Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 41

PEARL – POV

My feet felt like stone as I climbed the stairs to our room. The corridor stretched on longer than usual, every step echoing with the heaviness in my chest.

Why did everything feel so twisted lately?

Lucien’s warning. The masked man who protected me. The lingering chill of danger in the air. And Demyan… his silence had hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I reached the door, hesitating with my hand on the handle.

I wasn’t ready to face him.

Not after what I said. Not after pushing him away when all he ever did was protect me even when I told him not to. Still, I opened the door.

The room was dim, lit only by the dying fire. And there he was.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed.

He looked up, eyes locking with mine.

For a moment, everything went still.

I didn’t know what to say.

He didn’t move. Just stared at me quiet, unreadable.

“I…” My voice barely came out.

I stepped inside, closing the door behind me. My heart thundered. “I wanted to say I’m sorry. For earlier.”

He didn’t answer.

I continued anyway, unable to stop the rush of words. “I was scared, and confused. Lucien… he’s dangerous. And I didn’t know how to handle everything. I said things I didn’t mean.”

Still silent.

I glanced at him nervously.

Then finally he exhaled.

“You shouldn’t be alone, Perin,” he said softly, but there was an edge to his voice. “Even if you want to fight your own battles. Letting someone in doesn’t make you weak.”

The firelight danced across his features tense, but something gentler flickered in his gaze.

I swallowed. “I don’t know how to let someone in.”

“Then start with me,” he said, his voice firm but low.

I stood frozen, torn between fear and the strange warmth blooming in my chest.

He stood up.

The space between us shrank.

And though he didn’t touch me, his presence was overwhelmingly steady, grounding.

“I’m not going to force you,” he added, eyes never leaving mine. “But I’m not going anywhere, either. Whether you want me or not… I’m here.”

I felt the tears sting my eyes before I could stop them.

Because somehow, hearing those words made me feel safer than I had in weeks.

Demyan took a step closer.

I should’ve backed away. I should’ve done something anything but I froze. Maybe it was the way he looked at me, like I was a puzzle he was desperate to solve. Or maybe… maybe I didn’t want to move.

His hand reached up, barely brushing my arm. My breath hitched.

“You smell different,” he whispered, his voice soft but unwavering.

I blinked. “W-what?”

He leaned in a little more, his face inches from mine. His nose brushed my hair as he inhaled gently near my neck. My knees nearly gave out.

“I’m serious,” he murmured. “That night when you… fell on me… your scent was different. Stronger. Familiar in a way I can’t explain. But now—” he paused, sniffing again with a furrow in his brow, “—it’s… dulled. Masked.”

I panicked.

“That’s—probably just the soap I used?” I blurted. “Yeah! It’s, uh, a different herbal kind. My friend packed a new one. Maybe it messed with my… my scent.”

He pulled back just slightly, raising an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.

“You’re the worst liar,” he said, half teasing, half intense.

I looked away, cheeks burning. “I’m not lying. Maybe you’re just confused.”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he studied me. His expression was gentle, but his eyes… they saw too much.

“I just want the truth,” he said quietly. “But I’ll wait until you’re ready to give it to me.”

And for the first time, he didn’t press further.

He just stood there, waiting, hoping. And I hated how much that tugged at something deep inside me.

Then—BANG.

The door slammed open.

I jumped back instinctively as Rowan strode in, his eyes landing right on us. Killian followed behind, clearly less enthusiastic.

Rowan’s eyes narrowed at Demyan, then softened as he looked at me.

“There you are,” he said, walking over briskly. “We’ve been looking everywhere.”

Before I could answer, Rowan stepped closer than necessary, brushing his hand along my arm in a very unfriendly gesture. “Are you alright, Perin?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone low, almost possessive.

Demyan’s jaw flexed.

He didn’t say a word, but I felt the air in the room shift. His silence was louder than any shout.

And then—

CRASH.

The wooden cup on the desk flew across the room, shattering against the wall.

Everyone froze.

Rowan turned slowly, but Demyan had already moved past him, hands clenched at his sides, back turned to us. Killian noticed.

“Rowan,” Killian said under his breath, “we should go.”

“But—” Rowan began.

Killian tugged him toward the door. “Now.”

With one last look, Rowan followed.

The room was quiet again, except for the fire crackling and the storm brewing inside Demyan.

He hadn’t yelled. He hadn’t even looked at me. But the pain and anger on his face were impossible to miss.

I wanted to say something, anything but I didn’t know how and that terrified me more than anything.

The silence between us lingered long after Rowan and Killian left. I stayed rooted where I was, still processing everything the scent, the closeness, the way Demyan didn’t interrogate me for once but still looked like he was aching for the truth.

He moved past me silently.

I blinked as he began setting the table. Plates, bowls, utensils laid out with care I hadn’t seen from him before. He opened a large bag I didn’t even realize he’d brought in and began placing covered dishes on the table, one after the other. The aroma hit me almost instantly, rich, flavorful, and expensive.

I furrowed my brows. What is he doing…?

I just stood there, confused, watching him as he finished setting everything up.

Then, he turned and walked toward me slowly, his eyes calm, unreadable.

Before I could step back, his hands gently reached for my arm.

“Come,” he said softly. “Sit.”

I expected his usual firm grip, the way he used to drag me or push me into a chair when I was being “stubborn.” But this time… his touch was gentle, almost reverent.

Like I would break.

Like I mattered.

I sat down without a word, still unsure what was happening. He pushed the chair in behind me, then moved beside me closer than usual. So close I could feel the warmth of his body, even without touching.

He removed the lid of the dish in front of me and served me carefully, almost like… a ritual.

My eyes dropped to the food.

Venison stew. Buttered root vegetables. Rich, honeyed bread. And… was that saffron rice?

My eyes widened. “Demyan… this is really expensive food. How did you even get this? Why would you—?”

He paused, then looked away for a brief second before answering, “I received news.”

“News?” I echoed.

“From my family,” he added, expression unreadable. “Something… personal. Can’t really share the details.”

He turned back to me before I could speak, his voice lower now, smooth. “It made me want to do something nice for you as you know just a treat from me.”

I stared at him. “You? Doing something nice?”

His lips twitched into a faint smile. “Don’t look so shocked. I’m capable of being decent.”

“That’s debatable.”

He chuckled, then without warning scooted even closer.

His thigh brushed mine under the table.

My breath hitched.

I tried to scoot away just a little, but the chair’s leg hit the table’s base. I was trapped. And Demyan noticed. Of course he did.

He didn’t push further. He just sat there, far too composed, too still.

“Eat,” he said softly, his voice carrying that dangerous undertone again. “You’ll feel better.”

I looked down at the food.

But all I could think about was how his presence, so close, was setting my entire body on edge and not in the way it used to. Something had changed.

And I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.

___*---*___

DEMYAN POV

She looked at the food like it had grown legs and started singing.

I smirked.

Pearl—Perin—whatever name she wore today, still had the same stunned expression whenever I did something she didn’t expect. I used to enjoy annoying her. Now, I wasn’t sure what this was.

I watched her as I served her plate. My movements were careful and deliberate.

She didn’t notice, but I’d memorized every twitch of her brow, every shift in her expression. Every single breath she took around me was beginning to sound like music.

“You brought all this?” she finally whispered.

“I did.”

“Why?”

I hesitated. The truth was because I needed an excuse to sit close to her, to care for her, to ground myself before I lost control. But I couldn’t tell her that. Not yet.

So I looked away, keeping my tone even. “Got some good news. From my family. It’s personal.”

Her eyes narrowed like she didn’t buy it but she didn’t press. She just kept staring at the plate like it was going to bite her.

I moved closer, thigh brushing hers under the table. She froze.

Goddess… the way she tensed.

Her scent was still faintly clouded by that damn potion but I remembered how she smelled when she fell on me. Warm. Wild. Irresistible.

I could still feel her body pressed to mine, soft hips, the subtle curve of her chest how her breath hitched when our skin touched. Every time she’s near, I lose a little more control.

I tried to distract myself by focusing on the moment.

Feed her. Protect her. Do something that doesn’t involve pinning her to the wall.

But then I heard it. The sound of footsteps.

Rowan.

Of course.

I saw the flicker of emotion on his face when he looked at us too close. I knew that look. I’ve worn it myself.

He took two steps forward. Killian followed behind him, eyes on me.

I didn’t speak. Didn’t move much. Just tilted my head and shot Killian a look. He caught it instantly.

Take him away.

Killian gave me the smallest nod, stepped beside Rowan and said something about a training duty. Rowan resisted for a second, casting one last glance at her at my Perin.

Then, reluctantly, he left.

Good.

I needed her alone. I turned back toward her, letting the silence stretch. She stared at her plate, clearly overwhelmed.

I should’ve stayed quiet. Should’ve let her eat but my fingers itched.

To touch her again.

To pull her into my lap and make her confess everything: her scent, her lies, her fear.

I shifted slightly, just enough so our arms brushed. Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, startled, wide.

Damn it.

I was losing it again.

This wasn’t just attraction. This was a bond. Raw. Unbreakable. Consuming.

And she still didn’t know.

Or maybe she did and she was running from it. Either way, I couldn’t keep pretending I didn’t feel it too.