His Reign (The Opeth Pack Saga Book 1) (2 page)

Paradise. The magical place wolves were said to have been created in, then kicked out of, and granted return only upon fulfilling a prophecy no one knew much about.

Pure bullshit, as far as Józsi was concerned.

He hated that she’d been here ten minutes and already he’d been brought back into pack politics.

“The man was always an old fool, ever since I can remember. Now he’s just slipped further into madness.”

Lukina pulled away from Józsi and returned to his leather recliner. She picked up his cigar and took a puff on it.

He rolled his eyes at her and let her take his cigar.

Finally he tossed her his torch. “It needs to be relit. And since when do you smoke?”

“
Drága
, anything to be close to home again.” She referred to her father and his own. Both men used to smoke cigars while out walking around the castles on the north side of Lake Balaton. She picked up the lighter and lit the end of the cigar, taking a few short puffs before getting a deep breath. Exhaling, she blew out a thick ring of smoke that billowed above her head. “I like the smell of these things.”

“I do too.”

Neither said a word for a few moments. Józsi watched Lukina closely, wondering what exactly was on her mind. She'd loved their homeland, so had Ilona. Could they both really want to live elsewhere when the proper nourishment and environment existed for wolves in Hungary?

He had to suppose so.

Lukina had always been progressive.

She twitched nervously, fiddling with her fingers while sitting in the recliner.

“Why didn’t your sister accompany you here instead of remaining back in Hungary?”

Lukina’s eyes widened. Sorrow crossed her beautiful blue eyes.

Józsi felt like shit for asking, but the question needed to be voiced.

“Because Kiba had been chasing her. I didn’t know what else to do so I came here.”

Naturally. Józsi rubbed his temples, feeling the stress build already. “Where did they last go to?”

She took another puff on the cigar. “I don’t know. He wouldn’t say to me or anyone else who asked, for that matter.”

“I assume this behavior has to do with Prophecy.”

She nodded slowly.

His jaw twitched. “Figures.”

Lukina finished her glass of wine. “Hit me again.”

Józsi filled her glass. He hated asking but needed all the information if he was going to risk his life for his mates. “So, what’s new in this prophecy?”

Lukina took a long sip of her wine and set her glass down. “You’re still the one we’re all betting on who will be Alpha.”

He snorted. Never. He wasn't cut out for the responsibility of giving others hope only to have it yanked it out from under them like a cheap rug. “As if.”

“Hush.” She clasped her hands together and tilted her chin up. “The witch left us, as I said earlier. She could only translate about half of the texts left by the Elders before they died. Once the pack is structured properly with all the parts are in place, the heavens will supposedly open up and let us into Paradise.”

He frowned. “The idea is pure bullshit at this point. We’ve been on this planet for how many years, and so far have been given what? A witch that left us, an insane wolf who became Alpha, and what of Les?”

She ran a hand through her red curls. Pulling her cloak around her, she sighed. “Les is staying with us but keeping mostly to himself. He made a play for the witch but Marco interfered.”

Les. The young pup once thought of as the loser of the pack. Józsi had heard of him through the grapevine, was aware that the Omega had managed to find himself dumped on American soil and that was the last he heard. “Marco, huh? What happened there?”

Lukina smiled. “Long story short, turns out he and our witch are mates.”

Shock must have registered across Józsi’s face because Lukina’s grin widened.

“Yeah,” she continued. “Surprised me too. But he’s destined as we all are, to fulfill roles in the prophecy. Just as it is writ, it has been fulfilled.”

“I want no part in it.”

“Fine.” She reached for her glass. “We hear you. I just want my mate back. And…”

Józsi nodded. “Good. Now that we’re settled with that.” He took back his cigar from Lukina and puffed on it, only to find it had gone out again.

She handed him the torch.

He relit his cigar and inhaled, sucking in the opulent creaminess of the Ecuadorian cigar before blowing out a huge cloud of smoke. “It’s time for bed.”

She stirred in the leather chair, caressing his thigh with her foot.

The gesture made him hard. It also annoyed him. He looked down at her, seeing her through her mass of red curls to see her beautiful round face. She’d developed hard lines from age and hardship, no doubt. But she still looked as beautiful as the day he met her.

That memory was one he’d keep buried.

“I’m still sober.” She thrust her empty glass in his direction.

Sighing, he poured another glass of wine and handed it to Lukina. “Drink up. Get some rest.” Taking a long, slow sip, Józsi finished off the bottle. “We must leave late tonight if we are to return and avoid detection.”

Lukina reached for the glass and took a long sip before setting it in her lap and swirling it around. “Kiba doesn’t know I left. I was out on errands when I made the choice to come find you.”

“Oh.” Józsi swirled his still full glass for distraction. “He knows you’re gone. Through the link our pack shares, weak as it is, I’m also sure he knows that you’ve found me. I’m sure he’ll have something waiting for us.”

She sighed. “Is there nothing we can do?”

He met her gaze, and saw his anger reflected in her beautiful eyes. “Get some rest. I’ll handle this.”

Lukina nodded. “I’ll help. I want to.”

He cocked his head slightly. “You’re just out to further annoy me, aren’t you?”

She stuck her tongue out.

The offer of help was definitely heartfelt, yet he remained determined to keep her from danger. “You need me to. You don’t remember the lands, I’m sure.”

He growled low again. Lukina was right. He hadn’t remembered most of the land or the way to where their pack called home. He’d left that information behind when he came to America.

It only took several years and for him to stop visiting…

Lukina slid down the leather chair and onto the floor before she leaned against his knees, resting her head on his thigh. “How have you managed avoiding discovery of what we are here?”

“I live in a large city. People here in Houston are too busy with the mundane dealings in their lives to notice what’s right in front of them.”

“So you hide out in the obvious.”

He nodded.

“Come on, let’s go to bed. There’s room for you.” He sighed heavily. He did not want to revert back to pack habits of sleeping huddled up. But the sight of Lukina’s body and the warmth she’d provide him with was something he’d missed anyway. If he could only get Ilona out of his mind.

He stood and walked down the short hall to his bedroom.

Lukina slid off the chair and followed behind him.

“Why did you leave us,
drága?”
Dear.

Walking to his bedroom, Józsi peeled off his shirt and turned to face Lukina.

Grinning, she licked her lips.

He tossed his shirt aside and turned away. “Because I don’t take orders very well. And I hated hearing all the bullshit about the prophecy.”

“You do know,” she said as she dropped her cloak behind her and stepped out of her pants, “that our witch is pregnant with our future ruler, right?”

Glaring at Lukina, Józsi reached into the top drawer of his dresser and found a pair of sweatpants. “Here. You are not at home, so you will sleep clothed.”

She frowned. “I could put you in the mood, you know.”

Damn right she could, but it wouldn’t be right. Not after ten years of absence and not without their third. Józsi glared at her.

She spoke in a sweet, singsong manner. “It’ll be our first time.”

Józsi continued ignoring the fire beginning to heat his body. “And I don’t care what the witch’s business is. It’s none of mine.”

“It’s Marco’s baby.”

His jaw twitched.

Marco was a troublemaker. Several years younger than Józsi, Marco was always stirring things up and causing mischief. “So the little bastard settled down finally?”

She nodded. “He nearly killed Les.”

Józsi did well to hide his surprise there. It also figured that he’d end up with a softhearted witch.

Józsi handed Lukina the top he’d picked out for her. It was oversized as well, dwarfing her. “You’ll get used to clothes.” He threw on a tank and shorts and climbed into bed.

Lukina climbed in beside him, facing him. She wore a pout on her face. “I’ve gotten used to seeing you and your large muscled body very easily.” Her voice dropped another hitch.

She was cold compared to him. Snuggling closer to him, she wrapped an arm around his waist.

He let out an exasperated breath and rolled away from her. Closing his eyes, he felt her arm snake around his waist. Józsi pushed her away and lay on his stomach. After a few minutes, he heard her breathing settle into a slow rhythm. When he was certain she was asleep, he finally closed his eyes.

Her fingers found his and interlocked. “
I need this…
”

The warmth felt so comforting. He hadn’t felt this feeling in years and it seemed he needed it too, even if she would be naked and tangled around him in the morning because instinctively, he'd strip off his clothes and revert back to pack mentality of cuddling for warmth.

J
ózsi kept
his teeth clenched tightly the entire ride back from the airport to Lake Balaton, southwest of Budapest. His body felt tight with the thought of being reunited with any of his old pack members. Marco hadn’t returned from the States; he was still off with his mate and pack witch, Selene. The change would be interesting to see if he cared more for the pack. True, he had been taught pack was supposed to come first but in the end, the daunting idea of prophecy and all its' bullshit destiny pissed him off and shattered any idea of loyalty beyond those he loved.

The beat up truck Lukina led him to would get them back toward their lands. "I'm amazed this piece of shit still runs."

She didn't acknowledge him, she simply opened the door, slid in and slammed it shut.

He crawled in, had to jerk the door to get it to shut with a loud squeal. The cracked leather gave way to his weight and he swore he heard fabric tearing once Lukina adjusted the seat and steering wheel to compensate for her shortness.

Of course it took a few times for the engine to turn over, but Lukina managed to get it started before they made their way from the airport to the more rural areas by the lake.

The paved road gave way to a dirt road that cut through wheat and cornfields on both sides. Lush vegetation could be seen in the distance. His stomach clenched.

Lukina drove the truck down the path into the forest. “We’ll stop the truck about ten miles from here and have only a two mile jog back to where we are in a nearby villa.”

“Are we still in Balatonföldár?” Józsi looked out the window, watching the landscape change from modern buildings and classic European architecture to the flora and fauna of the flat lands.

“Yes. We haven’t changed locations in over a hundred years.”

Józsi nodded. The region by Lake Balaton was still sparsely populated. The sun set behind them over the lake, giving it a beautiful glow. “Seems as though nothing’s changed.”

“Nothing has, really. Other than Kiba’s madness.”

He snorted and his gut tightened at the mention of Kiba. “We suspected that would happen someday. The other Elders were mad to let him have the pack.”

“I wish I had known earlier. I would have followed you with Ilona out of Hungary.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered.”

“Why did you leave us, Józsi?”

He turned to look at Lukina, met her fierce gaze, saw the fearfulness in them. Her eyes were focused on the road, but he knew she was paying close attention to what he was saying. The narrow set of her eyes made clear she wasn’t going to take any bullshit answer he gave her, either.

“Because I had no business remaining here. I don’t love this country, and I don’t care about wolf pack politics. I just wanted to be left alone. Is that too much to ask?”

She gasped, then closed her mouth and frowned. Her eyes lowered and what seemed like her last sense of hope shredded before him. “I suppose it is.”

He had no idea what to truly say other than the things he felt. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“Tell that to Ilona. You’ll have to deal with her. I’m just her little pack sister and lover. Don’t expect her to be too happy with you.”

Józsi looked away. He’d known what was coming from her when he saw Lukina. “You’re just more forgiving than she is, I take it?”

“With you, no. I just love you, that’s all.”

Lukina had always been logic and reason whereas Ilona let her emotions rule her world. They'd served her well until he'd left. He hoped she'd grown used to the harshness of the world but still retained her inner beautiful light. “I see.”

The truck stopped in front of a large wire fence. Forest and flatland beyond that lay just ahead of the fence. Lukina shut off the engine got out of the truck, pocketing the keys before slamming the door shut with a loud groan. “What are you waiting for?”

Józsi looked at her, watching her intently. The beautiful redhead standing before him in her white cloak, boots and pants with matching gray top became a wolf with narrow killer’s eyes and soft gray fur. Lean and muscular, she paced back and forth in front of the truck, motioning with her head for him to follow her.

“I…”

She barked.

He swore he'd protect them. He had loved them once, very deeply. Now, he was just doing a favor to Lukina but the gesture still irritated him. “God damn it!”

Józsi stepped out of the truck. Slamming the door shut, he heard an echo in the distance, a wolf crying.

His gut tightened. The yelp sounded familiar.

“God damn it!” He became a wolf instantly, suddenly remembering the feel of walking around stealthily on all fours, having much more heightened senses than he did as a man. It had been forever since he'd shifted and ran in Texas. He had time, energy and lack of desire to thank for that.

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 letting 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.