He Knows the Door to My Soul and Who Forgot to Novel 1`0

In Chapter 10, the protagonist confronts Damon about the fate of his ex-wife, Natalia, whom Damon claims is likely dead. Despite Damon’s insistence, Andrei feels strongly that Natalia is alive and nearby. He refuses to give up the search, driven by his deep emotional connection and hope. Lilith tries to mediate, suggesting they be allowed to search the area to ease Andrei’s worries, but Damon denies permission, asserting control over his territory.

As days pass, Andrei’s men search covertly but find nothing. Still, Andrei’s intuition remains firm—Natalia is alive. One day, a young woman at Damon’s packhouse suggests he take a walk through the servant’s quarters. Following her advice, Andrei senses a faint but undeniable trace of Natalia’s presence, along with something new: the scent of a child, his child.

Determined, Andrei demands Damon unlock a locked door in the servant’s quarters, convinced Natalia is behind it. Damon refuses, citing rules and authority, but Andrei insists, leading to a tense standoff. Lilith tries to calm the situation, urging cooperation, but Andrei’s resolve breaks the lock, and he bursts into the room, calling out Natalia’s name, ready to confront whatever awaits inside.

Chapter 10

“I’m sorry you came all this way,” I said. “For nothing.”

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Your ex–wife is likely dead, Andrei. And I’m sorry for it. I always liked her.”

He winced, but he didn’t make a move to leave.

I sighed. Fine, then, if he wanted to play it this way.

He wouldn’t find her.

Not unless I let him.

ANDREI

Damon was lying.

I’d known him too long not to see it in the way he shifted his stance, the way his shoulders twitched when he spoke about Natalia like she was already gone.

She wasn’t.

I didn’t need proof. I didn’t need witnesses or a signature on a damn logbook. I could feel it in my bones. In my blood. In the ache that hadn’t dulled since she left.

She was alive.

And she was close.

But he wasn’t going to believe that.

“There’s been no body,” I said. “And without a body, I will go on looking for her. Forever, if I have to.”

Lilith’s voice filtered in, soft and diplomatic. “Damon, surely you understand how worried Andrei is. Natalia means a lot to him.”

I shot her a warning glance, but she kept talking.

“We’ve searched every neighboring region. All leads brought us here. If she truly isn’t here, why not let us check the grounds and put our minds at ease?”

Damon didn’t even blink. “Because this is my territory. And you’re not entitled to search anything.

I sighed.

“It’s been a long day, Damon. A long drive. Do you mind putting us up for a night or two?”

His arms crossed over his chest, but he reluctantly agreed to host us. And if Natalia was here, so help me, I was going to find her.

**

+25 Bonus

One or two days turned into a week.

I had my men search clandestinely. And they found nothing.

But I knew she wasn’t dead. I knew it.

I had taken to wandering Damon’s packhouse, trying to walk off the jittery, not–right feeling when a young woman looked at me in the packhouse kitchen and suggested a walk through the servant’s quarters.

“If you want to really stretch your legs,” she said. “It has a lot of steps.”

Anxious and restless, I decided to take her advice.

Up and down the steps of the servant’s quarters.

And that’s when I caught it.

A flicker.

A scent.

Something faint on the wind–so faint that I almost doubted it. But there it was.

The trace of her.

And something more.

The scent of her blood.

And something unfamiliar… new. Richer. Sharper. A child.

My child.

I moved fast, pounding on the door, but it was locked. I stormed back into the Alpha wing and found Damon, demanded he unlock the door.

“Alpha Andrei,” Damon barked, following me as I marched back to the servant’s wing. “You’re crossing a line.”

I stopped in front of the heavy door. Reinforced. Locked.

Private.

Too private.

“Open it,” I said.

“No,” Damon replied instantly, stepping between me and the door. “You are not permitted to open rooms in my house without cause.”

“I have cause.”

+25 Bonus

“You have suspicion. That’s not the same.”

Lilith stepped in between us, hands raised like she could smooth it all away. “Please, both of you. This is getting

out of hand.”

“I can smell her,” I snapped. “She’s behind that door.”

Damon’s eyes flared gold. “You’re mistaken.”

“Open. The. Door.”

“I said no.”

Lilith moved quickly to Damon’s side. “If she’s not in there, just open it. It’ll be over in minutes.

Damon hesitated. Just long enough.

I didn’t wait.

I stepped forward, grabbed the door handle, and shifted enough strength into my arm to crack the lock.

It gave with a metallic pop.

The door swung open.

“Natalia!” I shouted, stepping inside.

BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you

The weight of uncertainty and longing hung heavily in the air as Andrei’s relentless hope clashed with Damon’s guarded resistance. Despite the tension and unspoken truths, the chapter reveals the depths of Andrei’s unwavering belief in Natalia’s survival and the lengths he is willing to go to uncover the truth. The emotional turmoil is palpable, underscoring themes of love, loss, and the fierce determination to protect what remains hidden in the shadows.

In this charged moment, the fragile balance between trust and defiance teeters on the edge, highlighting the complexity of their intertwined fates. Andrei’s discovery of the scent and the locked door symbolizes both the barriers between them and the hope that still flickers within his heart. The chapter closes on a note of tense anticipation, a testament to the enduring power of love and the fierce will to reclaim what was thought lost.

Tensions reach a boiling point as Andrei confronts Damon, challenging the boundaries of trust and authority within the packhouse. The locked door symbolizes more than just a physical barrier—it holds secrets that could unravel the fragile alliances and hidden truths everyone has been tiptoeing around. Emotions run high, and every word exchanged carries the weight of desperation, hope, and unspoken fears. Readers will find themselves holding their breath, wondering what lies beyond that door and how its revelation will shift the dynamics between these complex characters.

As Andrei steps into the unknown, the scent of Natalia and the hint of a child stir a mix of hope and dread that promises to deepen the emotional stakes. The next chapter is poised to explore not only the truth behind Natalia’s disappearance but also the profound impact it will have on Andrei’s heart and the relationships that bind them all. Expect moments of raw vulnerability, unexpected revelations, and the tension of trust being tested in ways none of them anticipated.

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.