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.

together throughout my time with Nikolas since he returned from his mother’s

willing to let go. I was fooling myself when I believed I could walk away when the time came. I knew

kind loved me wholly and wholeheartedly. No one would ever love me as

I did not need to guess who 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

keep you company because he would spend 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

tried to look away, but

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

o n a chair at the table. I joined her and Ania at

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

she

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. Gezel and Erica finally got the promotion they wanted. I heard Gezel saying the woman plans to get rid of you and get her son a Lycan bride. For goddess sake, she just got her senses, and I think she would be trouble for everyone. I hate to say this, but I regret everything we did for her,” Lisa

Lisa said, sounding a bit angry and looking

she saw how the woman behaved. She was disgusted by our scent alone. You should be worried, Aliana. That woman is not a good person.

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

warned, Aliana. That woman is no good,” She said,

learned, Isabelle’s hatred was justifiable. I could

and they both looked at me as

And don’t lie about how you feel because we have been there from the beginning. You two are so good together, Aliana; what that woman intends to do is a crime and a sin.

fact, I deceive myself daily on the matter, but I have to be honest with myself,” I

do not see him cutting himself off from his

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

this with Nikolas around because he would say I do not trust him, but I could cry my heart out with Ania