LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

alpha

Alden growls through his gag in protest.

"To live with the dead means to live in silence. If the mother cannot quiet the child, then the dead will," Alpha tells Alden.

The woman looks back to Sakiko with a grin, "Natural selection."

Sakiko nods.

"My old man used to tell me that I talked too much. That my mouth got me into trouble."

Alpha nods for Sakiko to continue.

"I think you make Lydia follow the silence.. the whispers.. to try and make it feel like you have a reason."

"Reason?"

"You're all the fucking same," Sakiko hisses, stepping closer, "People that knock up or get knocked up because they were stupid."

Sakiko rests a hand on the gate latch, "You blame the kids you brought into this world against their will. You put your hands on them because you can't punish yourself enough for how mucb you fucked up."

Sakiko goes to unlatch the gate. As she does, Connie bursts through the corn field, making a beeline for the baby.

"You're not supposed to be here. You broke your own rules because you want to punish Lydia even more for your actions. You use her as an example."

Sakiko keeps Alpha's attention on her. Makes sure Connie is able to hide away back in the corn.

"I do?" Alpha teases.

"You do. Because, you're too weak and afraid to lead otherwise."

"I could take everything from you."

"Don't you get it?" Sakiko questions.

Tara gives the signal above to begin shouting and banging on the wall in an attempt to redirect the walkers that went after Connie.

"The longer I stand here.. The longer I've already taken everything from you."

"I do not want conflict."

Sakiko unlocks the gate, "Good. Then, hold yourself accountable to that."

Alpha tilts her head as Sakiko opens the gate.

Sakiko maintains eye contact, standing chest to chest with the older woman.

"Dangerous," Alpha warns.

Sakiko smirks, "You smell like shit."

The women stare each other down as Sakiko eases around Alpha. Alpha chuckles, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You'd die dor your people? For a strange infant?"

"I would," Sakiko agrees, walking backwards, "I'd die for Lydia. That's more than you can say."

Sakiko glances to Alden and Luke again.

Their eyes widen, quirking over to the corn field. Where Connie was.

Sakiko gives Alden a nod, catching Alpha's gaze again.

"Hell of a lot more than you can say," Sakiko nods.

She takes off into a sudden run, straight into the corn field.

She ducks and dodges walkers until she catches sight of Connie. Hurriedly, she makes a loop around to cut Connie off. Better to see her face to face than catch her off guard from behind.

Connie sighs in relief when she sees Sakiko and Sakiko holds a hand up.

She points to Connie then holds a thumb up. Connie nods to let her know she was okay.

Sakiko hurries her closer, leading the woman out of the field as the baby coos in Connie's arms.

Once out of the field, Sakiko makes sure that Alpha's group wasn't coming after them. When she's sure, she leada Connie to another side of the walls.

Then, she saw Daryl bringing Lydia outside.

Her mind frazzles.

But, she had to get Connie to safety first. She reaches back, grabbing Connie's jacket to pull her into a run.

She slides through the entrance, hurrying Connie into Kelly's grasp before darting off to the gate again.

"Sakiko!" Enid gasps, "Henery took her. We found her and-"

Sakiko brushes Enid off, running out the doors and after Daryl.

But, she was too late.

Alpha had given the signal to release Alden and Luke. They were walking over stiffly as Lydia eased her way to Alpha.

Sakiko runs past Alden and Luke just as Lydia stands face to face with Alpha.

Daryl hears Sakiko's footsteps against the dirt road, turning just in time to catch her around the waist.

"Dad," she struggles, trying to wriggle out of his hold.

"She was gonna kill Alden and Luke," Daryl whispers, "I'm sorry, Kiko."

Sakiko stops moving, hand gripping Daryl's arm.

Alpja looks past Lydia, locking eyes with Sakiko. She gives a sick smile before lurching forward, hitting Lydia across the face.

Sakiko curses, once again trying to go after the older woman. Daryl keeps a tight grip, tugging Sakiko back inside Hillyop's walls as Alpha sends a wave to them.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

kiko and lydia is something extremely personal to me hi