My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 3

My Cheating Mate

Jeremy pov

I stared at Emma’s text message, my wolf pacing restlessly in my mind.

“No problem. Take your time.”

Five words. Simple, polite, exactly what Emma would normally say. So why did they feel wrong?

“Jeremy? Baby, are you even listening to me?” Vanessa’s irritated voice cut through my thoughts. She was sprawled across my office couch now, completely naked, looking at me with those sharp blue eyes that usually excited me but now just seemed… calculating.

“Yeah, sorry. Just work stuff.” I pulled on my pants, suddenly uncomfortable with my own nakedness.

My wolf snarled, agitated in a way he hadn’t been in months. Something’s wrong, he kept insisting. Something’s off.

I’d learned to ignore him when it came to Emma. He’d been resistant to her from the start, even though the mate bond had snapped into place clear as day. He wanted Vanessa—had always wanted Vanessa. We’d grown up together, trained together, planned our future together. Everyone knew we’d end up as Alpha and Luna.

Then the Moon Goddess had other ideas.

“You’re thinking about her again.” Vanessa sat up, annoyance sharpening her features. “I can always tell when you’re thinking about that mousy little Beta’s daughter.”

“I’m not—” But I was. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Emma never texted like that. She was usually more… effusive. Lots of emojis, complete sentences about her day, questions about mine. This was too short. Too casual.

Too controlled.

“I should probably head home,” I said, grabbing my shirt.

“Are you serious right now?” Vanessa stood, stalking toward me with predatory grace. “We finally have time alone and you want to run home to her?”

“It’s not like that. I just—”

“You just what? Feel guilty?” She laughed, cruel and sharp. “Please. You were literally just inside me, telling me how much better I am than her. Don’t get cold feet now, Jeremy.”

She was right. I had said that. And it was true—sex with Vanessa was passionate, wild, everything I’d imagined it would be since we were teenagers. Emma was… sweet. Gentle. Boring, if I was honest with myself.

But Emma was also the Beta’s daughter. Emma came with political advantages. Emma would give me legitimate heirs that no one could question.

And Emma was supposed to be home, waiting for me, completely unaware that I was planning to use her and discard her.

So why did my wolf keep insisting something was wrong?

“I’m just going to text her again,” I said, pulling out my phone. “Make sure everything’s okay.”

I typed: “Hey, beautiful. Miss you. Can’t wait to come home to you tonight ❤️”

The response came almost immediately: “Miss you too. Safe travels.”

Safe travels? I frowned at the screen. I wasn’t traveling. I was twenty minutes away at the pack house.

My wolf’s agitation ratcheted up another notch. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

“Vanessa, I need to go.”

“You’re being ridiculous. She’s fine. She’s probably just baking something or reading one of those terrible romance novels she likes. That’s all she ever does.”

That was true enough. Emma was predictable, routine-oriented. She’d be curled up on our couch right now with a book and a cup of tea, maybe some ridiculous baking competition show on in the background.

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