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Chapter 25
After all the insanity that had gone down over the last few months, no one could have blamed Tanith if she would have turned and bolted. Considering her ex was being dragged down the street by the man of her dreams, and both appeared a bit disheveled and disgruntled, it might be in her best interests to run. Instead, she pushed up the sleeves of her oversized T-shirt, drew in a deep breath, and decided to confront the situation head on.
She strode toward them, then pointed into the narrow alleyway between A Cup of Beans and the bookstore beside it. Blake’s lips parted as if to protest, but the look in her eye was firm enough to silence whatever he planned to say. Instead, he made a sharp right turn and dragged a cursing Judd behind him. Tanith hesitated for a moment before following, asking whatever deities, fate, destiny, shifter moon gods—whoever—to give her the strength to get through this conversation.
Stepping into the alley, she found Blake leaning against A Cup of Beans and Judd leaning against the bookstore. Tanith stood squarely in the middle, her arms crossed.
“What a pleasant surprise,” Judd growled, fingering his black eye with a scowl. “Always nice to see you, Tanith. Wish the circumstances were less insane.”
She huffed, but refused to give in to his goading. She had never known Judd to be a cruel man by any means. Careless, sure. Thoughtless in the way he’d handled their breakup, but never cruel. Unfortunately, after all she had witnessed on the day of the attack, her opinion of him was starting to change.
“What is this?” she asked, directing the question to Blake. Her love’s wounds had healed, most of them delivered by Judd himself on that fateful day, but she could still recall the blood smeared across his face, the gash on his side—and the way he had thrown himself over her, ready to defend her with his last breath.
She loved him, but she didn’t approve of him throwing Judd, of all people, in her face. He hadn’t said much regarding the fact that Hayley’s father was a shifter, but maybe he was angry; maybe he thought she had known a lot more than she’d been letting on. But aside from Espie having mentioned her own inner bear, Tanith had spent life on the outside until he’d come along.
“Judd here has something he’d like to say,” Blake told her, a flicker of amusement passing across his face. He then looked to Judd, who held back, and his gaze narrowed. “Go on.”
More confused than ever, Tanith stared at her ex. “Judd?”
His tongue swept across his pouty lower lip, one she had loved kissing all those years ago, followed swiftly by a tired sigh. “Tanith, first, let me say, I had no idea you were pregnant when I left.” A prickle of anxiety shot through her. Blake had told him. She swallowed hard, bracing herself for hateful words as Judd continued. “If I’d known, I would have…I would have been involved in her life. I know we lost touch. I know I didn’t end things very well between us, and I don’t blame you for not trying to find me.”
Tanith’s eyebrows shot up, and she tried her best to hide her surprise, but she just couldn’t help herself. When had a man, particularly one who was clearly a vindictive, manipulative ass—because she had had no idea of his true nature while they were together—ever been so fine with a woman keeping such a huge secret from him?
Probably a man who would have had no interest in being involved in Hayley’s life. That was why she hadn’t ever taken the time to introduce them. Even if her daughter looked like Judd, Tanith had always thought he would run for the hills if she ever attempted an introduction between them. Maybe it had been selfish on her part, and for that she owed him an apology.
“I am sorry that it took so many years for you to learn about her,” she managed, her throat tight and dry as she forced the words out. How desperately she wanted to grab Blake’s hand for support. Tanith knew he would give it if he suspected she wanted it, but she also knew this was her problem. Her fight. She needed to stand on her own two feet here. “It was wrong of me not to look for you, or to just assume that you weren’t interested in being a dad in some capacity. So. I’m sorry. Even if you and your goons did set my gallery on fire.”
“To be fair, I didn’t know it was your gallery,” Judd admitted with a shrug, the gesture sending a flash of white hot rage coursing through her system. “All I knew was that it belonged to the bear clan’s medic and his mate. See, Vesper was a bad alpha, and most of the cougars left when he took over the clan. With him gone, they needed a new alpha. I promised them when they appointed me that we would retake our home. We were targeting the clan medics hoping to weaken the health of the other clans so our own clan could regain a foothold around here. It wasn’t personal.”
“Somehow, I very much doubt that,” she fired back. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Blake’s glare darkening, like he was ready to blacken Judd’s other eye, but a quick glance from Tanith kept him at bay. “Anyway. Now you know you have a daughter. Her name is Hayley and she’s amazing.” Tanith planted her hands on her hips and met Judd’s dark gaze head on. “What are you going to do about it?”
She kept her tone civil to ensure it wasn’t accusatory. After all, it was hardly fair to drop such a bomb on a guy and except him to do the right thing immediately—especially a man who showed almost zero remorse for ruining her livelihood.
“I’m a man, Tanith,” Judd growled. “I’m going to do the right thing.”
She arched an eyebrow. “And that is?”
“I’m going to give her the bone marrow transplant she needs. Your lug of a mate here told me she’s got sickle cell, and she couldn’t have gotten that unless both parents contributed. When I heard that, it took a bit of convincing, but I finally went with him for a biopsy to see if I could help. And the specialist let loose a bombshell. The thing that’s been preventing anyone from finding Hayley a suitable donor is her shifter DNA. It’s recessive, but it’s still a huge part of her. I’m the only one who could possibly help her, and I owe her that. I haven’t been there for her all this time, but I’m not going to let her die.”
“Seriously?” Tanith gasped. “But why didn’t anybody ever tell me that?”
“Shifters aren’t allowed to just tell humans stuff like that,” Blake explained, shaking his head at her. “I had to bring in a shifter specialist to prove that my hunch was right.”
Tanith didn’t hear much else of his speech, as marvelous as she was sure it might be. In fact, the whole world had turned to white noise, static buzzing in her ears, and all she could think about was the fact that her baby girl was going to get the help she needed to live a normal life—to fight this illness once and for all. Her knees gave way, but Blake rushed in to steady her. Hot tears streaked down her cheeks, and she brushed them away with shaking hands.
“Why?” she choked out when she finally got her bearings, holding Blake’s hand for support as she stared Judd down. “Why would you agree to this?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” her ex insisted. “No matter what’s happening between the clans, she shouldn’t have to die when she could live.” Judd’s eyes darted up to Blake. “A bear pulled me aside today and helped me realize that. He literally pounded some sense into me until I realized that I needed to step up for my child.”
“Thank you,” she managed, though her thanks were primarily for the man holding her. “This means the world to me, Judd. Hayley deserves a happy, healthy life. And if you want to be a part of it, you—”
“I’m not going to push for something she doesn’t want,” Judd said gruffly, running a hand through his thick black curls as he cleared his throat. “We’ll leave it up to Hayley if she wants me in her life once I’ve saved her. But I’ll put the time in…so long as your mate’s clan doesn’t run me out of town again.”
“If the cougars agree to behave themselves, that shouldn’t be a problem,” Blake told him, his voice low and thick. “I’ll have their alpha give his word, just so long as you, as the cougar alpha, will also give him yours. I’m not just working for one clan in this town, I’m here trying to help out all the shifters in Angel Fire. So, no more attacks on either the people or the businesses. I know that cats love causing trouble by nature, but from now on your people need to find a different outlet if you hope to be a part of this town.”
“And tell them to steer clear of our daughter,” Tanith added with a frown. “They don’t need to get to know Hayley too. And you don’t need an entourage just to meet an eight-year-old.”
“Deal.” Judd looked between them for a few tense moments. “Cool. Can we call it a day then? I’m staying at the motel on Route 6. Just call me when you’re ready to get things moving. You have my world I’ll pick up the phone.”
