|Gryphon's POV|
She's shaking in my arms, her breath shallow and uneven like it hurts to even be. My chest is a damn war drum, thundering with fury, but I keep it caged. She doesn't need that right now. Not my anger. Not my violence. She needs stillness. Control. Me.
I press a kiss into her hair and anchor my voice low and steady.
"Listen to me, Serena." I pull back just enough to look into her eyes. Still stormy, but no longer drowning. "I need you to walk back inside that ballroom."
Her lips part, panic flickering across her features, but I lift a hand and rest it against her cheek, guiding her focus to me.
"Just for a minute," I say. "Find your mother. Tell her you're done for the night. That you're leaving. She doesn't get to argue. She doesn't get to win."
Serena's lower lip tr
