Page 21 of Insatiable Hunger

“I just can’t, Lazarus. What you want can only be in our dreams,” Alaska snapped, lowering her head. “I’ve been with him for so long, and he’s just…. I know it’s wrong, but—”

“See? You said it yourself. It’s wrong. He’s wrong for you. You know it. You don’t want to be with him, so why are you? Why stay? Just leave him.”

“You don’t know him like I do!” She raised her voice, ripping her hands from mine as a single tear fell from her eyes. Her hands burned, balled into fists at her side, glowing brighter than I had ever seen them. Her face was painted with multiple emotions: anger, sadness, fear.

“Dreamer?” I tilted her face up, staring into her reddened eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you. I just…” I sighed. “I just want you. All of you.”

“I can’t give you what you want.” She sniffled. “He…” Her words trailed off as she tried to look away.

My hands cradled her face, gently forcing it back to face me. “He what?” Her expression changed, breaking as she refused to answer me. Her behavior had always made me question Cain’s aggression, the way she flinched when he slammed that rock into the lock earlier, her uneasiness to leave the room withouthis approval. It all but confirmed my suspicions of how he treated her when no one was looking. My arms flexed as I fought back my anger, my jaw clenching as I spoke to her.

“Alaska, tell me the truth. Does he hurt you?” Her eyes widened with fear as she shook her head in response. Anger bubbled in my chest at her reaction, dreading the answer. “Don’t lie to me, darling. Tell me the truth. Does. Cain. Hurt. You?” I demanded, dreading the words.

Another tear rushed down her reddened cheek. “I—,” She hesitated. “It has only happened a few times.” The painful whisper stabbed my heart, and fury boiled in my veins as my muscles tightened with wrath.I knew it.

“When?” I growled. The idea of him putting hands on Alaska, onmywoman—it was wrong. He had no right.

“Lazarus, please, he—”

“When?” Alastair barked at my raised voice, but I couldn’t control myself. My body was flooded with rage.

“Last week!” she shouted, tears flowing from her eyes. “Last week. That’s why–that’s why I stood you up.” The pain she visibly showed softened my touch as I realized the burden she was carrying and how my reaction must’ve made her feel. My shoulders relaxed as I tried to calm down, swallowing my anger, filled with shame.

“I didn’t want you to know,” she sniffled. “He was mad at me for working so much—for being away from him. I tried to calm him down, but you’ve seen how he gets. That anger… there’s no stopping it once it starts!” She rubbed her eyes, her skin flushing at the roughness. “I can’t leave him. If I do, he’ll hurt me. Even if I run away, he’ll still find a way to get to me. You know he will. That’s why I can’t be with you, Lazarus. Not because I don’t want to, but because Ican’t.” Alaska sobbed her words up at me, pushing my hands back as she slammed her fists into my chest with each beat of her voice. “Even if my heart aches and longsfor you. I’m starving to be free of him and give myself fully to you, but I can’t! I’m trapped, Lazarus!” she cried. I grabbed her arms and yanked her close as I hugged her tightly, stroking her hair. “I’m broken, Lazarus.” Her voice was muffled as she spoke into my chest, tears soaking my shirt. “Damaged. You may think you want me, but you don’t. He’s defiled me with his venom as my soul rots from the inside out. I can never give you what you want because I can never be free.” My heart shattered at her harrowing words.

“Alaska,” I pulled her from my chest and stared into her eyes, “there is absolutelynothingwrong with you. You are not damaged. You are not poisoned. You are perfect, and I want youexactlyas you are.” My mouth slammed down onto hers, the saltiness of her tears mixing with our saliva as I kissed her fiercely, unable to hold back my emotions.

“I–” she breathed against my lips. “I want you too,” she whined. “I just—”

“Don’t.” I reluctantly broke my mouth from hers, pulling back. “I’m sorry for being a selfish prick. I’ll stay your secret as long as you want me to. But Alaska,” my gaze darkened, “if he touches you again, hurts you in any way, or even makes you feel unsafe…” She listened to my words carefully. “I’ll kill him.”

And I meant it.

Chapter

Twenty

LAZARUS

Alaska returned to my chest, hugging me close as she calmed her tears. I nestled my face into her hair, deeply inhaling her scent, my heart fluttering as we sat in that peaceful moment. All I wanted was to keep her safe and protect her. She wasmine, and I would do anything to keep it that way.

“You’re wrong, you know.” Alaska muffled her words into my shirt. “I’m not his.” She lifted her head, a soft smile now stretched along her reddened face. “I’m yours, Lazarus.” The statement excited me as I leaned in and kissed her fiercely. “Damn straight, darling,” I spoke into her mouth, the end of mine curling into a smirk.

Distant voices interrupted the passionate moment, causing Alaska to immediately pull away from me as Alastair, who had been laying at our feet, perked up. I could see her usual guilt return as she fidgeted with her hands, her eyes shying away.

“Hey,” she glanced up at me, “this isoursecret, and I’ll keep it that way as long as you wish. But just know that when you’re with me, I’m going to make sure you forgetheeven exists. You're mine, and I intend to remind you of that in every way possible.”She bit her lower lip, her fingertips faintly brightening.That’s my girl.

Bright light hit our faces as the voices we heard came close enough to decipher, belonging to Ruby and Jinx. “Oh.” Ruby raised a brow as Alaska stepped back, increasing the distance between us. “Hope we didn’t interrupt anything. Everything okay over here?” she asked, crossing her arms with a raised brow.

“Peachy.” I grinned as Alaska’s cheeks burned.

Jinx made a face, bouncing on her toes as Ruby eyed the two of us. “Mhm.”

Alastair huffed, catching everyone’s attention when Cain silently stepped from behind a large statue nearby, a dirty, well-used shovel in his hand. Alaska’s face dropped at the unexpected sight of him. My own smile faded, my jaw tightening as I watched him shuffle over to the rest of the group. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d seen us or heard what we said. It made me nervous, uneasy as I eyed him, his face beaming with a strange delight. His eyes met mine, those dead irises glistening, as if hearing my thoughts. Knowing he’d laid hands on Alaska, that he’d hurt her, made my blood boil. My fists tightened, pulsating with rage, fighting against every ounce of my being screamed for me to beat the shit out of him, but I remained silent, respecting Alaska’s wishes.You lucky bastard.

Cain leaned against a tombstone, crossing his legs as he toyed with the shovel. “I don’t know about you guys,” he raised the shovel, examining the muddy dirt covered spade, “but I found something pretty interesting.” We all stared at him, unsure how to respond.

“Unless it's a ride back to the cabin, I don’t think we care to see it, Cain,” Ruby groaned.

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