My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134

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Chapter 134

My Cheating Mate

Jeremy pov

The armory felt different this time. Quieter. More controlled. No pack-wide mobilization, no warrior teams gearing up together with the energy of anticipated battle.

Just me. Lord Castellan. Three of his most trusted vampire lieutenants. My father. And Marcus-the only two pack members we were absolutely certain weren’t compromised.

It was 8 PM. Four hours until Emma’s deadline.

Four hours until we’d know if this plan worked or if we’d just made everything catastrophically worse.

I checked my weapons for the third time in ten minutes. Silver-resistant vest. Backup blades. Communication device that connected only to Lord Castellan’s network-nothing that could be intercepted by pack channels.

My hands were steady as I worked, but inside, my wolf was pacing. Circling. Growling with barely contained fury and fear.

Emma was going to walk into the eastern tree line at midnight with Grace. Alone. Into a trap we knew was waiting.

The plan was solid. In theory.

Lord Castellan’s vampires would be positioned throughout the forest, invisible in the darkness. We’d control the environment completely. The moment whoever was waiting revealed themselves, we’d have them surrounded.

Meanwhile, back at the pack house, we’d be watching to see who passed information about Emma’s movements. Who made contact with anyone outside the pack. Who revealed themselves as the spy we knew existed.

It was a good plan. Strategic. Using the enemy’s confidence against them.

I hated every second of it.

“You’re worrying,” Lord Castellan said, appearing beside me with that unnerving silence. “Your heartbeat gives you away.”

“My mate and daughter are walking into danger in four hours. Of course I’m worrying.”

Η

“Emma won’t actually be in danger. We’ll have thirty vampires in that tree line.” He was assembling something at the weapons table–some kind of tranquilizer system I didn’t recognize. “Anyone who tries to approach her will be intercepted before they get within ten yards.”

“And if they have silver weapons? Explosives? Something designed to kill before your vampires can react?”

“Then we adapt.” He didn’t look up from his work. “Jeremy, understand your fear. But this plan is our best option for identifying both the spy and whoever is coordinating this operation.”

“Our best option involves using my week-old daughter as bait.”

the enemy’s assumption that Emma is vulnerable and “No.” His voice was sharp. “Our best option involves using isolated against them. Grace will be perfectly safe. I’ve positioned my three best warriors specifically to protect the bassinet Emma will be carrying.”

I looked at him. Really looked at him. The vampire lord who’d inserted himself so deeply into our lives, who held my debt, who’d somehow developed what looked uncomfortably like a personal investment in my daughter’s

Chapter 134

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safety.

“You care about Grace,” I said quietly. Not a question.

He was silent for a moment, his hands stilling on the tranquilizer assembly. “I lost a daughter. A very long time ago. To humans who feared what they didn’t understand.” His voice was carefully neutral. “I won’t lose another one.”

“She’s not yours to lose.”

“No. She’s yours and Emma’s.” He looked up, meeting my eyes. “But Jeremy, I’ve lived for centuries. I’ve seen thousands of children born, grow, die. Most of them blur together after enough time. Grace-” He paused. “Grace reminds me what’s worth protecting. What’s worth all the political maneuvering and debt collection and alliance building. She’s innocent. Pure. Untouched by all the darkness that surrounds her.”

“Until someone tries to touch her.”

“Yes. And then we ensure they never try again.” His expression hardened. “Tonight, we find who threatened her. And we eliminate that threat permanently.”

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