The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

Killian’s chest tightened inexplicably at her words. It was brief. So brief he almost convinced himself he had imagined it. He buried the feeling beneath years of discipline until not a trace reached his face. When he spoke, his voice was as composed as ever.

”I apologise. The backlash was far worse than any of us anticipated,” he said. Yuki blinked. Were her ears misbehaving? Did Killian Ravencourt just apologise to her?

For the first time since their conversation began, genuine surprise flashed across her face. Her lips parted slightly before curling into an uncertain smile.

”The eldest young lord... apologising to a gold-digging orphan like me?” she asked lightly. ”The sun must have risen in the west.”

Killian’s expression remained unchanged, but something flickered behind his eyes. Yuki let out a soft laugh and waved a dismissive hand.

”There’s no need to apologise.” She leaned back against her wheelchair. ”A little sacrifice was worth finally getting rid of you.”

The corner of Killian’s mouth twitched. ”You seem awfully happy about the rejection,” he snickered.

”Why wouldn’t I be?” she replied without missing a beat. ”I’m the one who asked for it in the first place.”

She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully.

”You know...” She rested a finger against her chin. ”It actually feels like someone’s removed a heavy stone from my chest.”

Her smile brightened.

”I don’t have to worry about my beauty sleep being interrupted because your girlfriend is having another personality crisis and suddenly decides every woman within a ten-mile radius is trying to steal her man.”

Each word dripped with enough venom to poison an Alpha. Strangely... Killian almost smiled. It wasn’t because the insult had amused him. It was because she sounded like someone trying far too hard to prove she didn’t care.

”So...” he asked quietly, ”...you don’t care?”

Yuki rolled her eyes so dramatically that Olivine nearly coughed. ”Obviously, I don’t. Do I look like I do?” she beamed at him. She looked radiant, nothing like a sulking she-wolf who had just been rejected.

This time, the corner of Killian’s lips lifted. She immediately regretted opening her mouth. ”...Are you sure?” he pushed. Something in his tone made the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

”Of course I’m sure,” Yuki blurted immediately.

Killian took a step forward. Then another. Yuki instinctively gripped the arms of her wheelchair. He stopped directly in front of her before bending slightly, one hand settling on the wheelchair’s armrest while the other rested against the opposite side. He had trapped her. The world seemed to shrink. His face was suddenly only inches away.

Yuki’s heartbeat exploded inside her chest. Her breathing caught.

Don’t panic. Don’t panic. He’s just standing there. Why is he standing so close?

She forced every muscle in her face to remain calm despite the alarm bells screaming inside her head.

”You’re...” she began carefully, refusing to lean away. ”...a little too close, Mr Ravencourt. I can feel your breath on my face.”

She discreetly tried pushing her wheelchair backwards. Nothing. She looked down. His hand still rested against the armrest, effortlessly holding the chair in place. Yuki slowly turned her head.

”Olivine.”

The traitor had somehow retreated several steps away. She was currently staring up at the clouds with remarkable concentration, as though the weather had suddenly become the most fascinating thing in existence.

Traitor.

Killian watched the silent exchange before smiling. Actually smiling. The nerve. It should have annoyed her. Instead, the traitorous part of her brain chose that exact moment to notice how absurdly handsome he was from this distance. His sapphire eyes were impossibly clear beneath the afternoon sunlight. His eyelashes were unfairly long. His stupid face should have been illegal.

Yuki mentally slapped herself.

Almost died because of this family. Still getting distracted by pretty faces. Hopeless.

”If you truly didn’t care,” Killian said softly, ”you wouldn’t have spent the last five minutes convincing me that you didn’t.”

Her eyes widened.

”I...”

The confidence vanished for exactly one heartbeat.

”I...”

Come on, brain. Work.

”I wanted to clear the air,” she declared at last, recovering with surprising speed. She folded her arms as if she’d been completely in control the entire time. ”Until you and your brothers officially inherit the throne, we’re all stuck living under the same roof.” She met his gaze steadily. ”Whether we like each other or not, we should at least remain civil.”

She shrugged.

”I also heard Alpha Alexander and Aevia have already chosen their wedding date.” Her expression remained light. ”Soon I’ll legally become a Ravencourt too.” She smiled pleasantly. ”We can’t spend the rest of our lives trying to strangle each other. It would damage the family’s reputation.”

Something shifted behind Killian’s eyes. Barely. Almost impossible to notice. But Yuki noticed. His smile remained. Only now... it felt colder. ”You seem remarkably eager,” he observed, ”to be adopted at eighteen.”

She recognised the jab immediately. Instead of flinching, she lifted her chin. ”Why are you surprised?” Her voice remained perfectly even. ”I’m no different from my gold-digging sister.” She shrugged lightly.

”Of course I’d be thrilled about being adopted into one of the richest Alpha families on the planet.” She tilted her head. ”Isn’t that exactly what someone like me is supposed to want?”

She watched his expression carefully. They would never stop seeing her as the villain. Fine. If they insisted on painting her that way, she might as well frame the picture herself.

”So...” Killian murmured. ”You admit you’re a gold digger.”

”I do,” she said without blinking.

”If that’s true...” His sapphire eyes narrowed slightly. ”...why are you so eager to get rid of us?”

There it was. The real question. Not jealousy or his wounded pride. It was suspicion. He wasn’t worried about the rejection. He wanted to know whether she still intended to cling to the Ravencourt family once Alexander’s authority weakened.

Whether she still dreamed of becoming Luna. Whether she planned to threaten his brothers’ future with Eloise. Yuki recognised the trap immediately.

”When I tried proving otherwise,” she asked quietly, ”did any of you believe me?”