My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 280

CJ 280

Chapter 280

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“That’s Rose.” Mom smiled. “Gracious even when she’s been hurt. It’s-it’s extraordinary. Nate, if you let her, Røse will be the best thing that ever happened to you. She’s already the best thing that happened to this pack in. the past two weeks. Everyone loves her except apparently her own mate.”

“I don’t not love her-

“You’ve been avoiding her for two weeks. That’s not love. That’s fear disguised as-I don’t even know what.” Mom’s voice sharpened again. “Nate, tomorrow you start courting Rose properly. With flowers. With time. With genuine interest in who she is. And you don’t stop. You don’t get scared and run again. You don’t flirt with other she-wolves to prove something. You commit to trying. Actually trying. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I’d never heard Mom this fierce about anything except family. Apparently Rose had become family in Mom’s mind. “I’ll try. Consistently. Honestly. However long it takes.”

“Good.” She stood. “Now, about those flowers. Night-blooming jasmine would be appropriate. There’s some growing in the far corner of my garden. Cut some fresh tomorrow morning-they’ll last all day even without water if you keep them cool. Present them to Rose at breakfast. In front of the pack so everyone sees you’re claiming her publicly.” 1

“In front of the pack?” My stomach dropped. “Mom, Rose might not want-”

“Rose deserves public acknowledgment that you’re her mate and you’re done avoiding her. She’s been watching you flirt with other she-wolves publicly. She deserves the opposite. Public claiming. Public commitment. Public proof that you’re choosing her.” 1

She was right. If I’d been publicly performing with Jessica and Sarah, I needed to be publicly committed to Rose.

“Okay. Flowers at breakfast. Public claiming.” I took a breath. “What else? What else shows Rose I’m serious?”

“Time,” Dad said. “Spend actual time with her. Learn about her. Ask questions. Listen to answers. Show genuine interest in who she is as a person, not just as your mate. Rose is vampire royalty, diplomatic trainee, artist, gardener-she’s got depth. Explore that depth instead of treating her as an obligation.”

“And introduce her properly to the pack,” Mom added. “Rose has been here two weeks and most wolves barely know her because you’ve been avoiding her. Change that. Bring her to pack events. Include her in family dinners. Make it clear she’s yours and you’re proud of that.” 1

“I can do that.” I was making mental notes. Flowers. Time. Questions. Public claiming. Pack integration. “What else?”

“Stop overthinking,” Mom said gently. “Nate, you’re making this too complicated. Rose doesn’t need perfect courtship. She needs honest effort. Just-be yourself. The real you, not the scared version who’s been avoiding her. Let Rose see who you actually are. Trust that’s enough.”

“And if it’s not enough?”

“Then you deal with that when it happens. But Nate-“Dad stood, putting his hand on my shoulder. “I think you’ll be surprised. I think Rose wants to love you. Wants the mate bond to work. She’s just been waiting for you to stop running long enough to let her try.”

I hoped they were right. Hoped that Rose’s willingness to give me a chance meant she actually wanted this bond. Wanted me.

Tomorrow I’d start proving I wanted her too. With flowers and time and public claiming and consistent effort.

1/2

Chapter 280

Tomorrow I’d stop being the scared version of myself and start being the mate Rose deserved.

However long it took. Whatever it took.

Rose was my mate. My gift from the Moon Goddess. My future.

And I was done wasting that.

Starting tomorrow. With night-blooming jasmine and honest effort.

Building what I’d almost destroyed before it even began.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

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