As I walked closer and closer to the door, the smell kept getting clearer, still very faint but it was a bit clearer as I stood right in front of the door.
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion because I could not recognize what that smell was.
It's not good, it's rusty almost bloody, and rotten.
The thought of how familiar this smell is with the smell of death was pushed at the back of my mind, due to how creepy that was.
Why would my basement smell like blood and death?
Curiosity got the best of me overpowering the fear that oozes all over me.
I lifted my hand which was trembling for some reason, extending it to the doorknob, determined to open the door and go downstairs to find the source of the smell.
But before I could even touch the knob, a tight almost painful hand gripped my wrist in a death hold, I almost felt like my bone is going to break under that hold.
A loud gasp escaped from my mouth because of the sudden attack and also because of the fear that shot into my body due to the smell of death.
The pain in my wrist brought me back to reality, quickly processing what was happening.
Damon is standing in front of me, dressed in nothing but his sweatpants as usual, holding my wrist in a death grip and looking down at me with anger in his eyes.
I was taken aback by this sight.
Not once in all these years that I have been mated to Danon, has he ever looked at me like that.
With anger.
Not once has he ever made me feel scared of him or touched me in any way but gently.
That is why being in this situation got me shocked at how I could feel my omega wolf whimpering out of fear and wincing out of pain in my wrist and the pain in my heart.
I didn't feel safe.
For the first time in my whole life, I didn't feel safe with my own mate who has always been my safe space.
" Where were you going?" His tone…
He didn't ask me in his usual gentle soft tone that he always uses with me.
His tone right now sounded so angry, aggressive, loud, and scary as he gripped my wrist rougher.
I was so shocked and scared that I could not process what was happening to the point that I could not even form any sentence.
" Fucking answer me, Nikolai," Damon spoke louder and angrier this time as he gripped my wrist even harder and pulled me toward him.
My heart raced but it was not because of love or excitement as usual but because of fear when I noticed the red angry light in his eyes.
I don't know when, but suddenly I felt some warm wet droplets running down my cheeks while staring into his eyes in shock and fear.
The sight of my tears finally made him realize what he had done.
The anger in his eyes immediately vanished and was replaced by shock and regret "My Lo…" Before he could even utter a word, I snatched my writs out of his grip when I felt his hand was not as tightly holding me anymore, then instantly rushed upstairs.
I could not control the loud sob that escaped my mouth, I wiped my tears while running as fast as possible toward my bedroom.
" Nikolai, wait… baby wait…" I could hear Damon rushing after me, trying to stop me from running, but I was fast enough to rush to the bathroom that was attached to my bedroom and locked myself in it.
Damon bumped into the door and started knocking " No…. Nikolai… Open the door please, baby… Talk to me, please let me explain."
He kept knocking, asking me to open the door, and begging as well as apologizing.
I could not control those panic sobs that were coming out of my mouth, I wrapped my arms around my body, in an attempt to make myself feel safer.
My feet paced to the toilet, and my body moved on autopilot, closing the lid so that I could sit on it, staring blankly at my bruised wrist.
"Baby, please open the door. I'm so sorry. Please let me see you." I could still hear Damon apologizing and knocking on the door even though he could easily break the door and come inside, but he knew if he did it, it would only frighten me even more and I refused to talk or listen to him.
I can't believe my gentle husband who has always treated me like a rare diamond all my life, just yelled at me and hurt me physically.
I know holding someone's wrist isn't supposed to be that painful, but Damon is true blood, he is not a human, and his physical strength is insane.
If he was just a little angrier, he could have broken my wrist easily.
My wrist now is all bruised and red, it's painful.
" Leave me alone, Damon," I said loud enough for him to hear me as I held my body tighter.
" No, no, no baby, please. Please open the door and listen to me. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. Nikolai." He kept going again but I could not stand up and open the door because I genuinely was scared of him.
Why would he do that to me?
Why would my mate make me feel scared for no reason at all?
Just why?
I don't understand.
How could he ruin his image in my eyes just in twenty seconds?
Twenty seconds was enough to change the image of my gentle, caring, and supporting husband into that cruel, scary, and angry guy that I could not even recognize.
A knock cut off the train of my thoughts, and my gaze averted to the door when I heard another knock, but this knock was not from his knuckles.
He rested his head on the door, that's what it sounded like " Baby, please. I'm begging you, Niko. Just let me in. Let me explain. Baby I didn't mean to do that."
What was in that basement that got him so angry when he saw I wanted to go there and see?
Is he hiding something there?