Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I woke up feeling sick in the night. Nikolas was sitting on the couch attending to some documents. He seemed to be engrossed
in what he was doing. I looked at the clock, and it was eight in the night. How could I have slept throughout the afternoon? I was
hungry and nauseous simultaneously, and I did not know what to do.
Feeling the vomit coming while my stomach ached. I got off the bed and rushed to the bathroom immediately. I got to the toilet
seat and emptied whatever was in my stomach.
Seeing that it was the food I had in the morning, I figured I might be suffering from indigestion. Was it part of the symptoms?
“Are you alright, little wolf? Did you catch a bug?” Nikolas asked me with concern. I knew he was by the door because his voice
was close, but I did not want to look in his direction. I did not want to lie to his face.
“I am fine; it is just indigestion,” I said and went to the sink to rinse my mouth. He was quiet and did not say a word.
Once I was done, I looked at him and walked out of the bathroom, brushing past him.
He held my hand to stop me from moving away and pulled me to his chest.
“Are you sure you are alright, little wolf? You are scaring me. First, you sleep for so long and now throw up. What did the nurse at
the Clinic say?” he asked, and I tried to wiggle out of his arms.
“I am hungry,” I replied and went to the table where they usually place the food. I opened the dishes, and the food was cold. For
some reason, I didn’t want to eat cold food. Nikolas noticed because he chuckled.
“I will ask Ania to bring something hot for you,” He said, moving past me to sit on the couch.
His question about the Clinic lingered in the air, and I did not know how to avoid it. I really did not know what to do.
I stood frozen by the table, refusing to move from the spot, knowing I would have to answer his question once I turned around. I
did not know how long it would take me to figure out what to tell, but I doubted I had time.
“I heard you retired all the werewolf elders working for you,” I said, remembering what the nurse had told me at the Clinic.
I looked at Nikolas, and he smiled at me. “A kind gesture for my woman,” he said, resting his back on the couch. He looked
handsome with his unbuttoned shirt and semi- wet hair. Nikolas was breathtakingly handsome, and I am sure he knew it.
The scar added to his looks. It made him look strong and dangerous.

I still wondered who got close enough to harm him like that. He must not have had access to his wolf when it happened hence
why it scared him, but I guess that was his secret to tell.
“I learned your father is hypertensive,1’ He said, and I nodded.
“Thank you so much for being kind to him. I know, to you, he does not deserve it, but I am grateful,” I said quickly, and his smile
dropped. “At this point, I do not know what Gabriel deserves, Little wolf,” he said and looked at me. “Come here, don’t stand over
there; you make me feel like a monster,” he said with a smile, making me chuckle. He laughed too, and I went to sit beside him.
The moment he held me, tears filled my eyes. I was afraid of the outcome of our relationship.
Why did life deal us a shitty card? Everything was great. A baby would ruin everything. Our love, our lives and his aspirations to
be King. A baby would mean bye-bye to the crown and bye-bye to Liberation.
How could I be so careless? I should have done some research instead of taking what that quack said. Clearly, he knows
nothing about reproduction. Could it be deliberate? My mind was messed up.
Nikolas’ s voice brought me back to reality, and I looked at him.
“Aliana, I need to ask you something,” he said on a serious note, and my heart began to beat fast. Had he found out? Did
someone tell him? Ania or Lisa, perhaps? Did Nurse Alison sell me out?
“Be calm, Aliana,” Raven said, and I tried to compose myself the best I could.
“Qusack and I had a lengthy discussion based on the outcome of the meeting I attended in Snow. And he said some interesting
things.” He said and then made me look at him.
“I need you to tell me everything your father told you about his history with my father and mother. I need to know what he shared
with you before I speak to him,” he said on a serious note, and I became worried.
“Please, Nikolas, do not make me speak of it. You might not like what he said about your mother,” I confessed, and he did not
look surprised. Instead, he nodded.
“Did he tell you she had an affair with my uncle Leon?” He asked, and I nodded reluctantly.
“Not just Leon, Nikolas. Some officers too. She made passes at my father, and he refused her. She hated him for it,” I said
quickly, rushing through my words, waiting for his reaction.

“I see,” He said and sighed deeply.
“I will have to discuss the past with your father, and I want you to be there. I need you there so I can control my temper. Do you
think it is something you can do?” he asked me, and I looked at him worried.
“Who am I to stop you when you are angry, Nikolas? Even I can’t protect myself from your rage,” I confessed, remembering the
few encounters I had with him when he was angry.
He touched my cheek gently and brushed it.
“I can never hurt you, little wolf. You are my center,” he said and k*issed me on my lips. I hope his opinion will remain the same
after I tell him the truth.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Ania brought a tray of food.
She put it down and looked worried. We dared not link each other because we knew Nikolas1 s ability. Her look of concern was
enough for me to know something was wrong.
“That reminds me,” Nikolas started while Ania remained in the room.
“Ania said there were multiple nurses at the Clinic. Which of them attended to you?” Nikolas asked, and Ania hurried out of the
room.
She did not want to be around for what I was about to experience.
“Nikolas,” I said, placing my hand over his, and he looked at me curiously.
“Know that I will never try to be smart or do anything to jeopardise your mission. Know that I mean well and will do anything to
please you.” I said, and tears started streaming down my cheeks because I wanted to tell him the truth.
I got off the couch and stood before him at a distance, afraid of his reaction when I tell him the truth.
“You are making me nervous, Little wolf. What is the matter? Why are you afraid, and why are you crying? Are you ill?” he asked
me, and I shook my head.
“I did everything required of me, Nikolas, I swear. I will never abuse your kindness towards my people and me....” I said my body
was trembling on its own because there was no time he told me his rules did not stand. We discussed many things, but having a
baby wasn’t one of them.

“Aliana, you need to stop this and tell me the matter. I can’t deal if I do not know what the issue is. You are getting me worried
and making my wolf restless,” he said, slightly irritated.
I nodded and wiped away my tears. There was no time he wouldn’t know. I knew it had to come from me. I had to tell him, or he
would feel hurt and betrayed.
“I went to the clinic yesterday, and they ran a series of tests, and the nurse said I am pregnant,” I said quickly, and everything
was still.
The room was quiet. Even the air was still. I stood there waiting for Nikolas to react, but he remained frozen. Soon he bowed his
head and rested it on his palms.
“I thought you were on birth control?” He finally said without lifting his head, and I nodded.
I went to get the tablets to show him. I had placed it on the table before him when I realised it didn’t prove anything.
“I took it the way the doctor said, but the nurse said I used it wrong. It is a heat suppressant, and I was supposed to take it on my
first heat for it to be effective. The doctor never told me this,” I said in tears, but his head remained bowed.
“But you are a woman; you should know these things,” He said calmly, and his calm scared me the most.
“I don’t, Nikolas. I did not know anything. I wasn’t sexually active before you, and my mother wasn’t around to teach me anything.
I am learning on the go. I swear I didn’t do this deliberately. Please tell me you believe me.” I said, and his head remained
bowed.
“Other than the nurse, who else knows of this?” He asked with a dangerous tone.
“Ania and Lisa, but that is all. No one else. I told them not to tell you; I will tell you myself,” I said quickly, hoping he would look up
and tell me something, but his head remained bowed.
I could feel his rage.
He was angry at me.
Tears were streaming down my cheeks while I stepped back. I had nowhere to run to if it came to it.
“I will terminate it if that is okay by you. I know you do not want halfbreed pups,” I said quickly.

Even though I did not want to terminate the pregnancy, there was no way Nikolas would allow it.
He looked at me slowly, and his eyes were raving mad. It sent a sinister shiver down my spine, and soon my back was against
the wall. “I will terminate it,” I whispered pleadingly, and he growled lowly.
“Don’t you dare!1 he said calmly but with a sinister tone, and I wished I could sink into the wall. I was confused as hell. I did not
understand why he would say that.
“Please, Nikolas. I am sorry,” I apologised, and he got up from his chair and advanced towards me. I closed my eyes, flinching.
He pulled me to his chest and hugged me tightly. He held me for a while. I was finding it hard to relax. I was scared.
“It’s an okay little wolf. We would get through this together.” He said, gently breathing in my scent.
His scent and proximity calmed me down.
“It isn’t your fault. Do not blame yourself, and do not be afraid of me,” He said, and I began to cry tears of relief.
“I am sorry,” I said repeatedly, holding myself to the spot.
“You have just given me a reason not to give up on my quest, Aliana. I must do whatever it takes to get the crown. So that our
children can have a future in this cruel world,” He said and held me.
I wrapped my arms around him and cried.
I cried tears of relief, knowing I wasn’t alone in this and would not have to terminate the pregnancy.
I held on to him, and he k*issed my neck gently. “I love you, Aliana. Never forget that,” he said calmly, and I held on tightly.
I wouldn’t forget his words to me because he had given me hope.