His Reign (The Opeth Pack Saga Book 1) Page 3

  Lukina growled and paced off toward the wire fence.

  Following Lukina, he jumped over the wire fence and began picking up the pace.

  She led him faster and faster down a dirt trail toward the villas. The familiar scents of fresh underbrush and forest brought back memories of childhood. He remembered once chasing Ilona through the forest, nipping at her tail playfully until she’d stop and jump at him. Laughter filled his head with the memory until Lukina’s growl brought him back to reality.

  They came to a clearing where a few small houses stood, looking empty. Not a soul seemed to be outside.

  The wind blew and a door on one of the houses swung open, creaking loudly.

  We’re here, but nobody is around.

  Her voice echoed in his head.

  Józsi sniffed the air and smelled blood. And humans nearby.

  Lukina paced back and forth, and then recognition crossed her face. Oh no!

  He heard her mentally, felt her dread in his bones. Józsi looked around, sniffing the air in search of some sign that others were present. He found nothing. Padding into one of the open homes, he saw the place had been ransacked. His jaw dropped. What happened?

  Lukina didn’t respond. She poked her head through the doorway.

  Józsi looked at her, seeing his reflection in her eyes. He was still scary, large. Anger filled his eyes and began flowing through his veins. His fur stood on edge. He turned his head away from her. This wasn’t what he’d come back for. He wasn’t the damn pack savior.

  Padding outside, he became a man again, standing all of six foot six and clothed. His hair fell past his shoulders, providing a blanket against the cool breeze. He looked at Lukina and began walking to the next house, though he didn’t know why.

  Peeking in through broken glass, he found the same scene. Disheveled clothes, utensils and other miscellaneous things were scattered about the living area. Something else caught Józsi’s eye this time, though.

  He pushed the front door open and walked inside, looking for the dark spot on the wall. He found it and his eyes widened in surprise. “H-h-how could someone do this?”

  He stepped closer, tracing the pattern of blood on the wall with his fingers. It smelled rank, recent. Were there body parts to be found?

  Józsi raised his nose to the air and sniffed for clues. Thankfully, whatever or whoever had done this had dragged the bodies off.

  Lukina padded in and instantly started howling.

  Before his eyes, Lukina was in her human form again, all of five foot two, red curls spilling over her face to hide her tears. “What happened, Józsi? What happened? I was just here a few days ago,” she sniffled.

  Józsi stepped outside, pulling Lukina with him and into his strong embrace. “Does Kiba have any enemies we don’t know about?”

  Lukina raised her head and looked into his eyes. She looked so sad for her fallen mates that it tore into his heart. “No.”

  Rage began to consume him. He wasn’t here for this. “Tell me this isn’t where Ilona lived.”

  Lukina shook her head.

  His heart calmed down just a tad. “Good. I want to find her and get her out of here.”

  “We’re only in the next villa, but she frequently stays near Köröshegy for peace and quiet until they start playing concerts in the summer. I hope she’s made her way back to our villa by now.”

  “How far away are we from there? Is the Opeth pack still the dominating pack in Hungary?”

  “Yes, and it’s not too far. We can make it through the night on foot.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  She nodded. They both began running on all fours toward the next villa.

  The church isn’t much farther past it.

  Józsi nodded, keeping behind Lukina. He didn't like the fact that he'd only been back in Hungary less than a few hours and already blood and humans were in the mix, causing his thoughts to run toward the potential mess awaiting them. With Kiba's unpredictable crazy behavior, who knew what lay in await for them?

  Another howl in the distance forced his attention away from Lukina. Is that…

  Yes.

  Józsi stopped running and gathered his bearings. Lukina stopped just a few feet ahead of him. What?

  Isn’t it obvious?

  She nodded inside his head.

  Józsi took off running through the forest in the direction of the pained howl, picking up speed until he was practically flying through the woods. Lukina kept up with him though it was difficult for her because he had size and strength over her.

  They broke into a clearing and the moon overhead provided some light. In the distance, Józsi saw figures fighting and yelling.

  Sprinting closer, he recognized the voices. Kiba’s angry yells weren’t hard to miss. The females yelling were new voices to him. Where was Ilona?

  Becoming erect, he ran as a man onto the scene of Kiba standing over two females who were cuddling, shivering in fear.

  “I see the old man has finally lost it.” Józsi strutted up behind Kiba.

  Kiba turned around, facing Józsi. “What do you want?”

  Józsi kept his expression solemn. Years of practice had given him the gift of appearing neutral, almost like the vampires. “I want to know when you decided to start terrorizing the women of our pack.”

  “It’s not your pack anymore, you traitor!”

  Kiba looked older. His face looked more ragged in the light. He stood hunched over, gray hair falling over his eyes in a loose mess. He looked weak in stature, at least compared to Józsi. His eyes were a pale blue that seemed to be fading in color. The knife in his hand wasn’t all that large, but Józsi noticed bloodstains on the blade. For a moment, he wondered if the old man could really kill another.

  “You have a good memory, Kiba. Or you used to. What business do you have with these women?”

  “My business with them is none of your concern, Józsi. Why don’t you back off and return to your precious America, like a good little pup.”

  Józsi grew annoyed, his jaw clenching at Kiba’s mocking comment. “Did you burn down that village?”

  “Maybe I did. But you’ll never know. My scent isn’t anywhere to be found, is it?”

  Angered, Józsi stepped forward and took a swing at Kiba, his fist connecting with the old man’s jaw hard enough to make his head spin. Bones cracked. The knife fell out of Kiba’s hand as he stumbled back.

  Kiba caught himself and wiped his jaw. “You’re a brash one, Józsi. I’ll give you that. Why are you here fighting with your Elder?”

  Józsi narrowed his gaze at Kiba. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re doing? Scaring little girls isn’t your style, old man.”

  Kiba cracked the faintest of smiles. His face twisted in the moonlight, making him look just plain insane. He took a step forward.

  Józsi didn’t move.

  Kiba looked at Lukina, scowling. “You brought him here, didn’t you?” His jaw hung open in astonishment.

  “I’m sorry, Elder. It was the only choice we had. Your behavior is—”

  “Is the only way it should be. This pack needs control, to learn obedience through fear. We are being chased and run off from our lands by the God damn humans. And I am not going to take it anymore!” Kiba’s chest heaved and sweat broke out on his face. “If we are ever to find paradise again—”

  “You look even more insane now, old man. If the humans are causing us problems, where are they now? And what does that have to do with the fact that you’re scaring these two girls? And where is Ilona?” Józsi’s voice rose a notch with every word.

  Kiba laughed. “Yes, your little Ilona. Meredith, now, I suppose. The wench is in hiding. She was out with us, but managed to run away at the sound of approaching footsteps.”

  That didn’t sound like Ilona. She didn’t scare easily, and most humans didn’t realize she was a wolf anyway. Ilona was a healer, like Lukina, so her magic kept the fierce creature part of herself from the humans' minds while letti
ng them feel nothing but comfort through undetected magic.

  “So be it, old man.” Józsi turned to the two women cowering on the ground at Kiba’s feet. “I’m taking these two with us back to the villa.”

  He motioned with his hand to the two women to follow him. Both of them stood and waited with fearful expressions.

  Kiba glared at them. "You would dare challenge me here, son?"

  Józsi had no desire for a fight but if blood needed spilling, he'd do everything in his power to avoid it. But he wouldn't lose to Kiba. Not if the old man's health had declined the way his mental capacity apparently had. "You're crazy. Shut up and go home old man. You are no leader to me."

  "So you're a traitor returning for punishment?" Kiba cocked his head, raised a fist.

  Lukina stepped forward, head raised. She glared hard at Kiba. “Come with us, ladies.” She held out her hands.

  Kiba's eyes widened in response to Lukina's unspoken threat. “Fine. Take them. Just know I’ll be back with others, and I’ll show you what the true menace is to our pack.” Kiba dropped to his knees and looked up. Lifting his hands to the sky, he started mumbling, chanting in a language that was neither English nor Hungarian, then stood and left.

  Józsi spat in the direction Kiba had gone, aware that his former Alpha had been out of ear shot range. “Fucker.” Józsi let Lukina walk in front of him with the two others. “Where is Ilona?” He needed answers from these two.

  Both of them shook their heads.

  "They don't speak much English, Józsi. You'll have to speak Hungarian."

  "Fuck." He didn't remember much of the language, had been speaking English so long in America that he'd forgotten most of his linguistic roots. It didn't bother him most days but being back in Hungary where English wasn't spoken so much in the rural parts would make his life a little more difficult.

  The brunette on his left, dressed in peasant clothes, answered first. Lukina translated. “She’s gone off to Köröshegy to meditate.”

  Józsi drew in a breath, rubbed his temple. Damn him for not remembering the lands he grew up in very well. “Which direction is that from here?”

  Lukina pointed to his left. “It’s not that far from here. If you run that way you’ll come up on the back side of the church. She’ll be out there.”

  “Thanks. Take these two back to your villa. I will return with Ilona in the morning.”

  Lukina nodded. "Józsi?"

  He lifted his chin in acknowledgement.

  "Would you have…"

  She didn't finish. "Yes. I told you I would and I have no idea of the outcome. But I'd have put in the effort because I said I would."

  "Thank you." Lukina began walking with the two females.

  “Oh, and another thing.”

  She turned back to look at him.

  “We’ll talk about this first thing in the morning, but I’m not staying here.”

  Lukina's eyes widened, “But Józsi, you must! We need—”

  He waved a hand through the air. She had to know how he planned to handle this, had to understand his position wouldn't change. Nothing about this land, this way of life was his anymore. “I didn’t sign on to handle pack politics.” He turned and began walking toward the

  church. “I’m here for me and as a favor to your beloved. Don’t forget that.”

  Running fast, Józsi came upon the flatlands, drops of sweat forming on his brow. Just one more thing to annoy him. He stopped, scented the air, letting the wind tell him of what lay ahead, as it always had. He picked up the smell of the pine and underbrush nearby, the scents of animals and birds on the gentle breeze. Most of all, he’d picked up the scents of emotion.

  Arousal. Wet, pungent arousal.

  Dropping his human illusion, he took off until he came to another large clearing. Stopping, he raised his head and sniffed the air. The familiar sight and smell of wheat, grass and sunflowers drifted toward him.

  She was here.

  A large fifteenth century church stood towering in the distance. Leaves rustled. He caught sight of a tiny figure moving through the tall brush to his right side. He shifted back to his human form, stood and set his hands on his hips. “I know you’re here, Ilona.”

  Józsi turned his head and upper body just in time to catch the flying body that launched itself at him.

  Falling back onto the ground, he rolled with the soft feminine weight pressing against him in all the right places. Rolling several yards away, they finally stopped, with Ilona coming out on top, giggling.

  “It really is you?” Her bright blue eyes held so much surprise and emotion. Her mouth parted, she panted heavily, her chest heaving with each breath.

  Józsi shifted his weight slightly and reversed their position so that he was on top looking down at Ilona. Her beautiful smile still had the ability to make his knees weak. Large round eyes looked at him, flames of lust dancing in her irises. Even in the moonlight, he could see her penetrating deep blue eyes and the massive emotions of longing and anger mixed with hurt and confusion rolling in them. Her light brown hair fell over the swell of her breasts just past her rounded hips. Her skin, illuminated by the moonlight, looked paler than it normally was.

  He wasn’t surprised that she could knock him down. Even as tiny as she was, she had a fierce strength like most wolves. He still wouldn’t ask about her confusion, though all of her emotions wafted to him through the night air.

  “It’s you!” she cried out again, wrapping her arms around him so tight he thought she might break his ribs.

  He fell forward; she’d pulled him down to her, crushing her ample breasts to his strong chest. Burying his head in her soft brown curls, he inhaled her scent, sweet and full of sunflowers.

  Strong arms squeezed the air out of him again. “I’ve missed you too,” he whispered into her ear.

  Ilona tilted her chin upwards. “Have you, Józsi?” Her eyes were steady on his, narrowing before she caught herself and regained her composure.

  He lifted himself up from her, his cock stirring. Seeing her sad smile almost tore his heart to pieces. He couldn’t lie to her even though he wanted to. “Yes, I’ve missed you.”

  She shifted her hips beneath him and he grew harder instantly. Every fiber in his body was acutely aware of her breasts beneath her loose fitting peasant top.

  “Then why haven’t you called or written?” Her voice became syrupy sweet.

  Hormones raced through his system, sending so much blood to his cock he thought he’d explode. Shifting positions again, he forced her off of him and onto the ground. Straddling her, he looked at her and saw his image reflected in her eyes. He didn’t look peaceful at all.

  She narrowed her eyes and parted her lips.

  The idea of kissing her plump, juicy mouth was enticing, but if he started now, he wouldn’t stop. And he had to get home to Texas. The prophecy could kiss his ass along with the rest of the pack.

  She wriggled her hips again, spreading her legs further and sending him off balance. Taking the upper hand, she rolled them over until she was on top again.

  Her weight settled on him, pressing him into the ground. She leaned forward and set her hands firmly on his chest, her long light brown curls falling in front of her face. Her head blocked the moon but her deep gaze penetrated his soul, making him ache to be with her. The fact that he wanted to suckle each one of her ten slender fingers just as a starter was annoying.

  She moved and he felt the warmth of her sex just over his swollen cock. It wasn’t looking good for his self-control.

  She took a deep breath, her breasts heaving up and down as she exhaled.

  Digging his nails into her hips, he tried to move her off him. She wouldn’t budge.

  “I’m using the one weapon guaranteed to make you stay here with me a little longer,” she purred.

  His eyes widened. “You think I just want you for your body?”

  She arched an eyebrow at him. “With your lack of response, I’m not sure what you want,
szeretőm.” Lover.

  He couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t sure he would do things differently if he were in her shoes. But he had to get things settled here and return to America. It was either that or be caught up in a prophecy that dictated the rest of his life. One where he was to rule the Opeth pack, lead them toward a world where wolves were accepted again and Heaven would open up for them.

  One he didn’t believe in.

  He sat up as she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Their lips met.

  She closed her eyes.

  Her mouth molded beneath his and intense hunger took over. His tongue slipped past her lips, exploring, caressing the inside of her mouth. She’d certainly grown up since he’d last been in Hungary.

  He caught a handful of hair and tugged on it, forcing her head back to expose her neck. Making his way down her chin, he nibbled her soft flesh, nipped her neck and collarbone. Inhaled her earthy scent. He knew her so well still that he could predict the exact moment she grew damp and just how wet she was.

  She yelped and arched against him.

  The curve of her belly connected with his rigid stomach. Her pussy felt hot against him, and they were still both fully clothed!

  Knowing she was soaked, the scent of her arousal was driving him insane. His tongue swirled around the soft skin beneath her jaw, licking back up over her bottom lip.

  She captured his bottom lip between hers and sucked, drawing him into her mouth. Strong arms caressed his shoulders, massaged taut muscles.

  Tension eased from his body as Józsi let down his guard a little more, hoping he could sate himself just a little with a taste of Ilona.

  Who was he kidding? He hadn’t let his walls down; she’d forced the walls down all on her own. Tender kisses plundered his mouth, the taste of sweet spice lingering in his nose. He had to stop this.

  She leaned forward, pressing him down again.

  Leaning back, he settled on his hands.

  Ilona adjusted the way she sat, enveloping him further in soft feminine curves and lightening hot heat.

  Her heat was too much. Through the layers of clothes, he felt liquid pooling at her pussy, slicking her just for him. A breath caught in his throat.