Page 44 of Ascendant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #6)
Friday, Regional Council Headquarters, Missoula Montana
A meeting like this had never taken place before, and only two of the men knew what they were here to discuss.
Every shifter council president and chairman, along with their True Elder advisors, were here, representing the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Jack Eby and Evan Blair also stood by via teleconference from Gladstone, ready to assist the conferees in making some very important decisions.
Around the oval table were ten of the most influential men in shifter society, along with four Omegas to keep things steady.
Lining the conference room walls were twenty bodyguards—all primed and ready to defend their charges if necessary.
At one end of the long table, a large screen had been erected, displaying the Gladstone representatives.
Sheppard got them started by announcing their purpose here today.
“You are all aware of the recent discovery of the lost pack in León, Mexico. Jack Eby and Juan Ortega were instrumental in relocating its members to the Chihuahua area, and I’m pleased to report that they are finding new homes and settling in.
During that mission, Jack became aware of a common practice among the pack that had been lost to the rest of shifter society.
What I am referring to is the safe turning of humans to shifters. ”
Indignant growls rose from nearly every attendee as the shock rolled over them in a wave of fear and confusion.
The poor Omegas cranked out calming scent at a furious pace, trying to take the edge off before tempers flared or things got physical.
Sheppard gave them a few moments to digest the news amid shouted questions that would all be answered in due time.
He stood to his feet, reclaiming everyone’s attention, and then gestured to the viewscreen.
“Luna chose to reveal this news to Jack, and as a result, two humans at Gladstone were recently turned with no ill effects. I invite you to listen to the specifics, as they were explained to me not long ago.”
Jack’s steady demeanor and calm voice helped the assembled group understand how, when, and why the information had been altered so long ago.
How the isolated pack at León had unknowingly preserved the truth for generations, why the practice had recently been allowed at Gladstone, and what those assembled here today must agree upon.
“I consulted with Hezekiah Matson and others in the Afterworld, and most were unaware that we had forbidden turnings.
Those who lied about the practice did so with good intentions, and assumed it would only be temporary until the purge of natural wolves had stopped.
They all confirmed that turning humans is an ancient practice, given to us by Luna, and is to be used at our discretion.
“Given the nature of human society today, the practice holds both promise and incredible danger. You must decide if it is to be widely reintroduced, held in reserve for special cases, or banned from common practice. Luna has shown us in recent years that we must find ways to safely integrate with our human neighbors. The addition of more True Elders is one powerful arrow in our quiver, but the ability to safely turn a human is another.”
Evan then described the actual process and how things worked out for the unnamed recipients at Gladstone.
He explained the necessity for a medical exam or questionnaire with each candidate and an in-depth interview with a True Elder before allowing someone to be turned.
He and Jack fielded many questions, including one raised purposely by Everet Kern.
“I believe turning humans could be both useful and necessary, yet there is a darker side to the practice. For our benefit, would you explain the dangers and how we might overcome them?”
Evan deferred to Jack, knowing that his opinion carried more weight.
“Certainly, brother. As we know, some of Luna’s gifts have been used in ways that were never intended, such as the mistreatment of male Omegas and same-sex mates.
Turning humans, however, presents opportunities for abuse that could reveal our true identity and result in the destruction of our people.
“Some humans are psychologically unstable or simply cannot keep our secret, making them unsuitable candidates—even if they are mated to a shifter.
Some may wish to force their chosen mate to be turned against their will, or change someone for other reasons.
Militarily, the process could assemble armies of Alphas as super soldiers for pack or human warfare.
Dictators could create their own loyal followers—something Lyle Wilburn managed to do without the turning process.
Criminal activity, gangs, or political assassins could easily become commonplace.
Rogue shifters might create stables of Omegas as breeders or sex slaves.
“It pains me to even speak of such possibilities, yet we must understand the dangers and how to mitigate them before making a unified policy. To that end, I have formed a list of guidelines that may be used to reintroduce the practice safely.”
Everet surreptitiously probed the minds around the table to see where the Alpha leadership stood. Some were frightened, others intrigued, but all were eager to hear what Jack had to say. He began with the “why,” followed by his recommendations.
“My visit to the Afterworld revealed several reasons for turning a human, yet the most common by far was to provide mates when candidates were in short supply.
Due to our need for secrecy, modern packs have become insular, and intimate involvement with humans has been discouraged.
That has left us with the same problem our ancestors faced, and yet nothing is being done to solve it.
“One way is to encourage more socialization among packs within a geographic region.
In the spring, Gladstone will be hosting its first Mingle & Mate gathering to help address this need.
In addition, the idea of taking humans as mates becomes less dangerous if they can be turned—a possibility we did not know existed until now.
“The key is to leave specific knowledge of the turning with True Elders, shrouded in mystery.
By doing so, others will not be so inclined to try it themselves, and we will retain a measure of control.
Eventually, word will spread that humans are being turned, but the process will remain a secret.
Information leaks can be addressed as they become known, and some couples may need to be relocated to hide the change.
“At first, pack Alphas alone will be told that any member with a human mate is free to seek relationship guidance from the nearest adult True Elder who has completed their training. Turning will not be mentioned as a possibility at this point.
“One of our brothers will then meet with the couple to determine if the human is a good candidate.
They must be mentally and emotionally stable, and physically able to undergo the transformation.
If there are issues, turning will not be offered or discussed, and memories of the visit may need to be removed or altered.
If the human partner is having difficulty keeping shifters a secret, the problem can be addressed at that time.
“Once the turning is deemed safe, the True Elder will stay with the couple during the process, and remain afterward to counsel them on adjusting to new life as a shifter. The memories of anyone directly involved, including attending Omegas or Alphas, will be erased.”
Animated discussion followed, with benefits and dangers being tossed back and forth, along with future damage control when the secret eventually became known.
Jack and Evan remained on standby for questions, listening to the debate and discussion when not actively participating.
The first encouraging sign was a commitment from all three nations that whatever was decided would be followed to the letter by all.
Everyone realized that a united front was the only way to make this work and reduce the likelihood of serious problems.
Some were concerned about the low number of adult, fully trained True Elders and their availability to respond when called upon. Jack understood and agreed that this was a potential weakness in the plan.
“First, there is no pressing need to reveal this change to our people immediately, and very few shifters with human mates exist at present—giving all of us more time. Secondly, as more of our newly found True Elders mature and receive their training, there will be additional brothers available to take on the duty.”
With that settled, the council representatives voted to accept Jack’s guidelines and agreed to discuss the subject again at next year’s annual meeting.
In the meantime, any issues or requests would be handled on a case by case basis.
Once the meeting itself ended, Jack and Evan bade the group farewell.
One more thing remained, however—some necessary clean-up approved by Adam Sheppard but not shared with all attendees.
Everet Kern made a point to speak with each of the Alphas present, gently probing their minds for any disagreements regarding the new policy.
Fortunately, he found nothing of concern and gave Sheppard a surreptitious nod.
Meanwhile, Harold Armstrong was busy wiping memories from the four Omegas, and then went to help Marshall Cuthbert do the same with the security guards.
All would remember being there, but would have no recollection of the subject matter.
Once all the True Elders were free of other duties, Juan Ortega gathered them together for a quick teaching dream.
Thanks to Hector Alvarez from the lost pack, Juan possessed actual memories of the turning process.
They joined hands for the brief transfer, and then Juan gave them one further bit of advice before they parted.