The morning started like any other, but Elena could feel it in her bones — something was off.
Her phone buzzed before first period. A message from an unknown number:
"You shouldn't be with him. Stay away, or it will get worse."
Her chest tightened. She knew immediately who it was. Marco.
She didn't show it, but her hands shook slightly as she read it.
By lunchtime, whispers followed her everywhere. Not just about her and Raven anymore — about the danger she was now apparently bringing to him.
When Raven finally caught up to her behind the bleachers, his expression was stormy. His dark eyes scanned the area like a predator, then softened when he saw her.
"Did you get a message?" he asked, calm but with tension under the surface.
"Yes," she said quietly. "I knew it would come."
He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I should've expected this… I shouldn't have brought you into this world."
"You did," she said firmly. "And I'm not leaving. Not because of a threat. Not because of him."
He stared at her. The corner of his mouth twitched, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Elena… you don't understand. Even small mistakes can get you hurt. Or worse."
"I understand more than you think," she replied, her voice steady. "I'm scared, yes. But I'm not naive. I can handle this… as long as we face it together."
Raven studied her for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled — a small, genuine one that softened the hardness of his usual expression.
"You're insane," he muttered. "But… I like it."
Before they could speak more, a familiar rumble of engines approached.
Three bikes. Marco at the lead. His smug grin was the same as always, but this time, there was no warning — just action.
Raven pushed Elena behind him instinctively, scanning their surroundings for escape routes.
"I told you," he muttered under his breath. "You shouldn't be here."
"I chose this," she whispered back.
The confrontation was sudden and chaotic. Marco's men surrounded them, but Raven moved with precision. Every movement was calculated, protective, fast. He blocked punches, dodged attacks, and kept Elena behind him, her hands on his jacket to steady herself.
But it wasn't just about fighting. It was about control. Marco was testing Raven — testing Elena's courage, their bond, everything.
"You really trust her?" Marco sneered.
Raven's reply was low, dangerous. "She's stronger than you think."
Elena's heart raced. Stronger? For the first time, someone said that without pity. Without doubt.
She stepped forward slightly, surprising even herself. "I can handle this," she said firmly, her voice carrying across the street.
Marco laughed. "You? Alone? This is cute."
Raven's dark eyes turned on her, full of warning. "Elena… stay back."
"I'm not backing down," she said.
And in that moment, Raven realized something he hadn't before. She wasn't just a girl he needed to protect. She was his partner.
Together, they moved as one. Every punch, every block, every evasive step was synchronized. Elena wasn't reckless — she was careful, precise, alive. She had learned quickly, and more importantly, she trusted him completely.
By the time Marco and his men finally retreated, breathless and frustrated, Raven and Elena were standing side by side.
Elena's clothes were scuffed, her hair damp, but she was smiling — exhausted, exhilarated, alive.
Raven looked at her, chest still heaving, and for the first time, he admitted something silently: she wasn't weak. Not in the slightest.
"You're crazy," he said, voice rough but soft.
"And you're stubborn," she replied, smirking despite the adrenaline.
He shook his head, a mix of awe and frustration. "You just made my world even more dangerous."
"Then we face it together," she said.
Raven studied her for a long moment. Then, finally, he nodded. "Together."
And in that moment, the unspoken promise between them felt stronger than any fear, any threat, or any betrayal.
To be continued…