I had no choice but to hire workers from beyond the territory borders.
Edric, on the other hand, had it easy. With a pack princess backing him up, he had leverage I didn't. Workers were conscripted from the lower dens and forced to labor under his command. But at two moon-coins a month, people started fleeing before long. Some masked their scents, disguised themselves as outsiders, and came to work on my supply caravan instead.
With no one left at the estate, the businesses under Pack Princess Elara's name had no goods to move. Edric couldn't even put food on the table.
That was the day he showed up with soldiers. All of them under Elara's authority.
He stared at my massive trade convoy, loaded and ready for the southern route, a sneer curling his lips.
"Seize it."
I stepped in front of him.
"Brother, how can you be so unreasonable?"
He scoffed.
"If you hadn't been out here throwing moon-coins around and disrupting the market, the princess's businesses would never have failed! Buying loyalty with coin. You've dragged the Duskborne name through the mud! The only way to stop you from lining your own pockets is to hand all this cargo over to me."
He was about to give the order again. I blocked his path.
"Brother, this is my cargo. My business. You ran yours into the ground, so now you come to steal mine?"
"Steal?" He sneered. "I'm simply purifying your soul, little brother. Do it."
"No!"
I scrambled to stop them.
Elara's voice cut through the air.
"Hold him down."
My men and I were slammed to the ground at the same time. The impact drove the breath from my lungs, and I felt my wolf surge against my ribs, snarling, clawing to get out. I forced it down. Not yet.
Every last crate of goods I'd hauled all the way from the Riverbend Territories was seized under Edric's name.
He looked at the emptied convoy and smiled coldly.
"Brother, why must you insist on working against me?"
I said nothing.
"Men, burn this convoy. Make sure Ashton Duskborne never trades again."
"Yes, sir!"
"I dare you."
I smiled. "Raise the banner."
A crewman yanked the cover off the standard mounted on the lead wagon.
Four words blazed in the sunlight: ROYAL TRIBUTE GOODS.
I rose to my feet.
Looked straight at Edric's bloodless face.
"What nerve you have, brother. Stealing from the Supreme Alpha himself."
