The Bunny and the Wolf [A Twisted Wonderland Fanfic]

Chapter 8

Y/N was getting more and more comfortable around Jack's family now. Every Saturday, Y/N would run to the village at first light with a basket full of goodies. Sometimes, Jack would be there to meet her, walking with her as they sold the sweets to the villagers before heading off to Jack's house. Sometimes, Y/N would go to the village by herself and meet Jack at the border of their forests once her treats had been sold. But Jack would always be there to walk Y/N to his cottage in the dark woods, where his family was waiting with open arms and eager smiles.

Louve and Rolf, Jack's younger siblings, had taken an immediate liking to Y/N, beyond their original curiosity. She was a bunny in a den of wolves and though she had originally been intimidated by the wolf ears, tails, and the constant smell of meat that seemed to cling to the walls of the cottage, she was steadily growing used to it. And Louve and Rolf helped ease some of her nerves. Yes, they were as rambunctious as they were adorable, but they were so innocent and wondrous about every little thing that Y/N did that she couldn't help but love them. More often than not, the two younger wolves would steal Y/N away from their older brother and drag her to their room to show her their newest artwork or toys or they would drag her outside to the little meadow beside the cottage to challenge her to some newly invented game. Y/N much preferred the former, where she could often sit and watch the children as they played, but chasing them around the family yard was nearly as fun. That being said, it was nearly impossible for her to keep up with the hyper cubs.

But some days, Louve and Rolf were away visiting friends in neighbouring villages, and Y/N was free to spend her afternoons with Jack. Most days they would sit in the family sitting room with a mug of hot chocolate, talking about nothing in particular with Jack leading the conversation more often than not with Y/N adding a comment here or there. Other times, they would hang out in Jack's room, where Jack would show Y/N his collection of cacti and his numerous photos of his friends from school. But apparently, he was to start a new school come September.

"We won't be able to see each other as much once September starts," he said one day as Y/N made herself comfortable in the armchair by his window, pulling a knitted blanket over her legs.

Y/N frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jack coughed and flopped down onto his bed, folding his arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. "I was accepted into a new school, but the school is a boarding school, so I won't be here on weekends. I'll only be coming back for the holidays." He glanced over at Y/N, wondering how she would react to this news. Secretly, he hoped she would be as disappointed as he was.

Y/N's ears drooped and fell into her hair, her little nose twitching as she realised that their time together was coming to an end. It was already almost the end of August which meant that school was starting in just over a week. Y/N was attending a local high school with her friends, as were her younger siblings. Her parents had never even entertained the idea of Y/N or her siblings going to attend a boarding school.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner," Y/N asked, her voice starting to quiver. She was enjoying her days with Jack and didn't want them to end. They had been meeting in secret for weeks now, nearly three months, and it had become a part of Y/N's routine. The possibility of her secret adventures disappearing from her routine left a bitter taste in the back of her throat. Would she and Jack grow apart now that he had to return to school?

Jack sat up and turned to Y/N, still not meeting her eyes as he folded his hands together, leaning forward slightly. "I... I didn't know how to tell you." He scratched the back of his neck as his cheeks coloured. "I was worried..." His sentence trailed off, leaving some things unsaid.

Y/N wasn't quite sure what he was going to say, but she understood enough.

"Well..." Y/N tried to think of what to say. "We can see each other when you come back for the holiday, I guess..."