My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Marcus came out of nowhere A blur of brown fur slamming into the leader from the side. Father and daughter. Protecting each

other.

They rolled, savage and desperate. Marcus was good–Beta for a reason–but the leader was better. More experienced. More brutal.

I reached them and dove in, three wolves now locked in combat. The leader trying to reach Emma. Marcus and I trying to stop him.

“Fall back!” My father’s voice boomed. “All wolves fall back to second defensive line!”

The pack obeyed, pulling away from their individual fights. The mercenaries pressed forward, sensing victory.

But then I heard it. Howls in the distance. Dozens of them.

Our allies. Silverbrook and Moonshadow packs. They’d arrived.

Fresh wolves poured into the battlefield–fifty at least. The mercenaries hesitated, suddenly outnumbered.

The leader snarled in frustration. He’d planned for a quick strike. In and out before reinforcements arrived. But we’d delayed him too long.

He barked orders in that strange shared language pack leaders could use. The mercenaries began retreating in formation. Organized even in defeat.

“Don’t let them escape!” My father commanded. “Hunt them down!”

But the leader was already gone, melting into the forest with his remaining wolves. We’d hurt them—I could see bodies on the ground, mercenaries who hadn’t made it out. But most had escaped

Including their leader.

I shifted to human form and ran to Emma. She’d shifted too, and I grabbed her shoulders.

“What were you thinking?” The words came out harsh with fear and relief. “I told you to stay in the basement!”

“I heard fighting. Thought you might need help—”

“I needed you SAFE!” I pulled her into a fierce hug. “Emma, they came for you. If that leader had reached you-

“But he didn’t. You stopped him. You and Dad.” She was shaking against me. “Jeremy, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t hide while everyone fought for me.”

“You don’t have to fight,” I said into her hair. “You just have to survive. That’s all I need. Just survive.”

My father approached, covered in blood and wounds but standing. “Casualty report. Now,”

Enforcers began calling out numbers. Three dead. Fifteen injured. Numbers that made my chest tight.

Three of our pack had died Because mercenaries came for Emma

Because of my affair with Vanessa. Because of choices I’d made months ago.

“This isn’t your fault,” Emma said quietly, reading my expression. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for this.”

But how could I not?

Three wolves were dead. More were injured. All because I’d betrayed my mate and created a situation that led to this.

“Jeremy.” My father’s hand on my shoulder. “We need to debrief. Figure out how they breached security. How they knew exactly

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where Emma would be.”

That last part made my blood gun cold.

They’d known. Had known Emma was at my house instead of the pack house.

Which meant they had intel. Current, accurate intel.

Which meant-

“We have a spy,” I said. “Someone in the pack is feeding them information.”

My father’s expression turned grim. “That’s my fear as well. And until we find them, nowhere is safe.‘

He looked at Emma, his future Luna, covered in dirt and fear but standing strong.

“We need to move her. Tonight. Somewhere they won’t expect. Somewhere even our own pack doesn’t know about.”

“Where?” Marcus asked.

My father met my eyes. “There’s a safe house. Outside pack territory. Only Alpha Richard and I know its location.”

“I’ll take her,” I said immediately.

“No.” My father shook his head. “You’re injured. You need medical attention. And Emma-” He looked at her. “Emma, I’m sorry. But you need to disappear. At least until we root out the spy and neutralize the remaining threat.”

“For how long?” Emma’s voice was small.

“As long as it takes.”

She nodded slowly. Then looked at me. “Come with me. Please. I don’t want to do this alone.”

I looked at my father. He studied us both, then nodded.

“Both of you. Tonight. I’ll coordinate cleanup here.” His expression hardened. “And I’ll find the spy. Whatever it takes.”

As dawn broke over the battlefield, as we counted our dead and prepared to run, I held Emma close and promised myself one

thing.

This ended now. No more hiding. No more running

We’d find the spy. Destroy Black River. End Vanessa’s hired killers once and for all.

And then maybe–finally–Emma and I could have peace.

If we survived that long.

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