Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

Nikolas POV

It took three days to get the werewolf scent off me before I decided to set out to the Hill Kingdom.

I decided Grant would follow me because I did not trust him to be impartial.

Qusack would have been my safest option, but I needed him around to protect Aliana. A lot of Lycan women had it in for her. I feared they might carry out their plans when I was not around.

Besides fulfilling my mother’s wishes, Aliana was part of why I wanted to be King. I wanted the right to love her and have children with her, and I did not want my children to be discriminated against.

I was doing this so we could have a future.

I did not want anything bad to happen to her.

With Qusack in charge, while I am away, I would have peace of mind knowing she is safe and all right.

I left in the early morning hours and was eager to know what the Hill King had in store for me. It would be nice to have a royal ally. I knew it would make my quest easier.

“Alpha, our men have started hunting in Snow, and I am sure the Snow King will soon reach out,” Grant said while we were heading to the Hill Territory.

What Grant said explained the new werewolf faces I had seen in the cells. I thought they were offenders I had to ask to be clear. “Where do you put the captives?” I asked Grant, and he laughed.

“In the cells. We do not want them mixing with our werewolves. Those things are treacherous, as you already know; outside knowledge might help boost their morale,” He said, proud of himself, and I knew cruelty was part of his speciality. I should have put Qusack in charge of this.

“I doubt they would want to go back to Snow, Grant. I want them released and assigned duties immediately. They are people, not livestock.” I cautioned him, and he apologised for presuming that was what I would want. I dropped the matter and focused on the journey. The place was seven hours away from Forest through the shortcut, so we were in for a long ride. The road wasn’t good either. It was clear that Forest had been cut off from the world entirely.

planned to

was that the gold reserve was massive,

found was more than what my mother told me. Forest had gold mines, so it was normal to have an abundance of it. It was

was long, and even though sleep came, I refused to fall. I liked staying vigilant at all times just in case an ambush or treachery was about to occur; I wouldn’t be

secretly hoped we wouldn’t stay more than two days in the Hill Kingdom because I was dying to return to

Luna, but I had to

knew they were treacherous people, but seeing things from their angle,

a Lycan pregnant was just cruel. They weren’t animals; they were people like us, but we had different

have to wash Aliana’s scent off

this was my first time. Its vegetation wasn’t as rich as Forest, but the mountains and high peaks of the place

They did not look like they were suffering. They were well-fed and healthy, more healthy

some improvements over the years. Had my father

Gold was a valuable commodity, and only Forest had it. One gold coin equated to a thousand five hundred copper coins,

respect, and

carvings on the wall. It wasn’t dark like the one in Forest. It showed the King’s personality

led to a waiting room. I sat on one of the couches while Grant stood behind me. He dared not sit because it

where I was waiting. The guards in the lounge referred to him as His Highness, so I figured he

if Gabriel had not done what he did. Sometimes when I think of what Gabriel did, I want to march to his home and s*laughter

Gabriel would be easy, but now

he was the prince, he bowed his head to

My father would join us soon,” he said and decided to sit on the couch adjacent to mine.