My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

“Thank you.”

“But Emma? I can’t stop completely. Can’t just sit back while there are still threats out there.”

“I’m not asking you to stop. Just to be smart about it. Sustainable.” I pulled my hand back. “And to actually show up to therapy ready to engage instead of half–dead.”

“I can do that.” He wiped his face. “Emma? I meant what said. I love you. That’s why I’m doing this. Why I can’t stand the thought of you being in danger.”

“I know. And I love you too. But Jeremy, love means taking care of yourself so you can actually be there for the people you care about. Not destroying yourself in their name.”

“When did you get so wise?” A small smile crossed his exhausted face.

“Therapy. Lots and lots of therapy.” I returned the smile. “Plus my father keeps giving me pep talks about not enabling your self -destructive tendencies.”

“Smart man, your father.”

“He is. Which is why you should listen when he tells you to sleep.” I moved toward the door. “Go home, Jeremy. Actual home, to an actual bed. Sleep for at least eight hours. Eat a real meal. Then tomorrow, you can talk to your father about a sustainable plan for the rogue hunt.”

“You’re very bossy.”

“Someone has to be, since you clearly can’t take care of yourself.” I paused at the door. “And Jeremy? I’ll be checking with your father. If I find out you went back out hunting tonight instead of resting, there will be consequences.”

“What kind of consequences?”

“The kind where I stop trying to rebuild trust with someone who clearly doesn’t value his own life enough to take care of it.”

The threat was clear. And from the look on his face, he knew I meant it.

“I’ll rest,” he promised. “Really rest. Not just going through the motions.”

“Good.” I softened slightly. “I’ll see you Thursday. At therapy. Where you will show up well–rested and fed, or Dr. Chen and I will team up to lecture you.”

“That sounds terrifying.”

“It should be.” I opened the door. “Take care of yourself, Jeremy. Not for me. For you.”

After I left, I leaned against the hallway wall and took several deep breaths.

That had been harder than I’d expected. Drawing that line, making that ultimatum. But it had been necessary.

Because I’d meant what I said. I couldn’t watch him destroy himself. Couldn’t enable his guilt–fueled self–destruction by accepting it as love.

He had to choose. Choose healing. Choose sustainability. Choose life.

And if he couldn’t do that, then I had to choose myself.

Even if it broke my heart.

Even if I still loved him.

Sometimes love meant walking away.

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I just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

My phone buzzed. A text from Alpha Richard: “Thank you. For what you said to him. I’ve been trying to get through for weeks.”

“Is he really going to rest?” I typed back.

“I’m making sure of it. Already assigned wolves to handle tonight’s intelligence briefing. Jeremy’s going home to sleep whether he likes it or not.”

“Good. Thank you.”

I headed to training, trying to focus on teaching self–defense to young wolves instead of worrying about Jeremy.

But I couldn’t stop thinking about his face. The exhaustion. The desperation. The fear of failing to protect me.

He was trying so hard. Too hard.

And if he didn’t learn balance, didn’t learn to let others help, it would kill him.

Just not as dramatically as bullets or claws.

Slowly. Through burnout and exhaustion and the relentless weight of guilt.

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