His handmaid kneaded his shoulders. "The Supreme Alpha himself admires your integrity, my lord.
"The Duskborne bloodline has always been a house of moon-singers. That Ashton is a disgrace to the family name!"
Edric's smile turned sharper:
"Starting today, one copper coin per moon cycle becomes one copper coin every two moon cycles."
The handmaid froze.
Edric's voice was ice. "Ashton spoiled these workers. I'll train it out of them."
It didn't take long. Within weeks, even more workers walked off the job.
Edric, furious, dragged several of them before the Pack Council magistrate.
He charged them with "willful negligence," "inciting unrest," and "disturbing the territory's order."
But even with wolves thrown in the silver cells, the rest still refused to lift a finger.
My side of things was a different story entirely.
Business grew by the day, profits climbing steadily, and I paid the highest wages in all of Moonhaven.
The wolves working for me were terrified of not doing enough.
Edric seemed to think he'd found the root of the problem.
I was directing my crew to hang the sign above our new trading post when Edric's men shoved their way forward.