Seeing Dawn's nervous expressions, Daryn had to continue alleviating her fears. So he added, "They met at Ulfric and after knowing that she belonged to an influential family, Sedora allowed them to get married. I was fortunate that she wasn't there at the Rede'vota." Finding mates was rare. He remembered when he had first met Dawn. He realized he had fallen in love with her at that time only because after that he was unable to accept anyone else in his life. He pressed a long kiss on her forehead. His mate.

"I love you, Dawn," he whispered. "Don't ever underestimate yourself."

"I love you too," she whispered. She had to be sharp and focus on everything about her mother-in-law, and that meant she had to think of ten steps ahead in order to counter her. Instead of meeting her new family with pleasure, this was turning out to be a battle of brutal business deals. What a pair her in-laws were. Gayle was such a welcoming father-in-law and Sedora sounded like a witch practicing dark arts. Dawn nervously chuckled at her analogy.

"What's so amusing?" Daryn asked.

"Nothing darling," she said. In order to change the subject, she asked, "How many lovers did you have before me?" The idea of him having lovers before her saddened her.

A smile tugged at his lips. He turned his face towards her. Was she jealous? "I had many lovers, Dawn. Around twenty or so."

"What?" her eyebrows shot up. "Twenty? You are joking!" she hoped he was joking but something in his eyes told her that he wasn't.

Daryn stroked her hair and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "Dawn, I was thrown into the world of business and politics from a very young age. And this pertained to both the real world and that of the werewolves. There were always many girls who wanted to be with me wither as my mistresses or as my wife." He held her hand. "I sought for love and not alliances. I tried to love them, give them all I had, but I just couldn't. Soon, I became lonely and my needs became physical. There was no hope left that I would find love. I had resigned to my fate." He picked her hand and kissed her knuckles. "It was when I met you that my mating senses triggered and for the first time in my life I could feel something different, something that made my heart beat, something I thought I wasn't capable of handling. You were like a beacon that came to light up the emptiness in my life." He shuddered at the thought of how he denied her initially for being a neotide.

"Daryn…" she whispered. Her heart went out for him. She was just as lonely as he was before meeting him. And this loneliness hung over like fog. Except for Cole, she didn't have another person she could trust. She resonated with his feelings. After the incident with Oscar, she had wrapped her heart with layers of protection. Loneliness was one thing she understood well. It was this fear that made her protect Daryn while they were in Ulfric. She wanted him to be with his people while she would have suffered being alone because that was one thing that had mastered. She climbed his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck. She said in a tender voice, "And you are beacon in my lonely life, darling."

He held her face and kissed her lips. "I love you, wife, but my mother is going to hate you."

She smiled. "I am going to try my best to be in her good faith, and if that won't work, I will stand for myself."

"That's like my girl!" he said jovially. "Mother loves to humiliate and if you are going to be suppressed by her, she is going to tolerate you."

By that time, they had reached the gates of the Silver Mansion and Dawn got down from his lap. As soon as they reached the portico in front of the main entrance, the valet rushed to open the door of the car. Dawn stepped out and coiled her arm around Daryn's. She had held him so tightly that her nails dug through his tailor made suit. Daryn noticed that the blood had drained from her face and anxiety had seeped in. He could feel her heart and her emotions. He communicated to her mentally, 'Keep up your shields, and don't let anyone know what you are thinking. Being my Luna, if you as much think, the werewolves around you will come to know. After I had marked you that had to happen. Remember, there are serpents around you. Don't be afraid of crushing them.'

Dawn gulped and immediately blocked her mind. Her steps became steady and she forced a calm expression on her face.

As for Daryn, he had become deathly quiet as soon as they entered the main hall where all the guests had gathered.

It was 12:45PM.

The Shaman, the guests, Gayle and Sedora were all gathered around what seemed like a small podium in front of which was a vessel in which logs were burning.

Gayle noticed his younger son coming towards the podium and he said loudly, "It is great to see you Daryn." There was a wide smile on his face.

Caleb, Pia, Sedora and the guests, all turned to stare at the two of them. Whispers started to float.

"What is this ceremony Daryn?" Dawn asked in a low voice.

"They want to make Caleb the prince of the Silver Clan," came a clipped answer.

Dawn's heart raced. "W— why? You— you are the—"

But he didn't reply. All he wanted was to protect her from his mother and the snakes that were present around them. He was ready to combat any werewolf who dared to harm her in any way.

Caleb's mouth twisted. He had a sour expression on his face. This was unbelievable.

As for Pia, her face looked as though she had a glass full of lemon juice. Blood had drained from her face thinking as to how these two came. They were left to die in the Ulfric.

Only fifteen minutes were left for Caleb to ascend to the position of being the ruler of the Silver Clan and these two had to ruin it. She went and stood behind to Sedora who was watching Dawn, and said, "That girl is the mate of Daryn—a neotide."

Sedora narrowed her eyes and watched them walk towards the stage.

Dawn was aware of the eyes upon her, but she kept her head high as she walked through the guests. At the end of the crowd she saw a regal woman. She had a round face, elegant and smooth, more like her elder son, and black hair that tumbled like tumultuous waterfalls in the mountains until her waist. She was wearing a silver gown of the finest silk. In her feet were fancy glittery sandals, which Dawn knew were diamonds. Every part of her personality screamed of cold darkness. It was as if she could attack anyone she wanted and kill them within seconds. Her eyes were a cold onyx, just like Daryn's. She didn't look a day older than Daryn.