Magic and Wolves: Book 1 of West Mountain

Instincts

^^^Asher^^^

The small Pride of Lions seemed to fill up the room to a near stifling level. The women were all identical, six feet tall, high cheek bones, almost ethereally beautiful. They would have been impossible to tell apart, but each had their light blonde hair in different lengths and styles from long and pin straight to a spiked Mohawk. They all clearly had vastly different personal styles and tastes in clothes and body art. They stood or sat around the room watching the wolves, silently listening as Cecilia laid out everything that they knew about the Cult of Mages, the Mages chasing Alistar, how they wanted Hammer and why they thought they had taken him.

The man was a few inches taller than the female lions but the similarities in features made it clear he was related in some way to the 6 women. His long blonde hair fell in waves around his strong features like a mane to his shoulders. The most startling part of his appearance was his eyes, one a bright cerulean blue, the other a deep amethyst.

"I'm impressed Alpha." Asher stated, "Few would have the strength to not blindly charge after their Mate, throwing all rational thought and intelligence to the wind. The strength of your character continues to defy expectations."

Pretentious Bastard. Oscar's voice chuckled in Cecilia's head; he was clearly entertained by the Alpha Lion.

"You sound like a douche little brother." One of the female lions scoffed, "You stay here and chat, were going to go do all the real work."

She playfully punched her sibling on the arm as she walked past him, followed by her other five sisters, all smirking at the fuming man. He shook his head as he watched the rest of his Pride leave the room.

"Your sisters?" Cecilia tried not to smirk at the glare Asher was sending towards the door, his irritation at his sibling's lack of respect very clear.

"Yes. We're septuplets." Oscar's eyebrows raised slightly at that, and Asher laughed slightly, "Yeah, it was hell for a while. Seven of us all going through shifts then puberty at the same time."

Cecilia chuckled then, "Your parents must have saint like patience."

Asher shrugged, "I wouldn't know, they were killed soon after we were born."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Asher cleared his throat and clapped his hands together.

"So, when do I have the pleasure of meeting the wayward mage who brought the fires of damnation down upon us all?"

Cecilia's eyebrows hit her hairline as Oscar let out a deep chuckle.

"He's with our Gamma, they are getting something that might help us."

Asher nodded, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes on the large map on the table.

"Well, I hope to make his acquaintance sooner rather than later. I do so enjoy meeting new people."

********************************

His legs burned.

His throat was dry.

His feet were destroyed.

Everything hurt.

Steffan didn't know how long or how far he had run but it feels like he had been on the move forever.

He wondered if he should have shifted to his wolf. Maybe he made a mistake. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. One thing he felt sure about, this would kill him. He had tapped so far into his shifter sides for their strength he had nearly drained all his power and energy and he was still running.