"I told you," I cried. "I didn't do anything wrong."
Jack moved his fist quickly and punched me in the stomach, making all the air leave my lungs once again. I coughed and blood poured out of my mouth.
"You think I'm stupid?" He asked, staring at me with hatred in his eyes.
"Of course not," I sobbed.
He moved quickly again, and this time punched me across the face; I spit the blood that pooled into my mouth onto the ground beside me. My entire body was trembling violently; I wasn't sure how much more pain I could handle. But I kept thinking about what that masked man had said, I only needed to survive tonight, and then tomorrow William will prove me innocent during the trial.
Jack picked up the wooden plank and swung at me like he was swinging a bat; I felt the sharp sting of the plank smashing into my face. My features grew puffy from the blow, and I knew I probably had a nasty purple bruise on my face.
"Did William make you kill her?" Jack asked, his words seething through his teeth.
"No!" I cried. "It wasn't me..."
"Lies," Jack hissed as he took a lighter out of his pocket.
I sucked in a shaky breath; not knowing what he was planning on doing with that lighter. He approached me quickly and put the lighter at the tip of my nose. His hand was on the switch; my body trembled as I locked eyes with him.
"I'm not going to ask you again," he hissed. "Did you kill Melody, and did you do it for William?"
"I'm telling you the truth," I whispered.
I knew it was no use though; he was never going to believe me. I was already guilty in his eyes. He was going to kill me and there was nothing I was going to be able to do about it. I just wished I was able to see Beth one last time before that happened; I wanted to tell her how much I adored her and missed her.
I wanted her to know that regardless of where I end up next, I will always root for her and hope she gets that amnesty and gets out of here. I know she doesn't want to leave the palace without me, but she won't have much of a choice if I'm dead.
My heart broke at the thought of her being torn up over my dead.
I screamed as the lighter scorched the tip of my nose; all I could smell was the scent of my burning flesh. Tears flooded down my cheeks as he pulled the lighter away. It was so badly burnt and scorched that it wasn't even bleeding. It was practically black and instant blistering.
"You think you're clever, don't you?" Jack asked, backing away from me. "I can see through you though. A lonely maid, jealous of her lady and fantasizing about the prince that can never be yours. So, you got rid of the one in the way..."
"No..." I cried, breathlessly.
He laughed.
"Did you sleep with my other brothers too? Daniel and Martin. Is that why they are all defending you?" He asked.
"No..." I sobbed. "I haven't slept with anybody."
He clutched the plank firmly in his hands as he came closer to me; his breath tickling my features.
"You mean to tell me a maid, like you, is a virgin?" He asked, keeping his tone low and threatening as he firmly pressed the plank between my legs.
My body trembled violently as he deepened the plank, I winced at the piercing pain that the plank was bringing my most sensitive areas.
"Please..." I whispered; my voice had gone hoarse.
I don't think I could scream even if I wanted to; my throat was completely raw, and I was overly exhausted. I wasn't sure how much more of this I was going to be able to take.
"No more..." I pleaded.
He smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He stared at me with a stone-cold gaze. He didn't care if I died here in this cell; he didn't care about anything except for violence and getting William committed for a crime he didn't do.
I couldn't let him get inside my head and allow me to turn my back on everything I knew. Despite my relationship with William, I wasn't going to let him be blamed for something like this. I know he didn't want to poison and kill Melody.
I know this because the poison wasn't meant for Melody; it was meant for the queen. I just didn't understand why Jack would just watch me switch the names on the bowls instead of saying something if he thought for a moment, I was poisoning someone.
Why would he just sit there and watch me do it?
None of this was making any sense.
He pulled away from me, dropping the plank to the ground. He reached into another pocket and pulled out his pocket-knife, revealing the sharp blade.
I flinched as he came toward me, pressing it against my throat.
"Let's see what you have to say after I cut your pretty little throat," Jack seethed.
I closed my eyes; I couldn't watch what he was about to do. I knew it was over for me. He was going to kill me. I was going to die right here in this prison, chained to this concrete wall and I couldn't do anything to stop it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A familiar voice boomed from the door of the cell.
Jack turned and I opened my eyes to see Prince William staring at him, fury lingering in his gaze.
(William's POV)
"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!!!!!!!!!" Waylon roared from deep within William. "LET ME OUT!!"
"Calm yourself!!" William hissed to his wolf, trying to keep his emotions at bay.
If they lose their cool now, it wouldn't look good.
Jack had Doris shackled to the cell wall. She was dripping with blood and her face was puffy and bruised all over. She was trembling pretty badly, and she looked like she was about to pass out at any moment.
"I told you, I'm getting answers out of her," Jack said, putting the pocket-knife back in his jacket.
William stepped into the cell and ran with speed toward Jack. He grabbed Jack from the collar of his jacket and shoved him against the wall with force, smacking his head against the concrete.
"And I told you this wasn't necessary," William growled.
"I will rip his throat out with my teeth!!!!" Waylon howled.
William ignored his wolf, burying his fury deep in his stomach.
"I told you I was going to deal with it," William hissed to Jack.
Doris coughed and blood came pouring out of her mouth; William had to keep himself from wincing. He looked over at the guard who was standing at the far end of the cell, against the wall.
"Unchain her," William ordered the guard.
The guard did as he was told; he ran to Doris and worked to unchain her. She fell to the ground and curled up in a ball. A soft sob escaped from her; her body was shaking. Her dark hair covers her features and shields her eyes from viewing William.
Jack shoved William until William unhanded his collar; Jack was a bit shorter than him, so even as he tried to fight, it didn't really phase William much. Jack went to punch him, but William was able to dodge the attack, but then counterattack with his own punch. Jack went flying toward the concrete wall and smacked his head in the process.
Doris lifted her head to see what was happening; her eyes were large and alert as she realized that William punched Jack nearly across the cell. She sighed out, almost relieved that he was there.
She looked like she was in so much pain; his heart almost tugged a bit at the sight, but he quickly shoved that feeling away.
"Our mate..." Waylon whispered as they took in Doris' appearance.
"Not now," William warned him.
He turned back to Jack and pressed him against the wall, anger seething through him.
"Doris is mine to deal with. You will not touch her, understand?" William hissed. "Bring her to the courtroom; the trial is starting soon."
Jack shoved him away and spit blood onto the floor from his mouth.
"A trial? At this hour?" Jack nearly laughed.
"Do as I say, Jack," William barked. "And if I see you landing another hand on her again, I won't hesitate to rip your throat out."
William glanced back down at Doris who was staring up at him with curiosity in her swollen, misty eyes. He said nothing to her as he turned and walked out of the cell.