Chapter 5: A Pack of Doggos

It was a relief to all of them when Logan stopped driving, arriving back at the territory.

Andy and Valerie were quick to scramble out of the car and Jamie might’ve felt guilty except she really wasn’t.

There hadn’t been a shred of empathy for her situation, so she wouldn’t bother showing any for their discomfort.

“Well, welcome to the Northeastern Pack. You’ll love it here.” Logan jumped out of the car, grinning playfully, and Andy cut him off from his approach.

“Uh, yeah, about that…”

“So….we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Valerie Travers, I’ve been with the pack for four years. We’re about 60 miles to the East and 10 miles up from your Western pack, and we’re ‘bout…25 strong.”

“Bit small,” murmured Jamie, looking around at the pack community. It was smaller than the Western pack, but the buildings were well maintained, and there was a rather pristine medical building as well.

There weren’t that many people milling about, maybe two kids that hadn’t had their first shift, the rest of them adults.

“Well, we weren’t official for a while, so not everyone that had Canis Syndrome back when it was starting to crop up survived but…well, it’s not that bad a legacy,” Valerie smiled tentatively.

“Jamie Westbrook, been in the pack for all of ten seconds,” she said, giving them a little slack.

“Ha! Well, it’ll get better with time. I know it all sucks now, but we’ve all been where you are right now.”

Jamie raised a brow, tilting her head back to Logan who Andy was still talking to.

“Okay, most of us, but Logan’s a good alpha, and a good dude. Give him a chance.”

“I don’t really have a choice,” she muttered, straightening up and tensing when Logan started to make his way towards them.

“So…your alpha didn’t inform you about anything. Most of the time when they send their members to us it’s to get rid of them or because they care and with how they obviously cared I guess I just assumed they’d tell you.”

“You and me both.”

His expression twitched when Jamie didn’t exactly back off when he stared her down.

“Yeah, so…let’s start over,” he suggested, giving her a winning smile. “Logan Foster, alpha to the Northeastern pack. 22 years old, and I’ve been here, well, all my life.”

Now that was an interesting tidbit of information. She didn’t return the smile though. She still didn’t really like him, but it wasn’t like she could just run back to her pack.

“Jamie Westbrook, 18, been here for five minutes, and I guess it’s going better than before, being here.”

“Oof, hard to impress, huh? Let me guess, German Shepherd?”

“I’m leaning more towards Doberman,” grinned Andy.

“Val, can you show her around, get her settled in?”

“You got it.” Valerie gave a lazy salute as the two walked off. “Andy’s our pack beta,” she explained, starting to lead Jamie through their territory.

“I thought he was the pack’s medic.”

“Well, he is, but he and Logan have been friends for ages. Since we’re not that big a pack either, Logan's not swamped with work, so Andy’s able to go out and work when he’s called on.”

Jamie inwardly raised a brow at that but didn’t say anything, just let Valerie show her around.

It was kind of like a camp in the set up. Many people were rooming together, and there were only one or two family units.

“You’ll be rooming with me in this cabin. It’s just us but since we’re technically the youngest members without family, well, I thought I could help you settle in.”

“…thanks.”

“No problem. I know this isn’t…ideal,” started Valerie, “but everyone here, we’re not gonna be jerks when we’ve got the same troubles going on. We’d be hypocrites otherwise. This pack was established for shifters like us so…give it a chance.”

“I can try, but I can’t promise anything. I’ve been told I have a temper.” Jamie gave a little half smirk.

Valerie was right that she didn’t exactly want to be here, but she could make this work. Hopefully.

“Ha, so…a Dalmatian then?”

“Not even close.”

“Well, we’ll find out one day. Before that, dinner’s at 7:00. We all kind of do a potluck since there’s not that many of us. It’ll be a great time to introduce you to everyone.”

It was… easy to be there, eating dinner with the pack and getting to know the other shifters.

It was something Jamie hadn’t expected when she’d been given away to another pack. Not in the sense she was having an easy time adjusting. She was still unleveled and doing her best to act like nothing was wrong when everything felt wrong.

The Northeastern pack though, they were…nice. It was a far cry from all the whispered taunts and rumors from people who had known her all her life.

Maybe she wasn’t quite happy to be there with everything that had happened, but Jamie supposed they could be happy for her until she figured things out. Until things started to be okay.

“As much as Lucille is a great cook, I hope you saved some room.”

“For what, second dinner?” joked Jamie, taking another bite of the apple pie that had been served for dessert.

“Nah, for the run. Pack tradition, we all shift to welcome the newcomer and go out, helps them get used to all ‘this,’ you know?”

Jamie froze, dropping her fork. She hadn’t shifted since that first time, and in all honesty, she really didn’t want to. She wasn’t ready.

The want to run and be free was not outweighed by the sheer trauma of her world crashing down around her.

She wasn’t just going to be magically healed and accept everything by seeing others who overcame the same trauma.

Her look had to be quite something with how Valerie’s instantly fell as she quickly backpedaled.

“I mean–we aren’t expecting you to shift or even participate really! You can just…join in if you feel like it.”

“…I’ll come. Seems like a crummy thing to do to not even come see the ‘real’ welcoming committee, but I’m not shifting.” No, she’d run on all fours without her shifted form if she had to, but Jamie was not shifting.

“Fair enough,” grinned Valerie, shoulders slumping in relief before standing up. “Just follow me.”

The woods were…passable. Jamie was used to the Western pack’s trails. There were a lot more roots and mud to watch out for, but she could hear the trickle of water and the pattering feet of forest animals.

She wanted to run. She’d been wanting to run for 18 years and then some but…not now. Not yet.

“Alright everyone, let’s welcome Jamie Westbrook to the pack! Keep to the borders, and you know, remember to return!”

Logan’s orders felt more like a friend giving advice, some of the other pack members laughing good-naturedly.

He wasn’t bad at this, Jamie supposed. At being the alpha. The pack liked him and respected him, and while he was young, he was doing okay.

Suddenly the air felt charged, and Jamie watched as everyone shifted. Everyone but her.