"King," Pandora called, staring at the person before her.  

"Hm?" 

"... What really happened back there?"  she asked.

King paused and looked over his shoulder. He cocked a brow. There he was, trying to save the conversation for later to lessen her obvious discomfort from earlier. But it looks like Pandora didn't really care. King looked at her in disbelief. "What happened back there? That's supposed to be my line—"

"I wasn't talking about what happened with Uncle Leon and Hugh."

King knitted his brows.

"I was talking about when those werewolves chased us." 

"Why do you ask that?" he said, lifting a gesturing hand. "You were with us. You saw everything that occurred."

Pandora stared firmly at him. "Is that everything?"

"Yes! What more could there be?" The two stared at each other, both seeking answers. "Why are you asking about it?"

Pandora was the one to break contact first. She slightly shook her head and continued to walk. "I was just wondering if you had noticed something odd during that moment."

King kept his eyes trained on Pandora. He didn't bite at what she said. He hurried in front of her and walked in a backward manner. "You've got something, haven't you?"

Pandora didn't look at him. "Not really."

"I don't believe you—" 

King suddenly slammed into someone.

"Pff—"

King whipped his head over his shoulder, wide-eyed, and saw a brunette-haired lad with a wet and gradual raging expression look back at him. He felt something slog at the back of his mind. The person seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember. "I'm sorry—"

"Bloody hell!" the guy yelled, his face seething red. But after a few seconds of getting to take a glance at King, his eyes rounded.

This is going to be a pain in the neck, King mentally groaned. He placed a hand on his nape. "Look, I didn't mean to—"

"Well, if it isn't King," the guy said. His once steaming expression turned into a playful grin pressing on his lips. Moments later, King took a sharp breath when leftover water from the man's cup was hurled at him. "Look where you are heading at, numbskull."

King pressed his lips together. He tried to douse his sparking anger. 

Calm down—

"Now I see the resemblance," the man said. He chuckled. "You're kind of like your mother—"

King didn't move. His fist balled.

"—butting your head straight onto things without thinking. That's why you end up regretting things," the guy said, wiping his face and shirt with a cloth in his pocket. " Now, why don't you take this as a lesson and get lost—"

Bam! 

King had punched the stranger.

"King!" Pandora shouted. 

The brunette lad wobbled back, seeing stars in his vision. He had also bitten his tongue accidentally and was slightly coiling in pain. "You fucker," he partly spat before launching a fist at King.

King dodged him. He heard his name being called out, but he saw red. Suddenly, the brunette charged and body-slammed him on the ground, pinning him under him. He repeatedly threw punches at King; the latter tried to block. King managed to jab him hard with a knee, and the brunette grunted and staggered.

Seeing an opening, King grabbed the other guy's collar and forcefully hurled him around, switching their positions. 

"Don't lump me with her, fucker," King said before tightening his fist and sending blows at the guy. 

"Q—it it!" someone yelled, but it was static for King. Everything to him was a blur. "I said stop!" 

Suddenly, strong arms hooked under King's underarms, pulling him off the guy below him. King thrashed, but the person had already locked him in his grip. 

"King," the stranger said, warm breath brushing on King's skin, "calm down."

In a second, reality doomed back on King. People were crowding in on them. The others helped the guy he thrashed. He was breathing heavily and was glaring at King, looking as if he wanted to kill him. Spots had appeared on his skin. If they hadn't been stopped, things would have turned uglier.

King glared back at him. The other guy tried to lunge again but was held back.

Just then, King became conscious of the hands holding him back as well. He whipped his head over his shoulder, and his eyes went round. Immediately, he thrashed again, trying to get out of the grip.

Thinking he was still going on about it, Axel kept him on his hold.

"Let go already!" King spat.

"No. Not until you calm down."

"I already am!"

The blondie knitted his brows, his grip still as firm as before. "I don't think so."

Tsk! 

"I said let go!" King jabbed his elbow back in a spur of the moment, landing it on Axel. The latter didn't seem fazed by it, though. In the end, Axel had loosened his grip, and King broke out of his clutches. Axel still kept his eyes on him, though.

King clicked his tongue in annoyance again. "Look, just keep that ratface away."

"That's my line, you turd," the brunette snapped, advancing towards King. Like before, he still didn't reach far.

"Vance, leave."

The people turned to look at the person who spoke, and from the entrance, King saw a serious-looking face arriving at the scene. 

His cousin, Nicolai, soon to be the pride's king. 

Though surprised by the reappearing figures around them, what really caught King off guard was what Nicolai had said. Suddenly, he froze.

Vance?

His scowl slowly unfolded. 

Vance?!

King's jaw fell. Now he knew why the punk looked familiar. 

Vance was the kid who used to follow King all around. He was like a younger brother. His family had some... issues, and maybe that's why they got along so well. When King and the others left the pride, Vance was only eleven. King could remember his snot-filled face begging him not to go.

But now, how exactly did such a dainty kid... turn into a scumbag?!

King's image of the past dissolved when a provoking smirk pressed on Vance's lips.

"Right," Vance said. "Good to see you back, King."

King was speechless.

Vance swatted the hands holding him back and then cruised towards him. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll make sure your stay here will be utterly unforgettable." 

Nicolai and Axel stood on guard between them, watching their every move. Axel would interfere immediately if the two came at each other again.

King glared at Vance. Vance only smirked. After that, the latter moved towards the exit, bumping at King intentionally and still locking eyes with him. They traded malicious gazes, cutting contact only after Vance passed him by.

King watched as he disappeared at the end of the hall. Then, he turned his head back and unintentionally connected gazes with a slightly frowning Axel. He immediately whipped his head away and mentally spat profanity. It looks like his calculations towards their stay here in Rumania were wrong. A week hadn't even passed yet, and this place was already becoming hell.