Magic and Wolves: Book 1 of West Mountain

Not My House

The sharp, tantalizing aroma of coffee pulled Hammer from his sleep. It smelled like real, proper coffee, not the instant kind Hammer had been running off on for the last few years. He started to stretch but found his body was contorted and jammed into a ridiculously small space.

Hammer blinked his eyes open and instead of looking at his bedroom he found himself staring at Franny. She was wearing a large fuzzy tan cardigan over a tank top and shorts, her hair was down, and she wasn't wearing glasses, she also had the wolf slippers on her feet. She was holding a mug in her hands and staring right back at him.

"Wha? Franny? Are you in my house?" Hammer sat up slowly, groaning as his body protested the movement. He took in more of the room as he woke up more, fully comprehending that he was not at home, "Not my house."

"Nope." Franny answered with a chuckle. She held out the mug to him, "Coffee?"

Hammer grabbed the cup like he was drowning, and it was a life preserver.

"Come have breakfast. Its omelets today."

Hammer stood and followed Franny into the kitchen, noting that her wolf slippers had tails that moved with each step she took. Oscar stood at the stove in a tight tank top and sweatpants, flipping an omelet. He nodded at Hammer when he entered and went back to cooking. Hammer sat down at a small dining table to sip his coffee and watch the two wolves. Ever since talking with Cecilia at the Tower he had a theory about Oscar and Franny, and he was curious if he was right.

As Franny moved around the kitchen pulling out plates, bringing over cream and sugar, and doing other tasks, Oscars eyes followed her around the kitchen, tracking her movements. Whenever Franny would get near Oscar, she would subtly make physical contact with him. Hammer watched all this, intrigued by their back and forth, never quite crossing the boundary between friends and lovers but rather standing firm with feet on either side.

Oscar looked at him and gestured to the ingredients in front of him and Hammer nodded. He had yet to hear the large man utter a word, but he liked the sense of his aura, calm and steady, it balanced out Franny's pulsing, high energy.

Cecilia had yet to appear, and Hammer wondered if she was avoiding him. He thought she had been understanding and kind when he had told her about his past but maybe he was wrong, maybe now that she had time to process, she did blame him for her family's deaths.

"CeCe tends to sleep later than the rest of us. She is a bit of a night owl." Franny stated as she slid an omelet in front of him, "But she texted me at about 3am saying to make sure we gave you breakfast and to tell you to answer your phone. Or else."

Hammer nodded, feeling slightly relieved, she probably was not avoiding him. Oscar and Franny were settling in to eat when someone started pounding on the front door. Oscar took a deep breath through his nose and his expression shifted to anger.

"Who..." Franny started to ask.

"Zachariah"

All three stood up but before they even left the kitchen, there was a loud crash from the hallway.

"That sounded like the door," Franny whispered, she was trembling and had grabbed onto Oscar's arm.

"Franny go into the pantry and stay there," Franny nodded locking eyes with Oscar before disappearing through a door off the kitchen. "You can go with her if you want Hammer."

"No," Hammer shook his head, feeling his resolve strengthening, "I'm done running away."

"I KNOW YOURE HERE BITCH. COME OUT NOW LAWSON." Zachariah's voice boomed through the house and Hammer could feel a hint of power behind his words. Oscars back stiffened and he heard Franny whimper in the pantry. Oscar squared his shoulders and walked out to Zachariah; Hammer followed right behind.

Zachariah was the same height as Hammer, so when the angry wolf swung around to see who had come from the kitchen he looked right into Hammer's eyes and Hammer was stunned at the amount of unbridled, crazed rage in the dark brown eyes. Hammer barely had time to take in the other man's features before he was thrown back against the wall.

"You're the so-called Mate? You're not even a wolf!" Zachariah was shouting, moving closer to Hammer, he was clearly furious, and Hammer could feel a tension in the air, "Her scent is all over you! I won't let anyone else have her!"

There was a sound of clothes shredding and Zachariah was replaced by a snarling wolf. Hammer could hear Oscar shouting but he could not hear the words. He saw the large dark brown wolf spring towards him, he had only seconds to react before he would be mincemeat.

Hammer closed his eyes, grabbing the pendant he wore under his shirt and tried to focus but all he could think was What the fuck just happened!?!