Page 104 of Heart of the Rebel Mate

I don't tell him that I still don't trust him.

But for the first time, I begin to understand him.

And as the echoes of children's laughter fade into the night, my resolve hardens like stone.

This fight isn't just about revenge.

It's about making sure those kids never have to playHunt the Wolffor real.

By the time the war council reconvenes, the plan is set. The maps are marked with final strategies, the air in the room heavy with the weight of what we're about to do.

We move like clockwork now, efficient and deadly. My team will infiltrate the Council stronghold first, slipping through the cracks in their security, taking out their communication hub before they even realize we're inside. Once we cut off their command structure, Ethan and the rest of the rebellion will strike.

It's a suicide mission if we fail.

But failure isn't an option.

The war room hums with quiet intensity as weapons are checked, gear strapped into place. The scent of oil and steel lingers in the air, mixing with the ever-present dampness of our underground hideout. Every movement feels sharper, every breath measured.

Elara crosses my path as I head toward the armory.

She doesn't speak. She doesn't have to.

Her eyes search mine, and I see everything in them—fear, resolve, love. There's so much we need to say, but there's no time.

She has to go rally the troops. I have to lead the charge.

So I nod. A silent promise.

She nods back.

Then she's gone, disappearing into the movement of soldiers, her dark hair vanishing behind the glint of silver weapons and war-hardened faces.

I take a steadying breath and turn to find Cassian watching me from the shadows of the corridor.

He looks ready—armor strapped tight, blades at his hips—but there's something in his stance that unsettles me. A stillness. A quiet that isn't natural.

For the first time, I see past his sharp smirks and reckless bravado to the fracture underneath. Cassian may be fighting for the rebellion, but I can't shake the feeling that he's also fighting something else.

Something deeper. Something dangerous.

He's lost everything to the Council.

Men like that either burn out or set the world on fire.

I don't know which one he'll be.

But as I strap my own weapons into place and step into the cold night air, I make a decision.

I'll be watching him when the final battle begins.

Because I don't know if Cassian will be our greatest weapon... or the spark that brings everything down.

CHAPTER 28

ELARA

The 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.

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