That was the time when Dawn truly realized the purpose of the stone. It was given to the predecessors of Brantley by deity Chimala. Bianca belonged to Aztec, to Brantley. She was just holding his property till she came of an age. Dawn smiled with mixed feelings churned in her—of love, separation and anxiety. Well, the basic thing was that she had to make her daughter capable of being the Queen of Aztec, and that too without telling her as to what her destiny awaited.

Daryn walked from there to the cabin along with his wife and two children. What a beautiful moment! From being announced that he would never have babies with the neotide, to the moment he was holding children, he had come a long way. He looked at his wife over the shoulder as he walked beside her and said,

"I love you!

"

"Me too,

" she replied as she looked in his glossy, onyx eyes that promised so much that she couldn't fathom. Yeah… she knew the Lykaes were too possessive, overprotective and would lay their life for their families. And this guy was the Alpha!

Once they were back in the cabin, the nurses settled the babies in the cribs and then went on to teach Dawn on how to feed the kids.

"The kids come out of their mom's tummy with twenty-four hours of nutrition, but that doesn't mean that you won't feed them,

" chuckled one of them.

"You will have to keep trying until the babies and you become comfortable.

"

Dawn nodded with a smile and said a polite,

"Thank you.

"

When the nurses left, Daryn came to kiss her as Neal and Cole went to look at the tiny bundles, which were wrapped in the blankets and were sleeping with their hands curled in tight fists. Brantley was standing in the cabin near the window and watching the baby girl from far.

"Jesus! They are so pretty,

" Neal breathed. He wondered how his and Cara's child would look. Damn it! He won't stop at two. He needed a dozen of them.

"I think Bianca looks like me,

" said Cole profoundly with a raised eyebrow and in a very serious voice.

"She has beautiful red hair just like our mom, but rest of the features are like mine.

" He pointed at the dimple on her left cheek.

"Look! That one comes from me!

" He turned his gaze at Dawn. Daryn was propping pillows for her to sit up.

"Gods, I am sorry Dawn, but other than your green eyes, the child doesn't look like either of you!

" Cole declared proudly. Then he looked at the baby boy.

"Darius… he's more like…

"

"He is like Daryn!

" Neal interjected.

Cole shrugged.

"Darius is… cuter.

"

Dawn chuckled. Daryn fumed. After a while, Daryn said in a low voice to his wife,

"Brantley wants to have a small conversation with you. I think you must listen to him.

"

"I know,

" she replied as she watched Brantley who was looking at the baby as if there was nothing else around him, as if his heart was there in the crib and he was standing soulless in the world.

"I am taking the boys out. You talk to him and then Brenda will come to talk more about feeding babies, okay?

"

She nodded. Daryn kissed her on the crown of the head and then asked Neal and Cole to accompany him outside for an urgent task, which he had to create en-prompto while they were going out.

Once Daryn closed the door behind him, Brantley exhaled heavily, as if he had been holding his breath for a long time. He walked up to the babies and smiled at them affectionately.

"Thank you Dawn,

" he said in a soft voice that was as genuine as the creation of earth.

"Thank you to you, Brantley,

" she replied and he whipped his head to look at her. He frowned at her statement.

"Even though you did send me on a mission to find the Stone of Solaris, I think it was mutually beneficial exercise. We both got what we wanted in the end,

" she explained.

"And so, thank you.

"

Brantley lowered his eyes to look at Bianca as a smile appeared on his lips for the first time. The ruby was placed right beside the child, snuck in a corner so that it didn't hurt her.

"I wanted to talk to you.

"

Dawn sighed.

"If this is about staying around with her, I am sorry you already know my answer.

"

His shoulders sagged.

"I know that Dawn. But I can't stay away from her. It's like you are stealing my breath…

"

"I have explained to you so many times that the girl needs to grow and with you around she wouldn't develop her personality.

"

Brantley walked past the cribs and then sat on the edge of the bed.

"Dawn, I did a lot of thinking and… I feel that what you have said is right, so I have come to strike a deal with you. I won't be promising anything though.

"

She drew her shoulders up and looked at him with attention.

"Tell me.

"

Brantley bit her lip and then started,

"I am going to stay hidden from her until she turns sixteen, but after that I will come out. I have waited for her for two thousand and thirty years, and I am going to wait for sixteen more years, but after that, no one can stop me!

"

There was this ferocity in his disposition, which Dawn knew that it would grow violent if he was kept away from his mate. And truth be told, she understood it. She stared at him as he stared back at her—harshly.

"Okay,

" she nodded.

"I agree with that. But until then let her learn the ways of the world. Let her fall and then get up. Let her lose to understand what success is and let her develop a personality, which is going to be fitting as your queen.

"

"I won't interfere in her life,

" he said. But that didn't mean he won't interfere in other people's lives.

"Good,

" she said.

"So we have a deal?

"

"We do!

" He looked at the baby.

"But it isn't a promise.

" That would drive him insane.

Dawn frowned.

"I am going to be using every ounce of my will to stay away from the child, and you know how excruciating that would be. And that is why I am not going to promise. She is special, not for the world, not for the kingdom of Aztec, but for me. She is not what I want, she is what I need to survive.

" He looked at her with blaze in his eyes.

"Okay Brantley, just do your best, because I want the best for you.

"

He gulped.

"Thanks Dawn…

" he replied in a hoarse voice. Then he rose to his feet, walked back to the baby and brushed his knuckles on her soft cheeks.

"Keep her safe for me.

"

"I will.

"

With that assurance, Brantley left the room with one last look at Bianca.

Dawn took in a deep breath. She closed her eyes. The air had become so heavy and she felt as if she acted like a sword in Brantley's heart and then twisted it.

"I am sorry Brantley,

" she muttered as she looked at her daughter.

She didn't know when, but Daryn was right next to her the next moment, kissing her forehead.

"You did the right thing, baby,

" he said.