Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 14

Pearl

I could hear his voice—it was Demyan who saved me. My body was so weak I couldn't move, but I could feel him taking off my clothes. No, no, this is bad! If he takes off my clothes, he’ll know I’m a girl—not a guy—and that would be dangerous for me. I grabbed his hand tightly and slowly opened my eyes. He looked so worried, his hair soaking wet and dripping. After seeing me wake up, he laid down beside me. He looked just as exhausted—his eyes closed while he lay there—and I turned to face him, clutching my clothes tightly.

For a moment, I forgot I was pretending. Just lying there beside him, soaked and tired, I almost let myself believe I was just a normal boy... not a girl with a secret that could ruin everything.

He risked his life to save me. Who does that for a stranger?

“Why did you risk your life for me? You don’t even know me well—we’ve only met a few times,” I said in a soft voice, staring into his eyes.

“I don’t know. I just couldn’t let you die like that. I’d have regretted it my whole life, so I did what I could to save you. Don’t you remember what I said at the start? I won’t let anyone harm you. I was just fulfilling my promise,” he said with a small smile, looking right at me.

I slowly sat up and began searching for the totem—it was still with me. I sighed in relief and hugged it like a baby.

That’s when I heard laughter.

It was Demyan. I looked at him, annoyed. What’s so funny that he’s laughing like this?

I gave him a slight hit on his shoulder. “What’s so funny, Demyan?”

“It’s just—you’re holding the totem like it’s your baby. By the way, I have an idea,” he said, moving closer to my ear.

“You’re the mother, because you have such feminine features... and I’ll be the father.”

My eyes widened and I pushed him away. How dare he say that! He had a huge smile on his face. My cheeks turned red, and I looked in the other direction.

Again, he started laughing loudly and began patting my back. “I love your expressions, Perin,” he said while holding his stomach.

This prick never shuts his mouth.

I looked around and noticed that no one else was there. Where are Rowan and Killian? They’re missing.

I looked at Demyan, who was still smiling. “Where are the rest of them?” I asked, concern showing on my face.

“We lost them, Perin. I couldn’t watch you drown, so I rushed in after you and lost track of the way. They’re probably searching for us too. But don’t worry, I sent them a message that I found you and they can continue the game. Now it’s only the two of us—so let’s get going,” he said, getting up and dusting off his clothes.

Only the two of us... Those words echoed in my ears. Oh, Moon Goddess. It’s really awkward staying alone with him because he’s so annoying. This is going to be difficult.

He extended his hand to help me up. I gave him my hand, and as I stood, my wet legs slipped—but he caught me tightly, his hands wrapped around my waist, my face buried in his chest, still damp and warm.

His lips were close to my ear, and I could hear him breathing.

“Why are you soft?” he whispered in a daze, his voice barely audible over the rushing water.

“Huh?” I blinked and stepped back, startled. “Sorry? What did you say?”

He seemed shaken, clearing his throat quickly. “I guess when you fell into the water, it got into your ears. I said, why are you so clumsy.”

His expression had shifted—now serious, composed—but I knew what I heard. He was changing his words.

This guy is so confusing!

He quickly started walking, and I followed him. “Where are we going?” I asked, hurrying to match his pace.

“Finding a place to rest and change. We’ll catch a cold if we keep walking in these clothes,” he replied, glancing around as we moved through the trees.

He was right—it was uncomfortable walking like this. Finally, he said something useful instead of just teasing me.

Then, as we walked, I paused. Something felt... strange. I looked over my shoulder.

The wind had stilled. The forest, once filled with the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves, had gone quiet.

Too quiet.

“Demyan...” I said slowly, “Do you feel that?”

He stopped too, scanning the trees. His eyes sharpened. “Yeah. I don’t like this silence.”

We weren’t alone anymore.

*.....*------

Demyan (POV)

I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw him clutching the totem like it was a newborn pup. He was soaked, shivering, barely conscious a moment ago—but the first thing he did when he woke up was check if the damn totem was still with him. Of course it was. He held it to his chest like it was his baby.

“You’re holding that totem like it’s your child,” I said, unable to resist teasing. Then, with a grin, I leaned close and whispered in his ear, “Fine. You can be the mother—since you’ve got such feminine features—and I’ll be the father.”

His eyes went wide, and he shoved me back like I’d said something scandalous. That reaction—gods, it was priceless. The blush on his cheeks was too real to be faked. I burst out laughing, holding my stomach.

“I love your expressions, Perin,” I said honestly. “So dramatic.”

But as I looked at him… that laughter started to fade.

Why do you look so delicate when you're annoyed? And why do I notice things like the curve of your jaw or the softness of your voice when you're not shouting at me?

I shook the thought away as he asked about the others. I explained that we’d gotten separated, that I had messaged Killian and Rowan and told them to keep going. It would be just the two of us for now.

Just the two of us.

The words hung in the air between us, thick with something unspoken.

He accepted my hand when I offered it, and as I pulled him up, he slipped again—damn wet ground—and I caught him.

His body pressed against mine, his face buried against my chest. My arms went around his waist instinctively. And then...

That thought struck me again.

Why is he so soft?

For a second, everything froze.

Perin was in my arms—drenched, trembling, vulnerable—and I felt something I wasn’t ready for. Soft. That was the word that slammed into my mind like a wave. His waist under my hands… the curve of his form against my chest… the warmth, even through the soaked clothes—it was wrong. Or it should’ve been.

Because no boy should feel that… delicate.

My breath hitched, and I held him a little longer than I needed to. My mind was spinning.

I’m not stupid. I’ve trained with warriors, fought Alphas twice my size. I know the difference between a boy’s build and a girl's. But that couldn’t be. It just couldn’t be. Could it?

And still, my instincts weren't screaming danger. They were whispering something else—something more dangerous.

Protect him.

Keep him close.

I caught myself before I stared too long. Covered it up with a careless insult, a shift in tone. I even mocked him, called him clumsy, just to keep the growing confusion from showing on my face but the truth had already sunk in, that softness... it branded me, Aand now I can't unfeel it.

The words slipped out under my breath before I could stop them.

He froze. “Sorry?” he asked, blinking up at me with confusion.

Shit.

I cleared my throat, straightened up quickly. “I said why are you so clumsy, Perin. You always trip over your own feet.”

Liar. But he bought it—or at least pretended to.

We walked in silence for a while. I moved faster than I usually would, trying to walk off the heat rising in my chest. But he kept catching up, asking where we were going. His voice pulled at me again, soft and sharp at once.

Why do I notice everything about him?

And why the hell do I care so much?

As we kept moving, I felt chills in my body maybe because we are wet but why do I feel weird.

The moment Perin said it, I felt it too.

The silence wasn’t just silence—it was heavy, wrong. The kind that makes your instincts flare even before your brain catches up.

I stepped in front of him immediately. "Stay behind me," I said, my voice quiet but firm.

He obeyed without protest, which surprised me. Usually he argues, puffs up like a kitten trying to be a lion. But not this time.

The wind shifted, carrying with it a scent I didn’t like. Faint, masked, but it prickled the Alpha in me like a challenge. Someone had been here—maybe still was.

I scanned the trees, my eyes narrowing. My hand instinctively moved to the dagger tucked in my belt, my muscles coiled and ready.

Perin stood close behind me. I could hear his soft breaths, a little too fast. He was scared, though trying not to show it. Brave fool.

“We need to move,” I said, stepping forward cautiously. “This place is too open.”

He hesitated. “What if... they come back?”

They. So he felt it too. Whoever they were.

I turned to look at him. His face was pale, wet strands of hair stuck to his forehead, clothes still soaked—but he had the totem, clutched to his chest like it was his own heart. Even now, he protected it more than himself.

Why did that make my chest ache?

“You’re shivering,” I said, without thinking. I pulled off my outer jacket and wrapped it around him.

He looked up at me, startled. “What about you?”

I shrugged. “I run hot.”

That earned me a glare. “Stop saying weird things.”

A small smile tugged at my lips, but it didn’t last. My senses were still alert. I needed to get us out of here before something—or someone—found us.

As we started walking again, I stayed close, a step ahead and slightly to the side. I didn’t want him out of reach.

Not just because of the mission.

Because if anything touched him again like that brute had—if anyone tried to throw him into danger—I wasn’t sure I could control the part of me that wanted to tear the world apart to protect him.

And that was dangerous.

Because he was just a boy.

Right?

We walked side by side, the silence between us filled with soaked clothes and unspoken thoughts. I told myself I was only focused on finding shelter—but every now and then, my eyes drifted to Perin.

The way he struggled to keep up, slightly limping from the cold. The way his wet clothes clung to him—it wasn't right. His frame was narrow, his shoulders delicate, and something about the way he wrapped his arms around himself... it didn’t sit right.

I’ve seen boys beaten, bruised, frozen, and none of them looked like that.

Could he be... no. That’s impossible. The thought alone was ridiculous—but the feel of him in my arms lingered like a ghost on my skin.

I shook my head.

“Walk faster,” I muttered, more to cover my own thoughts than to push him.

He glared, of course. Rolled his eyes. Cute.

Wait—what?

No. That’s not how I think. I don’t call boys cute. I don’t think of boys as soft or protectable. And yet here I was, every step making me more uncertain.

“Is that a cabin?” he asked, pointing ahead.

I didn’t answer immediately. My gaze had fallen on the small of his back—he kept adjusting the waistband of his pants like they didn’t fit right. Again, wrong. Very wrong.

I looked away before I got caught staring.

Moon Goddess, what the hell is going on with me?