The Destruction of the Vlkolak Ch. 08

Szebasztián? Is that you?" Orsolya couldn't believe the tall, handsome blond in front of her could be her little nephew.

"Hello, Auntie! Yes it's me, but could you call me Ash?"

She hugged him around the waist.

"Ash? I think not; you'll always be Szebasztián to me, my boy." Guillame slapped him on the back and gave Istvan a bear hug.

Orsolya helped the woman out of the passenger side of the car. "Matild, I can't believe it's you." She hugged her tightly.

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The lithe red panther walked so close to the sleek brown wolf their bodies touched. So much had happened in such a short time. They walked to the hillside that Carr had pointed out to them. At the top of the hill they stopped and gazed out over the wilderness. The panther's tail switched from side to side, finally curling around the wolf's body.

He had missed this closeness so much. He felt a calmness now that he hadn't felt in over a century.Do you see the mountain on the far side of the river?Guillame looked off into the vast expanse of land. His panther followed his line of sight.

I see it.

That also belongs to the Baxter Pack. They are giving it to us. For our pack.He looked at his little red kitten. He would never let her go again.I can't believe your brothers bonded to me as their Alpha. I would have expected it to be Zsigmond, not me.

Orsolya leaned into his warm body and rubbed her face into his shoulder. She could feel every muscle under his skin. She had missed him so much.My family recognizes your ability and strength, Guillame. You saved us. Who better to lead our new pack?

I'm honored, my love.Guillame smiled to himself.My assistant is returning from an assignment today. You need to meet him.Yes, she would like Jószef.We should return. He'll be back any time, and I don't want to miss him.

When they arrived back at the compound, Jószef was waiting for them at the front door, with Becky at his side. Jószef bowed very formally and smiled at the woman that made his mentor glad to be alive again. "It is very nice to meet you, madam."

Guillame grinned. "Orsolya, this is my assistant, Jószef Kardos, and his soon-to-be mate."

"Kardos?" Orsolya laughed. Guillame laughed with her as Jószef stood there looking confused.

"Did I hear that correctly? Kardos?" Istvan and Zsigmond had been walking by. They now looked up and down at Jószef, appraising him.

"Whose son are you, boy?" Istvan had an idea, but wanted to hear it for himself.

"András Kardos, Alpha of the Kardos pack." He stood defiantly, waiting for a challenge.

The crowd forming wondered what was going on. They watched as Orsolya and Guillame grinned ear to ear and her two brothers circled the Hungarian beta who was to someday be Alpha of his pack.

"You need some toughening up before you can become an Alpha, boy." Zsigmond smirked and winked at Istvan.

"I really had my money on Fredek. I didn't think András would ever find a mate." Istvan was laughing.

"You knew my father and uncle?" Jószef wasn't sure if they were joking.

"Of course we do, boy; we are your uncles too. Our last name is also Kardos." Zsigmond had walked over to Jószef and grabbed him by the waist, lifting him into the air, much to the delight of the gathering pack. "Here in America, my family used the name 'Saber'. 'Kardos' means'swords' in English."

Becky was laughing as Jószef finally realized what they were saying. He laughed too, and hugged his new uncles and aunt.

"Do you think my father would let me stay here longer, so I could get to know you? That would give me more time to teach Becky Hungarian. Oh, wait, no, that wouldn't work. Then we would have to wait longer to mate." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He and his wolf wanted her so badly. Maybe they could go home so they could mate, and then return here to his new family.

"Ha! Don't make her wait, boy. You might lose her to another wolf." Istvan roared with laughter as Jószef growled.

Becky elbowed Jószef to get his attention and nodded towards Andrea. Andrea's mate had died in the battle against the Dire wolves less than two weeks ago. She was sitting with a group of females who were laughing and talking. Andrea sat quietly. But to her right, a blond haired male stared at her, his need showing on his face.

Guillame looked the same direction and saw it. He walked over and sat next to Ash. "Her mate died just weeks ago. She needs time to heal. Can you wait until she recognizes it herself?" He watched as Ash nodded. "She needs a friend right now more than anything. Eventually, she and her wolf will stop grieving. But it will take time, my boy. You will have to be patient." Again, he nodded silently. "Can you be patient? It could be decades, even centuries."

Ash looked at his new Alpha and smiled. "I will wait if it takes forever, Uncle. I never thought I'd be allowed to have a werewolf for a mate. She is worth waiting forever if I have to. I will be her friend, the best friend she ever had. And when she's ready, we'll both know."

He grinned when Guillame slapped him on the back. "Good boy." Guillame looked up at his own lovely mate. She waved to him from across the yard. He looked at her and thought to himself, She's only one hundred eighty. She is still well within the age to bear cubs. We could have another. He saw her smile as she sent her reply.

How did you know I was thinking the same? 

I love you, my little red kitten.

And I love you, my big brown wolf.

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EPILOGUE 2012, Sardinia, Italy

There was a quick knock, and then the office door swung wide open. The tall man that entered looked apprehensive. He never liked giving his boss bad news, and this was some of the worst in a long time. The man at the desk looked annoyed as he glanced up at the intruder.

"Is it something important that makes you forget your manners, Drago?"

The sound of throat clearing echoed in the room. "I'm sorry, Sir. I knew you'd want this information immediately." He hesitated a moment before adding, "Gary is dead."

"What?" The pale figure at the desk jumped to his feet. "What about the formula? Do we have it?"

"Um, no, Sir, we don't. He had only agreed to give it to us at the time of the exchange and upon payment. That was to have been the day before the full moon. He didn't show. It didn't take a lot of investigation to find out what had happened." The man was almost cringing. He hated to be around the boss when he was mad. "He got into some fight with a local were pack. He lost."

"And the women? Where are the women?" The rage on his face was impossible to mistake. All his plans, down the proverbial drain. He knew he never should have trusted a werewolf.

"The pack has them. But there must be others, Sir. He couldn't have found every single one. He'd given hints that there were more to be had. I'm sure we can find them on our own. We don't need him." He tried to believe his own words, but he didn't hold out much hope.

"I don't want just any women, I want those women." He sat down again and looked out the window. "We'll take them from the pack! Now go, and count yourself lucky I need you, Drago."

"Yes, Sir, thank you, Sir." Drago closed the door and stopped for just a moment to exhale. The expression about killing the messenger was one well known to him, and to his boss. He leaned against the door and could hear him talking to himself, but not loudly enough for Drago to make out, even with superhuman hearing.

Erobos sat at his desk, pulling pictures out of a drawer. He spread them out on the desk top and started looking at each one. He was sure she was here. He looked at each one until he found the one he was looking for. Yes, this is it. He looked closely, staring at the blurred image of a raven-haired woman collecting wood at Gary's camp. Yes, there she was. She thought she could escape him in this life. But she was sorely mistaken. She could be reincarnated a thousand times, but he would always find her. "Leona, you are mine! I will not lose this time." His fist slammed down on the desk next to the picture.