A/N: Hey, kittens! I was pleasantly surprised to find out You are the Answer has been nominated by @thefictionawards for Best General Fiction Story.
It's in the running with about a dozen other Wattpad books. You can support Rhys and Riley by voting for YATA. All you have to do is:
1. Click on thefictionawards
2. Open their book The Fiction Awards 2016 on Chapter Voting - Open
3. Scroll down to Best General Fiction Story and highlight You are the Answer by CatMint5
4. Leave +1 as an inline comment
Or, instead of going through steps 1 & 2, you can click on the External link and it will take you directly to the Voting - Open chapter.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO DECIDE TO TAKE THE TIME TO VOTE FOR RHYS AND RILEY! The boys and I really appreciate it! ❤
*****
The patrols were sent out, the children were told they wouldn't be going to school and Riley took the day off; we'd covered the basics and it was now time to decide our next step.
The meeting was held at the pub. Every pack member, regardless of their age or gender, had gathered here with the exception of very few who were at work and those in chaise of the intruder.
The owner, Conrad, had opened the doors to most of the second floor rooms - his family's residential area - in an attempt to accommodate us all, but with over a hundred wolf shifters and Riley, the pub was packed, the air stagnant and filled with animated, worried voices.
My mate and I were on the second floor with Riley leaning over the railing, his eyes going over the anxious voices of the families below. Ivan made his way towards us, pausing next to Riley.
"It won't be long before we branch out," he told my mate, taking in our numbers.
"What do you mean by 'branch out'?" Riley asked, his tired face lighting up at the opportunity to speak of something other than the white wolf. He'd dutifully told and retold the story of his encounter to anyone who'd asked.
"There are too many of us now and the more we are, the more attention we gain from outsiders." Ivan stretched and put his elbows on the railing. "It won't be long before a group of us - perhaps even from my generation - would leave in search of new territories. They'll form their own pack and come up with their own rules. Some adults will go with them, of course; there's no way we'd leave our young to fend for themselves around other packs and humans. No offense," he added, "but humans aren't exactly jumping for joy to have us around."
"None taken." Riley nodded.
Our attention was grabbed by what was happening beneath us. The door had opened and the crowd was making way for six shifters in their human form - part of the patrols Keri and I had sent out. Three of them stayed on the first floor, the other three - led by Everett - climbed the stairs with heavy steps. I knew they'd failed before my brother gave us a report.
"Not even a clue?" Keri asked the newcomers.
"Nothing." Everett shook his head. "We tracked them until the river and then we lost the trail. They must've shifted into human form when they got out of the water."
"Then track their human form," Ivan said.
"Son. Let the adults talk." Conrad put his left hand over the teenager's shoulder and placed his right index finger in front of his own lips.
"I'm nineteen; I'm not a child anymore..." Ivan began to oppose his father, but Keri raised a hand and the boy fell silent.
"Why couldn't you track them in their human form?" My childhood friend asked. Sure, the way the intruder smelled would change once they've shifted, but the patrols should be able to isolate his scent from all of those which belonged to pack members.
"All the scents we picked up on the other side of the river bank were familiar ones; there was no one new," Everett replied.
"Does a shifter's scent differ in human and wolf form?" Riley, who had left the railing and moved closer to us, asked, regret displaying on his face once we turned to him.
"Yes, Riley, the scent changes," I replied.
"I could call back the extra patrols and leave only those on duty?" Everett suggested, but Keri shook her head.
"No, let them search." She let out a deep breath. "Nevertheless, we should start the meeting; we've kept our people waiting long enough. Are you ready, Riley?"
"A-am I... I'm sorry, what?" My mate stuttered.
"To speak," the Alpha clarified. "You are the only witness; you must speak in front of the community."
"But... But I already spoke to you. I told you everything."
"You told me and some Council members, but you haven't spoken to the community."
Riley was pale, his hands twitching nervously beside his thighs.
"Maybe I should speak instead of him." I stepped forward. "Riley is obviously upset, Keri."
"I can do it," my mate insisted, a spark of determination lighting his eyes.
He wanted to prove himself to me. Endearing, but pointless; he had nothing to prove.
He'd been thrust into our world and was standing in a pub full of strangers after being threatened by an unknown shifter, the one who might be responsible for the series of murders in our town. And yet, he was standing, ready to fight in his own way alongside us. In my eyes, he would already be brave enough for that alone, even if he hadn't won my admiration for having to fend for himself after his parents had disowned him.
Nevertheless, I realized I had to let him talk. I already knew he was brave; now he had to learn that himself.
"I just don't know what to say," he added, abashed.
"Don't worry, Riley." Keri gave him a small smile. "I'll start, then you'll describe what you saw and answer some questions from the pack if they are aimed at you."
Our Alpha moved to the railing to preside over her wards. Silence took over the premises when she raised her hands.
"We all know why we've gathered here this morning," she began in a clear voice, "and I'm sure you've already guessed that we have yet to capture the intruder. Our patrols managed to track them South to the river, but lost the scent amongst the water. The patrols that have returned would not be going on a search mission again; my brother is still out there with the rest of us."
A few quiet murmurs and shakes of the head were the only reply the Bullets allowed themselves. Our Alpha had not finished speaking.
"As you know, Rhys' mate Riley is the only person who's met the stranger; he'll now share with us what he saw."
She put a hand over Riley's back and gently pushed him forward. I stepped to the front with him.
All Bullets gazed expectantly at my mate.
"H-hi." He stammered again and cleared his throat.
"My name is Riley and I'm Rhys' boyfriend," he said meekly.
I moved even closer to him and intertwined our fingers.
Yes, I would let him speak, but I would not let him do so alone.
He exhaled slowly, his voice coming out firmer this time:
"I saw the white wolf a little over an hour ago at the edge of the training grounds. The creature - I'm sorry, shifter - had a very unnerving gaze, but didn't actually try to attack me. She - or he - didn't growl at me or look tense. I'm saying 'she' because they appeared a bit different than the male wolf forms that I've seen. I'd never actually seen a girl in a wolf form, but the white wolf was more... slender than you." He glanced my way. "I don't mean thin as in they haven't eaten, but less bulky, with less muscle mass. They weren't exactly white actually; they had a bit of a yellowish hue."
He looked lost at what else to say so Keri stepped in and I squeezed his hand tighter.
"Thank you, Riley." Our leader nodded at my mate, then turned to her pack. "Are there any questions?"
Hand's were raised in the air. Keri allowed Mira's father to speak first:
"How do we know that the boy didn't see an ordinary stray wolf?" The man asked. "No offense, Rhys, but your mate is human; I doubt he can tell the difference, especially when he's only seen what? One? Two of us in animal form?"
"You raise a good point," Keri began, "and the answer is: we don't know. It could, indeed, be an ordinary stray wolf, but we better make sure that they are. It is unlikely though. White wolves aren't common in these parts and this particular one has obviously gone through great lengths to evade us."
"Animals get on well with the shifters that take on their form." I explained to Riley through a whisper. "It will be surprising if one hides from us."
Keri pointed to another member to speak.
"Could they be the murderer?"
Keri's calm facade almost crumbled at the questions, her teeth covering her bottom lip for a moment before she got a hold of herself. She was our leader; she had to stay calm or at least appear to be so.
"It is a possibility," she admitted, "but we don't think they are. Not after the way they treated Riley. A lone human boy would've been an easy prey, too tempting of an opportunity to pass on."
"What I want to know is how did they get through our defences?" Jasper needlessly raised his voice in the quiet premises. "Obviously, mistakes were made when coming up with the patrols' schedule and routines..."
"I did not allow you to speak, cousin," Keri's voice shook with anger she tried to control when she continued, "but I will overlook your intrusion because I'm sure you only spoke in haste out of concern for the wellbeing of our community. And I will give you a reply. The schedule was prepared by my Beta and my brother Anthony, then approved by me, and then by the Council. I cannot tell you whether mistakes were made during the drawing of that schedule or during its application, but I remind you that you, as a member of the Council, also voted for its current version."
Jasper straightened up and crossed his arm over his chest, his jaw clenching.
"Any other ques..." Keri halted when the pub door opened again.
Any hope that we were to receive an update on the white wolf disappeared when Callum's large frame - long brown coat, fedora and all - entered the pub and I saw my own disappointment reflected on the faces of many of the Silver Bullets. I had respect for the Detective, but I'd much rather hear news from our patrols.
"Wonderful, another human," Jasper muttered, yet we all heard him, Callum included and he turned towards Jasper. I could not see the Detective's face from where I stood, but the stare he aimed at the other man must've been formidable as Jasper unconsciously took a small step back, his face going red once he realized what he'd done.
Satisfied with the reaction, Callum moved away and joined us on the second floor.
"Miss Greer," the forty year old man greeted gruffly once his eyes fell on Keri.
"Detective Callum." My best friend's tone was far from welcoming.
*****
A/N: What do you think of the chapter?
The next chapters have both Rhys and Riley present at all times so those of you who've read YATA wouldn't see anything new if I only re-write from Rhys' POV. I was thinking of a way to give you something new so in Chapter 48 you get a very short scene from Detective Callum's POV with him and Keri and in Chapter 49 you'll get a teaser from the Alec/Riley one-shot.
Enjoy!
And please support YATA in The Fiction Awards!
Have a great time wattpadding!