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His thoughts were a whirl of strategies and contingencies, each more elaborate than the last. He hated feeling cornered, but recent events had left him with few choices.

The door swung open, and a gust of cool night air swept into the restaurant. Ezra glanced up, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the newcomers.

None of them were Helena. He checked his watch, noting that she was a few minutes late.

At home, Olivia, Gen, and Red were keeping a close eye on Griffin\'s secretary, Natalia. Her presence was a constant reminder of the precarious position they were in.

One wrong move, and their entire operation could unravel. It hadn\'t been hard to see that Natalia was competent, diligent, and fiercely loyal to Griffin, making her a formidable obstacle.

Finally, the maître d\' approached him, nodding respectfully. "Mr. Hawke, your room is ready."

Ezra stood, straightening his jacket and smoothing his hair. "Thank you," he said, following the maître d\' to the private room. A different one than the one they had previously used.

The room was small but elegantly furnished, with a single table set for two. Candles flickered softly, casting a warm glow over the polished wood and rich fabrics.

He took his seat, his eyes fixed on the door. Helena\'s arrival would signal the beginning of a dangerous game, one that required careful planning and ruthless execution. He couldn\'t afford to show any weakness.

Minutes ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity. Ezra\'s mind drifted to the women at home, their faces flashing before him.

Olivia\'s calm determination, Gen\'s fierce loyalty, and Red\'s sharp intellect. They were his strength, his reason for fighting. And he would be adding another battle to the war on this night.

The door opened, and Helena stepped inside, her presence commanding the room.

This time, instead of her customary uniform, she wore a tailored suit that also emphasized her authority, and her expression was one of controlled curiosity.

"Ezra," she greeted, her voice smooth and confident. "I trust I haven\'t kept you waiting too long."

"Helena," Ezra replied, his tone equally controlled. "Have a sit." He gestured.

Helena sat and stared at Ezra. "So, what have you chosen, Ezra Matten?"

Ezra sat straight, holding her gaze. "You\'re putting me between a rock and a hard place."

Helena raised an eyebrow, her expression neutral. "Explain."

"I am the one taking all the risks in this plan of yours. All you do is swoop in and arrest. You\'re holding me by the neck."

"If i came with a smile, would you have accepted my plan?" She asked him.

Ezra knew the answer to that but he didn\'t answer the question. "Griffin\'s secretary is watching my coven." He said, leaning forward slightly. "Natalia is thorough and loyal. One slip, and she\'ll report everything back to Griffin."

"Natalia?" Helena raised a brow. "Griffin\'s first wife?"

Ezra\'s eyes widened in surprise. "She\'s Griffin\'s first-" He cut himself off. "Fuck." There\'s no way Griffin\'s first wife won\'t be a fifth ring vampire like him. "This is bullshit."

Helena\'s eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded. "I see. And you\'ve decided?"

Ezra took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "I accept the alliance between us. For now."

Helena\'s lips curved into a small, satisfied smile. "Good. Now that we\'ve established our alliance, let\'s get down to business. What details do you have on the Silent Hand?"

Ezra leaned back in his chair. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"The Silent Hand is composed of three primary covens. The first two, the Blackthorne and Maguire covens, are under Count Solomon. They owe significant debts to Ascendant Capital."

Helena\'s eyes gleamed with interest. "Debtors, you say? That gives us leverage."

"Not really." Ezra answered. "These covens are fighting because we have that leverage you spoke of. They are not vulnerable to financial pressure because they already believe that their finances are gone." story-by-NovelFire

"Which is why they are fighting." Helena hummed. "I see. Carry on."

"Okay. The third member of the Silent Hand is the Odinson coven, which is under Count Vladimir. Unlike the others, the Odinson coven is actually an investor in Ascendant Capital. I don\'t think they actually want to switch sides. They are after something specific."

"The Ascension well." Helena hummed beneath her breath. Ezra\'s eyes narrowed suspiciously. She knew what the well was.

"Don\'t worry about the Odinson coven." Helena spoke. "I have some leverage of my own against them."

Ezra raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "What kind of leverage?"

Helena\'s smile was sly, almost predatory. "Let\'s just say I have some dirt on them. Information that I can use to legally attack them and could ruin their standing within the vampire society."

"If I apply the right pressure, I can take them off the board without much resistance. Don\'t worry. My method won\'t raise any suspicion. No one would be able to connect us."

"Okay." Ezra leaned back, considering her words. "That would be a significant advantage. If you handle the Odinson coven, that leaves us with Blackthorne and Maguire."

"Precisely," Helena agreed. "Your coven, along with Natalia should be more than capable of dealing with those two."

Ezra nodded slowly, the gears in his mind turning. "Natalia\'s involvement will be critical. We need to ensure she believes we are acting in Griffin\'s best interest. That way, she\'ll report favorably and keep Griffin off our backs when we begin your plan."

"Very well." Helena leaned forward, her expression serious. "I\'ll put my trust in you, Ezra. One misstep on your end and we could face retaliation not just from Solomon but from Griffin as well."

"You don\'t need to worry about us" Ezra growled. "We know what we have to do. Focus on your own part. If you mess up, we\'ll be the one cleaning up the mess."

Helena\'s eyes met his as she nodded approvingly. "That\'s what I like to see from my partners. Let\'s get to work. We have a lot to do, and time is of the essence."

Ezra glared at her words. Partners meant equal. They both knew their relationship wasn\'t equal.

However, the alliance was set, and their enemies were now within reach. The fate of his coven depended on it, and Ezra was ready to do whatever it took to secure their future.