would anyone try to hurt him?”

“Would you say there was a lot of jealousy on the team, envy maybe?” Wednesday asked.

“... You think it was someone from the team. One of us?” Aldo asked and sat back down, deep in thought.

“I don't know, Aldo, you tell me. Did anyone have a reason to hurt him?”

Aldo stayed quiet for a few seconds, then looked up at them.

“It's hard talking about these things, because they sound very different if you don't know the people, and you don't know the context. I'm not trying to blame anybody,” he started, looking at them with anxious eyes.

“That's alright. We're not with the police. We're just trying to figure out what happened.” Enid assured him, and Aldo took a deep breath.

“I'm not like the other guys, okay? I’m not … social. If you ask any of them, they will probably say I dragged Pug into things, but …I didn't. I don't have a lot of friends. My dad, he... the circles he's in.. He's mostly playing with guys from the underground.” He said and looked at the distance as if trying to recall something.

“You don't get to pick your family,” he smiled bitterly. “I'm aware that everyone avoids me because of what my dad does, but I swear to you, Pugsley is like a brother to me. I'd never hurt him. I know you have no reason to believe me, but… I genuinely care about him. And I'm sorry this happened to your family.

Wednesday nodded softly and then sat on the other rock in front of him, followed by Enid.

“Aldo!” someone yelled.

“Dieci minuti, Marchi!” He responded in Italian, then continued in English. 

“I met Matteo and Pugsley at Uni. We were all studying together. I became closer to Pugsley because we had a lot in common - Families that everybody is talking about, death threats, whatnot. We were spending a lot of time together. Then Matteo got jealous and accused me of trying to “steal” his friend," he chuckled bitterly. “I felt bad, so I backed off, but Pugsley kept texting me. So we were having a “secret friendship” if that even makes sense. He didn't want Matteo to know, because he liked hanging out with him. I didn't mind, as long as I got to spend time with him too. Things were going well for a bit, then one night we were at a club, and I saw Valentina talk to Matteo. They seemed to be having some sort of an argument, a misunderstanding maybe, I don't know, but I didn't stay to listen. I tried to walk away, but I pushed a trash can nearby, and it made too much noise. They ended up seeing me, Valentina was begging me not to tell Pugsley because “he would think this is something that it's not, Matteo, on the other hand, didn't say anything. He was just looking at me. A few days later, Pugsley came over and punched me in the face, then told me to stay away from Valentina… I had no idea what Matteo had told him, but I was also not willing to participate in whatever was happening, so I backed off for real. It's been almost a year since then. We didn't stop talking, we just stopped being close. Up until two weeks ago, I hadn't really had a full, real conversation with either of them. But then something changed. They had a fight, and Pugsley came to me. He told me he never believed I was hooking up with Valentina and then asked to hang out. I said yes, so I took him to my garage. I have a small place where I fix cars. He was interested, so we started going there to play video games and fix my latest car.”

“Where is your place located? If you don't mind me asking?” Wednesday asked.

“It's at the docks. My dad owns some of the land around. They gave him a few garages there. I just took advantage.” Aldo finished and sipped from his water bottle again. The man from earlier whistled at him and he got up to leave.

“I'm sorry I can't help more. Let me give you my number. Please text me if you need anything else or if you find something out.” He asked.

“Will do,” Wednesday said and nodded at him. 

***********************

Lying on the bed at the hotel, Enid was trying to piece together the information they had so far. It was all speculations, really, but at least it was going somewhere.

Matteo, Aldo and Valentina were all suspects.

Mateo was too rushed, too anxious and too careless. If put under the right amount of pressure, he would probably spill everything. He was obviously jealous of Aldo’s friendship with Pugsley and trying to pin it all on Aldo, in order to get rid of him, and maybe play the hero.
Aldo was calm, collected, but obviously distraught. They couldn’t tell if it was because he didn’t like his life, or because of what was happening with Pugsley, but he genuinely looked more upset than Matteo. Then again, it could all be staged. He seemed like a good person, but he still tried to pin it all on Mateo and Valentina, painting them in a certain light (Cheating?) so he definitely had his own goals and plans.
And then there was Valentina. The sweet, nice, victim Valentina, who was at the moment still a mystery because she was obviously secretly close with Aldo, and had personal issues with Matteo. Was she involved with either of them? Or was she actually innocent?
She said that Matteo called her to ask about Pugsley, and Matteo said that she called him… So one of them was lying. But who and why? Damn this was a mess.

Wednesday walked into the bedroom.

“Made a few calls. My father is still with the border authorities with Uncle Fester. I've called a lawyer. I have a feeling they might need one. Already told them to go home, when they let them leave, because we're already here, but they won't listen.”

“Well, maybe the lawyer will manage to convince them?” Enid suggested and pulled herself up into a sitting position.

“I also found some stuff.” She started and invited Wednesday to bed. “Aldo was not lying. There was indeed a big party in his father's honour. I checked the employee's tag on TikTok, the Mayor was there, he was drinking all night, then he started punching people. You can see Aldo in the background of most of the videos. He was in the VIP lounge. He seemed to stay there until 2 am. In this video, you can see him fighting with what I presume is his father. “

“He has an alibi,” Wednesday stated, and Enid nodded. “It couldn't have been him. If he had sneaked out, his father would have made a big deal out of it.”

"So, we have Valentina and Matteo, then," Enid said, then lay back down on the bed.

“I don’t know,… I still think Valentina didn't do it.” 

“You like her,” Wednesday said, and it wasn't a question.

“No, I just… I don't know. I don't think it was her. She looks very concerned, she even lost weight.. 

“Maybe it's her guilty conscience,” Wednesday said and moved up to sit comfortably.

“I don't know. Also, did you notice her perfume? She has Yoko's perfume. Or at least that's what hers reminds me of,” Enid muttered and lay down. Wednesday got up and walked up to the window, deep in thought. 

Yoko's perfume.

“You noticed too?” Nero asked.

“It was obvious, but I wasn't sure.”

“Why can't we just go and attack-”

“We're not on pack territory anymore, Nero. They have rules here. We need to keep a low profile.”

“Have to say “staying low” is not one of my strengths. If we can catch the bastards we should go now.”

Yoko did say they should call if they needed anything.

********************************************

Yoko was sipping whiskey on the balcony while Charlie was playing on the floor behind her. The smell of blood was still in the air. Not a lot of people still sensed it, but she did. It hadn't passed enough time for her soul to find peace and get out of survival mode. She couldn't say she didn't miss fighting with wolves, after all, their two species were rivals from the beginning of it all, the days of old. Yoko had participated in so many battles that she had lost count. She had fought on all sides, throughout the ages - vampires, humans, fairies, sirens, and now even werewolves. She was getting a bit rusty in the past couple of years since humans were not exactly fighting over land anymore, even though there was always the occasional power-hungry gremlin. She looked at the whiskey in her hand. Huh. It was interesting how it had completely lost its taste. At first, it was a strong alcoholic drink, then it turned into a comfortable beverage and now, her body was processing it, just like it processed water. This is why she preferred drinking wine. Wine had this weird quality about it. It made you smell like grapes. Sour, fermented grapes, but still grapes. Anything was better than the metallic smell of blood.

“What are you thinking?” Bianca said and approached her, putting her phone in her pocket.

“Just life and… grapes.” 

“You're thinking about grapes while drinking Wednesday's whiskey?” Bianca asked, and Yoko chuckled.

“Let's not tell Wednesday, shall we? She hates me enough as it is.” 

“They haven't called yet,” Bianca said absentmindedly and rested her head on Yoko's shoulder.

“Right? I was also expecting them to call. It's probably what? 5 pm in Europe? I hope they're alright.”

“They should have let us go with them”, Bianca said and rubbed Yoko's arm, then moved back to check on Charlie.

Yoko's phone started ringing.

“Speaking of the Devil..” she said and looked pointedly at her girlfriend. “Addams, to what so I owe the pleasure?”

“Tanaka. How are things?” Wednesday asked calmly.

“So far, so good. It's only been a day, though. I can tell the Crown Prince is going to be a pain in the ass.” she muttered.

“Is he on the move?”

“Yup. Enid's brothers went to some pack meeting concerning that, but Rainie said they will have to call the council. He didn't explain why, but he looked worried, so I’m thinking whatever it is, it’s big and it will blow up soon”

“Just make sure you get Charlie out of there if you sense anything suspicious. How is he doing, by the way?”

“I think he misses you guys. He hasn't talked much since you left.”

Wednesday sighed deeply and then waved at Enid, who had just come out of the bathroom. “Switch to video,” she said and gave her girlfriend the phone.

Enid spent the next half an hour talking to Charlie. He was showing her pictures that he had drawn today. Wednesday caught herself smiling more than once when she saw herself present in the “family” pictures. She saw Yoko giving her a look behind the couch where Charlie was sitting and nodded sharply.

“Enid, can I borrow your phone to make a phone call?” she asked, and Enid nodded.

“Wednesday?” Charlie said.

“Yes, Charlie?” 

“I miss you…” He said quietly.

“... I miss you too. I promise we will fix this and come home. I just need you to promise you will listen to Yoko, Bianca and your uncles. Can you do that?” she asked, and he nodded.

Wednesday took the other phone and went to the hotel room's shower.

“What do you have for me?” She asked Yoko, who called her from Bianca's phone.

“What the hell is going on? Do not give me the pretty version.” Yoko said and sat down.

“He went missing on his way home. His teammates insist he wasn't drunk. His girlfriend is lying to me. I have three suspects, and they're all trying to pin it on the other person. I need some help. You said you know someone?” Wednesday said.

“Yes. There's a family there. Pretty old. They will know people. There is this guy. He has a club under the Gallery - Umberto the first? Go there. The password is “chalice”. Look for Alessio. Tell him you know me. He will help you get to them and find some resources.”

“Thank you, Tanaka.” 

“You wouldn't have called if this were a human crime case. Do you think that his kidnappers were perhaps … non-human?”

“... Affirmative.”

“If that's the case, Alessio is your person. He knows everybody. Go to the club tonight-”

“Tonight? Isn't it a bit too late?”

“Oh, my sweet baby wolf. The club opens at 2 am. It's actually still early.” Yoko said with a smile.

************************************

Following Yoko's directions, Wednesday and Enid made their way to the Gallery, where they inevitably found the hidden entrance to the club. 

The throb of bass rolled up the staircase that was currently taking them down, seductive and low like a promise. Enid gave Wednesday a look that said, “I know this is very much not your scene, but it's going to be okay.” She reached out and held her hand. Wednesday couldn't help but intertwine their fingers again. She was getting used to holding her mate’s hand like that. It was as easy as breathing. She couldn’t remember a moment when she didn’t have the warmth of the other girl’s hand, lying comfortably in her palm.

At the bottom of the stairs, the club opened into a wide underground chamber dressed in moody reds and inky blacks. Lights flickered like lightning caught in a trance, painting the crowd in flashes of movement - limbs tangled, drinks raised, mouths whispering secrets directly into collarbones. The air smelled like citrus and cologne, with that undertone of sweat and spilt alcohol that clung to every nightclub from Tokyo to New York. If there was something odd here, it was definitely buried deep. Just like Wednesday liked it.

Enid leaned close to be heard. “You know, if we weren’t on a mission right now, this place would’ve been kinda nice for a date.”

Wednesday’s mouth twitched. “You mean if it wasn’t built underground, filthy, loud and full of sweaty hormone-tugged-by humans?”

Enid grinned and nudged her. “Exactly.”

They moved into the crowd, shoulder to shoulder with the dancing strangers. Everybody had this model-gorgeous type of face, and lean bodies, dressed in leather and silk, skin kissed by the Gods and the strobe lights, eyes sharp even in the haze. They all looked like they were hand-picked for an expensive clothes brand commercial. Carefree, loud, touching each other without any morals or repercussions - they were too perfect. It annoyed Wednesday so much.
She was walking among these people, thinking that there was definitely something off about this place. It could’ve been a normal club. It looked like one, felt like one, sounded like one, but Wednesday knew better. She trusted Yoko, but somehow, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched.

Enid smiled at her, tugging at her heartstrings. They hadn't had the opportunity to go anywhere together yet. It felt wrong to have fun in Italy, knowing what they were there for, but Wednesday couldn't help feeling bad. She took Enid with her, and now they were undertaking this dangerous adventure path, not knowing where it would lead them. Yes, they were Blood Moon wolves, capable of protecting each other, but Wednesday couldn't help but worry about her mate. There were so many dangers lurking in the dark. She couldn't make all of them go away. She couldn’t give in and let her guard down, no matter how much she wanted to. As a mate, it was her duty to protect and watch over Enid, and make sure she delivered her home to their son, safe and sound, but on the other hand.. Enid was just a girl. She had told Wednesday multiple times that she had never travelled outside the country before. At first, she didn’t have the time to do it, then Charlie came along, and it was harder and more expensive. Wednesday wanted to give her something, to make sure she could still make some good memories in Italy, but she had no idea if she was capable of letting loose, especially in a situation like this. She had to try for Enid.
She glanced sideways at her girlfriend, who was already swaying slowly to the music, eyes gleaming with the strobe lights. Wednesday’s eyes narrowed, scanning the dance floor. She tried hard, but couldn't localise any potential threats.

“ Nero” she called upon her wolf, “ I need you to asses our environment.”

“Uh, I wanna fuck you slow with the lights on, lights onn, lights onnn lights onnn. You're the only one I've got my sights on. Sights on, sights on, sights on.”

“Nero…”

“Type of sex you could never put a price on. Price on, price on, price on” he kept singing and dancing in her head. Jade was looking at him, giggling.

“Nero, I need you to focus for a second-”

“Oh, love this song! And I just want a baby with the right one. I just want a baby with the right—”

“Do you sense any threats?” Wednesday said slowly, visibly annoyed.

“Ugh! Why are you such a party pooper? You don't take me anywhere.”

“Answer me, or I'll block you.”

“Fine! Whatever. No. There are a lot of smells, but they are sort of mixing together. Cause this is a CLUB. …There is something, though, maybe that guy we're looking for, but I can't pinpoint his exact location. There's this overwhelming smell of… wine? I don't-”

“We're on the same page then. I feel like we're being watched. Keep your eyes peeled.”

The chorus hit, and Wednesday had to block Nero because of his outrageous dance moves. Jade was still looking at him with a smile. At least someone was having fun.

Wednesday glanced at Enid again, she was so beautiful. Wednesday knew she could do this. She pulled her by the waist, whispering in her ear. “I guess one dance won't slow us down too much.” Enid's eyes suddenly gleamed with that unaltered joy that Wednesday loved so much, and before she knew it, Enid was tugging her towards the dance floor and into the crowd. For a moment, everything else faded. Their bodies found a rhythm, moving as one. Enid's arms wrapped around her, warm and grounding. Wednesday couldn't help but lean in to kiss her. Enid's warm lips made everything else disappear -the loud music, the cacophony of human voices, the strong smell of alcohol. It was just them, and they were each other's. Wednesday started biting on her lips, begging for entrance, and Enid opened her mouth, letting Wednesday's tongue explore. Just as Enid was starting to feel lightheaded, Wednesday’s lips trailed lower until they finally found her pulse point. Wednesday couldn't explain the primal need she felt to bite into her mate's neck. She could feel her teeth elongating. The rational part of her brain knew this was wrong. She knew they had to wait for the ceremony, but she couldn't help herself. As she was nipping at her girlfriend's soft skin, a tall, suited man materialised from the shadows like a glitch in the Matrix.

“If you want to bite,” he said with a polite smile that didn’t touch his eyes, “there are VIP rooms in the back. The owners like to keep it clean, miss.”

“Excuse me?" Enid said, but Wednesday understood what he meant right away. Then everything clicked, and the pieces started falling back into place.

She nodded sharply, then pulled Enid by the sleeve, walking towards the so-called VIP rooms that had dimmed LED light signs above them.

“Where are we going?” Enid asked nervously.

"Just go along with it," Wednesday said, pushing the door open. They were in a corridor with six rooms. Noises came from the left, so Wednesday turned right and stopped before the first available room with a glowing green handle. She pulled out a credit card and scanned it, then the door opened with a click. There was a small sign inside that said an additional payment was required for privacy. There were cameras. She should have known. She scanned the card again to watch the payment go through. €1700. That was not a price the average client could afford. The screen next to the card reader blinked and showed a 1-minute countdown. Wednesday pulled the confused Enid inside and pressed their lips together in a heated kiss. Enid's protests died on her lips as she let her mate kiss her.

“Do you trust me?” Wednesday whispered between the kisses. Enid nodded and kissed her back. Wednesday started kissing her jaw, taking the kisses down to her neck again. She nipped at the pulse point, and her teeth elongated again.

“Wednesday, wait, not like this,” Enid said and held her hands.

Wednesday licked the spot and hummed. Suddenly, a click was heard around the room, and Wednesday looked up to see the cameras turning off.

“I apologise.” She said and kissed Enid's head. “It turns out we got straight into the lion's den.” 

“Bite… he thought you were a vampire,” Enid said with understanding as everything started to make sense.

“Yoko's friend. He owns the club. I thought it would be a regular place, but it's a vampire hunting ground. They lure people in, then bite them and erase them.” Wednesday said, driving fingers through her hair. Enid went back to everything she saw upstairs. The large sea of beautiful people dancing slowly, too focused on their partners. Everyone - a little too pale. Smiles lingering a little too long. And nobody ever spilt a drink.

“We need to find Alessio and get out of here before they figure out what we are,” Wednesday said and started looking around the small room.

“It doesn't make sense. Why couldn't we smell them? Why couldn't they smell us?” Enid questioned, asking the right questions.

“It's whatever they spread in the air. It smells like alcohol, but there's something else,” Wednesday said. Going back to the small screen next to the card reader. Someone in the room next to them was having a heated night.

“I did sense Yoko's perfume again. Maybe it's Italian.” Enid mentioned.

“What are you talking about?”

“First, Valentina was wearing it, then Matteo, and now we smell it here. I don't know, maybe it's not a coincidence-”

“It's not a perfume,” Wednesday said while pulling the wires from the little box and putting them together. The door clicked open, and they hurried outside.

“It's wine. The strong smell of grapes is covering the faintest trace of blood their bodies always carry. They mix it with heavy perfumes, but you can still smell it, and you can still notice if you are the kind of person who notices things.”

“Then how come I didn't-”

“You've spent too much time with it. Yoko. You've grown accustomed to it,-” Wednesday said while closing the door from the outside.

Just before they could continue their conversation, the door next to theirs opened, and Matteo walked out, wiping his mouth.

They made eye contact and stayed like that for a few seconds before he broke into a run.

“Shit!” Enid exclaimed, but before she could react, Wednesday was already shifting and running after him.

“No, Wednesday we can't here! Wednesday-”

The second Matteo slipped through the back exit of the club, Wednesday was already moving. She let Nero take control as the scream of fabric ripping vanished under the heavy thump of her paws on pavement. Matteo was fast. But not fast enough. He was running like someone who’d had practice, ducking low and twisting around the rusted dumpsters. He flung a stack of empty crates behind him, hoping it would slow her down, but Wednesday barreled through them, her anger multiplying by the second.

Napoli’s main streets were always busy, but the side ones, at 2 a.m., were a different kind of silent. Not peaceful, watchful. Shuttered windows, dim street lamps and the occasional glint of glass on the ground from a bottle cracked earlier in the night kept the eerie vibe going on. No one came out of their apartment. No one wanted to.
Matteo vaulted over a stone railing and landed in a narrow courtyard. Wednesday followed, leaping clear across and nearly tackling him mid-air.

“This guy is starting to piss me off.” Nero growled.

“You and me both.” Wednesday replied, her teeth gritted.

Matteo pushed through an open gate and grabbed a trash bin, hurling it behind him. It clipped Wednesday’s side, knocking her briefly off balance, but she recovered with a guttural growl that echoed off the ancient buildings like a warning from hell.

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I don't want to fight you!” he shouted over his shoulder, breath ragged.

Too late.

She chased him down another alley, this one barely wide enough to fit her shifted form. Matteo’s jacket got caught on a pipe, slowing him down for a heartbeat, which was just enough for Wednesday to slash at his back, tearing the fabric and his skin. He hissed, spinning and slamming a metal pole toward her head. She ducked, then jumped over him, effectively tackling him down. They crashed through a rotting wooden door, splinters flying everywhere. The inside of the boarded-up store was covered in dust and long forgotten. Old mannequins were slumped in the corners of the empty hall. A few shards of broken glass glittered under the moonlight that was leaking through the cracks in the boarded windows.

Wednesday shifted back mid-step, teeth bared, claws still out. She grabbed Matteo by the collar, slamming him against a wall so hard that a rack of rusted hangers collapsed beside them.

“You’re going to tell me everything,” she hissed, voice low and dangerous.

“No, please wait-”

 “Or I’ll make you wish I had let the daylight have you.”

He blinked at her, swallowing painfully, his vampire healing already starting, but slowly. 

Her claws pressed lightly to his throat to show him that she meant everything she said.

“Santo cielo! Please stop! Please! I didn't know you were a wolf!!”

“Start talking,” she hissed. At that moment, Enid showed up in her wolf form. She hid behind the counter and shifted back, taking some clothes from the nearby rack. She approached Wednesday and covered her up as well.

“I don't hear you talking!” Wednesday growled, losing her patience.

“Okay, okay!” he yelled, then muttered something in Italian. “I didn't lie. I don't know where your brother is. I am sorry. My father told me to get close with him. To be friends. I just had to convince him to move to Italia. That was all. I started talking to him, and then he became my friend for real and he agreed to move. That is all.”

“Who is your father?” Wednesday asked, pulling his collar in a way that was a few seconds short of cutting off his oxygen supply.

“My father, Papa, the one who turned me. I don't ask questions. He tells me, I do. Just like that. He never say why he wanted Pugsley. But nothing happened to him. I promise. I was here to keep him safe! He stopped going with me and look what happen! I tell you, Aldo has something to do with this. He was with Aldo!”

“My brother moved to Italy almost 3 years ago.”

“Yes, yes, and I was here to protect him. Nothing happened for 3 years see? He was okay. He had a job, a girl - he estado tutto bene, vedi? It wasn't me… Trust me.”

“Give me one reason to trust you, after you lied about everything so far? Why shouldn't I just kill you, right here?” She said and pushed him towards the wall.

“Dio, ma you're so strong! You're not normal wolf. You're something else.” Matteo deducted while helplessly trying to push her away.

“That is none of your concern.”

“I can spy for you! I can spy. Chiederò in giro! I can ask and see what happen. I can help you!” she pleaded. “I can go ask my “family”. Se qualcuno sa qualcosa, me lo dirà. They will tell. Please. Let me go. I promise I will help. I was friends with Pugsley for a long time. Per favore, lasciami andare.”

Enid patted Wednesday's back, and she moved a little bit, giving Matteo more space to breathe.

“What is your relationship with Valentina?” Enid asked.

“I- Well, it is not what you think.” 

“You have no idea what I'm thinking”, Wednesday deadpanned.

“Yes. Sorry. Mi scusi, signora. No problem. I... I liked Valentina first. We met a long time ago. We tried to be together, but no.. didn’t work. I am jealous. I yell a lot. Valentina not like that. She wanted someone calm. Someone like Pugsley. When they meet, she say, “let's not tell Pugsley anything because he will be sad.” I say ok. We still fight sometime, because… Well, I still like her. But she like your brother! Don't worry. She said, “No Matteo, I want Pugsley.” Eh.. ok. I accepted. Valentina is not a bad girl. Trust me. You have to talk to Aldo.”

“We already spoke with Aldo. He has an alibi for the night of the birthday. He was at an event, surrounded by cameras. I have him drinking overpriced cocktails, in 45 angles.” Wednesday said, annoyed.

“Ah… it wasn't Aldo?” Matteo said, looking visibly confused. “But he took him to the docks?”

“He has a place there. They were just spending time together.”

“I'm sorry… I didn't know. I will ask around. I will try to find your brother. Please let me go… If I can't do anything, you know where to find me.”

That was true. Wednesday knew that if they found Alessio, he would be able to track Matteo down. She nodded and let go of him reluctantly.

Matteo got up, dusted her clothes, bowed his head then backed out of the store slowly. Before they could blink, he was gone.

“You think we made the wrong choice by letting him go?” Enid asked, offering clothes to Wednesday.

“No,” she said while putting the pants on.

“I just want to know who ordered my brother to get taken to Italy and given to a vampire family.” 

***********************************

The warehouse was most likely empty.  Pugsley kept hearing muffled voices yelling orders, then cars and music. He knew the hall he was in was big and empty because it was cold, and every time someone walked in to check on him, there was an echo.

Did Valentina know he was missing? Did she tell someone about it? What if nobody had notified his family…? If only Wednesday knew. He had no doubt she'd be on the first plane to save him.

The muffled voices were heard again. Someone walked in. Pugsley recognised the perfume.

“Well, well. Pretending to be unconscious, are we?” the person said somewhere near his right ear, but they didn't take the bag off his head, or whatever was stuffed in his mouth to keep him shut.

“You know, I like you more than the other people I've taken. They all yell. You're very quiet. You're trained. Torture does very little to you. That's exactly how they need you.”

Who was ‘they'?

“They paid so well. I will hate to see you go,” the person said, and Pugsley heard their footsteps getting fainter. 

“Ah, I almost forgot. Guess who joined the party? Your daddy! We saw him at the airport. My men will take care of him.”

‘No, father!!’ Pugsley thought and started pulling at his chains.

“Oh, did we hit a nerve? Don't worry. Daddy will be okay, as long as he cooperates.” 

Pugsley started saying something, but it was muffled.

The person got closer and pulled the gag out of his mouth.

“I will get out of this and I will end you and your bloodline,” Pugsley said and spat in front of himself. It landed on the person's shirt. They wiped it, then smacked him in the face.

“I'd like to see you try, you dumb insect.”

“She will come for you…” Pugsley said after a few seconds.

“I'm counting on it,” the man replied, then hit him again and stuffed that gag back in.