The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

Yuki was completely taken aback, her mind scrambling for something to say. For a moment, she wanted to laugh and tell Terence that he had to be joking. The words almost reached her lips, but one look into his eyes stopped her. There was nothing playful in them, and she couldn’t bring herself to pretend otherwise.

But what was she supposed to say?

She stood against the wall, staring into those dark, intense eyes that somehow felt both strange and familiar. Terence had always been more like a younger brother to her. They were barely a year apart, and before she was old enough to understand what family meant, they had already been living under the same roof.

He had been part of her life for as long as she could remember. He had always been protective of her. He followed her around, complained whenever she went somewhere without him, and somehow always appeared whenever she needed help. Yuki had never questioned any of it because he was Terry. She had grown up believing that was simply how he was with her.

But what if she had been wrong? What if all those little things she had dismissed as childish attachment had meant something completely different to him?

”Terry,” she whispered, but the name was all she could manage.

She lowered her gaze, searching desperately for the right words before finally forcing them out. ”We can’t.”

A cruel smile touched his lips, but it never reached his eyes. ”Why?” he asked, his voice low.

Yuki swallowed. ”Because I don’t see you that way.” She could barely force out the words under his intimidating stare.

His expression tightened. ”Don’t tell me it’s because you see me as your brother,” he said, his voice becoming strained. ”Don’t give me that excuse.”

Yuki flinched at the bitterness in his voice. ”There was never a place in your heart for me, was there?” he asked, and the hurt that slipped through the words made her chest ache.

”Terry, that’s not what I meant.” She instinctively tried to argue, unable to stand the hurt look in his eyes.

”Then what did you mean?” he demanded, his voice cracking slightly.

”I don’t know.” Her fingers tightened around her walking stick. ”I’ve never thought about you that way.” She tried to make him understand.

His jaw clenched, then relaxed as a short laugh escaped his lips. The quiet laugh unsettled her more than his anger had.

”I’ve spent years hoping you would eventually look at me differently,” he admitted, his gaze dropping for a moment. ”But you never did. You were always looking at someone else.”

Yuki opened her mouth, but before she could answer, a sharp click cut through the silence. Her head snapped towards the sound. Three figures stood at the other end of the corridor.

Yuki’s face drained of colour. Killian stood with one hand tucked into his pocket, his expression blank and impossible to read. Beside him, Kaden leaned against the wall with a cigarette between his fingers, the lighter he had just closed still resting in his hand. Kieran stood slightly behind them, but unlike his brothers, he wasn’t wearing even the faintest trace of amusement. He was staring at Terence, to be exact, at his hand, which instinctively grabbed Yuki’s wrist.

Yuki’s stomach dropped. Then she realised Terence’s hand was still wrapped around her wrist. She looked down at his fingers before glancing back towards the three men. The moment Terence noticed their attention, his grip tightened. Yuki tried to pull her wrist free.

”Terry,” she whispered urgently.

He didn’t let go. His eyes remained fixed on the men at the end of the corridor, his jaw tense as though he had suddenly remembered they were there but had no intention of allowing them to make him retreat.

”Terry, let go,” she whispered again, this time with more urgency.

His fingers remained around her wrist. Yuki’s pulse jumped. She didn’t want to make a scene, so she stopped struggling, but the discomfort of being watched made her face burn. Kieran’s gaze dropped to Terence’s hand. His expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes hardened before he looked back at Terence. Kaden noticed it too. He took a drag from his cigarette and held it for a moment before releasing the smoke into the corridor. The smell drifted towards Yuki, making her nose wrinkle.

”Well,” Kaden drawled, his voice carrying obvious amusement, ”this is certainly an interesting sight.”

”Kaden,” Killian warned, his tone flat, though the faint flicker in his eyes suggested he wasn’t particularly interested in stopping him. Kaden ignored him and looked between Yuki and Terence.

”Don’t mind me,” he continued, the corner of his mouth lifting. ”Please carry on. I wouldn’t want to interrupt whatever this is.”

”There is nothing going on,” Yuki said quickly. Her voice came out more defensive than she intended.

Kaden raised an eyebrow. ”Really?” He glanced pointedly at Terence’s hand still wrapped around her wrist. Yuki’s cheeks burned.

Terence’s expression darkened. ”Mind your business,” he said, his voice low and warning.

Kaden gave a short laugh. ”Oh, I think it became my business the moment I walked in and found you holding Yuki like that.”

Terence’s grip tightened again. Yuki felt it and immediately looked at him. ”Terry,” she whispered, not liking Kaden’s tone.

He finally looked down at her. For a second, something vulnerable crossed his face, but it disappeared almost immediately. Kaden took another drag from his cigarette.

”It is my business. She’s going to be my sister soon, whether I like it or not.” Kaden took another drag from his cigarette, his mouth twisting at the word. ”So tell me, what exactly am I looking at here?” The word sister rolled off his tongue like a curse. He never imagined he would willingly call her that.

”What do I call this?” he asked, clearly enjoying himself. ”Childhood sweethearts?”

Yuki’s eyes widened. ”Kaden, stop,” she hissed.

”Or perhaps something more complicated? Like some forbidden love?” he added, his smile widening. ”You two grew up together, after all.”

”We aren’t like that...” The words spilled from her lips before she could stop herself. Yuki’s embarrassment turned into irritation. ”There is nothing between us.”

Terence’s eyes flickered towards her. The words clearly hurt him.

Yuki noticed and immediately regretted how bluntly she had said them, but she didn’t know what else she could say with the three Ravencourt brothers watching them or why she had the urge to defend herself.

Kaden noticed the exchange and gave a knowing hum.