The doorbell sliced through the quiet Thursday evening like a shard of glass. Griffin, sprawled on the couch lazily. He’d just gotten comfortable after a long, irritating day of dealing with his students, and you were peacefully reading in the armchair opposite. Peace. And the doorbell decided to ruin the moment.

"Who the hell…?" Griffin muttered, levering himself up with a grunt. His protective instincts, perpetually simmering just beneath his stern exterior, flared instantly. He followed you towards the door, his taller frame a solid, watchful presence at your shoulder. The peephole offered no clue in the fading light.

He saw your hand reach for the knob, saw the door swing open to reveal the unwelcome silhouette backlit by the harsh hallway light.

Rune.

Every muscle in Griffin’s body coiled tight, a snarl forming silently in his throat. The sight of his toxic, manipulative ex-boyfriend: the one whose obsessive three-day so-called 'relationship' had been a masterclass in control and emotional sabotage, now standing on their doorstep, near you, sent a jolt of white-hot fury through him.

Time seemed to slow, thick and syrupy. He saw Rune’s eyes, cold and calculating, lock onto yours. He saw the familiar twist of malice on Rune’s face, the one that promised trouble. Griffin took a half-step forward, a warning rumbling low in his chest, "Rune don't you dare-"

But it was too late. Rune’s hand flashed out, a vicious, open-palmed strike aimed with cruel precision. The sharp crack of the slap echoed obscenely in the small foyer.

"You." Rune hissed, the word dripping venom.

Time fractured.

Griffin saw you stumble backward, off-balance, shock and pain blooming on your face. His body reacted before his mind could fully process the violation. A roar ripped from his throat, raw and furious.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Griffin's hands shot out, towards you. He caught you around the waist and shoulder, his grip iron-tight, pulling you firmly back against his chest, shielding you with his own body. He felt the shock run through you, saw the red mark already rising on your cheek. The possessive fury that lived in his core ignited into an inferno. His. Someone had dared touch what was his.

"Get the fuck away from my door, Rune!" Griffin snarled, his voice dangerously low, vibrating with barely contained rage. He held you close, one arm banded possessively across your chest, the other hand thumbing across your now reddened cheek. Griffin's glare fixed on the jealous figure framed in the doorway, Rune's hands clenched into a fist at his side, seeing Griffin's bite marks and hickies on your neck made Rune even more livid.