My Broken Luna

7. Cuts

7. Cuts: Xander's Pov

QOTC (question of the chapter): Who would you like to see more of?

"Why do you trace your wrist like that?" I ask. Charlotte freezes, stops, then shrugs- hiding her exposed arm from me.

"Show me your arm." I say holding her hand. She shakes her head and cowers away from me. What's she hiding? I already know about the abuse and scars.

"Sweetheart, please show me your arm." I don't want to forcefully yank her arm.

She shakes her head and curls up into a ball. "You'll tell me sooner or later, I know you will."

Even after hearing me say that, she doesn't reveal her arm to me. "I'm not going to force you to do anything." I pull her onto my lap and make sure to avoid touching her arm. Whatever she's hiding seems to be important to her- I want to know what it is so badly.

"Do you want me to call Brody over?" I know that he wants to spend time with his sister but doesn't want to get in the way of our relationship.

"He might be busy."

I scoff. "Brody is watching tv and eating chips right now. I'm pretty sure he's waiting to be called over."

"H-how do you know? He might get mad becau-"

I cut her off, "Baby, everyone is ecstatic that you're finally back home. Do you really think everyone is going to get mad at you?"

She nods.

"You were- still are one of the most loved and adored females in the pack. The only time anyone got mad at you was when you purposely turned the heater on during the summer."

"Love?" Charlotte pronounces it as if it's a foreign word. "Nobody likes me, that's why I get beat."

"Don't ever say that again." I growl holding onto her even tighter. "Anyone who doesn't like you is insanely stupid. And don't say that no one likes you- I love you. I know you won't be able to say it back, but I've loved you ever since we were little."

Charlotte stares at me as if my face was replaced with my foot. "Y-you m-mean that?" she asks with hope in her eyes.

"Every single word." I answer gazing down at her. She doesn't look convinced at first, but the sincerity in my voice changes that. It hurts that she can't say that she loves me yet, but at least I know that she likes me.

"I'll go call Brody over."

**** (twenty minutes later)

"We're going to Brody's house."

I walk into the closet and pull out a bag of clothes for Charlotte. "Who's are those?" she asks when I hand the bag to her.

"Yours. My mom dropped off some clothes for you to wear until we go shopping."

"She didn't buy expensive things, did she?"

"Don't worry about the money, sweetheart." I whisper. "We'll go shopping again for more clothes when your healed."

"You don't have to buy me any more things. I'm fine with these." she says pointing to the clothes. Why doesn't she want me to buy her anything?