Forged in the Flames
Chapter 36

Chapter 36

“Niko,” my mother said, smiling at me and battling her disgust. I went to sit on the second chair at thetable.

“I see you look better,” I said, trying to make it less awkward.

“Gezel and Erica did a great job. They call me Queen, you know,” she said, smiling, and I nodded.

“Were you able to get the kingship?” she asked eagerly, and I sighed and shook my head.

Just then, Gezel and Erica brought our meal.

My mother smiled lovingly at them, and I wondered if she knew the kind of scum they were. I kept themaround so they wouldn’t divulge my conduct to the people outside Forest and hurt my chances of beingKing. Otherwise, I would have sent them away.

I was silent until they finished bringing the food. My mother touched Gezel’s hand gently and thankedher with a smile before they left. I wondered if she would feel so grateful when she found out that Gezeland Erica were one of the people that underfed her and kept her like a wild animal. I doubt she wouldbe happy.

“How have you been, Niko?” my mother finally asked, and I sighed.

“Fine,” I said, and her smile dissipated.

“You can’t have been fine, my love,” she said, reaching for my hand. You were just ten,” she said, andtears began to well in her eyes.

“I failed you. I should have listened to you and returned to our cave. I am sorry, Niko,” she said, tearsstreaming down her cheek. “I wanted you to have meat that day. I knew you liked meat and wanted to

get it for you. Please forgive me for being unable to hold on to my sanity long enough,” She said, and Ipatted her hand.

“It is okay, Mother, you are back,” I said, and she shook her head.

“I missed nineteen years. It is as if a huge part of my life has been taken from me,” she said and beganto weep. I rubbed her hand gently to calm her down.

“Why didn’t you bury a blade in my heart,

“Niko?” she finally asked me, and I remembered the silver blade she sharpened every fourth nightwhile we were in the woods.

“I couldn’t,” I confessed, telling her the truth.

“Then you should have left me for the hunters and saved yourself,” she said, and I shook my head.

“You told me you didn’t want to be left at the mercy of the hunters, and I was hoping the feral episodewould be like the others and you would snap out of it in no time,” I said, telling her the truth.

“Only that it wasn’t, and you had to care for a feral wolf for nineteen years. Moving me about while youtried to accomplish something for yourself. I am sorry,” she said, and I continued to rub her hand so shewould know it was okay.

“How did you manage to keep me? You were only ten, Niko,” she said, realising how it would havebeen impossible for me to subdue her.

“You came at me, and I ran back to our cave. You chased me there, but I was fortunate to hang thesilver chain on your neck, forcing you to change back to your normal form and weakening you; then, Isecured you on the tree you normally tied yourself to. We were deep in the forest, so we didn’t have

hunter issues. I cared for you there until I got my wolf and started building a pack,” I said, and she wasshocked.

“You are a true Alpha and a true King,” she said with respect, and I should feel great about it, but Ididn’t.

“How did you take it all back?” she asked me, and I sighed and looked at our empty plates, then startedto plate the food for both of us.

“It took me five years to build an army and nine years to conquer every part of Forest,” I told her, andshe was silent.

“Eat, Mother, so our food does not get cold. It is venison,” I said, and she nodded slowly with her eyeson me in shock while she absentmindedly picked up her fork.

We ate in silence, and she appreciated the food but ate slowly.

“So, are you king now?” She asked, and something in her eyes revealed that she knew the truth. Shemust have had a lengthy discussion with Gezel and Erica. I wondered what they might have told her.

“Not yet, King Fredrick is opposing me, but I am working towards it,” I said, not giving away that I knewhe was her brother.

I saw her grip her fork in anger and squeeze. “That bastard. What did he say his reasons were?” sheasked, and I shrugged, still eating my food.

“He said I might be a fraud and that the only heir the Forest King has is living with him. He said hewon’t support me and he would oppose me in the committee,” I said, and she got angry.

“How dare he say such a thing?” she asked, and I shrugged.

“So, what are your plans for getting your birthright?” she asked me, and I shrugged. “I fought for thisplace. It is my prize, and I plan to claim it in whole,” I said, and she shook her head.

“It doesn’t work that way. If the leader was a king, then you can just take it, but I doubt the werewolveshad a king,” She said, and it was clear my mother knew the rules.

“So, I heard,” I said, and she nodded.

“What about Aleksander, the coward?” She asked, and I smiled at her.

“He is the only support I have gotten so far but is unwilling to go against the Snow King for my sake,” Isaid, and she growled.

“Typical of the coward. He fears Fredrick,” she said, looking away from her plate and mutteringobscenities. She was furious.

“So how do you plan to do it then?” She asked, trying to be calm but failing at it.

“Going through the committee,” I said, and she shook her head.

“How will you achieve that while breaking the Lycan Unity laws, treating werewolves a s if they are ourequals and sleeping with the daughter of the man that killed your father?” She said, finally speaking hermind, and I put down my fork and looked at her.

“And what is wrong with that, Mother? What is wrong with treating them with some kindness?” I asked,and she growled at me.

“They can’t be trusted. Why walk the same path your father did? Your father trusted them, and lookwhat they did to him; to us,” she said, and I nodded.

“Yes, I know, but you left out the part where Gabriel set you free and sent you to your brother so youwill be safe,” I said, and the shock on her face and the shame that replaced it let me know it was true.

“You left out the part where he told you that you can return when I am of age to claim Forest,” I said,and she looked away.

“He might have done that, but he also hunted us,” she said, still trying to lie. I did not know if it were topursue her revenge or out of shame, but it was malicious of her.

“Do not lie to me, Mother. Nineteen years is a long time to dig,” I said, and she looked at me with mistyeyes, unwilling to speak.

“Those hunters were Fredrick’s doing, not Gabriel’s,” I said, and she shook her head.

“Lies!” she said, and I nodded.

“I will be glad to tell King Aleksander that you called him a liar,” I said, and she widened her eyes.

“What did you think, Mother? That Gabriel told me all of this? I haven’t even spoken to the man,” I toldher, and that was true. Other than what Aliana told me out of concern, I had not spoken to him.

“If he did not kill your father, none of this would have happened. We would have been happy; Mathiaswould have been here. It is all his fault, and you should be ashamed of yourself, Niko. Fucking hisdaughter and keeping him around when both of them should be dead and forgotten just like he killedyour father.” She said, and I shook my head and looked at her.

“You know nothing about politics, Niko; these wolves would betray you as they did, Mathias,” She said.

“So, what do you propose?” I asked her, wanting to know how far she was willing to g o, and shenodded with approval and sighed. “Obey the Lycan unity law, and the committee will side with youagainst Fredrick and his halfbreed heir,” she said.

She had just given herself away because I never told her the heir was halfbreed.

“So, you know of him?” I asked her, and she realised she had slipped up.

“Your father did many things, Niko. There is no point soiling his image with things of the past,” she said,pushing her plate away.

“But there is a point regarding resolving past issues and killing people for it. Why is your story selective,Mother? It is almost as i f what you have against the werewolves has nothing to do with my fatherbecause clearly, he loved them too,” I said, and she shook her head.

“A halfbreed cannot be king!” She said with anger.

“How is that for you to decide when he had the boy long before he married you?” I asked her, and hereyes widened.

“Gabriel has gone too far with his lies,” She said, tears streaming down his face.

“My father married you after his werewolf mate died while giving birth to their son, who was declared astillborn but has miraculously surfaced. How do you explain that?” I asked her.

“Ask Fredrick how he acquired Mathia’s son. I know nothing of it,” she said, telling the truth for the firsttime. I could feel it. She was connected to me now, so I could feel she wasn’t lying about this one. Itwas her truth.

She sighed and looked at me worriedly.

“Still, you should not be mingling with them. It will hurt your chances. What if the council replaces out? Yourfather knew he could not be King with Olive by his side. That was why he never married her.

It was his birthright, Niko. His father had died and passed the Kingship to him, but the committeerefused to let him succeed his father because he was involved with a werewolf. If you enjoy this girl’scompany is all right but do not get serious or show affection now.

I heard you parade her about and even punish your kind for her sake. If word gets out, you can kiss thekingship goodbye,” she said, sounding concerned, and I cursed. I decided I would punish Gezel andErica for running their mouths.

“I do not know who this girl is, but if she is Gabriel’s spawn, she can’t be trusted,” she said with tears inher eyes.

“Gabriel was your father’s Beta, his friend, yet he buried a silver sword in his heart,” she said in tears.

“I remember it like yesterday. The werewolves carrying your father’s body like a trophy and Gabrielholding the sword that smelled of Mathias’s blood. His kindness towards me was from guilt and nothingmore. Would he have given you Forest if you had returned as Mathias’ heir? He wouldn’t have. Hebelieves werewolves should have equal rights as us, but how can that be when we are superior? Thegoddess made it so,” she said, and I shook my head.

“If the goddess made it so, then she wouldn’t fate werewolves to Lycans. Olive was fated to father,” Isaid, hiding my truth, and she shook her head.

“It was an illusion,” she argued.

“How can you know when you were there to observe them?” I asked her, and she bowed her head andsighed.

“Let’s say you go on with this, Niko; you can’t marry or have her as Queen. The committee will kickagainst it. It goes against the Unity law. You are likelier to succeed as a single man than a man mated t

o a werewolf. You will be degrading yourself and ruining your life in the process. If this girl has aconscience or cares, she would walk away, just like Olive did,” She told me, and I laughed.

“I am the one holding on tightly, Mother. I am the one holding on tightly,” I said, repeating my words,and she began to cry.

“This is all my fault. Had I been there to guide you all these years, none of this would have happened. Ineed you to listen to me, Niko. You couldn’t have fought for all of this, received battle scars, and lostcomrades to throw it all away for a woman,” she said, pointing at the scar on my left eye. The scar thatI was unable to tell her that she gave me.

“You deserve to be King. You deserve it all,” she said, and I nodded and looked at my plate.

“I will do it on my terms,” I said to her and looked at her.

“What if I am right and Gabriel has evil intentions and might be using his daughter to achieve his evilintentions?” She asked me, and I sighed.

“It is a risk I am willing to take, Mother,” I said and looked at her.

“I am glad to have you back, and I love you, but we are not in the forest, and I am not a ten anymore.You do not make the rules around here, and you do not control me. I a m alpha and will be King if thegoddess wills it. Stay away from Aliana and her father, and keep your opinions about my relationship toyourself. I will not welcome it, Mother, not even from you. I do not know why you kept many things fromme, and you must have your reasons; just as I respect your decisions, you should respect mine.” I said,and her eyes widened.

“As for Gezel and Erica, I will punish them for gossip. They had no business talking about Aliana andmy conduct.

I hope I am clear. You owe your health and sanity to that woman.

Gezel and Erica starved and mistreated you while you were in their care. I wished you saw yourselfthen, Mother. They treated you like a wild animal; none of us knew better. We thought it was the onlyway. We were counting the days to your death.

You had no hope and future until Aliana came along.

I put her to care for you as punishment, and she offered to nurse you back to health because she couldnot bear seeing you suffer, and she wanted to make me happy.

She fed you until you regained your health; she watched you and ensured you were cared for. Shenever missed your care for a day. She read you stories and kept you entertained. You might notremember these things, but I do.

She chose to show your love and care while I showed her father and people hardship and hatred.

So, I warn you, Mother, stay away from her and keep out of my business. You are free to do as youlike, do not get me wrong, Mother, but do not meddle in my relationship with the werewolves, and donot bring up revenge when there were other factors in play.

If you care for me, you will focus on getting your brother, who, by the way, is responsible for whathappened to us, to sign my coronation request instead of discussing matters that don’t concern you,” Isaid.

There was hurt in her eyes, but it was necessary. I had a feeling that she would give Aliana hell, and Iwanted to prevent that at all costs. Aliana was already suffering at the hand of her kind and might neverbe liked by them. It would be stupid and weak of me to expose her to hatred from my mother.

I am sure Gezel and Erica did this on purpose; I planned to discipline the two of them mercilessly. I lovemy mother, but it would be unwise of her to make me choose.