You ducked behind the trees, heart pounding as Allison Argent moved silently beside you. The full moon cast silver light over the forest, highlighting her sharp features and alert stance.

“You sure this is the right way?” you whispered, glancing at the trail ahead.

Allison’s eyes narrowed, scanning the shadows. “If anyone from the pack sees me tonight… it’ll be the last time I ever make a mistake like this. We have to be careful.”

You swallowed hard. Helping Allison hide a secret from the pack wasn’t exactly what you had in mind when you agreed to come along. But looking at her now, her intensity and the weight she carried in her eyes, you knew you couldn’t say no.

“What if someone notices?” you asked, voice barely audible.

“They won’t,” she said, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “I trust you. That’s why you’re here.”

Your stomach twisted. Trusting someone with this much responsibility… it was terrifying. But Allison’s trust in you made your fear feel smaller somehow.

You followed her through the dense underbrush until you reached a small clearing, where a hidden door to an old cellar stood concealed beneath ivy. Allison gestured for you to help her open it, and together you lifted the heavy hatch. Inside was a stash of weapons, scrolls, and other things the pack would never approve of.

“Why are you hiding this?” you asked, glancing around nervously.

“All of it… it’s evidence,” she admitted quietly. “Evidence that could destroy me if the wrong people see it. I have to keep it hidden… even from the pack. And I can’t do it alone.”

You nodded, suddenly understanding the gravity of your role. “I won’t tell anyone,” you said firmly. “We’ll keep this safe.”

Allison’s expression softened for the first time tonight. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I don’t take this lightly… having someone I can trust.”

The two of you worked in silence until the stash was secured again. When the hatch was closed, you looked at her, feeling an unspoken bond form in the shadowed clearing.

“Ready to face the pack tomorrow?” she asked, a hint of her usual steel returning.

You nodded, heart still racing. “Yeah… together.”

She smiled, the faintest glimmer of relief in her eyes. “Good. Because that’s the only way we’ll survive.”