The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

The throne room fell silent as Alexander sat back against his throne, one arm resting casually against the carved armrest while his gaze settled on Killian. The eldest of the three brothers slowly stepped forward, and every eye in the chamber followed him.

Maddox unrolled the decree a little further, his deep voice carrying across the vast hall.

”Lord Killian Ravencourt, eldest son of the Ravencourt sacred bloodline, before the Alpha, the council and the assembled witnesses, what is your decision regarding the mate bond?”

Killian remained silent. A muscle ticked once in his jaw.

Maddox’s expression grew more solemn. ”You must understand that the decision you make today may influence your right of succession and your future responsibilities to this pack. Once your declaration is made, you will be expected to accept the consequences that follow.”

A faint movement came from the crowd. Someone shifted in their seat. Yuki’s fingers curled tightly against the fabric of her dress, the material bunching under her grip. She wanted a public rejection, but hearing it announced before the entire pack made her realise it was more than she had bargained for. A cold trickle of sweat slid down the back of her neck.

Across the room, Eloise’s fingers tightened around the fabric of her gown until her knuckles whitened. Her mother noticed and immediately placed a reassuring hand over hers. Eloise glanced at her mother, but the older woman only gave her a subtle shake of the head.

Estelle’s attention remained fixed on her sons. Unlike Eloise, she did not look pleased. Her thoughts were far more complicated. A fine line appeared between her brows.

She had accepted Yuki into their lives because of one simple fact. Yuki was Aevia’s daughter, and Aevia was the woman Alexander had chosen over her. The bond had been a gift from the Goddess that Estelle had never wanted to acknowledge, but it had also presented her with an opportunity.

If her sons accepted Yuki as their mate, then the sacred bloodline would remain secure. Their children would inherit the Ravencourt bloodline. But if they rejected her... Estelle’s jaw tightened, the tendons in her neck standing out briefly. There was a possibility that the sacred bloodline could eventually end. That was the part that frightened her.

Yet there was another side to the situation. If Yuki rejected the bond first, she would remove the final obstacle standing between Alexander and Aevia’s union. Estelle’s fingers dug into the armrest of her seat until the wood creaked faintly under the pressure.

She had never considered herself cruel. She simply believed that some sacrifices were necessary. Yuki could remain their mate without ever truly possessing their hearts. She could bear the heirs required to preserve the sacred bloodline while Estelle continued to use her status as their mate and lowly breeder as an excuse to keep Alexander and Aevia apart.

It was, in Estelle’s mind, the perfect solution. Yuki would suffer. The Ravencourt bloodline would survive. And Aevia would never get the happy ending she wanted. Everyone would lose something. Except Estelle.

The problem was that her sons had apparently decided to ruin her carefully constructed plan without bothering to inform her. She had only discovered the possibility of a rejection when she arrived at the emergency meeting and overheard the whispers spreading through the palace. Now, watching Killian stand before the entire court, rage burned through her. Her nostrils flared once.

’Stop this.’ Her voice slammed through the minds of all three brothers. None of them reacted outwardly, but Kaden’s shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly. Estelle’s eyes narrowed.

’I said stop this now,’ she repeated.

Still nothing. A vein pulsed faintly at her temple.

Yuki could not hear the words passing through the private mind-link, but she noticed the subtle shift in the brothers. Kaden’s shoulders stiffened further. Kieran’s jaw tightened, a muscle jumping once beneath the skin. Killian’s expression remained completely unchanged, though the tips of his fingers pressed harder against his thighs.

Estelle tried again, forcing herself to sound reasonable. ’You don’t have to reject her. Keep her as your mate. If you want revenge against Aevia, this is the best revenge you could ever get. Yuki is her sister. You can make Aevia watch her sister live with men who will never love her.’

Yuki’s brows drew together. Something had changed. She could feel it. The air around the brothers seemed heavier, their expressions colder than before. Kaden and Kieran exchanged a brief glance, their eyes meeting for less than a second.

Killian’s gaze shifted towards Alexander. His father was watching him from the throne. For a moment, father and son stared at each other. Alexander’s expression was calm, but there was a warning buried beneath it. The Alpha’s fingers tapped once against the armrest.

”Do you understand the implications of the decision you are about to make?” Alexander asked, his deep voice filling the chamber.

Killian did not flinch. His shoulders remained square.

”I understand the repercussions, and I am willing to take responsibility for them,” he answered evenly. There was no hesitation in his voice. A faint sheen of sweat appeared at his hairline, quickly absorbed by the cool air of the hall.

Alexander studied him for another moment, his gaze lingering on Killian’s face. Then his attention shifted to his other sons. Kaden and Kieran stood several feet behind Killian, both looking unnaturally calm. Even Kaden. Alexander’s eyes narrowed.

”Lord Kieran. Lord Kaden. Are you also willing to bear responsibility for the repercussions of your decision?” Maddox asked.

Estelle’s voice cut through the mind-link again, sharper this time. ’It isn’t too late. Change your minds. Stop this.’

Kieran’s response came quietly, almost gently. ’Our minds have been made, Mother.’

There was no anger in his tone. No rebellion. That calmness somehow made it worse.

’We have made our decision.’

His throat moved once as he swallowed.

Estelle’s teeth clenched so hard that a soft click sounded in her ear. She knew then that she could not control them. Her sons had grown independent years ago.

She had spent too much time teaching them to think for themselves, to question authority and never allow anyone to control their lives. Now that independence had turned against her. Her nails dug into the fabric of her dress, leaving crescent-shaped marks.

Her glare moved towards Killian. ’You planned this,’ she hissed.

Killian did not answer. His eyelids lowered a fraction. Estelle’s eyes narrowed. Of course. Her sons would never make a decision this significant without Killian taking the lead. She should have known. She should have stopped them before it came to this. Her fingers curled tightly around the fabric of her dress until the material strained.

’You foolish boys.’

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