"You're not my real brother. We don't even share blood," said Daniel bitterly.
Jeremy also shifted back. He looked surprised. "How did-"
"Anika told me everything."
Ruska stepped in and gave Daniel his handkerchief. Standing naked, Daniel wiped his hands of Jeremy's blood. Their clothing was in tatters. "I'll give you a final chance to repent for your sins, Jeremy, then you and your mother will be banished. Or you will be punished according to the law of our pride. Choose wisely."
Epilogue
Nineteen months later …
Charlotte studied her painting job critically. The color she'd chosen for the nursery was lighter than the sample. She'd fallen in love with the color in the store, and after she painted it on the wall, it came out paler than she'd have liked. She sighed. For the time being, this would do. Her feet swelled if she stood too much. Since she'd entered the second trimester of her pregnancy, she got easily tired. Her back hurt. Her legs hurt. She felt exhausted all the time. But she didn't complain. It was a miracle that she was able to carry a child.
It was a miracle that she was alive.
The recovery had been rough. Months spent in physical therapy just to walk on her own two feet. Initially, Dr. Huang told her that she might not be able to walk anymore. With sheer determination, and with Daniel's support, she'd proved Dr. Huang wrong. One month after she was fully recovered, she and Daniel married in a small chapel in Burgundy, France. Three months later, she found herself pregnant. Daniel couldn't be happier.
She ambled to the rocking chair and sank herself in. Daniel had wanted to hire an interior designer for the nursery, but she insisted on doing the work herself. She'd spent plenty of time of doing nothing during the recovery. She wanted to make herself useful now that she was healthy.
Her mind strayed to Jeremy. Thanks to him, she was alive now. Jeremy had donated part of his liver and one of his kidneys to her. Who would have thought she and Jeremy shared the same rare blood type? She was glad Daniel had given him a chance at redemption. She'd learned that the punishment for betraying the pride was death. She didn't want to think that Daniel had to dirty his hands with killing, no matter how justified it was.
After Jeremy's plot to dethrone him had been discovered, Daniel did some house cleaning. He banished Jeremy and his stepmother, along with the pride members who were loyal to Jeremy. Anika was spared because she'd proven her loyalty to Daniel. Daniel's dad-the former alpha of the pride-went into a self-imposed exile because of the scandal. Charlotte still couldn't understand why losing face was such a big thing for lion shifters. As long as it ended well, she wouldn't make a big fuss about it.
Arthur rapped on the door and entered with a tray of tea. "I hope you're not straining yourself, Mrs. Addington."
Charlotte cringed guiltily. The doctor had reminded her that she must take everything easily. She hadn't been obeying her doctor's orders. "I'm just finishing this off, then I'm done for the day."
The butler placed the tray on the side table. He then proceeded to pour some tea into the cup. Judging from the aroma, Arthur had brought her a pot of Earl Grey, her favorite tea.
"Thank you, Arthur." Charlotte sipped her tea with delight.
The butler adjusted his glasses as he eyed her paint job. "You've missed a spot," he said. Arthur was more anal retentive than Daniel. Everything he did had to be absolutely perfect.
Charlotte noticed what Arthur was pointing out. It was only a minor flaw. "It's fine. I can't really see it from here."
"But I can. It would bother me every time I entered this room." Arthur picked up a small brush and carefully dabbed it in the pain tray. "May I?"
"Hey, knock yourself out." Now that she'd sat down, she didn't feel like moving at all. She might take a nap just here.
Arthur fixed the spot she'd missed. "There."
"What do you think of the room?" she asked.
"Not my favorite color." The butler was brutally honest, which was unusual for a man of his trade. Perhaps that was why Daniel had hired him in the first place.
"Cream is neutral color. What color would you paint it?"
"My favorite color is black."
"Get out of here. I ain't raising a goth baby."
Arthur only smirked. "Oh. I almost forgot." He retrieved a manila envelope from under the tea tray. "Someone from the OB/GYN office dropped this off."
Charlotte opened the envelope.
"Is there anything else you need, Mrs. Addington?"
"Nothing. Thank you, Arthur."
"Very well, madam."
Charlotte unconsciously held her breath as she read the contents of the envelope. It was the result of her sonogram. A week ago when she and Daniel had gone for an ultrasound, they were told they were having twins. The doctor wasn't quite sure because the metal plate and pins that had been used to fix her pelvis bone interfered with the machine. So they'd opted to have the technician process the images further. And the result shocked her. She was carrying triplets. The third baby had been hiding behind his siblings during the exam.
"Oh, God! I'm having a litter," Charlotte said unconsciously.
"What litter?" asked a masculine voice.
Daniel strode in and snatched the sonogram pictures from her hands. He went silent as he pored over them. He looked shocked at first, then he grinned from ear to ear. "That's it, I forbid you from doing any further strenuous work. Hire a painter for God's sake. And you should be in bed. Resting."
She frowned. "You treat me like an invalid. I'm a healthy gal, damn it!"
"Babe." Daniel stooped before her. He gathered her paint-smeared hands and held them tight. "I can't lose you again. Do you know, the scariest moment in my life was when you came into my dream to tell me about Jeremy? I thought that was it-you'd be gone forever."
"What are you talking about? You said you dreamed about me the other day."
"Not lucidly like we're having this conversation right now. Please, for the sake of our children, don't strain yourself."
Charlotte sighed. Daniel rarely used the word "please." Since he put it this way, she had no choice but to agree. "All right. I'll hire somebody."
Daniel smiled. "Thank you."
She grinned along with him. Daniel kissed her on the lips. For a long moment, they embraced each other.
Her sensitivity of human-to-human skin contact had decreased greatly after the accident. She didn't have to worry too much about snooping into other people's secrets when she accidentally touched them. Perhaps her husband was right; she just needed an outlet to channel her gift. Perhaps the accident had done something to her. She didn't care. She was happy the way she was now. She looked forward to a new day each time she went to bed, all thanks to him. Daniel had given her many of her firsts.
Her first kiss. Her first date … albeit a forced one.
Now that she thought about it, they'd first made love in this very room.
"Daniel, thank you," she whispered.
His lush brow arched slightly.
"If you hadn't kidnapped me from work that day, I wouldn't be experiencing these many happy things now."
Daniel laughed. "And you told me I was coming on too strong." He kissed her forehead. "But I wouldn't have it any other way, babe. You're mine."