Quetz came and sat right behind Dawn on a chair not very far from her. He tilted his head as he stared at the Shaman.

Anxiety gripped Dawn. She held her tummy and tears choked her throat. She didn't know that being a Luna of a tribe was over and above than being a mom. She wanted a simple life and she wondered what path had god really carved for her? So many thorns? So many pitfalls? She stopped herself from shedding the tears because she knew that this was what Pia wanted—to break her mentally. She closed her eyes and thought that she was worthy of better. This hurricane of negativity wasn't hers to deal with. She was worthy of love and a much better life. She decided to speak out for herself again. "I don't know what is the majority wants here." Although she was certain that along with the two members, the Shaman will vote against her. She didn't know about the remaining two members who chose to stay absolutely quiet. Their stoic expressions were unreadable. "But this situations isn't really working for me and I think I have the right, the freedom to seek my happiness. I have the right to be loved and feel loved, to be welcomed by your clan and at the same time be appreciated." She shook her head. "I will not let a council decide about my pregnancy."

​​

"Shut up!" the member who was speaking against her roared. "You insolent girl! How dare you disrespect the council?"

Pia interrupted. "Oh might council man, please ignore her pettiness. She doesn't know the importance of you people."

The old man looked at Pia with red eyes and exhaled heavily. "Ask her to stay within limit, or else we are going to put her in jail because of this insolence!"

Dawn raised her eyebrows, shocked at what was happening in front of her. She swallowed her saliva. The pain kicked in. Her heartbeat accelerated and her mind replayed how she had won her freedom in Ulfric and how she had put everyone else before her. Were these people even worth it? The amount of hatred they had for her was, it was like a heavy rucksack that was permanently tied on her shoulders. Her stomach heaved again and she wanted to go to the toilet. Daryn's warm hand gripped hers and he communicated mentally, "I am in this with you, okay. Stay calm." But her knuckles had whitened because of clutching her shawl too tightly and her face as pale.

'Stay strong Dawn,' said Quetz.

Dawn turned back sharply to look at Quetz. He was still there. He blinked. 'I will go away soon,' he said.

'No, I appreciate that you are still here,' she said softly.

'I am waiting for them to make a decision. I will take you with me, away from them, if they as much as touch you to take you to the prison. They don't know me,' he said, sounding so furious as if he would turn into a dragon right now and char the council members to death. 'You can take that opportunity to hone your magical skills.'

'Magic?' she asked, feeling distracted. 'What magic? I don't have magic."

'You do, Dawn,' he replied. 'You just don't know it yet.'

She smiled weakly. He was only trying to distract her from the current situation. 'You are very sweet Quetz. Thanks for the distraction, but this whole thing is very heavy for my heart. I want to keep the baby.'

'Yes, Dawn. I want you to keep the child. But I am not distracting you. You have a lot to learn and it is important now.'

Gayle gave the council members five blank papers along with pens.

"We don't need to vote," said the member who had been most vociferous about his disgust regarding Dawn. "We already know that she will have to abort." Saying that he proudly made a cross on the paper for everyone to see, folded it and passed it to the Shaman.

Dawn's nervousness increased.

Rest of them went to the back of the room one by one and voted. They folded the papers and gave them to the Shaman.

The Shaman took them all and then opened them. The first vote was a cross.

Daryn held Dawn's hands in his large ones firmly.

Caleb and Pia had huge smiles on their faces. Pia couldn't help chuckling. She was happy that her plan was on the verge of fruition. The bitch had snatched the only opportunity she had in becoming the Luna of the tribe when she had suddenly appeared from Ulfric. She was so sure that Dawn would never return and was even happier that Daryn decided to stay with her, because that ensured they would never return. She knew how cruel Brantley was when he had trapped them. And she had snickered at Dawn for letting them all go, and getting entangled in his web. Did she think that she was doing it for the greater good? What a show-off! She laughed on the inside. 'This is how 'bitten' are treated amongst us, you bitch,' she thought and scoffed while looking at the way the two of them were sitting with their hands in each other's.

Shaman took out the second paper and that too had a big cross on it.

Dawn's heart sank. Daryn closed his hand around hers.

Quetz leaned forward to ready to take off his rider to the Ensmoire Forests. If he had to, he would shape shift in this room itself. Brantley gave him a few days and he would take full advantage of it.

Pia let out a chuckle. "This is such a losing game. I think we shouldn't even look at other ballots." Her excitement was up to the eyes, which gleamed with her malicious plans. She started thinking how this would go. She was hoping and was almost certain that Dawn would never abort her pregnancy, which meant one thing – jail for her for life. Pia rubbed her palms in elation. By Skadi! This was perhaps the best day of her life. She wanted to squeal as contentment seeped in her chest. Finally the neotide in the house was about to go down the drains along with her bullshit of a baby.

The Shaman gave her an icy glare and Pia sat back, containing her exhilaration. She didn't want to send Shaman the wrong message about her behavior. She wanted to show him how well behaved she was and how much of a contender she was for the position of Luna for the tribe.

The next slip that came out was a check mark.

Dawn couldn't believe it. She looked at it with wide eyes just to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. Then she glanced at the council members to see who was the one who favored her. That little check mark meant that she was accepted by at least one of them. But all of them had stoic expressions and none of them even considered her enthusiasm.

Daryn smiled.

Gayle relaxed a bit.

The fourth paper was unfolded and to everyone's utter surprise, it too had a check mark.

Dawn's skin tingled with delight. There was hope. If the third one were also a check mark, she would keep her pregnancy. Her palms became clammy.

Pia tensed. What was happening? She glanced at the Shaman whose face darkened. Seeing his expression, her hope renewed. Her joy was palpable. Yes Dawn was going.

The fifth paper was opened.