King scanned the room. The room looked slightly different from what he remembered. His eyes traveled across the other side of the table, and he silently watched his father. Leon was seated with a dogmatic and imposing poise, with no readable expression of sort laying on his bare face.  

 Tss. King averted his eyes and crossed his arms.

Other than Leon, Hugh, the pride's Beta, was seated with them. Hugh was an easygoing big man in his late fifties, oddly intriguing but sharp. His beard was bushy, and despite his silver threaded blonde hair, the man still had his brilliant and attractive features. 

"I still can't believe that you lots are already grown," Hugh heartedly said, a massive smile on his face. He reminded King of a large labrador.

Pandora glanced at her two cousins, who were bizarrely composed. "Indeed," she said. 

Hugh sighed. "On the other hand, it's a bit alarming, I'm getting older and older."

"You're still charming as ever, Uncle Hugh. Your worries are needless," Pandora remarked.

Hugh laughed, his smile almost reaching his ears. "No need to flatter this old man—"

"Hugh," Leon cut.

Hugh stared back at the solemn man, who gave him a silent prodding look. "Come on, Leon. The kids had just returned."

"And I believe that the kids would like to wrap this discussion immediately," Leon said. "Small talks can wait till later. They still need to rest."

Hugh sighed, leaving out a dismayed chuckle. "I suppose you are right."

Hugh and Leon contrast each other in terms of personality. How exactly did they become best of friends? King didn't know. Not like his father had once opened up about something to him.

“Then forgive us if we had to drag you three in here. We agree that yesterday was a... particularly unexpected day," Hugh said, "still, we figured you needed to hear some information that may be related to what happened last night."

"We understand," Pandora said, and Hugh nodded. 

"Regarding the vampire," Leon said, "I apologize for not taking additional precautions. We should have warned you."

Warned? King frowned.

"Right. There had been an event a couple of months ago, but we didn't even expect it to really happen. Even more, to us, and to you three," Hugh added.

It was the first time King saw a vampire. And King would have to admit, as much as how terrorizing a werewolf and a werecat's appearance could be, the undead was a different horror. King heard tales and accounts about the vampires from when he was a kid, most of them being brutal and horrifying bedtime anecdotes about the Du Marais, a dead vampire clan. 

The Du Marais was a notorious clan that called themselves nobles. They took pleasure in inflicting pain. Being descendants of a clan of ancient lineage might have boosted their ego to an ungodly amount of narcissism. They were untouchable... or so they thought.

"So this had happened before?" Douglas probed. 

Hugh shrugged. "Not really. It's just that there was word that a human has sighted a vampire in ---. We did not know whether it was true, so we've become quite careless. However, you are all aware of the vampires' ways already, are you not?"

The three younger werecats gave a questioning look.

"They tend to stick together, so finding a lost one among the crowd seems unlikely."

Vampires have been very regal and tight-knitted with each other, usually fusing into one assembly. A single clan can amount from one up to eight prides or packs. However, don't let their close-knit relationship fool you. The bloodsuckers have been addicted to hierarchies, and lower ranks tend to get ill-treated.

"The vampire that attacked us was very thin. Maybe malnourished. It must have been desperate," Pandora said.

"That seems plausible," Hugh said.

"But what of its clan?" Leon cut in. The others gave it a thought. "We will be putting extra measures from now on. We don't know whether it might've been a lone wolf, or there might be more than just that. But if the latter happens to be true, then its companions might or could likely do the same as the one who attacked you."

If there was more... King scowled. He swallowed the knot that build in his throat. 

"The werewolves, on the contrary," Hugh remarked, caressing his beard. He stirred in his seat, and slowly looked at the three youngsters, "is a different conversation. It's hard to believe that they were rogues based on your descriptions. I mean, we do if they were just after the vampire. But to chase after you three? If not a rogue or for jesting, to do that and go as far as to trespass to our territory, either than with those intents, perhaps—"

"Perhaps one of them had imprinted on someone," Leon proceeded, taking off his glasses and wiping them with his shirt. The three, King, Pandora, and Douglas, were wordless.

Hugh nodded. "Unlike us, the werewolves could sense their mate, no?"

After that statement, eyes were suddenly veered to Pandora. Douglas gasped and covered his mouth with a hand. "That explains a lot," he murmured before looking at her.

Pandora, frowning, looked confused for a moment. Her cheeks then flushed red, and she glared at him. "I beg to disagree,"  she cleared her throat. "I guarantee that is not what happened."

Hugh intertwined his hands and rested his chin above his tangled fingers. "Ah, but maybe that is the case."

"It really isn't, Uncle Hugh. And if it was anyone, it was more likely after—" 

Pandora paused, starting to piece something together. She remembered the gray werewolf and agreed that maybe they were right; it was indeed after someone else... But it wasn't her. 

That werewolf had obviously been after—

"Pandora?" 

Pandora blinked. When reality reeled back in, she noticed everyone staring at her. She recollected her composure and slightly shook her head. After clearing her throat again, Pandora said, "I just want to clarify things. No one has imprinted on me," she said. "I would have admitted to it if I felt like that was the case. But I trust my instincts, and I assure you, that was not the case at all."  

The gal stared back at her uncle, not a shred of confidence missing. Leon and Hugh saw her certitude.

What Pandora told them was true; she knew she wasn't imprinted on. But what she didn't admit was that she might be agreeing to them. Perhaps their initial notion was accurate; maybe the werewolf did imprint on someone. But Pandora knew it wasn't on her. Perhaps it was on...

... King. 

Pandora gazed at King, who was staring at her with a frown built on his face. She then averted her gaze and swallowed the small knot on her throat. If what she arrived at was true, and that was indeed the actual case, then she was certain that it wasn't the last they'd see those werewolves again.