The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

The cathedral burst into applause as the couple sealed their union with a kiss. Cheers rolled through the vast hall, regardless of how anyone truly felt about the marriage, filling the space beneath the vaulted ceiling until the chandeliers seemed to tremble with the sound.

Yuki lowered her gaze and quietly followed Killian back towards their seats, the hem of her gown brushing against the polished floor with every step. She walked past the brothers, who remained seated, their expressions carefully controlled as though the spectacle unfolding at the altar had nothing to do with them. Her fingers curled instinctively, and a sharp sting travelled through her palms. Yuki hissed quietly, the sound barely escaping her lips, but it was enough to draw attention.

Kieran’s eyes immediately dropped to her hands. His lips parted when he noticed the angry red burns across her palms, concern flashing through his eyes. Beside him, Kaden caught sight of them too and immediately forced himself to look away, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

The sight had caught him off guard. He hadn’t expected the burns to be that bad. Kieran wanted to say something. The words were already forming in his mind. Don’t curl your fingers. Cold water will help with the burns. His gaze followed Yuki for another second, his fingers twitching against his knee as he fought the urge to reach for her. But before he could speak, Eloise’s voice cut through the noise.

"I can’t believe they’re really married," Eloise said sympathetically, her gaze following Alexander and Aevia as they remained near the altar, locked in a passionate kiss.

Kieran tore his attention from Yuki and looked towards the couple. Alexander and Aevia were still standing together, their earlier kiss having left the room buzzing. The sight dragged an old memory from the depths of his mind. He still remembered the day he had returned from Xyrus University and learned that his parents were divorced. At the time, the words had sounded absurd. His parents? Divorced? It had made no sense to him then, and somehow, seeing Alexander standing beside Aevia only made the memory feel sharper.

Yuki finally reached her seat, and Declan welcomed her with a soft smile. His eyes searched her face before he tilted his head slightly.

"You look like you want to cry," he said gently.

Yuki blinked. A tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it. She quickly turned her face away and brushed it aside with the back of her hand.

"I guess I got a little emotional," she admitted, forcing a small smile.

Before Declan could respond, Eloise’s whining voice cut through the conversation. She had already taken Killian’s arm and was turning his hand over, examining the angry red marks on his palm.

"Killian, look at your hand," she complained, her voice filled with concern. "Why would they use silver when they know how badly it hurts? Look at this."

Killian glanced down at his palm before casually pulling his hand back. "It’s nothing," he replied dismissively.

"Nothing?" Eloise repeated, her eyes widening. "Your skin is practically burned."

Killian shrugged, his expression unchanged. "It’s nothing compared to what Alexander and Aevia are dealing with."

Eloise’s brows knitted together. "What do you mean?"

"They have to keep the silver knots around their wrists until the marriage is consummated," Killian explained matter-of-factly. "We’re only required to hold the rope long enough to tie the knot."

Eloise’s expression immediately changed as the implication sank in. "That must hurt," she murmured.

Kaden scoffed from beside them. "It’s the least they have to suffer."

Everyone’s attention shifted towards him. Kaden leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the altar.

"That’s the price of accepting a chosen mate," he said with a bitter edge to his voice. "Besides, it’s a fake bond. Even at its worst, the pain of severing a bond from a chosen mate is nothing compared to having a fated bond severed while it’s still incomplete."

The words left his mouth before he seemed to realise their weight. Yuki went completely still. Her fingers slowly loosened. Aevia could divorce Alexander one day. It would hurt, but the rejection was nothing compared to the rejection Yuki had suffered. The thought settled heavily inside Yuki’s chest.

Eloise fell silent too. A strange thought slipped into the back of her mind. She had never attended a chosen mating ceremony involving multiple mates. She had never seen the process up close or experienced the pain that came with it. How much would it hurt? The question lingered longer than it should have, and she rubbed the back of Killian’s hand absently. Perhaps some hidden part of her already knew she might never become the brothers’ second-chance mate. She quickly pushed the thought away and looked at Killian’s palm again.

"You should get that treated," she urged softly.

Killian flexed his fingers and shrugged. "I’ll handle it."

Before Eloise could argue, movement near the altar caught everyone’s attention. Alexander and Aevia had finally broken their kiss, and the High Priestess stepped aside as the newly married couple turned towards the cathedral doors. Everyone rose almost simultaneously, the scrape of chairs against the stone floor mixing with renewed applause.

Alexander placed a protective hand against Aevia’s waist as they walked out together. The nobles followed, streaming from the cathedral towards the palace dome where the reception would be held. Yuki waited until the crowd had moved far enough ahead before quietly slipping away. No one noticed her leave.

She followed a smaller corridor instead, searching for somewhere private where she could tend to her hands without attracting attention. Eventually, she found a restroom tucked away near the cathedral. The room was as luxurious as everything else within the palace, with pale marble walls, gold fixtures, and a wide mirror stretching above the sinks.

Yuki immediately turned on the tap and placed her hands beneath the rushing water. The coolness made the burns sting at first, and she winced, but within moments, the heat beneath her skin began to fade. She released a long breath and leaned closer to the sink, allowing the water to run over her palms. For the first time since the ceremony began, she allowed herself to breathe.

Then the door swung open without warning. Yuki’s shoulders hunched, and her head snapped towards the entrance. Her eyes widened.

Killian stood in the doorway.

"Killian," she gasped, staring into those familiar sapphire eyes. "What are you doing here?"

He arched a brow and walked towards the lone sink without looking particularly bothered by her question. "This isn’t the guest’s public restroom," he pointed out calmly.

Yuki frowned. "What?"

"There is no distinction between genders in the private palace restrooms," he explained evenly as he turned on the tap. "I wanted to use the sink."

Yuki stared at him. She had deliberately chosen this restroom because she thought it was secluded.

"There are several other private restrooms, Killian," she said, folding her arms despite one hand still being beneath the water. "You could have used any of them, but you just had to come into this one. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume you were following me."

Killian glanced at her. He didn’t argue.

"Seems like you’re pretty smart," he said dryly. "I was following you."

She was dumbfounded.