Page 70 of Witch's Promise

His father's expression softened, understanding replacing the earlier pride. "I may have said my time as coven leader is over, but that doesn't mean I don't have a few good years left in me yet. We'll take it one day at a time, alright? No need to uproot your entire life overnight."

The easy acceptance, the willingness to compromise, was so unlike the father Gabe had grown up with that he found himself momentarily speechless. When had his dad become so... flexible?

As if reading Gabe's thoughts, his father grinned. "What? You think your old man can't learn new tricks? Nearly dying has a way of putting things in perspective."

Gabe laughed, the sound startled out of him by his father's unexpected humor. "I guess so. Though if this is what it takesto get you to lighten up, maybe we should arrange near-death experiences more often."

His dad swatted at him playfully, wincing slightly at the movement. "Watch it, wise guy. I'm still your father, coven leader or not. I can still ground you, you know."

They shared a chuckle, the lingering tension between them finally dissipating. As the laughter faded, Gabe's father fixed him with a knowing look that made him suddenly wary.

"So," his dad said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Are we going to talk about you and Sean being back together, or do I have to pry it out of you?"

Gabe felt his face heat, caught off guard by the abrupt change in topic. "I- what? How did you even know about that?"

His father's grin was downright smug. "Your mother might have mentioned something. She always did have a soft spot for that Drake boy."

"Of course she did," Gabe muttered, making a mental note to have a chat with his mom about the concept of privacy. "It's complicated, Dad. We're still figuring things out."

His father's expression turned serious, concern replacing the earlier amusement. "Just be careful, alright? I know you care about him, but given your history and everything that's going on now..."

"I know, I know," Gabe said, waving off his father's worry. "Trust me, we're taking things slow. Well, slowish. It's Sean, after all."

His dad chuckled, shaking his head fondly. "That boy always did have a way of turning your life upside down. Just promise me you'll be smart about this, Gabe. With everything that's happening, we can't afford any distractions."

Gabe opened his mouth to argue, to defend his decision to let Sean back into his life. But before he could formulate a response, a knock at the door interrupted them.

His mother poked her head in, a knowing smile playing at her lips. "Sorry to interrupt, boys, but there's someone here to see Gabe. A very handsome someone, I might add."

As his mother disappeared to fetch the visitor, Gabe turned to his father with a questioning look. "I wonder who it could be at this hour?"

His father shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. "Only one way to find out. Go on, son. I'm not going anywhere."

Gabe hesitated for a moment, torn between staying with his father and facing whoever had arrived. But his dad made the decision for him, shooing him towards the door with a wave of his hand.

"Go," he insisted. "We can talk more later. And Gabe?"

Gabe paused at the threshold, looking back at his father. The love and pride shining in the older man's eyes made his throat tight with emotion.

"I'm proud of you, son. Just know that I believe in you.”

The simple words, so freely given, threatened to undo Gabe completely. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak past the lump in his throat. As he turned to leave, he felt a curious mixture of anticipation and dread. Who could be visiting at this hour?

Gabe made his way to the living room, his mind racing with possibilities. As he rounded the corner, he stopped short, his eyes widening in surprise.

There, standing in the middle of the room looking as imposing as ever, was Alex.

"Alex?" Gabe said, shock coloring his voice. "What are you doing here?"

Chapter 21

Sean

Sean couldn't help but stare at the newcomer, his eyes widening as he took in the sheer presence of the man. Alex exuded an aura of power that made Sean's hair stand on end. It wasn't just his physical stature, though that was impressive enough – all broad shoulders and corded muscle that spoke of years of combat experience. No, it was something deeper, an almost palpable energy that seemed to radiate from him in waves.

Fuck, Sean thought, swallowing hard. This guy could probably snap him in half without breaking a sweat.

As if sensing Sean's discomfort, Marcus sidled up next to him, throwing a companionable arm around his shoulders. "Don't let the whole 'terrifying badass' vibe fool you," he whispered, his breath warm against Sean's ear. "He may be the former lord of the underworld, but Alex is the best boss and person you'll ever meet."

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