Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

We sat quietly on the couch for almost five minutes, processing all that we had discussed. It was a lot.

“What did Alpha tell you after he revealed his identity to you?” Ania said, trying to calm the situation.

“He said he didn’t care about the past,” I said, and she nodded and touched my hands.

“Now listen to me; you have to trust Alpha. He has no reason to lie to you. But you also have to keep away from his mother. Do not allow yourself to be caught in the same space, either. Let us find a hobby and spend more time outside. Do not see her, and do not allow her to see you.

If that happens, then you will be at her mercy.

I do not know if she is a bad person, but she has a bone to pick with your father, and just like Alpha, she might do it through you. She also does not like our kind, so she would not want you with her son. She will try everything she can to make Alpha end the relationship.

You must brace yourself for that part because she might succeed. As things are, your relationship with him is impossible because he wants to be king, but he might have a way to beat it.

This woman might just complicate things,” She said and hugged me.

I let myself cry. I needed to shed tears so I could brace myself for what was to come.

They ate without me. I did not have the appetite to put anything in my mouth. Ania told me I should link her if she is not with me when I get hungry, and she would bring something for me.

After they ate, they decided that we should take a stroll.

I wanted to link Nikolas to inform him, but I did not want to interrupt his time with his mother.

Nineteen years were too long for both of them; he deserved to enjoy his time with her uninterrupted. They had much to catch up on, and I did not want to disturb them.

“Alpha said you will think of a work to do. He said something like a hobby,” Ania said once we stepped outside, and I nodded.

“A hobby means I would have to do it in that building, but as things are, I doubt I want to be in that building all the time. So let us volunteer to work in the werewolf clinic. There we can take care of people for free, and we do not have to be there always like their regular staff; we will need to only come in when I am not with Nikolas. That would keep me away from the palace and out of Queen Isabelle’s way,” I said, and Ania nodded.

“Well, you are right. After all, we were nursing her; now we can care for others. I like it, but you have to run it by Alpha first. If he approves, we will apply if there is a need,” Ania said, and I understand why she was unwilling to jump without Nikolas’s approval.

“Should we go to the market? I have little money we can spend there; besides, the Werewolves do not have much, and their stuff isn’t expensive, so we will be fine,” Lisa said.

Ania lifted my hand to admire the bracelet on my wrist.

“Where did you get this? It is so pretty and professionally crafted,” She said, and I looked at it and shook my hand lightly so it would dangle on my wrist. I laughed while I looked at it, remembering when Nikolas put it on my wrist with love and care.

“Alpha gave it to me as a gift from Peakland,” I said, and she beamed and touched it gently.

“Real Emerald and Amethyst held together with pure copper. It is a thing of beauty. Alpha has an eye for beautiful things,” She said, looking at the bracelet, then turned her attention to me and touched my chin.

“His taste is exquisite,” She said right about when we walked past my father’s house.

He was yet to be home, so we moved past it. Lisa looked at the bracelet and touched it gently.

“I wished someone would do something this nice for me. It would be romantic,” She said with a dreamy voice, and we all giggled.

For someone so pessimistic, she sounded too wistful to be true. Her cheeks were coloured with embracement.

okay to feel, Lisa, I was there a few months ago, and now I am head over

needed the crying session. It helped me deal with my fear, and now that it was over, I was light and free,

hold on to Nikolas and follow

check the market out?”

palace, which was far now, and nodded. I

wouldn’t miss him much if I were

rickshaw so

until Ania told me he was a halfbreed. I planned on learning how to

the market are you

Lock, where the werewolves have shops,” Ania said

sat there with Lisa in the middle and

at me with disgust. It

so far, so we arrived in

paid the cycler, and we alighted

There were multiple stalls.

while others had objects like clothes, cookware, decorations, costume jewellery,

the table, while others laid them on the

organised, and there were people buying things at every point. I noticed that people moved away every time we passed them; I wanted to believe it was because of

Lisa said, hurrying ahead of Ania

when I touched the yellow scarf

frowned. I smelled the air; I knew she was a werewolf, so where was this hostility coming

like that,” Ania said, coming to my

Lycan filth. She reeks of it,” she said and spat on the ground as if I was

ashamed of yourself, Aliana. Your mother will be rolling in her grave. Sleeping with the monster that stole our home and enslaved us. Look

She said, and people began to gather, and they seemed to agree with her. “She follows him about. Who would

finally dumps you because he will, I hope you do not expect any of

some

not killed the king, the savages

to liberate them? My father had no qualms with the king, but he sided with

savage to lead you, go to the forest and surrender to the snow hunters.

I yelled at them, and they

all see this as suffering. I will be happy to convey your feelings to the Alpha so you won’t have the need to buy and sell anything again, and all privileges

people; he should treat all of you as the other two

the same? Alpha Nikolas is kind to all of you because of me. How many werewolves in other regions can boast of the privileges you have? I am not hoping your sons or brothers will fancy me when all this is over because I doubt they can ever meet up to the standards the Alpha has set. But I will advise you to watch yourselves around me and my father. The only reason we surrendered was so none of you would die, but the day you make us

I snatched the yellow scarf from the woman and smelled it. Then threw

me the way they

asked, and I shook

we will buy something,” I

a contrast to the scarf lady and the crowd

and respectful towards me. Most of them gave me

scarf woman and the street she sold on consisted of werewolves from

the

when Nikolas dumped me. He said he didn’t care that Nikolas marked

them because of me and told me to remember his promise. His name was Oliver Greenford. He was a handsome man, about twenty-five, and he looked like he meant every word. I knew there would be no need because I trusted Nikolas, and I was hopeful. But if it all ended, I planned to never replace