My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 210

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Chapter 210

“Your office,” he said finally, voice tight.

After they left, the living room was silent except for my heavy breathing and Grace’s hands still frozen on my wound

“Grace?” I touched her hand gently. “You okay?”

“He called me wrong.” Her voice was very small. “Said I’ve spent my whole life being wrong. Because of my family. Because of Uncle Cas. Because we don’t fit his definition of pack purity

“He’s an idiot-”

“But he’s not alone, is he?” She looked at me with those too–perceptive eyes. “Connor, there are wolves like Thomas who think my family is wrong. Who think integration is wrong. Who think I’m wrong just for existing in a family that chose to include a vampire.” She paused. “And you’re choosing me. Choosing to be mated to someone that half the pack thinks is fundamentally wrong.”

“Grace”

“I need you to understand what that means. Really understand. It means standing up to wolves like Thomas when they say things like what he just said. It means defending choices that some wolves will never accept. It means-“Her voice cracked. “It means being okay with people thinking you’re wrong too. Just for being with me.”

I pulled her closer despite my injured shoulder. “Grace, I took a silver knife for you tonight. You think I’m scared of Thomas Vex’s opinions?”

“A knife is a moment. This is–this is your whole life. Every day. Every pack gathering where someone makes a comment about integration or vampires or how the Trent family is undermining tradition.” She pulled back to look at me. “Connor, I need to know you’re ready for that. Because it’s not going to stop. There will always be wolves like Thomas. Like Courtney. Who think I’m wrong.”

From the kitchen, Lord Castellan spoke quietly: “Grace, you are not wrong. Your family is not wrong. Integration is not wrong. Those are Thomas Vex’s fears talking. Not truth.”

“But Uncle Cas, he’s an Alpha. He has influence. Other wolves listen to him-”

“And other wolves listen to your father. To me. To the dozens of Alphas and vampires who’ve chosen integration models in their own territories.” He moved into the living room. “Grace, Thomas Vex represents a dying ideology. Yes, there are still wolves who think like him. But every year there are fewer. Every integrated family that thrives–every mate bond like yours that works despite species politics–makes his position less tenable.”

“That doesn’t make it less painful when he calls me wrong.”

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“No. It doesn’t.” Lord Castellan sat across from us. “But Grace, you know what makes his words powerless? Choosing not to believe them. Choosing to know your own worth regardless of what wolves like Thomas think.”

She was quiet for a moment. Then she looked at me. “Connor, you still haven’t answered my question. Are you ready for this? For the Thomas Vexes of the world saying you made the wrong choice? For possibly losing friends who think like Courtney? For being associated with the ‘vampire–loving freak‘ family?”

I thought about it honestly. About what choosing Grace really meant. Not just the mate bond or getting to know an amazing she wolf. But the politics. The judgment. The reality that some wolves would never accept our bond because they couldn’t accept her family.

“I’m ready,” I said. “Grace, I spent nineteen hours being scared of exactly this. Being scared of complicated and judgment and having to defend my choices. But you know what I learned tonight? The scariest thing wasn’t other wolves‘ opinions. It was watching Courtney attack you and realizing I might lose you before I ever really had you.”

“That’s romantic. But it’s also not answering the practical question-

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“I’m getting there.” I took her hand. “Grace, yes. I’m ready for Thofftras Vex and his opinions. Ready to defend our bond and your family and the integration model. Ready to lose friends who can’t accept my mate. Because “I paused “Berause you’re worth it. Worth all of it. Worth being brave for ”

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