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.

I asked,

replied, which was an ingenious way to

I switched on the music and stretched my hands toward her to dance. She

close to my chest. She gasped, and I held her hand with my other hand on her waist while I tried to sway

asked, and she was still a bit tense, but I felt her relax. I was rewarding her for being kind to

dance with my father,” she said, and I froze but then composed myself and decided to live unburdened in those moments. Tomorrow we can get back to

night away

her cheeks were red. I decided she needed a break. “I haven’t had this much fun since my mother died, and I couldn’t even drink alcohol then,” she said, laughing, and I got curious about her mother’s death. “Do you mind

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

me not to wander far and that we weren’t welcome in other territories, but I didn’t believe her, I thought everywhere was like Forest, so I moved further

were ambushed. She told me to run while she shifted and fought. She was a Beta wolf, so she could

I was too afraid. I listened to her.” She said and wiped

my mother would refuse to

and his people. He must have been delusional to think he could rule an entire territory. Had my father been alive, no Lycan hunter would wonder near the

she lurched, and I knew she wanted to throw up. I led her to the toilet, and she sat by the

hair back while she threw up, then

her shoulder and smiled She was indeed a beautiful, gentle

heart beat at that moment. I wanted to hold her to my chest and give in to what I had been fighting since I laid eyes on her. I

still rubbing her back. I felt her temperature

they weren’t drugs because I would

spare time, but I would

soft, unblemished, tender body with curves in the right places. Her beauty was humble and innocent, yet striking and alluring. It took a

and I sighed before undressing and sitting with

body was still

we would use

when it was enough. I made her sit in it with me. She

it was just for the night. I wasn’t going to allow myself

managed to ask, and she nodded. I was pissed off immediately and decided I

no pills, and I was not allowed to leave, so I decided to settle for the next best thing. It tastes bad, and it is quite unpleasant,” She said, and I was shocked that Aliana took my rules seriously, but I hadn’t touched

had anticipated me touching her tonight. Those were not my intentions

her body close to me, but I wasn’t ready to go all the way with