Bloodlines.

Chapter Six: Dwight Captures Alyssa.

The group stood frozen, watching Alyssa as she completely unraveled before them. This was unlike anything they had ever seen from her. She wasn't just angry—she was devastated. Her grief and rage mixed into something volatile, dangerous. They all knew Alyssa was a force to be reckoned with on a normal day, but now? Now, she was a storm waiting to explode.

Her knuckles dripped blood, her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe, and her eyes were wild with emotion. Suddenly, she turned and ran into the street, heading straight for the main gate.

"Alyssa!" Rick shouted, starting after her, but she didn't look back.

Her hands grabbed the heavy gate, the clang echoing through Alexandria as she forced it open. She sprinted toward the cars parked just outside the walls, her movements frantic but determined.

Daryl and Rick exchanged a quick, panicked glance before both bolted after her. Behind them, Glenn and Abraham followed, their footsteps quick but hesitant, unsure of how to stop what was happening.

"She's not..." Glenn started, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"She is," Abraham muttered grimly.

Alyssa reached one of the cars, yanking open the driver's side door. She clambered inside, her movements rough and hurried. Driving wasn't exactly a skill she'd been taught in the apocalypse, especially not with a stick shift, but she didn't care. How hard could it be?

She fumbled for a moment before the car roared to life, the engine revving unevenly as she pressed the gas and lurched forward. The car jerked awkwardly before she got the hang of it, speeding off down the road without a second thought.

Rick and Daryl reached the gate just in time to see the dust kicking up behind her as the car disappeared into the distance.

"This is bad," Glenn said, his voice tight with panic. "This is very, very, very bad."

"Where the hell does she think she's going?" Abraham growled, his eyes narrowing as he looked after the car.

Rick's jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Wherever she's going, she's gonna start something," he said grimly.

"Something big," Daryl muttered, his eyes fixed on the horizon, worry etched into every line of his face.

The group stood there in tense silence for a moment before Rick barked orders. "We need to go after her. Now."

"Damn straight," Abraham agreed, already heading for another car.

Daryl didn't say anything, but his expression spoke volumes. Whatever Alyssa was about to do, it wasn't going to end well—for her, or for anyone else.

Aaron stepped forward, holding up his hand to stop the brewing panic. "We need to be rational about this," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Alyssa doesn't know where Dwight resides, and she doesn't know where the Saviors live. The satellite station was just one of their outposts. The Savior we had hostage told us about the 'Sanctuary,' but he never gave us a location."

Maggie, standing nearby, nodded thoughtfully. "If she's gone anywhere, she's gone to try and find Carol," she said softly. "Alyssa would go to the ends of the earth for Carol."

Daryl shook his head, his voice steady but certain. "No. She's gone for Dwight. She's gonna head back to where we saw him first—in the forest. That's where it started for him, and it's probably a path to another outpost. Back then, it looked like he was trying to escape. Guess he didn't and went back." He paused, his brow furrowing. "If Alyssa was looking for Carol, she'd have no idea where to start."

Rick's jaw tightened as he mulled over Daryl's words. Finally, he turned to Morgan, his voice clipped but decisive. "Me and Morgan will try to find Carol."