Page 69 of Witch's Promise

The scene that greeted him was almost surreal in its normalcy. His mother sat perched on the edge of the bed, holding his father's hand as if afraid he might disappear if she let go. Giana and Gino hovered nearby, their faces a mixture of relief and lingering worry. And there, propped up against a mountain of pillows, was his father.

"There's my boy," His dad said, his voice rough but warm. He held out his free arm, beckoning Gabe closer. "Come here, son."

Gabe felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes as he crossed the room in three long strides. He sank onto the bed, carefully wrapping his arms around his father's frail form. The familiar scent of his dad's aftershave mingled with the sharper smell of antiseptic, a reminder of how close they'd come to losing him.

"I thought-" Gabe choked out, unable to finish the sentence. I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd failed you.

His ’dad’s hand came up to cup the back of Gabe's head, the gesture achingly familiar. "I know, son. I know. But I'm here. You brought me back."

Gabe pulled back, swiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. "How are you feeling? Are you in any pain? Should I get Finn to-"

"Gabe," his mother cut in gently. "Your father's fine. Finn's been monitoring him closely. What he needs now is rest, and maybe a chance to talk to his son without the whole family hovering."

There was a pointed quality to her tone that had Giana and Gino scrambling to their feet.

"Right, yeah," Gino said, backing towards the door. "We'll just, uh, go update the others. Come on, Mom."

As his family filed out, leaving Gabe alone with his father, he felt a familiar weight settle onto his shoulders. There was so much to say, so much that had happened in the days since the attack. Where did he even begin?

Gabe hovered uncertainly at the edge of the bed, the weight of unspoken words and lingering guilt pressing down on him. His father looked so frail against the mountain of pillows, a far cry from the imposing figure that had loomed large in Gabe's childhood memories.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," his father said, patting the space beside him. "Sit down, son. I'm not going to break if you breathe on me wrong."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Gabe felt a smile tug at his lips. Trust his dad to cut through the tension with his trademark bluntness. He gingerly lowered himself onto the bed, careful not to jostle his father's still-healing body.

"There," his dad said, satisfaction coloring his tone. "Now we can talk without you looming over me like some overgrown mother hen."

Gabe snorted, the familiar banter easing some of the tightness in his chest. "Says the man who once threatened to put a tracking spell on me when I was ten minutes late coming home from school."

His father's answering chuckle turned into a wince, his hand coming up to press against his chest. Gabe tensed, ready to call for Finn, but his dad waved him off.

"I'm fine," he insisted, though the lines of pain around his eyes said otherwise. "Just a twinge. Nothing compared to what it could have been if you hadn't gotten to me in time."

The casual mention of how close they'd come to losing him hit Gabe like a physical blow. He swallowed hard, guilt churning in his gut. "Dad, I... I'm so sorry. If I'd been faster, if I'd realized sooner what was happening-"

"Stop right there," his father cut him off, his voice firm despite its weakened state. "You have nothing to apologize for, Gabe. You saved my life. If you hadn't been there, that dagger would have done a hell of a lot more than just put me out of commission for a few days."

Gabe shook his head, unable to accept the absolution his father was offering. "But if I'd been more prepared, if I'd seen the signs earlier-"

"What? You would have somehow magically prevented a surprise attack by a group of highly trained assassins?" His father's tone was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of steel that brooked no argument. "Son, you can't control everything. Sometimes bad things happen, and all we can do is deal with the aftermath as best we can. And from what I've heard, you've done a damn fine job of that."

The praise, so freely given, threatened to undo Gabe completely. He blinked hard against the sudden sting of tears, overwhelmed by a mixture of relief and lingering guilt.

"I don't know about that," Gabe muttered, unable to meet his father's gaze. "I feel like I'm fumbling in the dark here, I feel like all of it is too much. I'm not cut out for this kind of leadership."

His father was quiet for a long moment, and Gabe braced himself for disappointment or criticism. Instead, when he finally spoke, his voice was filled with a warmth that made Gabe's chest ache.

"You want to know why I chose you as the next coven leader?" his dad asked, the question clearly rhetorical. "It's because you have the heart and the mind of a true leader, Gabe. You care deeply about people, about doing what's right. But you also have the intelligence and strategic thinking to back it up."

Gabe looked up, startled by the conviction in his father's voice. "But I don't know what I'm doing half the time. I'm just making it up as I go along."

His father's laugh was warm, tinged with fond exasperation. "And you think I had it all figured out when I first took over? Son, leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about being willing to ask for help when you need it, about surrounding yourself with people you trust to have your back."

The words hit Gabe like a revelation. He thought of his team, of the unwavering support they'd shown him over the past few days. Of Sean, choosing to stand by his side despite all the complications and dangers that came with it. Maybe his father was right. Maybe he wasn't as alone in this as he'd thought.

"I've already consulted with the other coven members," his dad continued, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "And our family, of course. They all agree that you're the best suited to lead us into the future."

Gabe felt a curious mixture of honor and terror at the thought. "I... I don't know what to say. I want to do right by the coven, I do. But Dad, I have a life in Manhattan. I don't know how I can be in two places at once."

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