Page 182 of Wolf Roulette

It’s the best we’ll get.

He didn’t answer my silent comment. He addressed the vampires again. “To 4a next. The suggested parameters of pack and Ni Tiaki responsibilities are too strenuous. Our involvement must take into account that tribe and pack alike will still have day jobs and require personal time with family and for themselves.”

“That’s for pack and tribe to negotiate,” Kyros said. “I came here under the impression you’d be more prepared for this discussion.”

“We take this alliance seriously, Prince Kyros,” I replied. “There’s a long-held grudge between us. Our people need time to come around to the idea of burying the hatchet. In addition, Sascha’s Luthers have long memories, and they lost thousands to your clan. They’re exceptionally loyal to those they lost, and this makes it hard for them to consider an agreement with Vissimo, let alone one with the tribe.”

Instead of retorting, the prince nodded.

He liked to use some of his father’s tricks and was far more subtle about rolling them out.

“Would an official apology from our clan help with the matter?” Basilia tilted her head.

Kyros shot her a look.

“Perhaps not,” she murmured to his silent remark. “But your father is reasonable.”

Sascha was unsettled.

Did he come here today ready to view vampires in the same way stewards viewed Luthers?

“That would go a long way with the older members of our community, yes,” he said gruffly. “They value humility.”

“The tribe is happy to negotiate the parameters of clause 4 with the pack and present you with our proposal.” I met Sascha’s hard gaze.

Sascha pressed his lips together. “The pack will attend.”

He hadn’t forgiven me by a long shot, but he’d do the right thing.

I’d take it.

I didn’t dare relax in my chair as Sascha flipped two pages ahead. There were fifty in the document.

Negotiations between werewolves, vampires, and humans had begun.

* * *

This could blow up in my face.

But in all honesty, I was used to the feeling.

I listened to the sounds of the gathered stewards. Their happy babble was a thing of the past.

“There’s no way out of this.”

“We don’t have enough numbers.”

“This whole time the werewolves were protecting us from demons.”

My brows lifted. I wouldn’t go thatfar, but if the tribe believed that, I wouldn’t correct them.

Other than that, they were appropriately afraid of what was to come.

Good.

Now, the stewards just had to come to the right solution.

And ithadto come from them.

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