Allison stared at the sight before her, taking in every detail of Rosa's trembling body, the way her neck was bared in complete submission, and the unwavering steadiness in her eyes that held devotion, loyalty, pain, and hope all woven together. The mixture of emotions radiating from the girl created a pressure so sharp that something twisted painfully inside her chest, a tightening sensation she could not ignore.
"Rosa… don't do that," Allison whispered gently as she reached out, her fingers lightly brushing under Rosa's chin to lift her head. "I am not the Alpha you used to know."
"You are," Rosa insisted in a quiet and fragile voice, yet there was a stubborn firmness beneath it. "Even now, I know you care about us." Her voice wavered as she continued, "That alone is enough for me to follow you."
Allison looked away, shame and guilt circling her like a suffocating cloud. "Follow me to where? Into another grave?"
