Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 25

Pearl

Suddenly, I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder. I slowly looked up and saw Killian, his face clouded with worry. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I saw him—finally, I was safe. Being with the boys always gave me that sense of security. They protect me. They always have my back.

“What happened, Perin?” he asked gently, his voice laced with concern.

I stood up slowly, wiping my tears. “Someone was following me… and it didn’t feel right. I was really scared,” I said, my hands trembling uncontrollably.

He held my hand tightly and gave me a small smile—Killian never smiled.

“You don’t need to worry, Perin. I’m here now, no one’s going to hurt you,” he said, still holding my hand as we began walking side by side.

I glanced at him. That worried look hadn’t left his face. I knew he was still thinking about what I had just told him.

“Where were you, Perin? After you placed the totem, you just disappeared. I was so worried,” he said as we walked.

“Long story, Killian. I had some personal work to take care of. That’s why I left after placing the totem. I’ll explain it to you another time,” I replied softly. I didn’t have the strength to say more.

The wound was still fresh, and if I exerted myself too much, it could open again. It was best to stay calm—for now, at least, I had Killian with me. He didn’t say anything after that, and we walked the rest of the way in silence.

Soon, we reached our room, and I noticed Demyan standing near the door with his arms folded. Next to him was Rowan, both of them wearing expressions full of worry.

My heart skipped a beat. How was I supposed to face Demyan? What if he’d recognized me from before—when he saw me dressed as a girl?

I stayed behind Killian as he looked back at me. “They have a lot of questions for you, Perin,” he said softly.

Of course they did. I had been missing for far too long.

As soon as we stepped closer, Demyan’s eyes locked onto mine. He didn’t say anything, but the intensity of his gaze made it feel like he was already reading every secret I held inside. Rowan stood beside him, silent, but his expression was unreadable—calm, but guarded.

Killian gave my shoulder a light squeeze before stepping forward to speak. “We found him near the outer woods,” he said. “He looked shaken. Someone was following him.”

“Perin,” Demyan said at last, his voice low, controlled. “Where were you? You disappeared without a word. We searched everywhere.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out for a moment. My throat felt dry, and all the words I’d prepared in my head had vanished.

“I… I had something urgent to take care of,” I said, lowering my gaze. “I didn’t think I’d be gone so long.”

“You didn’t think?” Demyan snapped. “You could’ve been hurt—or worse. Do you realize what kind of danger you put yourself in?”

“I didn’t ask for anyone to come after me,” I shot back quietly, keeping my tone from trembling. “I did what I thought was right.”

“You always do,” he muttered, more to himself than to me.

Rowan stepped forward, placing a hand lightly on Demyan’s arm. “Let it go for now. He’s back. That’s what matters.”

But Demyan didn’t take his eyes off me. I could tell something was different. It was as if… he was searching for confirmation of something he already suspected.

Killian broke the silence. “He’s clearly tired. Let him rest.”

Demyan didn’t argue. Instead, he simply turned and walked away without saying another word, his jaw tight and his fists clenched. Rowan followed him slowly but glanced back at me once—there was something strange in his eyes. Not just concern… but maybe understanding?

Killian guided me inside the room and shut the door behind us. “Don’t worry about them for now,” he said. “They’ll calm down.”

I gave a small nod and sat on the edge of the bed, my whole body aching. The events of the past day had left me drained—physically and emotionally.

But I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Demyan had looked at me. It wasn’t just anger… It was confusion. Realization.

Did he know?

No. He couldn’t. But I had to be more careful.

Because secrets like mine… don’t stay hidden forever.

The pain in my side hadn’t faded completely, but the warm compress felt good against my skin.

Rowan sat beside me, focused, quiet. He had rolled up the sleeves of his tunic, his expression unreadable as he dipped the cloth into warm water again and gently pressed it against my wound on my hand. As I ran and fell in the forest i injured my hand

“You didn’t have to do this,” I said softly, avoiding his eyes.

“You’re injured,” he replied simply, “and I’m not about to let you run around the academy half-healed.”

His touch was careful—delicate, even—but there was a strange shift in his behavior. A tenderness I couldn’t quite name.

I watched him from the corner of my eye. He didn’t speak much. He didn’t tease me like he usually would. And something about the way he looked at me now—gentle, but intense—made my heart flutter uneasily.

Did something happen I didn’t remember?

He reached for the bandages, wrapping them expertly around my wound I winced slightly.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “Almost done.”

“Rowan… why are you being so nice to me?” I blurted before I could stop myself.

He froze for a second, then gave a small, almost sad smile. “Maybe I’m just not as heartless as you think.”

“You used to call me a walking stick.”

He chuckled. “You were all limbs back then.”

“I still am.”

His smile softened more. “Maybe. But there’s more to you now. You’ve changed.”

I paused, the words settling oddly in my chest. “I haven’t changed.”

“You have. Or maybe… maybe I’m just seeing you more clearly now.”

I looked at him then, sharply, but his eyes were focused on the bandage, not my face. There was something behind his calm—something hidden.

He knew something.

But he wasn’t saying anything.

And somehow… that scared me more than being found out.

“Thank you,” I whispered as he tied the bandage gently.

Rowan met my gaze for a fleeting moment. “Get some rest, Perin.”

And with that, he stood and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

But his last glance lingered in my mind, heavy and unreadable.

Almost like… he was protecting a secret.

Rowan’s behavior was bothering me.

Not in a bad way—he was gentle, attentive, almost too kind. But that was the problem. Rowan was never this soft. Not with me. Not with anyone.

He treated me like I was fragile. Like he was afraid I’d break.

I sat up in bed slowly, ignoring the sting in my side, and watched the door he had just exited through. Something was different. He’s changed.

Or maybe… he found out.

The thought sent a chill down my spine.

But how could he? I had been careful. Even Cecil said no one suspected a thing.

Unless…

My fingers curled into the blanket. I had to know. I couldn’t rest until I did.

*__–_*-__-*

Later that evening, Rowan came in again, holding a tray of food and medicine.

“I’m not hungry,” I said immediately, watching him closely.

He raised a brow. “You still need to eat. Injuries don’t heal on stubbornness.”

“Stubbornness works fine for me,” I muttered, crossing my arms—intentionally slouching to mimic my usual “Perin” posture. “It’s worked all these years.”

He sighed and set the tray down beside me. “Perin, I don’t want to argue.”

“You never cared this much before,” I said casually, looking up at him. “What changed?”

Rowan didn’t answer right away. His jaw tensed slightly. “People change when others get hurt. Especially people they care about.”

They care about? That word caught in my chest.

“Do you… care about me?” I asked, pretending to laugh it off, but my heart was racing.

He looked at me again, long and deep. “More than you think.”

I swallowed hard. “If I told you a secret, would you keep it?”

Rowan didn’t even blink. “Yes.”

“Even if it changed everything between us?”

His voice was firm, unwavering. “It wouldn’t.”

I stared at him, searching his face, looking for any flicker of recognition—any confirmation that he knew.

But he didn’t push. He didn’t flinch. Just stood there, calm and steady like a wall I couldn’t see through.

I gave a weak smile. “Good to know.”

He gently pushed the tray closer. “Eat. Then rest.”

And he left again, but this time I noticed something…

He didn’t call me Perin before walking out.

_______

DEMYAN POV

Karl followed me silently as we left the village, the moonlight casting pale shadows on the path ahead. I had only one goal in mind—to find the one responsible for the ambush, the one who dared to attack me and nearly cost us everything.

We had leads, faint trails left behind in the chaos. Tracks in the forest. A torn piece of cloth with a strange insignia. And most of all, the location whispered by the trembling lips of one of the captured men—a hidden outpost to the east, where rogues gathered like vultures.

“I still don’t understand how they got so close to you,” Karl muttered beside me, adjusting the strap of his sword. “Someone must’ve given them inside information.”

“I know,” I replied grimly. “And I intend to find out who.”

My mind wasn’t just on revenge. It was also on her.

Perin.

No—Pearl.

The name still felt foreign in my thoughts, but the image of her lingered. Her voice. Her scent. The way she looked at me when she thought I was asleep. The way she slipped away that night, quietly, leaving only the memory of her warmth beside me.

And now she was back, hiding once more behind that fragile mask.

I clenched my jaw. Whoever was threatening us wasn’t just a threat to me—they were a threat to her. And that, I would never allow.

“Let’s move faster,” I said, quickening my pace. “We find them tonight. I want answers before dawn.”

Karl nodded, his eyes sharp. “And if they resist?”

I gave him a look. “Then they’ll learn what it means to cross an Alpha.”

We moved swiftly through the dense woods, the wind whispering secrets through the trees.