Chapter 39: Changes in the Pack Part 1

Jacob first started off by saying, "Thank you guys for coming tonight. I have discussed with the Elders, and there will be changes in how we do thing in the pack. There are 5 rules that I will be implementing from this point onward. I'll tell you all the 5 rules, then we'll discuss afterwards."

Paul, I, Sam, Jared, Quil, and Embry looked at Jacob with a very surprised expression while Seth, Brady and Collin had their expression lit up in excitement. Leah, still not looking at anyone, she had a curious expression. We all were curious what Jacob is going to speak today. This might be the reason why Jacob looks so worn out. He probably been in long meetings the whole day with the council.

Wow. I am impressed that he had worked so quickly but let's see what he got to say.

Jacob said, "The first rule is already being implemented thanks to the peacemaker, but from now on, anyone who is showing the beginning signs of phasing will be given the choice whether to continue with being prepared to first phase or go on a spirit walk to make peace with their potential wolf spirit and stop to not become a spirit warrior."

There was a collective nodding from the pack. Okay, I like where this is going, but when I turned to Sam to see his reaction. I noticed something is off with him. How come Sam is looking pale? I knew Sam was looking off since he came to the meeting, because Jacob made no indication of acknowledging his presence. It feels like it took Jacob every strength in him to not acknowledge Sam…Probably, Jacob is still pissed from how Sam treated Leah. Then again, it could be just that. It feels like there was something more to it. I doubt it was because he is still adjusting not being alpha and getting wounded by Jacob.

Jacob continues, "The second rule is that when the spirit warrior first phase, they must work as a shapeshifter for at least 6 months before they can leave the reservation for any reason like collegr or work. We will not make anyone forced to stay in the reservation even when they are a spirit warrior. When we phase for the first time, we have an uncontrollable temper and are clumsy with our strength. Thus, the newly phased shapeshifter will be secluded for the first two weeks to control their temper and strength before they will be allowed to return home. If a spirit warrior does leave the reservation to live somewhere else after they have been deemed safe to be around after the 6 months, then they need to consult with the spirits and their wolf spirit in a spirit walk to determine whether they are going to keep phasing or not. If they do keep phasing, they need to be contact with the Alpha at least once a month and do a monthly training to not lose their senses and skills as a wolf. However, there should be at least two shapeshifter presents in the reservation so that in case of emergencies, the reservation is protected, and we won't leave our people completely helpless."

Pack's reactions were varied. Some of them were surprised, and some of them were almost brought close to tears that they are not confined to the reservation. The one with the latter reaction was Leah, Seth, and Jared.

Jacob stated, "The third rule is that the shapeshifter has the choice to tell their immediate family of what they had become. The council can tell the family together with the shapeshifter if the shapeshifter desires it. The only condition is that every immediate family member have to take an oath to the spirits and in front of the council through a ritual conducted by our shaman which will be Old Quil."

I could see that Embry's and Jared's expression was delighted and happy to hear it. Brady and Collin's were happy as well, but not like Embry's and Jared's. Brady and Collin weren't able to tell their parents, but at least they had Billy and Sue who were relatives of theirs, but it was still different.

Jacob continues, "The fourth rule is that all shapeshifters will finish their education whether they finish high school or drop-out to get their GED. The council had finally revealed the secret to the head director of the schools in the reservation so that the spirit warriors like Brady and Collin will be accommodated so that they can still graduate and perform their duties as a shapeshifter. We will continue implementing this for the future generations as well, so spirit warrior will not be forced to quit school in order to keep up their role as a shapeshifter. No one should be forced to choose one or the other. They are both equally important. We are living in a different generation, everyone. Education is important and will get more important in the future to get jobs and have a better life. We have been put to the highest esteem by the council and told to be an example of the tribe, but what kind of example are giving to the younger generation if we are the ones who aren't finishing school and dropping out? With the council backing us up, people would start questioning the council and it is giving the younger generation double message. Also, honestly, being a shapeshifter will not always cover the bills. If the spirit warrior decides to retire, then the person will have a difficult time to find employment especially if they are already building a family. This will also go to another rule."

Then Jacob finishes, "The fifth rule, due to the large size of the current pack, the salary that we are meagerly getting has been reduced to barely few hundreds a week for each pack member. Because the council was not expecting the current pack to grow this large, everyone is earning very little. Those who are in school and have the family in the know of the secret, it is not as terrible, but those who are really on their own, they are barely making by which is not acceptable. At the rate of the council providing for everyone at the same time whether they a have job, still school or jobless, there will be a point that the council would not be able to provide. Then, those who are dependent on the council will not be survive on their own.

Thus, we are making a rule that only the first three years of being a spirit warrior, the council will provide for them. Unless they are still in high school, then the parents of the spirit warrior will use that money to feed the spirit warrior or save it once he or she gets out of school. During the 3 years, the spirit warrior needs to get a stable job, so that the council can then provide for the younger spirit warriors so that they would get the funds that anyone deserves. If the spirit warrior follows the fourth rule, then it would not be difficult for the individual to find a job, so that the salary from the council can go to someone else who is more in the need. If we do this and when all the spirit warriors grow up and have a steady job, then the council can then start saving again for the future pack. Because the pack is so large, are there anyone who will be willing to stop receiving funds from the council so that other pack members earning can increase?"

Sam, Paul, and Jared said, "We can."

Jacob nodded and continued speaking as he was wrapping up, "Thank you, now everyone who is currently receiving the salary from the council can get a bigger pay from them. Not as much because it has been few years since the council started providing for the pack, but at least, it isn't some meager few hundreds from the endless shifts that we take every week. Anyone have questions?"

Jared was the first one to speak, "for the second rule, where the newly phased wolves go to for the first two weeks?"

Jacob replied, "When I was in a spirit journey, there was an old cottage in the woods an hour and half away from us. It was there created by our ancestors who would go on a spirit journey. It is big enough for five wolves to stay there at a time. They will be with the Alpha, Beta or Third Command during that time, so that they are not completely alone."

Oh, so Jacob wasn't too far from the reservation. That is why he was able to get to the Cullens residence before the pack. Everyone else nodded.

Jared asked again, "How is it safe for the newly phased wolves to be around with family two weeks after they phase, but not safe to leave the reservation for 6 months?"

Jacob said simply, "because the wolf spirit will know better than to attack their family members even if they are temperamental. Not only that, during the two weeks, the newly phased wolf will be trained to control their emotions, strength and will be conversing with their spirit wolf for an hour a day through mediation before we let them return home. We will train them to at least not attack family and their own pack brothers and sisters. By slowly introducing them back with family and seeing how they handle themselves, eventually they would be able to start going out around the reservation. Then, eventually after the 6 months and if they have been deemed safe to be around, they can start leaving the reservation."

Jared nodded understandingly. There were multiple murmurs of "ohh" from many pack members. I like this plan because I didn't like how Sam used to do it, he would make the newly phased wolf to stay in his house with a great danger for Emily to might get attacked by them. That could trigger some anxiety or PTSD to anyone. With Emily traumatized of getting attacked by a wolf before, it never made sense to me. I get it that it was arranged this way, so Sam could keep an eye on the wolf, and he couldn't find a place for the newly phased wolf to be at. However, just keeping a close eye on the newly phased wolf wasn't really enough.

Then, Sam chimed in with a rough voice, "With the second rule, what happens if the immediate family still break the rule? What does the ritual will do to keep them in check?"

Jacob, trying to respectable with Sam, said, "Good question.. Sam. The ritual is done to remind the family member of the gravity of the secret and knowing the secret. If the family member has no respect or reverence to the spirits, then they will receive punishment from the spirits. Depending on the circumstances of the individual, the family member will be punished accordingly. For example, if the family member had an amazing job, then the individual might lose their job or things fall through and the like."

Sam at this point was looking pale, but it wasn't making sense for him to do that. I hope his health gets resolved soon because he looks like the more time has passed, the sicker he looks. However, Sam didn't let it affect him. He continued to stay firm and controlled like he usually is. He asked again with a frown, "What if it was accidental? Are they going to get punished nevertheless?"

Jacob shook his head, "No because once they make the oath, the individual would feel a strong pull whenever they are about to reveal the secret. It is by choice, pushing through the pull that the secret would be revealed."

Sam nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Brady spoke up. He asked hesitantly as he was fidgeting in his seat, "Uhm, Alpha Jacob for the second rule.. can we tell our very close friends or other family members that we really consider as family?"

Brady, Collin, and Seth looked pleading at Jacob. I can understand why are desperate because Brady and Collin are still in school, it is hard for them to not hang out with their friends and keeping secrets from their close friends. Seth might've lost friends in his last semester in high school due to becoming a shapeshifter, so he might still feel miserable regarding that and want to repair his relationships with them.

Jacob took a moment to think and how to respond to that question. He said, "Only if the rest of the people who knows secret in your family deems them trustworthy to know the secret. If yes, then before telling them, you need to warn them that this is secret that not only has to be taken to the grave, but it will be done in the audience of the spirits as well. If they back out, then that is an indication that they shouldn't be told the secret. "

He glanced at Old Quil, and Old Quil gave a solemn nod.

Jacob sensing the younger wolves' s concern, he also said, "As if in for how to transition our lives back to the reservation after we phased, we will be doing this differently. We will not give a bullshit reasons that we got mono and that is why we disappeared for weeks after we phase and the telling the people that we love a shitty reason to stay away from us. We will put an end to that. The people who are worried for us deserve better, and we deserve better. Giving that kind of treatment to ourselves and others will only bring more suffering than good. Yes, it is for their own safety, but there are many other ways we could have handled it without doing things to that extreme. By doing this, this only make us look like a cult, and there could be accidents if the people we care about start demanding for answers to the newly phased wolf."

Jacob glanced at Paul, and I was reminded that Paul almost attacked Bella because Bella thought Jacob was being pulled into a cult and slapped him when she got pissed with Paul's response to her accusations. Yeah..there could be another Bella in the future, and it won't be good.

Jacob continued, "We can give them a better reason and explanation by saying that you have been called to patrol the reservation by the spirits. You can speak to them through the phone. I won't make you stop talking to them altogether, just try not to see them by yourself. If you must speak with them, have someone close by to watch out for you. Because you got called by the spirits, you disappeared for weeks in a spirit walk. Then, coming back, you can ask them if they could leave you be for a while. You can say that you are still trying to make sense what you have received from the spirits. It would lead you to be more temperamental than usual, and you don't want to be lashing out to them, so you can ask them if they are willing to wait for you once you come around. After you are deemed safe to be around with, you can spend time with them and if they start asking questions. You can say that you are now working temporarily with the council to patrol the land, and you cannot tell any more details what exactly you do because it is council's business. However, if they do not accept that reason and demand for an answer, then you need to tell them that if they are okay still being around your despite of this secret. If they are you're real friends or close companions, then they will stick around, or give them time to think about it and approach them again. Once you are deemed safe to be around with, you can spend time with your friends and close companions for you and their mental sake."

Jacob wrapped things up by saying, "the isolation from family and the reservation is damaging to our mental health and our connection to our spirit wolf, so I made these rules to help my pack to do better and to be more accepted to the tribe. We have been protecting our tribe for so long and it will hurt the morale of the pack if the tribe themselves see us untrustworthy and suspicious. It's hard to protect something when they don't like us. Yes, they won't know the sacrifices that we make daily to protect the tribe, but at least, they have an vague idea and would at least respect us. If not, it would lead pack members to not take their role seriously, mistakes will be made, we will be in conflict with our wolf spirt and there will be more conflict within the pack as well"

Everyone nodded, and Embry asked, "What about..having relationships? Can we have relationships after our 6 months working on the reservation and deemed safe to be around with others?"

Jacob rubbed his face in tiredness, and he said, "Before you even think about getting into a relationship, you need to converse with both your wolf spirit and our ancestors to see if you have an imprint. Also ask an estimate of when the imprint is going to come, and what kind of imprint it is. Is it an imprint that will not lead to a romantic relationship? Is it a protector imprint? Brother/Sisterly imprint? Friendship imprint? You need to know if the imprint will lead to a romantic imprint, then it will be highly advised to not get into a relationship unless you want to let go your role as a shapeshifter and let go your wolf spirit. But, your wolf spirit would also have to agree."

Oh, Wow. If Sam had spoken with the wolf spirit, then he wouldn't have stringed Leah along up until he imprinted..What if Emily was meant to be a different imprint, but due to trauma it became a romantic imprint? Hopefully, through Sam's spirit walk, we would be able to figure this out.

Jacob sighed heavily, "this is all for tonight. I know there is a lot more things that needs to be addressed, but we will talk about as time passes as we transition into a new dynamic in the pack as me with alpha. We will resume our normal patrols for the next two weeks to determine how our pack functions, see the strengths and weaknesses of our pack members. Then, I'll pick out who is going to be Beta and Third-in-Command. Paul, Jared, and Brady. I need you guys to take the night patrol, and Quil, Collin, and Embry will take over the day shift. Sam you will be relieved from doing your wolf duties for the next three days, you will not phase for the next three days and on the third day, you need to go on a spirit walk immediately." He said the last part with a command, and seeing how everyone straightened up, he had used his alpha command on them.

Sam frowned, "How come?"

Jacob snorted, "Have you felt different since I forcibly took the alpha title from you?"

Sam opened his mouth like he was about to argue, then he closed his mouth and said, "Yeah,..I feel really tried and sweaty, my body is constantly burning more than usual, and I feel extreme ache all over my body. I feel really disconnected with my wolf spirit, and it is making me more on edge."

Jacob said plainly, "that is because I took the alpha title by force. Usually, it is done by the current alpha and the challenger to fight for it and one of them submit the new alpha. You're spirit wolf is going on a crisis because it is no longer an alpha, and the power that you used to have been ripped from you. You would need to go on a spirit walk to find balance as now a regular pack member instead of alpha."

Sam said a little bit angrily, "How come you didn't tell me?"

Jacob, finally letting go, snarled, "Because you need to be punished from the transgressions that you had made toward the peacemaker, the pack, the council and the spirits. The fact that you didn't say anything until now shows that you focus more on saving face still. Tsk"

Jacob sneered, "Not only that, but the fact also that you made my mate to be mistreated under your leadership. Be thankful that I haven't ripped you to shreds. If I only focus on the rage of my wolf spirit, you would have been six feet under by now. So, go feel the torment of unable to phase for three days, unable to be free from the constant pain and suffering from being ripped of your title and unable to console with your wolf spirit to be relieved of your suffering.

The more time that you don't handle the pain, the stronger it gets because it is a warning you need to deal with it in the spirit walk. You would feel like the first time you have phased, your bones aching and groaning in pain with your body shivering, desperate to phase, but unable to. Let that pain and torment be a constant reminder of the pain that Leah felt when you forced her to not speak allowing our pack brothers talk shit about her, ignoring her suffering as a female shapeshifter, and a constant reminder of the suffering that you would've caused to the tribe when our pack brothers would've died in the useless war with the Cullens. Let that torment sink in slowly for these three days. I know you wouldn't want Emily to experience your pain through the imprint bond because the amount of pain that you're under, so it would be even more painful on you because you would be focused not causing Emily pain and enduring this suffering.. .

I would've let you endure it for a week if I had it my way, but it would be considered cruel and unreasonable. Unlike you, I am reasonable, so I will only allow you to suffer from this pain for two days then on the third day, you can go on the spirit walk to be free from this pain. "

Oh. Damn a savage Jacob. So, he did punished Sam more severely than Paul..

Sam was silently fuming in his seat, but no one made a peep, so Jacob said, "alright, meeting is dismissed, but Ale, Leah, and Seth, I need you guys to stay behind."

I wonder why he needs to speak to us.

Author's Note:

Thank you guys for the great reviews! Very helpful.

Imma stop here, and I will finish the other half of this chapter, most likely very late tonight. It would've gotten about 6,000 words long ish, and it would start overwhelming me, so yep.

This chapter took a lot of thinking for me to do to give justice to the wolf pack so their lives would be better.

What do you guys think?

As always, reviews are very much appreciated.