King scanned the room. The interior looked a bit different from what he remembered, but the walls and floor remained as log and timber. His eyes traveled across the other side of the table, and he silently scanned 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, seated with them were a few essential members of the pride, including Hugh, Axel's dad, and the pride's Beta. Hugh was an easygoing big man in his late fifties, oddly intriguing but sharp. His beard was trimmed clean, and despite his silver threaded blonde hair, the man still had his brilliant and attractive features.
"How the years flew. You lots are already grown!" Hugh heartedly roared, a huge smile plastered on his face. King was reminded of a large labrador.
Pandora glanced at King and Douglas, who were bizarrely serene, from the corners of her eyes. Physically, she would have to agree. Mentally? That was a different story. "Indeed," she said.
"It's a bit alarming to be reminded that I'm getting 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 just came back."
"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 after this for now."
Hugh sighed, leaving out a dismayed chuckle. "I suppose you are right."
Hugh and Leon contrast each other in terms of personality. How they became best of friends? King didn't know.
"Then forgive us if we had to drag you three in here. We agree that yesterday was a particularly unexpected and arduous day," Hugh said. "Still, we figured you needed to hear whatever it is that we had to discuss regarding the event last night."
"We understand your decisions," Pandora said, and Hugh nodded.
"Regarding the vampires," Leon said, "I apologize for not taking additional precautions. We should have warned you."
"Yes. There have been quite a few sightings from a couple of months ago, but we didn't even expect it to happen again. Even more, to our pride. And to you three," Hugh added.
It was the first time the three saw a vampire. Much more, in its beast form. And King would have to admit, as much as how terrorizing a werewolf and a werecat's appearance could be, the bloodsuckers still peaked. King heard tales and accounts ever since he was a kid. Most of them were brutal and horrifying bedtime anecdotes about the ancient Du Marais, a now nonexistent vampire clan.
The Du Marais was a notorious clan of bloodsuckers who called themselves nobles. They took pleasure in torture and from their slaves. Being descendants from a clan of ancient lineage boosted their ego to an ungodly amount of narcissism. They were untouchable... Until their slaves learned to rise to their feet.
"Sightings?" Pandora probed. So it wasn't just one.
"We don't have any clear answers," Leon said.
Hugh rubbed his beard. "It's a bit odd, to be honest. You're all aware of their exploits and ways already, I presume."
"Yes. We are." King, Douglas, and Pandora exchanged quiet gazes.
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 werewolves, on the contrary," Hugh remarked. King blinked, and his eyes studied Hugh. "That we don't understand. We're having a bit of trouble connecting the dots."
Leon stirred in his seat. "It's a bit hard to believe that they were rogues based on your descriptions."
"If I remember correctly, it was the leader, was it?" Hugh asked. "The one who initially came after you three."
"That's right," Pandora confirmed.
"If not a rogue, to do that and go as far as to trespass another territory, either than with the intent to kill, perhaps..."
"Perhaps it had imprinted on someone," Leon proceeded, taking off his glasses and wiping them with his shirt.
Hugh nodded, agreeing to Leon. "Unlike us, werewolves can sense their mate, no?"
After that statement, eyes were suddenly shifted to Pandora. Douglas gasped and covered his mouth with a hand. "That explains a lot," he murmured before turning to look at her too. Was he to expect a half-wolf half-cat niece or nephew now?!
Pandora's cheeks flushed red, and she scrunched her forehead. She cleared her throat and said, "I-I beg to disagree. I guarantee that isn't 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 everything together. ...They were right; the gunmetal gray werewolf was indeed after someone else. But it wasn't her. The werewolf was after—
"Pandora?"
Pandora blinked. When reality reeled back in, she noticed that everyone was staring at her. She collected her composure and slightly shook her head. "I just want to clarify it. No one has imprinted on me, Uncle Hugh." Pandora said. "I would have admitted to it if I felt like that was indeed the case, but I know you trust my instincts, and I assure you, that was not the case at all."
Leon and Hugh studied her. However, they saw no signs of a crack in her expression. And just as Pandora had stated, they did trust her, the person who always took the lead when she was still included in the pride's training, even beating Axel and Nyx, the current Beta and King-in-training, to it.
What Pandora told them was precise; she knew she wasn't imprinted on. But what she didn't admit to was that she agreed to them. Perhaps their initial notion was accurate. Maybe the werewolf did imprint on someone. But she knew it wasn't on her. Perhaps it was on... King.
Pandora gazed at King, who was staring at her with a frown of worry and confusion. She then averted her gaze and swallowed the small knot that formed on her throat. If what she arrived at was true, and that was indeed the real case, then she was sure that it wasn't the last they'd see those werewolves again.