Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 – It’s already too late for you to rescue her

James hurried across the room toward Seraphine the moment he realized what she was walking into, his steps quick and anxious as a tight knot of worry settled deep in his chest because he already knew the kind of men gathered in this room and understood the games they enjoyed playing whenever someone new stepped into their territory.

He reached her side and lowered his voice, leaning closer so the others would not hear the urgency in his words. "Sera, these men aren’t the kind you want to challenge just to prove a point, because they can be ruthless in ways most people never imagine and their initiation ritual has a reputation that should make anyone think twice before stepping forward."

His jaw tightened as he glanced around at the men lounging comfortably in their expensive chairs, every one of them watching with the lazy curiosity of predators who had just noticed a new animal wander into their hunting ground.

"You really don’t have to do this," he continued quietly, hoping the concern in his tone would convince her to walk away before things spiraled out of control. "Their rituals can get ugly, and sometimes the humiliation is the whole point."

Seraphine turned toward him with an expression that softened just enough for gratitude to appear in her eyes, even though the calm confidence in her posture made it obvious that she had already made up her mind.

"Thank you for telling me," she said, her voice carrying a gentle sincerity that briefly eased the tension in his chest. "But I think I’ll take my chances and see how far this goes."

The answer drained the hope from James’s face, leaving him with nothing except the quiet realization that there was no convincing her once she decided on something.

He exhaled slowly, then stepped away with reluctant acceptance before returning to the corner where his wife Milia stood waiting beside the wall, both of them now watching the unfolding situation with growing unease.

Across the room, Gordon Archer leaned back in his seat with a glass in his hand, his face already flushed from the alcohol that had been flowing freely throughout the evening.

He had reached his tenth drink and was clearly enjoying the chaos beginning to brew in front of him.

"She looks like an angel who wandered into the wrong place," Gordon said with a crooked grin, his voice thick with amusement. "But the way she talks sounds more like steel wrapped in silk."

He lifted his glass slightly toward Seraphine while studying her with exaggerated curiosity.

"Miss, are you absolutely certain you belong in a room like this where men tend to forget their manners," he continued, sounding almost entertained by the absurdity of it all. "This is the first time a woman has tried to stand where you’re standing right now, and to be honest we were all expecting your boyfriend to show up instead of you."

The remark carried a subtle edge that sparked something sharp inside Seraphine’s mind, and in that moment she understood something important about the way these men were behaving.

They were not laughing because they thought she lacked value.

They were laughing because her presence bruised their pride.

Once that realization settled into place, the quiet confidence in her posture became even stronger as she faced them without hesitation.

"What exactly are the rules," she asked, her tone steady and fearless while her gaze traveled calmly across the circle of wealthy men who had suddenly grown very interested in what she would do next.

Ravyn’s voice rose from the side of the room where he sat comfortably beside Voren, his relaxed posture suggesting that he had been waiting for this exact moment.

The sound of his voice made Seraphine turn her head toward him.

"The rules themselves are simple enough," Ravyn said slowly, leaning back while the corner of his mouth curled into something that resembled a smile yet carried far more menace than warmth.

"But once I start explaining them there won’t be any walking away halfway through, because anyone who hears the rules is expected to follow them all the way to the end."

Seraphine felt a faint tension ripple through her body at the weight behind his words, yet the thought of backing out now felt impossible after everything she had already done to reach this point.

Whoever invested in her company would eventually thank her when the profits started pouring in.

That certainty settled her nerves even while a hint of disdain flickered briefly across her expression before she pushed it down and kept her composure intact.

"Go ahead," she replied calmly.

Ravyn’s smile widened with a dangerous gleam.

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