Page 5 of Witch's Promise

By the time Gabe finished his shower, the locker room had mostly cleared out. He took his time getting dressed, meticulously styling his hair and adjusting his clothes. The others often teased him about his "primping," but Gabe couldn't help it. In a world where so much felt out of his control, at least he could control how he presented himself to the world.

As he stood in front of the mirror, Gabe's eyes caught on the silver band adorning his right hand. Unconsciously, his fingers moved to touch it, tracing the familiar contours.

Sean's ring.

A flood of memories washed over him. Sean's laugh, the warmth of his smile, the way his eyes would crinkle at the corners when he was truly happy. But also the arguments, the growing distance, the final, bitter words they'd exchanged. And yet Gabe couldn't bring himself to remove it. It was a reminder—of what he'd lost, of what he was fighting to protect.

The sudden blaring of an alarm jerked Gabe out of his reverie. His head snapped up, body instantly tensing.

Gabe's heart hammered against his ribs as he sprinted down the hallway, nearly colliding with Lucas as they both rounded the corner into the briefing room. The space was already buzzing with activity, screens flickering to life with maps and data streams as the team filed in.

Lily, their intel specialist, stood at the front of the room, her fingers dancing across a holographic interface. Her usual calm demeanor was tinged with urgency as she began speaking the moment the last team member crossed the threshold.

"We've got a situation on Fifth Avenue," Lily announced, her voice cutting through the nervous chatter. "Rogue supernatural setting houses on fire. Three residences hit in the last hour, no casualties reported yet, but it's only a matter of time."

Gabe felt his stomach lurch. Fire. Civilians. Christ, this could go south real quick if they didn't move fast.

Alex's eyes swept the room, landing on Gabe. "Reed, you're taking point on this one."

For a moment, Gabe's brain short-circuited. He must have misheard. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me," Alex said, his tone brooking no argument. "It's a relatively small-scale operation. Perfect opportunity for you to flex those leadership muscles."

Gabe's mouth went dry. Leadership? Him? Sure, he'd led smaller ops before, but this was different. This was real. People's lives were at stake.

Before he could voice his doubts, Eryx's voice cut through the room like a whip crack. "What about me?"

The tension in the room ratcheted up several notches. Gabe's eyes flicked between Eryx and Alex, taking in the rigid set of Eryx's shoulders, the barely contained frustration in his eyes.

Shit. This was about to get messy.

Alex's expression softened almost imperceptibly as he turned to his mate. "Eryx, I think it's best if you sit this one out."

The words hung in the air for a moment, heavy with unspoken meaning. Gabe watched as Eryx's face cycled through a range of emotions – disbelief, anger, hurt – before settling into a mask of cold fury.

"Sit it out?" Eryx's voice was low, dangerous. "In case you've forgotten,dear, I'm still a member of this team."

Alex's jaw clenched. "No one's forgotten that. But without your power-“

"Without my power, what?" Eryx snapped. "I'm useless? A liability?"

The rest of the team shifted uncomfortably, gazes darting anywhere but at the feuding couple. Gabe felt his chest tighten. He knew how much Eryx was struggling since losing his magic to the Order. The anger, the fear, the feeling of being less than he was – Gabe recognized it all too well.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Alex said, his usual commanding tone tinged with frustration and something that sounded suspiciously like guilt. "I'm trying to protect you."

"I don't need your protection!" Eryx shouted, slamming his hand down on the briefing table. The resounding crack made everyone jump. "What I need is for you to trust me. To let me do my fucking job."

For a moment, the room was silent save for Eryx's ragged breathing. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him.

Alex closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, his gaze locked onto Gabe. "You have your orders. I expect a full report when you return."

With that, he strode out of the room, no doubt in pursuit of his mate.

The tension in the room deflated like a punctured balloon, leaving behind a heavy, awkward silence. Gabe's mind raced, trying to process everything that had just happened while simultaneously grappling with the weight of responsibility that had been unexpectedly thrust upon him.

"Well," Lucas's voice broke through the quiet, "that was fun. So, boss man, what's the plan?"

Gabe blinked, realizing everyone was now looking at him expectantly. Right. He was in charge. He had to lead.

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