Chapter 226

　　Fern's Perspective 　　The pungent stench of blood filled the entire warehouse, mixing with the rusty scent in the damp air, creating a nauseating atmosphere. My hands were bound behind my back, my knees sunk deep into the cold concrete floor, and my body had grown numb from the prolonged position. But the pain in my heart was unbearable, as if it were being scorched by an unrelenting fire, so intense that it stole my breath. 　　Elena stood nearby, her heels echoing sharply on the ground like the bells of a death knell. She smiled, her narrow eyes glinting with the playful satisfaction of a victor, while several black-clad bodyguards behind her held Daniel down in a deadly grip. His mouth was gagged, and his eyes were wide with terror. 　　But my gaze was fixed on the man before me—him, my MATE, my Alpha, the man I thought I'd never forgive in my life. Yet here he was, kneeling before Elena. 　　I had never seen him so disheveled. 　　His black shirt was soaked with blood, his wounds gaping a