Super thanks to my pre-readers for all the comments!

Loud voices rouse me, and I lift my heavy head, tuning my ears to the conversation. "Mr. King said I'm to let no one in."

"You do know who I am, correct?" The voice is deep, beastly even, and I know immediately it belongs to the traitor.

"Yes, sir, bu—"

"I said now!"

Instead of a reply, I hear footfalls down the hallway. I take stock of my position as I wait to get another look at the strange animal who's chosen human over his own kind. I've been dropped to the dirt, chains still attached to each of my limbs, my chair kicked out of reach.

I'm surprised when I'm not flooded with blinding light. The Cullenite enters carrying a torch, which allows me to get a much better look at him. His skin and fur are a darker shade of brown than those who live in the kingdom and his mane is cropped close, but his eyes are bright and intelligent.

He sets the torch in a mount on the wall and turns, eyes appraising me. "Prince Edward," he says after a long look. "My name is Jasper, and you've landed yourself into a very dicey spot."

"I didn't land myself anywhere," I bite back, tamping down the futile urge to attack him. "Your leader and his men killed my guard and attacked me. My only crime is harboring a woman who he sees as a possession."

"Rosalie Hale," Jasper says, nodding once. "I suspected his obsession with her might have something to do with this."

"So you'll release me?"

"I don't have the power to do anything for you," he says, killing my hopes of finding a sympathetic ear. "But maybe I can keep you alive long enough that the Supreme Council will demand your return to Kingdom Cullen."

I snort, disgusted with his spinelessness. "Either you'll help me, or you'll die with the rest when I make my escape."

"Prince Edward," he says, holding up his hands. "I respect you, but my life is here."

"I said no one!" A loud voice echoes from down the hallway.

Jasper's eyes widen and he leaps into action, pulling me up by my mane and landing a fist into my jaw. "Tell me where you've hidden her!" he yells, punching me again. "You will talk. I have all the time in the world."

"What's going on here?" Royce demands from the doorway.

"He's hiding Rosalie Hale, sir," Jasper growls, pulling his hand back and ripping it across my chest. "I'll make him talk."

The open slices burn, and I hiss, but he never breaks character. At least, I think he's semi-pretending. He could've ripped me open, and I'd bleed out right here in this desolate prison, but the stinging burn is from deep scratches and nothing more.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to see the prisoner?" Royce walks in, and I get my first good look at him.

He's older than I imagined.

Average height—for a human.

Custom suit.

Thick white hair.

Paper-thin skin.

"I was hoping to surprise you with results," Jasper says, glaring my way before meeting the eyes of his human boss. "But he's not ready to break just yet. This is going to take a few days."

Royce's gaze shifts from Jasper to me, his hands locked behind his back as he peers down at me. "But you can break him, correct?"

"Of course, sir." Jasper shoves me into the dirt and delivers a kick to my side. "We're going to need to weaken his mind first. Starvation and torture can go a long way toward reducing his mental capacity."

"I'll see that you pay, traitor!" I growl, half-heartedly lunging.

Jasper may not be ready to set me free just yet, but I can read the indecision in his eyes. I find it strange that he wasn't born in our land, but he's obviously curious about our kind, and there's no one better to enlighten him than myself, the Prince of Kingdom Cullen.

If torture will free me.

Then I must endure it.

Royce walks over and spits a giant loogie into my mane. My next lunge is not half-hearted. I snarl and snap my teeth, just missing his leg, and he stumbles backward and lands on his ass only a few feet away.

I bark a laugh.

Jasper jumps in front of his master and kicks me in the jaw.

Hard.

I hiss. "You'll regret that, Cullenite."

He pulls his leg back and kicks me again. My face slams into the dirt so hard that I taste the decomposed flesh that makes up the floor. Disgusted, I lean up and expel the bile that lines my empty stomach.

Royce cackles, pleased with the job his guard is doing. "How long do you think it'll take to get me the answers I seek?"

Jasper's eyes go from his boss to me, and they're deep, calculating. "A few days, maybe a week. I'll have to stay on him, turning up the dial daily. First he'll bend, and then he'll break."

"Then do it," Royce says, kicking the putrid dirt into my face—careful not to get too close. "I'll hold off the Council as long as I can." He pauses, stepping over to Jasper and jabbing a long finger in his face. It's almost comical that this puny man commands someone much more fearsome. "I need Rose back here before they've ruled on the prince."

"Yes, sir," Jasper says, narrowing his eyes my way. "I'll see that it's done."

"Good." He straightens his crumpled shirt and nods toward the door. "But for now, we have an event to attend with the President."

"Does he know about the prince?" Jasper asks.

Royce looks at him, cocking his head. "That he murdered five of my men? Of course. He sent a missive to the Council two days ago, which is why our deadline is fast approaching."

"I won't fail you, sir."

Royce looks from Jasper to me and back to him. "You'd better not, or you'll die beside him."

"He's going to die anyway," I snarl, pulling my chains taut. "All of you are."

Only chapter this week.

I don't have time to get much writing done in this short week, and we're catching up anyway, so this is a good time to skip Thursday's update.

See ya next Monday :)