Magic and Wolves: Book 1 of West Mountain

Definitely Not a Dream

Everything was hazy. His brain was in a fog as he opened his eyes. Hammer took in the ceiling above him, it wasn't interesting, just a ceiling. He tried to move but a sharp, intense pain shot through his left side making him groan in pain. As soon as the sound left his mouth, he could hear chairs moving and people getting to their feet, coming to check on him. Someone grabbed his hand, and the familiar tingle of sparks went through him.

"Cecilia?" he groaned out, looking around for the familiar sight of his Mate.

His eyes finally found her, her beautiful olive skin, her long dark hair, there were bags under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in days. Considering what he could remember, he wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

"I swear to fuck Sampson, if you ever scare me like this again, I will put two wolves on your tail at all times, you won't even be able to go to the bathroom by yourself."

Clearly, she was mad. Not that Hammer could really blame her, if the situation had been reversed, he would find a tracking spell so permanent and accurate hed know how to find her no matter the distance or circumstances. Hammer moved his hand, grabbed a hold of her wrist, and pulled her down onto the bed with him.

"Sampson! You need to be careful, or you'll hurt yourself more." Cecilia tried to move off him but Hammer just wrapped an arm around her, pulling her tight to the uninjured side of his body.

"Stop moving and it won't hurt A Chuisle." Hammer muttered, his eyes closing again, "Its better when your near, so just stay with me like this for now."

"Still clingy I see." A deep chuckle filled the room.

Hammer's eyes sprung open at the voice. A voice he hadn't heard in years.

"Ali?" The lean, black haired man fades into his view. His eyes still as black and disconcerting as they were years ago but now Hammer doesn't shy away from them. "I thought I was hallucinating before. You're really here."

Alistar laughed and smiled broadly, shocking Cecilia, she hadn't seen the dark-haired man show so much emotion.

"You never know Hammer; you might still be hallucinating. This could all be some grand coma dream." The lanky Half-Mage smirked at his incapacitated friend, "Or you're dead and this is your way of passing into the afterlife?"

Hammer laughed, and instantly regretted it when pain shot through the left side of his chest.

"Definitely not a dream, hurts too much to not be reality."

Cecilia chuckled, settling into Hammer's side, her wolf nearly purring with contentment at the contact with her Mate. She closed her eyes, focusing on listening to the steady beat of Hammers heart, letting herself relax into the knowledge that he was alive and safe with her once again. One thing she knew for sure, as soon as he was healed, they were going to complete their Mating. Having him torn away from her with no way of finding him or knowing if he was even alive was too much for her to handle again.

"A Chuisle?" Hammers voice was soft, barely a whisper in her ear.

"Hmm?" She hummed, too content to even open her eyes, her fingers tracing random, mindless patterns across his chest.

"Are you alright?" Hammer was concerned for her; she was more sedate than he had ever seen her. Her normal roaring fire burned down to barely an ember. Her raging personality, uncharacteristically muted.

"Am I alright? ME?" Her eyes flew open, and she shot up to look him in the eyes. The fire thundering back to life between one breath to the next. "You were STABBED Sampson. He missed your heart by barely an inch and you're asking ME if I'm alright?"

Hammer tried not to grin at her reaction. It hadn't been his intention to enrage her, but he couldn't help but feel a warm contentment in his core at the heat of her reaction.

"I know I'm alright, but I don't know how you are and I'm sure few have thought to ask you."

He wasn't wrong. She was the Alpha, the source of strength for the Wolf Pack. Having both their Alpha and their Luna in danger had upset many of the wolves. Things were beginning to settle now that both were safe, and the contentment of the Pack could be felt though the link they all shared as a pack, one that hadn't been felt since before the last Alpha Zachariah had taken over.

"Now that you're safe and back where you belong, I'm fine." She took a breath, settling herself, "It was not easy. You weren't even gone for long Sampson, but it felt like years, trying to stay strong for the Pack and the entire town was a struggle but I would prefer to avoid anything like that again."

"What happened to Francis?"

"He won't be bothering us again. We made sure of that."

Hammer nodded, his eyes starting to close again before another thought caused him to nearly bolt upwards from the bed.

"While they had me A Chuisle there was another man, tall, very thin, shaggy black hair, covered in scars, doesn't talk. He escaped to get help. Please tell me he is ok, the things they did to him." Hammers voice broke, remembering the state of the man he felt had helped save his life, remembering the torture he had watched and the knowledge that what he had seen wasn't even the worse that the man had endured.

Cecilia gently eased Hammers shoulders back to the bed and rested her head on his chest, resuming the soothing motion of her fingers on his skin.

"Don't tax yourself Sampson. He found us. That was Steve, or Steffan now I suppose. He was one of Zachariah's Betas, he ran when I took over the Pack. The Mages must have captured him. He was how we were able to find you as quickly as we did. Don't worry about him, the doctor assures us he will make a full physical recovery in time. Alistar has been spending time here and in his room and Carson is there as well. I doubt even an Alpha command could get Carson from that room."

"What will happen to him? Will you banish him because of his time with Zachariah?"

"No. Much has come to light about Steffans time in the pack. If anything, the Pack owes him an apology for what has happened to him right under our noses. We have quite a bit to fix, Zachariah was a testament to the damage an Alpha can do, especially without a Luna or second Alpha to balance them."

"Does that mean I balance you, Alpha?" Hammer teased.

Cecilia leaned up looking at Hammers restful face, his eyes closed, a slight smile on his lips.

"You're my Mate Sampson, the other half of my soul, without you I would be lost. You brought me back into the world. I was so content to hide away from who I was meant to be, from the Alpha I was supposed to become. After my family died, I didn't want to let anyone new into my life, I didn't want attachments or connections to others. If you don't get attached, you don't get hurt when you lose people. After meeting you I have started to connect again, especially with my Pack. My wolf hasn't been this at peace for years and that is because of you, Sampson. You have helped me to grow into the Alpha I was born to be, and I will be honored if you stay by my side as my partner, my second Alpha but most importantly my Mate."

Hammer had opened his eyes partway through her small speech, his eyes full of wonder and amazement. He reached up to wipe away the tear that had escaped from her eyes as she spoke. He was in awe of the woman next to him. She was full of strength, even in her vulnerability she was strong.

"I was afraid I would never see you again A Chuisle. I wasn't afraid of what the Mages would make me do, of the torture they would subject me to when I refused to help them or if they would kill me, I was afraid I would never see you again. You are so strong, independent, talented, caring and so many things I don't have time to describe them all. I don't ever want to be separated from you again Cecilia and as soon as I am well enough to, I plan on asking you to complete our bond officially."

Cecilias breath caught; she may have known he would agree to officially Mate but hearing it from his own lips did things to her heart she had never felt before. The only reason she hadn't shifted to howl with joy would mean moving away from her Mate so instead she molded her body to his side and basked in the warmth of their connection. Hammer tightened his hold and buried his nose into her hair, filling his lungs with the scent of vanilla and sugar cookies, his heart content at finding the place where he truly belonged and the person who loved him for who he was and not his power.