I’ve never believed Pence was Trump’s ally.
I watched Pence closely as VP including through the pandemic and I would challenge you to produce one single piece of video where he was anything other than deferential and supportive of President Trump. He always made it clear Trump was in charge and he was #2. I have never seen a gap between them until Pence refused to take the extra-constitutional steps regarding the certification of the election that some wanted him to take.
We either live by the Constitution even when it hurts, or we become Democrats and ignore the parts we don’t like or just make it up as we go.
Trump had no allies. He was a yankee outsider.