My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 138

Chapter 138

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Chapter 138

“She’s one week old,” I said, hearing the tremor in my voice. “She’s a baby. How can she threaten an eight- hundred-year-old organization?”

“Because babies grow up. Because symbols matter.” His expression was grim. “Emma, the Council doesn’t think in terms of immediate threats. They think in centuries. Grace is a future Alpha heir who will normalize wolf- vampire cooperation. In twenty years, she’ll be an adult with influence. In fifty years, potentially leading this pack. In a hundred years, her descendants could be leading alliances across multiple territories.”

“So they want to kill her now,” Jeremy said flatly. “Before she can grow into that threat.”

“Yes.” Lord Castellan’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then put it away. “Though killing her would create a martyr. Make the alliance stronger, not weaker. Which means they’ll try something more subtle.”

“Like what?” I pulled Grace closer instinctively.

“Kidnapping. Indoctrination. Raising her with Council ideology.” He saw my face and added quickly, “Which we won’t allow to happen. But Emma, you need to understand-this isn’t a threat that ends with capturing Sarah or even dismantling their regional operations. The Council is vast, well-funded, and has roots in every major supernatural community worldwide.”

“So what do we do?” My voice came out small. “Hide Grace forever? Run? How do we protect her from something that big?”

Lord Castellan was quiet for a moment. Then he did something unexpected.

He sat down. Right there on the floor, cross-legged, putting himself at eye level with where I sat holding Grace. The casual intimacy of the gesture-the ancient vampire lord sitting on the floor of our living room-was somehow more alarming than his pacing had been.

“We fight,” he said simply. “But we fight smart. The Council’s strength is their secrecy, their patience, their ability to operate in shadows. We drag them into the light. Expose their operations. Force them to reveal themselves.”

“How?”

“I have contacts. Old ones. Vampires who remember when the Council was more active, who know their methods. “He pulled out his phone again–the replacement Jeremy had given him. “I’ve already started calling in favors. Getting intelligence. Building a picture of their current operations.”

“And in the meantime?” Jeremy asked. “While you’re gathering intelligence, my daughter is still a target.”

“In the meantime, Grace doesn’t leave protected territory. Ever.” Lord Castellan’s eyes were hard. “I’m placing a permanent guard of my best warriors around her. They’ll rotate in shifts, maintain constant surveillance, follow her everywhere she goes.”

“She’s a baby. She doesn’t go anywhere.”

“Now, no. But eventually she will. School. Pack events. Normal childhood activities.” He looked at Grace again, something softening in his expression. “I’m not going to let the Council steal her childhood, Emma. But I am going to make sure she survives to have one.”

I felt tears building. The weight of it all-the week we’d had, the betrayals, the threats, the endless fear-it was crushing me.

“I just want her to be safe,” I whispered. “I just want my daughter to grow up without people trying to kill her or

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Chapter 138

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kidnap her or use her as a symbol.”

“I know.” Lord Castellan reached out slowly, giving me time to pull back. When I didn’t, he gently touched Grace’s hand-her tiny fingers curling reflexively around his much larger one. “I know, Emma. And I give you my word- not as the vampire who holds your mate’s debt, not as your political ally-I give you my word as someone who understands what it means to lose a child. Grace will be protected. Whatever resources I have, whatever influence I can leverage, whatever debts I need to call in–she will be protected.”

“Why?” The question burst out of me. “Why do you care so much? You said you lost a daughter, but that was centuries ago. Why does Grace matter to you?”

He was quiet for a long time. Grace’s fingers were still wrapped around his, her tiny hand dwarfed by his pale, elegant fingers.

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