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

could have fixed a cheese and tomato salad.”
    “It’s not trouble, believe me. I’m having fun with this.” She bumped him with her hip. “And, you’re family. Not just family, but part of the pack. Get that through your head, buddy.”
    When the others emerged from the office, Ken didn’t miss how Dewi sought him out almost immediately for a hug.
    “Good talk?” he asked her.
    “Yeah. I can’t fault what Joaquin did,” she said. “I would have done the same thing.” She pointed a finger at Joaquin, who stood on the other side of the island counter. “You’re lucky you’re good at your job, buster.”
    “No,” Joaquin said, looking sad. “If I was good at my job, I would have been able to protect that girl and she’d still be alive.”
    “You can’t protect everyone all of the time,” Trent told him. “It’s not possible. All you can do is your best, which we’re convinced you did. It was one of those things. You took blood. Not that it brings her back, but at least it evens the score.”
    Peyton clapped the younger wolf on the back. “No worries. And no Alaska for you.”
    “Oh, thank the Goddess,” Joaquin said. “That’s a miserable fricking place in the winter.”
    “Just don’t piss Beck off,” Dewi teased. “Keep your head down around him for now. Stay off his radar.” Her tone gentled. “You’re a good wolf, and a good Enforcer. We’ll figure out where to send you. Honestly? If I didn’t think your life was in danger, I would send you back to Mexico since you already know the territory and the people. But I can’t risk you like that.”
    “I appreciate that. I’m sorry I let you all down.”
    “You didn’t let us down,” Peyton said. “You did your job.”
    “Can we discuss this around the table?” Gillian asked. “I hear stomachs rumbling and would rather get you all fed before someone gets growly.” She arched an eyebrow at Peyton.
    “What?” he asked.
    She poked him in the stomach. “Don’t what me, mister. Lunch is served.”

Chapter Seven

    After lunch, Joaquin volunteered to run to town for Gillian to grab things from her shopping list for dinner.
    Ken suspected it was a combination of the wolf wanting some alone time since he still felt guilty about not being able to save that girl, and wanting to make himself scarce since Beck and the others were due back soon.
    Ken enjoyed the opportunity to sit in Peyton’s living room with Dewi, Trent, Peyton, and Gillian and discuss Dewi’s childhood.
    Dewi…not so much, but Ken could tell she was enduring it for his sake.
    “So Dewi was a handful as a kid, huh?”
    Dewi snuggled a little more closely against Ken’s side, where he had his arm draped around her shoulders. “You just had to go there, didn’t you?” she muttered.
    “Well, let’s see. This is the first time I’ve actually been able to sit down with both of your brothers and Gillian all at once to talk like this. Sooo…yes.”
    Dewi gently poked him in the ribs.
    Totally worth it.
    Peyton laughed. “Once we realized she was a Prime, we needed Badger to take care of her. I didn’t have time because of the pack. There was this one time Aunt Collette was watching her and trying to get her dressed in this adorable little pink dress she’d bought for her. The next thing Aunt Collette knew, she was standing outside the front door in a snowstorm.”
    “What?”
    Trent nodded. “Dewi was two .”
    “I didn’t mean to do it,” Dewi mumbled.
    “I thought Badger raised her?” Ken asked.
    “He did,” Peyton said. “He had to come help me and Trent with some pack business that afternoon. Aunt Collette was watching her for us.”
    “But how and why did she end up outside?”
    Trent shrugged and pointed at Dewi. “Ask her.”
    “I was two ,” Dewi said.
    “It’s because Dewster is a Prime,” Peyton said. “The trauma, everything. Usually, Prime powers don’t fully develop in someone that young, even though Primes are fairly easy to