The rain came without warning, drumming hard against the streets like a warning. Elena ran, her jacket soaked, her shoes slipping on the wet pavement. Raven had been with her all week, guiding, protecting, teaching her the ways of his world—but tonight, she was alone.
A text had come through hours ago:
"You're on your own tonight. Let's see what you've really learned." — Marco
Her chest tightened. Fear tried to claw its way in, but she pushed it back. She wasn't the same girl who had followed Raven nervously before. She was prepared. She had trained. She could handle this.
The alley she ducked into was narrow and dark, littered with trash bins and broken signs. Movement flickered in the shadows. Three figures stepped out, blocking her path.
Elena froze for a heartbeat, then remembered Raven's lessons: stay calm, watch their movements, and trust yourself.
"You shouldn't have come here," the tallest hissed, stepping forward.
"I didn't come," Elena said firmly, taking a slow step forward. "I'm already here."
The first man lunged. Elena ducked instinctively, catching him off guard, and shoved him into a trash bin. The second man swung at her. She sidestepped, tripping him with a swift kick to the knee.
Her hands were shaking, adrenaline fueling her, but she kept her focus.
"You're… not bad," the third muttered, surprised.
Elena smirked through the rain. "I'm better than you think."
Just as the third man charged, a familiar shadow fell across the alley. Raven. He moved with deadly precision, taking out the men swiftly. But when he reached her, he didn't scold. He didn't grab her or pull her away.
He simply stood beside her, eyes dark and unreadable.
"You handled yourself," he said quietly.
"I told you," she said, panting slightly, "I'm not helpless."
Raven's hand brushed hers, not possessive, just grounding. "You're reckless," he said, his voice soft but edged with awe. "And fearless. And… I can't stop being proud of you."
Elena's heart thumped. She realized then that Raven wasn't just impressed by her skills. He was seeing her as an equal — not just in the fight, but in his world, in his life.
But the moment was broken by the sound of more footsteps echoing in the alley. Marco wasn't finished.
Raven stepped in front of her. "Stay behind me."
"I'm not," she said firmly.
He stopped. His gaze locked on hers, dark and serious. "You really want to do this?"
"I do," she said. "I've got this. Together or apart, I'm not backing down."
Raven didn't argue. He simply nodded, respect and something deeper shining in his eyes.
The night stretched on, rain soaking them, shadows closing in. But Elena felt alive, fierce, and unafraid. For the first time, she understood what Raven felt every day — danger, loyalty, fear, and adrenaline — and she wasn't running from it.
Because she was no longer just someone to protect. She was someone to fight with.
And together, they could face anything.
To be continued…