Page 26 of Ascendant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #6)
As the starting time for the meeting drew closer, Dante, Sergio, Nick, and Gray found a convenient spot on the carpeted floor by the large stone fireplace.
Once Jonah and RJ joined them, Evie settled in on Jonah’s lap, with her brothers clustered around.
Jack, William, and the twins had claimed one of the nearby couches, and all three Omegas had been instructed to produce a generous amount of calming scent before Ben stood to begin the meeting.
“Thanks for coming on short notice, but you’ll understand the reason in a few minutes. First, I want to extend a special welcome to our guests from Arizona and Mexico. Among them, we have our newlymates, Nick and Gray.”
The crowd hooted and clapped in welcome, happy that Luna had brought them together.
“I also want to thank Perdy for taking care of them over the last few days, and I know they appreciated it. Dante and Sergio have told Evan and I that they’ve already learned a lot from our pack just by observing, and I’ve come to expect nothing less.
“Before we get to the main business, I have a happy announcement to share. This afternoon, after months of study, training, and testing, Nate Scoon has been offered a position as Gladstone’s newest deputy sheriff!”
The crowd went wild with delight, mobbing Scooter where he sat, flushed red as a beet, but smiling and proud. Amid the hullabaloo, Nolan shouted out his own two cents’ worth.
“Way to go, Scoot! No speeding tickets for pack members, right?”
Once the laughter died down, people retook their seats and settled in so Ben could continue.
“You’ve come a long way, Scooter, and we’re all very proud of you.
On a related note, everyone knows that Lou is actively campaigning for sheriff, which is the reason he’s not here tonight.
Near the main doors, he’s posted a list of community events and meetings where he’ll be speaking.
If you can show up to support him, he’d really appreciate it.
Keep in mind that if Lou is elected, he’ll be the first shifter to hold the position of sheriff in recent history.
“I think it’s safe to say that Luna is preparing us to take a more active role in human society, and local law enforcement is one way to do that.
Personal relationships may be affected too, and that leads me to the primary purpose for our meeting.
Jack recently discovered something during his trip to Mexico that you will find difficult to accept, just as I did. I’ll let him explain.”
Curious murmurs swept through the crowd as Ben sat down and Jack stood to speak. Calm and collected as usual, his scent, nevertheless, carried an atypical scent of disquiet. In this case, dancing around the issue only delayed the inevitable, and he decided to simply rip the bandage off.
“Contrary to what we have all believed, humans may be safely turned.”
The initial bombshell momentarily prevented speech as the entire pack stared at him in silence. Then a wave of skepticism, doubt, and suspicion filled the room with angsty denials and questions.
That can’t be true!
Why tell us now?
It’s too dangerous!
Is this a joke?
Jack waited patiently for quiet before telling them the whole story. Understandably, they were upset that True Elders, of all people, were behind the lies they’d been taught to believe. Jack explained that he, too, was astonished by that fact, but he understood their reasons.
“The purge of natural wolves was decimating packs everywhere and our people died right along with them. Using fear was one way of reducing the contact between shifters and humans, and though it worked, there were unintended consequences.
“I spoke to some of the True Elders in the Afterworld who were responsible, and they were aghast that the truth had never been reintroduced after all this time. They had no way of knowing that shifter society was all but destroyed following the purge, or that so much of our history would be lost. If it makes you feel better, it shames them now, but assigning blame serves no useful purpose.”
Robyn voiced a question that many in the room also wanted to ask.
“Why are you telling us this now? Is there some reason we need to know?”
Evan stood to field this one.
“Yes, there is. Not only is this an important issue for us to understand, but Gray and RJ have asked to be turned. It wouldn’t be fair to you or them to find out after the fact.
Jack now knows how it’s done, Nick has personally attended a number of turnings, and Donna will closely supervise the process. ”
That sent a rumble of excitement and cautious approval through the group, though Linda Kilburn wanted additional input.
“I’d like to know what Donna thinks about this.”
Nearly every head nodded in agreement, and Donna got to her feet, one hand splayed across her distended abdomen.
“If you ask any of the others who were in the meeting this morning, they’ll tell you I didn’t approve at first. Nick’s pack has been safely turning human mates for a long time, and now that it’s been explained to me, I don’t see any reason why we can’t do the same.
My primary concern is that the process can be abused, and I believe Jack has come up with a good set of rules that will keep us and our human friends safe. ”
Jack gave Donna a grateful nod, retook the floor, and began to teach.
“Before I get to that, allow me to share some of our history.
As you know, Luna is not always directly involved in bringing mates together.
Historically, shifter packs were small and widespread, and meeting potential mates involved traveling from place to place, hoping to make a connection.
When this failed, our ancestors relied on the human population to provide mates, and while turning them was common practice, it was not spoken of openly.
“As we now know, our long-standing policy of hiding among humans is unsustainable in a modern world.
We must, therefore, begin to infiltrate and integrate with society in order to better protect our people and way of life.
As we do so, I anticipate more human mates in our packs, and some of those will no doubt wish to be turned.
For this reason, I believe Luna preserved the information at León and made certain that we learned of it.
“Even so, it is doubtful that the practice will become an everyday occurrence. Donna is rightly concerned about the potential of turnings being abused, which is why I will recommend certain safeguards. Until the Council makes official policy, I ask you not to share this information outside of Gladstone, and that includes family members or friends. Meanwhile, we have the opportunity to celebrate with RJ and Gray as they undergo the transformation. They and their mates deserve our support and encouragement, and I trust that you will freely give it.”
The meeting ended and pack members scattered to greet whoever was closest. Donna fielded questions regarding the turning issue, along with inquiries about her condition.
With roughly ten days until delivery, everyone was eagerly awaiting her pups.
She’d been tight-lipped all long about the details, and it only heightened their curiosity.
In her experience, secrets were short-lived, fleeting things among a pack of shifters, and she enjoyed the satisfaction of keeping her packmates in the dark.
Nearby, Nick hovered over his mate as people shared their love and good wishes for a safe turning.
His scent kept Gray calm amid the exuberant crush of bodies, well-meaning hugs, and overlapping chatter that could rattle a fellow shifter, let alone a human!
People were genuinely happy for them and excited about Gray’s future as the only known Diné shifter.
Apparently, it was a bigger deal than they thought, though it wasn’t the most important thing on their minds just now.
Observing the scene, Dante and Sergio reflected on what they’d learned today about pack dynamics, leadership, how to share important news, and the intricate balance of interpersonal relationships that held everything together.
Ben and Evan were wonderful mentors, sharing much more than information, rules, or opinions, and Gladstone’s vibe set a high standard.
Their education was still incomplete, of course, and Gray’s turning would give them a few days to consider future possibilities for their little pack.
Amid joyful tears, Jonah and RJ were lavished with affection by their packmates.
Though no one talked about it, RJ had harbored a deep and lingering disappointment that he could not produce pups with Jonah.
Despite this, they enjoyed a fervent relationship that rivaled any other couple in the pack.
RJ was already much like a shifter, so they anticipated an easy transition for him and a pregnancy for Jonah in the near future.
Robyn elbowed her way through the crowd before finally reaching her best friend and his human mate, hugging the pair fiercely. Before Jonah could ask, she told him what he needed to know.
“Don’t worry about work. I already checked with Ben about covering the LRC office so you can be with RJ during the change.
You’ve got about two and a half weeks until the next full moon, so if you’re planning to get pregnant right away, we’ll have to ask the Duluth office to send someone to take your place.
And just so we’re clear—I have every intention of being there when you deliver! ”
While Jack answered more questions, William and the twins went to get some food.
He’d been thrilled about Gray finding his mate, the desire to be turned, and the snippets of future plans he’d picked up over the last several days.
Luna was doing something new and significant, and he’d played a small part in making it happen.
Being mated to a True Elder had never been on his radar, but for a man who’d dreamed of a quiet, sleepy retirement, there was never a dull moment.