Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 29

Pearl

I wiped the tears from my eyes, sitting up a little straighter as I looked out at the river’s gentle current, the reflection of the sky fractured by ripples, just like my thoughts.

“I have to outsmart him,” I said softly, almost to myself. “Demyan is clever… he’s already suspicious. The way he looks at me—it’s like he sees through the mask I wear.”

Cecil turned to face me fully, her brows furrowing in concern. “Then we need to make the mask thicker. Give him something else to look at… someone else.”

I let out a small laugh through my nose, not from amusement, but exhaustion. “I understand what you're suggesting,” I said. “And I have an idea, Cecil. I just… hope it works.”

“It will work, my lady,” she said immediately, reaching for my hand and squeezing it tightly. “You're clever—always one step ahead. If anyone can do this, it’s you.”

Her faith in me warmed something inside my chest, but it also made the guilt grow heavier. “I’ll pretend I’m using the private bathhouse at sunset. That’s when he’ll follow. He’s waiting for a slip, something to prove what I really am.”

I looked away, swallowing hard. “And we’ll give him exactly what he wants—just not the truth. I’ll have someone else there, a man my size. He’ll see what he wants to see and stop looking so closely.”

Cecil nodded, but I could feel her gaze resting on me like a soft weight. “It’s a good plan,” she said. “But you look like your heart is breaking.”

I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening into the earth beneath me. “Because it is,” I whispered. “I never wanted to lie this much. I never wanted to fear being seen. And I especially didn’t want to fear… him.”

My voice cracked at the end, and I hated it. Cecil leaned her head gently against mine, letting me have the silence I needed.

After a while, I looked at her again. “There’s someone who can help. A friend from my village. He knows my secret. He won’t ask questions.”

“I’ll bring him,” she said instantly.

“It’s far,” I warned, brushing a tear from my cheek. “It will take hours.”

“I don’t care. I’d ride through the night for you if I had to,” she said with fierce loyalty. “But I’ll be back before sunset. I promise.”

I smiled and placed my hand on her shoulder. “Without you, Cecil… I don’t think I’d be able to keep going. Not like this.”

“You’ll make it through,” she whispered. “You’re stronger than you think.”

I nodded slowly. “Alright then. Let’s do this. One more trick. One more lie… and maybe I’ll finally be able to breathe.”

Cecil stood, brushing the grass from her skirt. “I’ll leave now. Rest while I’m gone. You'll need your strength when it’s time.”

She disappeared into the trees, and I sat alone with the river once more.

It wasn’t just Demyan I had to fool.

It was myself too.

The sun had begun to dip below the trees, painting the sky in warm gold and crimson. I stayed by the river longer than I meant to, watching the colors shift, wondering if I’d ever feel as calm as they looked.

My hands trembled slightly, though I tried to steady them. This game I played—of pretending to be someone I wasn’t—was starting to blur into my bones. I didn’t know where Pearl ended and Perin began anymore.

Footsteps. Steady. Measured. I turned sharply.

Demyan.

Of course, it was him. His eyes found me in an instant, intense and unreadable, like always. I straightened my back instinctively, my voice caught somewhere between my chest and throat.

“You’re alone,” he said, a statement more than a question.

“I wanted quiet,” I replied, trying to keep my voice even.

He stepped closer. “It’s not safe for you to be wandering near the forest alone. Especially not after what happened.”

I lowered my gaze. “I can take care of myself.”

He was silent for a long time, and when I looked up again, his eyes weren’t hard. They were… soft. Curious. Like he saw something I hadn’t meant to show.

“What is it that you’re hiding?” he asked, barely above a whisper.

My heart stopped. My fingers dug into the fabric of my cloak.

“I’m not hiding anything,” I said too quickly.

He tilted his head. “You say that, but your eyes tell a different story.”

The moment stretched. He took another step forward. He was so close I could feel his warmth, the quiet thunder of his breath.

“I’m not your enemy, Perin,” he murmured. “But you make me feel like one.”

I looked up at him—and for the briefest moment—I almost told him. Almost whispered, My name is Pearl.

But I didn’t. I couldn’t.

Instead, I smiled bitterly and said, “You think too much.”

He held my gaze for a second longer before letting out a soft scoff. “Maybe I do.”

Then he turned and walked away without another word, leaving me standing alone beneath the twilight.

My throat burned.

I’d nearly broken.

I exhaled, shaky and silent, clutching the river stone beside me like it could ground me.

“Just a little longer,” I whispered to the wind. “Just until tonight.”

_______

The soft orange glow of lanterns lined the narrow path toward the private bathhouse. My heart pounded in my chest with every step I took. The plan had been set in motion. Cecil had returned with my childhood friend—Tomas—just in time. He was already waiting inside, disguised in one of my robes, hidden by the heavy steam and flickering shadows.

I clutched the towel against my chest, trying to steady my breathing. The evening air was cool, brushing against my skin like a warning. I could feel it—Demyan was watching. Somewhere hidden in the trees, or behind the tall stone walls, I could sense him.

He never missed a chance to follow me when suspicion clawed at him.

I stepped into the bathhouse slowly, deliberately. I could barely hear my own thoughts over the thudding in my ears. The warm scent of cedar and lavender greeted me, mingling with the swirl of rising steam. I walked past the outer curtain, careful to make just enough noise with the water jugs to convince any hidden observer that I was preparing for a bath.

Behind the second curtain, Tomas was already in the pool, facing away. His build was close to mine, his hair tucked up in the same way I wore mine as Perin. He didn’t speak. We had agreed on silence.

I placed my robe near the wall and pretended to step into the water, splashing lightly as I mimicked the motion.

Then I slipped behind the tall wooden screen and waited.

Every second stretched like an hour. My breath caught when I heard the softest creak near the wall. Someone was watching.

Please believe it, Demyan, I thought desperately. Let this trick fool you. Let me keep the secret a little longer.

I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against the wooden panel, willing the nerves to leave me. My fingers trembled.

After what felt like forever, the sound of quiet footsteps fading into the distance reached my ears. I held my breath.

“Is it done?” Tomas whispered softly from the other side.

“I… I think so,” I breathed.

I waited several more minutes before I dared to peek outside. No sign of Demyan.

I gathered my robe quickly and slipped out the back entrance, heart racing.

Cecil was waiting behind the trees, her expression tense. “Did he come?”

I nodded slowly, eyes wide. “Yes. And I think… I think he believed it.”

She smiled, but I could see the worry in her eyes. “Then let’s go before he changes his mind.”

As we hurried back toward our quarters, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Demyan had followed, yes—but had he left satisfied?

Or had I just given him more questions.

*__*----*__*

DEMYAN POV

I kept my distance, hiding behind the trees that surrounded the private bathhouse. My instincts screamed that something was off with Perin—his scent, the softness of his voice, the way he carried himself... too delicate. Too careful.

And yet, part of me questioned myself. Was I going mad? Was I looking too deeply into something that didn’t exist?

As I watched from the shadows, I saw Perin approach the bathhouse, shoulders tense, head lowered like he was wary of being watched. That only fueled my suspicions. If he had nothing to hide, why did he move like prey?

He disappeared behind the wooden screen. I waited.

Minutes passed, tension coiling in my chest like a tightening rope. Then, just as I considered stepping closer, I heard the splash of water and caught a glimpse—bare shoulders, a man’s silhouette, just enough to blur the image I had in my mind.

I narrowed my eyes, unsure.

He… he really is a boy?

I blinked. My breath caught in my throat as I leaned against the tree, closing my eyes for a second.

Was I wrong this whole time?

Something about it still felt off, but everything in front of me pointed to the obvious. Maybe I let my mind wander too far, fueled by desire… curiosity… the strange pull I felt toward him.

I shook my head.

“This is madness,” I muttered to myself, stepping back, allowing the shadows to swallow me once more.

But still—my heart didn’t believe what my eyes saw.

I couldn’t believe what I just saw.

Perin… is not a girl.

What in the name of the Moon Curse is happening to me?

The steam from the bathhouse had barely cleared, and there he stood—clearly male. My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I felt like the biggest fool the moon ever shone upon. All this time, I was chasing a suspicion, convinced that Perin was hiding something—someone. But what if I was wrong all along?

That girl—Pearl—who looked like him, smelled like him… it was just a trick of fate. A cruel coincidence. The scent must’ve been a fluke, the familiarity a hallucination my mind created just to justify the way I felt around him.

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, walking deeper into the forest, trying to shake off the whirlwind in my chest. Why am I feeling like this? Why did I want him to be someone else?

I should be focusing on my mission—to find the traitor plotting against the pack, the one bold enough to move in shadows. But here I am, tangled in a web spun by my own emotions.

I should keep my distance from Perin. Forget about this Pearl. For all I know, she was just a mirage. But…

That moment. When I thought Perin was Pearl. I felt… relieved. Like everything finally made sense. Like I was allowed to feel the things I’ve buried deep.

But now?

Now I’m just confused.