Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 189 – If you value your life at all, stay away from her

More children stood nearby, each one holding a single rose carefully in their hands while they waited for their turn, and even though every face carried a different story, there was one thing all of them shared.

Gratitude sat so clearly in their eyes that it was impossible to miss.

Some of them looked nervous, like they still were not sure whether this was all real or whether they would wake up back in that nightmare again.

Some looked shy, holding their flowers tightly against their chests while they glanced at her from beneath lowered lashes, and some still carried that haunted look that came from surviving something no child should ever have had to endure, but every single one of them looked at Seraphine like she had given them their lives back.

A little boy stepped forward next, older than some of the others, the one whose sister had been shot in front of Seraphine, and although he was trying hard to look composed, there was still too much pain in his eyes for someone so young.

"Because of you, my sister’s gonna be okay," he said softly, his voice struggling to stay steady. "And we get to see our mom again."

That was all it took for Seraphine to completely fall apart.

The tears that had already been sitting in her eyes spilled over so fast she could not stop them, and as the children came toward her one after another, each one offering her a flower along with soft, heartfelt words, she felt every single one land straight in the middle of her chest.

"Thank you."

"You saved us."

"My brother’s alive because of you."

"My mom’s coming for me."

not scared

than the last, and Seraphine accepted each flower carefully, holding them

some of the older survivors came forward too, and the first woman Seraphine had seen earlier slowly walked toward her with trembling hands and tear-filled eyes, looking like she was trying

not even know how to thank you,"

her struggle

woman, holding

me," Seraphine whispered gently. "You are okay now, and that is all that

for Seraphine to hold herself together was when some of them started offering her the tiny things they had been given after the rescue, little snacks and treats from the

handed her

a pack of

gave her a juice

a bag of chips with both

nearly as much as they did, but the fact that

deeply that for a second, it felt like her chest was

toward Corvine and Voren, tears still

okay?" she said softly, wanting everyone to know that she had not done any of this

a soft wave of laughter from the group, light and genuine enough to

fading little by little until the hallway became quiet again, but the warmth they left behind stayed with Seraphine

watching her carefully

now?" He took the gifts from her for

when Seraphine truly realized how exhausted she was because now that everything had calmed down and the adrenaline had

burned from crying, her

entire body felt so heavy that it almost seemed impossible to