But Daryn's mind was restless. He couldn't let it slide. He had to avenge what Maya did to Dawn. And that need to take revenge prickled beneath his skin. It scratched his soul like a wound. There was no pity in his mind. The flames of revenge burned hot and unless he took an action, they would only ashen his soul. His inner peace was shattered the day Maya ordered Dawn's killing. He would have taken her down, but she had garnered too many deceptions, too many lies around him like a spider. It was time that she understood what it meant to mess with the Alpha of not just the Silver Clan but of the werewolves.

"What is Ulfric?" Dawn asked lazily, breaking his reverie.

​​

Dawn had closed her eyes as she rested on Daryn's shoulder. They were sleeping on her bed. That tiny bed was so cozy that Daryn, the CEO of the Silver House didn't want to sleep anywhere else. "What is Ulfric?" she asked again when Daryn didn't answer.

"Ulfric is a holy gathering in which male and female werewolves who have come of an age, meet each other in hope to find mates. Sometimes, people from other realms also join the festivities. Games are played and people are challenged for light combat."

"Challenged? Can anyone be challenged?" she croaked.

He sensed her fear and stroked her hair. "Yes, anyone can throw down the gauntlet in front of the person who is ready for the fight. It's an important tradition that pureblood werewolves follow. It has been ongoing since our ancestors' times just to ensure that pure blood werewolves race is maintained."

"I don't understand. Why do you need blood spilled to find mates? I have never seen or heard this kind of tradition," she became restless and looked up at him after supporting her head on her hands that were now on his chest. What if someone challenged Daryn?

"There's no blood, darling," he replied tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "It an art of showing how powerful you are to the opposite sex – kind of seduction." He traced her nose with his finger. "It's like the ball dance that humans in the medieval period used to arrange for their young ones to meet and find partners. It's just the same, except we do it in our own way. It's basically like a dance of seduction."

She swallowed her saliva.

Dawn's grip around his chest tightened as she quivered. "When is it?" she asked. She was 'bitten' and this ceremony was for the pure bloods. How would she even fit in? What if someone challenged her? A werewolf like Daryn was massive for her at over six feet in height and with the broadest set of shoulders she had ever seen. She couldn't even imagine the kind of strength he had and she was sure that most pure bloods were like that.

Daryn brought his hand on her face. "It will be held on the next full moon, which is in two days. Also, don't worry. It is only light combat and most likely no one is going to challenge you. If they will, I am going to volunteer for you.

"Why would you volunteer? I don't want anyone to seduce you," she said with a pout.

He laughed. "I think I have already been seduced as hell by a neotide. So nothing will happen to me."

"Do you have any former lovers that I need to be jealous of? I am not talking about Maya. I might kick their asses."

He removed her hands from his chest and made her lie back. "Don't worry," he replied.

"Is it going to be held in your manor?" she asked innocently.

He chuckled. "No! It is a big event. It is held in a place where only those who know about it can go. It is not known to the world. We maintain the secrecy of the location very tightly. No one is allowed to know about where Ulfric is held because people from other realms also participate to find mates."

"Oh!" She was wide eyed. She couldn't imagine if there were other kinds of folks as well.

"We have to begin our journey tomorrow to reach there in time," Daryn said with a sigh.

"What? Is it on another planet?" she laughed. In today's world, reaching someplace in two days was so unbelievable.

Daryn huffed. "No darling, but in order to keep it a secret, we have resisted any development."

It sounded so ancient to Dawn that for a moment she cringed.

"We will take my private aircraft to reach the outskirts. After that we have to take horses to reach the main place. It is a day's journey."

Dawn was completely awed at this point. It sounded so mysterious and so enticing at the same time.

"We'll start tomorrow evening because I have some work in the office. I can't leave loose ends after what Maya did to us…" his voice trailed off.

"Will Maya also come?"

"Maybe…" his voice trailed off. "But I am sure father will take care of Brad's deceit."

"Why has father asked us to be there? We are already mates. Why can't we just stay back?" she said as heaviness expanded in her heart.

Daryn stroked her hair and said, "Ulfric is also the ceremony where we pure bloods get married to our mates. Because finding a mate is so rare, it is considered a holy union and is very auspicious. It is believed that marrying mates in Ulfric will bring prosperity and fertility to our clans. Since I am the Chief of the Silver Clan, it becomes important for me to attend it with my mate. A message needs to go to the pure bloods that you will be my Luna. This will also forge relationships between neotides and pure bloods."

"Oh. My. God. Are we going to get married?" Dawn asked. Suddenly her body tensed and movements froze.

He had a wide grin on his face and even in that darkness of the room, she could feel him smiling at her.

"Daryn?" she whispered.

"Hmm. We are going to get married if you accept my Rede'vota. And if you don't, I don't mind as long as I stay by your side," he replied and turned to her. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her deeply. He took one hand down her back to relax her tension. Her body was so tight. When he released her, he said, "I am so sorry that father suddenly announced it. I could have declined it, but it would be seen in the wrong light. It might even be considered as an insult to our ancestors and our deity—Skadi." He paused for her reaction. When she still didn't speak anything, he added, "If you want, you can decline my Rede'vota. I won't say a word." His voice was hoarse. "As long as you stay by my side, I don't care if you marry me or not."

She gulped. Was she ready for marriage? For children? This was so sudden. Her skin lined up with goosebumps. She buried her head in him. "I am scared…" This was so new for her. Fitting in the society of the pure bloods. She didn't know any of the customs.