My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 223

Chapter 273

My Cheating Mate

Connor poy

Lord Castellan took me to find Courtney.

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I’d argued with Alpha Jeremy about it said I needed to be with Grace, protecting her. But he’d been firm: “Connor, you need to hear this from Courtney directly. Need to understand what she did and why. Grace will be protected here. Go. Get the truth.”

So now I was following an eleven–hundred–year–old vampire through the woods to wherever Courtney was hiding, my wolf pacing furiously inside me, demanding I go back to my mate who was being threatened by extremists.

“She’s in a cabin about two miles north,” Lord Castellan said without slowing. “Alone. Scared Claiming she didn’t know the Preservation Front would actually hurt anyone.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I believe she’s telling herself that story because the alternative—that she knowingly helped terrorists target Grace is too horrific to accept.” He glanced back at me. “Connor, be prepared. Courtney is going to try to manipulate you. Appeal to your past relationship. Make you feel sorry for her. Don’t fall for it.”

“I won’t.”

“Good. Because Grace needs you focused. Not conflicted about an ex–girlfriend who betrayed her to extremists.”

We reached a small cabin–pack property used for border patrol overnight shifts. Courtney was inside, visible through the window, pacing like a caged animal.

Lord Castellan stopped at the tree line. “I’ll wait here. Give you privacy to get the truth. But Connor–if she tries to run, she won’t get far.”

The threat was unmistakable. I nodded and approached the cabin alone.

Courtney

“Conno

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the window. Her face crumpled immediately–tears starting before I even opened the door.

as I entered. “Connor, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know–they said they just wanted to talk to her-”

“Stop.” The word came out flat. Hard. “Courtney, stop crying and tell me the truth. The actual truth. Not the version you’ve convinced yourself is true.”

She froze, surprise flickering across her tear–stained face. “I am telling the truth-

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“You gave the Preservation Front information about Grace’s routines. Her class schedule. When she’s alone in her studio. They used that information to plan an attack that included leaving a dead body at the Trent border with a note threatening Grace’s life. “I moved closer, watching her carefully. “That’s not ‘just wanting to talk.‘ That’s terrorism. So tell me the truth. Did you know what they were planning?”

“No! Connor, I swear I didn’t know-” Fresh tears. Her hands reaching for me. “They approached me three days ago. Said they were concerned citizens who thought the Trent integration model was dangerous. They just wanted to–to show Grace there were consequences—”

“Consequences for what? For being mated to me? For existing in a family that includes a vampire?” My voice was rising despite my attempt to stay controlled. “Courtney, what consequences did you think they meant?”

“I don’t know! I wasn’t thinking clearly!” She was moving toward me now, crying harder. “Connor, I was hurt. Devastated about losing you. And they–they made it sound so reasonable. Just talk to Grace. Make her understand that the integration model affects other wolves. That choosing you had had ripple effects-

“So you gave them her schedule.”

“I gave them her class times! I thought they’d I don’now–show up and have a conversation Maybe scare her a little 1.

her think twice about

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