Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 26

DEMYAN

The moon was high, casting an eerie glow over the forest floor. It didn’t take long before we spotted the remnants of a small camp—charred wood, broken crates, a dark patch of dried blood.

Karl knelt by the ashes, brushing his fingers against the soot. “They were here. Not more than a day ago.”

“Then they’re close,” I muttered, scanning the surrounding woods. Something felt off. Too quiet.

Suddenly, a faint rustle echoed from beyond the trees.

Both of us froze.

Karl drew his weapon. I did the same.

From the shadows emerged a young boy—no older than fifteen—his hands raised in surrender. He looked terrified, his clothes ragged and stained.

“I–I didn’t mean to get involved,” he stammered. “They made me do it.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Who?”

“The rogues,” he said, breathless. “They’re not just attacking you… they’re after someone. A girl.”

My blood ran cold.

“They think she’s hiding something important. Something that belongs to them.”

Before I could question him further, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

The boy’s eyes widened. “They found me.”

An arrow flew out of nowhere—striking the tree beside us.

We dropped into defensive positions, weapons drawn, but the boy bolted into the trees.

“Karl!” I snapped. “Follow him. I’ll cover you.”

Karl took off after the boy, and I turned toward the darkness, fury rising in my chest.

Not only was someone targeting me…

They were targeting her.

And they were getting too close.

The forest was alive with danger. My senses were heightened, the faintest sound stirring instinctive alertness. I tracked the direction of the arrow, heart pounding—not from fear, but rage. Someone dared target us again. Target her.

She wasn’t even supposed to be involved.

Who was she, really?

The more I tried to make sense of it, the more the pieces refused to fit. Perin—no, Pearl. I didn’t want to believe it. My mind had denied it, resisted the truth I saw with my own eyes in that cabin, the way her body fit in that dress, how her scent wrapped around me like something ancient and familiar. And yet… I still hadn’t confronted her. I couldn’t.

Because what if I was wrong?

I found Karl kneeling beside the boy’s limp body—his chest rose and fell rapidly. He’d been hit by an arrow in the leg, but he was alive.

“He’s losing blood,” Karl said, tearing fabric to create a quick bandage. “We won’t get answers if he dies.”

I crouched beside him and pressed down on the wound. The boy winced but didn’t resist.

“Tell me who sent you,” I said. My voice was calm, but edged with threat. “Why are they after her?”

He hesitated. “I don’t know who she really is. But they said she’s pretending to be someone she’s not…”

My jaw tightened. “Where are they now?”

“Near the river bend,” the boy gasped. “They’re waiting… They know she’s hurt. They think she’ll be moved soon.”

I stood abruptly.

Karl met my eyes. “They’re watching.”

“I’m done waiting,” I growled. “Pearl’s still healing. If they get to her again…”

He nodded. “We strike first.”

As we rode back toward the village, the wind howled louder. My thoughts were a storm of confusion and fury. I wasn’t just angry at the rogues anymore. I was angry at myself.

For not protecting her.

For not asking the questions when I should have.

For not stopping myself from caring.

I didn’t know what scared me more—the secrets she was keeping or how far I’d go to keep her safe regardless of them.

And maybe, I thought as I caught a glimpse of the village lights through the trees, that was the most dangerous part.

I found Killian standing near the edge of the training ground, waiting for me—my closest friend and the one person I could count on when the lines between duty and trust began to blur. I had asked him to keep an eye on Rowan. Even though he was my childhood friend, I couldn’t trust him completely. Not with his father lurking in the shadows of power, a man deeply involved in dirty politics.

My own father remained unaware of it all. I had tried countless times to bring the truth to light, but that lucky old bastard always stayed one step ahead—always managing to prove himself clean. It infuriated me.

I walked up to Killian and placed a firm hand on his shoulder, offering him a brief smile. Killian bowed low in front of me, his loyalty unwavering.

“Any updates?” I asked in a calm, controlled tone.

He nodded, kneeling without hesitation. “Rowan hasn’t done anything foolish yet. As of now, he’s not acting suspicious. So far, all seems normal.”

I let out a quiet breath. “And Perin? I mean—the game. How did it go? Were you able to place the totem?”

Killian lifted his eyes, a flicker of admiration in them. “The game went well. Perin was… impressive. He placed the totem in the temple.” Then his expression darkened slightly. “But soon after that, he disappeared.”

My brows furrowed. What? My heart clenched in confusion.

If Perin was at the temple placing the totem… then who was the girl that stayed with me? The one who slept by my side, who smiled so softly… the one who lit a candle with me at the shrine meant only for fated mates?

What in the cursed moon is happening?

A sharp rush of breath escaped me as my thoughts scrambled. They look the same… Perin and Pearl. The same build. The same scent, almost. The same presence. But Killian’s words stirred something cold and logical in me.

Could it be that Perin is actually… a boy? And the girl I held wasn’t him at all?

My head began to spin.

Something is wrong. Something doesn’t add up.

And for the first time in years, I found myself doubting not just what I saw—but what I felt.

My jaw clenched as I stepped away from Killian, my mind whirling in chaos.

If Perin was at the temple… then who was the girl that shared the bed with me? Who trembled beneath my fingers, whose scent still lingered in my senses like wild roses and warmth?

I paced under the canopy of the trees just outside the training yard, my boots crunching over fallen leaves, trying to think.

Was I going mad?

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. No. I had trusted my instincts for years, and they had never betrayed me. I’ve fought wars, uncovered secrets, and read men like maps. But now I felt like a fool. Blinded by a pair of soft eyes, a hidden smile, and warmth I didn’t know I was aching for.

Could it be that Perin and the girl were two different people? Then who is she? Why would she pretend to be him?

And if they are the same person…

Is Perin a girl?

That thought alone hit me like a punch to the gut.

I recalled the night in the cabin. The way her voice had softened, her hands trembling when she’d lit the candle. The hesitation in her touch. The way my body had reacted—my wolf stirred, my heart quieted.

I had dismissed it. I’d tried to convince myself it was just confusion. That I was projecting my desires onto a companion during a moment of solitude.

But no.

My instincts had known.

And now, my instincts were screaming.

"Alpha?"

Killian’s voice pulled me from my spiral. I turned slowly.

“I need more than updates,” I said, my voice low. “I need answers. Something is off.”

“About Rowan?”

I shook my head. “About Perin.”

Killian tilted his head, clearly confused. “What about him?”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Not until I knew for sure. Not until I had proof—because if what I was thinking was true, then everything I’d felt… everything I’d done…

It wasn’t just about a disguise.

It was about her.

And the fact that I might be falling for a lie.

I turned on my heel and headed back toward the academy. I had to see her. I had to see Perin—no, Pearl—with my own eyes and find the truth.

Even if it shattered me.

I found Perin alone behind the training hall, seated on a bench with a book open but unread in his lap. The sun filtered through the trees, casting lines of light across his face. That same face. Sharp jaw, soft lashes, lips that—

I stopped myself.

My boots crunched against the gravel. He looked up. His shoulders stiffened, just for a moment, then relaxed again. Almost too quickly.

“Demyan,” he said with a slight nod.

“Perin.” I kept my tone casual, smooth. “You’ve been hard to catch lately.”

He offered a strained smile. “I’ve just been resting after the totem task. It took a toll.”

I walked closer, stopping just short of him. My gaze flickered over him—too fast for him to notice, I hoped.

His collar was tugged higher than usual. As if hiding something. The bandage near his side peeked out when he moved. Wounds I never gave. Where had he gotten hurt?

“I heard you disappeared after placing the totem,” I said lightly, watching him closely.

Perin shifted. “Yes. I… wasn’t feeling well. I went to get help.”

“From whom?”

He looked down at his hands. “A villager.”

He was lying. I could hear it in the tremor of his voice, see it in the way he avoided my eyes. But I didn’t press. Not yet.

“I see,” I said slowly, taking a seat beside him.

He tensed.

“Relax, Perin. I’m not interrogating you,” I said with a half-smile. “You look pale. Are you still in pain?”

He swallowed. “A little. It’s nothing.”

“I could have someone check on you,” I offered.

“No—no need,” he said too quickly. “I’m already being treated.”

By whom? I wondered. Another lie. Or a half-truth.

I leaned back, watching the leaves sway above. “You’ve changed lately.”

He blinked. “Changed?”

“Hmm,” I mused, careful with my words. “You were always quiet. But now you flinch when someone touches you. You speak less. You disappear for hours. I can’t tell if you’re hiding something—or someone.”

I turned to look at him. His eyes widened briefly before he masked it.

“I’m just adjusting to this place,” he said, voice too soft now. “It’s not easy.”

He was unraveling. Just a little.

And yet, I didn’t want to destroy whatever walls he’d built. Not yet. I wanted to see how far he’d go to protect this identity… to protect himself—or was it hers?

His scent reached me again—unmistakably feminine beneath the scent blockers. And the way he sat, always poised like he was afraid his disguise would slip.

I smiled gently. “You’re doing well, Perin. Better than most.”

He looked up, surprised.

“You think so?” he asked, eyes searching mine like he desperately needed someone to believe in him.

And that broke me a little.

I nodded. “I do.”

He looked down again. “Thank you…”

I stood slowly, brushing the dust from my cloak. “Get some rest. You’ll need your strength for the next trial.”

“Yes, Demyan.”

I walked away, heart heavier than before.

Because I knew now—without a doubt.

Perin wasn’t who he claimed to be.

But what scared me more was that I didn’t care.

I was already falling.

Not for the boy everyone believed him to be. But for the girl he was fighting so hard to hide.

Even though Killian told me that perin was at the temple I'm sure there is a different story behind this and I'm soon going to find out.