My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 235

Chapter 235

“Protection detail outside my room since midnight,” Grace read over my shoulder. “Uncle Cas really doesn’t mess around.”

“He said maximum security. Apparently he meant it.” I kissed her temple. “Grace, we need to get up. Get dressed. Face the reality that there are guards outside your door who definitely heard-” I stopped.

“Heard us making love? Yeah, they definitely did.” She blushed. “Connor, I wasn’t exactly quiet.”

“Neither was I.” I grinned despite the embarrassment. “Grace, we completed our mate bond. Let them hear it. Let everyone know you’re claimed and loved and absolutely mine.”

“Possessive.”

“Completely possessive. You’re my mate. I’m allowed to be possessive about that.”

She climbed out of bed carefully, gathering clothes. I watched her move-my mark visible on her neck, her body showing the evidence of our night together, her whole presence radiating mated female.

Mine. All mine.

“Stop looking at me like that,” she said without turning around.

“Like what?”

“Like you want to skip the protection meeting and keep me in bed all day.”

“I do want to skip the protection meeting and keep you in bed all day.” I got up, pulling on my jeans. “But Grace, I also want you safe. Want the Preservation Front stopped. Want to actually have a future where we can stay in bed all day without worrying about kidnapping plots.”

“Then let’s go get that future.” She pulled on a shirt-one of mine that she’d claimed at some point during the night. “Connor, three days. Uncle Cas has three days to find the Preservation Front leadership. We can survive three days of protection protocols.”

“Together.”

“Always together.” She moved to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Connor, thank you. For last night. For loving me. For making me feel safe and claimed and absolutely cherished when everything else is terrifying.” 1

“Thank you for trusting me. For letting me love you. For being-” I kissed her softly. “For being exactly who you are. Perfect and complicated and worth everything.”

We got dressed properly. Grace in clean clothes, me in yesterday’s shirt that smelled like her now. Both of us marked and mated and ready to face whatever the day brought.

I opened the door to find two vampire guards outside-Victoria’s people, professional and lethal-looking. They nodded acknowledgment.

Chapter 235

“Miss Trent. Connor.” The female vampire spoke. “Lord Castellan requests you both join the family for breakfast before the protection briefing.”

“We’ll be right down,” Grace said.

As we walked downstairs, hand in hand, I realized something.

Courtney wasn’t even a thought anymore. Wasn’t a worry or a concern or a person who occupied any space in my mind.

She was just-gone. Erased by the complete certainty of choosing Grace. Of loving Grace. Of being mated to Grace in every way that mattered.

I’d spent six months with Courtney. Built something I’d thought was real. And it had taken one week with Grace-one chaotic, complicated, perfect week-to completely replace all of it.

Because Grace was real. Was right. Was everything Courtney had never been and could never be.

My mate. My love. My future.

And nothing-not Courtney’s manipulation, not the Preservation Front’s threats, not three days until a kidnapping attempt-was going to change that.

We entered the dining room to find the whole family already there. Alpha Jeremy and Luna Emma. Nate bouncing excitedly about something. Lord Castellan reading a report while drinking coffee.

They all looked up as we entered. And every single one of them saw the marks. Saw the way we held hands. Saw the completed mate bond written across both our faces.

Alpha Jeremy smiled. “Good morning. I trust you both slept well?”

“Very well, sir,” I said, trying not to blush.

“I’m sure you did.” His smile widened. “Connor, welcome to the family. Officially. Permanently. As Grace’s mate.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Luna Emma was crying. Actually crying, like my mother apparently had. “Grace, sweetheart, you’re mated. My baby is all grown up and mated.”

“Mama, I’m eighteen. This was always going to happen eventually.”

“I know. But seeing the mark-seeing you and Connor together like this- She wiped her eyes. “I’m just so happy for you.”

Nate looked confused. “Why is everyone crying? Grace and Connor were obviously going to mate. They’ve been making eyes at each other for days.”

“Making eyes?” Grace laughed. “Nate, we’ve been together a week.”

Chapter 235

“A week of making eyes. It was very obvious.” He returned to his cereal. “Can I have extra guards too? This protection protocol thing sounds cool.”

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