The house loomed dark and silent as Nyx stepped inside, his heart pounding like a war drum. The familiar scent of leather and pine filled the air, but it offered no comfort. His father, Elias Blackthorn, stood waiting in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a steaming cup of coffee in hand. The sharp edge of his jawline was set like stone, and his piercing blue eyes, so similar to Nyx’s own, tracked his every move.


    “Do you know what time it is?” Elias’s voice was calm, but the weight of disappointment in it hit Nyx harder than any shout could.


    “I... stayed at Aiden’s,” Nyx stammered, trying to keep his voice steady. “We were studying. I told you.”


    Elias’s lip curled into a humorless smile. “Studying? Really? Funny how studying leaves bruises on your arms and a limp in your step.” He set the coffee cup down with deliberate precision, the sound echoing in the silent room. “You think I don’t notice these things, Nyx?”


    Nyx looked down, his fists clenching at his sides. “It’s not what you think.”


    “Then enlighten me,” Elias said, stepping closer, his boots heavy against the tiled floor. “Because from where I stand, it looks like my son’s sneaking around, getting into trouble, and lying to my face about it.”


    Nyx’s head snapped up, his voice rising. “I’m not lying!”


    Elias’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he took another step forward. “Don’t raise your voice at me, boy,” he growled. “You think you’re grown enough to sneak out, but you’re not grown enough to face the consequences?”


    Nyx’s shoulders hunched, and his voice trembled as he muttered, “You wouldn’t understand. You’ve never understood me.”


    Elias felt a sharp sting at those words, but he held his ground, his eyes narrowing. “Is that so? Try me,” he said, his tone low and edged with challenge.


    Nyx hesitated, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He wanted to tell him everything—about the Alpha bite, about the supernatural world he was tangled in, about the creature in the woods. But the image of his father, the unwavering sheriff of Blackwater Hollow, sworn to protect the town from anything remotely supernatural, made him choke on the truth. He cannot know. He cannot.


    “You’re just going to twist it,” Nyx said finally, his voice breaking. “Like you always do. You’re so busy trying to make me into someone I’m not that you don’t even see who I really am.”


    Elias’s jaw tightened further, and for a moment, he said nothing. He crossed his arms, his muscles tensing, and then, in a softer tone, asked, “Who are you, Nyx? Tell me. Because all I see is my son pushing me away.”


    Nyx’s breath hitched. He stepped forward, his fists unclenching. “I want to be a surgeon,” he blurted out. “Not a cop, not a Blackthorn family enforcer, and definitely not what you’ve been trying to make me. I want to help people in my own way, not carry a badge or a gun. Why can’t you see that?”


    Elias’s face hardened as a storm of emotions swirled within him. Hurt, anger, and something deeper he couldn’t name. “You think I’m trying to ruin your life?” he asked, his voice quieter now but no less intense.


    Nyx’s eyes burned. “I think you’re trying to live through mine,” he said, his voice firm but breaking with emotion. “I think you’re so caught up in what this family means to you that you can’t see what it’s doing to me.”


    Elias let out a long breath, running a hand through his graying hair. “Nyx,” he said, his voice thick, “this family’s legacy is all I know. It’s not about control; it’s about survival. Do you have any idea how dangerous this world is?”


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    “Yes,” Nyx said sharply. He took another step forward, his gaze locked on his father’s. “More than you think. And that’s why I’m asking you to trust me. I’m not a kid anymore. I need to make my own choices, my own mistakes. But I need your support, Dad, not your judgment.”


    Elias stared at him, the silence between them heavy with unspoken words. Finally, he reached out and gripped Nyx’s shoulder, his hand firm but not harsh. “Nyx,” he began, his voice low and reluctant, “you want to be a surgeon? I’ll… I’ll try to support you. But you’ve got to promise me one thing.”


    Nyx’s heart lifted with cautious hope. He swallowed hard. “What?”


    Elias’s grip tightened slightly, his blue eyes piercing into his son’s. “No more secrets,” he said firmly. “If you’re in trouble, you come to me. No matter what it is. Do you hear me?”


    Nyx hesitated, the weight of his hidden world pressing down on him. But then he nodded, his voice quiet. “Okay. No more secrets.”


    The silence lingered between them, heavy and filled with everything neither of them could yet say. Nyx felt the tension in his father’s grip—not just in his hand but in the way Elias’s entire being seemed taut, like a bowstring drawn too tightly. Yet, for the first time in a long time, Nyx felt a crack in the wall that had always stood between them. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.


    Elias let out a slow breath, his shoulders easing ever so slightly. "Nyx," he began, his voice quieter now, though still carrying the weight of authority. "You’re right. I’ve been… pushing too hard. Trying to shape you into what I think you should be, instead of listening to what you want."


    Nyx blinked, startled by the admission. He had braced himself for another argument, for a continuation of the battle that seemed never-ending. But this? This was different. Vulnerable, even.


    "It’s not that I don’t respect your dreams," Elias continued, releasing Nyx’s hand and stepping back. He leaned against the counter, his arms crossing loosely over his chest. "It’s just… this world doesn’t make it easy to dream. Especially not for a Blackthorn."


    Nyx’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching again, though not in anger this time. "I know the world is dangerous, Dad. I’ve seen it. But that doesn’t mean I have to follow the same path you did. Isn’t part of protecting me letting me find my own way?"


    Elias’s lips pressed into a thin line, and for a long moment, he seemed lost in thought. Finally, he straightened, his eyes locking onto Nyx’s. "You’re right," he said again, the words deliberate and careful, as though they were unfamiliar to him. "It’s… not easy for me to admit that. I’ve spent my whole life believing that the only way to protect this family was to follow tradition. To uphold the legacy. But maybe… maybe it’s time to rethink what that legacy means."


    Nyx’s heart skipped a beat. He had hoped for understanding, but this—this was more than he had dared to expect. He took a cautious step closer, his voice steady but tinged with emotion. "You don’t have to change everything overnight, Dad. I get it. This is your life. Your identity. But all I’m asking is for you to give me a chance to find mine."


    Elias nodded slowly, his gaze softening. "I can do that," he said, though there was a note of hesitation in his voice. "But it’s not going to be easy. For either of us. I’ve spent so long seeing the world through one lens, and changing that… it’s going to take time."


    Nyx’s lips twitched into a small, tentative smile. "Time’s all I’m asking for," he said. "Time and trust."


    Elias sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Trust isn’t the problem, Nyx. It’s fear. You’re my son. My only son. And the idea of losing you…"


    He trailed off, his voice cracking slightly. Nyx’s breath caught in his throat. He had always seen his father as unyielding, a man carved from stone. But now, for the first time, he saw the cracks. The vulnerability. And it hit him harder than any argument ever could.


    "You’re not going to lose me," Nyx said softly, his voice firm despite the lump in his throat. "But you’ve got to let me live my life. Otherwise, you’ll lose me anyway."


    Elias’s gaze sharpened, and he gave a small nod. "I hear you," he said, his voice steady once more. "And I’ll try. But I’m going to need your help, Nyx. Changing the way I think… the way I’ve always done things… it’s not something I can do alone."


    Nyx stepped closer, a sense of determination rising within him. "I’ll help you," he said. "But you’ve got to meet me halfway. No more shutting me out. No more treating me like a kid who doesn’t know what’s going on."


    Elias chuckled softly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Deal," he said. He extended his hand again, this time with more confidence. Nyx took it without hesitation, their grip firm and resolute. The two of them stood there for a while longer, the weight of years of conflict slowly giving way to something new. It wasn’t perfect. It would take time, as Elias had said. But it was a start.