Finding A Balance

The sun was rising when Malcolm was in the shower with a great lather when the Alpha barged in. "What in the fuck, Malcolm!" He was standing in the shower with his jeans on. No shirt or shoes.

"What the fuck, Byron? I'm in the shower!" Malcolm was surprised but he wasn't sure why. He pissed off the Alpha. He made Byron angry. This was not the goal.

"What were you thinking? We had those vampires!" Byron was breathless. "Are you hurt?"

Malcolm stared at his mate. "No? Are you hurt?" He was looking at his mate for wounds.

"No. Those three were weak!" Byron wanted to laugh. "What were you thinking? They could have killed you!"

Malcolm laughed. "Byron. I'm a vampire hunter. Those three couldn't kill me on a bad day! It wasn't my first fight. I do hunt vampires for a living. You know that, right?"

Byron took a breath. "Uh, right. Of course I know that but...I...." He felt like an idiot. "It's just that I'm not used to being the one that's rescued. I don't like being the damsel in distress!"

"Sucks to be the woman, huh?" Malcolm smirked.

Byron laughed as he softened. "Not all the time!" He kissed Malcolm and touched his face with just his finger tips. He looked at Malcolm in his blue eyes. "Are you okay?"

Malcolm nodded and touched his mate's face. "Do you need to search my body for wounds?"

Byron was ready now. "I wasn't going to ask." It was a threat and Malcolm was turned on.

Byron grabbed Malcolm's face in his hands and kissed him softly. He needed his mate right now. He wrapped around Malcolm and pushed him to the shower wall as the kisses become more urgant and needy. The need was building and Byron needed Malcolm now.

Malcolm helped peel off the wet jeans and they finished the shower in style. Malcolm was ready for another shower anytime.

They were getting dressed. "I'm starving!" Byron put on some shoes and watched his mate. "Malcolm?"

Malcolm was sliding a shirt on. "Yes, Byron."

"Sorry about being so defensive. I like to fight." He shrugged.

Malcolm laughed. "So do I! I should have made sure you were okay before I barged in swinging my sword."

"I hated seeing you in harm's way. I don't like seeing my mate in any danger. I forget that you are a capable vampire hunter and I'm very territorial." Byron sat on the bed.

Malcolm watched Byron smile. "I am very capable. Are you saying that I'm your territory?"

"That is what I'm saying." Byron reassured him with a sexy glare.

Malcolm got goosebumps. He was Byron's territory and he melted at the thought. "Hey, can we fight after breakfast?"

"Fight?" Byron raised an eyebrow in question.

"Boxing or something." Malcolm watched the eyebrow.

Byron's face spread into a smile and his eyes glowed yellow. "I would love that, Malcolm." He stood up and walked to his mate. He held Malcolm's face in his hands. Malcolm melted at how gentle Byron could be. "Thanks for saving us."

Malcolm just moaned as Byron kissed him softly. "Anytime, my love."

Byron looked in his eyes.

Malcolm touched Byron's face and gazed into his eyes. "I love you, both of you, and would save you every day."

Byron almost melted. "Fuck me!" He almost collapsed into Malcolm. He never knew he could feel this way about anyone.

Malcolm smiled and let Bryon have whatever he wanted as he was attacked again. They were never getting to breakfast like this and breakfast didn't seem so important. The bond between them felt stronger, tighter somehow. Malcolm felt it and smiled as he got dressed again.

They wandered down the stairs into the smell of meat. It was like a wall of smell when they got to the bottom of the stairs. Byron was holding Malcolm's hand, they were one person and Byron wasn't letting it go even as they entered the kitchen. The family was there already.

"Where were you two?" Cash smiled. Byron was clinging to Malcolm. They were almost one person and Malcolm looked happy.

"Do you want the details?" Malcolm challenged.

Cash made a face. "Hell no!" He looked at Emma. "I lost that one!"

Byron laughed. He had to let go of his mate for a few minutes, but paused just long enough to smell Malcolm's neck.

He looked at the food. "Oh yes. Steak!" He took two that were very bloody and threw some eggs on top and sat down. Malcolm followed him with a more well done steak.

Malcolm scooted closer to Byron so that their bodies were touching. They ate in silence. Everyone else was watching them. Tucker and Cash were watching Malcolm for any sign of panic. He wasn't a 'find your mate' kind of person.

Malcolm had a thought. "Tucker or Trevor. Can either of you hack a phone?" He put it on the table. He didn't even look up or stop eating.

They both stared at Malcolm. They could have just never looked away. "What?" Tucker asked. He had four doughnuts on his plate. He thought these were the best he ever tasted and he was pretty sure they were homemade. He was grateful to someone.

"I took this phone off one of York's men last night and I wanted to see if you could hack it. Find a location?" Malcolm was cutting his steak.

"Uh, where were you last night to find York's men?" Tucker asked.

"Did you go hunting without me!" Cash asked.

"Yes but I didn't schedule it. They were after my men." Malcolm started eating like there weren't five people looking at him like he was growing another head.

"You care to elaborate?" Cash stared some more.

Byron took over. "My wolf and I being attacked by three dumb vampires. They were weak. We had one in our mouth and one in our hand when Superman here, showed up and took out two." Byron paused and looked at Malcolm. "We could have done it without you putting yourself in danger." He looked at his mate.

"We've been through this. I was saving my woman!" Malcolm tried for a serious expression.

Byron growled and Trevor gasped. He thought this was how Malcolm died. Byron just started laughing. "I am beating the crap out of you later!" His eyes were yellow.

Malcolm shook his head. "You can try!" Malcolm laughed and cleared his throat. He looked at his brothers. "We're boxing or something later if you want to join us. I need some practice. Don't look at me like that, Cash. I didn't have time to call you."

"Don't let that happen again. I could use some vampires to practice on." He turned to Emma. "Are you going to practice too?"

"Sounds like a fun time. Yes! Maybe we can swim when we are done. It's cloudy today." Emma looked out the window. "Maybe, it's going to rain. I can swim in the rain."

"Sounds like fun. Fight until lunch and then swim." Byron smiled and took his plate to the sink. He was starving and finished his food fast. He felt much better. Between the run, the fight and the sex with Malcolm, he was famished.

"Uh, can I watch?" Veronica asked. She was very shy and wasn't sure she would be welcomed.

Byron turned to look at her because he never heard her speak. "Absolutely, Veronica. It would be nice to get to know you." He smiled. He knew he scared her.

Veronica smiled. "Thanks." She almost whispered it. Trevor just wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. He was in love with this vampire.

"So? What is happening with the pair of you?" Byron smiled and sat beside Malcolm and wrapped an arm around him to pull him closer. He was comfortable next to his mate. He hated walking as far as the sink without Malcolm. This was terrible and fantastic.

Trevor looked up. "You want details?"

Byron laughed and shook his head. "None of us want that! You two getting married or something? We could have like three weddings at one time!" He shrugged. "I'm in a weird place!"

Trevor shook his head. He wasn't answering that and embarrassing himself.

Malcolm just laughed and saw Trevor's face. He was embarrassed so Malcolm helped him. "Sounds like it! I expect a ring and you have to get on one knee and ask me the right way! Beg."

Byron smiled. He would beg for Malcolm. "Deal. You still owe me a date to that steak place." He nuzzled Malcolm.

Malcolm smiled. "Right. Get you drunk and take advantage of you." He closed his eyes and nuzzled Byron and inhaled. He smelled so good.

"I'm going to feed you ice cream and then warm you up when you get cold!" They were close to making out at the table. Byron was thinking of a million ways to warm Malcolm up. He had to stop or he was dragging him off again. Surely, he could make it a few hours without dragging his mate off. He bit Malcolm's ear and heard him moan.

"Gentlemen!" Trevor had to yell. These two were still flirting.

Byron laughed. "Sorry! Well...not really." He kissed Malcolm and they melted together. Malcolm pulled Byron in closer and his hands were in Byron's hair again. He loved his hair. It was so soft and he smelled so great.

"This is worse than when he dated women!" Cash complained. He smiled at his brother. He never saw Malcolm in love and knew that he was now. He actually thought it was sweet.

Malcolm stopped the makeout session, touched his forehead to Byron's and smiled. "I know! This is much worse!" He smiled and Byron nodded. He never felt this way about any woman. "Who's ready to fight!"

Byron growled. "I am taking you down."

"Just no sex in the gym!" Trevor glared at the two men.

"Right." Byron said that like it was on some list and he was marking it off.