Page 106 of Heart of the Rebel Mate

"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.

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