CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR – DIRE STRAITS

Elena stepped forward, her voice cutting through the din. "My lord, if I may speak?" Vladislav nodded, and she continued. "The amulet was entrusted to Laura and Logan by Marcus Corvinus himself. To demand its surrender could be seen as an affront to our founder's wishes." Nikolai scoffed. "And we're to take the word of a werewolf and a human on this matter? For all we know, they stole the amulet!" Logan growled low in his throat, but Laura placed a calming hand on his arm. She took a deep breath, knowing their next words could make or break the alliance. "Lord Vladislav, honored members of the clan," she began, her voice steady. "We understand your concerns about the amulet. Its power is indeed great, and in the wrong hands, it could be devastating. But consider this - Marcus Corvinus chose to entrust it to us, outsiders, rather than to any vampire clan. Perhaps he foresaw a time when cooperation between our kinds would be necessary." She paused, letting her words sink in. "We prop