Chapter 12:The Trap Unfolds
1439 Words
The wind howled through the trees that lined the vast grounds of the Alpha’s estate, stirring the golden leaves like whispers of fate. The palace remained shrouded in a quiet that didn’t feel safe anymore — not with Kael gone. Not with eyes watching from the shadows.
And Lyra felt it.
A chill she couldn’t explain. A tension in the air that clung to her skin like a warning.
But she had no idea where it was coming from.
She’d grown used to the stillness in the castle. Kael's absence had become a painful echo in every hall, every glance toward the main doors where she used to wait for him. She didn’t know where he was, or why he’d left so suddenly, but she missed him in a way that left her breathless. The castle was colder without his presence, even when sunlight streamed through the windows.
In those quiet days, the only person who seemed to care — or at least tried to — was Calen.
He was a new face among the guards, one who hadn’t spoken much in the beginning. But lately, he’d begun checking in on her, offering tea, small talk, and quiet comfort. Lyra had been hesitant at first. But with the way others avoided her — unsure of who she was or what she meant to the King — his kindness felt like a lifeline.
“You shouldn’t walk around the garden this late,” Calen said, his voice low as he approached her by the moonlit fountain one evening. “It’s not safe.”
Lyra looked up, her pale green eyes rimmed with quiet exhaustion. “The walls are guarded, aren’t they?”
Calen smiled gently. “Yes, but the night holds many things. Especially now that the King is gone.”
That made her pause.
He always reminded her that Kael was gone, subtly pressing the wound as if to shape her loneliness.
“Why did he leave?” she asked before she could stop herself.
Calen’s expression didn’t falter. He crouched beside her. “Some say he’s looking for something. Others think he needed space. A powerful Alpha like him… he doesn’t move without reason.”
“He left without telling anyone,” Lyra whispered.
Calen studied her carefully. “Do you think he would’ve told you?”
The question stung. She didn’t answer.
He straightened, brushing imaginary dust from his trousers. “Come. I’ll walk you back.”
And she did follow him, unaware that each step she took under the stars was one closer to a carefully spun web.
—
Behind the still façade of loyalty, Calen's mind was racing.
The Devils — a rival pack shrouded in secrets and dark ambition — had given him a mission: infiltrate, report, manipulate. But now, everything had shifted. Lyra wasn’t just a girl. She was the mate of the King.
And not just any king — a cursed Alpha with the potential to become the most powerful in existence. If he ever bonded with his mate, his full power would awaken. He would become a True Alpha, an ancient lineage believed to be extinct.
The moment Kael met her, everything would change. Every other Alpha would fall behind. And the Devils couldn’t allow that.
So they decided Lyra had to die — before the bond was completed.
But Calen… he’d taken a different route. Killing her outright would raise alarms. He needed to remove her silently, make it seem like an accident, a mistake, a disappearance. And for that, he needed her trust.
So he kept his smile soft. His voice kind. His tone warm.
He made her laugh — just once — and committed the sound to memory so he could fake sincerity when he needed to.
He complimented her resilience, her strength. He asked about her life before the palace.
And slowly, her walls came down.
—
One morning, as dew clung to the grass and birds called through the misty air, Calen brought her a cloak.
“I had this made for you,” he said.
Lyra blinked. “For me?”
“It gets cold in the gardens. And the palace isn't as warm without a certain someone around.”
Her heart clenched. Kael again.
She hesitated before taking it. “Thank you…”
“It’s nothing.” He grinned. “Just keeping you safe. You deserve it.”
—
Later that week, he found her watching the forest from a high balcony.
“Would you like to visit the outer gardens?” he asked.
She looked at him. “Are we allowed?”
“I got permission,” he lied easily. “Just a short stroll. Fresh air.”
A part of her was cautious, but another part — the lonely, aching part — needed to breathe. To feel something other than the weight of Kael’s absence.
So she nodded.
—
They walked together, Calen leading her down the winding paths that led to the border near the estate walls. There was a small clearing, ringed by tall pine trees and flowering shrubs. It was quiet, tranquil. Beautiful.
Lyra smiled. “I didn’t know this place existed.”
“It’s one of the few places untouched by politics and power,” he said. “Even the King rarely comes here.”
She turned toward the trees. The sun cast golden stripes across her face.
She was stunning.
And powerful.
And dangerous — at least to Calen’s pack.
So he lifted a hand casually behind his back — a signal.
Within seconds, three cloaked figures moved in, masked by enchantments. One snapped a cloth over her mouth while another grabbed her arms.
Lyra’s eyes widened in confusion. She struggled, but the drug acted fast — too fast.
Her vision blurred. Her knees weakened. She looked back at Calen as her body gave out.
He didn’t look away.
He just said softly, “I’m sorry.”
Then she blacked out.
—
They moved her quickly, under cover of illusion, slipping past patrols and sensors. Calen’s plan had worked perfectly.
Back at the palace, the guards wouldn’t notice her missing for hours. No one was assigned to her directly, and Kael was still gone.
They had time.
They reached the edge of the estate and passed the outer perimeter, crossing into wild territory. A hidden carriage waited, cloaked in dark spells.
Calen lifted her gently into it. Her head lolled to the side.
He sat beside her, silent, heart pounding.
He didn’t want to hurt her.
But he didn’t want a war, either.
The Devils had promised they wouldn’t kill her — not immediately. Just remove her. Keep her hidden. Ensure she never touched Kael again.
That would be enough to stop the prophecy.
Wouldn’t it?
—
At the castle, an eerie silence fell.
The servants grew uneasy.
Guards began to murmur.
And in the heart of the main house, a scent shifted — the faintest trace of fear and magic left behind.
Kael’s personal guard, Fenric, noticed first. He ran a scan of the estate and couldn’t locate Lyra’s energy.
She was gone.
Vanished.
—
Far away, Kael sat in a mountain cave, drenched in sweat, eyes wild.
He had been dreaming of her again.
Dreams that set his heart ablaze and made his wolf claw beneath his skin.
He’d tried to stay away. To protect her. To break the curse on his own. But every night, his bond with her burned brighter, stronger — unbearable.
And tonight, something shattered.
He jolted upright, gasping.
Her scent… it was fading.
His mate was in danger.
Kael didn’t think. He ran.
—
Back in the carriage, Lyra stirred.
Her eyelids fluttered.
She was waking faster than expected.
Calen’s jaw tensed.
“Sedate her again,” one of the cloaked guards said.
“No,” Calen snapped.
“She can’t wake up here—”
“No,” he said again, louder. “No more poison. She’s had enough.”
The guard glared. “You’re getting soft.”
“I got her this far. Don’t question me.”
But inside, Calen’s resolve was fracturing.
She hadn’t done anything wrong.
She was a girl caught in a war she didn’t understand. A girl with power she never asked for.
And now, because of a prophecy, she was a target.
His chest tightened.
He looked at her — pale, helpless, innocent.
And for the first time in his life, Calen questioned everything.
Was this the only way?
Was killing her really the only path to peace?
Or had they all forgotten what peace looked like?
—
END OF CHAPTER 12…
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- Writer
