"Good." She whispered, before pressing slick lips against his own.

It was electric. Electric in the way he didn't hesitate to kiss her. Electric in the feeling of his hands slipping under her jacket to sit on her waist. Electric in the sound of the quiet which surrounded them as the forest birds fell silent.

And it was so easy to kiss him. She felt the heat of him as her palms held his face. The slide of his lips against hers was delicious and Caroline allowed herself the sweet pleasure of a second kiss. He was gentle with her and took what she offered without asking for more. However, Caroline couldn't keep the kiss going forever.

With a shaky breath, she pulled her lips from his. Caroline moved to step away, but his hands didn't let her. When her eyes trailed up to meet his gaze, the intensity made her breath hitch. That look could make the world burn, and it was so close, and so focused on her.

Caroline stroked another gentle hand across his jaw, teasing at the short hairs at the back of his neck. Then he smiled, and she found herself grinning right back.

Klaus took his time studying her smile before his patience snapped. In a flash he had her against a tree, taking full advantage of the way she gasped against his lips. Every part felt jumpy and highly strung, buzzing with energy and craving something to soothe it.

Klaus struggled to think when his body was pressed up against hers, pressing demanding kisses against her lips as his hands held around her ribcage. It was all instinct and a fierce wolf roaring in his chest, delighted at finally getting to taste its mate. When Caroline took to running her hands through his curls, his groan shifted the urgency. Steeped in passion and primal desire, Klaus kissed like he wanted to worship her. Confident in his conviction, unyielding in his stance and lavish in his attention.

Pinned between a hard body and the rough bark of the tree, with wandering hands sliding under her jacket and a burning everywhere that he touched, Caroline gasped. She ran her fingers down to his jacket. For a second her fists tightened in the lapels and she pulled him closer. His hips pushed up against her own. The blazing heat of his touch ignited red-hot arousal and the scent of him had her desperate for skin to taste. In haste, Caroline pushed his jacket from his shoulders, still trying to keep up with the pace of his kisses.

Jacket discarded, Klaus pulled out of her hold for just a second, trailing hands up to her shoulders to remove hers too. He muffled her whine easily, licking into her mouth before shifting his palm to hold her jaw. Trailing hot, wet kisses down her neck was sweet torture. Underneath his lips he felt her pulse point, the rush of blood underneath seducing him to bite and mark immediately. Yet he resisted with a growl and licked instead, delighting in the feel of her shuddering in his hands.

Caroline held her breath as he fisted the floral fabric of her shirt. She opened her eyes just in time to see him tear it from her body as though he felt it too - the same animalistic need for skin. Klaus wasted no time in pressing up against her again, reconnecting their lips without hesitation.

For long seconds, she was lost in the sensation. The breeze stroked over her exposed skin, but it was where his hands teased her hips that it tingled. Caroline hummed against his lips as her thighs slid together, the slickness between her legs unmistakeable. His touch and taste were intoxicating, but still she needed more.

Together they took off his shirt. When Klaus moved to kiss her again, Caroline dodged his lips with a playful smirk. He was close still. So close, and resorting to pressing gentle kisses across her shoulder. Trailing her eyes down, her breath hitched at the sight of bare skin and ink hiding lean muscle. Wandering hands reached out and she sighed, tracing his tattoo with gentle fingers. Still not enough.

As Klaus lifted his head and caught her eye, Caroline ran a hand up to cradle his face. Her heart twisted as he turned his head to kiss at her palm.

"Can you feel it?" She breathed, brow furrowed at the need. It was so unlike anything she'd ever felt before, so overwhelming and all-consuming. Magical.

Klaus hummed distractedly, eyes flitting down to her covered breasts. "I can always feel your arousal, love."

His palms ran up her ribcage, fingertips tracing along the band of her bra. His own arousal made his jeans tight, but with so much of her exposed, Klaus found that he cared very little about his own comfort. He didn't miss the way she shuddered at his words. "My favourite was that morning in the kitchen when I felt it for the first time."

Caroline's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but could only sigh when his fingers moved back to her hips.

Klaus dipped his head, licking along her collarbone. "But I didn't even have to feel it. I could smell how wet you were for me in that little skirt." While his mouth moved to her sternum, his palms shifted to stroke the outside of her thighs.

Caroline listened, feeling the flush creep over her cheeks. Her own hands skimmed over his bare skin, caressing the arms which held her before burying fingers in his curls.

"And then when I had closed the front door, you made the most beautiful noises, Caroline. It was-" He stopped for a second, kissing along the swell of her breast. "-difficult to leave."

She arched her back, pressing as close to him as possible. Everything felt so hot, and the arousal tangled in her gut was on the verge of painful. "Klaus, come on."

"You're not surprised." He said, dimples blooming when he caught her eye. "You knew."

"Thought I imagined it." She explained away, reaching for his belt.

His hand caught her wrist in a flash. Holding her gaze, he smiled once more and caught her other wrist, raising them over her head and pinning them there with one hand. The hold wasn't tight, but Caroline didn't try to break free. Not with how he was looking at her, stretched out in her bra.

"Caroline." He chastised, though it could have just as easily been mistaken for a prayer. "I am not one of your adolescent lovers. This won't be swift. I've waited for you for a thousand years, surely you can let me enjoy you."

It took a second for the lilt of his accent to sink in, and Caroline found her breath hitching. The way her arousal spurred was captivating and she drank in the sight of him hard for her. Slowly she pulled her hands free and reached out to loop them around his neck. "Go on." She whispered with a lazy smile, rocking her hips against his as their lips connected.

His gentleness took her aback, as he cradled her head through the kiss. She wasn't really a fan of one night stands or rash decisions, but she was a fan of the way his touch set her body alight. Regardless of the shared feelings and cravings, she found herself more than appreciative of his pretty gifts, pretty accent and pretty features. Of the way he looked at her. Of the chuckle he'd give when she was grouchy with him. Putting the soulmate discussion aside in her mind, Caroline knew that she'd still want him.

She pulled away first, leaning into the run of fingers through her curls as she pressed kisses down his jaw.

Klaus could feel his wolf's elation and hummed at the feeling. "I had to see you after - had to know what your cheeks looked like flushed from orgasm. Tell me Caroline, did you say my name when you came over your fingers?"

She froze then, before leaning back against the tree once more. "Touch me." She breathed, pulling at his waist until his hardness pressed against her stomach.

Catching her chin, Klaus grinned at her impatience. He could feel her arousal, so much so that he wasn't sure where hers stopped and his started. "Did you think of me?" He growled.

"Yes."

"And would you come on my fingers?"

Her muscles felt tense and tight as she squirmed. Caroline didn't hesitate to knock his hand out of the way and lick into his mouth. She could feel him smile against her lips, and hers curved too.

After a slow, teasing stroke over her jeans, Klaus popped the button on them and slipped his fingers down.

Even restricted by her tight pants, Klaus was precise in his movements. He dipped into her wetness just enough to slick his fingers before circling her clit as lightly as possible.

Caroline sighed at the flutters of pleasure, moaning as she clung to his shoulders.

"Shh, love." He soothed. While her eyes flickered shut, Klaus drank in the sight of her. He scoped every inch of skin available, mapping every curve and noting the way her lips parted when he gave her just a little more pressure.

Caroline pressed her chest against his and let her head fall back against the tree. His fingers were light against her, but she was so highly strung that every touch felt like heaven. Still she wanted more. She wanted him to toy with her nipples and tear off her jeans and fill her with his cock. Instead of voicing that, she settled with gentle groans between her panting breaths.

He gave her so little that before long Caroline's patience snapped. As Klaus finished laying soft kisses against her neck, she risked a roll of her hips against his hand. The pressure on her clit was delicious and she moaned loudly before he could straighten to catch her eye.

Feeling his smile on her skin, she rocked against him again, tangling her hand in his hair.

"Caroline." He breathed. Klaus could feel her arousal so clearly and echoes of her pleasure kept slipping through. He gave her more, moving his fingers more quickly against her. Her hips responded, adjusting their pace to grind against his hand in the most perfect way.

Hot curls wound in her core and Caroline knew it wouldn't take much for her to come. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, clinging on to whatever she could.

Klaus cupped her face with his space hand, pressing his forehead against hers as she panted into his mouth.

"You're so beautiful, pet. You look beautiful riding my fingers." He groaned. Without warning, he pressed a finger up inside her.

Caroline squeaked, but didn't stop the desperate roll of her hips.

"So wet. Would you like it if I gave you my cock?"

With a stutter of her hips, Caroline nodded. The pressure was building, and as he pressed a second finger inside her eyes rolled upwards.

"I will, love. I'll give you everything. You won't leave my bed for at least a week." He growled. "But later. I want to see you come first."

She didn't respond, just chased her orgasm with bucking hips and an arched back.

And he could feel it. Feel how she was about to snap and fall apart. Klaus pressed a palm against her clit and, ignoring the rock of her hips, fucked her relentlessly. "Come for me."

Caroline couldn't squirm towards or away from him, just took what he gave with a whimper. She was on the edge for what felt like forever, gasping for breath but unable to fill her lungs. Then, with the rapid movement of his fingers, it dropped. Sharp electric currents rippled from her core, washing over in waves. Her mouth fell open as she shook under his touch.

Klaus didn't slow his fingers and his focus never shifted from her face. He himself was lost in the scent of her orgasm, drunk on the high of watching her fall apart. He could feel it too, faint and echoed, but tingling through his bones.

When she moaned, his wolf howled. In his chest, deep satisfaction settled as she shivered through the last of her climax and his fingers slowed. As much as he enjoyed the twitch of her muscles when gentle touches teased over her oversensitive clit, Klaus stopped when she opened her eyes.

Her breath was heavy as she stroked across his face while he pulled his hand free of her jeans. Coaxing him in, Caroline kissed him softly before pulling away to grin. That grin turned swiftly into a giggle, and then he too was chuckling, wrapping both arms around her waist.

Seeing him like that - all carefree and boyish - make her heart swell. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, Caroline let her hands wander down. Just as she touched his belt, Klaus tensed and the smile faded from Caroline's face.

Noticing in her concern, Klaus grinned wider. Taking her hands with his own, he shook his head softly. "Not here. I want you in a bed, sweetheart."

Caroline eyed him for a second, before sidestepping him and snatching her jacket from the forest floor. Her shirt was unwearable, but she picked up the scrap and forced it into the pocket of her jeans all the same. She pulled his hand without looking back. "Fine. Let's go."

With an amused smirk, Klaus followed.

It didn't take long for Klaus to take the lead and after only two stops for prolonged make-out sessions, they arrived at the mansion's outhouse.

The walk had done nothing to dampen the tension between the two. The air buzzed around them, hot and highly strung. So much so that as she stepped in, distracted by the simmering look he gave her as he held the door, Caroline didn't notice the figures which leapt off the couch.

She did when they spoke, though.

"Uh-"

"Tyler?!" Caroline hissed, startled and pulling the jacket around her so that none of her bra was on show.

Not that it would have really mattered. He himself was shirtless, mused hair and jeans slung low on his hips. The girl he was with was dressed, but her hair was similarly tousled. She spoke with an accent. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" Caroline snapped back, feeling Klaus stand at her flank.

"Hayley. I'm his g-."

"-Friend." Tyler interrupted. "She's a friend."

It didn't get past Caroline. It felt like cool water was soaking her and she sobered up quickly, eyes flicking between them. "You cheated." She said, and the words brought a weight to her chest.

"Care, it's not like that." Tyler started, raising his hands.

"Did you or did you not sleep with her?" Caroline snarled.

At her shoulder, Klaus watched with calculating eyes. Tyler and Hayley on his property were one thing, but the woman next to him was a far bigger concern. The way her jaw was set tight, arms crossed over her chest as she held her ground was admirable. But he could still feel her hurt inside. His own arousal was fading at her upset. While he made no move to console her, he was quite stunned by her strength on the face of it. She was magnificent.

Tyler visibly tensed, taking a step back even though there was a couch between them. "Look, I didn't mean for this to happen."

Caroline enjoyed the way the girl looked like a deer in the headlights, though it was a tiny consolation to the hurt within. Because now it all made sense - the running away, the breakup. The one person who she thought was going to put her first hadn't. And looking between the two of them, the grief swiftly turned to unbridled rage. "Oh my god, what the hell is wrong with you, Tyler?! I was waiting for you for weeks and you were shacked up with some other girl?!"

"Tyler?" Hayley called, nerves audible in her voice. Caroline was too busy staring down Tyler to pay much attention.

He looked away first, noticing Klaus at her side. She could see it when he noted their dishevelment and partial dress. Could see it when he pieced it together, cogs turning until his brow furrowed.

For a second, Tyler froze, but then he spoke with venom. "Wow. Pot kettle black."

"No!" Caroline snapped, and his eyes fell back to her. "No. Don't you dare make this about me when you were screwing someone else while you were my boyfr-"

"-Really? Of all the rebounds?! Or were you with him when I was gone, huh?!" Tyler hissed.

"Careful." Klaus interjected calmly.

"Tyler?" Hayley called again louder.

But Caroline threw her hands in the air. "What would it matter if I was, now I know you can't keep it in your pants?!"

Hayley's frantic voice cut through. "Tyler, they're mates."

The room fell silent then, and Caroline watched as Tyler's focus flitted between the pair. Seconds ticked by as he scoured every inch of available skin before finding the scarred mark.

Caroline didn't know what to do. It felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room, they way they were frozen. Hayley wide eyed and fearful, Tyler confused. She watched as Tyler's eyes bled gold, and a ferocious growl reverberated from his chest.

Klaus moved quickly, stepping in front of Caroline. "Now now, let's not do anything we'd regret." He said calmly.

Tyler met his gaze boldly. They sized each other up for a while, neither making a move. Then Tyler broke, eye's turning back to their usual darkness. "You know what? You can have her." He snarled, though Caroline didn't miss the hurt in his tone. "Let's go."

Together, Hayley and Tyler left with once last burning look at the pair.

Silence fell once more and Caroline didn't move an inch. Not only was the stinging of his infidelity painful, but his reaction had all but confirmed that he didn't care for her. Not enough to fight.

She watched the muscles of Klaus' back twitch as he turned. "Caroline…" He breathed, something akin to pity in his tone.

"Don't. Please just don't." She stepped back and flashed out of the outhouse herself.

Bonnie answered the door, taking in the smudged mascara of tear tracks with wide eyes.

"Can I come in?" Caroline whispered and Bonnie stepped aside, shutting the door behind them both.

In the hallway, Elena stood. "Care? What's wrong?" She asked, before pulling her in for a tight hug.

Caroline went easily, allowing her friends to steer her into the living room and dab at her cheeks with their fingers.

"Please tell me what's up? You're scaring me." Bonnie said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she sat next to her on the couch.

Her chest felt tight and it was difficult to breathe steadily, but Caroline stuttered out, "Tyler cheated."

"He what?!" Bonnie hissed.

Elena crouched in front of her and sat a soothing hand on her knee. "Oh Care, I'm so sorry."

Caroline nodded, but couldn't stop the flow of tears. It wasn't her first time being cheated on, but the heartache was still sore. The feeling of never being good enough had reared its head in an ugly and brutal fashion, and she was tired of hiding it. Adding to her sadness was Klaus. She knew that she shouldn't feel guilty about being caught with him, but the hurt in Tyler's eyes sat heavy on her heart. Had she done this to herself? Had she pushed Tyler away before he had left? Rationally she knew she hadn't, but trying to quiet those thoughts was proving challenging.

"He can't be your soulmate. He couldn't do that if he was." Bonnie spoke quietly.

Caroline stared incredulously at Bonnie when she noticed Elena's lack of reaction. "You told her?!"

"I was worried when you didn't show up today." Bonnie reasoned.

Elena jumped in. "It's fine, Care. I didn't tell anyone."

Looking between the two of them and noting the real, genuine concern in their eyes, Caroline nodded slowly.

Elena stood. "I'll get the ice cream."

It was a short time later that Caroline found herself wearing one of Bonnie's old t-shirts in the middle of a best friend sandwich. With fluffy blankets piled on top of them, they snuggled on the couch and snacked. She barely paid attention to the movie on TV, but enjoyed the sensation of Bonnie stroking her hair.

Caroline couldn't wrap her head around what she'd learned about soulmates. Under normal circumstances she'd have assumed Klaus was lying to her - soulmates were such a fantastical idea. But something about Tyler and Hayley's reaction had her thinking twice. The fact that they both knew what the scar on his arm had meant the moment they'd seen it. Tyler's visceral reaction to fight as though Klaus had provoked him.

Bonnie's hum broke her train of thought. "You okay?"

She hummed back the affirmative.

"We'll figure it out." Bonnie said. "I'll search every grimoire if I have to."

Caroline bit her lip, before sitting up. She couldn't go on keeping secrets, not when she was struggling to know who to believe. "I think I already did." She sighed. "It's not Tyler."

It took a second for them to get what she was saying. Elena sat up too. "…Klaus."

"Oh my god." Bonnie breathed. "Klaus is your soulmate?!"

Caroline fiddled with the seam of the blanket covering her lap. "He has a mark from where I bit him."

For a while, no one spoke. Then Elena broke the tension with another hand on her knee. "Don't worry. Don't worry. We can fix this. Bonnie will look up a spell and I'll ask Stefan-."

"No!" Caroline startled. The idea of Stefan's pity was too much for her. "No one else can know. I don't want anyone else to know."

Elena and Bonnie shared a long look, before Elena nodded. "Okay. I won't tell."

"I'll find something, something to unbind you." Bonnie comforted.

Caroline couldn't help but feel like she'd just made a huge mistake.

"Maybe because it's not complete we could find a loophole, something to break the bond."

The panic rose in Caroline's chest.

"I'm sure there will be something, maybe I could ask Grams."

"Bonnie!" Caroline almost shouted. It was hard to know exactly why she was feeling such anxiety over her friends reaction. All she knew was that instinct was fighting them at every corner. "What if I don't want you to break it."

"This is Klaus we're talking about. He's done terrible things." Elena reasoned, looking at Caroline as though she'd grown an extra head.

"I know that."

"That's the mating magic talking." Bonnie said.

"No, it's not! Listen to me for once." Caroline hissed, exasperated. "I don't want you to make those decisions for me, okay? Not now."

Both of her friends eyed her warily. Caroline knew it wouldn't be the last she heard of the subject, but all she wanted was to continue to stuff her face and mope, preferably with her two friends at her side.

"Okay." Bonnie sighed, pulling Caroline's head back down to her lap.

It was nighttime when Caroline returned to her home. She'd considered sleeping at Bonnie's, but she was starving and her witch friend had always refused to keep human blood in the fridge. Slipping past her mom on the couch with a weak smile, she headed into her bedroom and wasn't surprised to find Klaus there, leaning against the wall by her vanity. Closing the door, she turned to meet his gaze.

Klaus pushed off the wall to stand, and Caroline tried to read his expression. The scent of him made her fangs prickle in her mouth, and God, she was so hungry.

"Would you like me to bring you his head?"

Caroline cracked a tiny smile at that, admiring the confidence in his question. "No. But thanks anyway."

Neither moved. "Did you know they'd be there?" Caroline asked quietly. It had been annoying her since she'd left the outhouse. After all, it was on his property.

"No." He answered immediately. "Some of the hybrids had been staying there, but not for a while."

Caroline found no insincerity in his expression, and so nodded her approval. Klaus sighed, wolf unsettled by her upset, and opened his arms.

Without thinking too hard on it, she stepped into his embrace and let him comfort her. Klaus held her tight, one arm wrapped around her back and the other cradling her head. Caroline drunk in deep breaths of him, clinging to his jacket to draw him tighter as the burning in her throat intensified.

"Drink, love." Klaus muttered as he begun to feel the stinging too. "It's been too long."

She didn't hesitate to find his pulse point, sinking in sharp fangs and moaning at the taste of him. When she had had her fill and the craving had been sated, Caroline licked away the last droplets as the wound started to heal. She could feel him tense beneath her hands, the way his body always felt when she drank from him. Yet she didn't want to move away. Instead, she pressed her forehead to his shoulder.

As the room fell quiet and his muscles began to relax, Caroline began to think about their time in the woods and waited for the awkwardness to come. It never did. She was perfectly content in the silence with him and the way his fingers stroked through her hair showed that he felt the same.

She grumbled into his neck. "I guess maybe you could have that date sometime. If you want."