My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 215

Chapter 215

“It IS pack politics.” He moved into the roum, “Courtney, the Trents have been undermining traditional park values for years with their vampire integration. This is an opportunity to show the Council that their model has consequences. That it causes

conflicts like tonight

**

“I caused tonight!” My voice rose. “Not the integration model. Not Grace’s famiry. ME. I made the choice to grab a knife and attack someone because I was jealous and hurt and stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. You were defending what should have been yours

“Connor was never mine. Not really.” The realization hurt. God, it hurt. “Dad, Connor and I dated for six months. But looking back–he never said he loved me. Never talked about a real future. Never introduced me to his family as his girlfriend. We were just–dating. Casually. While I built it up in my head into something more.” 1

“That’s not true. You had something real-

11

“We had something comfortable. Something easy. But it wasn’t–it wasn’t what the mate bond is supposed to be.” I looked at my hands. At the hands that had held a silver knife meant to kill. “Dad, I saw how Connor looked at Grace tonight. Before I attacked. When they were just talking. He looked at her the way he never looked at me. Like she was–fascinating. Worth knowing. Worth choosing.”

“Because of the mate bond manipulation-”

“Because she’s his MATE.” I stood again. “Dad, please. I’m begging you. Don’t make calls. Don’t file complaints. Don’t turn my terrible choice into a political war. I just-” My voice broke. “I just want to deal with the consequences of what I did and try to move forward.”

He stared at me like I was a stranger. “Courtney, I’m trying to protect you.”

–

“I know. But I don’t need protection from consequences I earned. I need “I stopped. “I need to accept that I lost Connor. That I never really had him. That the mate bond isn’t something I can fight or manipulate or destroy.”

“The Council will be interested regardless of whether we file formal complaints. The Trents will report this-”

“Then let them report it accurately. I attacked Grace. Connor protected her. I fled. Those are the facts.” I sat back down. “Dad, I love you. I know you want to help. But please–please don’t make this about the Trents‘ integration model. Make it about me making a terrible choice and facing appropriate consequences.”

He looked at my mother. She shrugged helplessly.

“Courtney-” he started.

r

“Dad, I’m eighteen. Technically an adult. I’m telling you, as clearly as I can, that I don’t want you to fight this. I don’t want political maneuvering or Council complaints or anything except-“I took a shaky breath. “Except to somehow apologize to Grace and Connor and the Trent family for what I did. And then try to figure out how to live with myself after attempted murder.”

He was quiet for a long moment. “You’re serious.”

“Completely serious.”

“Courtney, if the Trents press charges–if they bring this to the Council formally–you could be exiled. Banned from pack territory. Your future in any pack could be compromised.”

“I know.” The words hurt. All of it hurt. “But Dad, that’s what happens when you try to murder someone with a silver knife. Consequences happen. And I–I deserve them.”

“You don’t deserve-

“I grabbed a weapon designed to kill wolves and aimed it at an Alpha’s daughter’s chest because I was jealous. What do I deserve, if not consequences?”

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