3. Protect you.

Camilla.

The door slammed shut behind Pamela, leaving me alone in the suffocating quiet of the room.

My body trembled as the full weight of the betrayal crashed over me. My sister had cut my brakes. She had tried to kill me, framed me, and stolen the man I gave my entire soul to. And Ragnar—my husband, my Alpha King—had looked at my broken, bleeding body and chosen to strike me instead of shield me.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, curling into a tight ball as violent, jagged sobs tore through my throat. Every breath was an agonizing battle against my bruised ribs, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony ripping my heart to shreds. 

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, clutching my unborn child in the dark, desperate hope that I could protect them from the harsh, cruel world outside.

‘Please,’ I prayed silently into the empty room, my tears soaking the harsh hospital sheets. ‘Please, just let me breathe. Just give me a moment.’

The universe, it seemed, had no intention of granting me mercy.

The door swung open abruptly. I quickly wiped my face, expecting at least a shred of medical care or a doctor to check on my injuries. 

Instead, a harsh-looking doctor stepped into the room, flanked by two burly pack guards wearing the Royal Alpha crest—Ragnar’s guards.

"Get up," the doctor said flatly, not even bothering to look at my chart. His voice held no compassion, only cold indifference.

I blinked through my blurry vision, confused. "What... what do you mean?"

"Alpha King Ragnar has revoked your medical privileges," the doctor stated coldly, checking his watch as if I were a minor inconvenience wasting his precious afternoon. "You are no longer a recognized member of this pack, nor are you Luna. Per His Grace’s explicit orders, you are to be discharged immediately. You have five minutes to clear out."

"Discharged?" I choked out, horror cold in my veins. "I... I just woke up from a car crash! I can barely stand! My ribs—"

"Your physical state is no longer our concern," the doctor interrupted sharply, gesturing to the guards. "Pack your belongings. If you cannot walk, the guards will escort you off the royal hospital grounds. By force, if necessary."

"Please," I begged, the humiliation burning hotter than the slap Ragnar had delivered earlier. Tears spilled fresh down my hot, bruised cheeks. "Just let me rest for an hour. Please, I'm in so much pain..."

"You heard the doctor, ex-Luna," one of the guards sneered, stepping forward with a look of utter contempt. "The Alpha’s orders are absolute. You don't belong here anymore."

The guard reached down and grabbed my arm, his massive fingers digging callously into my bruised skin. I gasped in pain as he violently pulled me toward the edge of the bed. My feet hit the icy floor, and a sharp, blinding wave of agony shot up my spine and straight through my lower abdomen.

"Stop! Please, don't!" I screamed, clutching my stomach as a terrifying, sharp cramp seized my belly. *Not the baby. God, please, not the baby.*

"Get her on her feet," the guard ordered his partner, dragging me mercilessly off the mattress.

I couldn't stand, my legs buckled beneath me, and I collapsed onto the cold, hard linoleum floor, crying out in agony as my frail body slammed against the ground. 

The doctor watched with unfeeling eyes, crossing his arms, while the guards reached down to drag me out like a piece of discarded trash.

I squeezed my eyes shut, shielding my stomach with both hands, bracing myself for the ultimate nightmare of losing my child right here on the dirty floor.

"ENOUGH!"

A voice echoed through the room like a crack of thunder, vibrating through the very walls and floorboards. It wasn't just a command; it was the suffocating, terrifying pressure of an ancient Alpha King’s command.

Instantly, the two guards froze, their faces draining of color as they dropped their hands and fell to their knees in instinctive submission. The doctor staggered backward, trembling violently as the oppressive aura filled the small room.

I opened my eyes, trembling on the floor.

Standing in the doorway, his wooden cane planted firmly on the ground, was Grandfather—the former Alpha King, Eric. His silver hair was neatly slicked back, but his face was twisted in a fury so immense it seemed to radiate heat. 

His piercing gold eyes swept over the scene—taking in the hostile doctor, the kneeling guards, and finally, me, crumpled and bleeding on the floor.

"Grandfather..." I whimpered, my voice breaking into a soft sob.

"Silence!" Eric roared, pointing his cane directly at the doctor and the guards. His voice shook the windowpanes. "You dare put your hands on her? You dare treat the Luna of this pack like a dog in my presence?!"

"M-My Lord," the doctor stammered, sweating profusely as he bowed low. "It... it was Alpha King Ragnar’s direct order. He signed the dissolution papers. She is no longer—"

"I do not give a damn whose order it was!" Eric bellowed, stepping into the room with a commanding authority that made the grown men flinch. "Ragnar may wear the crown, but I built this kingdom! As long as blood flows through my veins, no woman under my roof—let alone my granddaughter-in-law—will be dragged through the dirt like a criminal!"

Eric turned his furious gaze to the two guards, who were trembling violently on the floor. "Get out. Both of you. Before I strip you of your rank and throw you out of this pack myself!"

"Yes, Your Grace! Forgive us, Your Grace!" The guards scrambled backward, nearly tripping over each other as they sprinted out of the room. 

The doctor gave a terrified bow and practically fled behind them, slamming the door shut.

The oppressive pressure in the room vanished as quickly as it had come.

Eric let out a heavy sigh, his harsh demeanor softening instantly into profound sadness and guilt. He set his cane aside, dropped heavily to his knees despite his old, aching joints, and reached out with gentle, trembling hands to gather me into his arms.

"Oh, my dear child," Eric whispered softly, lifting me gently off the cold floor and placing me back onto the bed. "My poor, sweet Camilla..."

The moment his warm, grandfatherly arms wrapped around me, the last of my composure completely shattered. I sobbed uncontrollably into his chest, clutching his coat as if he were the only lifesaver in a dark, violent sea.

"He... he threw me away, Grandfather," I cried, choking on my own tears. "Ragnar... he hates me. Pamela... they took everything from me..."

"Hush now, little one," Eric soothed, gently stroking my hair, his own eyes shining with unshed tears and burning rage. "I know. I know everything. But as long as I am alive, they will not destroy you. I promise you, Camilla. I will protect you.”