Harmony barely steadied before she turned, already ready to go back, her chest heaving, eyes still lit with fury. “I swear to God, if she—”
Axel caught her before she could take a step.
Not rough.
But not gentle either.
His hands came to her arms, firm, grounding, holding her in place as his eyes moved over her quickly, scanning—her face, her hands, her shoulders—checking. Searching. “Hold still,” he muttered, his voice low, edged with something tighter than anger.
Harmony blinked, thrown off just enough to hesitate. “I’m fine,” she snapped, trying to pull away, but he didn’t let her.
His grip tightened slightly as he tilted her chin just enough to catch the light, his eyes narrowing as he looked for any mark, any sign she’d taken a hit in the chaos.
There was not one.
Not a scratc
