Chapter 12: The Plan
"Come with me."
The words hang between them.
Heavy.
Impossible.
Justin's gaze doesn't waver.
"I can protect you."
She shakes her head. "You don't understand—this isn't just about him. It's about my father. The alliance. The packs—"
"I don't care about any of that."
"I do!" she snaps. "People will die."
Silence.
Then, softer—
"I don't want to be the reason everything burns."
He steps closer.
"And I don't want to be the man who let you suffer when I could've saved you."
Her resolve cracks.
"Then we don't run," she whispers.
"We choose a moment."