I'd lain in bed for a whole week, trying to recover from the beating I'd taken. My back ache had reduced greatly but I still had to lie on my front.

Sierra and Milah had kept me company, telling me about the preparations for the banquet happening the next day. Willow had been absent and I ached to talk to her. Whenever I asked, Milah would shrug and say that she being her usual moody self, locked up in her room.

I wondered if Willows moodiness was brought about by Brutus abuse and I was sure it was abuse. I realized the bruises she always had was not because of her cluminess but because of him.

My thoughts often wandered to Rhydian. Just thinking about him made me boil with rage. I couldn't understand his line of thoughts and I didn't care to. The last thing I wanted was to see him again and so far, I hadn't. He had brought me to my room, put me in the hands of one the guards and left without coming by once to see me.

I was fine with that but at the same time I ...found myself wanting him to at least come by and see how I was doing. I sometimes felt horrible for slapping him, but how could he have possibly thought that Brutus and I ...ugh! He deserved that slap. Not that it had even hurt him physically.

I wondered if he was still angry and sighed. He probably was.

" Oh don't worry, honey. You'll get to see Alpha prince Rhyd at the banquet tomorrow." Sierra said, misinterpreting my sigh.

She had been talking about the Alpha prince like she always did. It was torture having to hear about just how handsome, or well mannered, or muscular, or stylish he was. She and Milah had dined almost every night with the Dowager Luna and her son and Sierra wouldn't stop talking about him.

" Can't wait." I murmured, dryly.

" His eyes are the most vivid green!" Sierra exclaimed.

Milah nodded in agreement.

" If only he would smile more he would be the most handsome man I've ever seen."

" Isn't he already?" Sierra asked, dreamily.

" What about Czar?" I asked. " Have you heard from him?" We weren't allowed to have any visitors in the castle and almost a week had gone by without us hearing from Cayden, Czar or Finn.

" No." She shook her head sadly. She obviously really missed Czar.

The bedroom door was thrown open and Willow walked in. I cringed at just how bad she looked. Her skin was pale and her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and hair and clothes were in disarray as though she'd been rolling on the ground and tugging at it.

" Bless my soul!" Milah exclaimed. " Willow what's wrong?"

Willow ignored her and looked directly at me.

" Are you happy?" She asked, her voice scratchy from crying.

" Happy?" I asked, confused. She looked at me with so much hate in her eyes and I couldn't understand why.

" They're going to hang him." She said and tears began to well up in her eyes again. " Because of you. They're going to kill him."

" Kill who?" Sierra asked, her blue eyes wide.

Still looking at me with hate in her eyes, Willow said,

" Brutus."

I got even more confused. She should be rejoicing not looking at me like I'd ruined her life.

" Well good riddance!" Milah said. They knew about Brutus trying to force me but they didn't know about Willow.

" No!" Willow suddenly screamed. " Brutus is mine alone and you tried to seduce him, you bitch!" she lunged at me but Milah held her back and Sierra rushed to help.

I sat, frozen with a horrified look on my face at Willows words ...Brutus is mine? Then I remembered what Brutus had said.

...or you'll be begging for more, like your witch sister, Willow.

My eyes widened at the realization. Wasn't he actually hurting her? I remembered the bruises and Willows constant hollow look. He definitely was.

" What do you mean, Willow?" I asked, keeping my voice soft and calm. " He's been hurting you. You should be glad that he'll be gone soon."

" Hurting her?" Sierra asked. " How?"

I sighed and said.

" Willow and Brutus ... he's been raping her."

" It's not rape if I agree to it!" Willow screamed at me.

She was right but it was now obvious there something was wrong with her otherwise, she wouldn't agree to be hurt by that vile animal and Brutus had taken advantage of it. No wonder he was always coming by the cabin during our isolation.

" You've been sleeping with Brutus?" Sierra asked with a gasp.

Milah looked pained.

" He's been hurting you? Of course. The bruises. I should have known." She said. " Why didn't you tell us? We're your sisters"

Willow laughed manically while straining against their hold.

" He never hurt me. He only hit me when I deserved it." Then she began to mutter, " he's mine, all mine and if I do anything to annoy him, he'll punish me. It's only right. Only right and no one will take him from me. Nobody, no one!"

She was laughing and crying at the same time and I realized with a pang to my heart that her time in the cells must have gotten to her.

" Willow -" I began.

" Shut up!" Willow screamed at me, her eyes nearly bulging from the sockets. " If he hadn't come to help you, my Brutus would still be with me but no, no he did. My poor Brutus lost an arm. They're starving him, because of you and that bastard prince."

" What are you talking about?"

" They're going to execute my Brutus for laying his hand on his prince. They're calling him a traitor." She laughed wildly. " A traitor."

" Prince? What prince?" I asked

" What other prince, you fool? The fucking Alpha prince" Willow screamed.

" Lower your voice!" Milah cautioned.

" You could have lain there," Willow continued " and thanked the moon goddess that a man like Brutus would ever touch you but instead you had to go ahead and call for help and that prince came running and now my Brutus ...my Brutus ..." She broke down in tears again.

" Enough of this." Milah said. " Come on Sierra. Let's get her to her room." They had to drag Willow, screaming and clawing for me, out of the room.

I stared at the closed door, too stunned to even move.

Rhydian had saved me, not an Alpha prince. Rhydian wasn't a prince. He was a ...a head of guards? ...But I'd only assumed that.

My heart began to speed up. I tried to remember how Sierra had described the Alpha prince. Vivid green eyes, dark ruffled hair ...that fit Rhydians description perfectly.

What had people called the prince? Alpha prince Rhyd? Rhyd ...ian. Rhydian.

The realization took it's toil on me and I collapsed on the bed.

Dear moon goddess, I'd slapped the Alpha prince of Aradia.