Shock assailed him.

"Pregnant?

" he staggered on his feet and caught the iron of his bed's headboard, as blood rushed to his brain.

Neal nodded. He looked at Cole who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Dawn is about to have a baby?

" he said, sounding stunned.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?

" he asked irritably.

"Why did you withhold that information from me? I was sitting here all this time and you looked past me?

" He sucked in a short breath.

"I wanted to give this news to Daryn first,

" Neal replied coldly. His gaze shifted to his Alpha.

Daryn's lips parted as he forgot to breathe. Holding the bed's head post he managed to sit on the edge. He looked at the sticks, which showed two lines. His wife was pregnant with his baby. All that he was thinking, all that he had told her and those signs, they pointed in this direction. A tear rolled out of his eye. They had done it even though the entire nature was against them, even though Sedora had warned him that they would remain childless forever. He looked at Cole and then Neal with eyes wider than a soccer field, eyes that showed disbelief, shock, surprise and terror. He exhaled in a rush as his knees went weak with fear. His mate was pregnant. This was the only chance that they ever had in their life together and she was taken away from him. What luck? Dazed, slowly he walked to the closet and took out a shirt and jeans for himself. There was no time to succumb to his shock. He stopped himself from crying and stashed the two sticks in his jeans' back pocket. His baby…

Gayle had rushed in the room by then and he was standing on the door when he heard that Dawn was pregnant. His joy was limitless when he imagined Daryn's babies around him. His grandchildren… But where was Dawn? He had scurried the entire area so many times, but she wasn't found anywhere. His irritation was paramount. And after listening that she was pregnant, helplessness took over his irritation. He wanted everything to be right with Luke Wyatt's daughter and every given opportunity, things just turned bad.

He swallowed his saliva when he looked at his son. He was looking horrible and gaunt. His heart constricted. How many times Daryn had lost Dawn? And how many times he had fought against everyone, against the very nature to be with his mate and yet every time, he was standing on new testing grounds. Gayle stepped inside the room.

"Daryn…

" he said in a soft voice.

Daryn looked at his father with eyes red from tears that he had suppressed.

"I am going to find her,

" he rasped.

Gayle walked up to his son and gave him a hug. Daryn needed that. He looked at Cole. Cole walked to them and hugged the only two people who were close to him after Dawn. The three stood like a family in each other's embrace.

A noise on the outside disturbed them.

"I have to meet them now!

" said a thick, throaty voice that sounded so threatening that the guards stationed on the outside of the room became quiet.

Neal's head turned sharply and he rushed to the door to see the person. A low growl rumbled from both Gayle and Daryn as they stood there with their claws extracted to the fullest.

"Who is there?

" asked Cole, sensing some unknown, lethal danger.

"You go back,

" said Daryn. He shielded Cole by standing in front of him.

"You can't meet him,

" the guard replied in a mild tone.

"We have our strict instructions.

"

"Move!

" the seven foot tall man said. His entire demeanor was such that if he wanted, he could have sliced the neck of the guard with his claws in one go.

"What are you doing here?

" Neal's booming voice from behind made the guard jump.

The man stared at Neal as though he would launch himself on him and kill him. His murderous eyes glinted with cruelty and mercilessness.

"Where is Daryn?

" he asked in a low, throaty voice.

"I don't talk to the underdogs!

"

Neal growled.

"You can't meet him,

" he said, as he closed the door and blocked it by standing in front of it with his hands crossed across his chest. What the hell was Brantley doing there? It was such a shock to see him. This was the last thing Daryn needed.

Brantley shoved the guard with hand. While what looked like a mere shove to Brantley, the guard had tumbled several feet away. He was so scared that he got up to his feet and ran away for his dear life. However, other werewolves had gathered around to take over the dragon rider.

To say that Brantley was looking ferocious was an understatement. He was looking like a murderer and so dark that he sent shivers down the spine of the werewolves. Wearing a black leather hand-stitched jacket over a creme shirt and black leather pants, he seemed like a messenger of death, like a grim reaper.

His aggression, his darkness had surfaced to the level that he looked needy of raw violence.

"I will kill you Neal, if needed,

" he said, flicking his long, green streaked hair behind.

"So let me in.

"

"Aren't you ever satisfied with what you've done to Daryn and Dawn? You practically locked them inside the Ulfric forever. They traded their freedom with that stone of yours. And now you have come back? Man, couldn't you have chosen a better time?

" Neal spat.

"Go away,

" he scorned.

"We are in the middle of an emergency here. You can't meet Daryn!

"

Suddenly, Brantley brought his hand forward and Neal started to choke. He felt as though an invisible power was constricting his throat. He gurgled as his face turned blue for the want of oxygen. Other werewolves rushed to Brantley to stop him using his magic, but Brantley was creating a wall between them and him. The wall, made up of thick air, was so solid and dense that it was impenetrable.

"I said I could kill you Neal,

" he grunted with fury.

"Leave him!

" Daryn opened the door and shouted at Brantley.

Brantley withdrew his hand immediately and brushed his hair. The magic stopped and Neal scrambled to a sitting position. He dragged himself to the wall and leaned against it to suck in as much air as possible. He wheezed and coughed. Rest of the werewolves were still pinned to the wall behind. It was as if he was in total control.

"What do you want?

" Daryn asked, matching the ferocity of his opponent. He was shocked to see him there. How did he find him? Was he after Dawn? Thinking that, he claws hardened and his fangs increased.

"Why have you come? No one wants you amongst the Lykae. As of now you are their sworn enemy. In fact if I see any of your kind, I would personally slay them. So ** off before I start with you!

"

"Where is Dawn?

" he growled with frustration.

"What have you got to do with her?

" Daryn retorted.

"Stay the ** out,

" he said and charged at Brantley with force. He leapt at him bringing him down and pinning him beneath him with massive force.