N. Walters - Finding Chrissten

A sense of urgency filled him. “Please.” She was in his arms but he felt as though he was losing her.

“Okay. I guess.” She tilted her head back to look at him. “But it’s not fair to you.”

“It’s what I want.”

He braced himself for the inquisition as Quinn headed in their direction. Her brother had held off longer than Hank had expected. Chrissten saw him coming too and tensed.

“It’s whatever you want. Remember that.” He wasn’t going to let anyone bully her, not even her brother. She’d endured enough of that kind of behavior to last a lifetime.

Before Quinn reached them the front door opened and a massive wave of power echoed through the bar as three people stepped inside. The wait was over.

Donovan Brody had arrived.

Chrissten was still reeling from the dance she’d shared with Hank. Her body hummed and her emotions were scattered. It felt so good, so right to be in Hank’s arms. But it was wrong too. No matter what he thought or said it wasn’t fair to him. She couldn’t even begin to think about being with another male until the problem with Brian was resolved.

Problem.

What a tame, civilized word. This wasn’t the human world where an amicable divorce would settle things. Some packs wouldn’t even see anything wrong with what Brian had done to her. The werewolf culture was much different, more primal and basic. But she was part human too and she couldn’t accept having a male forced upon her.

Beside her, Hank stilled, his gaze on the front door of the club. Three people had entered—two men and a woman. Chrissten stared at the man in front. He was tall and broad-shouldered. His hair was brown and hung around his shoulders. His features were as familiar to her as her own. It was like looking at a slightly older version of Quinn.

This had to be Donovan Brody.

Her legs quivered and she struggled not to give into the urge to run. She didn’t want to deal with him now, this male who’d gotten her mother pregnant and left her. Left them.

All her life she’d wondered about him, who he was, where he came from. Now that the moment of meeting him was at hand she no longer wanted to know. Quinn came to stand beside her, his expression grim.

“Are you okay with this?”

She nodded at her brother. She wasn’t the least bit okay, but Donovan Brody was here now and he’d seen her. He wasn’t going to leave until he met her.

Hank stood on her other side, silent and steady. She was beginning to depend on his unwavering support. That wasn’t good. It would be too easy to start counting on him to be there whenever she needed him.

Something else that wasn’t fair to him. This wasn’t his life, wasn’t his fight.

The couple behind him stopped to speak to Isaiah and Meredith. The male looked a lot like Isaiah. In a word—intimidating.

Hank leaned down to speak quietly in her ear. “The man speaking to Isaiah is his brother, Joshua. The female with him is his wife, Alexandra.”

He didn’t mention who the other male was. There was no need.

Chrissten was suddenly too warm. Her clothing felt too tight and confining. At the same time she felt a chill rush through her. This man was her father. She’d dreamed about him over the years, thought about him. At different times in her life she’d longed to meet him. At other times she’d hated him. Now he was here.

He stopped about five feet in front of her and simply stared. His gaze ran over her body from head to toe. She bristled under his regard. Donovan—she simply couldn’t think of him as Dad—turned his attention toward Quinn. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“I’m standing right in front of you. Why don’t you introduce yourself to me?”

His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows crinkled as he frowned. “All right. I’m Donovan Brody and I’m your father.”

Chrissten shook her head. “You’re the man who got my mother pregnant and then left her. I never had a father.”

He propped his hands on his hips as he studied her. “I never knew she was pregnant.”

Why did men always use that as an excuse? “You knew you were having sex with her. Obviously unprotected sex at some point. Didn’t it ever occur to you to check?”

She wasn’t cutting him any slack. She had far too many memories of her mother crying when she thought no one was looking, of her mother working herself to death with two jobs to support her kids, of doing everything alone. Chrissten loved her mother and respected the hell out of her. She’d missed her every day since she’d died.

“Chrissten.” She could hear the warning tone in Quinn’s voice and it pissed her off.

“What? What’s he going to do? Beat me? Attack me? Sorry, been there and done that this past year.” As tough as her façade was it was starting to develop cracks. All she wanted to do was curl up in a corner somewhere and cry.

“No one is going to do anything to you.” Hank stepped forward until he was half in front of her. His intent was obvious. He was more than willing to protect her.

Tensions ratcheted up as they stared at one another. Donovan obviously wasn’t pleased with her reception. What did he expect? He hadn’t considered her feelings when he’d come here tonight. Had he never once thought this might be too much for her to handle right now? He’d wanted to meet her so he’d come.

Arrogant males. She was sick to death of all of them.

The front door closed with a thud and Isaiah prowled over to stand beside Donovan. “You could have waited until we’d cleared the place out.”

Chrissten was relieved to see the bar was now empty except for pack members and the new visitors. Everyone was here, including Craig, who hurried to her side and took her hand in his.

“I wanted to see my daughter.” Donovan’s voice was deep. She could understand why her mother had slept with him. He was handsome and mysterious, a typical bad boy from the looks of him. Her mother had always been drawn to that type. And look where it got her—alone with kids to raise.

Chrissten liked to think she’d learned from her mother’s mistakes. No arrogant male for her. She wanted a male who would treat her like an equal partner.

Which made her think of Hank. There was no denying he was all male. He was persistent and stubborn, but he was different. More respectful. Maybe it was because he was half human, just as she was, and had been raised as a human.

The other new male came to stand beside Isaiah. He offered her an apologetic smile and stuck out his hand. “I’m Joshua Striker.”

She took his hand and shook it. “Chrissten Lawton. Pleased to meet you.”

Joshua wrapped his free arm around a tall woman with short, glossy brown hair and beautiful gray eyes. “And this is my mate, Alexandra.”

“Call me Alex. I’m so glad you’re okay.” There was kindness in her eyes that appealed to Chrissten.

“Thank you.” They all stood around watching one another. Very awkward. Part of her view of Donovan was blocked by Hank who was still standing partially in front of her. Her brothers were on either side of her. And Kevin had come to stand behind her. She was totally surrounded and protected.

The gesture brought tears to her eyes, but she blinked them back. She couldn’t afford to show any weakness in front of Donovan or any of the pureblooded werewolves. They’d probably see it as a sign of her inferior diluted human blood.

And that wasn’t fair. Not to the Haven pack. None of them had ever treated her with anything other than respect and kindness.

“Why don’t we all sit down?” There was more command than question in Meredith’s tone. Every member of her pack started to move toward several tables that had been pushed together.