Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

The moment Nikolas left the room, I became scared. Who would have thought he was King Mathias’ son? His hatred towards my father when he arrived, was understandable.

My heart broke, and I tried to hide it so I do not spoil his mood. It was unfair for a prince to grow up in the wild and watch his mother go feral. I am yet to know how Queen Isabel lost her mind, but going through all that would drive anyone off the edge.

I looked around the room and thought of Forest as an entirety and realised everything was his all along. He never took anything, and the fact that he had to fight for it made me feel like a thief.

It made me feel guilty. I wasn’t the one that took it, but I felt that way.

Nikolas must care about me to ease his rage on my people. I could just imagine what was happening in his head when he arrived and saw my father: the man he believed buried a sword in his father’s heart, stole his kingdom and banished his mother.

My father was lucky to be alive.

I was fortunate to be alive.

As much as Nikolas told me I had nothing to worry about, I knew I had plenty to worry about.

Queen Isabelle was bound to hate me, and soon he would have to choose because I doubted the woman would let it go.

She was alive when everything happened. She had her version of the truth based on experience; her pain and hatred would be more profound than Nikolas’s. I was afraid and didn’t know what to do.

Everything was against me. I wasn’t only a werewolf but the daughter of the man that ruined their lives. I couldn’t tell him what my father said about how his father died, he would think it was because I knew, and he would not believe it. Only the goddess could vindicate my poor father.

I am sure if my father could glimpse into the future, he wouldn’t have tried to march the werewolves to the palace to demand freedom, but if he hadn’t done that, King Mathias would have wiped us out.

There was no way King Fredrick wouldn’t have taken advantage of the slave trade deal. It was for the best but at the expense of Nikolas and his poor mother.

returned from his mother’s room in the

I wasn’t willing to let go. I was fooling myself when I believed I could walk away

wholly and wholeheartedly. No one would

it was. I wiped away my tears and asked Ania and Lisa to enter. They came with two trays of food and a frown. I didn’t bother to ask them why they were frowning because I wasn’t faring well either. It was best I minded my business so they

the rest of the day with his mother. Hope you don’t mind?” Ania said, and I smiled at her, but Lisa continued frowning. She put the tray on the table and came to look at my

crying?” She said, and I tried to look away, but she

She asked, and I shook my head. She was the most pessimistic person I had ever known. She frowned, wondering what

sat o n a chair at the table.

Alpha’s attention with his mother,” Ania teased, laughing.

her man,” she continued, but Lisa wasn’t buying

closest to the reason. “Alpha has stopped us from attending to her, so all we are charged with now is hanging with you and doing whatever you like. I can’t believe the woman would hate the people that nursed her to health, halfbreed or not, werewolf or not; if Aliana did not step in and we were not diligent, the woman would be dead by now.

Lisa said, sounding a bit angry and looking at

be worried, Aliana. That woman is not a good person. Feral or not, I think we messed with the mercy of the goddess by nursing her to health,”

have abilities. Watch what you say, please,” I said, and she mumbled something, so I immediately removed my

woman is no

learned, Isabelle’s hatred was justifiable.

isn’t her fault, you know?” I said, and they both looked at me as if I had

there from the beginning. You two are so good together, Aliana; what that woman intends to do is a crime and a

in love with him. I want things that I should only dream of with him. In fact, I deceive myself daily on the matter, but I have to be honest with myself,” I said, and

see him cutting himself off from his mother,

am f*uc*ked!” I said and covered my face, letting my

would say I do not trust him, but I could cry my heart