Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever-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.
"There are three different options available," he explained, lifting one finger slowly as though savoring every second of the moment. "You only need to choose one of them, although I should remind you again that the moment I finish explaining them there will be no turning back."
Seraphine met his gaze with stubborn determination. "Just say it," she insisted.
Nearby, Leon stiffened as anxiety began crawling across his face. Tiny beads of sweat appeared along his hairline while Ravyn began outlining the challenge in a voice that carried easily through the silent room.
"The first option is simple," Ravyn began. "You pick any man here who is not your boyfriend and drink with him until one of you can’t continue. The person who gives up first gets thrown out of the Sovereign Circle immediately, which means nobody here would ever allow themselves to lose against you."
The words sounded outrageous to Seraphine the moment she heard them.
She knew her tolerance for alcohol had never been particularly impressive, which made that option dangerously unpredictable.
Thankfully there were still two other choices. She lifted her chin slightly while keeping her voice firm. "Then explain the second one."
Ravyn released a short scoff that hinted at something far darker waiting ahead.
"For the second option," he said slowly, "you choose any man among us and offer him your body. Once you choose him, he can do whatever he wants with it, and if he walks out satisfied afterward he gets to convince the rest of us that you deserve to stay."
He paused briefly before adding with unsettling amusement, "And trust me when I say that we have a private room perfectly suited for that kind of arrangement."
As he spoke, Ravyn watched carefully for her reaction and felt a flicker of excitement when the color drained from Seraphine’s face while several of the men around the room reacted with crude interest.
A few of the wealthiest billionaires present ran their tongues slowly across their lips in a way that made the air feel heavier with disgusting anticipation.
Seraphine kept her expression controlled despite the nausea rising in her throat because the thought of letting any of those arrogant men place their hands on her body made her skin crawl.
Leon, who had been standing nearby, finally stepped forward in alarm because he could not stand the idea of letting this situation continue without speaking.
He moved quickly to her side while addressing the room with firm authority.
"Gentlemen, I think everyone here needs to remember something important," he said, his voice steady even though tension pulsed through him.
"This woman standing beside me happens to be my partner, and if all of you recall correctly I’m a medical doctor who owns the largest private hospital in New York, which means the health of many powerful people in this city rests in my hands."
The meaning behind his words was unmistakable.
Several of the men sitting around the room had medical conditions that Leon personally knew about, and the reminder of that fact carried the quiet threat that their future well-being could become extremely complicated if they pushed this too far.
Unfortunately Ravyn had no intention of making things easy for him.
"No one forced her to step forward tonight," Ravyn replied smoothly, his tone almost amused by Leon’s attempt to interfere. "Rules are rules, and if you remember the oath that comes with your profession you should know that using your position to manipulate people or change outcomes is completely unacceptable."
He paused while studying the way Seraphine appeared trapped by the situation unfolding around her.
In his mind this moment felt like justice finally arriving.
She had refused to donate blood to Daisy.
She had released their private videos to the public and demanded money afterward.
From Ravyn’s perspective, tonight felt like the perfect opportunity for revenge.
"It’s already too late for you to rescue her," he continued calmly before sending a pointed glance toward James that carried a silent warning. "You should probably tell your son to return to his seat while you still have the chance."
For a moment the room fell into thick silence as everyone waited to see how Seraphine would react now that the pressure had closed in from every side.
