Ok, so I'm kind of experimenting with this chapter a little bit. I know that this may not be the direction you thought the story was going in, but I assure you it will even out soon enough into a better, easier to follow storyline! Please review and tell me what you think!

WARNING: Semi-intense make out session towards end of chapter. Also, MAJOR PLOT TWIST!

~M

All right to Kiera Cass

Chapter 7: Maxon POV

America was released yesterday and as much as we were dreading it, it was time to tell my father about the engagement. He was already expecting us, which I don't know if the fact he wanted to meet privately in his office with both of us was a comfort or a curse.

We walked into his study and quickly separated from each other. I knew I should have come alone! My father walked over to America and roughly grabbed her hand, gazing at her ring.

"So the rumors are true! Well, this just isn't going to do now, is it?" He ripped the ring off of her finger and flung it across the room. "If I can't change my sons mind about you, why don't you change it. I was doing a bit of research and I found something quite interesting about your family Miss Singer. Shall we take a look?"

She turned as pale as a ghost, and fought against the guards holding her back away from me. There were 3 holding her but only two holding me. 'Why did she need extra restraints?'

"She has been trained to fight! Her father is a rebel and has been training her to fight like one. You have always been the target! At the choosing ceremony, do you know who shot you? I'm sure you fiancée over here would recognize her own brother! They meant to keep her safe! Kota Singer is the leader of the Southern Rebels!

"Also, when I was looking through her health report at the beginning of the selection I found something...special. You are both dismissed."

America stormed out if the room and ran down the hallway to her room. She was still in her room from the selection, despite my wishes. I walked over to the side of the room where America's ring had fallen, and retreated to her room. I needed answers.

I didn't even bother with knocking on her door, I was absolutely fuming. She was sitting at her vanity, wiping away at her makeup when she noticed me standing there.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" I couldn't keep from bursting out towards her. "What do they mean your a 'trained killing machine'?" She just looked at me face red with anger. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you but it never really came up in conversation, 'Hi I'm America! I like horses and my brother is the leader of the Southern Rebels. Also, I've been trained to kill people with my own two hands as well as various weapons! Want to get married now?' IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO SAY? I was trying to figure out a way to tell you! What do you think I was talking to Aspen about the day of the choosing ceremony?"

"So since your a rebel, were-" she cut me off, "DAMN IT! I AM NOT A REBEL! I am not like my brother! At least my dad understood when I told him I didn't want to join! At least he didn't..." She walked over to her bed and sat on the edge, head in her hands.

I knew that America had a temper, but nothing like this, "Ames, what did my father mean when he said something about 'surprises'?" She let out a sigh of defeat and turned to me,

"Maxon, unzip the back of my dress."

I was shocked to say the least, "I don't know if this is that good of an idea right now.." She cupped my face in her hands. "I need to show you something I should have long ago."

I turned her around so that I could get a clear view of her back. I gathered up her fiery red hair into my hand and moved it to the side of her head so it would cascade down her shoulder. Playfully, I tugged her ear only to have her sigh and move into my palm.

When I finally got enough courage, I placed my hand on the zipper of her dress and began to slowly pull. My eyes grew to be as big as saucers by the time the zipper was all the way down.

Lining her perfect back were scars upon scars that matched mine, only she had too many to count. Some were just starting to turn to scars, they were fresh. "Who did this to you?" I growled.

"When I was training with my dad, he would give me one lash a day since I was 9, to raise my pain tolerance. I tried not to step out of my place because I knew the consequences, but May and Gerad, they didn't know I made my dad give me their lashes. One day, May was caught trying to steal a loaf of bread. She got away but with the red hair, everyone knew she was a Singer.

"She came home and told me the police were looking for her. So I went and told them it was me, I already had the scars so what's a few more? They took me out and publicly whipped me the next day. I got 20 lashes for that.

"My dad wanted me to be a rebel, but first of all, happy. I told him I didn't want to be one on my 15th birthday. However I still wanted to train with him, Kota had different ideas. He was already a high ranking rebel by the time I choose to stay out. They wanted to take over, but they needed a queen. I turned them down and Kota...beat me for it."

How could so much hurt come to one person, she didn't deserve that. "How many did he give you, Kota I mean?" I needed to know how much of a monster we were dealing with, hurting his own sister like that.

"Max, you really don't want to know..." She tried looking away from me but I spun her back around so she was facing me, "Tell me." She leaned in a kissed me gently, "ok" she said. "The first time, it was 32 I passed out after that. He did it 4 times, giving me lashes until I passed out.

"The most her ever got me was 78. I was practically dead when my father came into his studio the next day and found me laying there." She cupped my face and brushed away a stray tear that managed to escape.

I pulled her close to me, kissing her like it was both our first, and our last. It started out slow and sweet, before turning passionate and hungry, soon her back was pushed against the mattress.

She moved her hands and worked on the buttons down my shirt. My tie had already been discarded across the room, as well as my suit coat. Finally she succeeded in removing it, I only broke the kiss for a moment to sit up and push it off my shoulders. Her cool hand ran up the muscles of my stomach and chest, residing in my hair bring the kiss deeper.

I moved down to her jaw, and then her neck, causing her to tilt her head to the side and let out a quiet moan. "We...need..to...stop" she managed to say between rugged breaths. I made my way to the head of the bed while America went to put on a night gown.

She collapsed on to the bed, laying right next to me. "Oh, I almost forgot something," I pulled her ring out of my pocket and slipped it on her finger. She looked confused, "Wait, you still want to marry me? I didn't tell you about my past. I didn't tell you about being...broken."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "Of course I still want to marry you! I do wish you told me sooner, but I understand. We were two people who are both broken by our families, we just have to help fix each other."

She flipped around a bit so that her back was pressed against my chest and yawned, "I love you Maxon Schreave."

"And I love you, America Singer."