Forged in the Flames

Chapter 40

Nikolas POV.

Aliana and I had dinner together while she told me about her adventure in the market. I t matched most of what the Kappa had said.

I was very pissed off with the FootLock traders, and I planned to withdraw their privileges the next day. They would know better than to disrespect Aliana next time. Their actions had just further proven that m y mother was right about them.

They were supposed to see Aliana as their hero. They were supposed to shower her with love and gratitude. Instead, they acted stupidly towards her.

I was grateful that Alinana wasn’t a pushover and that she could stand her ground against the stupid market werewolves.

“Have you thought of a hobby?” I finally asked her, and she nodded.

“We plan to volunteer at the werewolf clinic to help the sick,” She said, and I paused to study her. I had instructed her to find a hobby and not a job. Why would she want to stress herself?

“Why would you choose something stressful?” I asked her, and she smiled at me. “It isn’t. I do not want to sit idle, waiting for you to return. If I find a hobby, like reading, knitting, quilting, or pottery, I will still miss you. I need something that would occupy me mentally and physically,” she said and got up. She cleared the table, placed the food tray outside, and locked the door.

We showered together, and I took her in the shower. After a very stress-filled and eventful day, love was enough to help me relax and appreciate what I had.

Aliana responded to my t*ouch beautifully, and I knew I could never give it up. There was nowhere in my world I would find love a s good as I had with Aliana. Secret or not, what we had was unique.

We returned to the room to continue our fun when my mother tried to link me; I blocked the mind link immediately.

She should know she had no business linking me at the time she was linking me.

Whatever she had to discuss with me would be addressed the next day. The rest of the night was for Aliana.

It had been a long time since I tasted Aliana, so I went between her legs to show her how willing I was to please her. She ran her

f*ingers through my hair, twisting in bed, feeling every bit of the pleasure I gave her. I placed my f*ingers in her, and I felt her p*uss*y walls squeezing it. My c*oc*k was h*ard, and wanting to get inside her badly, but I controlled myself.

I felt her come, and I looked into her eyes. There was love and Lust in them, which

mirrored what I felt. Staring d*eep into her eyes, I pumped my f*ingers into her. I wanted to see what my love did to her. She tried to look away, but I made her look at me.

“Nikolas,” She moaned, edging closer to another release just how I wanted it. I increased the pace of my f*ingers, and I felt her p*uss*y clench violently. I stopped because I wanted to delay her orgasm.

She became impatient, and I picked up the pace again.

“Will your blacksmith suitor Love you like I am doing right now, Little Wolf?” I asked, and she widened her eyes with surprise. I could see the fear and pleasure in her eyes.

Two conflicting emotions made her body run wild. The Kappa I sent reported most of the things that happened at the market, especially the Blacksmith that promised to b e there when I dumped her. She

had left that part out when narrating her story to me. He had better move along because Aliana would never be free.

“Answer me, Little wolf,” I said, increasing my pace and edging her to release; she said n o and came with her words.

I turned her around and drove my c*oc*k into her w*et p*uss*y. It was clenching uncontrollably and ready for me; I smacked her lightly and could tell she liked it from her response. I rammed into her and soon held her at a forty-five-degree angle and rammed into her.

I kneaded her b*reas*ts gently and caressed her n*ipp*les while I continued. I knew we were loud, but we could not help it. The pleasure was intense and very strong, and I liked it. I felt an unusual high, and I battled Bane from claiming Aliana.

I felt her c*limax, and I couldn’t hold mine anymore. I p*oured into her, but I wasn’t done,” She fell face flat on the bed, making me chuckle.

“Tired already, Little wolf?” I asked her, and she mumbled something incoherent.

“Next time you see your smith friend, let him know whom you will always belong to,” I said, laughing at my pettiness at the same time.

I realised that I had changed. Usually, I would have dealt with the Blacksmith, but I found his show of care funny. I noticed that I had let a lot of things go recently. Was this what love did to people? I do not regret it. If anything, I wanted more of the feeling. My life had never been so carefree and easy as it had been lately. There was a joy that came with my relationship with Aliana that erased every negative and helped me focus on the positive alone.

I pulled her into my arms, and she placed her head on my chest. She fell asleep immediately, and I heard her snore slightly for the first time. So I adjusted her body so she could breathe better.

I knew waking her up for more would be inconsiderate, seeing that she was exhausted. So I let it go and allowed myself to fall asleep too. Tomorrow is another day, and the other days after then.

I made love to Aliana before we got ready for the day.

I left my office after breakfast and instructed Ania and Lisa to remain by

Aliana’s side. I did not trust my mother’s intentions towards her, so I decided to keep a n eye on Aliana to ensure my mother didn’t do something that would hurt me.

I found Qusack and Abraham in my office. Grant was yet to resume, and he said he was on his way when I linked him.

Qusack planned to address the werewolves on how to behave when we have guests that morning. I knew it was a difficult conversation, but it would help hinder the Snow King from proving that I was breaking the unity law.

My stance toward the Unity law was to remain unknown before my coronation was approved and carried out. If not, all those favouring the Unity Law would be against m y kingship, and King Fredrick was in the middle.

We discussed Fredrick’s latest letter, which I responded to but had not received a reply. Due to the distance, I was sure to receive a reply the next day or the day after that. He might as well ignore it and carry out his threats. We were unsure.

We agreed that we might have to train werewolves since our war with them depleted their military force, but we were also afraid of doing it because we did not want to empower them to stage an uprising.

They were capable of doing it. They had done it in the past. Nothing could stop them from doing it again. So it was best we observe them and select trainees based on our observations.

They all left me to handle their duties.

Qusack and Grant went to address the werewolves and planned to visit the woodland, Military tower construction after.

I instructed Abraham to look into the trade business and see how to set up direct trade with Hill territory, just as I had promised King Aleksander. Abraham left me and headed to the library while I reviewed files and documents.

My mother strolled into my office an hour later, and the look on her face showed she was displeased.

She wore a simple floral kaftan and sat on m y couch.

“You did not have dinner with me last night,” she began, and I put down my pen and looked at her.

“Good morning, Mother,” I said, and she smiled.

“I am glad you still have your manners, son,” she said, and I chose not to be offended by her words. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“You didn’t come for dinner, and you shut m e out when I tried to link you,” She complained, and I sighed.

“I eat dinner in my room with Aliana. I do not plan to break that routine. Unless there i s an attack, you have no business linking me at eleven at night. I am a grown man, mother,” I said, and she nodded.

“I am sorry,” she said and stood up. She approached my table.

“I know I do not have the right to say anything. You practically raised yourself, Niko, but it wasn’t my fault. I did not throw away my sanity deliberately,” she said with tears.

“You do not know how I feel knowing I missed nineteen years of your life. That is nineteen sweet years I can never get back. It hurts me. Now that I am here, I just want to ensure you do not make mistakes that would cost you and your survival.” She said and placed her hands on the desk while standing before it.

“You might call me paranoid, but I would be damned if I sit and let those werewolves do t o you what they did to your father,” She said, wiping away her tears.

“You weren’t there, Niko,” she said, discussing the werewolves and their dangers again.

“And I am watching my back,” I said, and she sighed.

“Qusack stopped me from reprimanding her yesterday in the presence of everyone, Niko. He belittled me, and he said it was on your orders,” She said, and I sighed.

“You were not trying to reprimand her mother; you were trying to bully her because you could,” I said, and she frowned. “Is that all you can pick from what I said?” She asked, and I nodded.

“Tell me what she did to you that made you ask her to kneel and want to slap her,” I asked, tears streaming down her face.

“Her father k*illed my mate. I am alone because of them,” she said in tears, and I realised why her pain was d*eep.

“But that wasn’t Aliana’s fault,” I said, and she shook her head.

“I can’t like her, Niko. I can’t tolerate her knowing who her father is,” She confessed to me, returned to sit on the chair, and wept.

“You can and you will. I need you to make m y life easier; Please try. I do not expect you to like her, just ignore her for now,” I pleaded, and she got up.

“I can never like that s*lut. When you become King, She would have no choice but to move on,” She said, and I knew what she was planning.

“That is motivation enough for me to help you, Niko,” She said, and I smiled at her. She hoped my kingship would leave me no choice but to end my relationship with

Aliana. She was right if I were a coward, but I planned to surprise everyone in that regard. 2 “There is a community meeting coming soon. I want you to come with me and identify me as your son and Mathia’s son. I need to debunk whatever story Frered*ic*k wants to tell,” I said genuinely, asking for her help, and she smiled.

“How can I say no to you,” She asked and smiled.

“I will follow you to that meeting and face the bastard,” She said with rage that I knew the enmity between them ran d*eep.

I just hoped my ambitions won’t be caught i n the middle of it.

It wasn’t long after my mother left that Gabriel linked me. He informed me that Snow hunters were advancing into Riverhead to attack and take slaves. I was mad and ready to teach them a lesson. My home and people weren’t free for all.