My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101

He was quiet for a moment, studying my face. Then, surprisingly, he smiled. “You’re going to make a good Alpha someday.”

“I don’t feel like a good Alpha. I feel like I’m barely holding everything together.”

“That’s what good Alphas feel like most of the time.” He squeezed my hand. “Jeremy, what you did tonight–leading the assault, making split–second decisions, even making deals with vampires you knew would cost you- that’s leadership. That’s what being Alpha means.”

“Even if those decisions put me in massive debt to a vampire lord?”

“Even then. Leadership means making hard choices with incomplete information and living with the consequences.” He paused. “Though I wish you’d consulted me before agreeing to additional conditions.”

“He gave me sixty seconds to decide.”

“Vampire manipulation tactics. Classic.” My father sighed. “Well, what’s done is dorre. Now we deal with it.”

“We?”

“You think I’m letting you face a vampire lord’s debt alone?” He shifted, testing his newly healed body. “Jeremy, you’re my son. When Lord Castellan calls in his favor, we face it together. As a pack. As a family.”

Tears stung my eyes–exhaustion and relief and gratitude all mixing together. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We don’t know what he’ll ask for.” He pushed himself fully upright, marveling at his restored mobility.” But whatever it is, we’ll handle it. Now-” He fixed me with a serious look. “Tell me about the casualties. All of it.”

So I did. Told him about the fifteen dead, the thirty–two injured. Named each wolf we’d lost. Described how the battle had gone, the choices I’d made, the moments where everything could have gone wrong but somehow didn’t.

He listened without interrupting, his expression grave.

“Fifteen dead,” he said when I finished. “That’s–that’s actually better than I feared. Against one hundred and fifty mercenaries, I expected to lose thirty or more.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.”

“No. But it means your tactical planning was sound. Your decisions saved lives, Jeremy. Remember that. Mourn the ones we lost, but remember that without your strategy, we’d have lost many more.”

A knock on the door interrupted us. A nurse poked her head in, her eyes widening at seeing my father sitting up, fully conscious.

“Alpha Richard! You’re–how are you—the doctors said.-”

“I’m feeling much better,” he said smoothly. “Please inform my medical team that I’d like to be discharged as soon as possible. There’s work to be done.”

After she left–still looking confused and maybe a bit terrified–my father turned to me.

“Now, about Emma. When are you going to get her?”

“Tomorrow. Today, technically.” I checked the time. Nearly 6 AM. “I was planning to leave in a few hours, once I was sure you

were-”

“Go now.” His voice was firm. “Jeremy, your mate has been alone in that safe house for days, terrified for your life. Don’t make her wait any longer than necessary.”

“But the pack-”

“The pack will be fine for a few hours. Marcus can handle things. You need to go get Emma and bring her home.”

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“Are you

sure? If you need-

“What I need is for my son to go be with his mate.” He smiled. “Go, Jeremy. Bring Emma home. Let her know we survived. Let her know it’s finally safe.

I stood, every muscle in my body protesting. “I look like hell.”

“You look like a warrior who just won a major battle. Emma will understand.” He paused. “And son? When you see her–don’t lead with the vampire debt details. Let her just be happy you’re alive first.”

“Good advice.”

I made it to the door before he called out one more time.

“Jeremy? I’m proud of you. I know I don’t say it enough, but I am. You’ve grown into a leader I’d be honored to serve under.”

The words made my throat tight. “Thanks, Dad. That means—that means everything.”

I left the hospital as the sun was rising, exhausted and bloody but alive. Alive and heading home to Emma.

Finally heading home.

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