Chapter 3

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but a soft groan from nearby made him stiffen. His nostrils flared, catching a whiff of decay that didn't match the ambient cemetery smell.

"Wait," he whispered, holding up a hand. "We're not done yet."

He led them towards the source of the sound, his enhanced vision piercing the gloom. Behind a large angel statue, they found a woman curled on the ground, blood seeping from a wound in her side.

"Please," she whimpered. "Help me."

But Ethan's senses were screaming warnings. The scent of decay was too strong, the woman's heartbeat too slow for the amount of visible blood loss. As her eyes flickered, meeting his, he saw the inhuman hunger lurking behind the facade of pain.

"It's a trap!" he yelled, just as the "injured" ghoul launched itself at Sam with impossible speed.

What followed was a frantic struggle that pushed even Ethan's enhanced abilities to their limit. He and Dean worked in tandem, trying to pry the creature off Sam without hurting him. The ghoul's strength was incredible, its flesh slippery and resistant to their grip.

Finally, with a sickening crunch that Ethan felt in his bones, Dean managed to cave in the ghoul's skull with the butt of his shotgun. The sudden silence was deafening.

As the adrenaline faded, Ethan found himself pinned under the intense scrutiny of both Winchester brothers. He could smell their suspicion, hear the slight increase in their heart rates as they regarded him with newfound wariness.

"Alright, Adam," Dean said, his voice low and dangerous. "No more bullshit. You're going to tell us exactly what's going on with you, and you're going to do it now."

Ethan looked from Dean to Sam, seeing a mix of emotions play across their faces. He took a deep breath, the cool cemetery air filling his lungs, carrying with it a hundred subtle scents that reminded him just how different he had become.

His mind raced, piecing together a plausible explanation that wouldn't reveal his true origins. "Look," he began, keeping his voice steady, "I'm not entirely sure what's happening to me either. Ever since I... came back, everything's been different. Enhanced. I can see better, hear better, move faster. It's like my body got an upgrade along with the resurrection package."

This wasn't a lie. Ever since he woke up in this body, he could feel the gradual growth in all of his senses. He didn't know why, but he also wasn't complaining. Especially when whatever stroke of luck or being decided he would be awakening in this world.

"That doesn't explain why a kid your age knows how to effectively map out attack plans. And not like some amateur, but like you've been to fucking war or something..." Dean said while narrowing his eyes even more.

Sam then chimed in as well, "Did you suddenly learn all of these things at the moment you dug your way out of that burial?"

Ethan shook his head. "No, those... those I worked for. After what happened to my mom, I was scared. Paranoid. I threw myself into learning everything I could about self-defense, combat techniques, and survival skills. I guess coming back from the dead kicked it all into overdrive."

Sam and Dean exchanged a look, clearly not fully convinced but unable to deny the evidence of their own eyes.

"We've seen some weird shit," Sam said slowly, "but this... this is new territory, even for us."

Ethan nodded, allowing a hint of vulnerability to show through. "Tell me about it. I'm just trying to figure things out, same as you. But whatever's happening to me, I want to use it to help. To make sure what happened to my mom doesn't happen to anyone else."

There was a long moment of silence, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves in the pre-dawn breeze. Finally, Dean sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

"Alright, kid. We'll figure this out together. But no more secrets, got it? Anything else weird happens, you tell us."

The 'kid' after every goddamn sentence was annoying, but Ethan nodded, relief washing over him. "Deal."

As they made their way back to the Impala, the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon, Ethan felt a mix of guilt and resolve. He hated lying to the Winchesters, but he knew the truth was too fantastic, too dangerous to reveal. For now, at least, he would have to navigate this new world on his own terms.

Climbing into the backseat, the familiar rumble of the engine settling into his bones, Ethan allowed himself a small smile. He might be in over his head, straddling two worlds and two identities, but he wasn't alone. And in this dangerous, beautiful, impossible universe, that counted for a lot.

As the Impala pulled away from the cemetery, leaving the carnage of the night behind, Ethan settled in for the long game. He had a lot to learn, a lot to prove, and a whole new world to explore. The hunt was just beginning.