Disguised Before The Alpha Prince

Chp 18

Pearl

I put his hand on my shoulder and rushed behind the stone as someone was shooting arrows at us. Oh, moon goddess, who is this and why are they hurting us? I'm sure this is not part of the obstacle for the game because they would never hurt us—we're just students. This is someone trying to take revenge. I'm sure it's not for me because I’ve kept myself hidden and no one knows my identity, so they’re here for Demyan. That’s why they shot the arrows at him.

A part of me wanted to scream, to tell them they had the wrong person—but I couldn’t risk it. No one could know who I truly was. Not yet.

Suddenly a group of men in maroon clothes rushed towards us with faces covered with black cloth, surrounding us. Demyan looked at me, “leave me and go or else they will hurt you as well,” he said in a soft voice. I shook my head, “noo I'm not leaving you and going anywhere!!,” I said while I held his hand tight.

“Why are you soo stubborn kitten, just go,” he pushed me with all the strength he hand and got up from my lap, he transformed in a wolf and it was a grey wolf, his fur was magnificent. I have never seen any wolfs with that colour and he a unique black spot on his head. It looked like a sign which was made him look even more different and beautiful.

Even in the face of danger, I couldn’t help but stare. Why did his wolf feel so familiar… so protective?

He growled while he moved ahead, protecting me from them, this fool doesn't know that they are not after me, they are after him. They wanted to kill him and not me, he then looked at me one last time and then began to fight the men.

I didn't have an option, I had to move from there, so I soon got out from that place and hid behind the tree and witnessed what happened. Soon after a few minutes Demyan fell to the ground and he again transformed into a human.

The other men carried him and took him. I began to follow them after half an hour of following They placed him near a tree to die and they began to have their lunch.

“These people are careless, I can take this as an opportunity and save Demyan. They thought that as Demyan is hurt he won't be to to move”, i soon moved towards him and took out my pin and began to unlock his chains without making a noise. I then placed his hand on his shoulders and began to move him slowly. I was half way through and the men noticed his absence.

Think of something, Pearl. He's bleeding and we need to treat his wound—but how am I supposed to treat him here when people are shooting arrows at us? At this rate, I might get hurt as well. Demyan has now fallen unconscious. Oh no no no, this is a bad sign. He’s very strong—if he’s fallen unconscious, that means the arrow is poisonous.

His breathing was shallow, lips pale. Time was slipping through my fingers like sand—I had to act now.

I need to hurry.

I found a stone next to me and threw it in another direction, hoping it would buy us some time to escape. The men them moved towards the direction where I threw the stone, perfect!!! I'll now be able to take him away from here.

I slowly placed his hand back on my shoulder and rushed to the other side. I found a place where I could treat his wounds—but what about the totem? How am I going to place the totem in the temple? Demyan is wounded, and I cannot leave him.

Suddenly, I heard someone call me—and it was a familiar voice. “My lady!!” It was Cecil. She was here!

I looked toward the direction the voice came from. There she was, standing with a basket of flowers.

I gently placed Demyan on the ground, resting his head on a rock, and rushed toward Cecil.

“What are you doing here?” I said with a worried look on my face.

I was so happy to see her again. She had the same smile, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She hugged me tightly. “I was so worried about you, my lady! How are you doing?” she said.

“I'm fine, Cecil, don't worry about me,” I said as I hugged her back.

Then I realized I couldn’t waste time talking. I noticed the basket full of flowers in her hands. “Who are these flowers for? By any chance, are you visiting the temple?” I asked.

She nodded silently, a confused look on her face. I then took out the totem and gave it to her. “I want you to place this totem near the moon goddess statue, and please don’t let anyone discover your identity,” I said as I handed it to her.

I turned to Demyan, who was still lying there unconscious. “Is that man your friend?” she asked me.

I nodded without taking my eyes off him. “I need to treat his wounds, but I don’t know how. I need a doctor.”

She held my hands. “There’s a village nearby where you can go, my lady—but the only problem is that they only welcome couples. They might be able to help you there,” she said with a small smile.

There’s a way I can get the totem there and get Demyan treated. “I have an idea, Cecil. You are going to wear my clothes, and I’ll wear yours. You’re going to take the totem to the temple, and no one will know that you’re not me because we’re the same height and our facial features are a bit similar. But once you're done, please leave as soon as possible. Will you be able to do this?”

She knew the risks. If anyone found out, it could cost her everything. But still, she smiled—as if this was the easiest decision in the world.

She nodded with a huge smile on her face.

Sometimes, when I needed help, Cecil used to dress like me to help when I was in danger. She’s like my lifesaver, and I’m sure the moon goddess must have sent her here to help me. On the other hand, I’ll dress like a girl and take Demyan to the village to get his wounds treated, since the village only welcomes couples.

I soon wore her clothes, and Cecil placed some flowers in my hair to decorate it. My hair was long, down to my back, and a few strands fell into my eyes, making me look entirely different from my boy disguise.

I carried Demyan and walked toward the village to get him treated.

As I walked through the gates of the small village, the soft murmur of villagers reached my ears. A few of them looked our way, eyes filled with curiosity—some even suspicion. I tried not to meet their gazes, keeping my head low and clutching Demyan closer.

My heart pounded like a drum. Every step I took reminded me I wasn’t Pearl—I was a village girl pretending to be a mated partner to a man who didn’t even know I was a girl. But the strange part was… pretending didn’t feel entirely like a lie. It felt like something I wanted—something I never allowed myself to want before.

Just the thought of being called his mate stirred something inside me. Was it wrong to wish it could be real? To imagine, even for a moment, that he would look at me—not as Perin, not as a fellow student—but as a girl who stood beside him, who held him like this?

An older woman with silver hair and sharp eyes stood near a wooden fence, watching me carefully. She wore a long green shawl and had a presence that told me she wasn’t someone to lie to. Before I could pass her, she stepped into my path.

“What happened to your mate, girl?” she asked, her voice calm but probing.

I swallowed hard. “He was injured while traveling,” I said, forcing my voice to sound steady. “I heard your village has a healer.”

She looked at Demyan’s unconscious form. “If he is your mate,” she murmured, narrowing her eyes. “Then why are you not marked?”

My breath caught. No mark. No bond. No truth.

But my heart didn’t care about the mark.

“W-we were supposed to be marked soon... but we hadn’t gotten the chance before the attack,” I lied, clutching his shirt tighter. “Please… he’s dying.”

For a second, I wondered if that lie made me selfish. But when I looked at his pale face, his lips parted as if in pain, I knew I would do anything to protect him—even pretend to be something I wasn’t.

Her sharp expression softened just a little. “Take him to Maedra’s hut. She’s the healer.”

I bowed slightly and thanked her before hurrying down the cobbled path she pointed to. My legs shook, but I kept moving, finally reaching a small cottage surrounded by herbs and vines.

Inside, an older woman with kind, wrinkled eyes helped me lay Demyan on a bed of furs. She examined his wound carefully.

“This arrow had poison on it,” she muttered. “He’s lucky you brought him quickly.”

She began working with herbs and crushed powders, while I watched silently, my hands trembling.

She then looked towards me, “you can leave the room now, when I'm done I'll call you,” she said with a stern voice.

I listened to her and got out of the room waiting for her to get done, I hope it's nothing serious and she is able to cure him. However that prick is, he saved my life multiple times, I then looked towards the temple which was high on the mountain, I hope Cecil is fine and no one discovered her identity, I'm sure she is very smart and no one knows that it's not me. Suddenly an old man and lady walked towards me with their walking sticks while they held their hands tight. They had a smile on their face, I smiled at them as though they had aged, they were walking hand in hand which was so cute. They both took a seat in front of me and I stood there giving them a small smile, I bowed towards them greeting both of them,

“Don't worry sweetheart, he will be okay. She is a very good physician, she will make sure he does fine,” the old lady said as she noticed the worried look on my face

“I hope so,” I said in a soft voice while I bowed my head.

“We heard that you are still not marked??, when he wakes up and he feels better make sure you get marked because there will be many wolves who will follow you because of your scent and they will try to make you theirs,” the old lady added while she had a worried look on her face.

She is right I had hid my scent because of this, so that no male wolves tried to attack me but now as I'm no longer disguised as a boy the wolves would get my scent.

Soon I heard the old lady call me inside, I rushed towards the door and opened it, as I entered inside I saw the old lady next to Demyan.

As she wrapped his wound and placed a damp cloth on his forehead, I reached out and brushed a strand of hair from his face. He looked pale—too pale.

I had never touched him like this before. Not as Perin. Not as anyone. But now… here I was, cradling him, shielding him, lying for him.

“You care for him,” Maedra said suddenly without looking at me.

I froze. “Yes,” I whispered, unsure whether she meant it as a question or a statement.

She smiled faintly. “Then pray the goddess favors your bond.”

I stayed by his side, holding his hand. Hours passed. I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep until I felt his fingers twitch in mine.