Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I was more relaxed after I saw my father. Ania, Lisa and I headed to the hospital after the visit. The rickshaw that took us to the place was slow, but I had all the time, knowing Nikolas would not be home tonight.

“When I got to the warehouse that was turned into a clinic, I noticed some construction was ongoing.

Nikolas had told me the place would be renovated and equipped. I saw he was doing as he had said. I was grateful for him, and I hoped he would succeed. I could not wait to scream at the top of my lungs that I love him. I could not wait to make what we have official. He was more than a secret. He was everything to me right now.

A nurse approached us while we waited in the open space, looking at the patients on the rows of beds.

“How are you feeling today, Aliana?” The woman asked.

She looked friendly. Everyone knew my name and who I was by now, so I wasn’t surprised.

I could see her grey hair and fine lines, but even with the signs of ageing, she looked graceful and beautiful. I knew she wasn’t from Riverhead because I did not know who she was, but she was a Werewolf.

“I am fine. Nurse…” I said, searching her uniform with my eyes for her name tag.

“Alison,” She said with a broad smile, and I nodded.

“Nurse Alison,” I said, and she smiled.

It was very unusual behaviour for people that weren’t from Riverhead to smile at me. Most of them loathed me and saw me as a traitor for sleeping with the enemy.

While the people in Riverhead knew I had no choice, others believed I decided to whore myself to make my life easy. The people from other packs were more in Riverhead than my pack members because of Nikolas’ s projects.

Ignoring the oddity of her behaviour, I spoke. “I came here to have myself tested for sickness,” I said, and she raised an eyebrow and looked at me. Ania and Lisa decided to excuse us by giving us some privacy while they looked around.

Nurse Alison led me to a makeshift office that was created with curtains. There was a desk and two chairs on each side. I guess one belonged to the Medical practitioners, while the other belonged to the patient.

Nurse Alison motioned me to sit, and she had a broad grin. It was now looking creepy.

I could not tell if it was plastered or real. Seeing the s*hitty situation we were all in and the fact that most people believed I was a traitor for being with Nikolas, Something I had no control over, by the way, I suspected her smile was fake and plastered. I might be wrong, and I hoped I was.

“May I know why you think you are sick?” She asked, still giving that fake smile again, and it was getting to me.

“Do you mind not faking a smile? It is creepy,” I said, and she laughed.

“I am not faking it, Aliana. I am actually happy. Today my husband was told he would not need to work as a mason. I learned Alpha Gabriel and everyone his age were laid off and placed on pension, and I heard it was because Alpha

Gabriel was sick. We all know the Lycan Alpha did it for your sake. I am just happy,” She said, and I felt a bit uncomfortable.

If they were pedalling such stories, how would our pretence work then?

“I doubt it has anything to do with me. Alpha obeys the unity law,” I said quickly, and her smile dropped.

“Well, I guess we were lucky then,” she said, looking at me.

Though she wasn’t smiling anymore, her eyes looked soft and thoughtful. Clearly, she did not believe me, but I wouldn’t volunteer any information that would harm Nikolas.

the matter at hand,” She

to cool my

the concern in her eyes, and I wondered what

ever gone on heat?” She asked

Last, did you get your heat periods?” She asked, and I did not know what she was talking about. I believed heat periods were for mated wolves. My mother never told me much about

for matted wolves,” I said, and she

might have happened to you

and I was confused. I would know if I was

with. That was what birth control

a heat period because I am on

of paper and writing things down. I began

to take it until

a sign that your body is ready to mate

with your mate’s wolf. Taking birth control

suppress your heat neither would you know when it comes because the timing has been offset by the medication hence why it is prescribed to be taken on the first day of

know about a woman’s reproductive system?” she asked, and beads of sweat began forming on my forehead. I was scared because this wasn’t the time

heat?” I asked her straight up. There was no point in finding ways to sugarcoat it. It was either she was saying

symptoms indicate it. I hope you have been using protection during

urine. Once the pregnancy is eliminated, we can look at allergies, flu and bacteria. Once all these things are eliminated, it might just be

would give anything to make it one

hate me because that was one of

did not want me to get pregnant even after we got together. This

be

we prove he is obeying the unity law? I could imagine

not fit to be king. You do not have the interest of the Lycans at heart. You disregard our laws. Even now, your werewolf

played in my head, and I began

did not want to think of terminating the pregnancy because I loved Nikolas, and it would be beautiful to have his child but

was calling me,

the unknown had engulfed me. I was raking my

of my deep thoughts, I

am I to

I am sure you won’t regret it. That is if you are pregnant. Then again, it could just be the flu, a bug

the makeshift office and returned with a

back. The test won’t take more than ten minutes, and we can eliminate the possibility of a pregnancy,”

steady my hand to keep it from shaking. All I kept praying for was that the result would be negative, and I

my relationship with Nikolas was

been

been

would make a great father, but if he isn’t king and is yet to abolish the

and living in peace

long as he is under the unity law, this could mean trouble for both of us, and I knew the Snow King would not

it for a