Lesson 4 - Pack 

living in the pack

As a shapeshifter, you have a choice to live either with the pack or separately. Living outside of the pack doesn't make you less of a pack member and it doesn't affect your place in the hierarchy. However, you can't live too far away from your pack. You need to be an active member of the pack and visit it at least twice per week (or more if required). The Alpha always lives with the pack, but often works outside of the pack's area. 

The pack's area is usually a medium size land in the middle of the forest. It consists of a few houses - one for general meetings, one for kitchen, bathrooms, school and two more for bedrooms for those who wish to live only with the pack. The wolves who want to live with the pack, still need to pay the rent for the room they occupy, however, the rent is significantly lower than for most rooms to rent. 

Pack changing

It is possible to change your pack if you feel like your current pack is not what you are looking for. If you are a member of the regular wolf pack as well, you can remain in the regular wolf pack only, but if you also want to be in a shifter pack, you can speak to your Alpha (or any other wolf, which is higher rank) about joining a different pack. Alpha will organise a few packs that will be able to take care of you and you will be able to go and check all of them out before deciding where to move. 

pack rules

Each alpha of the pack creates specific pack rules, which everyone, who wants to remain in the pack, has to follow. Usually, the newbies receive a small booklet with all the rules written and described in details. Each pack has different rules, and there are consequences for breaking them. Here a few rules that have to be followed in my pack:

• Respect all the wolves in the pack, regardless of their position.

• Alpha ALWAYS has the final say. Never disregard him and make sure he is aware of your ideas/decisions/plans.

• Absolutely no tolerance for: any sort of discrimination (whether race, sexuality, age, gender, religion, disability etc.), lack of respect towards other wolves that are higher rank, lateness to the pack meetings or violence.

• Under no circumstances the following items are tolerated in the pack location: alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, weapons. 

• Violence against wolves and their mates is not allowed.

• Violence towards non-shapeshifters results in the individual being forced to leave the pack if the alpha decides so. 

• All complaints/arguments need to be resolved without the use of violence. 

• Any problems should be reported to a Beta wolf, who will later decide whether the issue should go to Alpha or not.

• Any harm done to the wolf (shapeshifter or not) or any other animal will result in a punishment decided by the Alpha.

• Any behaviour, which signifies lack of respect or is reprehensible towards the Alpha will result in the individual leaving the pack. 

• No hunting wild animals is allowed. 

• Any type of relationship with hunters or its family is not tolerated within the pack. 

• Any wolf from the pack is required to spend a minimum of £10 per year to support the local communities, either by donating money to charities or by adopting a wild animal, or by giving money directly to the homeless non-shapeshifters. When the individual doesn't have money, any form of volunteering is also highly valued.

• All things spotted in the woods that don't seem right need to be reported to a wolf higher in rank. 

• No wolf is permitted to live or spend time alone in the forest during the hunting season due to safety reasons.

• All wolves need to follow the schedule created by the Alpha, which indicates about the responsibilities and duties to fulfil within the pack on any given day (e.g. cleaning, vacuuming, teaching newbies, providing for the pack, mentoring). There is a possibility to switch tasks with other wolves but this has to be reported to Alpha so he can make a note of the changes.  

As mentioned, there are punishments for breaking the rules. The maximum punishment is being forced to leave the pack but before this happens, the wolves are usually given a few warnings and less serious punishments. Here are some examples of the light punishments:

• Extra cleaning duties

• More money to donate or compulsory volunteering 

• Ban from changing into a wolf for a couple of days

• Not being allowed to enter the pack's premises for a number of days

• Not being allowed to participate in the event/s organised by the pack

Although not many, there have been instances of wolves not only breaking the pack law, but also the criminal law. If a shapeshifter kills a human being (whether in wolf or human shape), Alpha HAS TO inform the police about the committed crime. The individual will automatically be kicked out of the pack, as well as they would need to face the legal punishments.

Packs for the local community

As mentioned in the third lesson, most packs are against wolves bringing humans into the pack's location. This, however, is not a rule at all times and most packs try to support the non-shapeshifter community as much as possible. Here are a few ways how wolves support the local people:

• CHARITY - Whether just donating once per month or more serious involvement (adopting an animal from WWF, providing food and support to homeless people, etc.). This may be a rule (as above) or it can be a completely personal choice.

• CONSERVATION AREAS - Wolves have many responsibilities within the local communities, including the close cooperation with the forest rangers and making sure that the forest and forest animals are safe and don't need any immediate help. Most packs organise trips around the forest, where they show people the true beauties of our world.

• DOCUMENTARIES - It is possible to make documentaries about wolves and the pack but this is only done after the Alpha's decision to go with the plan. Most of the times, there are a few documents about shapeshifters coming out every year.