Hi guys!

This chapter is a continuation of the one from Maxon's POV.

***WARNING: This content is very graphic***

If you don't want to read it, I'll explain what it was about down at the bottom.

Anyway, hope you enjoy, and please don't hate me because I wrote this.

Disclaimer: all Selection characters belong to Kiera Cass

Someone called from behind me, "Maxon!"

There was no mistaking that voice. I tensed up. Every inch of my body grew cold with fear. Maxon looked at me with that same panic.

"MAXON!" the voice boomed down the hall, echoing off the walls.

I turned, trying to be brave.

"Your Majesty," I said, my voice wavering.

"MAXON SCHREAVE!" I saw King Clarkson taking angry strides towards us.

Queen Amberly, who was scurrying behind him said, "Clarkson, don't d-". He held up a hand, instructing her to stop speaking. I looked at mine, and realized they were shaking.

When he was in front of us, he looked at me with a stare that made me shrink back.

He directed his attention back to Maxon. "BOY! Tell me what you were doing," he pointed at me, "with her."

Maxon was speechless, as shocked as a deer in headlights. "TELL ME!" he shouted, his voice thundering through the halls.

Maxon still didn't say anything; he was too surprised.

All of a sudden, the king sneered.

"Alright, if you don't want to talk here, we'll talk in my office," he said. My whole world collapsed in front of me. No. He can't get hurt because of me.

Maxon looked at me, at his mother, then at his father. "If you talk to me, you won't talk to her," he said. I stared at him in awe, in fear, in anger. No, Maxon. Don't do this for me. Let him talk to me instead.

King Clarkson glared at him and clenched his jaw. "Fine. But even if she doesn't talk, she will still come."

I was shoved into the office and stumbled a bit.

I turned around and saw Maxon slowly walking in, anxiously. King Clarkson closed the door behind him, and locked it, making this whole situation twice as terrifying. There was no one else in here or in the hallway outside. No one would hear us. No one would help us.

"Now, will you tell me what you were doing?" he asked.

Maxon looked at me for help. I managed to muster up some courage, and said, "Your Majesty, I was just leaving. But Maxon saw me and we got caught in the moment." His cold hard eyes were enough to make me want to leave the palace.

"You made a mistake." he said harshly. "You're not supposed to be here. But if you choose to stay, there will be consequences." If I choose to stay? Does that mean I'll be able to be with Maxon? No matter what consequences I am forced to face, I will accept them, for Maxon.

"Now, boy, she has caused enough trouble for us, for the country. I think we could do so much better off without her." he said.

"No. You might not care, but I need her and I love her." I got butterflies in my stomach when he said that. I was filled with fear, but made me feel so endeared.

The king breathed angrily.

"I'll give you each ten." I knew it. I knew we were going to punished because of our love.

"Kneel down on the ground." he said to me. My whole world felt dizzy. This was really happening. I was going to get hurt by the king.

"No." Maxon objected instantly. He looked at me, love deep in his eyes. For a moment, I forgot that all of this was happening. It was just me and Maxon, alone in this world of ours. But I got drawn back into reality when he said, "I'll take them for her."

The king glowered at him, but then obliged with a wicked smile.

"On the ground, Maxon."

He hesitated, but did anyway. "I love her," he mumbled while unbuttoning his shirt.

"What?" the king said.

"I said I love her." Maxon said louder. He looked at me, and mouthed "I love you", with a pained expression. My heart broke. I wanted to save him from this pain, but I knew he wouldn't let me take the blows for him.

The king ignored him, and rummaged around his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled something out. A whip. I couldn't bear it anymore. "No. Take me instead!" I said desperately.

"Be quiet, America. I'm doing it." Maxon muttered.

"No, Maxon. Let me do it." I pleaded. I didn't want him to get hurt, especially because of me.

"Damn it America! I'm going to do it because I love you! I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET HURT!" he shouted. It was what I feared. He was going to get tortured because of me.

"Now, listen here, girl," the king said. "You will not make a sound or I will have you executed. Do you hear me?" I nodded once.

I looked at Maxon, who hesitantly took his shirt off and put it on the ground beside him. I wanted to cry when I saw all those marks on his back. He took some for me before, and he was taking more for me now. I didn't want this to happen. I never wanted any of this to happen.

I stood off to the side, not wanting to watch this, but wanting to be here for Maxon.

King Clarkson held the whip in both his hands and raised it up to the ceiling. "You deserve this," he said.

He brought the whip down and it made a terrifying slapping sound when it hit Maxon's back. I saw it leave a fresh pink streak. Maxon grunted. "I love you, America." I covered my mouth with my hands, muffling my gasp. My vision blurred with tears. "Maxon," I whispered.

The king brought the whip down again, the wounded area becoming more so. As much as I tried to stop them, the tears came. "I love you," he said again, agonizingly.

The king did it again, and again, each time, the wounds becoming redder and redder, until they started bleeding. I had lost count of how many he had had. He became limper. "America..." he managed to breathe out. "Maxon, I love you." I said, my cries becoming audible.

As the king raised his arm again, I couldn't hold it anymore. I ran in between the whip and Maxon. I held up my hand defensively.

It came down, and pain coursed through my palm. My hand was throbbing. I couldn't believe that had happened. Through the agony, I heard Maxon weakly say, "Move...America…" But I couldn't. I can't watch my love get hurt anymore.

I felt another rush of pain, but on my arm this time. And another, and another. I could barely feel my skin getting torn, and the blood oozing out of the wound. The pain was getting too much. Black spots clouded in my vision. I was slowly losing my grasp on the world. The last thing I saw before I hit the ground was the king's confident smirk.

The chapter was basically:

Clarkson catches Maxerica together and he takes them to his office, and whips them. And it ends off with America passing out.

Anyway, hope this story isn't becoming too cliche!

Please review! Bye!