Truth be told, the last thing Cynthia wanted was to have a damned picnic out in the woods with bugs and everything.
She loved to hunt in the woods as a wolf. Feeling like the apex predator. She didn’t like it one bit as a sensitive pregnant she-wolf. But did she complain about this?
No, she just smiled like a simpleton because Adrian and Ava were travelling and if she didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to off them, she would be waiting a long long time.
Going for picnics, holding touchy-feely celebrations and pretending like everything was perfect when it was far from it.
No, she needed to know the details of their journey, kill them and get this over with. There would be no need for her to remain here afterwards. It wasn’t what she was asked to do here but if the conclusion was the same, it couldn’t be helped.
“Did you know your hair looks like spun gold in the sun?”
Calvin said, leaning in, his hand touching her hair.
“I didn’t know you were so poetic.” Cynthia blushed.
Calvin smiled looking so innocent that she almost felt bad for what she was doing but then again she had grown up around Adrian and his friends. He wasn’t a completely good person either.
Even if he had changed from the behaviours of his younger self, he only liked this version of her. The subservient spineless Cynthia.
“I would like for you to know more about me. More than anyone does.”
Cynthia averted her gaze as though embarrassed then murmured under her breath knowing fully well that he could hear her.
“I would like that too.”
Calvin leaned in and kissed her softly. She made herself relax into the kiss, her hands twining around his shoulders pulling him closer. When they pulled apart, they were breathless. Calvin kissed her forehead and pulled her into his arms.
She grasped for what to say to take the conversation to where she wanted.
“I can’t believe you are leaving, I wish I could come along. I… I’ll miss you. I worry about your safety.”
Calvin kissed her hair which apparently looked like spun gold.
“I’ll miss you too but it is imperative that I attend as the person who did most of the research related to this case. As for safety, don’t worry, we will take a public route and some warriors. Most of the journey will be by flight so it’s relatively safe.”
Finally. There was only one public route that led out of the Mountain coast pack that also happened to pass by an airport. She knew what route they would be taking.
She also knew that they would use private cars to make the journey and since Ivy was going, there was no way they wouldn’t stop for something along the way.
She couldn’t mess with their cars here because they would be checked before they left the pack. It would have to be during the journey…
Calvin was still talking.
“I have to be there or trust me, I don’t want to be apart from you.”
She buried her head in his chest thankful he didn’t have body odour or else her ruse would have died a quick death a while ago.
“Just promise me that you’ll take care of yourself.” She said, inserting a quiver in her voice and sniffing as though fighting back tears.
“I will. You too. Make sure you get lots of rest, and eat lots of healthy food.”
His hand drifted to touch her belly tentatively. They rarely talked about the baby. Rather she didn’t let him despite the fact that he was always pushing for it. That was one part that she absolutely locked down on claiming grief. Luckily, he continued to accede to her demands.
“I’ll call every day. And maybe,” He said tentatively. “Maybe when I get back, we can talk about our future. I don’t want to push you for something you aren’t ready for. I can wait… let’s just talk about it.”
She had also claimed that she wasn’t emotionally available for something permanent. That she wanted to take things a day at a time. It would seem he was no longer content with that.
Goddess willing, by that time she wouldn’t be here for that conversation once her plans came to fruition.
“I… I will be eagerly waiting for you.”
******
“Alex, I’ll miss you. Take care of the pack for us.” Ava embraced her brother.
“Even if you didn’t ask me for it, it’s sort of in the job description.” He quipped and Ava fought back a smile.
“Keep an eye on Elder Elvis. I don’t know why he chose to stay behind but it’s making me uneasy.”
Alex nodded seriously, his face thoughtful.
“I doubt he will make any sudden moves but I’ll keep an eye out.”
“Thanks.”
It was almost time for them to leave even though she was feeling a tad reluctant as she worried about the pack. She looked at her brother. He would take care of the pack the same way he would their mother.
“Take care, little sister.”
“I always do.”
Ava walked towards her mate as they headed for the Werewolf Council meeting.
Nothing would go wrong.
If Ivy made them stop one more time, Ava was going to throw her out of the car.
She had gone over the journey plans with Calvin and Adrian. It was going to be a two-hour drive followed by a three-hour flight. It was going to be long but not too long.
All the variables had been accounted for except perhaps Ivy.
She had entered the same car as Adrian, Ava and Calvin. Calvin was driving and Adrian sat in front next to him while she was stuck in the back with Ivy who acted like they were long-lost besties.
If besties were nightmarish and came with a load of sass, insensitivity, and the most entitled form of bitchiness.
“Luna Ava, how does the hunt for your sister go?”
Ava froze and the entire car went silent save for the music blaring from the stereo.
Ivy kept talking as though she hadn’t noticed the silence which was next to impossible at that point.
“Honestly, I have no idea why you bother. She brought her punishment upon herself. But I guess if you really want to, I can talk to my dad for you about it.”
Ava looked at Ivy. It would be so easy to just reach over and strangle her.
“Ivy, that’s enough.” Adrian said cutting through the tension in the air.
“But I just wanted to–”
“I think it is clear to everyone what you wanted to do. Just keep it in. We have a lot more distance to cover that will preferably be done in silence.”
Adrian said, his voice unwavering.
Ivy seemed to think better of it before deciding to stay silent. Good for her. Calvin turned up the volume of the stereo as though it would diffuse the tension in the air.
Ava turned away sharply to look out the window. She simply couldn’t wait for the journey to be over. As though in response to Ava’s thought or simply because she couldn’t let peace reign, Ivy spoke again.
“Can we stop for a bit? My legs feel cramped.”
Calvin hesitated looking at Adrian as he rounded a bend. Adrian looked more than a little annoyed as he reduced the volume of the music to zero before turning slightly in his chair to face Ivy.
“No, we cannot. You know we are on a tight schedule here. We won’t keep stopping every few seconds because you feel like it. If you were so bothered about your comfort, maybe you shouldn’t be here.”
Ivy looked almost offended.
“But I wasn’t even–”
Then abruptly the car stopped.
Ivy stopped mid sentence, surprised that Calvin had given in to her demands despite Adrian’s refusal.
“Calvin, what’s wrong?” Ava said, sitting upright as her chest tightened with alarm.
“We need to get out of this car now. I’ll explain later.”
Calvin took off his seatbelt grabbing a radio that he used to communicate with the two other cars of pack warriors accompanying them. One was in front, the other was behind them.
“Maintain a thirty-meter distance. I repeat maintain a thirty-meter distance.”
Adrian opened Ava’s door and took her hand assisting her to get out of the car.
Ivy was out in a jiffy with Calvin just behind her.
Ava watched as Calvin inspected the car for something, his movement frantic and frighteningly quick.
“Calvin. What is going on?” Adrian moved towards him.
“Alpha, please stay back.”
Calvin was still looking beneath the car when all of a sudden, he fell back and looked at the three of them. Ava stood next to Adrian, Ivy stood towards the side looking a might bored.
“Run.”
Ava didn’t understand at first but before she knew what was happening, Adrian was pulling her along and her feet remembered how to move.
She considered the absurdity of the situation for a second as she ran. They were running away from the car that would take them to the council meeting… why?
They must have been running for less than what felt like a few seconds when Ava heard a resounding explosion followed by a heat wave that lifted them off their feet, tossing them to the ground.
Ava gasped taking in air then she was coughing as she took in the dust. She shook suddenly realizing what had just happened. She turned back to look at the car. It was on fire, the window glass shattered and the smell of burnt tires hung heavy in the air.
Adrian.
She was more than a little relieved to see him next to her straightening up as she was. Calvin had made it too so had Ivy, her hair was all over the place for the first time since Ava had known her.
After cataloguing the fact that everyone was alright, Ava looked at the burning car that popped, sizzled and crackled as it gave way to the consuming flames. Someone had planted a bomb on the car. Someone had tried to kill them before they could go to the council meeting.
The only people who would have something to gain by ensuring they never reached the council for the meeting was the Silverwolf pack.