Page 20 of Knot My Wonderland

The Hatter stepped closer, his eyes fixed on my hands where a faint silver glow had returned, tracing delicate patterns across my skin. "Impressive. Most Dreamers take weeks to sense the currents, let alone touch them."

I stared at my hands, flexing my fingers as the glow pulsed with each movement. "It felt... alive. Like it knew me."

"It does," Cheshire purred, circling me again. "Wonderland remembers all who walk its paths, but it particularly favors those who return willingly."

"I didn't exactly come back by choice," I pointed out, watching as the silver glow gradually faded from my skin.

"Didn't you?" Cheshire's voice was a silken challenge. "Something in you was seeking Wonderland long before you fell through that cliff. The door doesn't open twice for those who truly wish to stay away."

I frowned, wanting to argue but finding the words stuck in my throat. Had some part of me been yearning for this place? For this magic that now hummed beneath my skin?

"The currents you felt are Wonderland's lifeblood," the Hatter explained, mercifully changing the subject. "Learning to sense them is the first step toward defending yourself."

"And how exactly does feeling magic help me against someone trying to claim me?" I asked, still watching my hands where the last traces of silver were disappearing.

Cheshire's laugh was soft and dangerous. "Because, little Alice, once you can feel the currents, you can learn to redirect them." He moved with liquid grace to stand beside me, his presence a strange mix of comforting and unsettling. "The most dangerous Alphas in Wonderland can manipulate these currents to enhance their strength, their speed, even their ability to compel others."

A chill ran down my spine. "They can compel people? Like... mind control?"

"Not quite so dramatic," the Hatter interjected, adjusting his gloves absently. "But an Alpha command voices carry more weight here than in your world. They can... push against your will. Make suggestions feel like, necessities."

"And as an Omega," Cheshire added, his voice dropping lower, "you're naturally more susceptible to such influence. Your biology is designed to respond to Alpha commands."

I crossed my arms, a defensive gesture I couldn't quite suppress. "So I'm basically doomed," I finished, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice.

"On the contrary," Cheshire replied, his grin widening to reveal those unsettling fangs. "You have an advantage they don't expect."

"What's that?" I asked skeptically.

"You're not just an Omega, Alice. You're a Dreamer who's returned." The Hatter stepped closer, his wild green eyes fixed on mine. "The magic responds differently to you. Where they must force it to bend, you can simply... ask."

I glanced between them, unconvinced. "So what now? I just... practice asking nicely?"

Cheshire laughed, the sound rippling through the garden like water over stones. "Not quite so simple. But yes, practice." His form flickered slightly at the edges, like reality couldn't quite contain him.

"Practice begins now," Cheshire declared, his form solidifying again. "I'm going to try to influence you with a simple command. You're going to resist."

I tensed, planting my feet more firmly on the ground. "How exactly do I resist?"

"Remember the currents," the Hatter said, stepping back to give us space. "When you feel his influence, imagine it as a stream trying to carry you away. Then find your own current to counter it."

"That's not very specific," I muttered, anxiety coiling in my stomach.

Cheshire circled behind me, his movements liquid and predatory. "Wonderland magic rarely comes with an instruction manual, little Alice." His voice dropped lower, taking on a resonant quality that seemed to vibrate in my bones. "Now,kneel."

The word hit me like a physical force. My knees buckled instantly, my legs folding beneath me before I could even process what was happening. I caught myself with one handon the ground, breathing hard as I fought against the sudden, overwhelming urge to submit completely.

"That's not fair," I gasped, struggling to push myself back up. "I wasn't ready."

"Wonderland is rarely fair," Cheshire replied, his voice still carrying that resonant power. "And your enemies won't politely wait for you to prepare yourself."

I gritted my teeth, focusing on the strange current I'd felt earlier. It was still there, just beyond my conscious reach—a warm, electric flow beneath my skin. I tried to grasp it, to pull it toward me as a shield against Cheshire's influence.

"Again," he said, circling around to face me. "Stand up."

This time I felt his command like a hook trying to catch in my mind. I visualized it as a current rushing toward me, and I mentally pushed against it, trying to find that silvery thread of magic I'd touched before. For a moment, I felt it—something warm and responsive curling around my consciousness. I clutched at it desperately, using it to brace myself against Cheshire's command.

My body trembled with the effort, caught between opposing forces. I managed to stay on my knees rather than standing up as ordered, but sweat beaded on my forehead from the strain.

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