My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 36

My Cheating Mate

Jeremy pov

Every muscle in my body screamed in protest as the physical therapist, Marcus–ironically named after Emma’s father–helped me swing my legs over the side of the bed.

“Take it slow,” he said, his hands steady under my arms. You’ve been bedridden for almost a month. Your body needs time to remember how this works.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice. The room spun slightly, and I had to close my eyes against the vertigo. 1

When I opened them, Emma was there. Standing off to the side, her arms crossed, her expression carefully neutral. But her eyes -her eyes were worried.

She still cared. Despite everything I’d done, despite the pain I’d caused, she still cared whether I could stand, whether I’d fall, whether I’d hurt myself trying.

It was more than I deserved.

“Ready?” Marcus the therapist asked.

“Ready,” I lied.

He counted down from three, and on

tightened, holding me upright while

one,

Pushed myself up. My legs immediately threatened to buckle. The therapist’s grip

my body remembered how to bear weight.

Pain shot through my thigh where the bullet had torn through muscle. My shoulder, still healing from the rogue’s bite, pulled and burned. The gashes across my ribs felt like they were tearing open again, though I knew they were closed.

“Breathe through it,” Marcus coached. “The pain means you’re healing.”

I focused on breathing. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Small, controlled breaths while my legs shook with the effort of just standing still.

Emma took a step closer, then stopped herself. I saw the internal war playing out on her face–the instinct to help warring with the need to maintain boundaries.

“You’re doing great,” she said quietly. Just encouragement. Nothing more.

But to me, it was everything.

“Now we’re going to try a step,” Marcus said. “Just one. Left foot forward, nice and slow.”

r

I lifted my left foot–the one that hadn’t been shot–and moved it forward maybe six inches. The simple act made sweat break out across my forehead.

My right leg, the injured one, screamed as it took my full weight. For a second, I thought it would give out completely. My knee buckled.

Emma moved before Marcus could, her hands catching my arm, steadying me. “I’ve got you.”

The touch sent electricity through me. Mate bond or not, dissolved or not, her touch still affected me like nothing else.

“Thanks,” I managed, straightening with her help.

She didn’t let go immediately. Just held my arm until she was sure I was stable, then stepped back, putting distance between us again.

But she’d touched me. Helped me. That meant something.

Chapter 36

+25 BONUS

“Goud,” Marcus said. “That’s enough for today. Let’s get you back in bed.”

The return journey was somehow harder than standing had been. Every movemment pulled at wounds that were still knitting back together. By the time was lying down again, I was panting, exhausted from maybe ninety seconds of activity.

Pathetic. I was pathetic.

“You did well,” the therapist said, making notes on his tablet. “Tomorrow we’ll try for two steps. By next week, you should be walking to the bathroom on your own.”

Next week. It would take a week just to walk to the bathroom. How long before I could resume my duties? Before I could actually protect the pack again instead of being a burden?

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