Daniel stilled. His jaw twitched. "You have Mrs. Winters?"
A pause. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I do."
"Then what is it you want from me in exchange for Mrs. Winters?"
Jeremy laughed derisively. "My brother. A true businessman to the bone. Very well then. I want you to step down as the alpha of our pride and president of Addington Group. Take your little Dream Eater with you and never return. Do yourself a self-imposed banishment."
"Then it's a deal."
"Wait, that's it? No threats? No, ‘you can't get away with this' cliché routine Are you that desperate to save that woman of yours?"
Daniel huffed impatiently. "Jeremy, do you want to negotiate or throw insults? To be honest, I have no interest in the latter. How do you want to conclude our business? Charlotte doesn't have much time left."
"Have you had dinner yet? I'm famished. I just ordered a big juicy steak-extra rare. Meet me at Luger. Bring your resignation letter and your Addington share certificates. If I like what I see, I'll deliver Mrs. Winters in time for surgery tomorrow morning in Harborview."
"Jeremy, where is she now?" Daniel pressed. "Her health is delicate."
"Don't worry. I'll make sure Mrs. Winters is comfortable with not a hair out of place. As long as you keep your end of the bargain."
"Fine. I need to know one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Did you have anything to do with Charlotte's accident? If you did, consider this deal annulled and prepare yourself for my wrath. I don't care if you're our father's favorite son. I will destroy you and everybody who stands in my way-even your mother. Mark my words, Jeremy."
A hearty laugh followed. "My, my, big brother. I haven't seen you so fiery for a long time. I had nothing to do with the accident, but I'm an opportunist. When I heard what happened to Charlotte, I knew I had to do it. You can't blame me for exploiting this rare opportunity. I've always known that a woman would be your downfall."
Daniel gritted his teeth. He suppressed the urge to rend his brother's face with his sharp claws. "I'll be there in an hour."
He disconnected and turned to the psychiatrist.
"I don't mean to pry-" began Dr. Greene.
"Do not trouble yourself with my problems, Doctor. Everything is under control."
Chapter Nine
The pancakes her father made were delicious. She could eat forever if she wanted to; she realized this wasn't real life, and she could stuff her face for hours and not get full. Charlotte put down her fork and wiped her mouth with the white linen napkin.
"Are you finished already?" her father asked.
"I don't want to get fat. Oh, sorry. I don't want to get even fatter." She pushed her plate away.
Her father eyed her critically. "You're a healthy and beautiful young woman. Don't try to change a thing. You're perfect as you are."
"You sound like Grandmaman."
"Because she's right."
Charlotte thought about her grandmother, who always scolded her to eat right. "Do you ever meet her?"
"Naturally. It would be rude if I didn't."
"Do you still … " Charlotte hesitated, "see mom in her dreams?"
"I do. She lives in Dreamscape most of the time."
"Am I here because you want our family to be together?"
"I cannot deny that is the wish I desire most in this world, but it isn't your time yet-yours nor your mother's."
"I have so many questions for you."
The Dream Lord watched her dotingly. "Ask away."
"I never got around to asking Mom how you two met."
"Well." Her father played with a teaspoon, twirling it between his long, tapered fingers. There was child-like excitement in his face as he told his tale. "When your mother was young, she had an accident that landed her in hospital for a long time. Afterward, she wasn't able to dream at all. Can you imagine how bad a person would feel if she didn't have the ability to dream? It's quite different from people who can't remember their dreams."
She nodded. "It feels like you don't sleep at all. When you wake up, it feels like you just dozed off even though you slept all night long."
"That is correct. Your mother wanted to dream so badly that she started to pray to me. Her faith in me was so great that a special bond between us was forged. Naturally, we fell in love and you were born."
"Huh." Charlotte thought for a second. "How come I never saw you all these years?"
"I visited you often when you were little, but you said you hated me so I never came into your dreams again."
"Is that so?"
"It pains me to have my own flesh and blood resent me, but I know that one day we'll be able to clear up our misunderstanding."
"I see. Dad, am I already dead?"
The man called Dream Lord didn't answer her question immediately. "No," he finally said. "At least, not yet."
"Oh." She stared out the kitchen window. It was sunny outside. She could see the branch of a peach tree swaying, green leaves shyly covered the ripe, blushed fruits. From where she was sitting, she could smell the freshly cut June grass mixed with the acrid smell of lawnmower fuel, and the scent of laundry that her mother had hung outdoors. A waft of caramelized burgers on the hot grill from the neighbor's yard. The smell of summer. The season she loved most at the childhood place she cherished in her memory, safely tucked away in the recesses of her mind. Her father had chosen this particular clip for a special reason. "I'm not ready to leave. Besides, I've made a promise to someone that I would stay by his side."
Her father smiled. "I know of him."
"Can you help me get back to Daniel?"
He tilted his head gracefully. "It would be my pleasure, but you have to help him first."
"What do you mean?"
"I know you hate dream-walking, but this is the only way to help him find his way to you."
She jumped up from her seat. "I'll do anything."
The Dream Lord laughed.
Against the protests of his pride members, Daniel went ahead with the transfer of ownership of his stocks and dividends to Jeremy, and wrote an official announcement of his resignation from the company. He also documented his abdication as alpha of the Manhattan lions. Liam Ruska, the pride treasurer and corporate lawyer for the company, who strongly objected to the transfer of power, added a clause for Daniel's protection: in the event that Jeremy was found responsible for Charlotte's injuries, the aforementioned agreement would be nullified and Jeremy would be punished according to the pride's law.
As Daniel headed to the rendezvous point, phone calls and texts flurried in the background. Daniel's chief of staff was overwhelmed with fending off people who wanted to talk to Daniel, including Daniel's father and his sister Anika. With the exception of his stepmother, everyone was not thrilled with his decision. Daniel, however, had made up his mind. Nothing could sway his determination to save Charlotte.
Daniel made it to Peter Luger on time. Against the advice of his trusted men, he went alone. The maître d' directed him to Jeremy's table. His stepbrother was dining with three of his friends. Seeing him arrive, Jeremy dismissed his friends temporarily. Daniel recognized Jeremy's lackeys. The three of them were young lions from his stepmother's former pride, which had long ago dissolved and merged into the Addington pride.
Daniel took the empty seat across from Jeremy. Without a word, Daniel pushed the documents in Jeremy's direction.
"I didn't think you'd come," said Jeremy.
"I'm a man of my word."
Jeremy looked at the documents briefly. "It seems everything is in order."
"Where's Mary-Anne?" Daniel demanded.
"She's on her way to Seattle. You'll see her tomorrow morning."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"You don't. You just have to trust me." Jeremy gloated. "We are blood, after all."
Daniel suppressed the urge to take a swipe at him with his sharp claws. He willed himself to stay calm and focus. He'd sacrificed his place as alpha to his pride to save the woman he loved. For her, he willingly took this kind of insult. "You better pray you had nothing to do with Charlotte's accident like you said. If you did, there'll be hell to pay."
Jeremy pretended to look hurt. "You don't trust me, big brother?"
Daniel narrowed his eyes. "I hope you don't plan to travel overseas in the near future, Jeremy. Stay in the country." He rose and left the restaurant.
Outside, his men greeted him with worried eyes.
"How was it, Alpha?" asked Liam Ruska.
"It is done. And don't call me ‘Alpha' anymore." Daniel got into the car.
Ruska and the others didn't seem happy with the sudden power change. The lawyer climbed in, sat next to Daniel and said stubbornly, "In my heart, you remain my alpha, Mr. Addington."