Dominic returned to his pack house to find Marcus waiting up, a bottle of whiskey and two glasses on the desk between them.
"That bad?" Dominic asked, slumping into his chair.
"That's complicated," Marcus corrected, pouring them both generous measures. "What did she say?"
Dominic recounted the conversation, watching Marcus's expression shift from concern to surprise to something approaching respect.
"She's giving you a chance," Marcus said slowly. "That's more than I expected."
"She's making me prove myself first. Which is more than I deserve." Dominic downed his whiskey in one burning gulp. "How bad is the pack situation really? Don't sugarcoat it."
Marcus grimaced. "Bad. The northern territories have been taken over by the Ironwood Pack. We've lost three major contracts to Silvercr
