Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

Chapter 22

Nikolas POV

I wasn’t expecting Grant to go that far with Joshua.

I planned to scold him when I returned. The lycan Joshua was with said she seduced him. She confessed, and still, Grant felt the need to do this. I had to call him to order.

I did not want Aliana to see things like this. How was she going to hang on when all this was happening? She had already seen herself up there in place of Joshua. I planned to caution Grant because he knew how I felt about Aliana, and I cared about her a lot, parading her kind like that and saying those things were wrong. We were guilty of those things, and I could understand her fears. Grant had spoilt what was meant to be a romantic day for us. I had never gone anywhere with a woman, this would be my first, and Grant ruined it.

Aliana wasn’t her usual happy self throughout our trip, and I couldn’t blame her. I was sure Grant’s words haunted her.

The cattle ranch on Timber was the last place we had to check, and I decided to take Aliana to the stables so she could see the horses there. I had bought the horses from Hill land. She would be excited because they didn’t have horses in Forest.

“Come on,” I said and went into the stables with her. Wanting to be free with her, I ordered Qusack to stand guard and ensure no one entered until we left. Aliana was in awe of the horses. She smiled genuinely for the first time since the horrible scene she saw in the morning.

I was glad we saved the ranch in Timber for last. I wanted her to see all I was doing in Forest, and she approved. Forest was far behind development-wise because of the isolation, but I planned to catch up and surpass the others.

Once we were done admiring the horses, I pinned her against the wall in the stables and k*issed her passionately. “Do not compare what we have to others, Aliana. No one would dare do that to you,” I said and caressed her plump juicy l*ips with my thumb.

Her l*ips had always driven me crazy. It was a sin for a woman to be as beautiful as Aliana, and I was a sinner for wanting and loving her. “Once I am king, I will fix the divide,” I said, and she was speechless.

“To make you happy, no werewolf would be paraded like that again,” I said, trying everything I could to please her and make her happy. There were so many things I wanted to tell her in those minutes, but this wasn’t the time.

The thing I was sure of was that no one would dare parade her like that for getting pregnant with my child. Even if I weren’t King, I would damn the consequences.

“I am scared, Nikolas,” she finally confessed.

“Your people honour the law, what would happen to my people? It isn’t a crime to love,” she said with tears.

“You do not know how painful it was seeing him up there. I have broken more rules than he did, Nikolas. I have fallen in love, and I know I shouldn’t. I fight it every day, preparing my mind for the day you will have to cast me aside and ascend the throne. Yet I am free. I feel like a hypocrite and an overprivileged b*itc*h,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. Had she just told me that she had fallen for me?

“Aliana,” I said, holding her chin to look at me so I would have her attention.

“We are both guilty of the same crime,” I said, searching her eyes, and she was surprised.

Her tears did not stop, but she was surprised. “I love you, Aliana. I have loved you for a long time now. I tried to avoid you, thinking it would disappear, but I had to accept it. I love you, so you are not in this alone. I want to have a life with you, Aliana. I want babies by you, so I was reluctant to put you on birth control. I want you to be my queen, but I can’t make those things happen now.

I am trying to be King, so I can do what I want without consequence.

As Alpha, I am still bound by the laws of the Unity which the three kings formed. Once I become King, I can challenge and abolish the law on my land. Even if Hill and Snow refuse to abolish it on theirs, it would no longer be a Unity Law. I am working towards that, so I keep pleading with you to give me time, Aliana. Please,” I confessed to her, and she crashed her l*ips on mine.

I knew my words had renewed her hope, but I needed the k*iss. Her sadness affected me, and I wanted her to be happy. I k*issed her passionately, and she responded. Then finally, we broke the k*iss to catch our breaths. I rested my forehead against hers.

“I will be patient, Nikolas. I will pretend and wait for you to get there,” she said, knowing exactly what I needed her to do. I knew we would pull through eventually.

We left the stables, and Aliana’s mood was no longer down.

By the time we got back to Riverhead, Aliana was exhausted. She headed straight to our bedroom while I went to my office.

I found Grant and Abraham in the office, and they were on a couch working on some doc*uments.

Grant greeted me, and I went to him and punched him. He fell back on the couch. “Did you have to make a spectacle of the werewolf guy? The girl confessed that she went after him, seduced and professed love, yet you still did that and had to say all those f*uc*ked up things knowing Aliana was watching. She is a f*uc*king werewolf, Grant! What do you think would happen? She started seeing

herself up there, and you know I care about her. Why couldn’t you just beat the guy and give him a mild punishment knowing he did not actively break the law? Why?” I asked Grant, and he could not speak.

“I have done everything for all of you. Took you all from rogue status, gave you a pack and home, and the first time I try to make myself happy, you try to f*uc*k it up,” I said, and he bowed his head in shame.

“I am sorry, Alpha I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t see it like that. I was just following the law,” He said, and I growled at him.

“Where was the law when you were to be beheaded, Grant? Where was the law when your family was massacred in Snow? Where were these laws? If anything, you should revolt because the laws did not favour you,” I said, and his head remained bowed.

“Do not put me in that situation again, Grant. I mean it,” I warned him, and he nodded. Then I went to sit on my chair. Qusack sat on another couch and was laughing at Grant. Abraham handed me a white envelope with a royal seal on it.

“That is from the Hill King, Aleksander Zieliriska,” Abraham said, and I opened the envelope. I guess Zieliriska wasn’t an arrogant douchebag like Frederick.

“Dear Nikolas Kowalski,

It is an honour to learn of your existence. Your father was a good friend of mine, and it was sad to learn that his subjects turned against him. I know you will make a good King and restore the honour of your family and your people. You have risen from the ashes of your family and made something of yourself. I have to commend you for it.

Unfortunately, because you did not inherit the throne, there are specific requirements that you would meet to acquire kingship.

I would waive it because I know the throne is rightfully yours, but Federick isn’t as easygoing as I am.

So, I now invite you to my palace in Peakland in the Hill territory. I want to help you ensure you meet the requirement for kingship I would await your response.

King Aleksander Zieliriska”

It read, and even though I was yet to meet this man, I sensed he would not be a difficult person. I told Abraham and Grant to excuse me while I discussed the letter’s content with Qusack. “This is good news. I think you should honour his invitation. I would hold the fort here.”

Qusack said but honouring his invitation meant staying away from Aliana for three days to get rid of her scent before going there.

I did not know how he felt about werewolves, but I needed his support for the kingship. I left my office to return to my room.

How would I tell Aliana that I would have to sleep in a separate room from her for three days because I wanted to be rid of her scent before visiting the Hill King? It would be messed up because I had just confessed my feeling for her. It will be like taking one step forward and two steps backwards.

I braced myself for it.

I entered my room, and Aliana was reading a book lying on the couch. She sat up, and there was joy in her eyes.

Since I confessed my feelings to her, she had had that glow in her eyes. I did not want to wipe it off, but I had to see the Hill King, so I decided to talk to her about it.

I sat beside her on the couch, and she k*issed my cheek.novelbin

“Aliana,” I said, and she was attentive and put the book down. “The Hill King reached out to me, and he seems in support of my kingship,” I said, and she clapped excitedly.

“He wants me to visit him at his palace in Peakland,” I said, and she remained happy. Then I sighed because this was the hard part. “To do that, I must rid myself of your scent. I do not know what he would think if I went there smelling of a werewolf,” I said, and her smile did not drop.

“It means we must be a part for a few days. I can manage, Nikolas,” she said to my surprise, and I was shocked.

“You have to be King. Our love, lives, and the welfare of my people depend on it.

If it means pretending and staying apart from you for some days, then so be it. But I do not think you can sleep in your room because my scent is everywhere. You have to sleep in a room I haven’t slept in,” she said, and I was completely shocked. I was troubled for nothing 

I figured Aliana was great for me. She was the right companion for a king. Although revenge and hatred brought her into my life, something beautiful came from it.

I k*issed her and decided I would love her all night long. The separation will start tomorrow. As for tonight, I planned to reward her for making things easy for me and trusting me.