Chapter 101: The Spark of Rebellion Anna’s POV

"This is it," Maia whispered, pointing at the destroyed building in front of her, her breath hazy in the chilly night air. "Our last hope."

With a steady yet vigilant heartbeat, I peered through the darkness. In front of us loomed the ruins of an ancient outpost, its wooden beams barely intact, the air heavy with the smell of wolves and damp ground. Even though it didn't appear to be much, I could feel them—wolves tucked away in the darkness, their presence interwoven with the shadows.

Lucas moved next to me, his body stiff, prepared for anything. Even though we were far apart, I could feel his warmth and silent protection, like a shield I hadn't asked for but was thankful for.

Maia was the first to move forward, gesturing silently with her hands. The crisp crunch of boots on the ground was followed by a low growl that rumbled from someplace in the darkness.

Then a voice. Rough and deep. Suspicious.

"Maia."

His black gaze flickered between us as a towering figure stepped out of the shadows. His arms were folded tightly across his chest, and his face was slender, hardened by endurance. He wasn't alone. Behind him, two more wolves appeared, their muscles clenched as though they were about to attack, their faces unreadable.

The man's eyes narrowed as he looked at Lucas and me. "We weren't expecting you back," he said. "And certainly not with them."

"Things have changed, Cain," Maia answered in a firm but steady voice. "Oliver is becoming more powerful. We no longer have time to be cautious."

Cain's piercing, evaluating gaze darted in my direction. I held his gaze.

His tone was tinged with uncertainty as he asked, "And who exactly is she?

Maia said plainly, "Anna. She's the one who's going to help us end this."

As more rebels stepped out of the shadows, a murmur swept through the small group. They had hope and tiredness etched on their faces.

Cain laughed briefly and without humor. "You mean the omega that ran?"

My jaw tightened, but I made myself remain composed.

I evened out my voice and corrected, "The omega that survived. And the one who's going to kill Oliver."

The ensuing silence felt heavy and tense. A barely noticeable movement caused Lucas to shift next to me, but I knew him well enough to understand his whispered warning: Don't let them bait you.

Cain raised his eyebrows, obviously unimpressed. "Big words for someone who hasn’t fought him."

Maia interrupted, "She has power," but Cain wasn't persuaded.

"Then prove it," he said, crossing his arms and taking a step back. "Show us why we should put our lives in your hands."

I looked at him, then at the others. While some watched with mistrust, others did so with genuine curiosity. Some of them, soldiers forged by adversity, appeared almost fascinated.

Alright. I would provide proof if they requested it.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep exhale. I summoned the force that had been brewing beneath my skin since my training with Thalion, reaching deep within. Like a whisper across my spirit, it responded immediately.

Dust spiraled into the air as a strong gust of wind blew across the area. A faint murmur permeated the room, developing into a real, electric sensation. I opened my eyes, which were now faintly shining with golden light, and felt the ground under us quake.

The gathering gasped, but I wasn't finished yet. My fingers curled slightly as I raised my hand, and the ground reacted. A precise pattern of cracks in the earth caused it to slither forward and stop only inches from Cain's foot. For the first time, his confidence wavered, and he flinched.

As I moved onward, I allowed the power to ebb, the light in my eyes fading. "Satisfied?"

Cain's jaw was clenched in silence.

A low whistle came from one of the other fighters, a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair and a scar along his cheek. "Well, damn."

Another remarked, "I've never seen anything like that."

A younger wolf nervously commented, "Maybe she really can do it."

Cain frowned, obviously offended by the change in the mood of the group. He wasn't the type to quickly concede.

He gently said, "Power is one thing," as his gaze met mine. "Can you fight? Can you kill?"

Lucas moved closer before I could reply, his voice steely but quiet. He remarked, "If you doubt her, you'll regret it."

Although he spoke in a calm tone, there was a protective, possessive undertone. It gave me a weird feeling of warmth, but I soon pushed it away.

Cain looked at Lucas, then grinned a little. "You seem awfully invested in her."

Lucas didn't blink. "She's earned it."

My chest constricted as he spoke in a steady, unflinching manner.

Something unreadable passed across Cain's face as his eyes darted between us, and then he let out a quick exhale. He responded, "Fine," and nodded to the others. "We'll see what she's capable of."

A handful of the warriors now gave me a different glance, and I didn't miss it. Respect. Curiosity. One of them moved closer, a man with a smug grin and keen green eyes.

He remarked in a lighthearted tone, "I wouldn't mind seeing what else you can do."

Lucas tensed up next to me. "Watch yourself."

The warrior made a faux surrender gesture with his hands. "Calm down. Simply striking up a conversation."

Lucas, however, wasn't amused. Despite his relaxed posture, it was clear that tension radiated from him. His jaw was so tight that I thought I could hear his teeth grinding, and his fingers were twitching at his sides.

Despite the circumstances, I grinned a little. Keeping my voice low so only he could hear, I joked, "You always this possessive, Lucas?"

He gave me a stern look, but there was more in his gaze than that—something scorching and dark. His voice was gruff as he returned the murmur, "Just making sure they know where they stand."

The green-eyed warrior laughed, obviously unconcerned by the silent threat. "Okay, okay, I understand. You own her."

Lucas's whole body froze.

The moment was cut short when Maia clasped her hands together before he could reply. "Enough posturing," she said in frustration. "This is not something we have time for. We must determine our next course of action."

Cain ran a hand through his hair and groaned. "She is correct. Security has been strengthened by Oliver's men. We’ve been barely making ends meet. You'll need to demonstrate your worth in a number of ways if you truly want to assist."

"Then let us help," I said decisively. "We didn't come all this way to stand around."

After hesitating, Cain nodded. "All right. However, trust won’t happen right away."

"We wouldn’t dream of it," Lucas said.

With a gesture, Cain led the group into the outpost. I saw the other rebels' looks shift as we went, some curious, some wary. For an additional second, the green-eyed warrior hovered close to me before grinning and vanishing into the darkness.

Beside me, Lucas remained tense.

I gave him a little elbow push. "Calm down, Lucas. I am capable of managing myself."

He responded, "I know," in a quiet voice. "That's not what bothers me."

"Then what does?"

After a moment of working his jaw, he shook his head and let out a harsh exhale. "Forget it."

After studying him for a moment, I let it go. We had more pressing issues to address.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning as we entered the heart of the uprising.

And that Lucas would only become more protective.