~~

Dietrich

~~

We were in the back of one of the SUVs on the way back to Colorado Springs and Trinity and Reece's estate. There were quite a few more people with us than when we had left with but the drive was still smooth and comfortable.

I was sitting in the third row of seats alone with Shawn, Shane was in the second row alone and he was currently turned around in his seat to face us.

"Why did you do it, Dietrich? Why did you push me out of the way?" Shane was looking at me with anger filled eyes. "If you could have seen the fear, the pain in my brother's eyes when he saw that you were hurt. Why would you do that to him?

"Shane, bruder, did you not hear your brother scream for you when he thought you were going to be hurt. Did you not notice the pain and anguish he felt. I could not let you be hurt any more than I could let Shawn be hurt. You are brothers, twins, you might bicker and fight but you love each other and are closer than most others."

"That's sweet and all, but what would have happened if you would have died? What would Shawn have done?" Shane was angry at me on Shawn's behalf.

"I would be willing to sacrifice myself for Shawn at any time, but I was not worried about myself. I am a vampire after all, and I am therefore made of stouter stuff."

"Are you saying that you are stronger than Shane?" My mate asked me when he heard what I had to say.

"Not stronger in that sense, but I am technically considered undead by most people. I do have a heart beating in my chest, but I did technically die momentarily when I became a vampire. My human self died that day, over five hundred years ago now. There is no human part of me left. But for you, wolves are more closely related to humans than vampires are. There was no death involved in your creation, so your lifeforce is a little more fragile than that of my own." Based on his shocked eyes, Shawn had not been expecting my answer to that question.

"But still, why would you risk it? Why would you chance that you could have died and left my brother all alone?" Shane was still filled with disbelief.

"If I hadn't, then not only would your brother have had to mourn your death, then your parents and your new mate would have as well. Your life is worth far more to other people than mine own. You have your pack, your friends and family, so many people who would miss you so much if you would have died, bruder." I simply did not know why he wasn't understanding this.

"Like we wouldn't miss you too." Shane yelled at me, anger filling him. "You're my brother's mate, that makes you as good as my brother too, that makes you as good as my parent's third son, you've become part of our pack, you are indispensable. Yet, you sit here and act like no one would miss you at all had you died."

My heart sank and my face fell. What he was saying, these words, they were things I had been hoping for, praying for, over the last five centuries. Had I finally found a new family? Not just a new mate but a full on family? I wonder.

"Look, I understand that you thought you could handle the blast better than I could, and that you've lived so long or whatever so you probably have that 'you've got so much of your life ahead of you' speech prepped and ready to give me, but that's all just bullshit because if my brother would have lost you, if he would have had to live his life with no mate for the rest of time then I would have brought your ass back to life just so I could fucking kick it. We're warriors, you got that? That means that Shawn and I went into this knowing that any day could literally be our last. But you're not a warrior, you don't have to put your life on the line like we do. If you do that again I will ground your ass and make you stay at home and safe sound for Shawn to come home to and take care of."

Shane was breathing hard after he had yelled at me, he seemed to have put a lot of feeling into that outburst of his.

"I am truly sorry Shane, I never thought I would be missed by so many if I was not here. I know Shawn would mourn me, but I was not aware that there were others. You are right. But that is another reason why I had to take the blast, we both needed to live so that no one was left hurting."

"I think that was some genuine heartache I saw on my brother's face. He was hurt, and so was Trinity. They were both worried about you."

"I can't apologize for actually doing what I did, but I will for not having thought it all the way through. I would do it again though, knowing that I was able to survive and not knowing if you would be able to say the same. I do not want my mate's family to be so torn by the loss of one of their sons."

"You're not going to change your opinion on this are you?" Shane looked mad still.

"Drop it Shane, you're both alive and that is all that I could ask for. I didn't lose my brother or my boyfriend. Isn't that the best possible outcome?"

I snapped my head to the side to look at Shawn, just barely catching the shock filled eyes of Shane as he too gaped at his brother. Shawn had called me his boyfriend, not just his mate but his boyfriend. Was this true progress? I could only hope that it was.

"Fine, I guess you're right." Shane's anger finally deflated as he looked down at the back of the seat he was leaning against. "Just remember Dietrich, if you go and die on my brother, breaking his heart in any way, I will kill you, even if I have to resurrect your sorry ass first."

With that Shane turned around and faced the front of the vehicle for the rest of the drive.

When we got back to the estate and were trying to figure out where everyone was going to be staying for the time being, I knew what it was I wanted. I walked to Shawn's side and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Will you stay with me tonight, Liebling? I promise, it will be just as innocent as it was the last time. I just don't want to go the entire night without you." Shawn looked at me with surprised eyes but he nodded his head almost immediately.

After that we walked hand in hand back to my room. There was a brief, peck of a kiss when we got inside. I took my shower first while he waited in the room. He had insisted, saying that I was the one who had been injured during the fight. I didn't want to argue so I just took the first shower, letting the hot water relax my tense body.

After that Shawn took his shower, a tense time for me while I imagined his naked body so close yet so far away from me.

Once again, I was wearing nothing more than my boxers as I went to lay in the bed, and I was shocked to see that Shawn was wearing the same thing.

"I didn't bring my bag." He said sheepishly as he climbed into the bed. He didn't know how happy and excited this was making me. I was going to have an even bigger fight for self control than I did the last time we slept like this.

We spooned once again, this time Shawn was the big spoon as he wrapped himself around me, holding on for dear life like he wanted to make sure that I didn't disappear in the middle of the night. I think he would have asked to sleep with me if I hadn't asked him first. This night, as filled with pain as it was during the battle, it ended with nothing less than heart swelling joy and love. I love Shawn more than life itself, more than anything in the entire world, and I could clearly see the love for me that Shawn was finally showing.

"I love you." Shawn's voice whispered quietly into my ear as he drifted off to sleep.

"I love you too, Liebe. Göttin, ich liebe dich so sehr Shawn." I whispered back as I heard his rhythmic breathing begin. He was already asleep, exhausted on all levels, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I wanted to make his weariness go away, I wanted to protect him for all time. And I wanted to make him all mine, truly all mine.