Page 28 of Heart of the Rebel Mate (Wolf Billionaire #5)
CHAPTER 28
ELARA
T he storm has passed, but the sky is still heavy with the promise of rain. A thick mist coils through the trees, wrapping around the ruins of their hideout like ghostly fingers. The air is damp, filled with the scent of charred wood, blood, and the metallic tang of sharpened steel.
The rebels gather in the clearing, a sea of faces—hardened, determined, some afraid, but all resolute. They know what's coming. They know what's at stake.
I step forward, inhaling deeply. This is it.
"Listen to me," I call out, my voice steady, carrying over the hush that has fallen over them. "This is the last stand. This is what we've bled for. What we've suffered for. The Council has taken everything from us—our families, our freedom, our mates. They have controlled our lives, stripped us of choices. But today, that ends."
A murmur ripples through the crowd, growing into a low growl, a collective fury simmering just beneath the surface.
"They think they own us," I continue, my eyes sweeping over them. "They think we're nothing more than animals to be controlled, to be put down when we don't obey. But we are more than that. We are stronger. And tonight, we prove it."
A roar erupts, fists raising, claws unsheathing, eyes flashing in the dim light.
I meet Adrian's gaze across the crowd. His jaw is clenched, his eyes dark with something unreadable. He nods, the slight movement sending a spark of warmth through my chest.
This is it.
The journey to the Council's stronghold is long, the terrain uneven and treacherous. We will have to break it in two. Twisted roots reach from the earth like skeletal hands, the damp leaves slick beneath our boots. The forest is alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, but none of them compare to the predators marching through it now.
I walk at the front, beside Adrian and Cassian, leading our people into the jaws of war. The weight of leadership settles over me like a second skin, pressing down on my bones, but I don't falter. They follow me because they believe in me. Because they believe in this cause.
The rebels move with quiet precision, their breathing measured, their weapons strapped tight. This isn't the first battle they've faced, but it might be the last.
Moonlight filters through the thick canopy, casting pale streaks across our path. The scent of damp earth and rotting leaves clings to the air, mixing with the sweat and steel of those marching beside me. Every step forward feels heavier, every crunch of foliage beneath our boots a reminder that we are walking toward something irreversible.
Cassian hasn't spoken much since volunteering for his role in the assault. His head stays low, his posture tense, a coiled spring ready to snap. I don't fully trust him—not after everything—but I understand him now. The Council took everything from him. He's driven by the same fury that fuels all of us. Maybe more.
"You sure about this?" I ask him quietly.
He smirks, but there's no humor in it. "Too late to back out now, isn't it?"
"It's not too late to make the right call," Adrian mutters from my other side, his voice edged with cold suspicion.
Cassian chuckles, low and dark. "Right and wrong don't exist in war, Adrian. Only winners and corpses."
The words sit heavy between us, and for a moment, all I can hear is the rustling of leaves in the wind, the distant hoot of an owl.
Adrian's jaw tightens, but he doesn't respond. Instead, he keeps his gaze forward, his fingers flexing around the grip of his weapon.
I exchange a glance with him, then let it go. There's no time for this. The battle ahead will test all of us soon enough.
We stop just outside the stronghold, hidden in the dense undergrowth. The walls loom ahead—high, fortified, lined with guards. The final obstacle.
The wind shifts, carrying the scent of blood from the Council's compound. It churns my stomach, sharp and acrid, a reminder of what we're up against. I exhale slowly, centering myself.
Adrian steps closer, his presence solid beside me, his warmth seeping into my side despite the chill in the air. He doesn't speak, just watches me, waiting.
I turn to him, my chest tightening.
There are no words left. Not now. Maybe not ever.
I grab the front of his shirt and pull him to me.
His mouth crashes against mine, fierce and desperate. His hands grip my waist, anchoring me as I press against him, needing to feel something real before the battle rips it all away.
For a moment, there is nothing but us.
The war, the blood, the weight of everything—we shut it out. His lips move against mine, his breath hot, his fingers tightening as if he's afraid to let go.
When we finally break apart, he rests his forehead against mine.
"Come back to me," he murmurs.
I swallow. "You too."
A promise. A plea.
The time for waiting is over.
I turn back to the rebels, my voice steady.
"Move out."
We leave quietly without tripping any alarm systems.
Our morale is boosted. It was possible to get this close to the Council. They weren't unstoppable. They weren't gods.
As we slip back into the cover of the forest, I cast one last glance at the towering structure. The guards continue their patrols, unaware that death passed so close to their walls tonight. The stronghold stands firm, its presence a dark promise of the battle yet to come.
Adrian signals to Ethan, who gestures for the rebels to retreat in staggered formations, careful to avoid detection. If we'd needed to fight tonight, we would have. The weapons strapped to our backs, the blades hidden in our boots, the poisons laced into our darts—everything had been prepared for an ambush.
But this wasn't about a battle. Not yet.
It was about proving we could stand at the Council's gates without fear.
Cassian, walking a few paces behind me, lets out a low chuckle. "They don't even know what's coming."
"Let's keep it that way," Adrian mutters, his gaze locked ahead.
The march back to our second hideout is quiet, but the air is different. Lighter. Stronger.
We'd faced the monster, and it hadn't swallowed us whole.
Not yet.
Moving under the cover of night, we head to our second hideout, a ruined outpost hidden deep within the forest. The scent of damp stone and old fire lingers in the air as we step inside. Shadows dance along the walls, flickering in the dim light of a single lantern.
The rebels fan out, some checking weapons, others meditating in silence. The tension is a living thing, thick in the air, pressing against us.
Adrian stands at the entrance, his eyes on the sky. The full moon is rising. Silver light spills through the trees, illuminating the clearing beyond the outpost.
This is our advantage.
The moment the moon crests the sky, we'll be at our strongest. Our senses sharper, our reflexes quicker, our bodies primed for the fight to come.
I inhale deeply, feeling the power stir in my blood, a pulse beneath my skin.
Cassian steps beside me, watching the same sky. "You feel it, don't you?" he says quietly.
I nod. "We all do."
His lips press into a thin line. "Then let's make sure we use it."
I glance around at my people, the wolves ready to fight for their future.
This is it.
No more running. No more hiding.
Tomorrow, the Council falls.