He charged, slamming Victor into a marble pillar. The entire structure groaned under the force. Victor struck back with a brutal uppercut that sent Alex sprawling.
Pain exploded through his jaw. His limbs felt heavier and slower. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand, but his breaths came harder.
Elizabeth stood frozen by the table, her face pale. "Stop this!" she shouted, her voice cracking.
Alex wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, glaring at Victor. But deep down, he knew that his strength was fading. He hadn't gotten used to his new power so everything was still new to him.
And Victor? The man wasn't done yet.
Elizabeth's voice cut through the chaos once again like a whip. "I said stop!"
Her scream echoed through the shattered dining hall, freezing both men mid-motion. Victor's fist hovered inches from Alex's face, while Alex's hand curled into a tight fist, ready to strike again.
The silence that followed was heavy and thick with tension and the sound of labored breathing.
Elizabeth's heels clicked against the marble floor as she stormed toward them, her face pale but blazing with fury. "Have you two lost your minds?" She snapped, glaring daggers at both. "What is wrong with you? You're wrecking the entire house like a couple of brainless animals!"
Alex, still catching his breath, let his hands drop to his sides. His body ached, and the burn in his muscles was almost unbearable but he wasn't about to show weakness. Not in front of them. "Your father started it," he said coolly, though the sharp pain in his ribs spoke different.
"And you," Elizabeth turned on him, "don't try to act like you own me! I'm not your pawn, Alex!"
Victor's lips curled into a faint smirk as he wiped blood from his mouth, clearly enjoying the show. "Careful, Elizabeth," he said, his tone mocking. "It sounds like your little boss is getting ahead of himself."
"Stay out of this," she snapped at her father, surprising both men. "I'm not doing this for you either."
Alex's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He stood there, still, cold, and unreadable while she advanced toward him, her anger flaring brighter with every step.
"You think you can just walk in here and throw your weight around?" Elizabeth demanded. "Threatening my family, dragging me into your mess like I'm just some tool you can use whenever you feel like it?" She let out a bitter laugh. "Listen, Alex, I don't work for you. And I definitely don't take orders from you."
He didn't respond. He let her words hang in the air, absorbing every bit of her fury without flinching.
"And another thing," she continued, her voice trembling with frustration. "If you think you can control me then you have to think again. I don't care how strong you are or how scary you try to be." Her fists clenched at her sides. "I'm not scared of you."
For a moment, all Alex did was stare at her, his expression unreadable beneath the shadow of his hoodie. But inside, his heart pounded in his chest, the exhaustion crawling beneath his skin.
Victor watched them both with interest but said nothing, as if testing to see who would break first.
Finally, Elizabeth exhaled sharply, brushing her hair back from her face as if trying to calm herself. "Fine," she bit out. "I'll do what you want."
Her words hung heavy in the air, colder than the shattered room around them.
"But don't think for a second that I'm doing this because you told me to," she added, her voice still edged with defiance. "I'm only helping you because if you ruin my life, you're dragging me down with you and I'm not about to let that happen."
Alex nodded once, slow, deliberate but still said nothing. Whatever storm brewed behind his eyes, he kept it locked away.
Without another word, Elizabeth turned sharply on her heel and stalked toward the grand staircase, her footsteps echoing through the broken hall.
Victor chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "You've got guts, boy," he said, brushing a speck of dust from his suit. "But don't forget, my daughter isn't so easily tamed."
Alex didn't answer. His gaze lingered on the staircase where Elizabeth had disappeared. Then, without another glance at Victor, he turned and walked toward the front doors, his shoulders tense but his stride steady.
-----
As Alex walked away from the Blackwood estate, the crunch of gravel beneath his feet echoed through the night air. He didn't look back, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. The confrontation with Victor and Elizabeth had left him feeling drained, but he knew he couldn't afford to show weakness.
He quickened his pace, his footsteps eating up the distance as he made his way back to the academy. The night air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and fresh-cut grass. But Alex's senses were on high alert, his instincts screaming that he was being watched.
At first, he tried to brush it off as mere paranoia. But the feeling persisted, growing stronger with every step. He could sense eyes upon him, boring into his skin like cold, calculating fingers.
Alex's heart rate accelerated, his muscles tensing as he scanned his surroundings. The streets were empty, the only sound the distant hum of crickets and the soft rustle of leaves. But he knew he wasn't alone.
Someone was following him.
Alex's instincts urged him to confront the stalker, to turn and face whoever was lurking in the shadows. But he resisted the impulse, knowing that would only lead to more trouble.
Instead, he hastened his footsteps, his eyes fixed on the academy's gates in the distance. He could feel the weight of the stalker's gaze upon him, but he refused to give in to fear.
As he approached the academy's entrance, Alex's senses went into overdrive. He could feel the stalker closing in, their presence growing stronger with every step.
But Alex didn't look back. He pushed through the gates and sprinted across the quad, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't stop until he reached the safety of his hostel, where he went in and locked the door behind him.
For a long moment, Alex stood there, his ears straining to pick up any sound of pursuit. But there was nothing. Just the silence of the night, and the sound of his own ragged breathing.
Alex narrowed his eyes, his mind racing with possibilities. Who could it be that was following him and why?
A thought came into his mind and it began to dawn on him that truly, they were out for him. As such, he made a mental note to be more careful in the future.