Splinter - 4. Skirmish in the Chambers

Even after very little sleep, Pat and I awoke at 9 am. We grumbled about the early hour, showered together with a little playful groping for added spice, and were dressed by 9:35. A single rap on the door had Aaron joining us, dressed in a black polo with Council Security stitched in silver over his left breast, black cargo pants with who knew what hidden treasures, paratrooper jump boots, and openly carrying a sidearm. I didn't know a Glock from a Sig Sauer, but I knew the ammo would be silver.

One of the few things that made being me cooler than being a normal Lycan, I could touch silver and heal from the damage as if I were human. Wouldn't kill me outright like it would any other Lunar Lycanthrope. As long as it wouldn't kill a human, I wouldn't die from silver. Total bonus.

I could smell the assembled Lycans before I even stepped off the elevator. It reeked. There was more testosterone here than every locker room across the nation. The pissing contest would be real. Might even have actual piss from people trying to mark territories. Pat and I, with Aaron at our side, walked briskly into the Council chambers. Did you see that scene from Star Wars and the Galactic Senate? So many little booths and so many people in one room? Yeah, like that, but stinkier. There were guest seats ringing the room, the various regional representatives sitting in a lower ring around the actual Council itself. I knew only one person. Travis Andrews.

I'm glad I knew him at least.

We sat beside a rep from Hawaii. He wasn't tall, maybe just over six feet, but he was so broad through the chest he filled two seats. He nodded at us, casually sniffing to get an idea who he may be nodding to. It was the Lycan equivalent of looking someone up on social media before sending a friend request. He stuck his huge mitt out to me first, acknowledging my alpha status. "Greetings, Alpha."

I got a sniff and figured he was either an enforcer or beta. I didn't know what type of shifter he was. "Greetings. I'm Alpha Jon Davenport, Homestead, and this is my mate, Patrick."

There was a slight change in his scent that told me he knew of my pack. "My tribe has taken to call me Maui. Is it allowed to address your mate directly?"

Someone had watched too much Disney, but add the tats and the name was all too fitting. "Yes. I am not as strict as...well, every other alpha I have met. Don't be a dick, and you can talk to Pat all you want."
The grin that split his face was nice to see here. "Then you are as laid back as we have heard. I still smell the sea on you."

"I'm famous even in the Islands? I'm an old hand with a board. California and Australia raised. It's like saying a person from Canada can skate." I hoped I wouldn't come to hate Maui. He seemed to be the kind to make friends easily. "So what brings you out here? I didn't think the Islands took part in the NALC."

His smiled faltered. "We don't, but when you have people vanish, you look into it."

Chalk it up to the hell I've been dealing with, but I didn't even bat an eyelash. "Seems to be rather common. They vanish in the last few years or the last few months?"

"Years, but more in the past months. You too?" I nodded, and he shook his head. "Do you know who is behind this?" His coal black eyes hoped I could give a name. Any name. Something to do other than wait for bureaucracy to inch forward.

"A few ideas, but not enough to name names." I knew better than to even say one small fraction of a name. It would lead to open war and they may not even be the culprit.

Maui nodded sagely. "Wise." He stood calmly as someone called a name I could never even hope to pronounce. King Kamehameha was about the only Island name I could say without sounding lame. I mean, city names were easier, but traditional or older names...I was so not a native speaker.

"The chair recognizes the representative from the Pacific Islands. State your reason for coming to this body. You are not part of it." The speaker was old and squinted a bit to peer at Maui as if he couldn't quite see him. If he was as old as he looked, with his white hair, beard, string tie, and simple gray suit, the speaker was at least a hundred years old. Well past the prime to have his own pack.

"I have come, again, to ask what the Council has done to recover my lost people. They have gone missing upon your land." Thus it was their fault. Someone had to be blamed, why not the politicians?

"Have you filled out the proper forms for this inquiry?" The ancient dude's voice was more tired than the rest of him. He needed to step down before someone had to run in with a crash cart.

Forms? They had fucking forms for emergency sessions? Sorry, we can't help you because you didn't fill out form 143-F. Once you fill it out, it will take seven to ten business weeks for the proper filing, and then we shall consider your case for open discussion. So sorry. I could totally see that happening right now.

"I have. My tribe has been more than patient." Maui's voice was even, smooth, and held just enough edge to make his annoyance known. Thinly veiled threats were common enough.

"The matter has been looked into," said another man, his accent very recognizable. Quebec. He held his head up, looking down his nose at everyone like he had to dirty his mouth to speak English so the common man would understand him. "Nothing was found in the reported areas. No traces of any shifter."

I don't know why, but I didn't believe him. He wasn't blatantly lying, his scent would be way more harsh if was lying on purpose, but he was holding something back. I glanced at Pat's face, and his eyes told me he knew something didn't add up. Another look at Travis at his place on the Council told me more. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't call it out in public forum like this. If I knew Travis, he wanted to call out the bullshit.

The head of the Council looked to the Eastern Canada Councilman, searching his eyes for any sign that he was lying. Finding none, he nodded. "Your matter has been investigated with no findings to support your claims. Is there any other item you wish to address?"

Maui shook his head. "My tribe thanks the NALC for their time. At this point, I have been authorized to withdraw the alliance treaty with the NALC. Any person belonging to this body, or any pack in its membership, must petition one month in advance should they wish to enter the Pacific Island Tribe lands. Free passage to and from our lands is henceforth null." He nodded once, turned on his heel, and marched from the room.

"The NALC owns property in the islands!" exclaimed one man whose accent named him from the South. His face had gone instantly red from anger.

Maui looked over his shoulder, his face a cold mask of indifference. "The lands were part of the treaty. Aloha."

Maui, out. He wasn't giving two shits about their properties, just as they didn't seem to give any about the Islanders. He nodded to me as he left, his eyes full of sorrow. Patrick stood with as much dignity as he could and followed him out.

I didn't have to tell my mate what I felt was needed, he just did what he knew was right. If Homestead could find anything about his people, we would do what we could to get that info to him, and if able, bring them home. After a moment, Pat came back in and took his seat with the same cool demeanor as when he left. His scent though...if the Council could catch that tiny little quirk in his scent, they would know he was just as likely to declare war as assassinate a few Councilmen. Travis could smell it, and I could see him shaking his head ever so slightly.

"That got unpleasant," said another member. He had no accent to my ears, which pretty much told me he was from California. "Were there absolutely no findings, Henri?"

"I said there were none," spat the man from Quebec. "You West Americans are so soft. Their problem is not ours." Every snooty French stereotype would be offended by how offensive this bastard was.

"Since you didn't answer my question, you smug fuck, I'm going to launch my own...," the rep from the South West began, but Travis cut him off.

"If you children can't play nice, I will have to put you in time out. We wouldn't want that, would we?" His tone was slightly stern, but their faces turned white. Looks like Travis hadn't changed at all. "As it is, we have a very local problem. This seems as good a time as any. Joining us today is Alpha Jonathan Davenport from Homestead. He is here representing his and several other member groups of this Council regarding rogue problems along his border. That would be your territory, Susette, would it not?"

The only woman on the Council nodded. "Would you be so kind as to stand, Alpha Davenport." Looks like I was on the docket early. Good. I stood and stepped up to the rail. "Could you elaborate about your rogue problem?"

Pat stood to whisper briefly in my ear, and I nodded. "Homestead thanks you for this opportunity to speak. I am a blunt man, so I hope you can forgive if I speak too informally." I didn't wait for them to even take a breath. "I'm grieved to report that several members of my pack, Salt Lake City Pack, and several other smaller packs that share a border with mine, have all lost members to an unknown group up in Canada. We have all sent word of this to the NALC and the reports have either gone unheeded or showed very little was done to investigate the matter."

"Once again, you Americans show your lack of poise. Your..." The Smug French Bastard started but I looked him in the eyes, his voice trailing off.

"Please correct me if I am wrong, but you were not recognized by the Head of the Council to speak. Please sit there like a good little shit and keep your fucking mouth shut or I will shut it for you." I didn't even try to hide my fury. Let him open his mouth one more time...please.

"You are correct," said the Head and sent a glare at the SFB. "Please continue, Alpha Davenport. Hopefully, with a more civil tongue."

It was my warning, and I nodded, showing a bit of throat in deference to the Head of the Council. "I contacted the Council directly, got the usual bureaucratic runaround. I'm here to cut the crap and ask you directly what is being done about this. If nothing has or will be done, as the Council has shown as of late, then I am giving notice that Homestead will be launching an independent investigation of its own, with the backing of SLCP, the Rogue Valley Flock, Cali Sands, and various smaller packs." I pretty much just named the entire western US as an ally.

"I have not received your reports, Alpha. Do you have copies?" asked Councilwoman Susette. When I held them up, a lackey for the Council took them and handed them to her. It was close to a hundred pages of info. "Well, this will take some time to look through, which I hope you understand." I nodded. It took me a long time to create the damn thing. I knew it was an info dump. "Just glancing through the first few pages, I can give you my word that I will look into the reports for my area. I don't head the Security Force, but I will do what is necessary to get you something more than a runaround by tomorrow."

"May I ask who does head the Security Force?" I asked.

"I do," said another man. One I recognized vaguely. His name came to me sluggishly.

"Tony, congratulations on the promotion," I said with a nod. He had worked in the home office in Salem with me, years ago. I remembered his file. Exemplary employee but a bit of a shifty character. He had a gambling habit and had to borrow against his salary a few times, but no one could find any fault in his work.

"Thanks, Jon. I'll look into your reports, too. I never saw them personally, but I will look at them."

I gave him a nod of thanks. Looks like all this took was a personal visit, and I was going to finally get something concrete back. Hopefully, there was something to go on. Lives were on the line, and some of them hit very close to home. Gene gone missing, and my son was looking for him. My pack mates were missing. Close friends of my pack mates were missing. I needed to get info to those I was here to speak for. It sucked, but I was more hopeful now.

* * *

When I got Patrick alone I asked him what he had said to Maui. "Nothing." I raised a brow. "I gave him what he needed which was a hug. His people and the NALC have had a treaty for over two hundred years. It just ended, and it won't go well for the Pacific tribes."

We were walking out of the building to go grab something to eat, Aaron discreetly behind us. It was time for a late lunch, and I was totally glad we had a local. "How bad?" I asked.

"The Pacific tribes rely on tourism and trade for much of their income. Since a lot of that was from Lycans, their livelihood will be taking a huge hit, but I don't fault them for their decision." By his smell, he agreed that cutting ties was best. Considering they were a seven-hour flight from southern California, they didn't have any ties to the NALC other than the treaty.

"Now, my darling, handsome, sexy, sneaky mate, what did you give him? Other than a hug?" I wasn't worried about that hug either. Many mates would be mondo jealous of even a friendly hug, but I knew one little thing about Pat. If he wasn't attracted to the smell, he wasn't attracted to them. Since he didn't sniff Maui more than once, I wasn't worried in the slightest.

He chuckled and snuggled under my arm. "You know me so well," he said with a grin. "I gave him the contact info for Cali Sands, Rogue Valley, the Northen Shore Pack out of Washington state, and Homestead if his people wanted to form independent treatises. Having the entire US coast pack area in a treaty would make it better on them and might improve the livelihood."

"Smart," I said and I could hear Aaron grunt in agreement. I wonder how many people underestimated my husband while he was growing up. All because he was Lunais instead of Lupus. "Why Homestead?"

"You do remember our week in Waikiki, right?" His voice dropped to that husky tone he used right before sexy time. It made blood travel south for a bit.

Boy, did I ever. We had more sex in that week than three months prior, which is saying something. On the beach, in the hotel, in the hills of Oahu, in the back seat of a tour bus, in the hot tub, the pool, the stairwell of the hotel, and even one time in the elevator. It was wild, passionate, and I only feel slightly bad for Dylan. He spent more time avoiding us than staying with us, which was fine with him since he was with my Pop and Mom, one of the rare times they were in the same area. Dyl was just turning sixteen, and he so did not want to watch his dads bang. Jealous, too, since we got to bone like bunnies, and he was single.

I cleared my throat. "Yes, I recall," I said with a bit of a purr in my voice. Aaron laughed behind us.

"Well, I was hoping we could extend mutual travel permits since his people like to occasionally travel to the Great Lakes."

I nuzzled the side of his neck. "I love how smart you are. Now, what's the last thing you did?" Pat always did things in threes.

"You know me too well. I invited Maui to lunch since his flight back to the islands doesn't leave until eight o'clock tonight."

That's my husband. He always has some ulterior motive, always some ace up his sleeve. He learned from his dad, Gene, and even a few tricks from me. "Good. He seemed like a good sort."

And he was. Maui and two other people from the islands met us at a local cafe. The other two people were his folks. I knew Islanders tended to be broader than white people, but dear god his dad was wider through the shoulders than Pop and Dylan. "Whoever you ate before you came, I hope you left some room," I said and Maui laughed. It was a big laugh, a jolly belly laugh. Malia, his mother, beamed with pride at her strapping men.

"I believe I will like you, Alpha," said Akoni, Maui's father. He was an older version of his son. Maybe not as toned, some gray in his hair, but it was almost like Pat and his dad.

"Then call me Jon. Titles are for meetings and bragging. This is lunch." That seemed to score a few points. I wanted to keep it light, informal, friendly. That was what I experienced when we went to Oahu.

I don't know when it became a contest to see who could eat the most. It may have been about the time we ordered the lunch buffet special which included all-you-can-eat shrimp and soup. The only thing I really remember before the food coma set in was all of us boys just began eating. About the fifth plate, I saw Pat was ahead by two plates. Like I was going to be outdone by my own mate. I wish I could say I won. I didn't. I lost miserably to the one person who didn't even participate. Malia had twenty-nine plates and thirty-five bowls, and she looked at the dessert bar as if she could fit more food.

"How...where did it all go?" I asked as I rubbed my belly. I thought I had been good at twenty-two plates and fifteen bowls.

She smiled sweetly at me, patted my cheek as if I were a sweet yet dull child, and daintily dabbed her mouth before getting up and going to the dessert bar!

"She cheated," said Akoni with the most loving smile I had ever seen. The entire DC area brightened with that smile. "She's eating for four."

"She looks that good and is pregnant with triplets?" I blurted out. Akoni just beamed with pride at his beautiful wife and mate. "I gotta ask, how many calves do you have? I didn't know dolphins could have multiples." Calves, because baby dolphins were called calves. Yeah, they were Lycan Dolphins. The Little Dude would flip his wig when I told him I met an aquatic Lycan before he did.

"Fourteen, not counting the ones she's going to birth in Autumn."

I just stared. "More power to you, I had enough with just my one son and the pack." That got a grin from the visitors.

While nothing formal could be decided, I was happy to hear they would deliver the contacts to their peoples to open up talks and to keep up friendly ties. Pat and I didn't have to say we would look into their missing people, Akoni and Malia knew we would. It was a wonderful lunch, and about the last time we had laughs.

* * *

"Hold up...Dolphins?" the Little Dude asked me, the sandwich halfway to his mouth.

"Yes, dolphins. Now, don't interrupt if you want the rest before lunch is over." He gestured for me to continue, but I knew he would come back and ask more questions.