The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Temptation

The hospital corridor was busy, just like any other day. Doctors hurried between departments with files tucked beneath their arms, nurses moved briskly from one ward to another, and the steady beeping of medical equipment drifted through the walls. Yet beneath all the usual hospital noise, Yuki kept catching snippets of conversations as people passed.

"The wedding was insane," someone whispered excitedly.

"I know! Did you see the moon lilies?"

"I still can’t believe they were real..."

Yuki pretended not to hear them as she continued towards the elevator. Apparently, Alexander and Aevia’s wedding had become the favourite topic of conversation in the hospital. She finally slipped into an empty elevator just before the doors closed, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her tote bag as she stared at her reflection in the polished metal doors.

Kieran.

She had expected to meet him eventually, but that didn’t make things any better. She wasn’t sure whether she was nervous about the placement or simply nervous about being around him again.

A soft ding interrupted her thoughts. The elevator doors slid open, and Yuki stepped into a quieter section of the hospital. She followed the directions the receptionist had given her, turning down one corridor after another until the noise from the main hospital gradually faded behind her. Eventually, she stopped in front of a large glass door.

Beyond it was a completely different world. A private research laboratory stretched behind the glass, filled with sophisticated equipment, glowing monitors, sealed cabinets, and other specialised equipment.

Yuki reached for the access panel and tapped her identification card against it. A red light blinked. Access denied. She stared at it for a moment before sighing.

"Of course," she muttered, slipping her phone from her pocket. "Why would anything be easy?" she groaned, realising it was a restricted area.

She was about to mind-link Kieran when another door opened farther down the corridor. A nurse stepped out and immediately noticed her standing there. The woman’s gaze dropped to Yuki’s identification card before her eyes widened slightly.

"You’re from Dravenhall, aren’t you?" the nurse asked, her voice carrying a note of recognition.

"Yes," she replied, dropping the thought of mind-linking Kieran.

The nurse’s expression softened into a smile as she approached the glass door. "Are you here to see Dr Ravencourt?" she asked.

"Yes," Yuki replied, shifting her tote bag higher onto her shoulder. "I’m supposed to report to him before starting my placement."

"He’s in his office," the nurse explained as she tapped her own identification card against the panel. The light immediately turned green, and the door unlocked with a soft click. "But you should really be wearing your scrubs. It’ll make it easier for everyone to know you’re a student."

"I know." Yuki gave her an apologetic smile. "I just need to see him first before I change."

The nurse nodded, stepping aside. "That’s fine. Go ahead."

"Thank you."

Yuki hurried inside without asking for directions. She could already pick up Kieran’s scent beneath the overwhelming mixture of antiseptic, herbs, and chemicals that filled the laboratory.

The nurse watched her disappear down the corridor, her expression thoughtful. She recognised Yuki immediately, but not because she was Aevia’s sister or Alexander’s adopted daughter. She had been far too exhausted to sacrifice her sleep watching the wedding ceremony. She recognised her as the coma patient. The girl Kieran had pushed himself to the brink to save. Curiosity flickered in the nurse’s eyes before she finally returned to her work.

Meanwhile, Yuki followed Kieran’s familiar scent through the laboratory until she reached an office at the end of the corridor. She pushed the door open slightly and immediately slowed. Kieran was sitting behind his desk.

His laptop remained open, research notes scattered across the polished surface. His head had fallen against the back of his chair, his eyes closed as though exhaustion had finally dragged him under. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed. His dark hair was dishevelled, several strands falling across his forehead, while dark shadows sat beneath his eyes. His normally sharp features looked softer beneath the exhaustion, yet somehow that only made him more devastating.

Yuki’s chest tightened. Pity came first. Then something else. Something she immediately shoved down. She cleared her throat softly. Kieran didn’t open his eyes.

"Get me coffee, Clara," he murmured, his voice rough with exhaustion.

Yuki blinked. She stared at him for several seconds. Apparently, exhaustion had also robbed him of the ability to check who was standing in his office. Still, seeing how drained he looked made it difficult for her to argue.

"Okay," she muttered before turning around.

She followed the rich aroma of coffee until she found a small break room attached to the private research laboratory. A fresh pot sat on the counter, steam still curling faintly from the surface. Yuki stared at it.

Then she frowned. There was one problem. She had absolutely no idea how Kieran liked his coffee. During the period when she had been embarrassingly interested in him, she had noticed that he seemed to survive mostly on energy drinks. She had never actually seen him drink coffee. Apparently, he did.

"There was no handbook for this," she muttered, reaching for a cup.

After thinking for a moment, she decided he looked exactly like the type of person who drank his coffee black. She poured the coffee into a cup, and its rich aroma immediately filled the small room.

"Black it is," she decided.

She carried the warm cup back to his office. Kieran hadn’t moved. His head was still tilted against the chair, his eyes closed. Yuki frowned at his position. He’s going to wake up with a terrible neck ache. She carefully placed the cup on his desk. The ceramic clinked softly against the wood. Kieran’s eyes opened immediately. His gaze went straight to the coffee without sparing the person who brought it a glance.

"Clara," he muttered, his brows pulling together. "I don’t take my coffee black. I thought you knew that."

Yuki froze. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "I’m not Clara."

The effect was immediate. Kieran’s head snapped up. The haze clouding his eyes disappeared as his gaze finally focused on her emerald eyes.

"Yuki?" he asked, genuine surprise slipping into his exhausted voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for my placement," she explained quickly, gesturing towards her tote bag. "I was told to report to you."