My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 38

My Cheating Mate

Jeremy pov

I made it to the bathroom and back without assistance for the first time today. Fifteen steps each way. A month ago, I could run for miles in wolf form without breaking a sweat. Now thirty steps left me winded and shaking.

But it was progress.

Dr. Reeves said I could be discharged by the end of the week if I continued improving. Back to my empty house, back to my duties as future Alpha, back to a life that no longer included Emma sitting beside my bed every day.

The thought made my chest tight. *

She was reading again, curled up in that uncomfortable hospital chair that she’d spent more hours in than her own bed. Some romance novel with a werewolf on the cover—I’d caught glimpses of the story when she read aloud to me. It was about second chances, about mates who’d been separated and found their way back to each other.

I wondered if she’d chosen it deliberately. If she was trying to tell me something, or if she was trying to convince herself that happy endings were possible.

“You’re staring,” she said without looking up from her book.

“Sorry. Just thinking.”

“About?” She marked her page and set the book down, giving me her full attention.

“About you leaving. About going back to my empty house. About-“I paused. “About Vanessa’s trial.”

Emma’s expression hardened at the name. “What about it?”

“My father came by this morning while you were getting coffee. The council postponed the trial date. They want me well enough to testify in person.” I shifted against the pillows, my ribs still aching. “It’s scheduled for two weeks from now.”

“Two weeks.” Emma processed this. “Are you going to be ready?”

“Physically? Maybe. Emotionally?” I laughed bitterly. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to face her again.”

“You don’t have to testify if you’re not ready. They have plenty of evidence

11

“No. I need to.” I met her eyes. “I need to stand up in front of the pack and tell them exactly what she did, What I let her do. All of it.”

Emma was quiet for a moment. “It’s going to be brutal. They’re going to ask about the affair, about the attack, about everything.

“I know. But it’s part of taking responsibility. Part of showing everyone–showing you that I’m done hiding from the truth.” I paused. “Are you going to testify?” 1

“Yes. Your father asked me to. I have to tell them about overhearing your conversation, about the video evidence, about the rogue attack at the motel.”

The video. I’d almost forgotten she still had that. Had she watched it again? Tortured herself with it? Or had she deleted it, ready

to move forward?

“I’m sorry you have to relive all of that,” I said quietly.

“It’s not your fault the trial was postponed.”

“But it’s my fault it happened in the first place.” I looked down at my hands, scarred now from the fight. “Emma, when you

Chapter 38.

app

+25 BONUS

festily, when you show that video to the council I want you to know I won’t fight it. Won’t try to defend myself or minimize what happened.”

“I know. You’ve been pretty clear about that.”

“And after?” I forced myself to ask the question that had been haunting me. “After the trial, after I’m discharged, when you take that space you need how long do you think?

She looked at me with something like sadness. “I don’t know. There’s no timeline for healing from betrayal, Jeremy. It could be weeks. Could be months. Could be ”

“Forever,” I finished. “It could be forever.”

“It could be,” she admitted. “Are you going to be okay with that? Really okay? Not just saying you are but actually accepting it if I decide I can’t do this?”

The honest answer terrified me. No, I wouldn’t be okay. Losing Emma would destroy me in ways that bullets and claws never could. But I’d meant what I said about accepting her choice.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify