Sharkbait Down Under Ch. 11-20

I thought about it for a minute, but it was Nicholas who came up with the answer first. "The only reason the North American council has jurisdiction is that the Miesville Pack is part of that Council?"

Unka Leo nodded. "And since I claimed the Corcorans as my Pack, I also claim the territory and the problems."

"Seems pretty simple, then," Nicholas said. "Vicki and I become Alphas of our new Pack, and you are only here along with her family and friends to help us get established."

"That's genius," Adrienne said with a grin. "Technically, Vicki is going to her mate's Pack, which is not under the jurisdiction of either Council. Nothing forces Vicki to join the North American Council; with her history with them, it's understandable why she would refuse. The Europeans could offer to restore the Corcoran Pack, but it's not like you're planning to return to Ireland." She looked at Nicholas. "Right? I mean, is there any thought about moving away from Australia?"

"Nobody here is saying anything about doing more than visiting," Ian said. "Our family has been here since Sydney was a foothold on the continent. We have homes, relatives, and jobs. We love it here."

"I agree," Nicholas said. "I'd move anywhere to be with Vicki if it was just us, but it won't be."

"And the needs of the Pack come first," I said. It was a lesson Leo and Adrienne had taught me early and often. "Does the Council know that Leo is Alpha right now?"

"No, but it will be obvious once they get here," Leo said.

I hated to miss a dive day, especially in Australia. Tomorrow we were filming a dive with big Great Whites, and I had to pass. "Amy and the girls will film without me tomorrow. Nicholas and I will drive back first thing tomorrow morning, and we can do the handover of the Pack. That way, you aren't Alpha the next time the Council calls."

"Are you ready for this, Vicki?" Mom was hugging me from the side. Becoming an Alpha was a big fucking deal! Taking over this Pack meant I wouldn't be heir to the Miesville Pack or the Stillwater Pack anymore. We'd make our home here in South Australia, a thirty-hour flight from home. Every plan for my life was no good anymore; everything from my foundation to my yacht to our new research vessel was on the other side of the world. Add to that our responsibility for the lives of about eighty people.

Nothing in my life would ever be the same.

I'd be a mated Alpha before completing my first college class.

"I've always known it was a possibility, but I didn't expect it to happen this way," I said.

"Luna puts us where she needs us to be, not always where we expect to be," Steven said. "She chose Nicholas as your mate, and she kept these wolves hidden from the world until you found them. I have every confidence in your ability to lead them."

"I wouldn't turn a Pack over to someone I didn't trust," Leo said. "We both knew this had to happen sooner or later."

I nodded at that. Adrienne was next. "You're the only one who CAN stand up to the councils, Vicki. You have good reason to be wary of the North American Council, and you've stood up to them before. You can stop their investigations in their tracks, legally, by declaring your territory and banning wolves from entry without permission."

"Eight AM Melbourne time is six PM Eastern time, three PM Pacific," I said. "Adrienne, can you set up a conference call with the Council and interested North American Alphas for that time? Hell, invite the European Council, even though it will be around midnight for them," I asked.

"What is the subject?"

"Tell them I will be taking my place as a Pack Alpha," I said. "That should get some interest."

She smiled at that; I'm sure the rumors of their retirement from the Miesville Pack would be flying around. In any case, my fame and wealth meant there would be great interest in the announcement. "I'll do that," my Aunt said. "This is going to be fun to watch."

I had no doubt that would be the case. "Show up with your popcorn and snacks," I teased. It was time to get serious. "I want to know what is happening to Warrior Fiona before I take over the Pack," I said. "She is my friend, and I don't want to sit in judgment of her."

"I'll speak to Steven about that after we finish here," Leo said. "She is still a member of the Three Sisters Pack."

"I do need to know your intentions with her," Steven said. "Her mate will be in your Pack, and she works for you."

"I want her back," I said. "She lost control of her wolf for a few moments, and she needs consequences for that, but I don't want her life ruined over this. I know Margaret doesn't want that, either."

"We will figure it out," Leo said. "You look tired. Get some sleep and get up here early; the Pack needs to be yours before the call starts." We ended the call, and Mom and Amy got up.

"Great, another early morning," I said as I walked with them to our door.

"Quit bitching! You were getting up early anyway to go shark diving," Amy teased.

"Getting up to catch the helicopter ride out to the Great Australian Bight is a lot easier to wake up for," I said with a frown. "Have fun without me."

"I will, Alpha Vicki," she said, escaping out the door before I could catch her.

"Goodnight, baby," Mom said. "I'll ride out with you."

"We'll see you at breakfast at six," I replied. "I love you, Mom." She gave both of us a hug, then the door closed, and it was just the two of us left. "I'll give you ten seconds to strip or else," I said as I put my hands on Nicholas' chest.

"Or else what?"

"Eight. Seven."

He had his clothes off by two, and I had mine off by zero. Pushing him onto his back, I told him to keep his hands above his head, or I'd stop. He moved his hands up, and I leaned over and grabbed his rapidly hardening shaft in my hand. I'd been thinking of this all day.

I started licking it from the base to the tip on the underside, then each side. My right hand was caressing those heavy balls, and I felt them jump as my left hand moved the spongy head into my mouth. "Fuck," he said, fighting the urge to move his hands down to me. I swirled my tongue around him as I sucked gently, then started taking him deeper. I pushed him to the back of my mouth, then swallowed around him to take him into my throat. I kept going, taking his whole length before backing off. It didn't take long until he was warning me he was about to cum.

"Not yet," I said as I gripped the base of his cock and squeezed. I waited until the contractions passed, then slowly started to lick again. "Condom?"

"On the table," he said. I got up and pulled one out of the wrapper.

Climbing over him, I straddled his head and lowered myself so his tongue could prepare me for more. "Oh, yeah," I said as his tongue went to work. I moved his hands up until they were on my breasts, closing my eyes and moaning as he squeezed them and pinched my nipples. It didn't take long before I went off, just the first one of many I planned on tonight.

I moved down his body as I rolled the condom on. Holding him in place, I let myself ease down on him until I bottomed out. "Oh, yeah," I said as he filled me again.

"That's the sexiest sight I've ever seen," he said. I grabbed onto his knees and started to move up, feeling every ridge and vein as it slid by. I dropped down faster the next time, moaning in pleasure. I wanted to make it last, but it felt too damn good. I came a second time, but I knew a bigger one was coming. Faster and faster I went until I screamed in pleasure, my body locking up as my pussy gripped him tightly.

"YES," he yelled as he held my hips, pumping up into me as his orgasm hit like a freight train. He caught me as I leaned back onto his chest while we caught our breath. "Wow," he said.

"Yeah. We better shower and get some sleep."

Mated life was great.

Ch. 15

Linda was disappointed I wasn't going along to dive with Great Whites, but she understood I had more important things to do right now. We finished up the hotel breakfast, and Mom and I sat in the back of our borrowed SUV. Nicholas drove since Carla was not comfortable with driving on the left side of the road.

During the drive, we used his phone to video conference in with the relatives who left early. Nicholas let them know that we would be taking over from Leo today; since he knew them all, he did most of the talking. "Events are driving us to do this earlier than we wanted, but we believe this was always the path set for us." He asked them to keep an open mind, as the option to join us was always there. "There are going to be a lot of changes coming, as you can imagine."

"Whether you formally join us or not, you're still family," I said. "We will still love you and protect you."

Nicholas promised to keep in touch with them all, and we ended the call shortly before arriving at his great-Uncle's station in Bonnie Doon. I'd let the Pack know we were coming, and they were waiting outside for us when we drove up. Leo and Joseph were at the bottom of the stairs, while the rest gathered on the porch and lawn. "Welcome back," Joseph said as he greeted us.

"Thank you; it's good to be back." I saw Fiona standing stiffly in the back, her eyes down, and tears still running down her face. I looked back at Leo. "What did you decide?"

"After discussing it with Alpha Steven and Margaret, we agreed that death and banishment were not appropriate punishments. Fiona had a chance to apologize not just to Margaret, who she harmed, but to the family members who saw it." Her attack was the worst possible way to introduce new werewolves to the isolated group, and Fiona made our jobs far harder. "The first part of her punishment is complete; she received ten lashes this morning." Lashes would remove skin and leave permanent scars. "She has been stripped of Pack rank for six months. She will eat last, get the worst job assignments, and work harder than anyone else during this time."

In a society where rank was everything, and you'd spent years earning your spot as a warrior, the loss of a high Pack rank would be tough to take. Some wolves would choose the life of a rogue rather than the humiliation of being unranked. "What about my tour?"

"Fiona will continue to protect you, but Carla is now in charge of your protection," Leo said. "Carla, that does not mean you cannot take advantage of her knowledge and experience. Fiona also understands that she is to do whatever is necessary if Vicki is in danger."

I looked back at Fiona, whose eyes met mine briefly. "I will protect the Alpha with my life," she vowed.

"Her salary for the next six months, minus minimal living expenses, will go to Margaret. That includes any payments for her work on shows taped during this time. In essence, Fiona will do all the work and reap none of the benefits. After six months, you may restore her position and privileges within the Pack."

It was a harsh sentence. "Fiona, you have agreed to this?"

"I have," she said quietly.

"Thank you," I sent to Leo. I knew Leo had told everyone what had happened and why he was turning the Pack over to us. I was glad I didn't have to explain Council laws and politics to them. "Does anyone have any questions before we do this," I asked.

There were a few, and they weren't easy to answer.

"How are we going to live as a Pack? Ian is in Port Lincoln, while we live in Tasmania," a cousin asked.

"I don't know yet, but nothing will change right away," I said. "Nicholas still has his school in Adelaide, and I have my work. I plan to get my Australian citizenship and settle down here. I'd like to have Pack members close by where I can, but it isn't a requirement."

"In my Pack, everyone lives within a twenty-minute drive of my house," Leo said. "We can relay the mind link to anyone in the Pack, and we gather together often. My home is the social center of our Pack. Over the years, Pack members have purchased surrounding lands, giving us more privacy and freedom of movement."

I nodded at that. "I will not make moving a requirement of being in the Pack. If you want to move closer to us, we will help with that. What I can promise is that it won't be in a big city, but it will be near enough to one. I like having room to run."

"Who are your Betas going to be since we are all descended from a Beta," another asked.

This one was more interesting. "I will start with temporary Betas who are familiar with how a Pack runs. We are doing this because I have work commitments until Christmas, and Nicholas will need help. My Mom has volunteered to stay for a few weeks, as have Hammer and Susan."

"Hammer wants to become a werewolf, and he's asked me to do it down here rather than waiting until they return to Minnesota," Leo said. "It's one more chance for those considering the change to see what is involved."

Nicholas pulled me into his side. "I'm not the only one who is going to find a mate and change my life," he said. "All of you who choose to look, we will help you search for the one meant for you."

"The first weekend of February, there is a gathering of North American Alphas. At this event, Beta level wolves and above of mating age attend a social function nicknamed the 'scratch and sniff.' The purpose is to find mates. I intend to bring up as many of you as wish to attend, and I'll request they bring unmated of ALL ranks. I expect some of you will leave for your mate's Pack, while others will bring new blood into our Pack. I'll wait until after that upheaval before I formalize any ranks."

"And for a lot of you, it won't matter," Nicholas said. "If you're living remotely with your family, nothing will change unless you visit others."

We were out of time before the phone call, so without objection, we proceeded with the transfer of the Alpha position from Leo to us. I felt the power shift and the weight of the mantle on my shoulders for the first time.

It was a heavier burden than I had anticipated. Our wolves pushed forward, helping us shoulder the weight of our new responsibilities. "We can do this," my wolf assured us.

We accepted the congratulations of the Pack before heading inside to Joseph's office. Ian, Joseph, and Olivia sat outside the view of the camera, leaving me in the center with Nicholas on my right and Leo on my left. I could see dozens of people had already joined the secure teleconference, which the North American Council was hosting. Chairman Carver was in a fancy conference room with four Regional Chairs, the Council lawyer, and the head of the Council Enforcers.

I did have friendly faces in the crowd. Adrienne was representing the Miesville Pack, with her son Andrei next to her. As soon as my announcement came, everyone would know he was the Mantled Heir to the Miesville Pack. My biological father, Ivan Volkov, would lose the most. No longer could he hope that I'd take over for him when he and Luna Karen retired. Instead, they would pray one of his older girls would mate an Alpha blood strong enough to defend his position. Alpha Steven and Luna Carolyn were waiting, and they had a bowl of popcorn in their lap. I snorted and pointed it out to my mate; I loved those two.

Like all Council videoconferences, there were two levels of access. The Alphas appeared on the screen and could talk, while lower ranks could watch the feed but not participate. I adjusted my dress, making sure my mating bite was visible as the meeting started.

"This informal meeting of the North American Alpha Council will come to order," Chairman Carver said as he banged a gavel. As the leader of the teleconference, everyone saw what he wanted them to see. If you wanted to talk, you had to 'raise your hand' in the software and be recognized; everyone was on mute by default. "This is an informational meeting, so no official Council business is on the docket for today. Joining us by invitation are members of the European Council and European and Asian Alphas. Thank you, gentlemen, for staying up late enough to participate."

Lars Svensson, the European Council Chair, spoke next. "Thank you for the invitation, Chairman Carver. We are curious as to our involvement in this topic," he said.

"Perhaps Luna Adrienne can help with that since she requested your presence on this call. Luna Adrienne?"

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll send you to Melbourne, Australia now, where my niece has an announcement to make."

Leo unmuted our microphone, and I smiled at the camera as I squeezed Nicholas' hand. "Hello, everyone. My name is Alpha Vicki Corcoran, and this is my mate, Alpha Nicholas."

"Congratulations on your mating," Chairman Carver said. "It must be a wonderful feeling to take over Miesville from Alpha Leo and Luna Adrienne, both of whom must be looking forward to their retirement."

I smiled and turned to Leo, who was shaking his head. "You are mistaken, Mr. Chairman. Adrienne and I remain Alphas of the Miesville Pack. Our son Andrei remains our heir."

Chairman Carver smiled and unmuted Alpha Ivan. "Congratulations to you and Luna Karen. You must be excited to have your daughter taking over the Stillwater Pack!"

Ivan leaned forward with a grin. "We aren't going anywhere, Mr. Chairman."

I waited until the Chairman turned back to me. "What Pack are you two Alphas of?"

"The Southern Cross Pack," I said. "Our Pack territory incorporates the continent of Australia."

Ch. 16

After claiming all of Australia as ours, the phone call descended into bedlam. Chairmen were shouting at me and each other, Alphas were trying to speak, and the European Council members were outraged. "Nice way to drop the bomb on them," Nicholas said as we sat patiently.

"And it's just beginning." I watched as Chairman Carver banged his gavel, trying to bring the meeting back to order. Flanking him on the table, I saw Midwest Regional Chairman Lewis Wolfe hold up his glass in a toast to me. I smiled back; he was a friend, and he respected the way I threw down that little nugget like it was nothing. On his outside, William Parker of the South region looked confused, while East and Mountain Chairmen Normal Platt and Luke Smith looked pissed off. As long I was unclaimed, they could dream of matching a son with me and bringing my power into their bloodline. Now that dream has crashed down. I knew some wanted to blunt the power that Luna Adrienne and Leo wielded among the Alphas, and that wasn't happening either. Still, it was how I claimed an entire damn CONTINENT for my Pack that pissed them off.

"THIS IS RIDICULOUS," Chairman Smith said. "Australia is fucking HUGE, and a few wolves just can't claim it as their territory!"

"And yet we just did, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it," Nicholas said evenly. He didn't know or care who these people were, and his mantled Wolf wasn't taking shit from anyone. "We aren't asking for your permission. The Southern Cross Pack Alphas are INFORMING you that Australia is our territory. Under werewolf law, we have claimed our borders and announced our Pack Leadership."

"And we expect those borders to be respected, or consequences will result," I said evenly.

Lars Svennson interrupted the shouting among the North American Council members. "Alphas, a territorial claim like you've just made has specific legal requirements for it to be valid. Perhaps we could quit carrying on like two-year-olds having a tantrum, and go through these requirements like the leaders we are supposed to be."

"I couldn't agree more," Chairman Carver said. The others in the room sat back in their seats as he turned to the Council Lawyer, a female in her fifties. "Do you have the relevant section of law?"

"I do, Mr. Chairman," she said as she looked down at her laptop. "As you know, territorial claims can be based on discovery, usage, capture, or treaty. The latter two are not relevant, as Packs have not fought a war over the Australian territory, nor has any treaty between Packs granted the land, so only the discovery or usage statutes are relevant to this discussion. Alpha Nicholas, which is the basis of your claim?"