He Knows the Door to My Soul and Who Forgot to Novel 46

Andrei struggles with guilt, blaming himself for not being a better protector to Lilith, who was taken from him once before. Despite evidence suggesting Lilith’s involvement in drugging Damon and arranging an attack on Natalia, Andrei refuses to condemn her. He sees Lilith not as a villain but as a scared and hurt woman who has suffered enough. He quietly tells Lilith to go home, leaving Natalia frustrated and angry at his decision.

Natalia is incredulous that Andrei would let Lilith go after everything that has happened. She insists Lilith tried to kill her and drugged Damon, but Andrei remains steadfast, emphasizing that they don’t know the full truth and that Lilith’s trauma must be considered. Natalia realizes that Andrei’s loyalty to Lilith is unwavering, and that he will protect her no matter what, even if it means disregarding the harm done to Natalia and Damon.

Feeling betrayed and disillusioned, Natalia decides to leave with Damon, who is weak from the effects of wolfsbane. She recognizes that Andrei has made his choice long ago, putting Lilith’s needs and crimes above everything else. As they leave, Andrei calls after her and hands over a bottle of ointment for her leg, a small gesture of care amid the tension.

Despite this brief moment of kindness, Natalia understands that Andrei’s priorities have not changed, and she feels the painful truth that he would not be concerned if she were to disappear again. The chapter ends with Natalia standing alone, holding the ointment, while Andrei walks away, leaving the fractured relationships and unresolved conflicts hanging in the air.

Dammit, I still blamed myself. If I had just been a better Alpha, a better protector, Lilith never would have been taken. I had already failed her once. Could I really condemn her now over something that might not be her fault?

“Andrei,” Natalia said sharply, making me look at her. There was that fire in her eyes again. “She drugged Damon. She arranged for me to be attacked. You know she did.”

Natalia might have been right–hell, the evidence certainly pointed in Lilith’s direction. But looking at Lilith crying, remembering all she’d endured, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t look at her and see a woman who would do something so awful. I just saw a frightened, hurt woman who had suffered enough.

“Go home,” I said quietly.

“What?” Natalia’s voice rose. “You’re just letting her-”

“I said go home, Lilith.” I didn’t look at Natalia again. “My Beta will take you home.”

Lilith didn’t need to be told twice. She fled from the tent. I didn’t watch her go, but rather found myself watching Natalie’s reaction–disbelief, then frustration, then rage. Her mouth twisted in a new way with every emotion.

And all the while, even as Lilith’s sobs faded into the distance, all I could think about was how Natalia’s lips had briefly been on mine.

And how, unexpectedly, my desperate attempt to make her tell me everything had only backfired.

Because today had been a disaster. And the wolf inside of me wanted to taste her lips one more time.

Natalia

I stared at Andrei in disbelief. He had just let her go. After everything we’d seen, all the evidence, he’d just sent

her home like a child who had misbehaved at school.

“You can’t be serious,” I said.

Andrei wouldn’t meet my eyes. “It’s a family matter. I’ll handle it.”

“A family matter?” I scoffed. “She tried to have me killed! She drugged my mate!”

“We don’t know that for certain.”

Damon gestured to the laptop. “Is a fucking video of her dropping something into my drink not enough evidence?”

“You don’t understand what she’s been through,” Andrei said, staring at the now–dark laptop screen. “The trauma she endured-”

“Trauma doesn’t give someone a free pass to attempt murder!”

But I could see it in his face. In my eyes, he’d already made up his mind. Lilith could drug people, arrange attacks, try to destroy lives, and he’d still choose her. Still protect her. Because he loved her, and he didn’t care what

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happened to me or Damon.

The tiny hope I’d been nurturing, that maybe Andrei wasn’t the monster I’d once thought he was–it died right there in that security tent.

If there was ever any doubt in my mind that one or perhaps even both of them hadn’t arranged the attacks on me five years ago, then it was gone now. I didn’t trust this situation one bit.

“We’re leaving,” I said, taking Damon’s arm. “Come on.”

Damon stood without protest. He looked exhausted, the lingering wolfsbane in his system making him sluggish and weak. I guided him toward the exit, needing to get out of there before things spiraled even further.

“Natalia, wait.”

I didn’t stop. Didn’t turn around. Andrei had made his choice five years ago, and he’d just made it again. Lilith would always come first. Her needs, her wants, her crimes–all forgiven because he had never stopped loving her.

And whether it was her or him who tried to get me out of the picture, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the fact that he wouldn’t care if I suddenly disappeared or “died” again.

We made it to the parking lot, where I helped Damon into the passenger seat–I had long since sobered up and felt well enough to drive–before I heard footsteps behind us. I spun around, knowing who it was without even having to look. Andrei was holding something out to me.

The bottle of ointment from earlier.

“For your leg,” he said simply, pressing it into my hand. “Use it twice a day. It’ll help with the scarring.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and left me standing there.

The chapter closes on a poignant note of fractured loyalties and unresolved pain. Andrei’s unwavering protection of Lilith, despite the accusations and evidence against her, reveals the depth of his love and the complexity of his choices. His decision to send Lilith away, rather than condemn her, underscores the theme of compassion intertwined with the burden of past trauma. Meanwhile, Natalia’s feelings of betrayal and isolation intensify, highlighting the emotional chasms that have opened between the characters.

In the quiet exchange of the ointment, there is a subtle gesture of care amidst the tension—a reminder that even in conflict, there remains a thread of humanity. Yet, as Andrei walks away, the distance between him and Natalia feels insurmountable, leaving her to grapple with the painful realization that some bonds may never be mended. The chapter ends with a lingering sense of longing and unresolved conflict, setting the stage for the characters to confront the consequences of their choices and the true cost of loyalty and love.

The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the fractured dynamics between Andrei, Natalia, and Lilith, where loyalties and betrayals blur even further. As Andrei’s unwavering protection of Lilith clashes with Natalia’s growing distrust and pain, tensions are bound to escalate, forcing each character to confront their own vulnerabilities and the harsh realities of their intertwined pasts. The fragile threads holding their relationships together may begin to unravel, revealing raw emotions and hidden motives.

Expect an emotional rollercoaster as Natalia wrestles with feelings of abandonment and betrayal, while Andrei grapples with his conflicting roles as protector, lover, and leader. The lingering question of who truly orchestrated the attacks hangs heavily in the air, promising moments of confrontation and uneasy alliances. The next chapter will challenge the characters’ perceptions of trust and loyalty, setting the stage for revelations that could change everything they thought they knew.

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.