Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

Aliana POV

Spending the day with Nikolas to care for his mother was fun. I got to see his sensitive side, and it was amazing.

He loved her, and I could see it as he switched from the savage wicked rogue prince to a sensitive, sweet man. If his life were normal, whomever he ended up with would be lucky. I remembered our date night and the memory of the dance, him comforting me while I threw up, holding me under the shower and in the tub, the memory remained with me.

I had sl*ipped up and tried to k*iss him, but he had dodged. I saw it and pretended to have passed out.

I was grateful for that memory. I needed it.

I woke up wishing I was a Lycan. Maybe I would have stood a chance with him.

I believe something might have happened between us if I were his kind, but the divide was real, and it kept us apart regardless of what we were feeling.

I knew I could not allow myself to feel anything for him. No matter how good it got, he would one day mate with a Lycan he loves, which would be the end of it for me. He had indeed kept his promise and ruined me. It would be difficult for me even if he decided to let me go. It would be impossible for me to have a werewolf mate because werewolves hated Lycans too.

I thought he would send for me in the evening, but when Ania and Lisa brought my food and left, I knew I wouldn’t be spending the night with Nikolas.

I woke up the next day and got ready for my work. Ania and Lisa brought breakfast, and we gossiped a bit before we got ready to go to the Queen’s room.

I tried to link Nikolas to find out if he wanted to join us to care for his mother, but I met a wall. He had somehow blocked me off.

I was a bit ashamed and hurt about it. I pleaded with Ania to link him with the question to avoid getting in trouble.

She was successful, and my heart was broken. I guess I wasn’t allowed to link him. “He said no and that you should prepare everything needed and leave the room when it is evening. He does not want to find you there when it is time for him to tend to her,” She said with a tinge of sadness.

They believed I had feelings for him, and she had told me to be hopeful, but now she knew better.

“Very well, it means we have time to chat,” I said with a smile, trying to make it seem like it did not bother me, but it bothered me a lot. Ania’s smile dropped, and I knew she had something to tell.

“Tell me, it is okay,” I said, bracing myself for it. “We are to remain there in the evening and assist him,” she said, and I smiled.

“I am the only one that shouldn’t be there. In other words, he does not want to see me,” I said, and she nodded.

I shrugged my shoulders and brushed it aside. “Well, I have ample time to catch up on me-time,” I said, and Lisa smiled.

what Ania said, I am pleading with you not to get your heart invested. You are a werewolf, and our kinds don’t mix. He wouldn’t damn the rules for your sake because he plans to be King one day, meaning he would have

honest advice anyone had given me since I got

her, fighting my tears because she was

like a

muddled up. I repeated awful things, and my hatred

been a slave and had the opportunity to settle down with my kind. This was wicked, and the

soup in my hand fell while I fed the Queen, and it burned both of

snarled at me, then

deserved it, while I picked up the broken pieces of

ones there, the three men Nikolas asked to help me with her were there, and I was scared. Most of it poured on

streamed down my cheeks while I picked

and my

what Nikolas would do to me. Lisa came to help me to steady my hands. I did not know I had cut myself in

breathe,” she said, and I looked

confessed that I was afraid. The same Nikolas that was kind to my people could take out his rage

burst open, and I looked up Nikolas entered with Gamma Ingham. I bowed my head immediately. Ania knelt in front of me and started pleading. “The plate accidentally sl*ipped Alpha, it wasn’t intentional,” She said, and I heard Ingham

the Queen heal when we have bound her with silver?” Ingham said, stating an obvious problem. However,

and I

me to form the right words. “Please,” was all I could manage. He walked past me and went to his mother, who was already

Ingham came to me and pulled me by my hair. I stifled my cries because I did not want

pulled so tightly that I thought he planned to pull my hair out of

be treated

him, and the man let me

Alpha. Your w*ho*re is high maintenance,” He said, and Nikolas ordered him to get out. Ingham left, and so did the three men

more careful. This should not happen again. You may go,” Nikolas said to me without looking at me, and I thanked him and scrambled to my

with Ania and Lisa and dreaded the

if that job is taken from me? I wondered what he would ask me to

I wept and scolded myself. I was too caught up in myself that I got clumsy. Nikolas had

Nikolas remained the same. I wasn’t allowed to link him. I had to

it go. I spent my free time reading and talking to my wolf. I missed shifting and going hunting. I missed the sun. It only touched my skin

my father and friends and maybe even gotten to wave at them, but my window faced the inner garden where the Lycan

in my room during those hours so no one would see me when