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Jeremy growled and shifted too, trying to defend himself, but Daniel was far more aggressive and consumed by rage. He bit, clawed and thrashed the lion Jeremy until Jeremy was battered and bloody.
“Alpha, please don’t, I’m sorry…” Jeremy pleaded in mindspeak.
Daniel ripped Jeremy’s ear with his claw.
“Alpha, forgive me. We’re brothers!”
Daniel froze just when he was about to deliver a final blow. He quickly regained his composure. Halfheartedly, he let Jeremy go. He brandished his tail and shifted back into his human form.
“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?”
