You Need an Alpha

Chapter 5: Contracts

"You seem to have a misunderstanding on what rights I have as the new pack alpha." Avery says, Arms crossed over her chest. She'd refused to cover any of her bite marks, instead wrapping Wooyoung up in her flannel from earlier.

Jongho had been right that their company was anything but about her actions. She'd taken all of them aside and said to let her handle this. There had been some arguments on their end, but she insisted that she knew what she was doing. "Please don't object to anything I say during this. We need to look like a fully functioning pack. You can get mad at me and ask questions after this is done, but for me to get the best results, you need to act like you agree with everything I'm saying." It had been a rushed explanation with pointed looks at the three betas and then Hongjoong. They'd all nodded, so the discussion with staff started.

"Marking was not on the table. If you read the contract we had with you it would have been obvious." A staff member says.

She stares down the lawyer across form her, raising a brow and watching him fidget. She smirks, turning towards the staff member, "You obviously didn't run you contract through legal, or they would have told you what you that you have no standing." She starts counting on her fingers, "One, it violates international pack protections. Two, the contract I have is with the members of this pack, not with you, so it would be them having to argue a breach of contract. Three, you already breeched the contract when you neglected to inform me that the members of the pack were not informed about a new pack member during the courting phase. Which also is a violation of their rights because that means their scent was illegally collected and distributed. Which, if I remember correctly, is a huge violation of not only Korean Law, but also international law because of their status as celebrities. Four, what I did does not actually breach any portion of your contract. You say that they cannot be marked without their informed consent, there is not a single line in there limiting my own abilities to be marked."

"Well... but it was implied..."

"Implied does not mean legally binding. And it doesn't escape my notice that you're just glossing over the other points I brought up." Avery turns to the lawyer, "You may want to advise your client to stop incriminating themselves further."

He stares at her before turning to the staff members at starting to whisper.

Hongjoong leans over to Avery and mutters, "How did you know all of that?"

Avery laughs, "Right. You didn't get any of the information of presents I supplied during the courting phase. That probably explains why I only received scent objects from everyone." She mutters before looking up at Hongjoong, "I graduated from law school last year and am currently working with a firm. They transferred me to their Korean Branch when I explained the situation. International Law focusing on Pack Rights was my specialty." She grins, flashing her teeth at the lawyer across from her.

"Wait!" San exclaims, "You sent us presents!"

Avery nods, reaching a hand out for him. He quickly starts nuzzling against it, and she adds a mental note to check that he's not getting scent deprived, "Of course. I was courting an established pack of 8. I was given a folder of information on each of you. You were all supposed to receive the same information packet and scent objects from me so you could determine if I was a good match."

She levels a glare across the table at the staff member and lawyer pair that have stopped talking to each other. The lawyer clears his throat, "What is it you want out of these negotiations?"

Avery laughs, "Oh these aren't negotiations by a long shot. This is me giving you the courtesy of knowing where things go from here."

"You can't do that." The staff member explodes, the lawyer reaching an arm across him to try to stop him.

"Oh, but I can." Avery says, "As a newly established pack with a new pack alpha, I get all rights to negotiate on their behalf. All previous contracts are deemed void without my approval to make sure my pack members were not being exploited. That means I'll be back with a lawyer who specializes in idol contracts to review exactly what kind of position you've put their group in. And currently, I don't have a very favorable opinion of your company and the way you've been handling Ateez."

The lawyer sends a look to the staff member, before looking at Avery, "And what would you like us to do to change said opinion?"

"Oh, now we're taking into account other's opinions, are we? How very noble. And look it only took some light threats on my end. Where to start? First, all illegally collected scents of any of my members in your company's possession are to be destroyed. My original gifts, letters, and scent objects are to be given to them. You will provide physicals for each member of the pack, the results of which will be shared with me. They will be given the next 2 weeks off at the minimum to get acclimated to a new pack member. We can review their contracts during that time. At which point I will also bring other requirements that my pack as a whole has."

"And what happens if we don't agree to your requirements?" The staff member asks, arms crossed and an unhappy attitude clear on their face.

"Well," Avery shrugs, "I'm sure there are other companies that would be willing to negotiate with us to acquire an internationally successful kpop group."

San's grip on Avery's hand tightens considerably. Hongjoong grabs her other hand under the table. The two staff members on the other side of the table stare at her open mouthed.

She stands up, and the rest of the pack follows. She pulls San and Hongjoong into her sides, wrapping them close and encouraging San to even go so far as to start scenting her, even though it irritates the still fresh bites there. Hongjoong curls up into her side, keeping his own eyes down as he starts rubbing their wrists together. "That will be a discussion for another day. My pack is in need of time to acclimate to one another. We'll be taking our leave back to their den, where all of my things should have already been arranged. I expect the gifts I sent to be there by tomorrow at the latest."

The staff member stares at them as Avery herds the entire group towards the door. They quickly stand up and exclaim, "You still need to make your own public appearances. That's written clearly in the contract."

Avery shakes her head, "Yes, and I'll make sure to do that tomorrow. I, unlike some people, actually read the contracts I sigh. I wouldn't put my entire pack into jeopardy by not upholding my end of the deal."