Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

Nikolas POV

Alianas’ reasons touched my soul, and I could not express myself without compromise.

What she achieved was unbelievable, and she made me realise how negligent my kind has been where my mother was concerned.

I could sit beside my mother and feed her for the first time in years. She looked like she did when she was all right, and I wished she would gain her sanity in those moments.

I have learned how meticulous Aliana was with her. She had nursed her diligently, and it had paid off. I might have wanted her if she weren’t Gabriel’s child.

I deliberately stayed away from her to get my need for her out of my system.

Ever since we met, there has been a silent fire between us that only our wolves could understand. The few times we were alone together, we had broken barriers between us.

Knowing it wasn’t good for my agenda and not wanting to hurt myself, I distanced myself from her for a month to get her out of my mind and focus on the things that matter. The truth was that it was a futile effort. I found myself thinking of her, her scent, her voice, her defiance, her confidence, and her beauty.

I thought of her response to my touch, her m*oa*ns.

I knew she wasn’t faking it. Every moment, reaction, expression, and emotion with her were genuine. It was sad that we were on opposite sides.

Since I met Aliana, I had lost interest in other women, but she did not need to know that. It was my cross to bear. I had sometimes listened to her communication with her father, and she never spoke badly of me or complained.

I had thought she was playing a game, but her progress on my mother made me realise otherwise.

I looked at her for a bit and decided to live in the moment, just for tonight.

“Are you allowed to drink wine?” I asked her, and her cheeks coloured with embarrassment.

Her complexion had been going from pale to blush since she sat beside me, and I knew I had the same effect on her.

“I am allowed to drink, but I can’t handle alcohol well,” she replied, and I got up to get two wine glasses and a bottle of merlot and served both of us.

She raised an eyebrow when she collected the glass from me, and I smiled at her for the first time.

“Just for tonight,” I said, and she nodded and took a sip.

asked, and she

she replied, which was an ingenious

and live in the moment. So, I switched on the music and stretched

I said, touching her waist and pulling her close to my chest. She gasped, and I held her hand

before, little wolf?” I asked, and she was still a bit tense, but I felt her relax. I was rewarding her for being kind

said, and I froze but then composed myself and decided to live unburdened in those

the night away and drank

haven’t had this much fun since my mother died, and

woods, and Lycans killed her. I was with her,” she said,

fault. She warned me not to wander far and that we weren’t welcome in other territories, but I didn’t believe

told me to run while she shifted and fought. She was a Beta wolf, so she could hold her ground, but they were Lycans. I knew she would not

stayed, but I was too afraid. I listened to

my mother would refuse to be enslaved, so they were bound

entire territory. Had my father been alive, no Lycan hunter would wonder near the border of Forest. As long as a king was present, the respect would be mutual. It was a silent law. The Forest border became open for attack and plunder when Gabriel and his friends committed treason and killed their only protection.

to throw up. I led her to the toilet, and she sat by the toilet seat

held her hair back while she threw up, then rubbed her back gently to help

looked at me over her shoulder and smiled She was indeed a beautiful,

to hold her to my chest and give in to what I had been fighting since I laid eyes

still rubbing her back. I felt her temperature rising, and

weren’t drugs because I would be

with their spare

her clothes, and placed her under the running water. Aliana had a gorgeous, soft, unblemished, tender body with curves in the right places. Her beauty was humble and innocent, yet striking and alluring. It took a lot for me to control myself watching her under the shower. I wanted to

sighed before undressing and sitting with her under the cold

was still

decided we would use

I made her sit in it with me. She sat between my legs, her back against my chest, and I held

my arms forever, but it was just for the night. I wasn’t going to allow myself to get carried

pissed off immediately and decided I would punish them for it. They weren’t to give

for the next best thing. It tastes

touching her tonight. Those

my eyes and feel her body close to me, but I wasn’t