We are the Answer {boyxboy} ✔ (Dogs, Bats & Monkeys series, Book I | Rhys)

Chapter 2

A/N: While I was writing this, Rhys addressed Riley by his name... Oh, boy, what a mistake that would've been on my part! After all, they did not introduce themselves yet. Anyhow, enjoy the chapter :)

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"Buckle up," I insisted, doing so myself. I was a careful driver and had yet to start the engine, but the thought of him getting hurt in a car accident - or in any other way for that matter - terrified me.

What was his name anyway?

I craved to find out what was the name of my mate, but I was afraid to ask. I was a stranger and he feared me; he'd only find me more intimidating if I made personal inquiries.

But was asking for something as basic as what he was called an inquiry?

After all, it was standard for people to introduce themselves to one another or to ask for each other's name when they first met.

Should I ask him?

I turned my head towards the boy and realized he was studying me. His beautiful brown eyes were fixated on my face, fluttering from one spot to another until they landed on the four shameful lines that started from my left cheek and made their way down my neck - the giveaway signs of my moment of weakness.

"Buckle up," I repeated and once he did so, I turned to the road, depriving him of the view of my scars. I brought the engine to life and drove the car out of the parking lot and onto the street.

"Where do you live?" I asked, trying to keep my voice low and emotion-free so that I wouldn't disturb him. I couldn't let him know how much I wanted to pull over, ask him for his name and then embrace him in my arms, kissing his mouth, his neck... Kissing wherever he'd allow me.

The boy murmured a reply and wrapped his arms around his torso, no doubt to comfort himself.

"Are you cold?" I desired with all my heart to hear a truthful "yes", to have that as a reason for his movements, but I knew I hoped in vain; it was my presence that made him act that way, not the warm summer weather.

Just as I expected, he gave a negative answer by shaking his head.

"So I still managed to frighten you," I muttered and his gaze - previously on the road - turned to me as the boy commenced another examination of my person.

There was a good chance he had noticed the disappointed note in my tone so I decided not to speak again until I had control over my composure and my inflection. For the most part, I made good on that decision, breaking the silence between us only once; when the quiet had gotten too much for me to handle, I'd offered him to turn on the radio on a station by his choosing. He said he didn't care about what station the radio was on, but to my great delight, he'd smiled - a small smile, but it was there and more than enough to make my heart skip a beat - when I turned the radio on to my favorite station and he admitted it was one he often listened to as well.

It made me happy to know that we had at least one thing in common; after all, I'd try as hard as I could and them some to make him fall in love with me and move into my house so having similar interest was a plus, it would make our life together that much better.

But I shouldn't get ahead of myself. I should go about this slowly, first show him that he could trust me and only then try to make him love me.

I stopped in front of a six-storey apartment building, on the opposite side of town that our pub was. It wasn't a striking edifice, just your average concrete lower-middle class premises. It was nothing like the homely houses in my neighborhood. Even the poorest of our pack members had given their dwellings some character with decorations and well-kept gardens; this place was devoid of any.