Free A Bleacke Wind (Bleacke Shifters Book 3) by Lesli Richardson

focus on Dewi. I didn’t know if I’d end up living in Florida with them part of the time, helping her through things as she grew older. I tried to stay as close to her as I could over the phone, and later on with the Internet and texting, but she was a Prime and not just a tomboy. I’m really glad she’s grown close to Nami. Dewi needs that kind of   strong motherly influence in her life.”
    “Badger and Beck did a great job with her. Did it…” He felt comfortable discussing this with Gillian. “Did it bother you all when Dewi and Beck hooked up?”
    “No, although I don’t blame you for asking. Wolves are a little different. I know it’s hard to understand if you weren’t raised in a pack, but even if two teenagers get together and mess around, we don’t care as long as they’re careful.
    “Now, had Beck tried something before Dewi came of age, they never would have found his body, believe me. Beck’s a good man and we all knew he was a stable force in Dewi’s life. That when she—or he—found a mate, that would eventually be the end of it between them.”
    “He’s definitely a force, all right.”
    Gillian grinned. “Badger told me about your first encounter with Beck.”
    “Yeah.” Ken fought the urge to rub his throat at the memory. “It was a memorable experience.”
    “I heard Dewi handed him his ass.”
    “Sort of. She flung him across the kitchen and against the wall.”
    “She’s strong.”
    “I noticed.”
    “Let me give you another hint about something.” Gillian walked over to the doorway, glanced out, and then returned, dropping her voice.
    “You have made her happy. I cannot emphasize that enough. Before you, she was not happy. I don’t even know if she knew what happiness felt like before she met you. She’s like a new woman. I couldn’t believe it when Peyton told me after he got back. Part of the reason he flew to Florida was to see her for himself, and to make sure she was okay. I was standing there when he took the call from Badger, and it was like someone had slapped him, he was so shocked.”
    She gently tapped his chest. “If you asked for the moon, Peyton would see about the pack buying a stake in NASA to make that happen.” She tapped his chest again. “That is how much status you have in this family. This pack. Human or not, you are one of us, because you have made Dewi happy. Not because she’s Head Enforcer, or because she’s a Prime Alpha. Not even because she’s Peyton and Trent’s little sister. You have a status in this pack beyond the average mate because you made Dewi happy and brought about a positive change in her none of us ever thought would happen. Because of that, you have our undying gratitude and love.”
    Ken sensed more under her tone. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    It seemed to take her a moment to decide whether or not to speak it. “Her grandfather, Duncan, killed himself out of his grief. No, they never found his body, but we all did the math. Everyone who knew Duncan personally, like Badger, says Dewi is very much like him. Very intense, very devoted and determined. It wouldn’t have surprised any of us if she’d literally worked herself to death. Had she not found you, it wouldn’t have shocked any of us if she’d gotten herself killed one day. Deliberately.”
    Gillian hugged him. “And she let you mark her. That’s her way of telling you that she trusts you, that she loves you, and that she needs you, from time to time, to take charge. To force her out of that controlling headspace and let her exist without bearing the weight of the pack on her shoulders. You didn’t just save her life, you saved her sanity.”

    * * * *

    Ken helped Gillian get lunch ready. Mostly cold cuts and sandwiches, heavy on the meat, but she put together a quick vegetarian pizza for Ken and toasted it in the oven for him, once again making him feel both pleased and a little guilty.
    “You don’t need to go through that extra trouble. I