Nicholas Shadowfell had made a lot of questionable decisions in his life. Sailing across an ocean for another man's wife was bold. Marking her while she was clinically dead was bolder. Hiring a questionable mage Kael Ashenvale had hired and fired multiple times and a mage Kael once held at bladepoint during a siege because he fucked up the wards? That one took the fucking cake and then set it on fire.
"Alpha Shadowfell." Brennan swept into a bow. "I accept. I accept with my whole chest. I accept with enthusiasm that should concern everyone in this room. You will not regret this. Others might. Bystanders, possibly. But not you."
"I already regret this," Damon muttered from Nicholas's right.
"Beta Tavian." Brennan straightened and offered his hand. Damon stared at it like it was a surprise marriage proposal from his crazy ex. He did not shake it. Brennan retracted the hand without losing a single degree of enthusiasm. "Understood. Trust is earned. I will earn it. Starting now."
