Jughead's POV

"Where the hell is Betty Jug? It's torrential down pouring outside!" Veronica screamed at me as Sweet Pea shielded her with his leather jacket. I rolled my eyes as the rest of the Serpents sprinted out to the front of Thistle House to form a search party.

"Once again our fearless leader...has fucked another thing up." Cheryl sneered making Toni laugh. I sighed as I heard the sound of a motorcycle engine in the distance.

"There she is!" Sweet Pea yelled as Betty pulled into Cheryl's driveway, Noah followed right behind her. She got off the bike and he ran up to her. 

"Well.." She bit her lip as she stared at him.

"You won...babe." The words stung like salt in an open wound. But watching him kissing her in the rain..that felt like a knife in the heart.

"Where have you been!" Veronica scolded Betty waving her finger in her face. "Wait...what happened.." V stepped back as I turned to face Betty. She had a cut down her cheek, her hands and knees had dry blood all over them. This had Ghoulies written all over it. My instant reaction was deck Noah. 

"What the fuck happened to her! Did you do this!" I screamed in his face. Betty jumped between us. 

"Jughead! Stop it! I was riding around through the woods when it started to downpour. My bike got caught in the mud, my sneaker lace caught the wheel and I fell into the river. I would've drowned if Noah hadn't followed me." Betty stood there out of breath as Noah ran his finger of the cut on her cheek.

"I wouldn't lay a fucking finger on Betty...unless she wanted me to Jughead." Noah scoffed at me before turning his attention to Betty. "You and I still have to talk about what happened." Noah looked at her disapprovingly. She nodded and let out a sigh. 

"Alright shows over. " I yelled at the rest of the Serpents and Ghoulies who had gathered around to watch Noah and I stare each other down. They started to disperse as the Ghoulies called Noah into a meeting. 

"Be right back." He assured Betty as if he was leaving her with Malachai. Noah kissed her one last time, rolled his eyes at me and took off into the house. 

"What do you want to say Jug..." Betty looked at me.

"Nothing." I couldn't make eye contact with her. 

"Why can't you look at me?" She asked.

"I just..." She stopped me before I stuttered any longer.

"It should be me who can't look at you Jug. You know what you did to me...you think I make you look weak to the Serpents and Penny? To Hiram? You have a soft spot for me...well that makes one of us. You and I...however you knew it." I could hear her start to stutter as she choked back her tears. "It's done Jughead...you may be the Serpent king but you were supposed to take care of the Queen before you took care of them. Enjoy your throne...that much power can make a person very irrational. Oh, wait...it already has." Betty sneered at me.

"Betty...I..what does this mean? You're leaving the Serpents." I looked at her and instantly my heart shattered. Her face was stained with mascara and she was still stunning. What the fuck have I done to this poor girl? What have I done to myself?

"No Jug...I'm leaving you. I know you broke up with me already. I wasn't ready to let go of you then. Tonight Noah told me I didn't have to be and suddenly my fingers that used to latch on so tightly to your chest..those same fingers were now wrapped in Noah's hair as it poured down on us. At that moment  I didn't feel half dead anymore. I felt like a live breathing person. Like I mattered. Like I was important to someone...Jug you broke me this time. I will try my best...try my best to be your friend. But please don't push me. I'll be advocating for the Ghoulies with Noah now. Here..." Her hands shook as she took off her Serpents jacket. 

"Betty..." Tears fell down my cheek. She laughed as tears poured down her face.

"I wonder if this is how my mom felt when she gave her jacket back to FP. Jug you always told me we weren't our parents...that we would never make their mistakes. No, we didn't...we made our own that made us crumble just like them." Betty wiped the last tear away as the front door to Cheryl's opened.

"Archie's been kidnapped! Hiriam took him for blackmail!" Toni yelled as Noah ran back outside. 

"Alright let's go get the idiot. " He yelled as he tossed Betty his jacket.

"Cold babe?" He asked her as I turned to face Betty who was shivering from the rain. She nodded.

"Betty..." I stopped her.

"Jug, Hiriam has Archie...you wanna talk or do you want to save his life? I take it we don't have much time." Betty sighed as she looked at Veronica who was more broken up than I expected. I think she was starting to realize her flirtationship with Sweet Pea had gone too far. Now she had to focus on Archie her boyfriend who was in more trouble than we imagined.

"Problem Serpent?" Noah smirked at me as he got on his bike.

"Surprised she's not riding with you." I said back to him.

"She can do whatever she wants man. She's the queen remember? " Noah said as he pulled away. Betty looked at me and shook her head as she pulled away with Noah's leather jacket on.

"Well, I take it there together." Fangz blurted out.

"Wow man...we have to get you some help." Sweet Pea said as he hit him playfully. Veronica wouldn't make eye contact with me either, Cheryl and Toni pulled away. I left last. I was not going to let Rider be the hero tonight. I had to show him who the Serpent king really was...maybe I had to remind Betty too. The night ended in bloodshed, I just wished it was mine.