Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

The moment Nikolas left the room, I became scared. Who would have thought he was King Mathias’ son? His hatred towards my father when he arrived, was understandable.

My heart broke, and I tried to hide it so I do not spoil his mood. It was unfair for a prince to grow up in the wild and watch his mother go feral. I am yet to know how Queen Isabel lost her mind, but going through all that would drive anyone off the edge.

I looked around the room and thought of Forest as an entirety and realised everything was his all along. He never took anything, and the fact that he had to fight for it made me feel like a thief.

It made me feel guilty. I wasn’t the one that took it, but I felt that way.

Nikolas must care about me to ease his rage on my people. I could just imagine what was happening in his head when he arrived and saw my father: the man he believed buried a sword in his father’s heart, stole his kingdom and banished his mother.

My father was lucky to be alive.

I was fortunate to be alive.

As much as Nikolas told me I had nothing to worry about, I knew I had plenty to worry about.

Queen Isabelle was bound to hate me, and soon he would have to choose because I doubted the woman would let it go.

She was alive when everything happened. She had her version of the truth based on experience; her pain and hatred would be more profound than Nikolas’s. I was afraid and didn’t know what to do.

Everything was against me. I wasn’t only a werewolf but the daughter of the man that ruined their lives. I couldn’t tell him what my father said about how his father died, he would think it was because I knew, and he would not believe it. Only the goddess could vindicate my poor father.

I am sure if my father could glimpse into the future, he wouldn’t have tried to march the werewolves to the palace to demand freedom, but if he hadn’t done that, King Mathias would have wiped us out.

There was no way King Fredrick wouldn’t have taken advantage of the slave trade deal. It was for the best but at the expense of Nikolas and his poor mother.

since he returned from his mother’s room in the morning. But now that I

was fooling myself when I believed

feared, hated and misjudged by my kind loved me wholly and wholeheartedly. No one would ever

came with two trays of food and a frown. I didn’t bother to ask them why they were

would spend the rest of the day with his mother. Hope you don’t mind?” Ania said, and I smiled at her, but Lisa continued frowning. She put the tray on the table

are you crying?” She said, and I tried to look away, but she

I shook my head. She was the most pessimistic person I had ever known. She frowned,

what is the matter?” She asked and sat o n a chair at the table. I joined her and Ania at the

to share Alpha’s attention with his mother,” Ania teased, laughing. She

is missing her man,” she continued,

were Aliana,” Lisa said, and I looked at her because she was closest to the reason. “Alpha has stopped us from attending to her, so all we are charged with now is hanging with you and doing whatever you like. I can’t believe the woman would hate the people that nursed her to health, halfbreed or not, werewolf or not; if Aliana did not step in and we were

Lisa said, sounding a bit angry and looking

there; she saw how the woman behaved. She was disgusted by our scent alone. You should be worried, Aliana. That woman is not a good person. Feral or not, I think we messed with the mercy of the goddess by nursing her to health,” she said, and I covered her

Lycans have abilities. Watch what you say, please,” I said,

That woman is no good,” She said,

learning what I learned, Isabelle’s hatred was justifiable. I could not fault her for hating

isn’t her fault, you know?” I said, and they both looked at me as if

planning on separating you from Alpha. And don’t lie about how you feel because we have been there from the beginning. You two are so good together, Aliana; what that woman intends to do is a

him. I want things that I should only dream of with him. In fact, I deceive myself daily on the

much as I wanted to hang on to Nikolas’s words, only time would tell. I do not see him cutting himself off from his mother, and if she fails to see the light, one

f*uc*ked!” I said and covered my face, letting my tears

trust him, but I could cry my heart out with Ania and