Chapter 3 : The Trap He Built

Rafael’s pov

I stared at my phone longer than I should have.

Kiera’s message sat there on the screen, harmless at first glance, but something about

it didn’t sit right with me.“Sorry I haven’t gotten the papers yet. My father is being stubborn. It might take a few

days.”

I frowned slightly, my thumb hovering over the screen as I read it again.

And then again.

That… didn’t sound like Kiera, At all.

Kiera didn’t delay. Kiera didn’t make excuses.

If anything, she overdelivered. She was the kind of person who got things done before

you even asked twice.

She was Efficient to a fault. Obsessive, even. Once she set her mind to something, it

was already as good as done.

So why was she giving excuses now?

“Something’s wrong,” I muttered under my breath.

My fingers moved quickly, typing out a response before I could overthink it. I kept

my tone calm, gentle—exactly the way she liked it.

“Hey my love, I know it’ s not easy, but this is really important. The meeting tomorrow

depends on it.”

I paused, then added more.

“You know this is for our future. For the pack and For us.”

A small smirk tugged at my lips as I typed the last line.

“I love you. I know you’ll find a way.”

I hit send and leaned back slightly, exhaling.

That should do it.

Kiera responded well to my reassurance. To praise. To feeling needed. It always

pushed her to try harder, to prove herself to me.

And right now, I needed her to come through.. immediately.

A moment passed, Then another.

And finally, my phone buzzed and I looked down immediately.

“I’m working on it. Don’t worry. My battery is low, I’ll talk to you later. Goodnight.”

I froze and my brows slowly pulled together as I read it again.

No I love you back.My chest tightened slightly.

“…That’s strange.”

Kiera had never ended a conversation like that. Not once.

She always showered me with love. Always added something extra. A reassurance, a

question, a “I love you” like she needed to hear it back.

She was very clingy, That was who she was.

But this? This was… cold and wrong.

Without thinking, I tapped her name and called her.

The line rang once.

Then— Switched off.

I pulled the phone away and stared at it in shock.

“No,” I muttered, already dialing again.

This time it didn’t even ring.

It was Still off.

A faint, uncomfortable feeling crept up my spine.

Kiera never turned off her phone.

Never.

Even when her battery was dying, she always found a way to stay connected to me.

She would borrow a charger, use someone else’ s phone, did anything just to stay

connected to me.

So why was her phone off now?

“Why do you look like that?” Alice’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I glanced up at her, distracted. She was stretched lazily across Kiera’s office chair,

watching me with mild curiosity.

Her expression was relaxed and unconcerned.

“It’s Kiera,” I said. “Something’s off with her.”

Alice scoffed immediately. “It’s nothing. You’re overthinking it.”

“I don’t think so,” I replied. “She’s acting strange.”

“Or,” Alice said, sitting up a little, “she’s just busy trying to impress you.”I didn’t respond right away, because normally, I would have agreed.

That was exactly the kind of thing Kiera would do.

But still… Something didn’t feel right.

Alice clearly wasn’t interested in dwelling on it. She shifted closer, her expression

brightening as she changed the topic effortlessly.

“Are you sure we can get the alliance with the Lycan King? That man is famous for

being crazy.” she asked.

That got my attention.

I leaned back. “I understand your worries,” I admitted honestly. “The man is…

unpredictable.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Alice muttered.

“He’s brutal,” I continued. “Dangerous. The kind of man who could turn on you

without warning.”

“Then why deal with him at all?” she asked.

“Because he’s powerful. He is the most powerful man in the region.

And power… was everything.

“With his backing,” I said slowly, “no one will be able to challenge us. Especially not

Kiera.”

Alice’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. “So I’ll finally be Luna.”

I reached for her, pulling her closer until she settled easily against me. “More than

that,” I said. “I’ll make you a queen.”

Her smile widened instantly, her entire face lighting up with excitement but then her

expression shifted.

“What about Kiera?”

I shrugged “I’ll deal with her,” I said. “Once everything is finalized… she’ll be

banished.”

It was the simplest solution but Alice went quiet for a moment.

Then she said, “That’s not enough for me.”

I frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

“She shouldn’t just be banished,” Alice continued. “I want her dead.”I stiffened.

That… I hadn’t expected.

I just stared at her.

Kiera was many things—emotional, naive, overly attached—but she wasn’t a threat.

She was Weak and vulnerable if anything.

So this level of hatred from Alice?... It caught me off guard.

“Why do you hate her so much?” I asked with true curiousity. “She’s always been

good to you.”

Alice snapped instantly.

“Good to me?” she scoffed. “Are you fucking serious?”

I raised a brow slightly.

“She took everything that should have been mine!” she continued. “Just because she

was born earlier than me!”

Her frustration burned raw.

“She’s weak, Rafael,” Alice went on. “She is Pathetic. And yet she gets everything!

The title, the respect, the future! And I’m supposed to stand behind her like I’m

nothing?”

I watched her carefully as she spoke.

I saw the jealousy and resentment. And I realized It had been there longer than I

realized.

I reached for her again, pulling her back against me.

“Hey,” I murmured. “Relax.”

“She doesn’t deserve any of it,” Alice muttered.

“You’re right,” I said smoothly.

That made her pause.

I tilted her chin up slightly, forcing her to look at me.

“You’re the beautiful one,” I continued. “The strong one. The one people actually

notice.”

Her anger softened.

“You deserve everything she has,” I added. “More, even.”“And Kiera?” she asked quietly.

I scoffed lightly.

“She doesn’t compare to you.”

That was all she needed. Her shoulders relaxed and I pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I’ll get the papers,” I said firmly. “No matter what.”

“And Kiera?” she asked again.

This time, my voice turned cold.

“I’ll kill her for you.”

A slow smile spread across her lips and she relaxed fully against me.

But as she settled in, my gaze drifted back to my phone.

The unease hadn’t gone away. If anything, it had gotten worse.

I picked it up again and tried calling Kiera again.. but it was Still off.

My jaw tightened slightly.

…What are you doing?” Alice asked lazily.

“Nothing,” I lied But it wasn’t nothing.

Something was wrong. I just didn’t know what yet.

Still… I exhaled slowly, pushing the thought aside.

I would deal with it tomorrow when she got back.

Because she would come back to me. She always did.

And when she did…

I would get my papers and punish her for making me worry.