Dark Moon Rising (The Revenant Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

lost memory he couldn’t recall. Then he’d seen her. Long legs, lean muscles, caramel skin, her expression defiant and resolute, she’d called to him on a primal level, awakening instincts he’d long ago forgotten.
    When she’d snapped the enforcer’s wrist, cowing him without breaking a sweat, Rhys hadn’t been able to stop the growl of approval that rumbled up from his diaphragm. When she’d threatened him further, glib yet unrelenting, he’d been captivated. When she’d put her friends before herself, promising her cooperation for their safety, he’d fallen a little bit in love.
    And he didn’t even know her name.
    “I’m sorry.”
    He was sorry because she deserved better than a broken werewolf for a mate, and because he’d give anything for her not to be there. He was sorry they wouldn’t get a chance to know each other. He’d never see her smile. She’d have a beautiful smile. He could almost picture it, but the pack never gave their playthings any cause for joy. He’d never hear her laugh, or see her dance, or watch her eyes glaze with desire for him.
    Mostly, he was sorry for what awaited her on the full moon. No one ever survived the Gallows. No one, except him.
    “I know.” A small sigh escaped her full, parted lips. “I guess I’m sorry, too.”
    “You have no reason to apologize.” She hadn’t asked to be kidnapped, assaulted, held prisoner, or forced into the Gallows for the sheer entertainment of the alpha.
    Softly, like the light fluttering of butterfly wings, her fingertips brushed over his back, her touch lingering between his shoulder blades. “They look like claw marks,” she commented, tracing a few of his numerous scars. She sounded appalled. “What the hell happened to you, Rhys?”
    He didn’t answer, but reveled in her touch, losing himself in the quiet cadence of her voice. He liked the way she said his name, how natural it sounded on her lips.
    “No more questions.” He wanted to know her, to spend hours listening to her talk, but he couldn’t risk the suspicion of the enforcers. “We’re almost there.”
    Of course, she didn’t listen, and Rhys found her stubbornness both frustrating and oddly endearing.
    “You never answered me. What’s this cabin? What’s going to happen there?”
    “You’ll be able to shower, and they’ll give you clothes for the Gathering.”
    “What gathering?”
    Thankfully, the female in his arms chose that moment to stir, her small body trembling when she realized who held her. “Easy,” he soothed. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He couldn’t make the same promise for the pack. “How are you feeling?”
    Thea walked quietly at Rhys’ side, watching the interaction between him and Abby. It amazed her that someone so big could be so gentle. He spoke quietly, reassuring the female, calming her fears. Carefully, he repositioned her in his arms, cradling her small body to surround her with his warmth and shield her partial nudity from the other wolves.
    There was nothing sexual in the gesture, only protectiveness. She’d never met another werewolf like Rhys. Not even Gabriel had been blessed with so much patience and kindness. It might have been an act, a façade to win her trust, but she doubted it. Rhys was too damn broken to attempt to manipulate anyone.
    “Where are we going?” Abby asked, lifting her head to look over at Thea. “What happened?”
    Avoiding her question, Rhys stopped so abruptly, Cade walked right into his back. Without a word, he turned and deposited Abby into the male’s arms where she immediately curled against Cade’s chest. Both men nodded at each other, then Rhys continued leading them on their march through the woods.
    “What was all that about?” Thea questioned.
    Rhys shrugged. “She was scared. I thought she might be more comfortable with someone she knew…someone human.”
    “Instead of some big, scary Gemini?”
    She said it flippantly, but in her heart, she knew most humans saw them