REJECTED YET CHOSEN

Chapter 55

_Dorian’s POV_

The forest was silent as we drove toward the seer’s cabin, the tires crunching over dirt and gravel. The invitation card sat between Marcus and me on the dashboard, mocking me with its golden elegance. My hands clenched into fists at the thought of Aaron's taunting message.

Lyla was mine. She had always been mine.

But now, she didn’t even remember me.

My jaw tightened as I replayed the way she had looked at me—vacant, detached, as if I had never been part of her life. It was impossible. No matter how much time had passed, no matter what had happened, she would never forget me since I was her true mate. Something had been done to her. And I needed answers.

The car came to a slow stop in front of the seer’s cabin. It was an old wooden structure, hidden deep within the woods, surrounded by gnarled trees and thick vines. A single lantern flickered near the entrance, casting eerie shadows across the porch.

I got out of the car without a word, striding up the worn steps. The cold night air did nothing to cool the fire raging inside me. Without hesitation, I raised my fist and pounded on the door.

For a long moment, there was silence.

Then, the door creaked open.

The seer stood before me. Her silver eyes were unreadable. She wore a deep crimson cloak, the hood resting against her back. The air around her felt… heavy, charged with something ancient.

She studied me for a long moment, then exhaled softly.

“I sent you a message through the raven,” she said.

I nodded. “I understood it.”

She stepped aside, allowing me to enter. Marcus followed closely behind, shutting the door behind us. The cabin smelled of herbs and burning wood, the dim light of candles casting flickering shadows along the walls. Shelves lined with jars of dried leaves and vials of dark liquid surrounded the small space.

The seer moved toward a wooden table at the center of the room and gestured for us to sit. I remained standing.

“I need answers,” I said, my voice rough.

She nodded slowly. “You are troubled.”

Troubled didn’t even begin to describe it.

“I saw her,” I admitted, forcing the words out. “Lyla. She was right in front of me… but she didn’t know who I was.”

The seer’s expression remained calm, but I saw something flicker in her gaze.

“She was your mate,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

I hesitated, then ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t know what Aaron has done to her, but she’s not the same. Her scent, her voice… everything about her feels different.” I clenched my jaw. “It was like I was a stranger to her.”

Marcus shifted beside me. “This isn’t normal,” he added. “Mates don’t just forget each other even if one of them has rejected the other.”

The seer nodded. She was drumming her fingers lightly against the wooden surface. “No, they do not.”

A cold sensation spread through my chest.

“You believe something has been done to her?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Aaron is manipulating her. He has changed her somehow.”

The seer was silent for a moment. Then, she sighed. “Perhaps.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You don’t sound surprised.”

She met my gaze. “I have seen things, Alpha Dorian. And what you are describing… it is not unheard of.”

Marcus straightened. “What do you mean?”

The seer turned toward the shelves, running her fingers over the spines of ancient books. “There are ways to break a person,” she said. “To twist their mind and mold them into something else.” She glanced back at me. “If Aaron has used magic, then Lyla may not even be aware of what has happened to her.”

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest.

“She is trapped,” I murmured.

The seer nodded.

I clenched my fists. “Then we need to undo whatever he has done.”

The seer tilted her head. “That depends on how deep the magic runs.”

I took a step forward. “Tell me what to do.”

She studied me for a moment before speaking. “To uncover the truth, I need something of hers.”

I frowned. “Something of hers?”

She nodded. “An object she used often. Something that holds her essence.”

Marcus exhaled sharply. “Like what?”

The seer’s eyes gleamed. “A brush with strands of her hair. A piece of fabric she wore frequently. Something that carries traces of her skin, her scent, her energy.”

I swallowed hard. Lyla had left without taking anything. But her room—her old room in the pack house—had been left untouched.

That was my best chance.

I straightened. “I’ll bring you something.”

The seer gave a slow nod. “Choose carefully, Alpha. The stronger the connection, the clearer the truth.”

I turned sharply, heading toward the door. Marcus followed without hesitation.

As we stepped outside, the night felt colder than before.

Marcus exhaled. “We need to get into her old room.”

I nodded. “Let’s go.”

_______

The pack house was silent when we arrived. Most of the pack members had retired for the night. The halls were dimly lit by wall lanterns. I strode toward the omega quarters. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest.

Lyla’s room had been untouched since the day she left. No one had dared to enter.

Marcus retrieved the key and handed it to me. I hesitated for only a moment before unlocking the door.

As it swung open, a stale, dusty scent filled my nostrils.

The room was exactly how she had left it.

A thin layer of dust coated the wooden dresser and the small nightstand by the bed. The curtains were drawn, blocking out the moonlight. Clothes were draped over the chair near the window. They have been left untouched for months.

But my eyes landed on something in the corner of the floor.

A hairbrush.

I moved toward it slowly and knelt down.

Dark strands of her hair were still tangled in the bristles.

My chest tightened as I picked it up.

This was hers. A piece of her.

I stood, gripping it tightly.

Marcus watched me. “You ready?”

I nodded. “Let’s go back.”

_______

The seer took the brush from my hands the moment I arrived. She caressed the handle. Her eyes darkened as she turned it over, examining the strands of hair caught between the bristles.

“This will do,” she murmured.

I watched her closely. “What happens now?”

She met my gaze. “Now, we find out what has been done to Lyla.”

I clenched my jaw.

Whatever it was, I would undo it.

Because no matter what Aaron thought…

I would save Lyla from his clutches.