Chapter 6

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"... are still no developments after last week's brutal murder. A police official has stated that they are working on a new lead but a reliable source who wishes to stay anonymous claims that Woodbury's finest have hit a dead end..."

"Just what I need to be listening to before going to work," I muttered to the spokesman and turned off the TV. Putting on my white long-sleeved shirt, I headed for the bathroom and commenced my before-work routine – brushing my teeth and styling my hair. My reflection looked proper enough but it was obvious I wasn't in the most cheerful of moods. How could I be with a serial killer on the loose? I would bet my monthly salary that the Milk & Cream would be full of long faces for days to come. I should try my best to elevate our costumers' spirits but who would do that for me?

Maybe I should call Rhys, I thought as I walked out of my apartment and pushed the door handle down a few times to make sure I'd locked.

It wasn't too soon to give him a call, right? We'd exchanged phone numbers last Friday and that was four days ago... Would he pick up? We had, after all, only given each other's numbers because of Kennedy.

"He likes you, Riley. Like really likes you," the boy said, letting go of my shoulder and taking a step back. Before I had a chance to reply, his brother returned.

"That was Everett," Rhys told us, putting his mobile phone in his pocket. "He's heading this way. I guess we'll have to take a rain check on that ice cream."

"Oh, yeah, a rain check," I muttered, disappointed; I'd been looking forward to spending more time with them. Maybe it was a stroke of luck though; after what Kennedy had just told me, it might be best for me to be on my own and try to figure out if the boy meant it in the sense I hoped he did.

"We'll drop you off," Rhys informed me and nodded with his head towards the door.

"You don't have to do that..." I began to protest, but Kennedy cut me off.

"My brother wasn't asking. He wants to make sure you get home safely," the boy said simply, taking my hand in his left and Rhys' in his right and leading us towards the exit. I raised an eyebrow at our joined hands and he grinned, dazzling white teeth stunning me with their color once more. "Just to make sure you won't try to run off on your own," he explained. "Not that we won't be able to catch you," he added with a shrug.

We stepped outside and I waved my free hand in front of my face. The evening had turned stuffy and warm to the point where I almost regretted going out with a long-sleeved top. Almost, I thought as my left hand caressed the scarred spot under my sleeve and it was Kennedy's turn to raise an eyebrow, bright eyes darting from me to his brother; not that the latter could explain my gesture. A short honk came to our right and the lights of a stopped car flashed on and off to attract our attention.

We headed into that direction and Rhys held the door to the back seats of his brother's vehicle - was he leaving his own here tonight? - opened for me and Kennedy to climb in before he took the spot at the front, next to his brother.

"Hey," Everett greeted with a tired smile, reminding me of the night I first met him. Now that I was not trembling with fear, I realized that he and Rhys actually looked very similar: handsome, with a strong jaw and the same hair color; even their eyes seemed the same shade, darker and more human than those of Kennedy, the husky pup. I shook my head at the image of that boy in a husky costume complete with ears and nodded at Everett.

"Hi, I'm Riley," I introduced myself and heard the click of Kennedy's seat belt buckle. Good idea, I though, remembering how Rhys had refused to start the car before I'd buckled up and I followed the boy's example.

"I know," the eldest of the brothers replied, bringing the engine to life; it wasn't one of the newest models of cars, yet it was very quiet. "We met a few weeks ago at the parking lot. Although I didn't know your name back then; Rhys told me what it was later."

"Take a left here," the man in question commanded from the passenger seat and his brother obeyed.

"My address is..." I began, but Everett interrupted:

"I know."

"You do?" I asked, leaning back in my seat. How could he know?

"I told him," Rhys replied to my unspoken question and I sighed through a relieved smile. Of course, he had! How else could Everett know?

 "Sorry about the other night," the eldest one glanced at me in his back view mirror. "About Alec, I mean. He is..."

"A manipulative, sadistic..."

"Kennedy!" Rhys' voice held such authority that if it was aimed at me, I wouldn't speak for at least half an hour. His little brother looked completely unperturbed and went on calmly:

"I was going to go easy on the boy and say 'jackass'," he claimed. "You should hurry up and get me other nephews, Rhys, because the one Everett provided sucks."

I gaped and blinked rapidly as I realized this thirteen year old boy had a nephew who was seven – if not more – years older than him.

"Kennedy," Rhys repeated, irritation – or was it anger? – disrupting the strong and collected tone he'd used before.

"Well, I'm sorry, Everett, but you know what your son is like," the youngest brother stubbornly continued with the sensitive topic.

"Yeah, I know," the driver said quietly and let out a slow breath. "Maybe I shouldn't have insisted that he came to live with us; maybe he should've stayed with his mother..."

"It was decided that the community will give Alec a chance and that's what we are doing," Rhys intervened and this time I had no doubt: he was irate; his wrist were clenched and his jaw tightened when he paused his speech. I felt like he grew in size, that all three of them did; there was so much tension in the air. I wished for the car to move faster. "I admit, I'm not pleased with it but the Council..." His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror and I quickly turned my gaze towards the window.

I had no idea what he meant by 'the Council', but I knew that bit was not for my ears. I was trapped in this vehicle and had involuntarily overheard something I shouldn't have. I watched with unseeing eyes the world outside and silently prayed they wouldn't perceive me as prying or even worst: spying on the private affairs of the Silver Bullets.

"I'm sorry, Riley," Rhys' voice was gentle and I dared to glance at him in the rearview mirror again. I looked at the mixture of nerves and reassurance that was on his face and my body loosened as I realized he was doing it again: he was trying to seem less intimidating for my sake. Rhys meant me no harm, Everett with his reposeful nod meant me no harm and Kennedy with his bright smile meant me no harm. Whatever it was I'd heard, it would not get me in trouble, not with them.

"I'm sorry," Rhys repeated, his eyes still on me. "Alec is a family... issue and we shouldn't get you involved."

"So, how was the movie?" His older brother asked in an overly cheery tone, his hands grasping the steering wheel tightly.

"Loved it," I replied, glad at the opportunity to clear the air.

"Jack Frost; 'nuff said," Kennedy concluded with a grin.

"Animated teenage boys should not be that cute," I commented, resting my elbow where the window met the upholstered part of the door.

"You are into skinny dudes?" Kennedy's eyebrows knitted as he added through a murmur: "That's not good."

"How come?" I asked and his eyes fell on Rhys for a brief moment before he turned back to me and said:

"'Cause I'm not skinny." We all laughed as he winked playfully at me and rearranged his cap. The car came to a stop and I realized we'd arrived at my building.

"I'll walk you to the door," Rhys announced, got up and held the car door opened for me before I could tell him that wasn't necessary.

"Thanks," I muttered, feeling like a school girl coming home from her first date. Or maybe it was the heat that was making my palms sweaty? I looked at his face and shook my head; who was I kidding? It was Rhys; it was his little smile and gentlemanlike behavior that stirred my emotions.

We took the few steps to my building in silence. I could get used to that; I could get used to having someone walk me home and open the door for me. I wanted to have the chance to get used to that.

"So," I began once we reached the door.

Think of something sexy to say, Riley, think of something clever!

"Got to love a Santa with a Russian accent, huh?" I almost groaned when I said that. An animated fat man in a red suit; that was what my brain could come up with now.

"He was fun," Rhys agreed, his eyes darting towards the vehicle.

Oh, no, he was leaving. He was leaving and I still didn't know if Kennedy's words had been the truth; I still couldn't decide if Rhys was actually interested in me. I had to figure out a way to provoke some sort of a reaction in him, make him give me a clue if he wanted us to be friends or something more. A door slammed and Kennedy ran towards us.

"Can I have a hug goodbye, Riley?" The boy asked and I smiled.

"Sure," I said, leaning down and enveloping him in my arms. He had a very earthy smell, like trees and soil.

Kennedy moved away, grinning as he said 'your turn' and nodded for his brother to embrace me as well.

The cheeky little Devil! I bet he planned that before he even got out of the car, I thought as my pulsed accelerated and my blood seemed to leave my limbs and gather at my cheeks.

"You don't have to," I told Rhys, lowering my head and looking at him through my eyelashes. I blinked slowly a few times, hoping I looked cute and not as if I got dust stuck in my eyes. His arm darted forward and he took my hand in his.

"Good night, Riley," he shot out, squeezing my hand once and letting go, thus ending the most awkward handshake in the history of the human kind. From the corner of my eyes I saw Kennedy slap his palm over his forehead as he shook his head.

"Yeah, good night," I muttered and entered the building.

I shook my head, getting back to the present.

I wanted to go on a date with Rhys but I hoped that had not been a date. If we were to go out, I'd like for us to say goodbye with a kiss, not with a clumsy handshake of my sweaty palm. This couldn't have been a date; it shouldn't have been a date. There was nothing romantic or sizzling about it; just a weird experience with more cryptic allusions about their community. What on Earth did they need a Council for?

I looked around as I was to cross to the other sidewalk. Just a couple of nights ago, on Saturday, I'd passed the crossing that was now to my right and freaked out because I'd thought I was being followed. The streets – sunny and full of people – seemed far less scary in the daylight and I felt silly for my reaction back then. Nothing had been following me. I got home safely, I went to bed and I woke up with all limbs intact, not a creepy murderer with a long knife dripping with blood in sight.

"Seen something over there?" Someone asked and my heart skipped a beat as I turned around and he was just a step away from me. The unblinking, pale gaze was fixed upon my face and the corners of his lips turned as I moved away from him.

"What is the matter, Riley? Did I startle you?" He asked, casually stepping towards me. It was only one tiny step, but, as at the parking lot, he was too close.

"How..." I gulped against the dryness in my throat. "How did you know my name?"

"I heard Rhys mention it," he said with a shrug. "Should I walk you to the Milk & Cream?"

"No!" The words came out so loud that a few of the people around us slowed down to look our way. Good, I thought. Alec wouldn't try anything with so many witnesses around... Right?

"You shouldn't walk alone," he stated with concern that contradicted the amusement in his eyes. "Don't you know, Riley? There is a vicious killer on the loose."

"That is enough, Alec," a firm voice insisted and it was the first time I noticed the two of them – a brown-haired man and woman in their twenties. I startled once more; it was him. Him. The man I knew as the leader of the Silver Bullets, the man who was said to possess inhuman strength and to always come out of a fight victorious. Tim had pointed him out to me and then filled my head with gossip about him. Tim never gossiped, Tim never showed fear, yet that very same Tim was uncharacteristically white just because this person had walked by us. He hadn't even gotten close, he'd paid us no attention, but Tim had moved aside and pulled me with him.

"I was just giving Riley a friendly warning," Alec said, voice full of contempt. I could not help but marvel at his courage; I wouldn't dare speak with that man and here this boy was being insolent towards his leader. The older man's eyes narrowed and he balled his fists. I was prepared to run away any moment now as a fight between them seemed inevitable. A manicured hand landed on the man's shoulder and he turned to look at the woman – a pretty female with a determined expression.

"Anthony, why don't you take Alec home," she suggested and I gaped as the man nodded – with obvious reluctance, but he nodded – turned around and gestured for Alec to follow him as he walked away. The boy's feet didn't move an inch but his head turned towards me as he spoke:

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Riley." He smiled at me and my breath caught in my lungs, partly from fear, partly in awe. He acted like a monster, cold-blooded and animalistic, but he looked as divine as an angel.

"Alec, would you kindly..." The girl began but he interrupted:

"Fuck off?" He suggested with a note of scorn.

The brown-haired man took the few steps necessary to get back to us, swift as a cheetah, and was already raising his fisted hand when the woman gave him a look that rooted him on the spot.

"Don't talk to Keri like that," he hissed, chest heaving.

"I was going to say 'would you kindly follow my brother', but I guess your version would also suffice," the woman said calmly, then added with a smile. "I'll walk you to the Milk & Cream, Riley."

Oh, great: one more member of the Bullets who knew my name and where I worked. I sure was getting popular. If only it wasn't with this crowd!

I hesitated. Should I give her a reply? I snuck a glance towards the man she'd called Anthony to see if he approved of his sister chaperoning me; his eyes – almost shut close as he glared – were glued to Alec.

"It's okay, Riley; I'm a friend of the Flemings." I kept staring at her in silence. "Flemings," she repeated. "As in Rhys', Kennedy's and Everett's last name."

"Oh," I exclaimed quietly, then once again, louder. "Oh, I didn't know that."

"Well, you learn something every day. Shall we?" She pointed in the general direction of the mall. We began walking and I looked over my shoulder at where Anthony and Alec were. They had not moved an inch, their eyes sat on each other; the older one seemed ready to kill, the younger one was disdain personified.

"Perhaps you could draw me something on my coffee. Rhys said you are really talented." I turned towards her and a polite smile lit her face; a smile that didn't falter as she said: "No need to look behind your back, Riley; Alec isn't following us. Or is it Anthony that you are more afraid of?"

I opened my mouth but no words came out. Should I tell her? That man was her brother and they seemed close.

"Your sibling is rather... infamous," I began after my brief hesitation. It was something about her presence that made me utter that; she just seemed so... calming? Yes, there was definitely something calming about her; strong, yet soothing, not like menacing auras of the male members of the Bullets. Or should I say 'most of the male members of the Bullets'? Rhys was different. "He is after all the... What do you call it? Leader? Head of the Silver Bullets?"

She giggled at my questions.

"That is a common misconception," she said with a little smirk. I paused just outside the Milk & Cream and raised an eyebrow at her. "My brother is not the leader of the Bullets," Keri said, opening the door to the café. "I am."

*****

A/N: So, I thought it was about time you and Riley met the Alpha. What do you think of her and her brother?

Also, any thoughts on Alec popping up out of nowhere?

And of course – Kennedy!!! Don't you just love him for his attempts to speed things up between Rhys and Riley?

PLEASE SUPPORT THE CHAPTER WITH A VOTE IF YOU ENJOYED IT!

Happy time wattpading, everybody :)


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