Dark Moon Read Online Free PDF

back before peering around him at Avery.  “If it were to work, then you would already know.  James would have healed Bree’s scars.”
    “Bree didn’t have any scars.”  Avery replied.
    Vivian poked him in a not unfriendly way.  “So the Lycans that held you as slaves at least had the decency not to whip the women then?”
    Kaden shook his head.  “No, they whipped them.”
    Vivian frowned.  “Avery, are you wrong?  Perhaps James had healed her scars before he brought her home.  We should ask him if – “
    “Bree wasn’t whipped.”  Kaden interrupted.
    “Why not?”  Vivian asked bluntly.
    Kaden didn’t reply.  He was staring at Sophia and she made a small moan of dismay as she read his dark gaze clearly.  “You took her beatings.”  She whispered.
    He remained silent and Avery stared up at him.  “Kaden?  Is that true?”
    “She was too little.”  He said gruffly.  He looked away from Sophia and gazed into the fire instead.  “If they had whipped her, it would have – have killed her.  Whenever they tried to punish her, I convinced them to let me take her place.”
    There was a long, drawn-out silence, and he looked at Avery when her soft hand touched his face.  He was surprised to see tears in her eyes as she whispered, “You sweet boy.”
    He was oddly embarrassed by the way they were all staring at him.  Allowing Draken’s pack to capture them was his greatest shame.  He had failed to keep his baby sister safe, and taking her beatings had been his only way to protect her.
    Avery patted his cheek gently and then dropped her hand back to his chest.  She pressed again and stared questioningly at him.  “Do you feel anything, Kaden?  Warmth or tingling?”
    He shrugged.  “I’m not sure.  I don’t think so.” 
    He glanced at Sophia again.  She was biting at her lower lip and giving him a look he didn’t quite understand.  She had her long, dark hair braided today, and she was wearing a plain grey shirt with a pair of black pants.  The shirt hugged her full breasts and her pants clung enticingly to her firm thighs.  Her pants were tucked into leather boots that rose to her knees and he watched as she ran her hands nervously down the front of her thighs.
    He made himself look away and blushed again when he noticed Avery watching him.  She gave him a deliberately innocent grin, and he groaned under his breath when Dani entered the room.
    “What’s going on?”  She stared with bright interest at the group of women surrounding the half-naked Kaden before joining them.  She linked her arm through Kaden’s and pressed the side of one small breast against his arm.
    “Hi Kaden!”
    “Hello Dani.”  He looked away, his gaze falling back on Sophia.  She was staring at Dani, and he wondered why her eyes were lightening.  Her nostrils were flaring and there were two red spots high on her cheeks.
    “What’s going on?”  Dani repeated herself.
    “Mama’s trying to heal the human’s scars.”  Leta said from her spot in the chair.
    She dangled her feet and pouted when Avery gave her a stern look.  “His name is Kaden, not ‘the human’.  Behave yourself Leta.”
    “Sorry mama.”
    “Leta.”  Avery prompted.
    “Sorry Kaden.”  She muttered grudgingly.
    He winked at her and shifted away from Dani.  She followed him, pressing herself even more tightly against him, and he sighed.  He would have to speak to her soon about her crush.  Avoiding her was obviously not working.  Maybe he could ask Bree to speak to her for him.  He had no wish to hurt the girl’s feelings.
    “Is it working?”  Dani asked.
    “Let’s find out.”  Avery said softly.  She removed her hands and everyone, even Leta who had slinked over to stand by her mother, leaned in to stare at Kaden’s chest.
    The small scar was still there and Avery sighed with disappointment.  “I’m sorry, Kaden.”
    “It’s fine.  Uh – thank you for trying.”
    “Aye.”  She