A Fate Foretold (formerly: A World Gone Mad)

A Fate Foretold 15

              Time after the bear attack passed just as it had before – slowly, in Ally’s opinion. Every day that she spent away from Geneva seemed to last at least twice as long. Resigned to her monotonous existence with the Sullivan pack, it occurred to Ally that she might be going soft. While the bear attack should have jarred her back to reality and reminded her of the importance of her mortality and just how frail it really was, she fortified her mind against any indulgent notions of her time in Alaska. Now was not the time for leniency.

             Before long, the calendar would mark a whole year that she had spent on the run. While she congratulated herself on an escape and hiding plan well-executed, Ally acknowledged that luck had played a large role, and her luck could still change at any moment. So while she allowed herself to chat with Zazzie, exchange pleasantries with Tim and Liam, and have fun with Christian behind closed doors, Ally never let her guard down.

             Kate arranged a visit to see her family in southern British Columbia for a fortnight. She missed her old friends and family after not seeing them since the wedding in September. Avery and Elsa arranged to go with her, so even though Michael would stay so as not to deprive the pack unit of four members in one fell swoop, the Alaskan headquarters would be operating at a reduced capacity for at least two weeks. Probably more, considering the time taken out to plan and execute arrangements for the trip.

            The remaining members decided to take it easy for the fortnight, taking a well-deserved holiday. Christian seized the fortuitous opportunity that combined stalled negotiations with the Tsolmon and First Pack and Kate’s absence presented to get away.

            “I was thinking,” Christian started, breaking the comfortable silence that he and Ally had been lying in for half an hour. “While Kate visits her family, we can get away from everything for a long weekend and go to a cabin that we keep further in the south.”

            “Alright,” Ally said simply. She was always careful not to overtly promote or inhibit Christian’s ideas unless absolutely necessary, and even then she tried to be as subtle as possible about it.

            “If you don’t mind, we could invite Tim and Sara along as well. I think they need some time away from headquarters.” He twisted his head around to gauge her reaction.

            Ally nodded in agreement. For Tim and Sara’s sake, she agreed wholeheartedly; they did need some time to themselves, or at least with fewer people around them. She didn’t mention the fact that Sara hated her, which would make for a rather awkward weekend. Christian was quite oblivious to the social dynamics happening right below his nose.

            “Good. I’ll talk to Tim and arrange it all tomorrow, then.”

            “Well,” Ally suggested delicately. “I would wait until Kate leaves to actually start arranging it. Not that you should keep it from her, but so the idea doesn’t effect her plans before she departs.” There was no more diplomatic argument to make. The truth was Kate would hit the roof and cancel her trip if she knew her husband and his nat amatra were going away together for a weekend, perhaps rightfully so.

            Christian submitted to Ally’s better judgment. He didn’t always know what her reasoning was, but he knew that Ally had sound judgment. He had some evidence to back up this position, but it was mostly based on a gut feeling that came from simply being around the girl. Although she dampened the effect when in public, Ally exuded an air of absolute sound confidence, which Christian was happy to surrender to.

            The afternoon after Kate’s departure in the morning, the future alpha approached Tim on the subject, who happily agreed to put the idea to Sara. Pulling her aside in the office one evening while the rest of the pack unit was in the living room, Tim relayed Christian’s offer.