REJECTED YET CHOSEN

Chapter 56

_Dorian's POV_

The seer took the brush from my hands, her fingers running over the worn wooden handle. A strange energy filled the room, thick and heavy, pressing against my skin like an unseen force. The candles flickered wildly. Their flames were dancing as if stirred by an invisible wind.

“This will do,” she murmured, turning the brush over and examining the strands of Lyla’s hair tangled in the bristles. Her silver eyes darkened, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—concern, maybe even fear.

I swallowed hard. “What happens now?”

She met my gaze, her expression unreadable. “Now, we uncover the truth.”

Without another word, she moved toward a small stone altar in the center of the room. The surface was covered in symbols etched deep into the rock, glowing faintly under the candlelight. Small bowls filled with dried herbs, crystals, and vials of unknown liquid were placed in a neat formation around it.

The seer reached for a silver dagger resting beside the altar. The blade gleamed ominously as she ran a finger along its edge. Then, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

I watched in silence as she placed the hairbrush in the center of the altar. She sprinkled a handful of dried petals over it before drawing a circle around it with a fine white powder.

Then, she began to chant.

The words were ancient, flowing from her lips in a language I didn’t recognize. The air grew heavier with each syllable. The temperature in the room started dropping. My wolf stirred uneasily inside me. Shadow could sense the shift in energy.

A gust of wind rushed through the cabin, though there were no open windows or doors. The flames of the candles bent toward the seer, as if drawn by her power.

Marcus shifted beside me. “What the hell…” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

I didn’t answer. My focus was entirely on the seer.

Her chanting grew louder and more intense. The symbols on the altar pulsed with an eerie blue glow. The hairbrush trembled where it lay. Then, suddenly, the strands of Lyla’s hair lifted into the air, twisting and curling as if they were alive.

The seer’s voice dropped to a low murmur. She lifted the silver dagger and made a small cut on her palm, letting a few drops of blood fall onto the brush. The moment the blood touched the strands of hair, a crackling energy filled the air.

The entire cabin shuddered.

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding as I watched.

Then, the seer’s eyes snapped open.

They were completely black.

A deep, guttural sound escaped her lips, almost like a growl. Her body trembled violently as if she were caught in an unseen storm. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the energy in the room vanished.

The candles flickered back to normal. The eerie glow faded. The cabin was silent once more.

The seer staggered back, exhaling sharply. There were sweat beads on her forehead.

I took a step forward. “What did you see?”

Her hands trembled as she reached for the table to steady herself. She looked at me, and I saw real fear in her gaze.

“Aaron has used black magic,” she said, her voice hoarse. “He has taken the help of a witch to control Lyla. She is… bound to him.”

My stomach dropped. “What do you mean bound?”

The seer inhaled deeply, as if trying to steady herself. “She has been enchanted—forced to obey him, to see him as the one she must follow. Her memories haven’t been erased, but they have been twisted. Altered. She believes that Aaron is the only one she can trust.”

Rage burned through me. My hands clenched into fists. “That bastard.”

Marcus exhaled sharply. “How do we break it?”

The seer wiped her forehead. She looked exhausted. “The spell is strong. Too strong for me to break from here. I need Lyla in my presence to undo what has been done.”

I gritted my teeth. “How am I supposed to bring her here? She’s under Aaron’s control. She won’t willingly leave his side.”

The seer reached into a wooden chest near the altar. She rummaged through its contents before pulling out a small glass vial filled with a thick green liquid.

She turned to me and pressed it into my palm. “This will temporarily weaken the spell’s hold over her. If she drinks it, she will regain some of her free will—but only for a short time.”

I stared at the vial, the liquid swirling ominously inside. “How long will it last?”

“A few hours at most,” she said. “But that is all the time you need to bring her to me.”

Marcus frowned. “That’s easier said than done. Aaron doesn’t let Lyla out of his sight. And the Blood Moon Pack is heavily guarded.”

I exhaled sharply. My mind was racing. He was right. We had just come back from there today. We couldn’t simply return without raising suspicion.

I looked at Marcus. “We need a plan. A solid plan.”

Marcus nodded. “Agreed. Fighting our way in isn’t an option. The Blood Moon Pack has too many warriors. And Aaron’s Beta, Jason, and his Gamma, Lucian, are always watching. We need to outthink them.”

I gritted my teeth. “We need a distraction. Something big enough to pull Aaron away from Lyla for even a few minutes.”

Marcus crossed his arms. “A rogue attack.”

I frowned. “You think Aaron would actually leave her to deal with rogues?”

Marcus smirked. “Not just any rogue attack. We’ll hire a group of rogues to attack one of the Blood Moon Pack’s border patrols. Make it look like a full-scale invasion. Aaron will have no choice but to lead his warriors into battle himself.”

I considered it. It was risky. But it could work.

“If we do this,” I said, “we need to make sure the attack happens far enough from where Lyla is so that she is left alone.”

Marcus nodded. “Exactly. We strike at the eastern border. It’s the weakest point and will require all hands on deck. Once the attack starts, Aaron will rush to handle it, leaving Lyla vulnerable.”

“And that’s when we move in,” I finished, gripping the vial tightly.

The seer watched us with an unreadable expression. “Be careful. Aaron is not a fool. If he realizes this is a setup, he will retaliate.”

I met her gaze. “I don’t plan on giving him the chance.”

Marcus clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Then we have work to do. I’ll gather the rogues and set up the attack.”

I turned back to the seer. “Is there any risk to Lyla if she drinks this?”

The seer’s expression softened. “No. But it will not be easy for her. The moment the effects kick in, she will be confused and frightened. She will remember who she truly is—and the pain of what has been done to her.”

My chest ached at the thought. I didn’t want her to suffer. But if this was the only way to free her, then I had no choice.

I tightened my grip on the vial.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.”

The seer nodded. “Then may the Moon Goddess guide you.”

I turned to Marcus. “Let’s go. We have a plan to set in motion.”

As we stepped outside, the cold night air hit me, but it did nothing to cool the fire raging inside me.

Lyla was mine.

And I was going to get her back.

No matter what it took.