Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 28

Pearl

I don’t know how I got here. The room was bathed in gold and amber light, a fire crackling in the hearth, its warmth licking at my skin. I was wrapped in fur—soft, luxurious, almost sinful. My heart thundered in my chest.

Then I saw him.

Demyan.

He stood across the room, the shadows hugging his tall frame, the soft fabric of his shirt clinging to his body—unlaced just enough to reveal a hint of the sculpted strength beneath. His eyes—those golden, burning eyes—were fixed on me like I was his prey. Or maybe… something he’d already claimed.

“You keep running, little wolf,” he said, voice rough and low, “but your scent always leads you back to me.”

My breath caught. His presence overwhelmed me, suffocated me in the best way. “You shouldn’t be here,” I whispered, even though my body betrayed me, aching for him.

He moved closer. I couldn’t breathe.

“I’ve always known it was you, Pearl,” he murmured. “No one else makes my blood burn like this.”

Before I could speak, his hands were on me—his palm against my cheek, thumb brushing the corner of my lips. I trembled.

And then he kissed me.

Stars exploded behind my eyes. His mouth was fierce, demanding, tasting every part of me like he was starving. I melted against him, whimpering into the kiss, my hands clutching at his shoulders, needing to feel more, needing to be closer.

When he pulled back, his lips were red from me. “Say it,” he growled, voice raw. “Tell me you want me.”

“I… I do,” I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice. “I want you, Demyan.”

In an instant, I was beneath him, his body pressing me into the furs, every hard line of muscle stealing the breath from my lungs. His hands roamed possessively, reverently, like he was memorizing my body. His lips trailed fire down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin, teasing the spot where a mating mark might go. I gasped, my fingers sinking into his hair.

It was too much. It wasn’t enough.

“I want to claim you,” he said, his voice barely a growl against my skin. “Mine.”

And for a moment—just a moment—I wanted to let him. To throw away the lies and the disguise and surrender to the one man who made me feel seen.

Then I woke up.

Breathless. Burning. Empty.

My lips still tingled from the ghost of his kiss, my body aching in places I’d never dared to let myself feel.

And I hated myself for wishing it had been real.

I sat upright, gasping for air, the sheets tangled around my legs like chains. My body was still trembling—my skin flushed, lips parted, and a dull ache pulsing deep inside me. The fire from the dream hadn’t faded. If anything, it clung to me like a second skin, scorching me from the inside out.

I pressed a hand to my lips, still feeling the weight of his kiss. My cheeks burned with shame.

What was that?

This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to want him. Not like that. Not so deeply, so desperately, that it haunted my dreams.

He didn’t even know who I truly was.

Perin. That’s all he saw when he looked at me. A weak, awkward boy pretending to fit in among wolves.

But in the dream… he saw me. Pearl. A woman. Vulnerable. Desired. His.

I covered my face with both hands and let out a shuddering breath.

Was it the bond? Was the mate-pull starting to affect me without me realizing? Or was it something worse—something more dangerous?

Was I… falling for him?

I couldn’t afford that. Demyan was complicated—sharp as steel and twice as dangerous. If he ever found out who I really was, he would never forgive me. He would never look at me the way he had in the dream.

That wasn’t real, I reminded myself fiercely. It was just a dream. Just a mistake.

But when I slipped out of bed and caught my reflection in the small cracked mirror, I didn’t see just a mistake. I saw a girl who was lying to everyone—including herself.

And the worst part?

A part of me wished the dream had been real.I splashed cold water on my face until my skin turned numb.

The dream clung to me like a second skin, even after I changed into my usual clothes—loose-fitting and forgettable. Perin’s clothes. Not mine.

I had to bury Pearl.

I had to bury every whisper of what I felt, what I dreamed, before it showed on my face. Before someone—before he—noticed.

I took one last breath, opened the door, and stepped out.

And of course, fate decided to mock me.

He was right there. Demyan.

Leaning against the wooden post outside the training hall, arms folded over his chest, his brows furrowed like he was deep in thought—or irritation. His eyes lifted the moment I appeared.

For one breathless second, our eyes met.

And I saw it—something in his gaze that wasn't usually there. A flicker of curiosity, suspicion, or maybe something more. But I couldn't afford to let myself wonder.

“Perin,” he said, voice low and unreadable. He straightened up.

I swallowed hard. “Demyan,” I replied stiffly, keeping my tone neutral, respectful—detached.

He studied me, silently, for a beat too long.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked, and there was something in his tone—just enough edge to make my stomach twist.

I managed a shrug. “I wish if I could.”

He stepped closer. I tried not to flinch.

“You look… flushed.”

I looked away. “It’s nothing. Just tired.”

Another silence.

I could feel his gaze on me, like fire licking across my skin. Did he know? Could he sense how I was trembling inside?

Then, suddenly, he turned away. Just like that. No more words.

He walked past me without another glance, his shoulder grazing mine ever so slightly. The cold rush that followed his absence was unbearable.

He was ignoring me. Avoiding me.

Maybe he had sensed something after all.

I stood there, staring after him, my heart hammering in my chest. All I could think was—

He can't know. He can never know.

I had to speak to someone and I knew who it was!!!.

I rushed to the forest where Cecil stayed, and entered her cabin she was still not there, I knew she would be back here to prepare flowers for the moon goddess

I paced back and forth in the tiny store room behind the laundry quarters—the only place I could be alone with Cecil without raising suspicion. My chest still felt tight, my skin hot from earlier… from that dream, and from Demyan’s silent dismissal.

Cecil leaned against a wooden crate, arms folded, watching me with a knowing glint in her eye.

“You saw him, didn’t you?” she asked quietly.

I stopped pacing and nodded.

She raised an eyebrow. “And?”

I sank onto a crate opposite her and buried my face in my hands. “I had a dream, Cecil. A stupid, intense, completely wrong dream.”

Her expression softened. “Let me guess. Demyan?”

I groaned.

She sat beside me, gently prying my hands away from my face. “Pearl… it’s okay to feel things. It looks like you're bonded to him whether you admit it or not.”

I shook my head. “But he doesn’t know I’m a girl. And if he ever finds out I’ve been lying to him—he’ll hate me. And I’m scared he’s already starting to suspect something.”

Cecil grew serious. “What happened?”

“I passed him earlier. He looked at me like he knew. Then he just walked away like I was nothing. He’s never done that before.” My voice cracked. “It felt like he was trying to distance himself. Like he’s fighting whatever pull there is between us.”

Cecil sighed. “Maybe he is. But maybe he’s just confused. He feel things more deeply, and if he’s sensing something that doesn’t make sense… of course he’ll push it away.”

“But what if I’ve ruined everything?” I whispered. “What if the dream was a warning? That I can never have him—that I’m not allowed to want him?”

Cecil reached out and cupped my cheek. “Pearl… want him. Dream of him. Love him even. But don’t let that stop you from surviving. The truth will come out. When it does… you’ll need to be ready. For whatever choice he makes.”

I nodded slowly, blinking back tears.

“But for now,” she added, brushing a tear from my cheek, “keep playing your part. Keep being Perin. And keep your heart guarded… just a little.”

“I need to forget about him,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as the wind played with the hem of my cloak. “I need to stop getting close to him. If he finds out the truth… it will destroy everything. Most importantly, I need to erase his suspicion. And I can’t do it alone. I need your help, Cecil. Will you help me?”

Cecil didn’t hesitate. She reached across the small space between us and grasped my hands tightly, her warmth grounding me.

“I’ll do anything for you, Pearl,” she said, her voice firm, steady—like it always had been, even when everything else in my world fell apart.

We sat together on the grassy riverbank, the moonlight spilling over the water like liquid silver. I leaned into her, resting my head gently on her shoulder, and let the silence embrace us for a moment.

“How is my aunt?” I finally asked, my voice small, the ache in my chest resurfacing. “She must have been devastated after I left. Did she… did she hate me for going?”

Cecil let out a quiet breath, her fingers still gently entwined with mine. “She didn’t hate you, Pearl. She was broken.”

The tears welled in my eyes before I could stop them.

“She didn’t eat for days,” Cecil continued, her voice laced with memory and sorrow. “She wouldn’t speak to anyone. Just sat by the window every morning, clutching that scarf you always wore, like she was waiting for you to walk through the door.”

A sharp ache twisted in my heart.

“I tried to explain, to tell her why you had to leave. I gave her the letters you sent me… and when she read your words—when she saw your handwriting—she broke down crying. But it helped. Knowing you were alive… knowing you were safe… it helped her breathe again.”

I covered my mouth, trying to stop the sob that wanted to tear from my throat. “She doesn’t deserve this. I never wanted to hurt her.”

Cecil leaned her head against mine. “She knows that. And she’s proud of you, Pearl. Even if it hurts, even if she doesn’t understand everything—you’re doing this for something greater. She knows your heart.”

The river whispered beside us, and for a moment, I let myself cry—silently, with the only person who knew every corner of my soul. And in Cecil’s arms, I felt just a little stronger.