Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 15

Pearl

We had finally found a cabin. I was cold, and my entire body was soaked. My clothes clung to my skin, and I kept rubbing my arms for warmth like a shivering kitten lost in the rain. Demyan was walking ahead of me, confidently leading the way like he was some heroic knight on a mission—which, knowing him, he probably imagined he was.

He suddenly turned back and faced me, pulling out his knife with a swift motion. My eyes widened, and before I could say a word, he placed the blade gently on his lips and whispered, “Shush.”

That one word made my heart skip a beat. Why do you sound so dramatic, Demyan? Are we in a war movie now? I looked around frantically, half-expecting someone to jump out of the bushes with a sword. My fingers were trembling, and not just from the cold.

He stepped toward me with that ever-so-slight smirk of his, his voice dropping to a whisper as his lips neared my ear. “Don’t be scared, kitten. I’m here for you, and I will protect you.”

Oh no. Not the kitten again. His voice was so deep, warm, and annoyingly smooth that I almost forgot how irritated I was by that nickname. I stared at him, momentarily dazed. Demyan in wet clothes is... a problem. A real problem. His soaked shirt clung to his body like it had no shame, outlining his abs so clearly I wanted to poke one just to check if they were real. And when he rolled up his sleeves? Veins. Actual veins. Why do guys with veins have this effect?

I shook my head furiously. Stop. Thinking. About. Him. Like. That. Pearl! You are a boy here. Act like one!

“Stay here. I’ll investigate the cabin and be back,” he said seriously, before creeping toward the window and opening it just a crack, peeking inside like some secret agent. I stood there, shivering, watching him play detective. He turned back to me and gave a dramatic thumbs-up, like he just cleared an enemy bunker. Okay Rambo, calm down.

Then, like a true action hero, he slipped inside the door. I waited, chewing on my lip nervously. A moment later, he reappeared with that proud grin on his face, gesturing to me like he’d just won us a mansion. I sprinted toward him, eager to get inside and out of these wet clothes. He held the door open like a gentleman and then quietly shut it behind me.

The cabin was small but cozy, like something out of a forgotten fairy tale. The walls were wooden, the windows dusty, and there was a fireplace in the corner that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Still, it was shelter, and at this point, I would’ve taken a cave with a raccoon as a roommate.

I walked inside and hugged myself tighter. Demyan noticed and quickly moved to search the room, checking every corner like someone might be hiding under the old table or inside the fireplace. Honestly, if there were monsters here, I hope they’re less annoying than Demyan. We had three days to complete this mission and we need to save the totem and I'm the one incharge of it.

He lit a small lantern he found on the shelf and turned to me with a grin. “Well, it’s not a palace, but it’s ours for the night. Congratulations, roommate.”

“Roommate?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Of course. You don’t expect me to sleep outside, do you? What if a bear comes? You’d miss me terribly.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I could’ve seen the back of my brain. “I’d miss the silence, maybe.”

He laughed and began wringing out his shirt, droplets flying everywhere. I jumped away, squealing, “Hey! Are you trying to drown me again?”

“It’s just water, kitten. Calm down.”

“I swear, if you call me that one more time—”

“Okay, okay. You’re not a kitten... you’re a soaked rat.”

I gasped and smacked his arm. He laughed even harder, the kind that makes his eyes crinkle and his dimples show. Why does he have dimples? That’s so unfair.

Then he suddenly turned serious and looked at me. “You’re shivering. We need to change.”

Change. As in clothes. My eyes darted around the room, hoping to find separate rooms, curtains, anything.

How am I supposed to change in front of him? My heart was beating faster as I clutched my clothes tightly. Think, Pearl. Think of something! You absolutely cannot change in front of him!

Suddenly, I felt a warm breeze tickle my ear. I flinched—of course, it was Demyan. That annoying man was blowing into my ear again! I shoved him away, half-panicking, half-irritated. Why does he keep doing this?!

He burst into laughter, bending slightly while holding his stomach like he’d heard the funniest joke in the world.

“Stop laughing!! It’s annoying!” I snapped, wrapping my arms tightly around my chest and turning away from him. I probably looked like a furious kitten trying to protect a treasure.

“Okay, okay—I’m sorry,” he said between chuckles. “I won’t tease you again.” Then, with that smug smile, he added, “We’re both boys, right? Why so shy? We can change in front of each other.”

“Noo!!” I blurted, without even thinking. The word escaped me like a reflex. Oh no… why did I say that so fast?! I closed my eyes and bit my lip, internally screaming at myself. Now he’s definitely going to suspect something!

But instead of teasing again, he surprised me. He gave me a small pat on the shoulder and said calmly, “I get it. You’re still worried I’ll call your body girly or something, huh? Alright, alright—I’ll turn around. You can change in peace. I promise I won’t peek.” Then, with a grin, he added, “And you know I never break a promise.”

That was true. As annoying as he was, Demyan never broke his promises. Even when he drove me crazy, his words had weight. I let out a small sigh of relief. Just this once… I’ll believe him.

Then he turned around dramatically, covering his eyes with both hands and yelling, “I swear on my future six-pack, I won’t peek!”

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost gave me a headache. “You already have a six-pack, you lunatic.”

“Exactly. That’s why I have a lot to lose if I break the promise,” he said, peeking through his fingers for a split second and then quickly covering again. “Kidding! Just kidding!”

This man is going to be the death of me.

As I slowly began to change, facing the wall and making sure every move was quiet, I kept glancing over my shoulder to make sure Demyan wasn’t turning around. He had his back to me, arms crossed, and was whistling some ridiculous tune like he was proud of how “honorable” he was being.

He better not turn around or I’ll kick him so hard his future six-pack won’t survive…

“Are you done yet?” he asked without looking.

“No. Shut up.”

“Okay, okay. Just making sure you're not frozen like a statue back there. I swear you're more dramatic than my aunt's pet peacock,” he muttered.

I rolled my eyes again and struggled with my soaked pants. Ugh, this is harder than I thought. Wet clothes are the enemy. Just as I was pulling my shirt over my head— I heard a noise.

“What was that?,” I said, my voice trembling.

“Don't worry it must be a wild animal out there” he said so calmly

I will never understand this man. How can he stay so calm in this kind of situation, we are out in the woods and anything can happen here. I'm dead scared and he is soo cool.

He was whistling like a saint—which he was definitely not. I quickly pulled off my wet clothes and changed into the dry ones from my satchel. “You done?” he asked, still facing the wall like an obedient little wolf.

“One second!” I said, struggling to tie the shirt properly. My fingers were frozen and clumsy. Just as I was fixing the buttons, I heard a thud behind me.

I turned around—and there he was.

Not only had he peeked—he’d tripped over his own boots, fallen backward, and landed flat on the wooden bed… which gave out a dramatic CRACK and collapsed beneath him.

“Demyan!!” I shrieked, half-laughing, half-panicked. He groaned from the wreckage, one arm hanging off the broken frame.

“Well… looks like we’ll need another bed,” he mumbled.

“Oh moon goddess, you broke it with your giant body!”

“My giant body just saved your life, kitten. Be grateful,” he replied, giving me a crooked smirk from his position on the floor.

“Whatever,” I said, trying not to smile.

We gathered our things, planning to leave the mess behind, but then—

Knock. Knock.

A cold breeze slipped through the window. We both froze.

Someone was outside.

Demyan was on his feet in an instant, motioning for me to stay quiet. He slowly approached the door, eyes narrowed like a predator.

Another knock—louder this time.

He reached for the handle.

I held my breath.

And just before he opened it—

“You shouldn’t have come here.”

A low, unfamiliar voice from behind the door.