Karma, that ‘s what this had to be. Hammer thought as he rode his motorcycle in the rain. Right now, he didn’t care if he crashed, maybe it would be for the best. Pain sliced through his chest when he had pulled away from Cecilia. He wished he knew more about what it was like for Mages when they found their Mates. It was so rare he had never heard of it before. He had no idea what it was like but the feelings he was having, his need to be around her, the sparks that coursed through him when he touched her, the way she was taking over his thoughts and now this pain, pain at thinking he had caused her pain, pain at driving away from her. All these feelings made him wonder if it was the Mate Bond.

He thought about his past, his time with the coven. He knew how the Mages had managed to sneak up on an entire pack of shifters, how they had been able to cause so much damage. He’d given them the tools to do it.

He’d been so eager for knowledge in his youth, so determined to stretch what he could do with magic, he never stopped to think about what was being asked of him and what his inventions and knowledge would be used for.

******* 6 YEARS AGO***************************

“Sampson, you’re going to miss your own ceremony!”

Hammer looked up from the metal pieces spread out in front of him. At 22 he was done growing in height, but he was just starting to gain muscle. It wasn’t the bulky muscle of someone who lifted weights, but the muscles of someone who worked hard. He was curious by nature, wanting to know how things worked and how he could make them better.

He had been studying potions and magical tools for nearly 7 years and today was the day he moved from apprentice to Mage, soon he’d be a Master Mage.

Hammer’s father, Everett stood just inside the doorway of Hammer’s workshop. He was very different from his son. He was around 5’8” tall, with a slightly pouched gut. His hair and beard were a salt and pepper color, both had grown long and wild, a sharp contrast to the neat, tailored suit he was wearing. He looked a bit like a short, modern day Merlin.

“Ah, Father, my apologies, I lost track of the time.”

“I understand son. Your drive and thirst for knowledge are well known to the entire coven.” Hammer’s Father wandered around the workshop, it was cluttered and chaotic, a physical manifestation of the mind of an enthusiastic 22-year-old. “The council is very impressed by your work already. They want you to continue after your ceremony, whatever you want to study, you will be free to study.”

Hammer stared at his father, shocked. It was rare for new mages to get so much freedom from the Council. Usually new Mages were watched for several years before being cut loose as it were.

“That’s unusual father. I’m honored the council has so much faith in me.”

“You earned it my son. Now go get ready, it wouldn’t look good if you are late.”

Hammer left his lab quickly, exiting the building and heading toward the apprentice dormitories. The Glosbe Coven was set up like a University. Different disciplines worked in different buildings, there were dormitories for apprentices and school aged children. Apartments for unmarried mages and other housing. There was everything they needed on the Coven campus, libraries, dining halls, and rec centers. Anyone who stubbled upon them would just assume it was a college.

Hammer rushed up to his room and into the shower, he could be on time if he didn’t get distracted. When he got back into the room, he found his roommate and best friend waiting for him.

Alistar McCraigen was tall like Hammer but he was whip cord thin, lanky, with dark hair and eyes that seemed to have a permanent glare. He always looked like he was brooding.

“Ali! Ya coming to the ceremony?”

“Of course, you were there for mine.”

Alistar had his Mage ceremony the week before. They both would be moving from the dorm to their own apartments and living on their own. They had lived together for 12 years, since they moved into the dorms as children.

“Hammer you are like my brother and now we are moving away from each other.” Alistar wrung his hands together. He was a stoic, strong, silent man but with Hammer he felt safe enough to express some of his true feelings.

Hammer pulled on a pair of loose white lounge pants, what he would wear to the ceremony. His skin was clear and unmarked, he would be getting his first tattoo at the ceremony. A pentacle in a perfect circle to represent control over magic. It would also aid him with focusing his powers when he needed to cast spells in a hurry.

“Ali, it’s not like either of us is leaving the campus, just to our own places and separate departments. We will see each other all the time.” Hammer threw his arm around his friend’s shoulder pulling him into a side hug. “Besides, I need to hear more about the other battle mage who is driving you crazy.”

Alistar groaned, dropping his head to his hands. “If we get into what’s happening between me and Franklin, we’ll not only miss your ceremony, we’ll miss the next few days.”

Hammer laughed and slapped Alistar on the back, “See, if I don’t spend time with you, I’d never leave the lab and I’d miss all the fun of watching you try and date.”

Alistar groaned again and Hammer laughed even harder.

-Two Weeks later-

Hammer was standing in his new lab, a bubbling potion in front of him as he wrote in his notebook, writing notes on the potion he was working on. He was so involved in his thoughts he barely registered when there was a knock at his door.

“Enter.” Hammer called, pulling himself from his work.

He looked over his shoulder at the door and felt his eyebrows raise slightly. He turned down the flame that was underneath the glass holding the now bubbling potion. Turning around he inclined his head slightly towards the man who had entered his lab.

“Councilman, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

The Council member was an older man, with a huge mustache and a receding hairline. He was wearing a pinstriped suit and carried a stack of papers in his hands. He moved around the lab slowly, picking up random things, inspecting them before putting them back again. Hammer restrained himself from saying anything disrespectful to the man.

“A few things Mr. Steinson. I wanted to see how you were getting along after your ceremony?”

“Very well sir. I’m not sure what I could have done to deserve such nice accommodations. This space is everything a Mage such as me could hope for.”

The Councilman nodded slowly, “Your work as an apprentice was more impressive than work other mages twice your age were doing. You have a way of looking at magic that no one else has. We are excited to see what else you create to further our kind.”

“Thank you, sir. I hope I don’t disappoint.”

The Council member was quiet for a few minutes before sitting on the edge of Hammer’s desk.

“Tell me Hammer, do you ever think about taking over for your father? To you wish to become Merlin on day?”

Hammer blinked rapidly, tilting his head slightly to the side. “I can’t say sir and no disrespect, this is something I haven’t spoken with my father about. I don’t feel comfortable speaking with someone else about it.”

“No disrespect taken Hammer. I was merely curious of your future goals.”

Hammer was confused. This whole interaction was feeling…. Off to him.

“My apologizes sir, if there is nothing else, I should really return to work. Potions can be sensitive things you know.” He gestured behind him to the potion he had been experimenting on.

“Just one last thing. Take a look at these notes.” The council member held out the stack of papers he was holding, “These are from a former potion maker, he had been working on a potion that could hide the user from detection, masking their scent, hiding them from sight, a type of concealment potion. I was hoping you could see what you make of it. He never succeeded but I feel like you could succeed where he failed.”

“Of course sir.” Hammer grabbed the papers, flipping through them briefly, “May I ask why we might need such a potion?”

“Mostly curiosity my boy, I’m interested to see if it is indeed possible.” He chuckled slightly his gaze shifting away. “Plus you never know what you need till you need it.”

The councilman clapped his hands together, “Well my boy, I will leave you to your work.”

Hammer nodded again as the councilman left then turned back to his work.

-End Flashback-

Hammer remembered the day of that meeting like it was yesterday. He had been so blinded by his own curiosity and desire for knowledge, he never stopped to really think about what was happening around him.

He had worked on the potion and he had found a way to create it. It had taken a few years to perfect and once he did, he had given the council member a few samples of it so he could test it for himself. He hadn’t heard from the council again about that potion and he had forgotten about it until the night he ran from the coven.

Hammer finally pulled into his garage. He was soaked through from the rain; he had been so lost in thinking about his past he hadn’t realized how long he had been riding for. He had left Cecilia at her place over an hour before and he had just been riding.

He didn’t bother turning on any lights and went straight into his shower, hoping the warm water would drive out the cold that felt like it had seeped down into his soul. He thought about how his blind thirst for knowledge and unbridled curiosity was coming back to haunt him.

When he found out what the Coven had been doing two years prior, he just left, thinking that was enough to clear his conscience. He didn’t give out his formulas or show others how to create the magic tools he invented. He would always make them for others. He was slightly possessive of his work that way. He didn’t know what they had been doing but now, knowing firsthand the damage that had been done, he couldn’t help but wonder what else karma would send his way.

He finished his shower and pulled on a pair of loose sweatpants that settled onto his hips, he dried his hair as he walked into his workshop. He would be opening his store in a few days and he needed to focus. It felt like it had been so much longer than just a day since he had met Cecilia but she was so prevalent in his mind.

Hammer sat at his laptop, knowing that he had to focus and after everything his family had put her through, he also knew it was for the best if he stayed away from her.