The night was darker than usual, the kind of darkness that felt like it could swallow everything whole.
Elena gripped her backpack tightly, heart pounding as she followed the narrow alley behind Raven's old hideout. He had insisted she stay close, but tonight, she realized the danger was far bigger than either of them had anticipated.
"You sure about this?" she asked, keeping her voice steady despite the tremor in her chest.
Raven glanced at her, his dark eyes softening in the lamplight. "I won't let anything happen to you. But we need to be smart. Marco isn't done. He won't stop until he proves something — and you're… well, you're his new target."
She swallowed. "Then let's stop him."
He blinked, surprised at her boldness. "Elena… you don't have to—"
"I'm not stepping back. Not now," she said firmly. "I'm not just some damsel waiting to be saved. I chose this. I chose you."
Raven's expression softened, the hard edges of his usual façade melting slightly. "You're reckless," he muttered, but there was admiration in his voice.
They moved carefully, shadows blending with shadows. Then, up ahead, a faint glint of light. The unmistakable shapes of Marco and two of his men. They were waiting.
"Stay behind me," Raven whispered.
Elena did, but she could feel the tension vibrating between them. Her pulse matched his. Every movement, every breath, every heartbeat was synchronized.
Marco's smirk appeared first. "So… the little nerd decided to play gangster?"
"I'm not a nerd," Elena shot back, surprising even herself. "And I'm not playing. I'm here to stop you."
Raven's eyes flicked to her, impressed and slightly worried. But she was steady, defiant, alive in a way she hadn't been before.
The fight was sudden. Marco lunged at Raven first, underestimating Elena. She ducked instinctively, using the skills Raven had been teaching her — dodging, blocking, even a small counter-move that sent one of Marco's men stumbling.
Raven's jaw tightened as he watched her. She was no longer fragile. She was fierce. She was his partner in this chaos.
"Impressive," he muttered under his breath.
By the end of the fight, Marco lay groaning on the pavement, defeated, and his men had fled. Raven helped Elena steady herself, their hands brushing naturally, comfortably.
"You were amazing," he said, voice low, almost intimate.
Elena's heart skipped. "We did it together."
He studied her for a long moment, then finally said something he'd never admitted before. "I… care about you more than I should. More than anyone should, maybe."
Her chest tightened, warmth spreading through her like sunlight breaking through clouds. "I care about you too," she whispered.
Raven's hand lifted to her cheek, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Then promise me," he murmured, "whatever comes next, we face it together. No running, no hiding. Together."
"I promise," she said, her eyes locking with his, fierce and unwavering.
For a long moment, nothing else existed — not betrayal, not gangs, not danger. Just them.
And for the first time, Raven realized that maybe, just maybe, he didn't have to fight alone anymore.
Because she wasn't just a girl he needed to protect. She was the one he wanted to fight with.
And they both knew — from now on, every challenge, every danger, every betrayal… they would face it together.
To be continued…