"Oh, you did not."

"Bryce!" King yelled as he locked his cousin's neck in a tight grip when he tried to lunge onto the freckly redheaded guy.

Then, a sun-kissed man wearing a white tux walked into the scene, holding a glass of Shotgun, an intimidating cocktail mix of gin, vodka, rum, tequila, and triple sec, on one hand, and pushing the other against the angry redhead's chest.

"I'm sorry. It seems like my companion here caused you quite the trouble," he apologized, though not sounding and seeming too apologetic as he implied with that smirk on his attractive face.

"On the other hand," he added, an arrogant grin pulling on his lips, "I do wanna hear some apologies on your side though. I did hear the 'mutt' part."

King frowned as the man directed his icy-blue eyes at him instead at Bryce. He felt Déjà vu. Then his eyes widened, and he remembered why.

Oh shit, he mentally cursed himself.

So how did it end up like that? Oh, let's take a quick rewind.

Arkaya Event Spaces is one of the most prominent venues in Romania, designed in the baroque style with the gilded ceiling that takes guests on a journey back in the 17th century. Extravagant chandeliers dominate the skyline, sending the entire place in a golden whisk of a fairytale. The entire area screamed regality.

King was leaning back on the bar top, sipping on a cocktail glass of blood-red, when Pandora walked towards him, her silver heels clunking against the marble floor. Her hair was straightened, and she was indeed wearing a white slinky cowl-neck dress, different from what King had thought. Too revealing, if he was asked. Though, it suited her. . . too much, if King was also asked.

Pandora stared at the three empty glasses behind King as she sat on the front bar beside him.

"Careful on that," she said.

King shook the glass and stared at it. "It's nonalcoholic. Don't worry."

"Are you worried about the other members or the werewolves?"

"Both?"

"They're not going to attack us in public," she uttered.

"In public, huh? So. . . does in private count?"

"It very well doesn't."

King chuckled at her. "Well, thanks for that information."

"Try to keep out of corners then."

King stared at her. "I mean, I don't think they're just paying homage for Axel and Uncle. And I know you already realized that."

King examined her expression as she stared at the blank space. Though it didn't much help, she was blanker than the space she was staring at.

"You have something in your mind, don't you?" King frowned.

She stared back at him. "We'll see about that."

"What do you mean?

"I just need more time to confirm something."

King knew he wasn't getting more info than that. He had been bugging Pandora to tell him since the day they went to Busteni. She never gave him an answer, though she'd give him an odd look.

He sighed and raised his head to look at the ornate ceiling. "I hope you get that time of yours before we go back to Manhattan. Because I'm literally going to die from curiosity."

She smiled. "I hope so."

"Hey." King frowned at her.

"Anyway, just avoid them. Whatever they're thinking, it's for us to know just yet." Pandora took King's drink, much to the dismay of the other, and plopped it at the counter. "Now drop this, or you'll end up in the bathroom now and then."

He was actually enjoying the taste.

"Where's Bryce anyway?" she asked, turning around as she examined the enormous place.

They could hear the endless chatter and blab of the other guest echo throughout the place like a background soundtrack.

King snorted. "Besides the thing where you'll guess him to be."

"Food," Pandora puffed out. "Well... mind being my escort?"

"What's there to mind?" King smirked at her, offering his right arm.

Pandora took his courtesy, and they moved about.

Just as they reached the central dome decorated with a circle of Solomonic pillars, someone called out to them, "King? Pandora?"

The two stopped, searching for the owner of the voice. Their eyes landed on the woman wearing an elegant, golden misted dress. It was Donna, one of their childhood friends.

"Hey!" she happily exclaimed as she ran up to them.

King squinted his eyes at her. "Donna?"

Pandora's forehead rose when she was tackled into a hug, then King's eyes flickered when he was squished to death next.

"I'm so glad you guys came! It's so refreshing to see you two!"

Pandora sent a smile. "It happens once in a lifetime. Why not?"

"Hey, what's this?" another person exclaimed. This time it was a guy wearing a black tuxedo. "The golden kids are back!"

King shook his head and grinned. "Constantine."

The man called Constantine ran to them with open arms, a wineglass in one of his hands. "Eyyy! Long time no see, dude! You guys are looking hot!"

"I know right," King puffed and Pandora shook her head.

Constantine wiped a fake tear. "God. I missed you so much."

"Shut up, Stan," Donna laughed.

"Oh, perfect timing. We-"

"Oh," Donna exclaimed as he pulled her into his arm.

"-are now a couple."

King threw a hand and chuckled at them. "Did you made her drink a love potion or something? I think I remember Donna hating you to the pits of hell."

"That, my friend, is the product of hard work."

Donna sighed, and she pushed against his chest, chuckling. "Sometimes, I wonder if that was the case."

"Hey!"

They laughed.

"You know, King and I used to escape training together. One time, we ended up getting caught, and we got grounded for the entire month."

"Don't even bring that up, I got the cane, thank you very m-"

Someone bumped into King, hard enough that he nearly crashed into Stan's drink.

"Stir out the way, halfer," Vance snapped. The brunette gal snaking around his arm and the guys that followed behind snickered and giggled.

"What the heck, Vance?" Stan yelled out; his arms stretched out on his side as he scowled at him.

The latter pushed his tongue against his cheek as he looked over his shoulder and shot a smug smile as a response. They then walked away, with no words or so.

King fixed his cuffs. "What's his problem?"

"Well, you better get used to that if you're staying in Tierra Madre. That guy is as mad as a wild dog."

King snorted. "I don't doubt that."

"I don't even know if I should feel angry or pity."

"Why? what happened," King turned his eyes back at Constantine when Vance's group disappeared against the crowd. "The asshole wasn't even like that before."

Constantine shrugged. "Eh, you know their deal. Vance's mom is still negligent as fuck, keeps on drinking and stuff. His dad, well, he left."

King's forehead rose.

"Another woman. Guess he got tired. . . and now we got this Vance as a souvenir. Yay."

When Constantine stopped talking, that's when they realized people were murmuring around them as they stared in a particular direction. King craned his neck around like an ostrich, his view blocked by the people in front of him. He stepped to the side, and his eyes widened as he saw the familiar figures dressed in class and posh that had just walked into the venue - It was the Lykaios.