Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

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I was more relaxed after I saw my father. Ania, Lisa and I headed to the hospital after the visit. The rickshaw that took us to the
place was slow, but I had all the time, knowing Nikolas would not be home tonight.
“When I got to the warehouse that was turned into a clinic, I noticed some construction was ongoing.
Nikolas had told me the place would be renovated and equipped. I saw he was doing as he had said. I was grateful for him, and I
hoped he would succeed. I could not wait to scream at the top of my lungs that I love him. I could not wait to make what we have
official. He was more than a secret. He was everything to me right now.
A nurse approached us while we waited in the open space, looking at the patients on the rows of beds.
“How are you feeling today, Aliana?” The woman asked.
She looked friendly. Everyone knew my name and who I was by now, so I wasn’t surprised.
I could see her grey hair and fine lines, but even with the signs of ageing, she looked graceful and beautiful. I knew she wasn’t
from Riverhead because I did not know who she was, but she was a Werewolf.
“I am fine. Nurse...” I said, searching her uniform with my eyes for her name tag.
“Alison,” She said with a broad smile, and I nodded.
“Nurse Alison,” I said, and she smiled.
It was very unusual behaviour for people that weren’t from Riverhead to smile at me. Most of them loathed me and saw me as a
traitor for sleeping with the enemy.
While the people in Riverhead knew I had no choice, others believed I decided to whore myself to make my life easy. The people
from other packs were more in Riverhead than my pack members because of Nikolas’ s projects.
Ignoring the oddity of her behaviour, I spoke. “I came here to have myself tested for sickness,” I said, and she raised an eyebrow
and looked at me. Ania and Lisa decided to excuse us by giving us some privacy while they looked around.
Nurse Alison led me to a makeshift office that was created with curtains. There was a desk and two chairs on each side. I guess
one belonged to the Medical practitioners, while the other belonged to the patient.
Nurse Alison motioned me to sit, and she had a broad grin. It was now looking creepy.

I could not tell if it was plastered or real. Seeing the s*hitty situation we were all in and the fact that most people believed I was a
traitor for being with Nikolas, Something I had no control over, by the way, I suspected her smile was fake and plastered. I might
be wrong, and I hoped I was.
“May I know why you think you are sick?” She asked, still giving that fake smile again, and it was getting to me.
“Do you mind not faking a smile? It is creepy,” I said, and she laughed.
“I am not faking it, Aliana. I am actually happy. Today my husband was told he would not need to work as a mason. I learned
Alpha Gabriel and everyone his age were laid off and placed on pension, and I heard it was because Alpha
Gabriel was sick. We all know the Lycan Alpha did it for your sake. I am just happy,” She said, and I felt a bit uncomfortable.
If they were pedalling such stories, how would our pretence work then?
“I doubt it has anything to do with me. Alpha obeys the unity law,” I said quickly, and her smile dropped.
“Well, I guess we were lucky then,” she said, looking at me.
Though she wasn’t smiling anymore, her eyes looked soft and thoughtful. Clearly, she did not believe me, but I wouldn’t
volunteer any information that would harm Nikolas.
“Back to the matter at hand,” She said, and I nodded.
“I have been feeling nauseous lately. Smells get to me, especially food. Yesterday was worse because I couldn’t keep anything
down. I could not eat, and my body was burning up. I had to take a few cold showers to cool my body temperature. This morning
I woke up feeling great. I was able to eat. In fact, I have eaten twice and eaten large portions, so I doubt what is wrong with me is
serious.” I said, and she nodded.
I could see the concern in her eyes, and I wondered what the matter was.
“Have you ever gone on heat?” She asked me, and I shook my head.

“When. Last, did you get your heat periods?” She asked, and I did not know what she was talking about. I believed heat periods
were for mated wolves. My mother never told me much about it.
“I thought it was only for matted wolves,” I said, and she smiled and shook her head.

“Well, it might have happened to you without
She said, and I was confused. I would know if I was on heat.
I have never gone into heat, to begin with. That was what birth control was for. To suppress my heat and prevent me from getting
pregnant.
“I can’t have a heat period because I am on birth control,” I said, and she sighed.
“When did you start taking it?” She asked me, taking out a sheet of paper and writing things down. I began to feel nervous. I
explained to her when and she sighed.
“You weren’t supposed to take it until you get your first heat.
The heat is a sign that your body is ready to mate and reproduce.
It is also a sign that your wolf is ready to bond with your mate’s wolf. Taking birth control like that would disrupt the natural order
of things
It won’t suppress your heat neither would you know when it comes because the timing has been offset by the medication hence
why it is prescribed to be taken on the first day of the heat.
Otherwise, it is useless and sometimes harmful. Is that doctor a quack? Does he not know about a woman’s reproductive
system?” she asked, and beads of sweat began forming on my forehead. I was scared because this wasn’t the time for this.
“Are you saying I am on heat?” I asked her straight up. There was no point in finding ways to sugarcoat it. It was either she was
saying that, or I was overthinking it.
“I am not saying that Aliana, but your symptoms indicate it. I hope you have been using protection during intercourse,” She said,
and I shook my head; worry registered on her face.
“Very well, let me have a sample of your urine. Once the pregnancy is eliminated, we can look at allergies, flu and bacteria. Once
all these things are eliminated, it might just be your disrupted heat,” She said.
At that moment, I would give anything to make it one of the other things, not the pregnancy.
Nikolas would hate me because that was one of his rules.

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He did not want me to get pregnant even after we got together. This wasn’t good.
There was no way we would be able to keep the pregnancy secret.
How can we prove he is obeying the unity law? I could imagine the arguments.
“You are not fit to be king. You do not have the interest of the Lycans at heart. You disregard our laws. Even now, your werewolf
mistress is pregnant with your child and living with you. We can’t support you,”
The arguments played in my head, and I began to fight my tears.
I did not want to think of terminating the pregnancy because I loved Nikolas, and it would be beautiful to have his child but at
what cost? I was completely blank.
Even though the nurse was calling me, I could not hear her.
Fear of the unknown had engulfed me. I was raking my head for what to do.
Snapping out of my deep thoughts, I looked at the nurse immediately.
“If I am preganat what am I to do?” I asked her: she sighed.
“You might have to terminate it because I doubt the Lycan Alpha would want a half-breed child. Also, the life of the child might be
difficult. You could also keep the baby, most preferable in my regard. I am sure you won’t regret it. That is if you are pregnant.
Then again, it could just be the flu, a bug or your heat. We won’t know until we have eliminated the pregnancy possibility,” Nurse
Alison explained, and I nodded.
She left the makeshift office and returned with a small cup five minutes later.
“Pee into this cup and bring it back. The test won’t take more than ten minutes, and we can eliminate the possibility of a
pregnancy,” She said, and I took the cup from her.

Though I was afraid, I managed to steady my hand to keep it from shaking. All I kept praying for was that the result would be
negative, and I would have panicked for nothing.
Deep down, I wished my relationship with Nikolas was normal.
It would have been great having his child..

It would have been a beautiful thing.
He would make a great father, but if he isn’t king and is yet to abolish the Unity Law in
Forest, having this baby and living in peace with him would be a lofty dream.
As long as he is under the unity law, this could mean trouble for both of us, and I knew the Snow King would not hesitate to use
it.
I thought about it for a while.
I got to the restroom and managed to pee in the cup. I wasn’t pressed, so I did not get much, but it was enough for the test.
While I rinsed my hand in the sink, I took a few deep breaths. I knew I needed to brace myself and make a decision. Should the
test turn positive, termination won’t be an option.
I looked at my eyes, which looked dull in the mirror over the sink. Fear radiated in them. Fear and uncertainty plagued them, and
I tried to gather myself.
Walking towards the makeshift nurse’s office felt like forever.
The sound of the voices of the people in the clinic was distant.
Even Raven was silent.
This was a hurdle I doubted I would jump unscathed.
Soon I arrived at the office, and Nurse Alison was there. She had worn her latex gloves and was waiting for me to return.
I held the cup to her, and she tried to collect it from me.
I held on to the cup tightly, contemplating letting go.
I could just leave and be in denial, but that would be stupid because not knowing was worse than knowing.
I also wondered if I could trust her to have Nikolas’s interest at heart. Would she spread the news if it turned out positive?
I was afraid and worried.

“Promise me you will keep this between us. If it turns out positive, will you keep it a secret so I can figure out what to do about it?
He mustn’t know. He will kill me,” I lied with tears.
I wanted her to believe keeping quiet would be a favour to me, not Nikolas, just in case she hated him. Nurse Alison’s eyes were
misty, already feeling sorry for me.
I felt terrible that I had lied against him.
“This is supposed to be joyful under normal circumstances, Aliana, but I understand your fear. It is sad that although we come
from the same source, the Lycans have made us seem insignificant. I know you will be a great mother and have beautiful pups. It
is too bad if the
Lycan Alpha cannot see the light. Besides, it is really not up to him to go easy on you. I doubt King Frederick and King
Aleksander would be peaceful if he finds out that the Lycan Alpha of Forest is expecting a baby with his slave mistress,” she
said, and her tears fell freely.
“We all know why he took you as his. We know what his reasons were. Do not worry, Aliana. Your secret is safe with me. I will
not judge your decision,” She said, and I thanked her.
I wished she knew how much Nikolas would sacrifice for my sake, but on the surface, she was right. Fortunately for me, what
Nikolas and I had was deep, but it wasn’t deep enough to accommodate a baby. This shouldn’t have happened now.
I watched her put the strip in the cup and pull it out.
We both waited for lines to show.
The wait was like forever.
My heart was beating fast, and my breathing was irregular. I felt the sickness coming back.
I knew I might soon have a panic attack, but I tried to keep it together.
I tried to hold it. I watched her face as she stared at the stick, and when she exhaled with a sad expression, I knew the answer.
She handed the strip to me, and I saw two thick lines.
“I am sorry, Aliana, you are pregnant,” She said, and there was a ringing in my ear.

A ringing of fear and despair. I clamped my palms against my ears, hoping to muffle the words she had spoken, but who was I
fooling? Denial would not change the facts. The facts were written on the stick, and it was positive.