Pack dynamics go a little further than there being an alpha and 'the rest'. Depending on your Auspice you have a role in the pack.
Ragabash: The Runt. Because they have the least rage, they are the most calm. Can generally never be an alpha and thus he is the individual who is supposed to challenge the alpha and the old ways because they get away with far more before inviting punishment (their yipping is not seen as a challenge to wrest away authority, while it might be when another Auspice does it). Like the jesters of old european courts, he is the trickster who is alternately foolish and wise. He plays the role of the contrary, questioning tradition in order to find the wisest path. His pranks can be nasty, but they always serve to teach something.
Theurge: Expert on the Umbra and Spirits. Whenever something spiritual happens this is the pack member who's expected to step up. Moving the pack through the gauntlet, negotiating with the pack totem and other spirits and being the expert on fetishes and whatnot. Some develop oracular abilities, but this usually comes at the price of losing grip on reality somewhat. Their role is important as Garou are deeply connected to the spirit world. On longer journeys through the Umbra the theurge may assume the role of alpha.
Philodox: The balanced one. Starts with the average Rage of the Auspices. A Philodox is a mediator and has the duty of keeping the pack aligned despite the extremes of its members. This is important! It's generally not the alpha who deals out the punishments or straightens people out, but the Philodox. They are keepers of Garou Law and their duty is to uphold the Litany. They are very apt at discerning the truth and carry some authority with them. They are often alphas in peacetime.
Galliard: Keepers of lore and the party bard. Strong social abilities among Garou, but their high Rage makes it difficult for them to interact with humans. They speak for the pack at Moots and recount the deeds of the pack and Sept, which is very important in the traditions of the Garou.
Ahroun: The war-beasts. They have the most Rage and this makes them the strongest warriors among the Garou, a warrior species in itself. Their role is narrow and clearly defined: to fight and lead in battle from the front lines with their honed instincts. Their duty is to protect the pack from physical threats. But their rage is also their weakness. They have so much of it that it often overwhelms their reason. They are generally picked as the alpha in wartime.
To a lesser degree but still very important to the pack role is the Breed of its pack members. Lupus look at the world in a way free from human worry and concerns. They are often straight-forward, easily adopt to pack mechanics as that's their natural social hierarchy and are deeply in tune with nature and their instincts, which leads to them having the most Gnosis. This of course comes at the cost of understanding humans and human society. Garou Society is much easier to learn and adapt to and that comes first as a Garou cub. Many struggle with learning human languages and its intricacies. Don't forget that they often are very young and never went to school. They are a dying breed, hence they are so valued in Garou society.
On the flip side there are the homids, the most numerous Garou and of course the most adjusted to a human-dominated world. But many have trouble letting go of their human side to fully embrace Garou society, which is brutal, violent and primitive in comparison. Werewolves are monsters, regardless of their noble ideals. Many young homids struggle with this change. In addition, because they are furthest removed from the spiritual world, they have the least Gnosis.
Lastly there are the poor Metis, born of sin and shunned for it. Metis have it tough. They are born in Crinos and cannot change their shape until later in life. They are kept out of sight at distant septs and in the Umbra, living only among Garou. Garou who generally spit on them for existing. They are used as guard dogs and perform the most menial tasks. If they survive to the point where they can change their shape and attain rank, they are lucky. Even then they have to generally work thrice as hard to earn the same recognition their packmates do. They have one advantage however: Their knowledge of Garou society is unsurpassed. They lived and breathed it from the moment they were born. Being in this middle way also makes it far easier for them to understand the human and the wolf.
