Page 110 of Heart of the Rebel Mate

For a second, we just stare at each other, the weight of tomorrow pressing down on us. Then she exhales, shaking her head, her frustration bleeding into something else—something deeper.

She reaches for my hand, pressing it to her chest, right over her heart. "Feel that?"

I do. Her heartbeat—steady, calm.

"This is peace, Adrian." Her voice softens. "With you, I'm not afraid."

My breath catches. She takes my other hand and places it over my own chest. "And you? Before, you were shaking. Now?" Her lips brush mine, gentle, grounding. "You're steady."

She's right.

For the first time in a long time, I am.

I pull her closer, my mouth claiming hers again, slow and deep, our breaths tangling, our bodies pressing together as the last of the tension dissolves.

"We survive," I murmur against her lips.

Her fingers curl into my hair. "Together."

CHAPTER 30

ELARA

The night is thick with the scent of blood and earth. The air hums with anticipation, the kind that coils in the gut like a live wire, tightening, waiting for the inevitable snap.

We move like shadows, the rebels fanning out along the treeline, eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Ahead, the Council's stronghold looms—tall, impenetrable, a monument to their tyranny. The stone walls are reinforced with silver plating in places, meant to keep us out. I scan the perimeter, noting the blind spots, the structural vulnerabilities I mapped out days ago. They built this place to keep threats at bay, never considering what would happen when those threats came from within.

Cassian crouches beside me, his wolf form bristling with tension. Adrian is on my other side, his presence a steady anchor in the chaos. His black fur ripples in the wind, muscles tight, ready to strike.

A single signal—a low, guttural growl—and the night erupts.

The rebels charge forward, a wall of fury and fangs. Howls split the air as we crash against the stronghold's defenses, slamming into the enforcers waiting for us. The Council's wolves are bigger, battle-hardened, their ranks drilled into perfect, merciless formation. But we have something they don't. Desperation. A cause worth dying for.

I launch myself forward, claws raking across the first enforcer I meet. He snarls, rearing back, but I'm already moving. A quick pivot, then I sink my fangs into his throat, tearing through fur and flesh. Warm blood sprays against my muzzle. He crumples. I don't stop.

Adrian is a force beside me, his massive frame colliding with an opponent, sending them sprawling. Cassian is a blur of movement, tearing through the enemy with ruthless precision. The rebels fight with everything they have—some falling instantly, others pressing forward, pushing the Council's wolves back, inch by inch.

We reach the outer walls. I shift back into human form for a second, my breath ragged, eyes locked on the weak points I memorized. There. A section near the eastern side where the stone has eroded just enough. If we can breach it, we create an opening big enough to get through.

"Adrian!" My voice cuts through the chaos. He pivots, his golden eyes sharp even in the frenzy of the fight. "We need to bring down that wall!"

He nods, shifting back in an instant, muscles flexing as he grabs one of the explosive charges we prepared. A last resort, but necessary.

Cassian covers us, lunging at an enforcer who barrels toward Adrian. They collide, snapping jaws and slashing claws. I don't have time to see who lands the killing blow. Adrian plants the charge against the wall, his hands moving swiftly, precisely.

More enforcers pour from the stronghold. We're outnumbered. I shift again, my wolf form slamming into a guard who tries to reach Adrian. My teeth sink into his hind leg, yanking him back. He howls in pain, twisting, claws aiming for my throat.

I dodge—barely. His claws graze my side, burning deep, but I don't let go. With a vicious twist, I drag him to the ground, snapping his neck with one decisive bite.

The explosion shatters the night.

The force sends bodies flying, debris scattering in a cloud of dust and fire. The eastern wall buckles, then collapses in on itself, leaving a jagged gap just big enough for our forces to pour through.

The rebels surge forward, pushing through the opening. The stronghold is compromised, but the battle is far from over.

Inside, the corridors are a labyrinth, twisting halls filled with waiting enforcers. The Council was ready for this. They knew we would come.

A massive wolf lunges at me from the side, knocking me into the stone wall. The impact rattles through my ribs, but I recover fast, rolling just as his claws carve through the space where my throat was seconds ago.

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