My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Emma’s face again. Her trust Her love. The future we were trying to build.

I couldn’t die here.

The mercenary slashed again. I caught his wrist, twisting hard. Heard bones snap. He dropped the blade but caught me with a punch that sent me staggering.

We grappled, both in human form now, strength against strength. He was bigger. More experienced. Professional.

But I was fighting for everything that mattered.

I got him in a chokehold. He thrashed, trying to break free. Around us, I could hear the battle turning–our forces winning, mercenaries falling or fleeing.

“It’s over,” I said in his ear. “Your organization is broken. Your contract is failed. Surrender and I’ll let you live.”

He laughed, even choking. “Black River doesn’t surrender. We-” He coughed. “We finish contracts. Always.”

“Then you die.”

I didn’t want to kill him. Didn’t want to be the kind of Alpha who executed defeated enemies. But he’d left me no choice.

I tightened my grip. Felt his struggles weaken. Felt life leave his body.

When I released him, he crumpled to the ground. Dead.

The mercenary leader was dead. I’d killed him with my bare hands.

Around me, the last of the mercenaries were being hunted down or captured. The battle was ending. We’d won.

But at what cost?

*“All teams, report casualties, “* I commanded through the mind–link, dreading the answer.

The numbers came in. Fifteen dead. Thirty–two injured. Numbers that made my chest tight with grief and guilt.

Fifteen wolves had died in a battle I’d planned, that I’d led, that existed because of my past mistakes.

But we’d survived. The pack had survived. The mercenaries were destroyed or scattered. The threat was ended.

I shifted back to wolf form and ran toward the medical station where they’d taken my father. Needed to know he was alive.

Needed to see him.

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He was unconscious when I arrived, but the pack doctor was working on him. Multiple wounds, significant blood loss, but-

“He’ll live,” the doctor said, seeing my desperate expression. “He’ll need weeks to fully recover, but he’ll live.”

Relief so intense it made me dizzy washed over me. My father would live. The pack would survive. I’d kept my promise to come home.

To Emma.

*Emma.* I needed to call her, let her know–

My phone was in the pile of my shredded clothes from shifting. I found it, miraculously intact, and called her number with shaking, blood–covered hands.

She answered on the first ring. “Jeremy?”

“It’s over.” My voice came out rough, exhausted. “We won. Dad’s hurt but alive. I’m okay. It’s over.”

–

.15 Bonus

Blin was reving Tould hear it through the phone “You’re okay? Really okay?”

“Bruised, exhausted, but alive, Emma, I’m coming home to you just like I promised”

“When?”

“Tomorrow I need to help with cleanup, make sure Dad’s stable, coordinate prisoner handling But tomorrow, I’m coming to get you”

“Okay” She was still crying. “Jeremy, I love you. So much

“I love you too. More than anything “I looked around at the battlefield, at the evidence of violence and sacrifice, “Emma, there’s so much I need to tell you. About the battle. About–about everything,”

“Tomorrow. Tell me tomorrow. For now, just–just be safe. Finish what you need to do and come home.”

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