He Knows the Door to My Soul and Who Forgot to Novel 16

In this chapter, Andrei and Damon, two alpha men bound by their connection to the same woman, reach a tense confrontation that is interrupted by Lilith. She urges them to stop, sensing the futility of their conflict. Andrei, haunted by the recent loss of Natalia, insists on seeing her funeral done properly, feeling she deserves more than just being sealed in a cold metal box. Despite the pain, he wants to honor her memory with a meaningful farewell.

The funeral pyre is set up on Damon’s packlands, surrounded by mournful trees and thick mist. With no body present, only personal items like her ring, scarf, and favorite scent are burned. The pack gathers silently as Andrei steps forward to speak, his voice trembling as he calls Natalia his Luna and mate, acknowledging the sacrifices she made for him despite his failures. The emotional weight of his words hangs heavy in the air.

Andrei confesses his regret for not telling Natalia how much she mattered, admitting he was a coward who let her believe she was unloved. Lilith offers comfort, reminding him of her own return after presumed death and suggesting they can still heal and build a life together. However, Damon interrupts with bitter anger, accusing Andrei of neglect and abandonment, highlighting how Natalia begged for affection but was met only with duty and eventual divorce papers. The painful truth of their fractured relationships surfaces in a heated exchange.

Despite the accusations, Andrei insists that now that Natalia is dead, the past grievances no longer matter—only the ashes remain. Lilith blames herself for complicating matters by returning, while Damon harshly demands that Andrei leave his land, rejecting the presence of Andrei’s wolves and the ghost of Natalia he carries with him. Overwhelmed, Andrei withdraws, feeling hollow and unable to fully accept Natalia’s death, though he begins to understand that perhaps she left because loving him had become unbearable.

Chapter 16

“Stop this.”

Lilith.

She glided toward us from the edge of the bluff, a gray shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders. “This isn’t helping.”

Her gaze flicked between us–two alphas barely restrained. Two men brought to the brink by the same woman.

Damon stepped back first, running a hand over his face. I didn’t move. Couldn’t.

Lilith placed a hand lightly on my arm. “Andrei, come away from this. Come back inside.”

I looked out toward the sea. The body had been taken away. The cooling unit closed. But its memory remained- seared into my mind like a second brand.

“I need to see it done,” I said.

She frowned. “See what done?”

“The funeral,” I whispered. “She deserves more than a cold metal box.”

She deserves the world I never gave her.

***

The pyre was built on Damon’s packlands, in the high clearing near the ridge where the mist rolled in low and thick and the trees stood in mourning.

There was no body to burn. Only the box. Her ring. Her scarf. A small bundle of lavender and cedar her favorite

scent.

The pack gathered quietly at the edge of the woods, heads bowed. Damon stood beside me, arms folded, jaw locked. Lilith was on my other side, a respectful distance back.

I stepped forward alone.

The flames caught slowly.

They licked at the corners of the wood, hungrily swallowing the kindling. I didn’t blink. I didn’t breathe.

When the smoke finally began to rise, I spoke.

“My Luna,” I said, voice trembling. “My mate.”

The words barely made it out of my mouth.

“She gave everything to this role. To me. Even when I gave her nothing in return.”

Silence.

“I thought… I thought there’d be time,” I said, hating how pathetic it sounded. “Time to fix it. Time to make her see. I kept waiting for the right moment to tell her she mattered. But I was a coward.”

Wind stirred the flames, and I swallowed hard.

“She died thinking she was unloved. And that’s my fault.”

I stepped back, hands shaking.

Lilith moved beside me, sliding her hand into mine without asking.

“Andrei,” she said gently, “when you thought I had died, you were just as broken.”

I didn’t answer.

She stepped closer. “But I came back. I came back to you. We could still build a life together. Heal. Try again.

My stomach turned.

Before I could say anything, Damon barked a laugh from the other side of the pyre.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.‘

Lilith stiffened.

Damon came around the flames, eyes locked on me. “Now you mourn her? Now you cry and wail like she was your world?”

I frowned. “Watch yourself.”

“No,” he spat. “You don’t get to play grieving mate after what you put her through. She begged for scraps of affection for five years. You gave her duty. Expectation. A timeline. And then you handed her divorce papers like she was an employee being let go.”

“That’s not how it happened.”

“She signed those papers alone,” he growled. “With no one beside her. You didn’t fight. You didn’t chase her. You let her walk away.”

Lilith stepped in, tone cold and sharp. “She wanted the divorce, Damon. Don’t make him out to be the villain when she-”

“She wanted a man who gave a damn,” Damon snapped. “And when she didn’t get it, she left.‘

“And now she’s dead,” I said, cutting between them.

The words silenced both of them..

“She’s dead,” I repeated. “And it doesn’t matter who left who. It doesn’t matter what she wanted or what I failed to give. All that’s left is ash.”

Lilith touched my sleeve. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have come back. I made everything harder for you.”

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Damon stared at us both with open disgust.

“I want you off my land,” he said. “Now.”

I turned to him, stunned. “You’re serious?”

“This isn’t your territory,” he said. “It never was. You came here with your wolves, your guards, your history- and you brought her ghost with you. But she’s not here anymore.”

“Damon-” Lilith began.

He cut her off with a glare. “Go play house somewhere else.

After that, I shut down completely.

}}

I didn’t hear another word–neither from Damon nor Lilith. I just let them lead me back to the packhouse, my mind hollow, my steps automatic.

Deep down, I still couldn’t believe Natalia was truly gone.

But maybe Damon was right. Maybe she hadn’t just left me–maybe she had given up on everything… because loving me had become too painful to bear.

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The weight of loss hangs heavily over this chapter, as Andrei confronts the painful reality of his mate’s death and the regrets that have long haunted him. His grief is raw and unfiltered, a testament to the love he failed to fully express in life but now mourns with a heart laid bare. The funeral pyre, though devoid of her physical presence, becomes a powerful symbol of both remembrance and the irrevocable finality of loss, while the tension between the characters underscores the complex emotions tied to love, betrayal, and forgiveness.

Yet amid the sorrow and blame, there is a fragile thread of hope woven through Lilith’s quiet support and Andrei’s willingness to face his pain. Though Damon’s anger serves as a harsh reminder of past failures, it also illuminates the necessity of accountability and the possibility of healing. This chapter closes on a somber note, reflecting the bittersweet truth that while some wounds may never fully heal, the journey toward redemption and understanding has only just begun.

The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the tangled emotions and fractured relationships that have been simmering beneath the surface. As Andrei grapples with the weight of loss and regret, the tension between him and Damon is bound to escalate, revealing more about their shared past and the wounds that divide them. Lilith’s presence adds another layer of complexity, her intentions and loyalties likely to be tested as the fragile peace shatters.

Expect moments charged with raw vulnerability and unspoken truths, where grief and anger collide in unexpected ways. The characters are on the brink of confronting not only their personal demons but also the consequences of choices made long ago. As the ashes of the past settle, the path forward remains uncertain, promising a chapter rich in emotional depth and stirring conflict.

Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.