Page 18 of Knot My Wonderland

I kept close behind him, careful not to touch any of the plants. Some of them seemed to turn toward us as we passed, like curious animals tracking movement. Others shrank away, petals closing tight as if in fear.

"Is the garden... alive?" I asked, ducking beneath a branch that reached for my hair like curious fingers.

"Everything in Wonderland is alive in its own way," the Hatter replied, cutting through a curtain of silvery vines with a casual wave of his hand. "But the garden especially so. It was a gift—or perhaps a burden—from the Queen of Hearts herself."

"Not willingly," the Hatter said, his mouth curving into that dangerous smile again. "Let's say I... liberated some special specimens from her royal collection many years ago. They've flourished here, away from her particular brand of care." We emerged into a small clearing where the chaos of the garden seemed to settle into something almost orderly.

"Cheshire," the Hatter called, his voice carrying a note of fond exasperation, “Show yourself. You have been here since she arrived. Now why don’t you come say hello.”

A laugh—rich, low, and impossibly layered—seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. The sound rippled through the garden like water, making the flowers turn their heads in unison.

"So demanding, Hatter," the voice said, each syllable dripping with amusement. "One might think you've forgotten your manners after all these years."

I spun in place, searching for the source, but saw nothing. Then, in the corner of my eye—a flicker of movement. The air seemed to shimmer almost before a figure appeared, but not in the form of a cat like I had expected, but a man. He had long hair, but it was two toned, magenta and pink, and if you were at the riht angle, it had the air of blue. The man who appeared was tall, with piercing teal eyes as he looked over at me with a big grin, fangs showing as he smiled. The outfit he wore was loose and flowing, in shades of purple and blue that seemed to shift with his movements. In place of human ears, he had cat-like ones that twitched with interest. His posture was languid but purposeful as he stepped fully into view.

"Well, well," he purred, those teal eyes fixed on me with unnerving intensity. "Our little Alice has returned. And has grown up quite nicely, I must say."

"Cheshire," I whispered, the name surfacing from childhood memories. This wasn't the grinning cat I remembered—or at least, not entirely—but something about him resonated with that same unsettling familiarity.

He circled me slowly, his movements liquid and precise. The air around him seemed to bend slightly, as if reality itself couldn't quite contain him. "You remember. How delightful."

"You're... different," I said, turning to keep him in view as he moved.

His laugh was soft and warm, like velvet being drawn across skin. "As are you, little dreamer. Wonderland changes all whodwell within it for too long." He inhaled deeply, eyes fluttering half-closed. "And you smell... divine. Ripe with possibility."

I took an instinctive step back, bumping into the Hatter who had moved protectively behind me.

"Control yourself, Cat," the Hatter warned, his voice carrying a subtle growl. "She's not here for your amusement."

Cheshire's grin widened, revealing more of those sharp fangs. "Everything in Wonderland exists for my amusement, dear Hatter. You know that." But he did step back, hands raised in mock surrender. "Though I promise to be on my very best behavior…for now. Depends on how interesting little Alice turns out to be.”

Dread pooled in my stomach at his words, and I didn’t know if his help would be much help at all…but we shall have to see.

Chapter Eight

Alice

"Oh, don't look so alarmed, little Alice," Cheshire said, his grin softening to something almost kind. "I may be mad, but I'm not cruel. At least, not to those who don't deserve it."

He dropped gracefully onto a stone bench I could have sworn wasn't there a moment before. The garden seemed to shift around him, flowers bending to brush against his fingertips with something like affection.

"The Hatter tells me you need to learn defense," he continued, examining his nails which, I noticed with a start, tapered to subtle points. "How to survive Wonderland in all its hungry glory."

I glanced at the Hatter, who watched Cheshire with a mixture of fondness and wariness. "Is he... safe?" I whispered.

"Nothing in Wonderland is entirely safe," the Hatter replied, as he kept his eyes on Cheshire. "She needs training," he said,voice firm. "She needs to understand what she's facing now that she's returned as an Omega."

Cheshire's smile dimmed slightly, those unsettling eyes narrowing. "Ah, so that's the delicious scent." He inhaled again, more deliberately this time. "No wonder you've hidden her away. Half of Wonderland must be howling at your doorstep by now."

"Which is why she needs your help," the Hatter replied. "No one knows Wonderland's shadows like you do."

I found my voice again, stepping out from behind the Hatter's protective stance. "I can speak for myself," I said, meeting Cheshire's gaze directly. "And I don't need to be talked about like I'm not here."

Cheshire's eyes widened slightly, his grin spreading to reveal those sharp teeth again. "Oh, I do like this one," he purred, rising from the bench in one fluid motion. "So much fiercer than you were as a child. You used to ask so many questions. Now you make demands."

I kept my chin lifted, refusing to look away despite the way his gaze seemed to see through me. "I didn't choose to come back here. But since I'm stuck, I need to learn how to survive."

"Stuck?" Cheshire laughed, the sound rippling through the garden. "Such a limited perspective. You're not stuck, Alice. You're unleashed." He moved closer, circling me with that same predatory grace. "Wonderland has claimed you twice now. Do you have any idea how rare that is? How precious?"

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