The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

”Answer me.” His voice carried an unfamiliar seriousness.

”When your strength was taken...” He stepped onto the court. ”...did it leave you weaker?”

Kaden’s brows furrowed as he searched his memory, replaying the fight inside his head from beginning to end. He rubbed the back of his neck before answering. ”It didn’t,” he said honestly.

Killian’s gaze lifted slightly.

”I never felt weaker,” Kaden admitted with a frown. ”Not even for a second. It was... strange.” He looked down at his own hands as though expecting to find an answer there. ”I could feel her drawing from me. Almost like someone had reached inside me and opened a door.” He slowly shook his head. ”But nothing actually left. I wasn’t exhausted. I wasn’t slower.”

His eyes returned to Killian. ”So... do you have any idea what happened?”

Killian remained silent. The evening breeze rustled the trees surrounding the basketball court, carrying the scent of damp grass after the day’s heat. Somewhere in the distance, crickets chirped, filling the silence neither brother seemed eager to break.

Finally, Killian let out a quiet breath. ”I’m not sure.” The answer only made Kaden’s uneasiness worse.

Killian lowered his gaze for a moment. ”She’s far more troublesome than I thought,” he murmured under his breath.

Kaden folded his arms. ”What does that mean?”

Instead of answering immediately, Killian looked from Kaden to Kieran before speaking. ”Have either of you ever considered the possibility of a second chance mate?”

Both brothers stiffened. Kaden frowned. ”You’re talking about rejecting the mate bond?” he voiced.

Before Killian could answer, Kieran spoke first. ”It’s dangerous.” His reply came almost instinctively. ”There is no guarantee she’d survive three Alpha rejections.”

A crooked smile spread across Kaden’s face. ”You really do have a heart of gold,” he sneered. ”Trust me, she wouldn’t die easily. A scourge lasts for a hundred years.” His earlier mood, which had started to improve, plummeted again. Why did Killian just have to bring up that annoying little wolf? He groaned with irritation.

Kieran shot him a flat look. ”This isn’t about having a heart.”

”It isn’t?”

”No.” Kieran folded his arms. ”It’s about common sense. Imagine the headlines. Three Alpha heirs reject their mate and kill her.” He sighed. ”Whether we like her or not, Ravencourt’s reputation would take a serious hit.” One of the bloody things Kaden fucking hated about him was how he never abandoned logic.

Kaden clicked his tongue in annoyance. ”Who cares? I’m pretty sure anyone in our position would understand,” he retorted.

Killian quietly observed the exchange. It was exactly as he had expected. ”If the bond is broken,” he said at last, ”there’s still a possibility the Moon Goddess grants us another mate.”

Neither of his brothers interrupted.

”It could even be Eloise,” Killian continued. ”Or someone we can actually stand being around. How long do either of you intend to stay tied to someone you dislike?”

The question lingered in the air. Kieran rubbed his temple. ”We don’t necessarily need another mate. The law doesn’t require the mother of the heir to become Luna.” He glanced toward Killian. ”If securing the bloodline is the issue, she could simply bear the children and serve as a breeder.”

Kaden nodded immediately. ”We’re three Alphas. There’s no law saying we can’t have wives or bedmates besides the mother of the heir.”

Killian clicked his tongue softly. ”I expected that answer.”

”It’s the logical solution,” Kieran replied.

”Is it?” Killian asked, finally looking directly at him. ”And what happens twenty years from now? You think forcing a woman we hate to remain here for the rest of her life is the better option?”

Kieran fell silent. Kaden rested the basketball against his hip. ”I’ve thought about rejecting her before.”

Both brothers turned toward him.

”I was serious. If this bond is the only thing chaining us...” He looked toward the Alpha residence in the distance. ”I’ve even considered giving up the succession.”

Kieran’s head snapped toward him. ”Kaden...” He drew in a deep breath. ”You have already made up your minds.” They didn’t answer, but the silence was enough.

”I’m serious.” His grip tightened around the basketball. ”I’m not spending the rest of my life trapped in this mess.”

Silence settled over the court once again. The wind stirred the leaves overhead while the insects continued their nightly chorus.

Kieran stared at the ground for several long seconds before speaking. ”I understand why both of you are thinking this way. I really do.” He sighed. ”But what if we reject her and none of us ever receives a second chance mate?”

No one answered.

”We’ll never know unless we try,” Kaden said firmly. ”Honestly, I think it’s worth the risk.”

Killian remained silent. He didn’t need to say another word. Kaden had already made nearly every argument for him.

Kieran rubbed a hand over his face. ”I know this might be our only chance, but something about it doesn’t sit right with me.”

His wolf had been restless ever since Killian mentioned rejection. No matter how logical the discussion sounded, it refused to settle.

Killian walked over and rested a hand on Kieran’s shoulder. ”Ravencourt has some of the finest physicians in the country. If complications arise, we’ll deal with them.”

Kieran searched his brother’s face for several seconds before releasing a tired breath.

”Fine.” His answer came reluctantly. ”If we’re doing this... then I hope we’re making the right decision.”

None of them noticed the uneasy silence that settled over the bond connecting them.

Their wolves had stopped responding.

***********

Far beyond Ravencourt’s borders, the last traces of civilisation disappeared behind a winding mountain road.

An old black sedan crawled through the dense forest, its headlights cutting through towering trees that swallowed almost every trace of moonlight. Branches scraped across the roof while loose gravel crunched beneath the tyres.

The deeper the car travelled, the quieter everything became. After nearly an hour, an old wooden sign emerged from the darkness.

Hollow Creek Town.

The faded letters were barely visible beneath years of moss and weathering. The town looked abandoned.

Most of the houses were dark, with their windows tightly shut despite the warm night. Curtains shifted now and then as unseen figures peeked outside before disappearing again.

Not a single streetlight was lit. Only the sedan’s headlights illuminated the empty road.

A black cat darted across the street while a crow cried somewhere overhead before disappearing into the trees.

The vehicle finally rolled to a stop before an ageing villa surrounded by overgrown hedges. Unlike every other house in town, warm light glowed from the porch, making it seem like the only place expecting visitors.

The engine fell silent.

Both rear doors opened.

Two hooded figures stepped onto the gravel before making their way toward the entrance. One of them raised a hand to knock.

Before their knuckles reached the wood, the front door slowly creaked open on its own. The visitors exchanged a brief glance before stepping inside.

The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them with a loud bang that echoed through the old house, making one of the newcomers flinch.

Footsteps echoed from the upper floor. Both figures looked toward the staircase.

A young woman descended with calm, graceful steps, one hand gliding along the polished banister. She appeared to be in her late twenties, dressed in a dark emerald gown. Silver charms hanging from bracelets around her wrists chimed softly each time she moved.

Her amber eyes settled on the strangers before a welcoming smile spread across her face.

”It’s not every night strangers find their way into Hollow Creek,” she said warmly as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Her curious gaze swept over both hooded figures.

”So...” she asked with an amused smile, ”what does this humble medium owe the pleasure of such a late-night visit?”