My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 32

My Cheating Mate

Emma pov

Jeremy’s eyes opened for the fourth time that day, immediately scanning the hospital room with what had become a familiar desperation. When his gaze found me in the chair beside his bed, his entire body relaxed.

“Still here,” he whispered, his voice still rough but stronger than yesterday.

“Still here,” I confirmed, closing the book I’d been reading. “Where else would I be?”

A ghost of a smile crossed his face before exhaustion pulled him back under. His hand, which had been reaching toward me, fell limply to the bed.

I took it anyway, holding it gently while he slept.

Five days since he’d first woken up. Five days of this pattern–eyes opening, searching for me, relaxing when he found me, then sleeping again. The doctors said it was normal, that his body was using every ounce of energy to heal from the trauma.

But each time he looked for me first, before checking his injuries or asking about the pack, something in my chest tightened.

2

The door opened and my father stepped in, carrying yet another container of food he’d insisted I eat. He stopped short when he saw me holding Jeremy’s hand, his expression carefully neutral.

“He wake up again?” he asked quietly, setting the food on the small table.

“For about thirty seconds. Asked if I was still here, then went back to sleep.”

My father pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the bed. We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound Jeremy’s steady breathing and the soft beep of monitors.

“Emma,” my father finally said. “We should talk.”

I’d been expecting this. Dreading it, actually. “Okay.”

“You’ve been here every day for almost four weeks. You sleep in that chair more often than your own bed. You hold his hand, talk to him, read to him.” He paused. “Baby girl, I’m not judging. I just need to understand what’s happening here.”

“I don’t know if I can explain it,” I admitted, watching Jeremy’s chest rise and fall. “I should hate him, Dad. I know I should. He cheated on me, planned to use me, broke my heart. And I was doing so well–moving on, being strong, building a life without

him.”

r

“But?”

“But when I thought he might die, when I sat here not knowing if he’d ever wake up “My voice caught. “I realized all that strength, all that moving on, it was just a defense mechanism. I was protecting myself by pretending I didn’t care. But I never stopped caring. Never stopped loving him.”

My father was quiet for a long moment. “He hurt you badly.”

“He did.”

“And you’re entitled to your anger. Entitled to make him earn back your trust, if you even want to give him that chance.”

“I know.”

“But Emma-” He reached across the bed, covering both my hand and Jeremy’s with his own. “I’ve watched you these past weeks. Watched the way you care for him, the way you light up when he wakes, the way you hold his hand like you’re afraid to let go.” His voice softened. “You love him. Really love him. Not just the mate bond–though I suspect that’s playing a role even

Chapter 32

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