Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I returned to my room and found Aliana sitting on the bed, her eyes were swollen from tears, and she was smiling. I knew that she knew what had happened.

She rushed towards me and hugged me. I relaxed the moment she wrapped her arms around me to receive the joy she was giving willingly.

“The goddess smiled on you,” she said, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and buried my head in her neck to breathe in her fruity scent.

She let me hold her. I needed it. Something that was supposed to be a celebration was a cause of worry.

Here she was, happy that my mother was all right, but I knew my mother would never accept her, and I could not let either of them go. Aliana was my future, and my mother was a past and a part of me.

I held on tight and k*issed her neck, then travelled with my k*iss to her l*ips to drink her in. She tasted as sweet as always, and I was at complete peace in those moments.

I was calm and broke away.

“How is she?” Aliana asked me, and I nodded.

“She is fine,” I said, leading her to the couch so I could talk to her.

“Aliana,” I said, and she was attentive. I could also sense she was a bit worried, and I knew it was because of my tone.

It wasn’t playful as usual, so it was bound to make her worry. Still, I couldn’t help it. The situation did not call for a happy, playful tone.

“My mother isn’t open-minded, she does not like werewolves and halfbreeds. So, you and your friends won’t be attending to her anymore. I would not want to do anything to aggravate her,” I said, afraid that Aliana would take it wrongly.

She placed her hand over mine and looked at me.

“I wasn’t expecting she would be different. You and Beta Qusack are an exception. It is okay. I will stay away from her if that is what it takes,” she said, and I felt my heart break in those moments.

I wish my mother would make my life easy, just like Aliana. I hope my mother will respect my decisions and support me no matter what. Only time will tell.

you something,” Aliana said, and

I believe I should tell you now. Especially now that your mother is all right and you have decided to

to what I have to say unbiased. I know you hate my kind, and my father, and you must have your reasons. It may be

to be kind, it should be of your own free will, but I need you to know this part of the story. Hopefully, that would prepare you for what might come

please do not tell me anything that would

them, but I will tell you

matter what she does, there will be no consequence. Had she not figured that out? From the onset, I

with. I had found every bit of her stubbornness enjoyable and

that I was a fool for her. As much as I wanted to tell her, I held

dare to be formal after everything we shared?” I asked

she was hanging on a thread

death of the late King, the werewolves brought out his pregnant Queen and

the late King’s beta and friend, so it didn’t sit

with a woman called Olive. Rumours were that they might have been fated, but she was a werewolf. For the late King to succeed his father as King, she pleaded with him to let her remain his mistress so he could be King. That was

saw the corpse, not even the King, because he was too distraught.

the King had lost a child already, my father did not want his lineage to end, so he disagreed with the werewolves and let the Queen leave with her trusted maids. He would have let her stay to rule because the fight was a huge misunderstanding, but he knew some people

remains the way it is so that when her child is of

boy, he will show up in four years when he is thirty-three. My father no longer owns Forest, so it isn’t his to give. It is now yours. If it is a daughter, she might show up soon. I just want you to know that I just found out that the former King’s wife is alive, and she left while pregnant with his child. She is living in

happening to your kingship application, but the Snow King will not support you because his sister’s child is the rightful heir,” She

she said was conflicting, but parts of the story were in tune with fragments I learned from King Aleksander

know why my mother did not tell me Gabriel set her free and his promise to her. It was easy to believe because the man never spent or did anything in Forest. He treated the place as a keeper and not an owner. It didn’t change the fact that he killed

the misunderstanding might be, he still killed my father. If people were working against my father and the werewolves in Forest, it was understandable that they

now, I planned on confronting her with what

asked Aliana, realising she didn’t know my true identity yet. It was understandable because she did not know my last

position to tell you what to do,” she replied, and I shook

spend the rest of our lives together, you should learn to suggest your opinions,”