He Knows the Door to My Soul and Who Forgot to Novel 61

Andrei is overwhelmed by anger and hurt as he watches Natalia walk away from him, her cold and distant demeanor cutting deeply. She has given him no explanation about the abortion, leaving him confused and betrayed. His fists clench in frustration as he struggles to understand how she can treat him like a stranger after everything they shared.

Determined to confront her, Andrei follows Natalia with his Beta and warrior, his fury barely contained. He recalls the pain of her supposed death and the funeral, where he revealed his true feelings and regrets. Meanwhile, Natalia seems unaffected, focused on patrol duties and discussing their defenses with a professional attitude. Yet, Andrei senses something is off, especially remembering her compassion for animals and how coldly she spoke about their child.

As the patrol continues, Andrei suspects Natalia is hiding something important. He resolves to uncover the truth behind her behavior and the abortion. When the patrol ends, he invites her to dinner, hoping to spend more time alone with her and perhaps get her to open up, using the excuse of needing a warm meal after a long day.

Despite Natalia’s suspicion, Andrei insists, emphasizing their shared need for rest and food. He also has a plan to keep Damon away and reduce suspicion around Aria and the pack. His determination to uncover the truth about their child and Natalia’s actions drives him to hold on to this opportunity, unwilling to let her slip away without answers.

Andrei

A fierce wave of anger surged through me as I watched Natalia turn and walk away. The chill in her demeanor cut deeper than I expected, leaving me stunned by how cold and distant she had become. She hadn’t even spared me the courtesy of explaining anything about the abortion—no words, no explanations, just silence.

My fists clenched so tightly that my nails pressed painfully into my palms. How could she? How dare she act like I was nothing more than a stranger to her now?

I rose to my feet and motioned for my Beta and warrior to follow. Without hesitation, I set off after Natalia, my fury simmering just beneath the surface, ready to boil over. Earlier, I might have allowed my eyes to linger on her lithe figure, encased in those tight leather clothes, but now, all I felt was a burning desire to shake some sense into her—or maybe just to throttle someone.

Did she have any idea what her supposed “death” had done to me? To our pack? Did she even care about the chaos and pain she left behind?

The memory of the funeral flashed in my mind. Standing there, staring at the pyre, feeling as if someone had hollowed out my chest with a melon baller, watching flames consume a body that wasn’t even hers. I had finally opened up, spoken honestly from the depths of my heart—how I regretted never showing her she was loved, how I longed for a chance to make things right.

And all the while, she was out there somewhere, very much alive, planning a new life with my brother.

Had she been this cold all along? Or had Damon somehow twisted her, manipulated her until she became this unfeeling shell, capable of talking about aborting our child as if it were nothing?

We continued the patrol in a heavy silence. Natalia pointed out weaknesses in our defenses, suggested new patrol schedules and guard rotations—business as usual. I forced myself to adopt a professional demeanor, even though my wolf growled beneath my skin, furious and betrayed.

Still, something about the whole situation didn’t sit right with me.

I kept returning to the image of her looking at that dying fawn—the tears welling in her eyes. She had always loved animals, especially the young ones. That part of her hadn’t changed over the years.

So how could she speak so coldly about our own child?

Unless…

Unless she was hiding something.

Whatever it was, I was determined to uncover the truth.

The rest of the patrol passed uneventfully. We marked key guard points, finalized patrol schedules, and identified emergency meeting spots. By the time we returned to the vehicles, the sun was high in the sky, casting a harsh light over the landscape.

“I think that covers everything,” Natalia said, glancing at her phone. “I should head back to the pack house. Damon’s probably still there.”

“Wait,” I said, stepping closer, lowering my voice. “Have dinner with me.”

She snapped her head up, surprise flashing in her eyes. “What?”

“Dinner,” I repeated simply.

Her gaze sharpened, suspicion evident. “Why would I do that?”

I shrugged, trying to force a smile that felt more like a grimace. “Because we’ve been hiking all day, and it’s a long drive back to my place. My men—and the warrior Damon left with her—we could all use something warm in our stomachs.”

The warrior raised his eyebrows but didn’t object. Honestly, I was starving myself.

And if I could get Natalia alone just a little longer, perhaps loosen her tongue with a glass or three of that rich red wine she used to love…

After all, I’d sent that rogue in Ashmoor uniform to harass the girls. I needed Damon away from Aria, fewer people around us, less suspicion.

After all my efforts, I wasn’t about to let her walk away now—not when I had a lead that she might be hiding something about our child.

“Come on,” I said, planting my hands on my hips, trying to sound casual but firm. “You wouldn’t refuse your new ally a meal, would you?”

The tension between Andrei and Natalia lingers palpably, woven with layers of betrayal, unresolved pain, and unspoken truths. Their shared history and the weight of their lost child cast long shadows over their interactions, making every glance and word charged with raw emotion. Yet, beneath the anger and suspicion, there remains a fragile thread of connection—a hope that through confrontation and honesty, the walls between them might begin to crumble.

As they prepare to share a meal, the promise of a quiet moment together offers a glimmer of possibility amidst the turmoil. It is in these small, tentative steps that the story finds its emotional heart: the yearning for understanding, the struggle to reclaim what was lost, and the courage to face the unknown truths that bind them. The chapter closes on this delicate balance, leaving the door open for revelation and reconciliation.

Tensions simmer as Andrei’s determination to uncover the truth about Natalia’s coldness and the secrets she might be hiding grows stronger. The fragile remnants of their past connection are tested further when he invites her to dinner, a seemingly simple act loaded with unspoken emotions and the hope of breaking through her guarded exterior. The atmosphere is thick with unresolved pain, suspicion, and a longing for answers that neither is ready to fully confront.

As the next chapter unfolds, expect the delicate dance between Andrei and Natalia to deepen, revealing cracks in their armor and stirring emotions long buried. The presence of Damon looms like a shadow, complicating loyalties and stirring undercurrents of jealousy and betrayal. Will the evening bring clarity or further confusion? The stakes are high, and the fragile balance between trust and resentment teeters on the edge.

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.