My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 282

Chapter 282

“Fine.” She turned to leave, then stopped. Looked back at me with venom. “You’ll regret this, Nate. Choosing a vampire over your own kind. Rejecting pack she-wolves who actually understand you. You’ll regret it.”

She left. The dining room stayed quiet. Everyone watching me. Waiting.

And then-Rose appeared in the doorway.

She stopped. Took in the scene. The watching pack. Jessica’s dramatic exit. Grace standing protectively nearby. Me holding flowers with what probably looked like panic on my face.

“What-what happened?” Rose’s voice was uncertain. Scared.

“Nate was publicly claiming you as his mate.” Grace smiled at her. “Jessica didn’t take it well. But that’s-that’s not your problem. Nate?” She looked at me pointedly. “I believe you have something to say to Rose?”

Right. The flowers. The public claiming. The whole reason I was standing here.

I crossed the dining room to Rose. Every pack member watching. Rose’s eyes wide and confused and still a little hurt from two weeks of rejection. 1

“Rose.” I held out the jasmine. “I brought you flowers. Night-blooming jasmine from my mother’s garden. Because–because you’re my mate. My fated mate. And I’ve been an idiot for two weeks avoiding you. But I’m done with that. Done running. Done pretending the mate bond doesn’t exist or matter.” I paused. “I’m choosing you. Publicly. In front of the whole pack. So everyone knows-Rose Castellan is my mate. And I’m—I’m grateful for that. Honored by that. Even if I’ve been too scared to show it until now.”

Rose stared at me. At the flowers. At the watching pack. At Grace smiling encouragingly.

“You just-you just publicly claimed me.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Yes. I should have done it two weeks ago. Should have introduced you to the pack as my mate immediately instead of avoiding you. But I’m doing it now.” I kept the flowers extended. “Rose, will you accept these? Accept- accept me trying? Actually trying to be your mate?”

She took the flowers with trembling hands. Brought them to her nose. Inhaled deeply.

“They’re beautiful,” she said quietly. “Nate, they’re-they smell like home. Like Nightshade Coven. Like-” She stopped. “How did you know?”

“My mom told me vampires appreciate night-blooming flowers. That they remind you of home.” I smiled slightly. “I’m learning. About you. About what you like. About how to court you properly instead of the disaster I’ve been creating.”

“You told Jessica to back off.” Rose was processing. “I heard some of it. You told her you were mated. That you were choosing me.”

“I did. Publicly. So she’d understand. So everyone would understand.” I glanced around the still-watching dining room. “Rose, I’m claiming you. In front of the whole pack. No more avoiding. No more pretending. You’re my mate and I want everyone to know it.”

“Even though I’m vampire?” Her voice was small. Uncertain.

“Especially because you’re vampire. Because you’re Lord Castellan’s great-niece. Because you’re learning our culture and teaching me yours. Because the Moon Goddess chose you specifically for me and I was too scared to see how perfect that is.” I stepped closer. “Rose, species doesn’t matter. What matters is you. Us. The bond. And

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Chapter 282

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I’m-I’m ready to honor that. If you’ll still let me.”

She looked at the flowers. At me. At the watching pack. At Grace who was openly crying now-happy tears, I hoped.

“Okay,” Rose said. “Okay, Nate. I’ll-I’ll let you try. Let you court me. Let you-let you be my mate.”

The dining room erupted. Pack members clapping, cheering, celebrating. Some genuinely happy. Some probably just relieved the drama was over.

But I only saw Rose. Holding the jasmine. Accepting my courtship. Giving me another chance.

Grace pulled us both into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, Nate. That was-that was brave. Choosing Rose publicly. Standing up to Jessica. Claiming your mate the way you should have from the beginning.”

“Thank you for-for stepping in. When Jessica wouldn’t leave.” I looked at my aunt. “I couldn’t get her to back off

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“Because she thought she had a chance. Thought your weeks of flirting meant something.” Grace pulled back. ” Nate, you’re going to have to deal with this. With pack members who saw you flirting with others and assumed you were available. But you did good just now. Made your position clear. Claimed Rose publicly. That’s-that’s what she needed to see.”

After Grace left, Rose and I stood together. Holding flowers. Surrounded by celebrating pack members. Together. Publicly. Finally.

“I’m sorry about Jessica,” I said quietly. “About the scene. About-about her saying I was rejecting my own kind. That was-”

“True?” Rose looked up at me. “Nate, she’s right. You are choosing a vampire over wolf she-wolves. That’s- that’s going to cause talk. Cause problems.”

“Let them talk. Let there be problems.” I touched her face gently. “Rose, you’re worth it. Worth every difficult conversation. Worth choosing publicly. Worth-worth being brave for.”

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