Other Plans

Aspen was in search of his boys, he had some news. He found Malcolm and Byron first. He walked to Byron's office and listened. He wanted to get a sense of how they were together when no one was around. Byron was doing some paperwork and Malcolm was just hanging out.

"So, have you thought about a date?" Byron asked.

Malcolm looked up. "Uh, I have. It's all I think about but I just never thought that I would have to pick a date." He took a breath.

Byron put down his papers. "Hey, we don't have to get married soon. We can wait to pick a date. I don't have one in mind either."

"Are you trying to back out?" Malcolm smiled Byron's favorite smile.

Byron laughed. "Do I look stupid to you? My mother would kill me. She likes you and that reminds me, we are having dinner with her tonight." He watched Malcolm for a reaction.

"Just going to boss me around, huh?" Malcolm smiled. He liked Jill but she still made him nervous.

Byron was over the desk and on his knees in front of Malcolm. "No. I'm sorry. She called this morning and invited us. Do you want to have dinner with my mother tonight? Is that okay?" He touched Malcolm's face, gently.

Byron was very gentle and sweet. Hell, Aspen melted a little. "Sorry about the Alpha thing." He kissed Malcolm and Aspen heard his son sigh.

"Thanks. Byron, I know you and don't ever apologize for being the Alpha. I know it's who you are. I was just giving you a hard time." He smiled and touched Byron's face.

"But you're right, I should ask more and not boss you around. You're not my wolves, you are my mate. I'll try harder with that. Knock me on my ass if I do that again." Byron smiled at Malcolm as Malcolm stood up.

Malcolm kissed Byron. "I love you and I would love to knock you on your ass. It's a great ass." He licked Byron's neck.

"Don't tease me, Malcolm. I have a ton of paperwork but...Fuck! Get the door!" Byron spoke and his voice was deep.

Aspen moved away from the door as it closed and waited for it to open again. It took longer to open than he expected.

He had no idea what they were doing for that long. He really didn't want to think about it. He found a book and began to read. He finished three chapters before the door opened again. Both men were laughing. He really didn't want to know.

Aspen walked up to the door and knocked this time. He was afraid if he waited they would close the door again. "Sir."

"Aspen. Please come in. You are always welcome. Please, sit." Byron smiled and sat down. Aspen made him nervous because he was Malcolm's dad but he refused to show his nerves.

"Thanks." Aspen nodded and sat. "I wanted to let you know that Malcolm's mom is coming. I tried to talk her out of it but she was already driving. She was worried and wanted to grieve with us for Trish. She's upset."

"Of course. Like I said, Aspen, you're welcome here anytime. That includes your wife." Byron smiled. "She's part of the family. She's part of our family also."

"When is she going to be here?" Malcolm was nervous.

"In the morning maybe closer to afternoon." Aspen knew Malcolm was nervous to tell his mother he was marrying a man. Aspen looked at Byron. He could be a god of some kind.

"She isn't going to like this at all." Malcolm whispered.

"No. But I didn't think I would but this place is enchanting. She may be okay. Byron's charming and you are the cutest couple. I damn near melted just a while ago listening to you talk."

"I think she'll recover. There are a lot of things she won't understand but she loves everyone and I think she'll be okay with things later. It may help if you pick a date before she arrives and I'm not trying to rush you." Aspen sighed.

"Wait? You were listening to us talk? How long ago?" Malcolm was worried. Byron smiled. He knew that Aspen was there because he smelled him. He knew he was close but he wasn't changing anything for someone other than Malcolm.

"I wanted to make sure he was going to treat you with respect. I almost melted into a pile of goo in the living room." Aspen smiled at his wild son. Aspen was always more like Cash. More reserved. Malcolm was more like Kitty, his mom, more wild.

Malcolm smiled at his dad. A huge weight was lifted when he found out that his dad was okay with his relationship with Byron. "Byron's perfect, Dad. He would never hurt me. I would never hurt him either." He watched Byron smile and nod. "I don't know about a date."

"Well, maybe we can wait until your mom has more information. She may freak out." Byron sat at his desk. "We can wait for a while longer. I will wait forever for Malcolm."

Aspen hated that he liked Byron for Malcolm. They really did seem perfect for each other. "So, this mate thing, how does it work?"

"We're connected down to our souls. We're one person." Byron simplified it.

"Okay. That sounds intense!" Aspen stared at the Alpha's shoulder. "How did you know? I mean is it...I don't know what to ask."

Malcolm smiled. "It was subtle at first. I found Byron interesting but I thought it was because he was Byron! I was thinking about getting his autograph before we left."

"Really?" Byron smiled at Malcolm.

"Yes. Then I watched him closer and thought he was hot. I checked out his ass and began to get worried. I flirted with him and he flirted back. We had a dream that we shared. Don't ask." Malcolm put a hand up in front of his dad.

Byron continued. "I kept finding reasons to go to the house. I had the shared dream and we went to dinner. I figured a couple of guys going out for food but it felt more like a date by the end."

"Best date I ever went on." Malcolm promised.

"I know. After that I was smitten." Byron confessed. "I made an excuse to have dinner at their house, it was a couple of days later and that was too long and it was downhill from there. I dragged them all here and made Malcolm ride in my truck with me. It was a mistake because the bond was seal then."

"How did you know that?" Malcolm meant to ask earlier.

"When I smelled you. I had to fight the wolf right then. He wanted you too. I almost pulled over and dragged you to the woods. I don't know how we made it to the house. I honestly do not remember!"

Byron looked at Aspen. "I was having a tough time and then when we got to the house I had work to do. All I wanted to do was kiss Malcolm again!" Byron watched Malcolm for his reaction.

"Again?" Aspen couldn't help but ask.

Malcolm covered his face. This was his dad. Byron didn't care since Aspen didn't. "I followed him to his room at the other house and kissed him. I just...dinner was weird and I was already...ready."

He watched Aspen nod. Aspen got that, they didn't need to say it. Byron was turned on. "He didn't punch me and the second kiss was..." Byron sighed.

"He wrapped his hands in my hair and I was his. I never saw it coming either. Usually, finding a mate is a surprise but I was not expecting my mate to be a man. I never thought about a man. Never. Well, until that dream!"

"Must have been some dream." Aspen smiled.

"Now, I know how Cash feels!" Malcolm was embarrassed.

"Do you want to hear it?" Byron winked.

"I really can't help myself. Is it dirty?" Aspen smiled.

Malcolm groaned. "Yes!"

Byron laughed. He never had a dad like this. "This is fun! You don't have to hear it if you don't want to, Aspen. My dad wasn't someone I could talk to."

Aspen smiled. "Oh, I want to hear it, Byron, and I would love to be part of your family. I would be honored."

"I see where Malcolm gets it from."

"What?" Aspen was curious.

"I find him very charming. You have the same quality." Byron just stated how he felt.

"Thanks, Byron." Aspen almost blushed. "So the dream?" Byron told him the dream. "Awesome."

"When he told me the dream he had and I had the very same dream, I knew he was my mate and I almost passed out. Then we spent forty minutes together in the truck and the bond was sealed and we were doomed. Now, I can't get enough of him. Hell, I would marry him tomorrow!" Byron smiled at Malcolm, who finally moved his hands from his face.

"Me too!" Malcolm smiled at Byron.

"If you're not careful, Malcolm, that door will need to be closed again." Byron threatened. Malcolm agreed but he knew that Byron had work to do. He needed to talk to Adam also.

"So, do all wolves have dreams about their mates?" Malcolm was saving that question.

Byron shook his head. "That is just the Alpha. His bond with his mate begins stronger and sooner than other mates. Ours started when you walked into Emma and Trevor's in that wonderful battle gear. It got stronger and began to build after that and the dream is a warning of sorts. I ignored it at first." He shrugged. "I never thought I would have a mate."

"Why?" Malcolm had to know. He said that before.

"Well, because I'm different. I turned early and killed my father." He cleared his throat. He saw that they didn't understand. "It takes a very strong wolf to kill an Alpha. The Alpha is the strongest wolf in the area and I killed an Alpha at fourteen."

"It wasn't a full moon. I freak everyone out." Byron watched Malcolm. "It had been eighty years without a mate, I just figured I wouldn't have one. I gave up. There are Alphas in every pack but they are all scared of me."

"I think they respect you, Byron." Aspen put in.

Byron smiled. "Sure, respect me out of fear. I killed an Alpha at fourteen and they all know the story. That just wasn't done especially at that young age. We don't turn for the first time until sixteen and then we are wild. I turned and killed the Alpha and I just got stronger as the years rolled by. They are scared of what I am capable of now. That story of the silver cuffs will get out." He sighed.

"That was so hot! I had no idea. I talked to Val about that later and he said it was impossible to do what you did and fight vampires." Malcolm watched his mate. "You're not alone anymore, Byron, and I love that you are so powerful. Sexy. Damn it!" He was turned on just thinking about his mate.

Byron chuckled. "My mother said that it would take a very strong person to be my mate."

Aspen smiled. "That is what I said about Malcolm."

"That's the reason I never thought I would have one and when I met you, I dismissed that as a factor for the attraction. I just thought I was losing my mind!" Byron was silent for a minute.

"I hate to end this but I have some pack business to take care of." He picked up his phone and pushed a button. "Adam, my office as soon as you can." He hit end and set the phone down.

Malcom just stared at him. "What was that?"

"Oh, I need a Beta. I'm going to challenge Adam." Byron stated. "I am going to ask him and I have a lawyer coming. My mom. Then we will go have dinner with her. Just me and you. Okay?"

Malcolm nodded. "Sure. Uh, should I leave, Byron?"

"No. You stay. Aspen? Do you mind?" Byron needed this to be pack business.

"No, not at all. I need to call Kitty anyway. Oh, Malcolm's mom, her name is Kitty." Aspen stood. "Thanks for the stories, Sir." He walked out of the office.

Adam entered with Jill almost ten minutes later. "Malcolm. Good to see you again." Jill smiled and hugged Malcolm. She walked to the desk and pulled papers from her bag and adjusted her suit jacket. She had papers that Adam had to sign at the desk.

Malcolm watched Adam. If he wasn't with Byron, he may have hit on Adam. He was hot. He was slightly shorter than Malcolm with a lot of muscle.

He was all tan and his smiled was amazing and sexy. He had a very sexy smile. He realized he would never touch Adam though. Malcolm belonged to Byron.

"Good to see you. I hear we are having dinner with you tonight." Malcolm smiled.

"He'd better start asking you." Jill threatened.

"He ask very nicely." Malcolm smiled at Byron. He kindly requested as Malcolm was pinned to the desk. Byron also whispered the request in his ear as he bit it. And asked again quietly when they finished.

"Good." Jill approved. Malcolm could handle Byron and she was relieved. Not a lot of people saw him as an equal. No one saw him as equal.

Byron ignored their conversation. "Adam, you willing to be my Beta? Be a trusted friend and leader to my pack?" Byron wasn't chatting.

Adam nodded. He agreed to be Byron's Beta but he was nervous. He had no idea what to expect. He signed several forms and wasn't sure what else to do.

Jill explain the legal significance as Adam signed. Byron didn't explain what he was going to do because he wanted to see how well Adam trusted him. Trust was very important in a Alpha and Beta relationship.

Byron was part wolf in an instant and he was on Adam without warning and sunk his teeth into Adam's neck and slammed him into the wall. He held him to the wall and refused to let him move. Adam belonged to him until he said otherwise. This was violent. Malcolm didn't expect that.

Adam didn't even struggle, he always trusted Byron. Byron held him still for a few minutes. Byron growled and let go when Adam didn't pulled away. There was fear but that was expected, there was also trust and respect.

"Thank you, Adam." Byron shifted and finally smiled. He could feel the connection.

"Sir." Adam smiled. He felt connected to Byron. "I promise to serve you and this pack. I love you, Sir."

"I love you also, Adam." Byron nodded to Jill. "We are finished here. Take the night off and see me in the morning, Adam. You'll know when. Not early." He winked.

Adam smiled and nodded.

"Do you work tonight?"

"No. I work tomorrow evening. Is that a problem?" He had to ask.

"Not at all. I couldn't remember for sure." Byron hugged Adam and walked him to the door. "Thanks, Adam."

"Thank you, Byron. Sir." Adam smiled and left the house. He was playing poker with some of the guys. He couldn't believe he allowed the Alpha to mark him. They were connected now and he was the Beta. He was showing the guys!