Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177: Chapter 177 – You chose to betray me

"I was looking for the washroom, but I got lost," Seraphine said, her voice steady despite the way her pulse had started climbing the second the guard’s footsteps echoed too close behind her.

He towered over her when he reached the bottom, broad shoulders filling the narrow space, his presence heavy enough to make the already suffocating air feel even tighter, and for a brief moment, his eyes scanned her from head to toe like he was trying to decide whether her explanation made sense.

"The washroom is upstairs," he said flatly, pointing past her without much interest.

But then his gaze caught something else. The door, slightly open, and that was all it took for his posture to stiffen instantly, suspicion flashing across his face as his hand moved toward his radio, ready to call it in, ready to ruin everything in a matter of seconds but Seraphine moved first.

She lunged forward without hesitation, her clutch swinging hard with precision as it connected with the side of his head, the impact sharp and exact, her entire body following through with the force she needed.

She didn’t miss.

The guard crumpled almost immediately, his body collapsing heavily against the cold floor, unconscious before he even had a chance to react.

Seraphine stood there for half a second, her chest rising and falling as she steadied herself, her grip tightening around the clutch before she exhaled.

As a doctor, she knew exactly where to strike. No wasted effort, and no second attempt needed.

Behind her, the woman who had spoken earlier stared in stunned silence, her fear momentarily replaced with something else, something closer to disbelief before urgency snapped her out of it.

"She’s with us," the woman whispered quickly, turning to the others, her voice low but urgent as she began shaking them awake one by one.

That was all it took. The stillness broke, bodies stirred, and yes opened. Hope, fragile but alive, started to spread through the group.

Seraphine stepped aside, keeping watch as they began moving toward the exit she had opened, their movements slow at first, unsteady, but driven by something stronger than exhaustion.

As they passed her, the woman grabbed her arm briefly, her grip weak but insistent. "There are more," she said, her voice trembling. "Younger ones... children. Next floor down."

Seraphine’s eyes flicked toward the staircase, the darkness below swallowing the light in a way that made her stomach tighten.

For a second, doubt crept in. Not fear for herself, but the fear of not making it in time.

But she pushed it down just as quickly. There wasn’t a choice. She turned and started down the stairs.

Each step felt heavier than the last, the air growing thicker, colder, pressing against her skin as the dim lighting barely held back the shadows that stretched along the walls, and by the time she reached the lower level, her chest was tight with urgency.

Children, too many. Small figures huddled together, some barely conscious, others staring blankly like they didn’t even have the strength left to react, their condition worse than the adults upstairs.

Seraphine’s throat tightened at the sight, but she forced herself to move. There was no time to search.

No time to hesitate. She moved through them quickly, scanning, calculating, her mind racing as she located the hidden exit and worked the lock open with her hairpin again, her fingers moving fast, steady, refusing to falter and the door gave way.

Fresh air seeped through the narrow opening. "Go," she urged, her voice firm but urgent. "There are people outside. They’ll help you."

The children didn’t move. They just stared at her, confusion clouding their faces, like they didn’t understand what was happening, like freedom didn’t feel real enough to trust.

Seraphine didn’t wait. She stepped forward and started guiding them herself, her hands gently but firmly pushing them toward the exit, her voice rising just enough to break through their hesitation. "Move, go now."

That did it. Something clicked, and the children began to move, slow at first, then faster, gathering what little strength they had left as they stumbled toward the door, desperation finally overtaking confusion.

And then, "What’s going on here?!" The shout ripped through the space. Seraphine turned just in time to see the guard raise his gun.

The shot rang out, loud, violent, and final.

One of the children dropped instantly, her small body hitting the ground as blood spread rapidly across her chest, the reality of it hitting harder than the sound itself.

Something inside Seraphine snapped. "You idiot!" she roared, her voice cutting through the chaos as she reached for the knife concealed on her slit.

She closed the distance in seconds, the blade drove straight into his throat clean, unforgiving.

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