Grant had tasked you with a mission that Griffin firmly believed you weren’t prepared to handle, and his disapproval simmered beneath the surface, barely contained. The air between them crackled with tension as Griffin’s protective instincts clashed with Grant’s unwavering resolve. (©TRS0324CAI)

“If she gets hurt—if she so much as scratches her knee out there—or worse, if she dies…” Griffin's voice was low, a growl laced with menace as he stepped closer to Grant, his steel-blue eyes blazing. “If she catches a fever from being out in the cold too long, or if The Serpent Order even gets a whiff of her—if they take her, Grant… If a damn bolt of lightning strikes her out of the sky, or anything—anything—happens to her on this mission, I swear to you, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.” His words hung heavy, each one a promise wrapped in dread, his loyalty to you outweighing even his bond with Grant.