27, missed her sister

Ari already missed her older sister who had always seemed untouchable, who could make Ari feel like a child with just a sharp word or a glare. The sister who never let her win, who argued over everything from curfew times to dorm room politics to stupid, meaningless things but still somehow held Ari to impossibly high standards.

This year had been worse than usual. Their fights had been constant: over classes, over friends, over how Ari was handling the wolves' secrets in her pack. Enid had pushed her, challenged her, and sometimes made Ari feel like she wasn't good enough. They'd bickered in hallways, shoved each other playfully or not so playfully over homework, and argued about who was more responsible or smart. But beneath all that fire, Ari had loved her sister fiercely. She always had. Even when Enid's words cut like knives, there was an unspoken bond, a tether Ari could feel whenever Enid was near.

And now, knowing that Enid might be trapped in her wolf form, knowing that the sister who had caused her so much frustration, so much exasperation, could be gone forever... Ari's chest ached in ways she didn't think were possible. All the fights, all the arguments, they seemed so small, so meaningless in the face of what could happen tonight.

Ari stood outside the school, leaning against the stone railing, the cool night air brushing her face. She forced a smile, one of those fake, "everything's fine" smiles that didn't reach her eyes. Beside her, Gia chatted with Liam about something trivial but Ari barely heard them. Every few seconds, her gaze flicked toward the treeline, toward the dark stretch of woods where the chaos had started the night before.

"I'm fine," she said again, this time to no one in particular, tugging at the hem of her jacket. "Really, everything's fine."

Liam glanced at her, brow furrowed. "You sure? You've been staring at the trees for ten minutes like you're expecting them to explode."

"I'm fine," she repeated, louder this time, sharper. She didn't want to admit the truth, not yet. Not while Enid could still be trapped somewhere inside herself.

Gia elbowed her playfully but with concern. "Okay, fine. You're fine. Just don't lie please."

Ari laughed softly, though it was hollow.

And then she saw him.

Pugsley.

He stepped out from the shadow of the entrance. The moment their eyes met, everything else, the exhaustion, the fear, the fake smiles fell away. Ari's chest tightened, and she almost ran to him without thinking.

"Pugsley!" she breathed, and for the first time in hours, she felt relief flood through her like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

He froze, his wide eyes scanning her face, then a grin nervous, sheepish, but still undeniably his, spread across his features. "Ari..." he said, though his voice cracked a little.

Ari's fake smile dissolved into something real, something raw. She stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I was so worried," she admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I didn't know if you'd, if you'd come back."

Pugsley's grin faltered, and his shoulders slumped. "Isaac... he—he took me. Said he needed my abilities. Electrical powers. Something about curing his sister. And... and revenge against my family..." His voice trailed off, and Ari could see the memory of it still lurking in his eyes.

"You're safe now," she whispered, reaching out to grab his hand. Her fingers laced with his, grounding them both. "That's what matters. You're back. That's all that matters."

Pugsley let out a shaky laugh, relief mingling with disbelief. "I... I—"

"You don't have to say anything," Ari cut in softly, squeezing his hand. "I know. You're here now. That's enough."

Gia and Liam exchanged a glance behind them, a silent acknowledgment of the tension and danger that had just passed. But Ari didn't care about anything else in the world. Not the full moon, not Enid, not the darkness creeping along the edges of the woods. All that mattered was Pugsley.

"I'll talk to you later?" Pugsley offered, his voice soft, almost uncertain.

Ari forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah. Later."

"Bye!" he said, giving her a small wave before slipping back inside, the shadows of the school swallowing him.

Her smile lingered just long enough for him to turn away. The moment he was gone, it crumbled, falling off her face like it had been held there by string. Pugsley had made her feel lighter, but the hollow ache in her chest remained.

Because even as relief warmed her at seeing him safe, another truth gnawed at her ribs. she still missed her sister.

——————

Ari sat on the edge of her bed, knees drawn up, staring at the tray of untouched food on her desk. The sandwich had gone stale, the fruit was soft, and the tea had cooled hours ago. She hadn't eaten a thing since that night, her stomach tied into knots too tight to unravel.

The silence pressed heavy, broken only by the faint creak of her dorm door opening.

"Ari?"

Her head snapped up. Pugsley stood there, a little hesitant, like he wasn't sure if she wanted company. His hair was still mussed from his ordeal, his shirt wrinkled, but his eyes, soft and kind as always, fixed right on her.

"You didn't eat." He gestured at the tray. "You should."

She gave a weak smile. "Not really hungry."

He stepped inside anyway, shutting the door behind him. For a moment he just hovered there, then finally sank into the chair across from her. He fiddled with his sleeve before blurting, "So... you finally wolfed out?"

Ari froze, her throat tight. "Yeah..." she said quietly.

"I am happy for you ," Pugsley admitted, shrugging. "That night was the full moon, right? I mean, it had to happen eventually." He tried to smile, to make it sound like no big deal.

But Ari couldn't answer. Her fingers curled into her palms, sharp pain biting into her skin. She looked down and realized her claws, longer than they should be, were digging into her hands. A quick drag left thin, red scratches across her skin.

Pugsley's eyes widened. "Ari..."

She yanked her hands back, hiding them in her lap. "It's nothing. Just nerves."

Pugsley leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Hey. You don't have to hide from me. Not this."

Her chest ached at his words, at the way he looked at her like she wasn't dangerous, like she wasn't a ticking time bomb.

"I don't even know what I am right now," she whispered. "And I don't know if I can control it."

"Let's take a breath," Pugsley said gently, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. "I will help you. You don't have to do this alone."

Ari inhaled shakily, forcing herself to loosen her fists. "Thanks, Pugs."

He gave her a crooked smile, then leaned back slightly. "Okay. Let's... talk about something else. Something easier."

Her brow furrowed. "Like what?"

His cheeks flushed, but he tried to play it cool. "I dunno. Maybe... us?"

Ari blinked, caught off guard. "Us?"

"Yeah." He shrugged, eyes darting away. "I mean, we've been through a lot lately. And I..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I like being around you. More than just... friendliest friendly friendly friend kind of way."

For a heartbeat, Ari forgot how to breathe. Her chest fluttered, warmth blooming in her cheeks. She liked him too, she'd known that for a while but the weight of last night, the wolf under her skin, Enid's fate, all of it pressed too heavily on her shoulders.

"Pugsley..." She tried to keep her voice soft, not breaking him with the truth. "I like you too. You know that, right?"

His gaze snapped back to hers, eyes wide, hopeful.

"But right now... I can't. Not with everything going on." She pulled her hands back slowly, pressing them into her lap. "I don't even know who I am when I look in the mirror anymore. I need to figure that out first, before I can figure out... us."

Pugsley swallowed hard, but nodded. "Okay. I get it. I do."

There was no anger in his voice.

he smiled softly. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm here. Whenever you're ready. Or even if you're never ready."

——————-

A/N

ending....

So so

I still haven't watched last ep fully. I have heard things .... And that's how I wrote this

Enjoy!!

Also i published this bc one of the readers made an edit of Pugsley and Ari. So thank her.

This might be our goodbye for now and see you guys in 2026 or 2027. I have a feeling they will finish filming in 2027 or even 2028.

I want to continue this story then but I don't know if I can because I will have school and exams coming by that time.