Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

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."

staircase, the darkness below swallowing the light in a

second, doubt crept in. Not fear for herself, but the fear

as quickly. There wasn’t a choice. She turned and

lighting barely held back the shadows that stretched along the walls, and by the time

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

the sight, but she forced herself to

moved through them quickly, scanning, calculating, her mind racing as she located the hidden exit and

narrow opening. "Go," she urged, her voice firm

her, confusion clouding their faces, like they didn’t understand what was happening, like freedom didn’t feel

pushing them toward the exit, her voice rising just enough to break through their hesitation.

gathering what little strength they

shout ripped through the space. Seraphine turned just

shot rang out,

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

roared, her voice cutting through the chaos as she reached for the knife

in seconds, the blade drove straight into his throat

as he collapsed, blood pooling

She dropped to her knees beside the child, her hands already moving, pressing down, assessing, doing everything she

she murmured under her breath, though she didn’t know if the girl

can we do?" a small

A boy sat beside her, his face pale, his eyes wide

for a second, emotion threatening to break through, but she forced it back,

my sister," he replied immediately,

slightly as she worked to slow

briefest

hands away just enough. "Take her. There are doctors outside. They’ll

nodded, determination replacing fear as he carefully lifted his sister into his arms, holding

for a second, before forcing herself