My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 159

Chapter 159

My Cheating Mate

Jeremy pov

The pack house had transformed overnight Into something resembling a military command center.

Maps covered every available surface. Tactical displays ran continuously in the war room. Vampires and wolves moved through the same spaces with the easy cooperation that would have been unthinkable six years ago–comparing intelligence reports, coordinating defensive positions, sharing resources without hesitation.

This was exactly what the Council claimed was unnatural. Exactly what they wanted to destroy.

Looking at it, I couldn’t understand how anyone called this wrong.

I stood at the main tactical display with Cas and Marcus, running through defensive protocols for what felt like the hundredth time since dawn. We had forty–two hours left on the Council’s deadline. Forty–two hours to position our forces, shore up vulnerable points, build the kind of layered defense that could actually hold against a sustained assault.

“Northern perimeter needs reinforcement,” Cas said, tapping the display. “If the Council hits from there, they cut off our fastest

evacuation route to the safe houses.”

“I’m pulling the Riverside unit to cover it.” Marcus moved markers on the map. “That leaves the eastern flank thinner than I’d

like.”

“I have twelve vampires who can cover the east. They’ll be more effective there anyway–faster response time, night vision, don’t need backup for most threats.” Cas made the adjustment. “The hybrid positioning is actually our greatest tactical advantage. Council forces will be expecting traditional wolf defensive formations. Mixing vampire and wolf units creates unpredictable response patterns.”

“They’ll have vampires of

I their own,” I pointed out. “The Council isn’t exclusively wolf. They have aligned covens.”

“Smaller

conservative. Most major covens have already pledged to our coalition or declared neutrality.” Cas’s ones. Older, mor expression was grim satisfaction. “The Council’s power base is narrowing. Publicly supporting execution of a vampire lord for being family with wolves isn’t popular, even among vampires who don’t believe in integration.”

“How narrow?”

demonstrate

“Narrow enough that they can’t afford a long war. They need a quick victory. Take Grace, execute me, overwhelming force–all before the coalition fully consolidates.” He looked at me. “Which means their attack will come before the forty–eight hours expire. They’ll want to hit while we’re still preparing.”

I processed that. “How much before?”

“My best estimate? Twenty–four hours. Maybe less.” He met my eyes. “Jeremy, we need to be ready now. Not tomorrow.” “Then we accelerate.” I pulled up the communications channel. “Marcus, push up the timeline for all defensive positioning. Twelve hours, not twenty–four.”

“On it.” Marcus moved away, already calling coordinates through the mind–link.

“And Cas-

“I hesitated. “Emma and Grace. I want them in the secondary safe house. Not here.”

He looked at me carefully. “Emma will resist that.”

“I know. But the pack house is the obvious target. If the Council’s primary objective is taking Grace and eliminating you, they’ll hit here first.” I kept my voice level despite the fear clawing at my chest. “I need Emma and Grace somewhere secure. Away from the primary conflict zone.”

“Where will you be?”

+15 Bonus

“Here. Leading the defense.” The words felt like glass in my throat. “Gas, I can’t command an effective defense while watching my wife and daughter from the corner of my eye. I need to know they’re safe so I can focus.”

He nodded slowly. “I’ll arrange it. The secondary safe house is completely off Council intelligence we established it specifically for this scenario, confpletely restricted information. Even most of our warriors don’t know the location.”

“Who does?”

“You. Me. Your father. Victoria from my coven.” He paused. “And Emma, obviously. She’ll need to know where she’s going ”

“I’ll talk to her.” I looked around the war room at wolves and vampires working together, preparing to defend a world that shouldn’t be possible according to eight hundred years of tradition. “Cas, how confident are you? Really. Not the tactical briefing version. How confident are you that we can win this?”