The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

The cold night breeze drifted through the open window, carrying the faint scent of rain and medicinal herbs through the room.

Beep... Beep... Beep...

The steady rhythm of the heart monitor blended with the quiet rustling of leaves outside.

Kaden stirred in his sleep. A chill crept across the back of his neck, raising goosebumps along his skin. His wolf ears twitched instinctively before his heavy eyelids slowly lifted.

For a brief moment, confusion clouded his mind. Then his eyes landed on the bed. It was empty. His body stiffened, and he quickly retreated his half-shifted form.

The blanket had been pushed aside, and the intravenous line lay dangling over the edge of the mattress. The second IV bag he had connected only a few hours earlier still hung half full from the stand, swaying gently as though someone had left in a hurry.

His heart lurched. ”Eloise?” he called out.

Silence answered him. Every trace of exhaustion vanished that instant, and he shot to his feet so quickly the chair behind him scraped loudly across the polished floor.

His first instinct was to mind-link his brothers. His fingers twitched, then he stopped himself. If she had simply wandered out in confusion after waking, there was no point in alarming the entire manor.

Closing his eyes, he drew in a slow breath. Immediately, her scent reached him. It was fresh. It hadn’t been long since she left. His golden eyes snapped open.

”Where are you going...?” he muttered under his breath before striding out of the laboratory, following the lingering trail through the silent corridors.

**********

Across the manor...

Three soft knocks echoed through Killian’s room.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

The sound sliced through the silence like a blade. Yuki’s eyes flew open. Every muscle in her body tensed. She looked towards Killian. He had already stopped typing.

His fingers hovered motionlessly above the keyboard while his gaze remained fixed on the bedroom door. Another knock followed.

”Killian...” Eloise’s gentle voice drifted through the wood. ”Can you open the door?”

Yuki’s stomach tightened. She glanced at herself before instinctively looking back at him. His room still carried her scent. Not just hers, their scents had mixed together after everything that had happened in the hallway. Although the aroma of food lingered from the kitchen, she knew any werewolf standing outside would still notice.

She assumed he would pretend not to be there. Instead, Killian quietly closed his laptop. Without hesitation, he stood.

Yuki’s eyes widened as she watched him cross the room. He wasn’t hiding her, nor was he rushing to explain anything. His hand wrapped around the handle.

With a quiet click, the door opened. A strip of warm hallway light spilled into the dark room. Standing outside was Eloise.

She looked painfully pale beneath the corridor lamps. Fresh clothes had replaced the ones ruined earlier, but they couldn’t hide how weak she still appeared. Even standing seemed to require effort.

A faint smile curved onto her lips. ”Killian...” she called out weakly.

His brows knitted together.

”What are you doing out of bed?” he asked, his voice calm but edged with disapproval. ”You should still be recovering.”

Stepping outside, he gently pulled the bedroom door shut behind him. Eloise’s fingers curled together. ”I wanted to see you.” Her voice came out quieter than usual.

”Can I stay here tonight?” she requested, then looked down briefly before meeting his eyes again.

”Kieran exhausted himself treating me... and Kaden stayed with me the entire day.” A hesitant smile appeared. ”I... I just wanted to see you.”

She left the rest unsaid.

Why didn’t you come?

Why weren’t you there like always?

Killian understood exactly what she meant. He also recognised the uncertainty hiding beneath her smile. Her control was slipping.

It left a complicated feeling sitting heavily inside his chest. ”I’m sorry,” he answered quietly. ”You can’t stay here tonight.”

Her smile faltered.

”I’m working.”

It was the second time he had refused her. The first had been earlier that day when Kaden blocked her and went off the grid. Something inside Eloise cracked.

”W... why?” she whispered. ”I promise I won’t disturb you.” She took one careful step forward.

”I just want to lie beside you.” Her tone was pleading.

Killian let out a slow breath.

”You should return to Kieran’s laboratory.”

He rejected her, ignoring the look in her eyes. His tone remained gentle but firm.

”Your treatment isn’t finished yet.”

Eloise froze, unable to believe it. Then her nose twitched. There it was. Rosewood. The scent was soft, sweet, and very feminine. It definitely wasn’t Killian’s scent, nor Kaden’s, nor Kieran’s. She didn’t recognise it, but it put her on alert.

Her heartbeat quickened. Someone was inside. She slowly lifted her eyes towards the closed bedroom door.

”There’s someone in there,” she whispered. Her voice trembled.

Killian didn’t answer, nor did he deny it. He didn’t look guilty. If anything, he looked completely composed.

That hurt even more.

”Who is it?” she demanded suddenly.

Before he could answer, she reached for the doorknob.

Killian caught her wrist. It wasn’t rough, just firm enough to stop her.

”Don’t.”

He commanded.

The single word shattered something inside her.

Her eyes widened.

”You’re... you’re stopping me?” She stared at his hand around her wrist.

Her breathing became uneven.

”Who is it, Killian?” Her voice rose. ”Tell me.”

Silence.

He didn’t say a thing. Neither did his expression change.

Her stomach dropped. A thought echoed in her mind that she couldn’t ignore.

”...Don’t tell me... it’s Yuki.”

She stuttered, the words barely escaping her lips.

Killian still said nothing.

The silence became her answer.

Rage exploded through her. Her face turned red, and her hand swung before she even realised she’d lifted it.

Smack!

The sharp slap echoed through the corridor. A red mark bloomed slowly across Killian’s cheek.

He didn’t flinch.

He simply looked back at her.

”What is she doing in your room?” Eloise shouted, tears burning in her eyes. ”I thought you hated her!”

Killian slowly turned his face back towards her. A quiet scoff escaped him.

”That’s thanks to you,” he sneered.

She blinked, clearly taken aback by his comment.

”What?” Eloise blurted.

He released her wrist. His cheek still stung, but his expression remained unnervingly calm.

”We love you, Eloise.”

His voice stayed steady.

”But loving you doesn’t make us blind. It doesn’t make us stupid.”

Each word carried weight.

She stared at him speechlessly.

”You drank concentrated wolfsbane.”

His eyes hardened.

”Knowing there isn’t an antidote.”

”Knowing healing magic was your only chance.”

He took a slow breath.

”Do you know how healing magic actually works?”

She remained silent.

”We don’t simply wave our hands and make injuries disappear.”

His voice dropped lower.

”We sacrifice our own strength, our own life force, and sometimes...” He looked away briefly. ”...we absorb part of the damage ourselves.”

Eloise’s face gradually lost colour.

”Kieran spent hours pulling you back from death. He kept absorbing poison that wasn’t his.”

”He risked his own life because he cared about you, and he would’ve done it again.”

Killian looked directly into her eyes as he spoke.

Tears welled in Eloise’s eyes.

”We moved heaven and earth because you’re important to us.” His expression didn’t soften. ”But that doesn’t mean you get to manipulate us. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

Silence swallowed the corridor. Eloise couldn’t find a single word.

”Neither Kaden nor Kieran would ever say this to your face. They’re terrified of hurting you, but I won’t lie to you.”

His voice remained calm.

”What happened today has consequences.”

Eloise swallowed painfully.

”What does...” Her voice cracked. ”...what does any of this have to do with Yuki?”

Killian answered without hesitation.

”Your little performance showed her we’d always choose you.”

He looked towards the bedroom door.

”Her wolf retreated.”

The words hit Eloise like a physical blow.

”If I hadn’t stayed with her, she could’ve suffered permanent damage.”

His eyes darkened.

”We wouldn’t have been able to reject her without risking her life.”

He held her gaze.

”And if she died because of us...”

His voice became almost emotionless.

”...do you really think this pack would’ve accepted you as Luna?”

The question stole the breath from her lungs.

Killian gave a humourless laugh.

”Do you know the most ironic part?” he asked.

His lips curved bitterly.

”You never needed to go this far.”

Her brows furrowed.

”We’d already agreed on the rejection.”

Another pause.

”It was Yuki who suggested the rejection first.”

The words hung heavy between them.

Eloise’s eyes flashed with stunned amazement. She couldn’t believe Yuki had willingly let go of the bond.

”...Yuki suggested it?”

A stunned voice echoed down the corridor.

Both of them turned.

Kaden stood several metres away.

Rainwater still clung to the ends of his dark hair from where he’d rushed through the open courtyard. His chest rose and fell heavily, golden eyes fixed on Killian.

His face had gone pale. He had agreed to the rejection and had convinced himself it was necessary. Yet hearing that Yuki herself had been the one to ask for it...

Something inside his chest tightened with a dull, unfamiliar ache.

For the first time since all of this began, the decision no longer felt as simple as he’d convinced himself it was.