Page 75 of Knot My Wonderland: Part Two
Chi's tail tightened,keeping me in place. "Not yet," he said firmly, his teal eyes holding mine. "There's something we need to discuss first."
Somethingin his tone made the pattern beneath my skin shift uneasily. Through our silver bond, I felt his nervous anticipation mixed with determination—whatever he wanted to say had been weighing on him.
"What is it?"I asked, settling back against the pillows. Chi's tail remained firm around my waist, a gentle restraint that somehow made this conversation feel more serious.
"You're pushing yourself too hard,"he said finally, his teal eyes reflecting the moonlight. "And not just physically or magically. You're carrying a weight of responsibility that's crushing you from within."
I started to protest,but Chi's finger pressed gently against my lips, silencing me.
"Let me finish,"he said, his voice unusually solemn. "We've all felt it through the bonds—this desperate fear of failing, of not being enough. But what you don't seem to understand is that your worth isn't measured by whether you defeat the Queen."
His words strucksomething raw within me, making the pattern beneath my skin pulse with uncomfortable recognition. Through our silver bond, I felt his genuine concern wrapped in an emotion that made my breath catch.
"Then what is it measured by?"I asked quietly, trying to ignore the way my heart pounded at his intensity.
Chi's expression softened,his tail loosening its grip to trace gentle patterns along my side. "By who you are, Alice. Not what you accomplish or how quickly you master magic."
"But if I fail—"
"Then we try again,"Chi interrupted, his teal eyes serious. "Or find another way. Or face whatever comes together." His hand came up to cup my cheek, silver patterns flowing beneath his skin with quiet certainty. "What we won't do is sacrifice you on the altar of Wonderland's salvation."
The vehemencein his voice surprised me. Through our bond, I felt his fierce protectiveness, his growing affection that bordered on something deeper.
"I'm not tryingto sacrifice myself," I said, though even to my own ears the protest sounded weak.
"Aren't you?"Chi's eyes narrowed slightly, his tail flicking with agitation. "You push until you collapse. You dismiss your own needs as secondary to the mission. You speak of Wonderland's salvation as if it's worth any price, including yourself."
I looked away,unable to meet his penetrating gaze. The pattern beneath my skin dimmed slightly, reflecting my discomfort with his accuracy.
"The others might not sayit so bluntly," Chi continued, his voice gentler now, "but we've all noticed. Heart is too protective to confront you directly, and the Tweedles think in probabilities rather than emotions, but they see it too."
"I just want to be ready,"I whispered. "I can't bear the thought of failing when so many are counting on us."
Chi's handguided my face back toward his, forcing me to meet his gaze. "And we're counting on you being alive," Chi said firmly, his silver patterns pulsing with intensity. "Not just functional or magically capable—alive. Present. Still you."
Through our bond,I felt the depth of his emotion—not just concern for a bonded ally, but something personal that made my chest tighten with recognition.
"Chi,"I started, but he shook his head, his tail curling more possessively around my waist.
"I need you to understand something,"he said, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "What I feel for you... it's not just the bond, it's not just a magical connection, or shared purpose."
My heart hammeredagainst my ribs as I processed his words. The silver light beneath his skin pulsed in rhythm with my own patterns, creating spirals of luminous energy that danced between us in the moonlight.
"I love you, Alice,"Chi whispered, his teal eyes luminous in the moonlight. "Not because the pattern chose you or because of any magical bond. I love your courage, your compassion, your stubborn determination to face impossible odds."
The confession hung between us,making the silver bond pulse with an intensity that took my breath away. Through our connection, I felt the absolute truth of his words—not affectionborn from magical necessity, but genuine love that had grown alongside our bond.
“I love you too.” I told him back, my heart pounding and a smile on my face.
Chi's eyes widened, the silver patterns beneath his skin flaring with a brilliance that cast dancing shadows across the walls. For a moment, he seemed unable to speak, his tail freezing mid-motion around my waist before a full genuine smile graced his lips, his fangs on full display.
"I have been waiting to hear those words from you.” He purred, teal eyes alight with pure love as he looked at me. Before I could respond, Chi's lips were on mine, the kiss deep and claiming in a way that made the silver bond between us sing with harmonious energy. His tail tightened around my waist as he pulled me closer, silver patterns blazing beneath his skin where we touched.
"Mine,"he whispered against my lips, echoing Heart's possessive claim from nights before."My Alice."
"Yours,"I agreed breathlessly, my hands fisting in his hair as he deepened the kiss. The pattern beneath my skin responded eagerly, silver and gold light spiraling toward his silver glow with desperate intensity. Chi's hands roamed my body with reverent touches, each caress leaving trails of silver light that the pattern absorbed hungrily. Unlike Heart's golden warmth, Chi's energy felt like liquid starlight—cool and soothing yet somehow burning with its own unique fire.
"We haven’t had muchalone time so I am going to enjoy this.” Chi muttered lowly as he began trailing kisses down my throat, his fangs scraping lightly against the sensitive skin. Thesensation sent electric shocks through me, making the pattern beneath my skin flare with eager anticipation.
