My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 173

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Chapter 173

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“You’ve been someone she runs toward for years.

“I know. Which is why it matters so much.” He looked at his hands–pale, elegant, capable of tremendous violence. “When I held her the first time—when she was barely a day old and the hunters had just attacked–I felt something I hadn’t felt in centuries. Responsibility that wasn’t political. Purpose that wasn’t strategic.” He paused. “Terror, if I’m being fully honest.”

“Terror?”

“That I’d fail her. The way I failed my daughter, all those centuries ago.” He met my eyes. “I’ve been managing that terror ever since. Every decision about the Council, every security protocol, every political maneuver–underneath all of it has been the absolute determination not to fail again.”

“You haven’t failed. You won’t.”

“You can’t know that.”

“You’re right. I can’t.” I leaned forward. “But Cas, I can tell you what I’ve watched for five years. I’ve watched you sit on the floor to be at her level. Learn what sparkly markers smell like. Listen to explanations about block stable architecture with genuine interest. Catch her when she runs at you full speed. Teach her about vampire history in ways a five–year–old can understand. Be the first person she looks for at every family event.” I held his gaze. “That’s not someone who’s failing. That’s someone who figured out how to love without reservation after a very long time of believing he couldn’t.”

He was quiet for a long moment. “Emma said something similar. Last year, in this kitchen. That I’d been part of the family for a year without admitting it.”

“Emma has better instincts than both of us combined.”

“She really does.” He almost smiled. “Jeremy, when this is over–when the Council has made their decision and we’ve dealt with whatever comes from it–I want to do something. Formally.

“Formally?”

“I want to be formally recognized as part of your family. Not politically. Not as an ally or a coven representative or a debt holder. “He looked down. “Grace calls me Uncle Cas. I want that to be real. Official. I want there to be no ambiguity about my relationship to her if something happens to you and Emma.”

The words landed with weight I hadn’t expected. “You want legal guardianship consideration.”

“I want to be on the list. Not first–your father, Emma’s father, Marcus. They come first. But if something happened to everyone, if Grace somehow ended up without family-” He stopped. “I want there to be documentation that she belongs with me before she belongs with anyone the Council might appoint.”

“We can arrange that.” My voice was rougher than I intended. “Cas, we can absolutely arrange that.”

The seventh day arrived.

We received the Council’s response at noon. Official channels. Sealed with their formal mark.

The entire family gathered to read it–Emma, my father, Marcus, Victoria, Cas. Even Grace sensed the significance, sitting quietly in the corner with her blocks, watching us with serious eyes.

I opened the letter.

*To Alpha Jeremy Trent, Luna Emma Trent, and Lord Castellan,*

*The Council of Preservation has concluded our deliberations regarding your proposal. After extensive internal discussion, the Council’s position is as follows:*

*The vote was not unanimous. We acknowledge this publicly for the first time in our organization’s history, as transparency

geofus appropiate given the circumstances,

*Three members voted to reject your proposal and confhue opposing supernatural integration by all available means. *

*Two members voted to accept your proposal as presented.

One member abstained, citing a need for further consideration.*

*As our charter requires unanimous agreement for formal policy shifts, we cannot officially accept your proposal at this time.*

*However *

The word sat alone on the line. I looked up at Emma. Looked at Cas. Continued reading.

*However, the three dissenting members have agreed to a conditional ceasefire. The conditions are as follows:

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