Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I remained seated on my chair, and the silence in my office was absolute.

Qusack did not say a word, and Abraham looked confused. I was just as confused as he was because I did not know what to do.

I looked at Qusack to give him immediate order so we could act.

Fedrick may have said one month, but he could strike anytime. I refuse to let him steal my birthright. I had never heard of this mistress or child, so I was highly suspicious of his intentions. Also, knowing how his relationship with my father was, I doubted he would have entrusted his son to the Snow King.

“Qusack, get me a pen and paper. I need to write a letter to the Hill king to carry on certain issues,” I said, and he leaned forward to ask me.

“Like what?” He said, and I knew he was only asking out of concern. I could not get mad about it. We have been friends for so long that I knew I could always trust him. “The Snow King is trying to say that I am a fraud. I was wondering if Gabriel, the traitor, could identify my mother as his former Queen. Maybe that would shut them up,” I said, and Abraham disagreed.

“Before I joined your pack, Alpha, I used to work in the legal library of scholars in Snow. I was cast out because I helped a nobleman remove a law account from the archives.

I am trying to tell you that I know how the committee works.

Gabriel’s account will not suffice. The reasons are that he is a werewolf.

According to the Unity Law, he has no right to speak. Let us say they choose to make an exception because of the circumstances; they could argue that his account is false. You are his master, and he is your slave. He could say anything you want him to say.

Let us now say they do not see it that way, and he indeed identifies your mother as Queen; they could argue that you found her in her feral state in the wild, recognised her, knew of the mutiny and decided to seize the opportunity to claim she is your mother.

Moreover, I have heard from the Halfbreeds in Snow that their parents told them the Queen was accused of having affairs. They do not know you are King Mathia’s son and your mother is Queen Isabelle. Due to the restricted access to the Queen, they haven’t seen her yet, but there are rumours that the Old King was so in love with his fated who passed away that he neglected his Queen, and she had to result to having flings. It is also in their records.

King Fedrick is malicious. He could argue that you are a bastard.” Abraham said and left me wondering because my options weren’t great.

“Where is the light in all of this, Abraham?” I asked him impatiently.

“The only way you can win against the Snow King is if your mother regains her sanity. No one would dare to tell her truth, and Fedrick would not have a choice but to accept whatever you say,” He said.

know he is an actual person. I

there is a legitimate heir,” he said. That did not sit well with me because my being regarded as a legitimate heir involved my mother regaining her sanity—something I did not

a son by his mistress; the only mistress your father had in the records was a werewolf named Olive. It means this son is a halfbreed, and the

Something I grew up knowing as an abomination. Bringing a half-breed into this world was cruel because

Lycans. The Lycans never accept them because they do not smell right and

for halfbreeds, and that is why it had

usually kill them from birth in other parts. They saw it as a form

relaxed me, and I beamed because that was true. If Miles is a half-breed, why did Fedrick, the King who hates werewolves the most,

to make this

win because people are afraid of him. The law of exception states that without an heir, anyone related to the King

a halfbreed?” I said,

and halfbreeds, then anyone would mean Lycans strictly. But it said anyone and gave no exception, so he could use that law to do that; he has to prove that you’re a fraud. I am sure it would be

want to get involved,”

has to use the law of exception, he must conquer us. Because you did not inherit Forest, you conquered it and took it over; he would have to take it by force from you to give this supposed heir. We all know he would not have a problem with that. Unlike us, he has

we lack immensely. And I do not trust these werewolves to train them. They were the ones that rose against your father; they could do it again. They might even prefer a halfbreed as King than you,

not stupid, Abraham. Anyone in their right mind would know Alpha Nikolas is a better option than someone the Snow King raised. The man has only a daughter, so he may have replicated himself in this child.

doubted Fredrick would

sick as Fredrick, which may be why the Hill King and Queen panicked when Lena told

birthright. It doesn’t stop Fredrick from waging war against us, but the entire committee would be against him because he has favoured

do not know what he wants from me, and to think he is my mother’ s brother,” I

knew all

He did have a fascinating job before he was cast out. All that

treachery, and he rejected her. He is why we had to live in the woods of the Forest. I learned he did not only reject her but also sent hunters after her. My mother lived in fear of hunters throughout. I thought they were werewolves, but now I know that the hunters were from Snow and her brother had set them on her. I do not understand why my mother

put her in the situation. If the werewolves had not killed her husband and taken her home, she would not need to return to Snow.

disagree,” Qusacksaid and looked at