Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

Aliana POV

I could not believe what had happened between Nikolas and me.

He was gentle and loving. Everything was confusing.

I knew it wasn’t something permanent, but how would my heart recover from this when it finally ended?

The way he held me in the bath, the small talks we had in bed when we were exhausted. It was as if I

was with a different person altogether.

His gaze was soft, his tone was gentle, and his smile was genuine.

It wasn’t the typical cynical attitude he wore to get under my skin. I was afraid that he was up to

something.

What if he suddenly cuts me off again? Thinking about it made me want to throw up.

I knew I would need to be careful and not give him my heart completely.

“Too late for that, Aliana. We gave it to him long before we realised it,” Raven said, always there to

point things out, and I stood still in the passage.

Taking a couple of breaths, I braced myself. I did not know what Nikolas would do, but I hoped I would

have the heart to bear it. I opened the door to the Queen’s room, and she was sleeping.

Ania and Lisa were there, and they smiled at me. Ania’s smile was brighter than Lisa’s, but it had

always been that way, so I did not mind.

“And you finally grace us with your presence,” Ania said, winking at me.

I blushed because all I could think about was my time with Nikolas. How can someone so cruel know

how to love? I did not want to lose this side of him. It was like a dream.

All I could think of was how he held me in the tub. I felt protected and loved, but the fact that it was an

illusion that would not last made it hurt, and it created a fear I could not handle. “Come on, tell us how it

went with the Alpha. You already reek of him, so there is no need to hide it,” Ania teased, wanting all

the juicy details, but I wasn’t going to tell this time around.

I did not want to say or do anything that would affect Nikolas’s ambition to be King. The walls have

ears, and anyone could be listening.

“He was nice to me,” was all I could say. I did not want to go into details because if Nikolas and I had a

relationship, it had to be a secret. After all, it was forbidden.

He was trying to become a king. I did not want to be used against him.

“Just nice to you? You two slept in! I heard Alpha has never slept in before,” Ania said, and I wondered

where she heard that from.

“Who told you that?” I asked, and she laughed.

“The jealous b*itc*hes in this place. You needed to see them during breakfast. For the first time. Alpha

did not eat with his officers. It got to them that a werewolf was warming his bed. They had so much to

say about it.” She said, laughing, and it was sweet to know that Nikolas broke character for my sake. It

meant a lot to me.

“Aliana, he might just damn the rules for your sake. I am so excited. He has already done so many

things that he shouldn’t as a Lycan, and he let you get away with a lot. He even demoted an officer for

your sake, Aliana. I do not know about you, but something is there, and I am glad I will be here for it,”

she said and sat on the couch in the room, crossed her legs, rested her head, and looked in my

direction.

Ania motioned me to join her while Lisa sat on another couch facing the one Ania was sitting on. I sat

beside Ania and looked at the Queen.

“How was it?” Ania asked me, and I blushed and nodded.

“Did you do what I told you to do?” she asked, and I nodded.

I doubted I needed to do it, but I had to give it to her. Nikolas did confess that I was making it hard for

him to hold back.

I enjoyed every moment, and even now, while sitting on the couch, I could not wait to get back to him. I

want to take as much as possible before getting cut off from him. I prayed he would remain kind to me.

“Aliana,” Lisa said with a serious tone, and I looked at her. Something in her tone said she would wipe

away my smile. It was a killjoy feeling.

“I am glad to see that you are smiling again, and you look nice,” she said, but I knew she had more to

say. I could sense it. “Please do not let it get to your head. Lycan men are horrible. They take you to a

height and then let you fall,” She said, and Ania tried to caution her but she refused

“I need to prepare her. I do not want to see her get hurt, Ania. She is still a servant. Alpha did not

elevate her status, so she has to be careful. She is too innocent for what Alpha will put her through,”

she said, and I frowned at her. I wondered if she knew something and was keeping it.

“All the girls you see are his, and he screws them. None have slept in his bed, but he screws them. I

suspect he will ask you to sleep in your room so he can have another woman. That is why you still

have your old room.

They change women like sheets. He favours you, but that is the best you will get from him. He wants to

be King, so he will distance himself when the time comes. Please do not get carried away.

They do not have the heart to love, and you do not stand a chance because you are a werewolf.” She

said with misty eyes.

She spoke from pain, but I wondered whose pain it was because she was a Lycan. Her words had cut

deep, but she was telling the truth. I doubt I could handle seeing Nikolas with someone else, but it was

bound to happen because what we were doing was prohibited, and he would be King one day.

“Lisa, you didn’t have to say it like that,” Ania cautioned her, and Lisa wiped away her tears.

“Can’t you see the joy in her eyes, Ania? Alpha is having fun, but Aliana is in love. She would be

crushed,” Lisa said, and Ania turned away.

Somehow Ania knew Lisa was telling the truth. “I am not in a relationship with the Alpha, and whatever

is between us is not permanent,” I told them, and Lisa looked at me.

“He might have your b*ody and know how to please you, Aliana, do not give him your heart because he

will crush it. He is too hateful to feel love, and you are too innocent to understand heartbreak,” She

said, and I was silent.

With those words, Lisa wiped the smile off my face and put fear in my heart. She had brought me down

from the clouds and crashed me on the bare ground.

I spent the rest of the day caring for the Queen and thinking of Lisa’s words. When they brought

snacks, I could not eat them because I was worried.

I looked at the time and knew Nikolas would soon join us.

I was eager to see him but afraid at the same time. I was glad I did not eat anything or would have

thrown up.

Nikolas finally arrived and asked Ania and Lisa to excuse us.

The moment they left, his eyes softened on me. He pulled me to his b*ody and k*issed me. It was

spontaneous and unexpected, but I liked it. I returned the k*iss standing on tip toes.

“I can’t wait till we retire to bed,” He linked me while we k*issed. Then he broke the k*iss and looked at

me with a frown. “What is the matter with you?” he asked, and I wondered how he could figure out that

I was worried.

I shook my head and looked at his mother, who was yet to wake up. We were feeding her three times

now, and she went back to sleep after lunch and was yet to wake up.

“Come on, tell me,” he said gently, lifting my chin to look at his face. I did not want to tell him what was

happening in my mind because I did not want to scare him.

We were in such a good place. I was floating. I did not want him to withdraw and shut me out again. I

did not think I would be able to handle it. I shook my head from fear and felt tears stinging my eyes.

“It is nothing, Alpha,” I said, and he stopped me from looking away and lifted my chin so he could see

my eyes.

“When we are alone, you call me by my name,” he said, and my eyes widened with shock. “Tell me

what the matter is,” he said, and I tried to pull away.

“If I do, you will be mad and shut me out again. I do not want to be shut out and cut off again. Let me

keep this,” I said, and the tears escaped.

“I promise I won’t shut you out or cut you off. Tell me what is happening in your mind. If this thing is

going to work, we have to be on the same page, Aliana,” he told me, and I wondered what we had that

he thought was working. A secret affair that would crumble when he finally has to ascend the throne

was nothing. “Tell me, Aliana..’ he said, and I nodded.

It was better to open up and let him do whatever he wanted than let it eat me inside. “I am a bit

possessive and won’t be able to handle it when you invite the other women to your room, but I will deal.

I know it comes with it, so I won’t make a fuss about it. I am just trying to prepare my mind,” I said,

rushing through the words quickly, afraid I had overstepped and hoping he would ease my heart “I am

not saying, you shouldn’t, but I am just trying to psyche myself into handling it because I know it would

happen. I am just trying to….” I said, and he stopped me with a k*iss.

He pulled me to his b*ody and k*issed me, then broke the k*iss and let me breathe. I did not know I

was shaking until he did what he did. He looked at me and smiled. He looked so handsome whenever

he smiled, but it was a rare expression, so I always committed it to memory whenever he did it.

“I do not k*iss women or sleep in with them, Aliana. What I have shared with you should count for

something. It is okay to be possessive because I am, but I won’t hurt you.

I might have misgivings about your race and father, but I won’t hurt you. I have separated you from it

all.

Do not let anything anyone tells you or does trouble your heart. Tell me immediately if anyone tries to

disrespect you or make you feel bad. Am I clear?” He said, and I nodded. His words were reassuring,

and I rested knowing he was a man of his word.

We waited for the Queen to wake. I watched Nikolas care for her. He fed her and read her a book. Her

feral eyes remained, but she remained calm. I began to pray that one day she would regain her senses

to appreciate all her son did for her. Seeing how Nikolas cared for her whenever he was with her made

me realise he did all this for her. It was indeed a blessing to be loved.