LOGINThree dots appeared. Then: **Liam:** Sure? What kind of advice? Is everything okay with you and Hope? **Emily:** Not really. We had—had a fight. About Caden. The whole mate bond situation. I just—I need perspective from someone who knows her. Someone who can help me understand if—if she's really
The Next Generation Emily pov I slammed my bedroom door so hard the walls shook. Screamed. Actually screamed. Let all the rage and hurt and—and betrayal out in one long, furious sound that probably had my parents running to check if I was okay. I wasn't okay. I was—I was devastated. Destroye
I thought about it. About Emily's determination. Her strategic mind. Her—her refusal to accept that the mate bond was non-negotiable. "I'm worried she'll try to create doubt. Make you think—think I'm not committed. Or make me think you're—you're not worth the complications. She could—could spread
The Next Generation Caden pov Hope opened the door and I immediately pulled her into my arms. She smelled incredible. Like jasmine and something uniquely vampire. Uniquely Hope. The mate bond singing with rightness. With—with certainty that this was exactly where I belonged. I kissed her nec
"For acting on those feelings despite knowing it's wrong. Emily, I'm giving you chance to stop voluntarily. To accept that I'm mated to Hope and—and maintain friendship within appropriate boundaries. Or—or you can keep pursuing me and face exile. Your choice." "This is Hope's doing. She's—she's ma
"Emily's going to be hurt. Angry. She'll—she'll see this as me choosing Hope over our friendship." "You are choosing Hope over the friendship. Because Hope is your mate and Emily is—is friend who crossed boundaries. Those aren't equal relationships, Caden. The mate bond takes priority. Always."
Tears were streaming down my face now, silent and hot. I clutched the phone tighter, reading the words again and again. *"Months."* They'd been watching us for months. Before Dr. Chen was even recruited. Before the Black River war. Before any of this started. Which meant Dr. Chen wasn't their on
"It's exactly what you did to us," I said, my voice carrying through the speaker system from the observation room. "You made us vulnerable. Made my daughter vulnerable. Now you get to choose: help fix the damage you caused, or face the consequences of your betrayal." "Emma?" Dr. Chen looked toward
My Cheating Mate Emma pov Dr. Sarah Chen sat in the interrogation room—a space normally used for rogue questioning—looking smaller than I'd ever seen her. Her hands were cuffed to the table, silver-lined to prevent any supernatural interference, though as a human she posed no physical threat.
"We can arrange that." My voice was darker than I intended. "Emma, whatever you want—" "No." She shook her head. "I want—I want her to be useful. To actually help undo some of the damage she's caused. And then I want her gone. Exiled. I don't care if she lives or dies, as long as she's never anywh







