Gayle sat quietly as he watched Daryn. There was something that he had suspected when he saw him dancing with Dawn on his engagement day.

Daryn broke his eye contact with his father. With a sharp intake of breath, he combed his fingers through hair and a flush appeared on his face. He tapped the fingers on the table and then cleared his throat before he said, "Father, I don't want to marry Maya." He knew that his father would oppose him because he had been insisting on this alliance for more than five years now. But he had to come out with it. He had to make himself clear. There was no point in staying in a world where his emotions were trapped. Besides, if he didn't accept his love, he would go mad. And he was fed up with Maya's shenanigans. He took in a deep breath, turned his face away and continued to say, "The neotide in my office is someone I think I am in love with. I know it sounds crazy that all my life I had tried to get this place rid of neotides and that purebloods have a special hatred towards them, but this is something, which is not in my hand." He looked at his father for a reaction. But Gayle appeared cold. He had narrowed his eyes and was listening to him. For a moment Daryn lost his confidence. Would he also try to kill her? "If anyone would even try to harm as much as a finger of Dawn, I will break all hell loose," he almost snarled. "And Maya has gone beyond that – she tried to kill her." His grip on his glass became tighter. "Father, I want to break this alliance and take revenge upon Maya. She has overstepped her boundaries."

Gayle was listening to his son with deep attention. He lowered his eyes and nodded. A frown appeared on his face and he said, "Do you want to marry Dawn? And if you do, then why? Is it because you love her? Because if that is the case, then you were once in love with Maya too. Once you get married to Maya, you will forget Dawn."

"Father!" Daryn growled. "This is nothing to be trifled with." How could he even expect his father to understand his emotions when he was so opinionated? He was alone.

"Then tell me about it!" Gayle growled back. "Don't hold back what you are thinking." Being his father he could have read his mind like they do in a pack, but Daryn's shields were always up and that is why he was the most sinister of them all.

Darn bit the inner side of his cheek. He closed his eyes and an image flashed across his mind. The tension his body was experiencing, melted. "Dawn is my mate." His face beamed with affection.

Gayle smiled. His son looked even more handsome with that glow on his face. That was what he wanted to hear and that's why he was provoking his son. He wanted to hear the truth. So his mating instincts had triggered. Finding a mate was something wonderful for a werewolf because several simply never found their mates even if they waited all their life. His elder son Caleb married Pia because he loved her and not because she was his mate. He had marked her but only because they were married. Gayle was ecstatic that Daryn had found his mate. He was even more happy that it was Dawn Wyatt. Finally he had a chance for redemption. When he saw Daryn's behavior with her at his engagement, he became suspicious about them but he didn't intervene because that would have created problems with the Radiant Manes Chief. Not that it wouldn't create problems now but he chose to remain quiet. Moreover, it was important that Daryn realized this fact.

Daryn opened his eyes only to find that his father was smiling kindly at him. He expected anger, lashing out at him and insults, but was pleasantly surprised to see the smile on his face. His heart raced like that of a teenager. What did that smile mean? "Umm…"

"Daryn, I am with you," Gayle said tenderly.

Daryn's eyes popped open like a football field. He couldn't believe what he just heard. His father relented so easily. He was about to tell him that he was going to pursue his love even if that meant leaving the family or The Silver House but this was totally unexpected. His mouth fell.

Gayle couldn't resist laughing at his son. "Your expressions are epic!" He roared with laughter. When he settled, he shook his head. "I am happy that you have found a mate. However, from now on you have to be all the more careful. Maya is backed by one of the powerful Chiefs. We cannot break the alliance just like that because if we will, Maya will spill the beans and Dawn's life is going to be in all the more danger. We have to take things very slowly and tactfully." He looked at the USB Daryn had slid across the table. Picking it up, he said, "This is great evidence but nothing that would implicate Maya in front of the purebloods. We are known to kill neotides. It wouldn't hold a candle in front of Maya." Gayle leaned closer. "You need to find more evidence and if you want a clue, then I suspect that her father is into something nefarious, which I have ignored for a long time for obvious reasons. But," he pointed a finger at Daryn and said, "I won't stop you. Find out about him. Dig deep. If you find anything, anything at all, come back to me." After all he wasn't a sitting duck in the senate. He knew how to suppress them politically.

Daryn's shock multiplied hearing his father supporting him so well. Perhaps he appreciated that he had found a mate.

"Do not tell anything to Dawn or to anyone else. Sit back and observe and keep your eyes and ears open."

"Yes Father," Daryn could only agree. "Thank you," he said in a low gentle voice. His father's reaction caught him so unaware that he was speechless. His wolf pumped a fist in the air.

---

Maya had called the man the fiftieth time, but his phone was switched off. She called Reyna, "Has Dawn Wyatt come to the office?"

"Yes Ms. Maya."