7. Still Mine!

Camilla.

The ringing in my ears was deafening, a sharp, high-pitched whine that drowned out the throbbing pain in my face. I remained curled on the cold marble, my arms locked tightly around my abdomen, praying that the tiny, fragile heartbeat inside me was still safe.

Before the shock of Ragnar’s slap could even settle, a shadow suddenly blurred across my vision.

A loud voice echoed. “How dare you?”

It was Cassian and he instantly moved like a lethal storm.

There was no hesitation in his movements, no warning, and barely even a moment for anyone to comprehend what he was about to do.

He cleared the remaining stairs in a single powerful leap, his body moving with such terrifying speed that the force of his descent seemed to cut through the air with a sharp, frightening whistle.

Before Ragnar could even register the approaching threat, Cassian closed the remaining distance between them, and he drove his fist forward.

It connected directly with Ragnar’s jaw with brutal, solid force.

CRACK!

The sound exploded through the vaulted foyer, sharp and sickening against the surrounding silence.

Ragnar’s head snapped violently to the side from the impact. His entire body lurched backward, his feet struggling to find their balance as the force of the punch sent him stumbling several feet across the floor.

He couldn't stop himself, as his back slammed heavily against a massive oak display table with a loud, jarring thud.

The impact rattled the furniture, and the crystal vases resting upon it toppled almost immediately. They crashed onto the floor one after another, their delicate surfaces shattering into countless glittering fragments that scattered across the polished ground.

Blood instantly erupted from Ragnar’s split lip— a thin line appeared first before quickly staining his chin, the bright red contrast startling against his skin.

For a moment, Ragnar didn't move, as he stared at Cassian in shock, and absolute, stunned disbelief filled his face as though his mind was struggling to process what had just happened.

Slowly, almost mechanically, he lifted one hand and pressed it against his bleeding mouth, and his fingertips came away stained red while his storm-gray eyes widened.

He was the Alpha King, no one had ever dared to hit him.

Yet here he was, standing stunned and bleeding after being struck by his Cassian.

Cassian didn't even pause to watch Ragnar bleed. He dropped to his knees beside me, his large, warm hands gently sliding under my neck and beneath my knees.

The suffocating, terrifying pressure of his anger vanished the second his touch met my skin, replaced by an infinitely soft, protective warmth.

"I've got you," Cassian murmured, his deep voice thick with an intensity that made my heart hammer. "I'm holding you, Camilla." He added reassuringly.

He lifted me into his arms effortlessly, pulling my bruised body against his broad chest. I instinctively buried my face into the crook of his neck, clinging to his shirt as a ragged breath escaped my lips.

Cassian stood up, cradling me securely against his heart, and turned to face my ex-husband. His golden eyes burned with an ancient, predatory rage that made the very air in the hall grow cold.

Ragnar pushed himself away from the broken table, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his chest heaving with fury. "Cassian...you dare lay a hand on your King?"

"I laid a hand on a coward," Cassian spat, his voice dropping into a lethal, venomous register. He held me tighter, looking down at Ragnar with pure, unadulterated disgust. "Look at you, Ragnar. Look at what you’ve become. You stand there in your tailored suit, wearing a crown you don't deserve, beating a woman who gave you three years of her absolute, silent devotion."

Ragnar’s jaw tightened, his gray eyes flashing red. "She tried to kill Pamela! She—"

"She loved you!" Cassian roared, his voice booming through the hall like thunder, cutting Ragnar off instantly. "She gave you her entire heart, you arrogant fool! While you were chasing after a snake and dreaming of another woman, Camilla stood by your side. She endured your coldness, your neglect, and your cruelty, yet she still prayed for a single warm look from you. She loved a man who didn't exist."

The words hung in the air, heavy and sharp as daggers.

For a fraction of a second, something cracked in Ragnar’s eyes. A flicker of raw, uncomfortable emotion crossed his face as Cassian’s words pierced through his blind rage. He looked at me—nested safely in Cassian’s arms, hiding my face against his brother’s chest—and his lips parted slightly, unable to find a quick rebuttal.

"And how did you reward her?" Cassian continued, stepping forward, his eyes locking onto Ragnar’s with ruthless satisfaction. "You threw divorce papers at her battered body while she was still bleeding from a crash.” He paused. “You struck her face because your pathetic ego couldn't handle the truth."

Cassian shifted me slightly in his arms, turning his body so that I was completely shielded from Ragnar, leaning his head down so his dark hair brushed against mine. He raised his voice, his baritone echoing with a solemn, binding weight that made the pack magic in the room hum.

"Now I need you to know something!” He said, his voice carrying a clear warning. “From this moment onward, Camilla is under my absolute sanctuary," Cassian announced, his golden eyes locking onto Ragnar with a dark, triumphant smirk. "She belongs to me now, her body, her protection, her honor, her future—they are all mine to guard.” He paused , and a sly smirk spread across his face. “You threw her away, brother and I am taking what you were too blind to keep."

Ragnar’s eyes widened in sheer, horror-stricken shock. The blood drained from his face, replaced by a dark, volatile fury. He took a frantic step forward, his Alpha aura flaring out in a desperate attempt to assert dominance.

"Don't be commencement-level foolish... don't be shameless, Cassian," Ragnar snarled, his voice trembling with a mixture of rage and disbelief, as he paused, his chest heaving as he pointed a trembling, blood-stained finger at us. "The divorce paper isn't officially finalized.” His smile deepened. “Camilla is still my wife!”