Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I almost peed on myself when the Alpha ordered me to get out. I was pressed. I did not sleep comfortably, and my body ached severely. I was worried about losing myself in my sleep and waking him up. It was a difficult night. I left his room in a hurry and returned to mine. I tried to link my father, and I got through to him this time.

“Hello father, I hope you are fine?” I said quickly, not sure when Nikolas would block the mind link.

“Aliana,” my father said, and my heart melted. I was glad to know he was all right. I entered the shower and turned on the water.

“Yes, father, I am here, and I am fine,” I said, and he was silent. I was worried that Niokolas had blocked our mind link again, but he spoke and put my mind at ease.

“I am sorry I could not protect you, Aliana. Had I known he would do this, I might have fought him to the death,” he said, and tears welled up in my eyes.

“If you had, we would have all been dead. At least this way, we can one day run away when they are not watching us,” I told him, and he was silent.

I turned on the water to rush through the shower routine, so I could finish quickly and care for Nikolas’ mother.

“Forest was the safest place for our kind, Aliana. It still is. Nikolas is evil, but he is nothing compared to the Snow King or the passive Hill King, who allows the Snow King to interfere in his business. We have to remain here. I will find a way to plead with him on your behalf,” he said, and I quickly stopped him.

Remembering how erratic Nikolas behaved when we were together last night, I did not want him to lose his calm with my father and kill him.

“Don’t, father; I like it here. He is nice to me,” I lied, and my father was silent.

“Are you telling me the truth?” he asked.

“Yes, father. I have two Lycans that serve me. It isn’t as bad as it seems. He has a soft side to him,” I lied, and my father was quiet.

“Are you sure you aren’t lying to me?” my father asked, and tears welled in my eyes because I had never lied to him before, but I did not want to risk letting him speak to Nikolas. My father was better off away from the mad Alpha.

“I won’t lie to you,” I said, letting the shower wash away my tears.

“Please stay in touch; hopefully, he will let you see me,” he said. We both closed the mind link before Nikolas discovered that we had communicated.

I finished, exited the shower, and found Ania and Lisa in my room with food. They were smiling at me, and I bowed my head.

They were lycans, so even if the Alpha asked them to serve me, they were still my betters, according to Nikolas, and I wasn’t ready to be dealt with.

slept in the same bed with Alpha before. He usually does his business and asks them to leave. You must have made a huge impression.” Ania said,

said, and I held it and smiled. I dared not report to them. They were not on my

head immediately. The look in their eyes showed that they did not believe me, and

has been chained to the bed,” Lisa said, sounding a bit worried, and I knew why she

woman might be the death of me.

the courage to

you know where I can get birth control pills? Anything I can take to stop me from getting

before sex. It has a painful effect, but what it does

but with all that had happened, I doubted he would have such things lying around the place, and I doubted it would get to me if I

like to take the tea,” I said, and

minutes before intercourse. It is painful,” she warned again, and

a baby by a monster, and besides, if I had a child by him, the child would not be referred to

you go to Alpha tonight,” she said, and I thanked her. We finished what we were doing and headed to the

my air supply cutting off, but I tried to

ferals. It triggers them,” Raven

into the room, and the curtains

looked thin, her dark hair

was still sweating. She looked gaunt, and it was

she was going, she would starve to death. I did not know if I should help her or just do

She doesn’t eat much, but we try to get some food in her. I

water with soap and another with

and then wipe her skin with clean water before applying the lotion,”

legs, and then I took over. Soon, I fell into

asked, choosing my words

can clean and feed her, or else we won’t have it easy,”

Lisa helped me to feed her. They

left me to watch her while they

the woman, I was nervous, but I had

in

to do. I hoped someone would say I was done for the day and could leave, but I knew that would