Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 24

Pearl

I slowly opened my eyes—the pain was sharp and overwhelming. My limbs felt heavy, and a dull ache pulsed at my side. As I shifted slightly, trying to make sense of my surroundings, I noticed a woman sitting beside me with a damp cloth in her hand. She smiled gently as she saw me stir.

“Don’t try to move,” she said softly, easing me back down with a gentle hand. “Your stitches will open if you strain yourself.”

I blinked at her, trying to focus. Her voice was soothing, like a warm breeze on a cold morning.

Where was I?

This room… the clean bedding, the faint scent of herbs… it wasn’t anywhere familiar.

She placed the cool cloth on my forehead, dabbing gently. “You’re safe now,” she whispered.

Safe.

The word echoed in my mind, but all I could feel was confusion.

Who is she? Why is she being so kind to me?

As if reading my thoughts, she offered a calming smile. “My name is Seren. I’m a healer. You were brought to me after… after you were found.”

“Found?” I rasped.

She nodded slowly. “You were barely conscious. Someone brought you here just in time. You had lost a lot of blood.”

“Who?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“A man,” she said, her expression unreadable. “He didn’t give a name. His face was covered, but… he seemed desperate to get you help.”

The masked man.

The image came back in fragments—hay, ropes, darkness… and then a figure, fierce and fast, breaking through the chaos. My chest tightened. I remembered the rush of being pulled away, the sharp pain of something—an arrow?—hitting me before everything faded to black.

Seren continued, unaware of my swirling thoughts. “He didn’t stay long. Left as soon as I took over.”

Why would he hide his face?

Why rescue me and then disappear?

I glanced down at my bandaged side and winced. The pain was manageable now, but my thoughts were in disarray. I hated this—being helpless, not knowing who to trust. Yet Seren… she didn’t feel like a threat. She had the eyes of someone who had seen too much and yet still chose kindness.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked suddenly. “You don’t know me.”

She tilted her head, almost amused. “I help those who come to me with wounds—and with secrets. You’re not the first to arrive with both.”

I looked away. My throat tightened.

Secrets.

If she only knew how many I was carrying.

Her hand gently squeezed mine. “You don’t have to explain anything, child. Rest. Heal. Whatever happens next… you’ll face it stronger.”

Her words offered comfort, but they didn’t take away the worry gnawing at me.

The masked man had seen me in my weakest moment—had he noticed anything else?

Did he… know?

And if he did… what would happen when I saw him again?

After Seren left the room to prepare another herbal mix, I turned my head slightly to take in the space around me. It was a modest room—wooden walls, a small table with a flickering oil lamp, and shelves lined with jars filled with dried herbs and roots. The bed beneath me was surprisingly soft, and though the ache in my side throbbed with every breath, I felt… safe.

But my thoughts wouldn’t rest.

That masked man.

His grip had been firm but not cruel. When he’d carried me, I remembered the way he shielded my body with his own, as if I were something fragile. His scent had been faint but oddly familiar. Why didn’t he speak to me? Why didn’t he stay?

What if he recognized me?

What if… he was someone I already knew?

A sudden chill ran through me. The secret I’d buried beneath layers of disguise was closer than ever to the surface. I tried to push the thought away, but it lingered like smoke in a closed room.

I let out a shaky breath and carefully sat up, ignoring the flare of pain in my side. Seren had done a good job with the stitches, but the arrow had cut deeper than I realized.

I pressed my fingers lightly against the bandage. That moment—when I’d thought I wouldn’t make it—it scared me more than I wanted to admit.

What if he hadn’t arrived in time?

I ran a hand over my face. I didn’t even know who to thank. Or who to be afraid of. Was he someone I could trust? Or someone who had seen too much?

I stared at the window across the room. Outside, the sky was turning soft shades of pink and orange. Dawn. A new day, but I felt like the night still clung to me.

I couldn’t stay here long. Whoever kidnapped me might come looking again. Or worse… they might already be watching.

Seren returned with a bowl of steaming herbs and a reassuring smile. “You should eat something soon,” she said, placing it beside me.

I nodded faintly, but my heart was elsewhere.

“Seren…” I asked hesitantly. “Did the man say anything before he left?”

She paused, her eyes flickering just for a second before she said, “No. Just… that you’d be safest here. He seemed to care. A lot.”

Care?

I looked down at my hands. That single word made something flutter inside me—and I hated that it did.

Because caring could be dangerous.

Especially if the person behind the mask was exactly who I feared it might be.

The moment Seren stepped out of the room again, I moved.

My body protested with every small motion, but I gritted my teeth and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. The floor was cold beneath my bare feet. I reached for the cloak draped over a nearby chair—it wasn’t mine, but it would do.

I couldn’t stay.

Not when I didn’t know who had saved me. Not when someone might have seen through my disguise. I couldn’t risk putting Seren in danger either. She didn’t deserve to be caught in the storm that followed me.

I slowly tiptoed toward the door, my fingers brushing against the wood as I tested the latch. It creaked faintly. I winced and froze, listening for footsteps—but none came. I glanced over my shoulder once more at the empty room, the bed I had just left, and the untouched bowl of herbs still steaming on the table.

I hated leaving without a word. But I had no choice.

Wrapping the cloak tighter around my shoulders, I stepped out into the cool morning air. Mist clung low to the ground and the village was silent. A few stray chickens clucked in the distance, and somewhere far off, a dog barked.

I moved quickly, careful not to draw attention, ducking between buildings and staying close to the shadows. I didn’t even know where I was—only that I had to get out.

I had to find Cecil. I had to make sure the totem was still safe. And most importantly… I had to vanish before whoever had taken me tried again.

But as I reached the edge of the village and looked toward the forest path, a sudden sound behind me made me freeze.

Footsteps.

Slow. Steady. Heavy.

I turned quickly, clutching the cloak close. A tall figure stood at the far end of the street, mostly obscured by fog. Watching, My breath hitched.

Was it the masked man?, Was it someone else?. I couldn’t wait to find out, I ran.

My feet pounded against the damp earth, the hem of the cloak snagging on twigs and thorns as I weaved my way through the trees. My side ached with every breath, my wound reminding me that I was not ready for this. But I didn’t stop.

The fear was louder than the pain.

Who was that man watching me? Was it the same person who had saved me—or one of the ones who had taken me? My heart raced, and my thoughts spiraled.

“Keep going,” I whispered to myself. “Just keep going.”

I didn’t know where I was heading. All I knew was that I had to stay ahead, keep moving, find Cecil—or anyone I could trust. The path narrowed, roots reaching up like claws to trip me, and the forest thickened around me.

Suddenly, I stumbled.

My foot caught on a gnarled root, and I fell hard, a sharp cry escaping me as I landed on my wounded side. My vision blurred, white-hot pain blooming in my ribs. I gritted my teeth, biting back tears. I couldn’t afford to cry now.

I tried to push myself up, but a wave of dizziness pulled me down again.

No. No, not here. Not now.

I lay still, breathing heavily, listening for footsteps.

Nothing.

Only the sound of leaves rustling above me and the far-off hoot of an owl.

Maybe I lost him.

Or maybe… he never followed me at all.

Was I running from a ghost? Or from the only person who had tried to help me?

I curled into myself slightly, clutching the cloak close. I hated this—this constant hiding, this weight of secrets. I had gotten too close to them. To Demyan… to Rowan… and now I was alone again.

Alone, and still unsure who I really was in this world full of ranks and titles and rules that didn’t fit someone like me.

“Moon Goddess,” I whispered under my breath, “if you’re listening… give me the strength to get through this. Just a little more.”

And then… a sound.

Light footsteps. Careful. Coming closer.

My breath caught.

“Please,” I whispered, barely audible. “Please let it be someone good.”