My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Then: “Yes. I’tn willing to give you a chance. But Connor

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You’re choosing me, you choose all the way. That means standing up to wolves like Courtney’s father when they say my family “She met my eyes. “Tmeant what I said earlier. No half–measures. is wrong. Means defending the integration model even when it’s uncomfortable. Means being Uncle Cas’s nephew–in–law without flinching.”

“I can do that.” I squeezed her hand gently. “Grace, I want to do that. Wait to be brave enough to deserve you.”

“Then we’ll figure it out. Together.” She smiled–small but genuine. “Now come on. Let’s get you inside before you pass out from silver poisoning.”

Alpha Jeremy and Luna Emma were waiting on the porch. Lord Castellan had disappeared–probably tracking Courtney to make sure she actually left pack territory.

“Connor Reed.” Alpha Jeremy’s voice was formal. Official. “You just took a silver knife protecting ray daughter. Your mate.”

“Yes, sir.”

“That took courage. Real courage.” He paused. “But you also spent nineteen hours making her wait while you figured out something that should have been immediate. That took cowardice.”

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“Yes, sir. I know.”

“I’m not going to tell you what to do with your mate bond. That’s between you and Grace. But I will tell you this: you hurt her again, make her doubt herself again, choose someone else over her again–and you’ll answer to me. And to Lord Castellan. And to every wolf in this pack who loves her. Understood?”

“Understood, sir.”

“Good. Now get inside and let the pack doctor look at that shoulder. Silver wounds are nothing to mess with.”

Inside, while the pack doctor cleaned my wound and lectured me about the dangers of silver poisoning, Grace sat beside me. Close. Not touching–we’d only just acknowledged the mate bond–but present.

“Connor?” Her voice was quiet.

“Yeah?”

“You really meant it? About choosing me? About being brave enough?”

“I really meant it.” I looked at her. “Grace, I wasted nineteen hours being scared of complicated. But watching Courtney attack you–seeing that knife coming at you–I realized something. The scariest thing wasn’t choosing complicated. It was losing you before I ever really had you.”

“That’s–that’s actually kind of romantic. In a violent, dramatic way.”

“Is that good?”

“For us? Yeah. I think dramatic might be our thing.” She smiled. “Connor, we have a lot to figure out. A lot to learn about each other. A lot of work to do building an actual relationship underneath the mate bond.”

“I know.”

“But I’m–I’m glad you’re willing to try. To choose me. To be brave.”

“I’m glad you’re willing to give me a chance. After everything.” I winced as the doctor applied something that burned worse than the original wound. “Grace, can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

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“That painting you were working on when you first scented me- the integration one with vampire and wolf symbolism. Can 1 see it? Wherrit’s done?”

Her whole face lit up. “You want to see my art?”

“I want to see everything. Your art, your studio, your process. Want to understand what mafters to you. Want to know you. The real you, not the version I assumed from a distance.”

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