Edited 05/31/21
"Alright," Meadow said nervously. Standing in front of her was the entire pack, including Brady and Collin. They were in Emily's backyard and the sounds of cooking drifted from the open kitchen window. The pack had decided not to change their meet-up place for their sakes and Emily's. They wanted to keep an eye on Emily, too, and try to ease the pain they knew she felt from the absence of Sam.
"The bonfire last night was fun, but there are some things we need to talk about," she said.
"What's up, MeMe?" Quil asked curiously.
"I want to change some of the ways the pack is run," she confessed. Jared groaned and threw his hands in the air.
"I thought the last time I'd have to memorize stuff would be in high school," he complained. Paul laughed at him and clapped him on the back.
"C'mon, Jared. I'm sure there's still room in that small brain of yours," Paul joked. Jared shrugged him off and glared at him. He mumbled and crossed his arms, refusing to look at anyone.
"It's nothing big, I promise," Meadow said to get them back on track. "Just some things I noticed that weren't working."
"Shoot," Embry said.
"Patrol is the first thing. The routes are fine as they are, but the schedule and the way new members are introduced to patrol need to be changed," she said. "I was confused when the routes were explained to me, and that is dangerous, especially with vampires running around. So, I've decided to implement a shadowing program. New wolves will shadow experienced wolves to get a handle on patrol without the pressure of getting it right the first time."
"So, we have to play babysitter?" Paul complained.
"Think of it as bonding. Besides, you won't be helping any of the new members," Jacob said with a smirk.
"Knowing Paul, the new recruit would cry within the first hour," Embry joked.
"Like you're any better," Paul snarled, upset they were picking on him.
"Enough," Meadow said steadily. "I will be picking who shadows who based on who they will benefit best from. Brady will shadow Leah and Collin will shadow Embry. Any complaints?"
When no one said anything, she continued by saying, "I know that some of you are still in school or have other obligations, and I don't want the pack to become your whole life. Those without serious obligations will run patrol more than those who do. I don't want to seem unfair, but I won't allow someone in middle school to run hours of patrol at night."
"I'm fine with that," Jared said with a shrug.
"Doesn't bother me," Leah said. "Just don't run me into the ground."
"Okay," Meadow said, letting out a breath of relief. She thought they would protest more, so she was relieved when they didn't. "Brady and Collin will only be patrolling on the weekends. Seth, Embry, Quil, and Jacob will be patrolling weekends and a handful of hours on weekdays. Everyone else runs patrols daily."
"We're getting breaks on the weekend, right?" Leah asked. "Since we'll be running patrols the most," she said, referring to the wolves who were out of school, "we deserve less time on the weekends."
"Of course," Meadow said. "I also talked to the Elders, and they agreed to increase the allowance pack members to more livable standards."
"Sweet!" Quil cheered. "This just means we get to buy more food," he whispered to Seth. Seth grinned and pumped his fists in excitement whole Quil bumped his fists with Jake and Embry. However, they stopped when Meadow leveled them with a stare and a raised eyebrow.
"Only those out of school will have their allowance raised," she clarified. Groans came from the four boys, and they started to sulk in their spots. Brady and Collin snickered but stopped when Jake hit them over the head.
"Better be careful," Jake muttered. "We're the only friends you're going to have for a while."
"The Elders mentioned that," Collin muttered with a frown.
"While the Elders recommend that," Meadow said, "that's not true. One of the things I didn't like about phasing was that I had to cut ties with those I usually talked to. It caused Quil pain, and it caused Jake and Embry pain. It isn't necessary to cut people completely out of our lives to protect the reservation. As long as you don't mention the pack or your duty, you can keep your friends."
"What if they let it slip?" Leah asked. "They're still in middle school and, if you haven't noticed, they're still immature."
"There will be consequences. There always have been," Meadow responded.
"But what if something does happen? What if someone sees something they shouldn't?" Jared asked.
"Then we'll address it when it occurs. I don't want the pack to be your life if you don't want it to be. All of us were brought into this without a choice, and I don't want to take any more of your choices away," Meadow answered passionately. "One day, we'll stop phasing. One day, it won't be our duty to protect the reservation. Some of us will give up phasing earlier than others, some of us will continue phasing, but one day, we will stop. We'll have all the time to do everything we always wanted to do. So, don't make being a shifter your entire identity."
It was quiet as the pack mulled over her words. Meadow gauged their reactions, trying to find any complaints or negative reactions. She was nervous to tell them not to make the pack their life. She didn't want them to misunderstand and think she didn't want them there. She did. She just knew how hard shifting was on everyone's lives. It took opportunities away from them, love, and youth. She didn't want past mistakes to happen again.
"I think I can handle it," Seth spoke up. "I mean, it has been pretty crappy not being able to talk to my other friends."
"You trying to tell us something?" Paul asked playfully.
"You guys are great!" Seth exclaimed. "I just-"
"Relax. He's just messing around," Jake said with a roll of his eyes.
"I think it'll be nice talking to some old friends," Jared confessed. "There's a few I've been thinking about lately."
"More time away from this ragtag group," Leah joked with a side smirk.
"Alright! Are we done now? I can smell Emily's brownies from here," Embry said with a gluttonous look in his eyes.
"One more thing," Meadow said, causing him to groan. "Jared has stepped down from the Beta position."
"Seriously?" Paul asked. "Are you sure?"
"It wouldn't feel the same without Sam as Alpha. I think it's great that Meadow is stepping up, but I feel like I'm betraying Sam every time I think about keeping the position," Jared explained. He rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable from the looks he was receiving.
"The Beta is second in command, right?" Brady asked.
"Right," Meadow said. "Jake agreed to become Beta."
There were whoops of happiness and encouragement, and Quil and Embry clapped Jacob on the back. While the boys surrounded Jake, Leah walked up to Meadow and nudged her with her elbow. Her arms were crossed, and a sour look was on her face.
"What's wrong?" Meadow asked.
"I figured you would ask me," Leah grumbled. Meadow's eyes softened. She placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her so she was facing her.
"I'm not picking him over you," Meadow reassured her. "You've got a lot of things you want out of life. I didn't want to tie you down to the pack."
Leah scoffed, then huffed.
"Thanks, I guess," Leah said appreciatively.
After hanging out with the pack and running patrol, Meadow walked into her house just after the sky darkened. She sighed and ran a hand threw her black locks. She'd need to cut them again soon. Jake was running patrol and her dad had gone to Charlie's, so she was the only one home. She walked into the bathroom and quickly showered off the dirt and grime that accumulated throughout the day. She was drying out her hair when she heard the front door open.
"Meadow, Jake, are you home?" Billy asked. Meadow walked out of the bathroom and into the living room.
"Jake's on patrol," she informed him. He made his way over to the couch and settled himself to watch TV. He reached for the remote, but Meadow took it before he could. He gazed at her curiously while she placed the remote on the side table.
"What is on your mind?" he asked.
"Nothing much. All of this has just been overwhelming," she confessed.
"It will seem like a lot, but I know you can do it, Meadow," Billy said with a warm smile.
"I hope so," Meadow said. "Everyone has been agreeable to all the changes so far, and everyone is so happy lately. However, I'm worried about Paul, Jared, and Emily. Sam's absence has hit them the most, and they're trying to hide it, but I know it's taking a toll on them."
"It's understandable. Just let them grieve in silence. I'm sure they'll talk about it if they want to."
"That's true," Meadow said with a contemplative look on her face. "I think I'm gonna go for a run. Do you need anything while I'm out?"
"I'm fine, Meadow. Clear your mind," Billy reassured her.
There was a lot on her mind, and nothing was better than running to clear your head. She greeted Jake and Paul and started running with no destination in mind. Apparently, her spirit knew where it wanted to go. A few minutes later, she found herself running next to Paul.
Something up? Paul asked. Meadow sighed and started shaking her head and closing off her thoughts before she realized what she was doing. She shook her fur out and told him what she talked about with her dad.
You're going to be a great Alpha, Flower, Paul said. You already are.
But what if I'm not?, she asked distressed.
You're strong, Flower, Paul said softly. I've never met anyone stronger than you.
Yeah, MeMe, Jacob input. Besides, you have the whole pack to lean on now. We got your backs just like you have ours.
Meadow started tearing up. She couldn't hide it because her paws were occupied with moving her body, so fat tears rolled down her face. She sniffed and a sob left her snout. It sounded more like a gargle than a sob, but it caught Paul's attention, nonetheless. He bumped her and gave her a wolfish smile. A laugh slipped through, causing her to bark shortly. She was very thankful for their words and the way the pack accepted her. She never thought she would have people to support her or to lean on. She had felt so alone for so long that support like theirs was foreign. She was happy and wished she felt that happiness forever.
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