Rosewood Forest, Pennsylvania, 10:00 a.m.
Aria and Kurt had arranged to meet their pack at Rosewood Forest at 10:00 a.m. They didn't want it to be too early or too late. They had a lot of work today and they want to try to do as much as possible in one day. Of course, it is not possible to do everything they have planned in one day. The days would have to be longer for that.
The incubation week went very well, but, as expected, few enjoyed it. It must be said that being in a state similar to a flu-like state, where one feels pain, fatigue and what looks like apathy, for a week, is not what is more pleasant. In addition, the pain felt intensifies at the end of the week, a sign that the parts of the wolf are formed and that they will soon appear. It's one of the hardest things to bear, but once the incubation period is over, the rest happens on its own.
Aria and Kurt waited for their pack to arrive, having preferred to come to the meeting place early so they could do some scouting. They don't know this place, there could be traps set by hunters. It is forbidden to hunt werewolves. Killing one is considered murder, even assassination if it can be proven that there was premeditation. A hunter caught hunting werewolves will be immediately arrested and sent to prison. Well, that's the theory. In practice, it is very difficult for a werewolf to prove that he is hunted by werewolf hunters, because they can sometimes use self-defense to justify their actions.
Aria paced, feeling and hearing the leaves crunch under her feet. As expected, she is very nervous because she is not sure how to start their training. With Kurt, she planned in what order their senses were going to be worked on, but they didn't plan the explanations they were going to have to give. If they want them to understand, they must give explanations and they must be precise.
Aria sighed and went to sit against a tree. Kurt looked at her and did the same, sitting down next to her. He sensed her nervousness and tried to stay calm, hoping that would calm her down too. But it does not work. Both took advantage of the fresh air, seeing a deer pass in the distance, accompanied by a doe. These animals reminded them of life in their old pack in Oregon. They used to venture into the forest and sometimes hunt, often for food. The stomach of werewolves is made to digest both raw and cooked food, whether animal or vegetable. As a result, they can very well go hunting for food, as long as they do not attack pets and, of course, humans.
Some werewolf hunters capture them, starve them and then release them, most often in city centers. By doing this, they often hope to show the wild and monstrous side of werewolves, because they will attack. But, this is pretty normal behavior. When a werewolf is hungry, its primal instincts take over, driving it to hunt for food. If he is released in the middle of town, he will have very little choice but to attack a pet. Most avoid doing so as much as possible, waiting instead for someone to help them. Some passers-by are smart and give them a piece of meat, assuaging their hunger and allowing them to regain control. Truly chaotic situations, as described in ancient books, are extremely rare. More often than not, the werewolf just waits without moving and the hunters, who wanted to pass themselves off as heroes, end up being the laughingstock of everyone.
Half an hour later, Kurt and Aria saw the pack trickling in. It's no wonder it was the Omegas bitten by Aria who were there first, because their instincts told them not to be late. Almost all wore a big smile, a sign that they had their impregnation and that most couples are fixed. Only Emily and Alison didn't seem to have had their imprint, but Aria suspected that. They weren't made to be together, their characters being very different. But, it is above all the manipulative side of Alison which had to prevent this impregnation from occurring, the different characters not playing a very big role. They should soon find their mate, although it is not uncommon for werewolves to have no imprinting and therefore no mate.
Kurt stared at his watch, wondering what his friends were doing. They were already a little late and there's no way he's letting that pass. That would undermine his authority as Alpha and he doesn't like that. After another ten minutes of waiting, Kurt saw Rachel pull Finn by the arm. She and Finn got their imprint on each other, which caused Quinn's jealousy. Since then, she hasn't stopped arguing with her, revoking their impregnation, even accusing her of having faked it. Some of these arguments ended in fights, during which Blaine was hurt. It only happened once, but that was once too many.
Blaine arrived right after them, his hair still damp, his polo shirt not yet completely closed and his belt in hand. He must have woke up late and took a quick shower. Then, on his way out, he must have seen the time and he had to rush here, finishing dressing on the way. Kurt chuckled lightly seeing him like that, not having had time to finish dressing or even dry his hair. He must have had an alarm clock blackout and didn't wake up in time. For Kurt, it's not serious, it's just an exceptional event. Blaine isn't one to be late. It is often even ahead. In general, the reasons for his delays are either that he did not wake up in time or that he got lost on the way, which can happen to anyone.
Quinn arrived soon after and rushed at Rachel as soon as she saw her. They did not take the time to make a verbal argument, preferring to come to fists directly. Kurt and Aria were surprised for a microsecond. They decided to intervene before this fight became bloody. Although they heal instantly, that's no reason to let them fight. One of these days one of them is going to get really hurt. The other Omegas present watched in amazement, wondering why they were fighting. Blaine went to give them the reason, although it was completely ridiculous. Quinn must have heard him talking, because she groaned loudly and launched in his direction with the firm intention of going after him. She doesn't like people talking behind her back and knows how to make it understood. Aria stopped her before she reached her destination. Once Quinn was subdued, Rachel calmed down and glared at her, walking in her opposite direction.
Santana and Brittany were the last to arrive. Obviously, they had taken their time, surely to visit the forest and its surroundings. They do not know the region and wanted to discover it. When they arrived at the meeting place, they realized they were late, and smiled apologetically. Kurt sighed and rolled his eyes, letting them know it was okay this time. Aria doesn't say anything, not knowing them and not knowing how they will react. In fact, neither Santana nor Brittany had bothered to look at her or acknowledge her presence. Only Blaine had greeted her, as well as the other people present. He didn't know them, but he didn't mind getting to know them. But, obviously, for Rachel, Quinn and Santana, contact may be difficult. Brittany had simply followed Santana's attitude, but as soon as she was seated, she started introducing herself to everyone, talking about herself, her passions and her cat, which she raved about. Finn, on the other hand, is a bit more shy. He does not always dare to approach others, but contact should be easy for him.
Once everyone was settled, Aria started to give the first explanations, the basics of what they need to know. Kurt listened carefully, providing additional information if needed. Once the basics were explained, Kurt announced why certain people were there. Indeed, Finn, Rachel, Quinn, Santana and Brittany must undergo an upgrade. This decision was made after several issues were identified. Especially issues related to respecting Blaine's authority, the fact that he was injured in a fight that was not necessary. Finn at least had the good sense to feel ashamed. He didn't have much to do with this story, but he still felt bad. Brittany didn't really understand the criticisms made, but she, too, had nothing to do with this story. The three main ones involved weren't paying much attention to what Kurt had said. They continued to glare at each other, looking for any excuse to start an argument.
Santana is fairly neutral in conflict, but she loves to see them fight and doesn't hesitate to escalate the situation when she can. So, as soon as she can launch heated debates, she does not hesitate, she does not deprive herself. Of course, it created tensions in the pack, tensions that Kurt can't understand or resolve. And, that's what he intends to do today. He's tired of feeling tensions he doesn't understand. He wants all of this to be settled and that they can, again, get along well.
At first, everything was going pretty well. There were a few small tensions, but they were settled very quickly and it wasn't really a problem. But here it is completely different. It all started when Finn and Rachel had their imprint on each other. Their relationship wasn't surprising to anyone and Kurt knew that they were going to end up impregnating each other. Only, what he didn't know was that Quinn was going to be jealous. Finn was her boyfriend, before Rachel caught his eye and they ended up dating. From there, Quinn kept trying to get it back. So, as soon as there was this impregnation, which formalized their relationship, her jealousy and anger only increased. And since then, they've just been arguing about anything, and it often ends in a fight.
Kurt didn't know what else to do to solve the problem. The first solution he found was to separate them, but that didn't work. They found places to meet to launch improvised fights. They have already landed at the police station because of this. Kurt was woken up at 1:00 a.m. by a call from a police officer telling him that two Omegas from his pack are currently in custody for a street fight. He had to pick them up and drive them home. And this idea of waiting for nightfall to go fight in the alleys came from Santana, who just wanted to add fuel to the fire.
Kurt had noticed Santana's behavior and, of course, it didn't go unnoticed. During these arguments, it was not at all uncommon or even surprising to see her smiling or laughing, indicating that the plan she had hatched was working. Creating situations for Rachel and Quinn to argue is very easy. Just talk to them about a subject on which they have a different opinion and they immediately start hurling insults at each other without even having a real reason. So, Santana had a field day, always remaining discreet. She didn't know how Kurt would react if he found out.
It seems that day has arrived, and Santana ignored all of his speech. She wanted to detach herself from the situation, pretend she hadn't made things worse. But, that's what happened. Things got worse, and surely because of her. Kurt didn't blame anyone in particular. He just contented himself with saying that authority problems, especially with Blaine's, had been noted and that they must be resolved as soon as possible. That's why he decided to give them an update, so that the hierarchy is explained to them again. He also wants to take advantage of the training of newcomers to do this upgrade and no one will escape it.
After a few minutes during which the last information was given, Kurt got up from the trunk he was sitting on. He walked towards stones that had been laid out to create a starting line. Kurt and Aria had placed stones on the sides, creating a path. These stones were the delimitation of the width of the track. The two walked to this homemade starting line and waited for all the members of the pack to join them. They stood straight with their arms folded across their chests, indicating their Alpha status. Kurt was the first to speak, giving the exercise they were going to have to do.
"Well, as you can see, we created a small track. We did it for several reasons, all of which relate to your training. The first, you will have to follow this path, running. The other reasons, we will explain them to you when the time comes".
Aria nodded and went straight into gear. She was the one who had the idea for this exercise and she knows how to explain it. She also knows what details to give about it.
"As Kurt just said, you're going to have to run. It's a warm-up and it's going to allow you to already become aware of some of your new abilities. And, it's also going to test your limits which normally are increased compared to the limits you had when you were human. This is a first for you, so don't force yourself. If you feel you're starting to tire, come find us and tell us. Or, put yourself directly on the side to recover. In that case, we'll see it and we'll come and see what's wrong. In any case, don't force yourself. You are young werewolves, all your abilities are not yet at their maximum. You will have to train for that".
Everyone nodded and walked to the starting line. At the given signal, all began to run, most surprised by the speed at which they ran. A werewolf always runs faster than a human, but those in this pack are still way faster than all the other werewolves. In their wolf form, they can quite easily reach the speed of the fastest car in the world. So no one can escape them. If they have decided to pursue someone, this person will not be able to hide or run away from them.
About half an hour later, they were all still running, the fatigue not yet showing. Kurt and Aria were surprised at the stamina they have. In general, young werewolves don't have much stamina. But, it seems that they have a lot of stamina. But, the first tired should not take long to manifest themselves.
And, that's what happened. About 5 minutes later, Hanna went to sit against a tree, her breathing was rather jerky. Aria came straight to her, made sure she was okay, and resumed watching. She suspected that was going to happen. Having run for so long, even with great endurance, has an effect on breathing, as well as heart rate. What is rather positive is that it did not trigger any involuntary transformation. At least, for now.
Indeed, a high heart rate, as well as a high breathing, can lead to a transformation whether it is the form of a wolf, the rather classic form of the werewolf, the so-called enraged form or the so-called original form. The latter is almost impossible to achieve, especially for Omegas who have just been bitten. Anyway, if there is an involuntary transformation, everyone is likely to be surprised, especially the new Omegas.
That's why Aria and Kurt are watching them. They don't want this kind of thing to happen, because they don't know how to handle it. So they keep an eye on their pack, calling to order those who do not do what is asked of them. It's mostly Rachel and Quinn who take these remarks, because they keep insulting each other, pushing each other and even bothering others, because they stop in the middle of the way to yell at each other. So, Kurt went to separate them, with a certain sweetness all the same. Then it was Aria's turn to go and separate them. Unlike Kurt, she separated them with a strong grip, not hesitating for a second to growl at them, daring them to minimize her authority as Alpha. Unexpectedly, they lowered their eyes and continued on their way.
Kurt was surprised, then he realized, that she wasn't afraid to use her authority as Alpha, to growl at them if she deemed it necessary. Kurt didn't do that. He was not afraid of reprisals, but he dared not do so. He was just afraid of losing his friends if he ever got too bossy. Aria has just shown him that you shouldn't hesitate to do it, otherwise the problems are likely to continue and even possibly get worse. Kurt walked over to her, asking her advice on this.
"How did you do it? I...I've been trying to stop them from fighting for almost a year. As soon as I separate them, they keep yelling at each other and start fighting again as soon as I let them go. I was starting to lose hope about that, and you managed to calm them down. How do you use your Alpha authority without fear of losing friends? Just how do you do? I tried that already, and it didn't work. Am I the one not believable or is it something else?"
"That's another thing. You're more than believable as an Alpha, trust me. And, you just said it. I'm not shy about using my Alpha authority. I'm not afraid to do it, because I know that their instincts come into play. You don't have to worry about any reprisals or even losing friends. Because that's not going to happen. If they're ever not happy, you tell them that you're not happy. You don't need to justify yourself to them. You are their Alpha. Your decisions must be followed without question. And, it's the same for me. The only people who can challenge our decisions are us. If the one of us disagrees with the other, he has to say it. The decision will be evaluated and another will be made if the first one turns out to be bad. The Betas also have their opinion to give, but, in general, the Omegas listen. But hey, they have their free will and they know how to use it, especially in times when it's not necessary".
Kurt burst out laughing at Aria's last sentence. She was right and he felt reassured. He must not be afraid to use his Alpha authority. They are part of the same pack, the bonds between them can never be broken. Rachel and Quinn may argue and hate each other, but Kurt is sure they wouldn't hesitate to save each other's lives in real danger. In this kind of case, it is their instincts that will take over and not the hatred they have for each other. So their arguments will surely not last long.
About an hour and a half later, everyone was seated around an improvised campfire. They were all tired, but they had become aware of one of their primary capacities, their speed. The second abilities that have to be worked on after eating are their hearing and their sense of smell. Kurt and Aria have decided that these are important senses that need to be worked on ASAP. That way, they can spot danger before it happens.
As an exercise to give them to work on their sense of smell, Kurt and Aria decided to make them do some tracking. They hid different dry foods in different corners of the forest. Of course, they hid them in the vicinity of their assembly point, to prevent them from getting lost. This forest is big and nobody knows it, so they can quickly get lost. They haven't yet learned how to use and modulate their growl and howl, because they're not supposed to get lost. But, the emergency call is still usable and they have their phone in case they really have a problem.
To add challenge to the exercise, Kurt and Aria have decided to set a time during which they must find and bring back as much food as possible. Food has more smell than objects, that's why they decided to start their training with it. As their sense of smell is still developing, using objects with a weak scent is not a good idea. They would risk missing out and the training would have been useless. The goal here is to develop their sense of smell and make the exercise more and more complex.
At the end of the day, they were all gathered around this same improvised campfire. Wooden logs had been arranged all around in order to serve as seats and a grill was positioned above the fire, supported by small wooden pillars. Meat and vegetables were busy cooking on it. Different bottles of different drinks were placed next to the logs. Most of these drinks being fizzy, they could explode under the effect of the heat, that's why they keep them away from the fire.
This first day of training went well. There were very few arguments, as Rachel and Quinn managed to keep their distance. It must be said that the yelling at Aria has something to do with it, because they no longer dared to look at her for the rest of the day. They didn't dare look at Kurt either, because they know that he is angry with them and that he is looking for a way to settle this more than disastrous situation.
Night was beginning to show itself. It is time for them to return, as it is possibly dangerous to stay in the forest at night. Bears have already been observed there, and they could defend their territory. They are not really nocturnal animals, but in the region it is not uncommon to encounter them at night. Indeed, bears fear werewolves, which are considered to be their natural predators. And, that's normal. Werewolves can be considered to be at the top of the food chain, given their many abilities and resistances.
After eating well, everyone went back to their homes, not forgetting to say goodbye. Kurt and Aria had scheduled another date for tomorrow morning at the same place. Their training is far from over. They still have a lot to learn and know. But doing it all at once would only be counterproductive. They would remember only a few things and certainly not the most useful ones. So, everything will have to be relearned to them and it is sometimes longer than the first apprenticeship. So they prefer to take their time and make sure they have understood it well and are able to reproduce it without hesitation. Asking them to reproduce what they learned is like a kind of little evaluation, and it will let Kurt and Aria know their level. No one learns at the same pace and no one has the same difficulties.
One of the last things they will be taught, although it is one of the most important, is respect for hierarchy. Everyone must know the different statuses that make up a pack and what roles they have. Thus, problems related to authority should disappear, but it is not said. Some have strong characters and would not hesitate to question authority. This sort of thing can create arguments within the pack, as well as discord. But, above all, the Omega or the Beta, it can happen, who would have dared to challenge the authority of an Alpha will be put in their place directly. The operation is the same when it comes to the authority of a Beta.
Respect for the hierarchy is important, because it avoids conflicts. Of course, small arguments or disagreements are always possible, but big conflicts are, in general, avoided thanks to this respect. This is why it is important to teach them and this as soon as possible. They are friends, but they must understand that their status plays a big role in the pack. For example, the Omegas, those who make up a large part of the pack, are those who come to the aid of many people. They are often sent as scouts when the pack is looking for new territory. The Alpha is the leader of the pack. It is he who makes the decisions that no one disputes. He is also the one who resolves conflicts and ensures good relations between the pack and their human neighbors. The Beta, on the other hand, is the companion of the Alpha, the one with whom it spends its life and with whom it will reproduce. As a companion, he provides support to the Alpha, helps manage conflict, and also exercises authority over the pack.
And, it is this authority of Beta that was flouted by the Omegas bitten by Kurt. In fact, almost no one respects Blaine as a Beta and he struggles to establish himself. Finn just considers him a friend, not an actual authority figure. Rachel and Quinn do not consider it to be credible and therefore play it off. Santana has much the same reaction and Brittany doesn't really seem to understand that Blaine has authority over her. She treats everyone like a friend, not really caring about the person's status. It is therefore not surprising to see her sympathize with a professor before someone makes her understand that it is not her friend.
Kurt began to think about how he was going to tell them that their respect for hierarchy was lacking. They don't seem to realize it or they don't care. The second option is the most likely, because it's in their character. If they can defy an authority, they will not hesitate to do so, often not giving a damn about the consequences.
Aria came to join him, having understood that he is in deep thought and that he surely needs help to find a solution. It's never easy to make your pack understand that they're up to something, but it's often necessary. If we let everything pass, soon chaos will reign.
"What are you thinking about ?"
"Like how I'm going to have to explain to them again how the hierarchy of a pack works. The last time I did that, I'm pretty sure it was only Blaine listening to me, and that sees himself. He's the only one who does everything right and takes his role as Beta to heart. The others, I feel like they do what they want without fear of consequences. I don't know what anymore I don't know what else I can do, or even if there's a solution. Apart from cracking down, I don't know what else I can do. When they're angry, they know how to make it understood".
"You don't have to be afraid of possible retaliation, I've told you that before. Just act on what your instincts tell you. They will do the same. I even think they will feel bad for disappointing an Alpha. It's in their nature to follow our orders and to feel bad if they disappoint us. I'm not saying that you were too lax, because it shows that they are strong characters. I understand that you don't want to upset them, but at some point you have to show who's boss. Let your instincts run, they'll tell you what to do. And it will be the same for them. Their instincts will take over, dictating how they behave. And then, you know that these kind of feelings are only temporary ยป.
Kurt nodded and took a deep breath. He decided that from now on, he was not going to let disrespect pass. This kind of thing is unacceptable and letting them do it will set a very bad example for newcomers. They don't need to be stuffed in their heads with the idea that everything is allowed to them. A pack of 15 werewolves doing anything can lead to the possible destruction of a city. That's why those who do anything must be called to order as soon as possible. And, that's what Kurt planned to do. Tomorrow, he will put things flat, explain the situation and explain how he intends to resolve it. He just hopes they'll listen, but that shouldn't be a problem.
The next day, as planned, Kurt summoned his friends so that he could discuss with them and expose the facts. Also as expected, few of them were actually listening, so Kurt let out a loud warning grunt that proved effective. Everyone who wasn't listening, namely everyone but Blaine, turned their heads in Kurt's direction. Finn put his phone straight back in his pocket, Brittany stopped listening to the conversations in the neighboring rooms. As for Rachel, Quinn and Santana, they stopped arguing and turned their gaze to Kurt, not without giving each other a last dark look.
Once all the attention was on him, Kurt started talking about what was going to happen, explaining all the problems there had been so far and that he wanted it to stop. He doesn't want to see any arguing and disrespect anymore.
"Guys, this needs to stop and now. Pack members aren't supposed to argue with each other let alone disrespect their Beta. What the hell are you doing? I think I have some vague idea what triggered all these fights and therefore also triggered the disrespect. But, that's still not a reason to do what you were doing. I agree that there are people who don't get along and therefore it creates tension. But, in these cases, try to avoid each other as much as possible. It's not complicated. Anyway, I you know the hierarchy of a pack, I taught it to you, but I think a reminder wouldn't hurt".
Everyone looked at him with wide eyes, having finally understood why they were there. They were aware that the new Omegas, whom they did not know by the way, were going to learn the hierarchy of a pack today. And they're going to have to attend, because Kurt decided they had to.
As Kurt had expected, most were groaning in frustration, even annoyance. They were not happy to learn that, surely feeling like children being punished. It's normal that they feel like that, because that's almost it. They want to behave like children, they will be treated like children. In time, they should understand, although it's hard.
During the rest of the week, the training continued. Everyone started to really become aware of all their new abilities and we started to see those who mastered one ability better than another. In general, a werewolf will always master one ability better than another, but will always train the others, so that there is no imbalance.
Kurt and Aria were busy watching their pack continue their training. Most threw themselves into little improvised fights, avoiding as much as possible hurting themselves, although this allowed them to train their healing capacity. Others had fun scratching trees or rocks, testing the resistance and power of their claw. The more adventurous improvised themselves as hunters, taking their wolf form, not yet with great ease, but already more at ease than at the beginning.
Learning to master the wolf form can be complicated, because you find yourself on all fours. It's a posture that is not at all natural for a human, so learning to move like that is quite complicated. But, they quickly took the fold, some already having fun taking their wolf form and running around. It's a pretty fun activity, because it allows you to really let off steam.
At the bend of their little surveillance walk, Kurt and Aria saw Caleb near a tree, trying to get his claws out, without success. He looked frustrated and growing increasingly angry. Hanna was near him, trying to calm him down and give him advice. Despite the advice, Caleb's claws wouldn't come out and that frustrated him even more. Aria approached him, followed by Kurt.
"Frustration won't help you get there. You have to calm down first and then try again. Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Do this a few times to help calm yourself down. I know what it's like to get angry quickly when you can't do something, but I also know that it doesn't bring anything".
Kurt approached again, having some advice to give as well. He knows what's going on and why he can't get his claws out.
"It's not uncommon for a young werewolf to have trouble controlling their claws. They come out when they shouldn't and don't come out when they should. I know it's a very frustrating situation, but, like Aria just said it, there's absolutely no point in getting upset. All you have to do is wait. Eventually you'll have full control of it. It's just a matter of patience."
Caleb nodded, resuming the little exercise he was doing, taking care to breathe well. He tried again and succeeded this time. He repeated the action several times, wanting to make sure it wasn't just a fluke. Kurt and Aria were smiling, proud to see him listen to their advice and achieve his goal.
Each werewolf has their own goals to achieve during their training, and it's not at all surprising to see them proud of having achieved them. That's how werewolves work. When they are happy with something, they do not hesitate to show it, deliberately exaggerating the thing.
About a month later, the training of the young werewolves is complete. They are all fully aware of their new nature and all that goes with it. As for the problems that needed to be resolved, the vast majority are. Only the arguments between Rachel and Quinn could not be stopped. They always found a new pretext to fight, to yell at each other or to insult each other. Nothing can stop them, not even keep them apart. As for the issues of disrespect and defiance of authority, they have all been addressed. They all realized what they were doing and that they were going to get in trouble.
As all these problems have been resolved and the training is over, the pack will be able to begin its life. Sure, they're almost all teenagers, so they have to finish school, but they can do it while seeing each other fairly regularly.
Kurt and Aria decided that the pack would meet every weekend at most, because it helps to maintain the links between the different members of the pack, and that's what is most important. Now they can start looking for a territory to settle in and possibly help people if they need it.
But, beware, some people may want the bite and may use unscrupulous means to obtain it. Always watch out for people who show too much interest in being a werewolf. They can do things considered illegal to become so. So you always have to be careful about that.