Weeks passed and Hansel’s visits became increasingly more common. They spent their time doing a number of things from Hansel baking Gilbert new desserts, to playing board games, to Hansel simply telling Gilbert all about the village gossip to which the young wolf was more than satisfied to simply sit and listen. Slowly but surely Gilbert’s leg began to heal and Hansel brought him a pair of crutches one day so he could even hobble around the cottage a bit.

On this visit in particular Hansel had brought him a little parsal.

“Well, open it!” Hansel said eagerly, all the while beaming at the wolf the way he always did. Cautiously Gilbert undid the carefully tied twine on the little present. Inside were two large needles and a bundle of yarn.

Gilbert blinked, confused. “What is this?” He asked slowly.

“Well, I know there’s not much for you to do while I’m away so I got you this to help you pass the time! It’s for knitting!”

Gilbert furrowed his brow. “Knitting?”

“Yeah! You can make tons of stuff with it like scarves, and shawls or even a blanket! Here let me show you.” Hansel took the needles and yarn into his own hands and began to demonstrate to Gilbert how to do this ‘knitting’ thing. Finally he handed it over to the wolf. “Now you try.” Gilbert looked at him with an expression of disbelief plastered to his face. Something like knitting was fine and dandy for a person like Hansel he supposed but for someone like him…? He was a murderous blood hungry creature of the night. He looked to the boy who was still watching him expectantly. Sighing heavily Gilbert took the needles and yarn from him and did his best to replicate what Hansel had just demonstrated. What the hell was wrong with him? Just what the fuck had this boy done to him to make him do something as stupid as this.

Gilbert awkwardly glanced to Hansel now. “I...think it would be a good idea for you to stay away from the cottage for the next few days,” he said slowly.

Hansel blinked his large hazel eyes. “Really? Why? I’d miss you!”

Gilbert bit his lip. “I told you wolves have trouble controlling themselves around the full moon, didn’t I? Well, that’s going to happen soon. Besides...I’m a male of a certain age which means I’m…” his cheeks flushed slightly despite himself, “I’m going to be going into heat soon. That means you really need to stay away from me. I won’t have full control of myself during that time and I don’t want to risk accidently doing something to you.”

“Heat? What’s that?”

The warmth in Gilbert’s cheeks increased. “It...it’s not important. Just know you should keep your distance from me for awhile to keep yourself safe.”

-----

The crown prince Augustine lounged on a velvet couch, a large white wolf pelt draped over one shoulder and a glass of red wine in his hand. He began to bring it to his lips when suddenly...

“BROTHER!”

Augustine nearly dropped his wine when his younger brother, prince Rupert, suddenly burst into the room.

Augustine angrily looked to the guards standing at attention in front of the door. “Goddamnit! Didn’t I tell you blockheads to make sure no one came in here!” He snapped.

Augustine’s frazzled manservant Luca ran in after Rupert. “I’m sorry sir,” Luca stammered, out of breath, “I saw him down the hall and tried to stop him but he just burst in here so suddenly and-”

Augustine held out a hand. “It’s fine Luca.” he glared at his brother now. “What the hell do you want Rupert?”

Rupert dramatically flung himself over the side of the velvet couch burying his head against it. An air for drama was one of the few things the two brothers actually had in common. “There’s another guy,” he mumbled. “I just know it.”

Augustine sighed heavily, finally taking a sip of wine. So that’s is what this was about. He knew his brother well enough that he should have guessed there was only one person that could evoke this kind of reaction.

“This is about Hansel, isn’t it,” he mumbled. Rupert nodded stiffly beside him. Augustine sighed heavily, he did not have nearly enough wine to handle this situation. “Are you still putting up that stupid act that you’re just a palace researcher named Franz around him?”

“Perhaps.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. How long have you been pulling that bullshit? It’s been nearly seven years. It’s crazy someone like you could even pull off a ruse like that for so long. What kind of name is Franz anyway?”

“A good name!” Rupert sighed heavily. “I was going to reveal myself to him as the prince at the festival right before the hunt. I thought it would finally be my chance to come clean, not just about who I am but about my feelings for him as well.” Augustine rolled his eyes. What the hell had he done to deserve having to listen to this shit? Rupert continued. “I wait five long years for him to get over Ethan and now I’m finally about to tell him how I feel and another guy comes along! This is so totally unfair!” Rupert whined.

Augustine arched a thin blonde brow. “How do you even know there’s another guy?”

“He keeps running off at odd hours and buying things I know he would never get normally. A few weeks ago I even caught him buying clothes for a ‘friend’. He’s acting the way he used to with Ethan. There’s no other explanation.”

“Why don’t you try to think rationally until you find out if you even actually have another romantic rival-”

“You’re totally right!” Rupert said suddenly, shooting up. “I need to find Hansel’s new lover!”

“That’s not what I said-”

“I’ll find him and then confront him so he knows that I’m the one meant to be with Hansel! Not him!” Rupert beamed, pulling Augustine into a greatly unwanted hug. “Thank you brother! You always know just what to say! I need to put a plan in motion to find my romantic rival at once!” And with that he dashed off.

Augustine scoffed, bringing his wine back to his lips. The crown prince had come to trust his gut on most things and right now he was quite certain that his little brother was about to do something incredibly stupid.

He sighed. Well, not like it was his problem.