The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

The memory settled like lead inside his chest. She wasn’t supposed to pay that price alone for a cursed bond none of them wanted . Kaden wouldn’t understand. None of them would.

Kaden continued before the silence had a chance to settle again. His voice was quieter now, but somehow it carried even more weight than when he had been shouting. ”The doctors said the accident wasn’t caused by reckless driving.”

Kieran looked up. ”It was a stress-induced cardiac event,” Kaden continued. Kieran’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the bedsheets.

”You had what was essentially the beginning of a heart attack.” Kaden’s eyes never left him. ”You’re twenty-four, Kieran. Twenty-four.” His voice cracked with restrained frustration.

”You possess one of the strongest self-healing abilities in the entire pack. So tell me...” He spread his hands helplessly. ”How does someone like you end up having a stress-induced cardiac event unless you’ve worked yourself almost to death?”

Silence swallowed the room. The rain tapped steadily against the windows while the heart monitor continued its slow, rhythmic beeping. Kaden let out a slow breath, his shoulders finally sagging.

”If Killian hadn’t reached the scene when he did...” His voice faltered before he forced the words out.

”...you would’ve died. That woman would’ve died. Her son probably would’ve died too.” He looked away for a brief moment, his jaw tightening.

”And even if you survived...” His eyes returned to Kieran. ”Did you even think about the scandal? The Alpha heir killing a mother and child because he worked himself into a heart attack behind the wheel?”

Kieran remained silent. For the first time since Kaden had walked into the room, he could finally see what lay beneath all the anger. Fear, real fear.

Kaden shook his head, letting out a humourless laugh. ”I always thought I was the reckless one.” A bitter smile appeared briefly before disappearing again. ”When did you become worse than me?”

The room fell quiet. Only the curtains shifted gently beneath the cool breeze drifting through the slightly opened window. Kieran lowered his gaze.

”...I’m sorry.” His voice was soft. ”So...” He swallowed. ”...I’m sorry I made you worry.”

Kaden didn’t answer.

”I’ll apologise to the victims myself,” Kieran continued quietly. ”It was my responsibility.”

Kaden scoffed, folding his arms. ”You’d better never do something this stupid again.” A corner of Kieran’s lips lifted weakly as Kaden added, ”The Ravencourt family can’t afford more than one reckless Alpha.” Kaden clicked his tongue.

Kieran’s lip twitched at his words. He couldn’t help taunting him. ”That’s rich coming from you. I think you should change, since you are so worried,” he advised.

”Not a chance.” Kaden rebuked the idea immediately. Kieran finally looked at him, his eyebrow slightly lifted. ”No?” he muttered.

”Nope.” Kaden answered without the slightest hesitation. ”If I become responsible, who’s going to keep old man Alexander awake every night?” he said with a serious expression.

A laugh escaped Kieran before he could stop it. ”You really shouldn’t say that out loud.” He shook his head. ”The great General of Ravencourt proudly admitting his life’s purpose is giving Father headaches.”

Kaden shrugged shamelessly. ”I’m exceptionally talented at it,” he smugly agreed.

The hospital door suddenly swung open, and Kaden’s laugh instantly died. ”You still have the nerve to laugh?” The sharp voice instantly erased the amusement from the room.

Both brothers looked towards the entrance. Estelle stood in the doorway with one hand still resting against the handle. Her usually elegant appearance had lost none of its composure, yet the worry in her eyes was impossible to hide. Behind her stood Eloise, quietly holding a large basket filled with fresh fruit, flowers and recovery gifts.

”Mother...” Kieran instinctively straightened. Estelle walked directly towards the bed. For several long seconds, she simply looked at him. Bandages wrapped around his forehead. Bruises marked his face. His complexion was almost ghostly beneath the hospital lights...

She let out a weary sigh, mentally questioning her life choices. ”I always thought Kaden would be the one giving me a heart attack.”

Kaden opened his mouth, looking betrayed. That was a stray bullet. ”Mother...” he gasped.

”Not now, young man.” She shot him a glare, and he wisely closed his mouth again. Estelle looked back at Kieran.

”I never imagined you’d be the one lying in a hospital bed because you refused to rest.” Without another word, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around him. The embrace was firm, almost like she was scolding him because her glare didn’t dull.

”Don’t ever frighten me like that again.” Her voice was quieter now.

Kieran slowly hugged her back. ”...I won’t,” he muttered in his mother’s embrace.

Behind them, Eloise quietly placed the gift basket on the bedside table. ”I’m glad you’re awake,” she murmured, and naturally, the room stirred at her words as everyone turned towards her. She looked completely helpless and pitiful. Her voice was trembling, and her eyes were swollen and red from crying.

”I...” She looked down at her hands. ”I should’ve realised how exhausted you were.” Tears gathered again. ”I should’ve insisted on driving.” She bit her lip. ”When you were trapped...” Her voice broke completely. ”I couldn’t do anything.” Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. ”I just stood there crying.”

Estelle’s heart softened immediately. She released Kieran before walking towards Eloise and gently pulled the younger woman into a hug. ”It wasn’t your fault.” Estelle’s heart squeezed. She could not stand seeing Eloise suffer. After all, she had watched Eloise grow up. To her, she was like a daughter.

”I was useless...” Eloise cried in Estelle’s arms.

”No.” Estelle stroked her damp hair. ”You survived too. You tried to save him. There was nothing else you could’ve done,” she tried to comfort Eloise.

Kaden nodded quietly. ”Mother’s right,” he said gently.

Eloise buried her face against Estelle’s shoulder. Meanwhile, Kieran’s thoughts had already drifted somewhere else. Yuki. His fingers unconsciously tightened beneath the blanket.

’Alexander intends to find her a chosen mate...’

The thought lodged itself inside his chest like a splinter. He had buried himself, yet even while unconscious, his mind refused to forget.