BOUND BY BLOOD AND CLAWS

Chapter 4

The sun rose timidly over the forest, casting streaks of golden light through the canopy. Elena sat by a crackling fire Ethan had built, her knees hugged tightly to her chest. Sleep had evaded her, her mind churning with everything she had learned the night before.

Across from her, Adrian sharpened a dagger with deliberate precision, his crimson eyes flicking to her now and then. Ethan paced in wolf form nearby, his golden eyes scanning the forest as his ears twitched at every sound.

The silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional crackle of the fire and the faint rustle of leaves.

"You need to eat," Adrian said, his voice softer than usual.

"I'm not hungry," Elena muttered, her eyes fixed on the flames.

Ethan shifted back into his human form, his brow furrowed. "You'll need your strength. This isn't over."

Elena's gaze snapped up. "What do you mean, 'not over'? You said you'd protect me. How am I supposed to believe that when I'm being hunted by entire clans?"

Adrian sighed, his expression hardening. "We said we'd protect you, and we will. But this is bigger than just us, Elena. The clans won't stop until they get what they want."

"And what do they want?" Elena demanded, her voice rising.

Ethan and Adrian exchanged a glance, an unspoken conversation passing between them. Finally, Ethan spoke.

"They want your blood," he said, his tone grim.

Elena froze. "My... blood?"

"It's not just blood," Adrian clarified, leaning forward. "It's powerful. It holds something neither clan fully understands, but they know it's valuable. To them, it's the key to ultimate power."

Elena felt her stomach churn. "How is that even possible? I'm just a normal girl."

Ethan shook his head. "You're not normal, Elena. If you were, neither the vampires nor the wolves would care about you."

The weight of their words pressed down on her, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe. "So what am I supposed to do? Just wait around for them to find me?"

"No," Adrian said firmly. "You learn to fight."

The clearing became their makeshift training ground. Adrian taught Elena how to handle a dagger, his movements precise and graceful as he demonstrated techniques.

"Hold it like this," he instructed, guiding her hands. "You don't need brute strength; you need control."

Ethan watched from the edge of the clearing, his arms crossed. "Daggers won't help if she's facing wolves."

Adrian shot him a glare. "It's a start."

Elena groaned in frustration. "I don't think this is going to work. I'm not like you."

"You don't have to be," Adrian said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "You just need to survive."

Ethan stepped forward, his golden eyes narrowing. "She needs more than survival. She needs to know how to defend herself against anything."

Adrian rolled his eyes. "And what do you suggest? Teach her how to fight like a wolf?"

Ethan smirked. "Exactly."

Before Adrian could protest, Ethan took Elena's hand and led her to a different part of the clearing.

"Wolves fight with instinct," he explained, crouching slightly. "We're fast, aggressive, and unpredictable. You have to learn to anticipate movement."

He lunged at her suddenly, and she yelped, stumbling back.

"What the hell, Ethan?" she exclaimed.

He grinned. "Lesson one: Always be ready."

Adrian snorted from the sidelines. "You're going to scare her to death before she learns anything."

"She needs to be scared," Ethan retorted, his tone serious. "Fear keeps you alive."

Elena glared at both of them. "I'm right here, you know. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat me like some helpless damsel."

Ethan's grin widened. "Good. Channel that anger."

As the days passed, Elena began to adapt. Adrian's calm, calculated methods complemented Ethan's wild, instinct-driven approach. Despite their differences, they worked together to prepare her, their rivalry set aside—at least for the moment.

But tension simmered beneath the surface, ready to erupt at any moment.

One evening, as they sat around the fire, Elena couldn't help but notice the way Ethan and Adrian avoided looking at each other.

"Okay, spill it," she said, breaking the silence.

"Spill what?" Ethan asked, feigning innocence.

"Whatever's going on between you two," Elena replied. "You've been acting weird all day."

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Yeah," Ethan added. "It's clan stuff."

Elena crossed her arms. "I think I've earned the right to know."

Neither of them responded, and frustration bubbled up inside her. "Fine. Keep your secrets. But if we're supposed to trust each other, maybe you should start being honest."

Adrian and Ethan exchanged a look, guilt flashing across their faces.

"She's right," Adrian admitted reluctantly.

Ethan groaned. "Fine. But you're not going to like it."

"Try me," Elena challenged.

Adrian took a deep breath. "The clans are sending assassins."

Elena's blood ran cold. "What?"

"They think if they can't capture you, killing you is the next best option," Ethan said grimly.

"And you were just going to keep that from me?" Elena asked, her voice trembling with anger.

"We didn't want to scare you," Adrian said.

Elena stood, her hands clenched into fists. "Scare me? I have a right to know if people are trying to kill me!"

"We're not going to let that happen," Ethan said, his tone firm.

"How can you be so sure?" Elena demanded. "You can't be everywhere at once!"

Adrian stood as well, his crimson eyes softening. "We know this is hard, Elena. But we're doing everything we can to keep you safe."

Elena shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I didn't ask for any of this."

Ethan stepped closer, his expression earnest. "We know. And we'll fix it. I promise."

Adrian nodded. "We'll protect you, no matter what."

For the first time, Elena saw the weight they carried—the burden of their clans, their rivalry, and now, their shared responsibility for her.

As the fire crackled softly, Elena sat back down, her resolve hardening. If they were willing to fight for her, she wouldn't let them do it alone.