Kol's POV

Kol wasn't in the greatest mood when he returned to the house. Klaus and Elijah were quiet as they entered behind him, he knew they were all thinking about it, compelling Jeremy. None of them liked the idea, but the idea that their boyfriend would wander off and get attacked, they liked even less.

He heard his brothers footsteps turn as they headed for the sitting room, he thought about joining them but chose instead to head up to Klaus's room where he knew Jeremy was still sleeping.

He didn't care that it was his brother's bed, he stripped down to just his pants and crawled in next to Jeremy, the hunter turning in his sleep to lay on his chest.

Kol gently shifted them enough that he could run his fingers through the other's hair as he thought.

If they compelled Jeremy, it wouldn't just piss their lover off, it would damage the trust they had built. Kol didn't want that. After working so hard to get where they were not just him and Jeremy as a couple, but all four of them living together and getting along, he didn't want to ruin it.

But there this voice in his head screaming at him to protect the man he loved, no doubt his brothers felt the same.

"You okay?" Jeremy whispered.

He let out an unneeded breath, "worried about you," he replied. He almost tightened his fingers in Jeremy's hair, when his lover shifted to look at him. He didn't want to look at Jeremy's face, not right now, not when he was contemplating betraying his lover's trust.

"Kol, I can protect myself," Jeremy pushed himself up so that he was kneeling next to him, with one hand he reached out and took Kol's chin, Kol shivered, "you guys have to start to accept that."

"And you have to accept, we want to protect you." he whispered.

He looked his lover in the eye, and knew Jeremy saw something, because Jeremy's eyes narrowed, "What are you three planning?"

Kol sighed, "If I asked you to stop sneaking out, would you? Not forever but just until we know who's who and what they want?" A Klaus-like voice in his head told him to shut up before he gave anything away, but another voice told him he had to try.

He could tell Jeremy was trying to figure out what wasn't being said. But also knew that their boyfriend had probably forgotten about the compulsion just as he had.

"I just needed to think." Jeremy replied, sounding more awake and a little frustrated.

"Try painting!" Kol snapped. Jeremy's head tilted to the side, then he swung his legs over Kol's so that he was straddling him, his hands on Kol's chest. his body warmed at the closeness, but he didn't reach out for his boyfriend.

"Is that what you three are plotting?" Jeremy whispered, leaning closer. Kol almost smirked at his lover, it seemed Jeremy was learning a few manipulation tricks from them.

"Who said we were plotting anything?" he asked, reaching out and grabbing Jeremy's hips. The hunter snorted, then sighed as a serious look settled on his face.

"Because you looked quilty," Jeremy said. Kol swallowed.

"Jer," he took a breath, "we want, need to protect you. If father had hurt you, I don't know what any of us would have done. If he had killed you," he took another breath, this time moving his hands to cup Jeremy's face, "if he would have killed you, this town wouldn't survived to see the sun rise," he growled the last bit, he needed their stubborn hunter to understand how serious he was, how serious they were.

He felt Jeremy shiver under his hands. The human's eyes had closed and he was breathing fast, leaning slightly into Kol's right hand.

"You- can't-" the man stuttered, "you can't punish innocence if something happens to me." Jeremy opened his brown eyes, "please Kol, promise me." Kol growled and flipped them, starting a gasp out of Jeremy.

"It's not about them!" he snarled, "It's about you, losing you. If Mikael had taken you from us, we would have burned this city, to find him!"

"Then go after him!" Jeremy hissed through clenched teeth, "Kill him. Don't hurt others." Kol wanted to shout out and yell until Jeremy understood, but he knew the other man wouldn't. Jeremy cared too much. He sighed and lowered his head so that their foreheads were resting against each other.

"This conversation wouldn't be needed, love, if you would agree to stop sneaking off," he muttered and actually felt Jeremy groan.

"And when I want time alone?" Jeremy whispered.

"Tell us," Elijah's voice startled them both, Kol sat up. though he remained straddling their hunter, "let us know you need it, we will let you go. But we will be able to keep an ear out if trouble finds you. If heaven forbid someone did take you, we would notice right away, instead of hours later." His brother walked across the room, kneeling next to the bed. "It's a compromise, dear, something we can all live with."

Kol watched as Jeremy looked back and forth between them, "what's your plan if I say no?"

Suddenly Klaus was next to Elijah bending over their brother, he quickly grabbed Jeremy's wrise, ripping off the vervain bracelet, holding it in front of Jeremy, with a very serious scowl.

They all watched as Jeremy took in the bracelet and when his eyes widened, Kol knew the hunter had figured it out. Jeremy swallowed loud enough that he heard it.

"Does- can you still?" Jeremy whispered, looking worried.

Kol tried to be as gentle as possible as he reached down and turned Jeremey. When their eyes met, Kol whispered, "kiss me."

He felt Jeremy's body tense and knew the compulsion had hit, his stomach twisted with the knowledge and Jeremy's head came up. The kiss was quick and unsurprisingly Jer was the one to pull away.

"Fuck," their boyfriend muttered as his head fall back against the bed.

"Jer?" he whispered, not sure what else to do. He knew Klaus was ready to compel Jeremy to get him to stay. He knew him and Elijah would go with it, if they had too. He just really didn't want to have to. He prayed just knowing it was a threat, Jeremy would agree to stop wandering off alone.

"Fine." Jeremy said as he shoved Kol off him. Kol knew he was angry, he reached out only for his hands to be swatted away.

Jeremy got off the bed, reaching to take his bracelet from Klaus, who pulled it out of their boyfriends reach.

"Wait," Klaus said gently, "I understand your mad, but there is something we need to know first. Then you can lock us out of your room until you wish to see us again."

"What?" Jeremy said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'll get Tyler." Elijah muttered before he disappeared out of the room.

"Wouldn't Caroline be better?" Kol found himself asking, Tyler after all had a bond with Jeremy as well, it was possible that might allow the hybrid to compel also.

"What are we trying to figure out?" Jeremy asked.

"If it is only us that can compel you now or if-" Jeremy held up his hand, "Or if it's all vampires," he finished, looking a little pale. Kol moved towards him wanting to offer comfort or reasurences, they would never let another vampire control him, but Jeremy took a step back glaring at him.

Kol didn't like how it hurt when Jeremy moved away from him.

Before he could try again, Elijah and everyone other person currently staying with them entered the room. He sighed and raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"They wanted to make sure he was okay." Elijah replied, moving to stand next to Klaus.

Jer," Matt asked, moving to his friend first.

"I'm fine, let's just get this over with." Jeremy replied, not sounding fine at all. Kol exchanged a look with his brothers. They were all worried about him.

"I'll go first," Caroline said, moving to stand before her friend.

She smiled at him, despite his mood Jeremy gave her a small smile in return.

"Okay," she said reaching out to rest her hand on his shoulder, "Tell me," she said, in a suddenly serious voice, "who's the better kisser?"

Kol rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but feel relieved when Jeremy snorted and shook his head. "not telling," the hunter replied.

Caroline pouted for a second before she hugged Jeremy and moved out of the way, of a nervous looking Tyler.

"Admit you were the one who stole my truck junior year," Tyler ordered the second he was in front of his friend.

There was a second, where Jeremy's mouth opened before it slammed shut. He glared a little at Tyler before whatever hold Tyler had slipped off. Jeremy took a breath, "I never stole your truck," but the smirk he sent the hybrid told a different story.

The room fell silent for a moment, while they all thought about what had happened. Caroline might not have been able to compel Jeremy, but for a second Tyler had.

"Matt, can I sleep in your room?" Jeremy asked suddenly.

"Jer-" Elijah started to protect but stopped at the glare he gave him.

"Of course, man." Matt said. The two humans didn't waste a second as they walked out of the room together, Carolince gave them all a sad smile before she chased after them.

"Give him time," Ric said, Kol had forgotten he had followed the group in before, "he knows you three are being overprotective because you love him. He just needs time to wrap his head around this." The hunter didn't say another word just turned and left the room, the witch Will, following him out.

"Was it the pack bond?" Tyler asked after, looking guilty.

"I would assume," Elijah said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "If our theory is correct, the reason we can compel him is because of the connection we all share. Your pack bond between him and Niklaus could have the same side effect."

The hybrid shifted in feet, and Kol wondered what was going through his mind. After a few seconds of nervous shifting Tyler looked at Klaus, "Can we add to the pack bond?"

His brother looked surprised, "why would-" his brother started before stopping himself, "Caroline."

Kol watched as Tyler nodded, "When Jeremy was talking about, she-" the wolf sighed, "she looked jealous. After, she swore it didn't matter, but I could tell she wanted to feel it. That connection, the way you guys can use it to know what the others are feeling. The way I can feel you and Jeremy. I want to feel her like that."

"A wolf bite would kill her." Kol said, feeling bad for Tyler and Caroline, despite the first meetings he liked the two of them, he even liked Matt, not that he planned on telling the human.

"But Klaus can heal her," Tyler replied, and Kol had to stop to think. He looked at his brothers, was it possible? Klaus's wolf had bitten and connected with Jeremy. If Tyler could build the connection with Caroline, before Nik healed her, would it work? Or would the healing negate the bite?

"It might not work." He said, making sure Tyler didn't get his hopes up.

"But it could." Klaus said clearly thinking it over.