Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I stood under the cold shower for almost forty minutes. I contemplated whether I was too harsh, but I knew I had done the right thing. I eventually turned off the water and returned to the room. Aliana was still on the couch, and I could smell her fear. I wondered why she was afraid. I wasn’t mad at her.

“Have you eaten,” I asked her, trying to ease the tension? She shook her head, and I linked Ania to bring us food.

Still tying on a towel, I went to sit beside her on the couch.

“She won’t trouble you again, Little wolf. I guess the Queen Title got to her head. It is time she faces reality now. I have told everyone not to call her queen,” I said, and she was surprised.

While telling Aliana, I realised that Aliana and her friends could not call my mother by name due to the Unity law. It was either they called her Mistress or Luna. I decided to settle for Luna. It would be honourary until I have fixed the issues.

“Won’t you shower?” I asked her touching her bruised forehead. It had healed a bit, but it would take a few more hours to heal completely and not show.

I stood up to lead her to the shower. I wanted her to relax and know that everything was fine. We got the shower, and I took off the towel I had and gently helped her remove her clothes. Checking her body, I saw the bruise marks of my mother’s kicks close to her ribs on her side. I touched it, and she flinched a bit. I turned on the water and pulled her close to my chest to hold her.

“She won’t hurt you again,” I told her, and she broke down in those minutes. I doubt the beating was the only thing that hurt Aliana. My mother’s words must have cut deep, along with the fear of what was to come. Aliana was still afraid I would leave her eventually because what we had seemed hopeless. Everything I had set out to do so we could be together would be impossible. I could not blame her. Still, everything happening pointed in that direction, especially my mother, but I will just have to keep reassuring her until I have done everything I promised. I pulled away to look into her eyes.

“1 do not break my promises, little wolf. It will always be the two of us,” I assured her, and she nodded.

I held her under the cold water for a while. Before we decided to leave the shower. Ania had brought the food and left. It was displayed on the table for us to eat. She must have let herself in when no one answered her knock.

Aliana and I changed into something comfortable. I wore shorts, and she wore my I -shirt with nothing under.

The day had been hectic for both of us. Relaxing and letting go of the stress was the best thing to do. We finished dinner, and I took the plates out.

Aliana only ate a little. But I did not make a fuss about the issue. I was sure she would be okay by tomorrow. It wasn’t long after dinner; we went to bed. Sleep came quickly because I was exhausted.

I woke up early, and Aliana was still asleep. As much as I wanted to stay, I had much- unfinished business to attend to. I never received the report on what Abraham found in the woods.

Abraham made me realise I kept him waiting in my office. Qusack must have linked him to retire to bed. I went to freshen up, showered and headed

romantic attachment, unlike the others, and it did not seem like he would get attached to

do a job. He had much time and no attachments. It was an excellent quality for a beta, but as his friend, I knew it was

divine and beyond us, but had I rejected it, I wouldn’t have had this. I prayed Qusack would someday find someone to bring sunshine into his life. Someone he can relax and be himself with. Someone he would not need to

that would be his little wolf, just as Aliana is to me. I hoped it would happen for him and

saw Qusack

sleepy,” I asked him, and he shook

well. It is just delicious,” he said with a smile, and I went to sit

with concern, and I

confessed, and

not understand your mother, but her rage blinds her. Aliana is completely harmless; what she did was unnecessary. I hope the measures you took will fix the problem, and she does not make an enemy of you,” he said, and I

council and her brother and confirm I was Mathias’s son. I also needed her to help me with the Kingship. I wondered if she would choose

sighed. “She was badly bruised and shaken. She could not eat last night.

King. A Lycan that hates her father for a good reason; now, his mother hates her and wants her gone. In her head, she is afraid you might have to choose, and to the world, we know the obvious choice. There is no way her heart can be at ease,” Qusack explained, and I

assured her,” I said, and he

odds are against her. She has no choice but to hang on to your words even if she does not believe

with her after this. She has no choice but to hang on to your words. I hope this works out for you because two people who care about each other should not have to go through all this. The painful part is that your mother should love you enough to let go of her grudge. She should make your life easy and let your problem only be with the outside, but I doubt she is capable of that, and knowing she is Fredrik’s sister, I’m not surprised.” He said, and he was

the seal, I knew it was Fredrick. I had expected his response

opened it, and it read.

my hunters. Now that I know what happened and do not want us to be on bad terms, I

trade is how most hunters survive, and desperation due to scarcity of these resources might prompt

a permit from you before entering. I hope Forest and Snow

members as cattle was presumptuous of him. I never told him that Forest would sell its residents or