If this was the side of him that had governed his personality before they’d met, it was no wonder those who knew him well insisted his overall mood had vastly improved following their mating.
Much in the same way those same people commented on how Dewi was now a changed woman for the better following her mating to Ken.
For dinner, Nami was seated directly across the table from Badger. She even tried catching his eye a few times, hoping for a hint of what was going on, or at least a reassuring smile from him that all was well.
The grizzled old wolf had quickly taken up residence in her life and heart as an adopted father. Not just to her, but to her three siblings, Lu’ana, Malyah, and Da’von, as well. He was also a doting adopted grandfather to Lu’ana and Reggie’s almost-three-year-old daughter, Bebe.
Damn sure a better father than our biological one. Maybe thiswasall for the best.
Correction, there was nomaybeabout it.
I wish Momma could’ve met them all.
Nami had her doubts in the beginning, wondering if there’d be any problems with her and her siblings joining the extended Bleacke family, since they were black and the Bleackes were…
Well, most everyone else in the Targhee Pack was not black. There were quite a few Hispanic packmates but, other than them, melanin was sorely lacking. Apparently, there were more who lived in South America.
Pleasantly enough, there’d been no problems thus far. And everyone, from Dewi, to Beck, to Peyton himself, had assured them if there ever was a problem, to not only feel free to speak up, but to make sure they brought it to them. Was their new family perfect? No, but they were teachable, and wanted to hear when they screwed up so they could do better. The shifters also weren’t blindly optimistic and defaulting to the, “Oh, we’re colorblind,” bullshit some well-meaning people thought was helpful.
One of the benefits of being a packmate was instant acceptance because of their pack ties. They were all in this crazy life together. There were the rare bigots, of course, but Nami and her family hadn’t encountered any among the shifters as of yet. Dewi had assured Nami that whenever one popped their head up, they were nearly always instantly shunned by the pack.
That was something Duncan, and the pack Alphas before him, had insisted on—unity. The Targhee Pack had grown as large as it was throughout the centuries by welcoming strays, so to speak. Even before the founder had left what became the UK and set off for America. Even then, most of them had come from various places, loners who’d lost their packs through war, or through attacks from humans or other shifters, and had banded together for safety.
Maybe this is our reward for all our years of heartache and hard work.
Deep within her soul, Nami felt pretty much convinced of that. As the oldest, she had quit school and gone to work after their mother died from cancer, so that she could keep her family together. It’d meant putting her personal life on hold after years of heartache. Her two younger sisters, and their baby brother, had been the focus of her life.
Until she’d met Beck several months ago and her life shifted forever.
And now?
Well, all three of her siblings had now mated or married—Lu’ana, the second oldest, had no idea about the shifter stuff—so there was no reason for Nami not to focus on herself.
With a baby of her own on the way, Nami would be forced to pull her focus inward.
Lord. What am I doing having a baby atmyage?She’d be forty in less than two years. Beck was ten years older than her but didn’t look it. Apparently, being a shifter’s mate helped slow down the aging process.
After dinner, Nami stood to go help in the kitchen while Beck was still deep in discussion with Dewi and the others. Badger also rose and started collecting dishes. He rounded the end of the table and when he paused next to her, he laid a gentle hand on her arm and met her gaze.
Then he used his Prime power to silently speak to her.“He’ll tell ye later, lass. Dinnae fash yerself. Nothin’ immediate.”
She laid a hand over his and squeezed, nodding in thanks.
Before she could stop herself, she pulled him in for an awkward hug. Awkward because he was balancing a stack of plates in his other hand.
An overwhelming swell of emotions drove her to blink away tears. “Love you, Dad,” she whispered.
When she drew back, the look of pleased shock on his face nearly made her laugh.
Then he smiled and kissed her cheek. “Love ye, too, girlie. Ye’re all like children to me. All o’ ye, and Dewi, there.”
Dewi turned. “What? I didn’t do it.” She smiled, drawing a hearty laugh from Badger, and making Nami wish she’d met all of them years ago.
She wasn’t the only one who’d shouldered a heavy burden alone. So had Dewi.
Nami took a deep breath and blinked back a sudden prickle of tears.Wow, this baby is gonna drive me insane with hormones before I have her.
“We’re just talkin’,” Badger told Dewi. “Gettin’ all sentimental in here.”
