Dawn noticed how Daryn's chin almost trembled when he said that Gayle was missing. She could understand his emotions so well. He wanted to keep her safe, all the more now that Gayle wasn't there and he was thinking of the worse possibilities. He left her and stared at his empty hands. There was soreness in his throat and heaviness in his limbs. He took Dawn's hand in his just to comfort himself. Possibility of the worst-case scenario crept into him like moisture in wood. It travelled through his body making his mood petulant.

Dawn said, "Daryn, you are overthinking. Nothing has happened to Gayle. He must have gone somewhere. He is a werewolf so cut him some slack. It is possible that he has also gone out to take a stroll."

​​

Daryn took a deep breath. "I am hoping for the same—" his voice trailed off. After a pause he added, "If we can't find him by the evening, it means red flag, because we were all supposed to return by tomorrow morning."

"You will find him. Now stop worrying," she assured him and stroked his hair.

His black eyes stared in her green ones. "Come here," he said.

She lowered herself. He wrapped his arms around her, brought her over his chest and pressed her near his body. This was all the comfort he needed. "Stay with me," he whispered.

"I will, and I won't leave you," she said with determination. Not when he was so gloomy, not when he needed her the most. No, she would stay with him, no matter what.

An hour later there was a knock on their room. Daryn opened the door.

"Sorry Chief, we can't find Gayle. We had sent two search teams. They have combed the forest but Gayle is nowhere," his beta, Neal informed.

"Where is Caleb?" he asked.

"Caleb and Pia are in their room. They are having a small party with their old group."

"Inform him about it," he said grumpily. "Tell him that we will be meeting in fifteen minutes."

"Okay," Neal said and left in a hurry.

Daryn closed the door. He turned to look at Dawn. His face was marked with lines of worry. He said, "I think you are hungry. We must have lunch."

Dawn jumped out of the bed. Since the meeting was in fifteen minutes, they had to have lunch immediately. While going to the room where the lunch was spread for all, she asked, "Can I join the meeting?"

"Not now," he replied. "Only the Chiefs will be joining it for now. They won't like your intrusion at this time."

Dawn puffed her cheeks and he kissed her on the head. "Sorry darling, most pure bloods are arrogant. I don't want them to smirk at my wife. Eventually you will have to join the meetings, not just this time."

"Will Pia join?"

"Yes." His answer was clipped.

Fifteen minutes later, Daryn left for the meeting and Dawn was left all alone. Her mind went back to the dragon they had seen flying over the lake. Whose dragon was it? She was sure that it had a rider because all dragons had a rider. Was it possible that just like Quetz who had hidden himself in a magical world, this dragon was also in this magical world? There were too many questions that crossed her mind. Once again, a dull ache began to form on her tattooed index finger. She pressed it in her fist and walked back to her room.

When Daryn came back an hour later, his face was pale like a ghost. As soon as he closed the door, he leaned against it. His breathing was rapid and shallow and his pulse pounded in his temples. Dawn ran to him to hold him. He put his arms on her shoulder, feeling weak and needing all the support he could get. He wanted to go to the bed and sit but his legs were shaking.

"Daryn, what is wrong?" Dawn asked in a shrill tone. She was anxious seeing him in this condition.

"We couldn't find father," he whispered. "He has been missing for over 5 hours and there's no clue. We suspect that he has been abducted."

Dawn was as terrified as Daryn. With her help, Daryn sat on the edge of the bed and fisted his hair in his hands.

"How could we be so careless? We've been so lost in celebrating the festival that we didn't see any warning signs. There was absolutely nothing that we could get hold of. We scoured through his room, we went to all the places he visited. My werewolves sniffed his scent to the furthest they could, but we couldn't find him."

Dawn pressed her fist to her mouth. "Has this ever occurred earlier?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No! Never. Who would dare to abduct the Chief of the Silver Pack? Gayle is the head, the supreme Alpha of all the packs. Abducting him means asking for death."

"You are thinking that he has been captured. It is highly possible that he has gone back to Bainsburgh without telling you all. It is possible that he has simply lost his way. And it is possible that he has some hideout in this forest, which is hidden from you all!" Dawn voiced all the potential reasons for him missing from the place.

"No Dawn!" Daryn almost shouted. "I know my father. He wouldn't be so irresponsible. What would you do if you were the supreme Alpha? Would you act so irrationally? Won't you tell anyone about your plans knowing the fact that every other person, every other Chief would want to take your position? It is not so easy. The whole thing has become too complicated with him missing. The Chiefs feel that if Gayle could miss like this, then how good an Alpha was he? They are going to doubt our capabilities."

Dawn bit her lip and stepped back. She had never seen him this mad and so angered.

"I am sorry," he said and pulled her closer to him. He made her sit on the bed beside him. "Baby, I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know," she said softly lowering her gaze. "How can I help you?"

"You must leave. Go back to Bainsburgh. You have to be safe. Because if the person who has abducted him may come after you. I smell some deep conspiracy here." He paused to caress her cheeks. "Please understand me. Without you, I will be able to work better and with you I am going to feel very scared. Someone might hurt you, Dawn." He tucked a hair behind her ear. "Izar will take you back. He knows the route. Once you reach there, my people are going to take control and will guide you back cautiously. At home you are going to be safe."

"I can take care of myself, Daryn—"

"No, you can't," he snapped. "Because you are a neotide." He grasped her hands in his. "If they could take away father, they can easily take you away." He shuddered. "Let me find those who are responsible." Dawn could feel the heat and desperation of those words on her.

Dawn gave him a dejected look. There were wrinkles around her eyes. "Is being a neotide a handicap?"

"It is. Please don't argue Dawn. When you reach home, don't let anyone know what happened in Ulfric, okay?"

"Whom are you suspecting?" she asked, removing her hands from his grasp. Didn't he have a smidge of confidence in her?

"I don't know. Just go home, Dawn." He pleaded.

"I want to stay with you," her voice cracked. "Let me stay beside you. I can help."

"Damn it!" Daryn slapped his thigh and stood. "Why can't you understand one simple thing?" he let out a snarl. "There are no second thoughts about it," he said and paced the room.

Dawn closed her eyes. She knew that Daryn was too concerned and overly protective about her. He came and sat beside her again and pulled her in his lap. "I will come back soon," he said and kissed her on her lips. She opened her mouth for him to explore her all over again. She was scared for him. What if something happened to him? What if she would never see him again? She pushed him on the bed and leaned over him. His hands trailed to her back and they entwined their tongues in a dance of love. He growled. "My mate."

Her body melted under his touch. "Daryn, I can't think of a life without you," she said softly. Soon they were a tangle of arms and legs and teeth and tongue and lips. Their bodies moved together in hot sensation and together they peaked with Daryn roaring as he came.

When they were done, Daryn lay beside her and said, "You will leave now."

"Now?" she sat straight.

"Please baby?" he urged.

Dawn's vision blurred.

"I love you," he said softly and kissed her lips.

In the next one hour, Dawn was fully packed.