My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Chapter 141

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“What do you recommend?”

“Full security. My vampires surrounding the meeting location. Your father and Marcus present but armed. Emma and Grace nowhere near the actual meeting-they stay upstairs, protected by my best warriors.” He paused. “And you need to be prepared for them to say things designed to drive a wedge between us. Between the pack and my coven. They’ll try to make you doubt the alliance, doubt my motives, doubt whether protecting Grace is worth the cost.”

“It is worth the cost.”

“I know. But they’ll be persuasive. They’ve had centuries to perfect the art of manipulation.” He stood, moving to look out the kitchen window at the lightening sky. “They’ll offer you things. Safety for Grace in exchange for ending the alliance. Political support for your eventual Alpha transition. Resources, territory, influence. All contingent on distancing yourself from vampire allies.”

“I’m not abandoning the alliance.”

“Good. Because neither am I.” He turned back to me. “Jeremy, I want to be very clear about something. The debt you owe me the life-debt for healing you, for saving your father-none of that factors into this. My protection of Grace isn’t about collecting on that debt. It’s personal. Which means even if you dissolved the alliance, even if you told me to leave and never come back, I’d still protect her. From shadows if necessary, but I’d still protect her.

11

The words hung in the air between us. This ancient vampire, this powerful lord who dealt in debts and political maneuvering, was telling me that my daughter mattered to him beyond transactions and obligations.

“Why?” I asked quietly. “I know you lost a daughter. I know you see Grace as a second chance. But Lord Castellan— why risk everything for a baby who isn’t yours? Who you met a week ago?”

He was silent for a long moment, staring out the window at the dawn.

“Because I’m tired,” he said finally. “Tired of the old ways. Tired of species segregation and political maneuvering and pretending that isolation makes us stronger. I’ve lived for centuries watching supernatural communities tear each other apart over territory and resources and ancient grudges.” He looked at me. “Grace represents something different. A future where maybe-just maybe we could be better. Where wolves and vampires don’t just tolerate each other but actually build something together.”

“That’s a lot of weight to put on a week-old baby.”

“It is. Which is why she needs protecting.” His phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then pocketed it. “The Council leadership just crossed into your territory. They’ll be here in forty-five minutes.”

“I need to wake Emma. She should know–”

“Let her sleep. She’s exhausted, and Grace will need her when she wakes up. You and I can handle this meeting.” He moved toward the door. “Though I would recommend getting your father and Marcus into position. We want the Council to see strength, not vulnerability.”

I stood, abandoning my half-finished coffee. “Lord Castellan-if this goes bad. If they try something—”

“Then we end them. Right here, right now, regardless of the political consequences.” His voice was cold. Absolute. “Jeremy, I’ve been playing political games for centuries. I’m very good at it. But I’m better at violence when it’s necessary. If the Council threatens Grace–if they so much as imply a threat-I’ll show them exactly why picking a fight with me was the worst decision they’ve ever made.”

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Chapter 141

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“Good.” I headed toward the stairs. “I’ll get my father. Position our people. Make sure Emma and Grace are secured upstairs.”

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