Time seemed to stop for Caroline. She was blinded by her tears and couldn't take her eyes off the corpse in front of her. "You- you killed him…" she muttered. Caroline heard Klaus snicker beside her. "Yes, it was either that… or he would have taken you and killed you or even worse... Which would you prefer?"

Caroline was still in disbelief, she had never seen a life be taken before. "There's no turning back now, they know who you are. Caroline, we need to go. I know you need rest, but we must continue." Caroline glanced up at Klaus, he was holding out his hand waiting for her to take it.

She angrily refused and pushed herself up. "Do not speak to me." Caroline pushed past him and began walking. When she noticed Klaus was not following, she turned around and gaped at what she saw.

Klaus was undressing the man before her eyes. "Klaus! This is imposturous! You are stealing from a dead man!" Caroline yelled and turned away, she refused to watch anymore.

After a few moments Klaus appeared in front of her with the man's clothing. "Put them on…" Caroline arched her eyebrows and felt the need to laugh.

"You're serious?" Caroline looked at the clothes then back at Klaus. He held out the clothes and she assumed he was waiting for her to take them. She shrugged him off and walked away.

She was startled when his hand reached out and grasped her arm. "It's for your own protection. The only way he found you was because of your scent. If you put these on, his scent will mask yours for the time being."

Caroline understood his reasoning, but that didn't mean she agreed with it. She hesitated before she snatched the clothes away and moved behind the closest tree.

She made sure no one was watching before she undressed out of her destroyed gown and stepped into the men's clothing. "These breeches are too big for me. I don't believe they will stay up."

"I have rope… you can tie it around your waist." 'Of course he does.' Caroline closed her eyes and tried to compose herself before she stepped around the tree. The look on Klaus' face did not relieve her of embarrassment.

He tried to hide the amused grin that adorned his face, but failed miserably. "No attempt to tease me?" Caroline challenged but was only rewarded with a small smile. Caroline looked around for the rope, but could not find it.

"Klaus… where is th-" Caroline paused as she felt the rope being placed around her small waist. 'Why must he always be so close?' She held her breath as Klaus tightened the rope to fit her.

"There… how is that?" Caroline opened her mouth to answer but quickly shut it as Klaus leaned into her. Caroline could feel the heat rise on her face. He gave her a sly smirk and turned his back on her. She released her breath and tried to soothe her racing heart.

Caroline's eyes snapped open in realization. He was toying with her, for his own entertainment. "Caroline, come along…" She shook herself out of her daze and quickly moved to catch up with him. She pulled at the breeches which were still loose but hung slightly off her hips.

Caroline's mules were tattered but somehow managed to stay on her feet. 'What a blessing. I could not imagine walking on the forest floor.' Caroline swung her arms back and forth and put in effort to make conversation "Klaus, that man was a werewolf, right?" Klaus nodded his head to confirm that she was right. Caroline bit her lip, she didn't know how to discuss her next question but she had to know.

"Why do the werewolves want me dead?" She watched as Klaus took a deep breath. 'This was obviously something he didn't want to talk about.' He frowned before he faced her, "They have their reasons." Caroline was not accepting this as an answer. "What might those reason be?"

Klaus halted before he turned towards her. Caroline crossed her arms and looked him in the eyes. "You could destroy them." Caroline felt her eyes widened at the revelation. 'I could destroy them?'

Caroline blinked, trying to process the information that Klaus had given her. "How?!" Caroline exclaimed. Klaus pursed his lips before speaking again. "That's a story for another time, little one. We must reach my home before nightfall..."

Caroline realized something that she hadn't before, something that didn't make sense. "Klaus, if I could destroy the werewolves…. You are one, why are you helping me?" She could see the distress in Klaus' face as he studied her. "I have my own reasons, Caroline. Right now… the least you know the better."

Caroline groaned in annoyance. 'Of course! Everyone else knows what's going on but me. I hate being left in the dark… feeling like a huge burden.' Caroline stormed off, hurling insults at the handsome man.

"Ungrateful pig… Oh and please, stop calling me little one! I'm not that young." Caroline continued to walk, not entirely sure she was heading in the right direction. She glanced back to see Klaus leisurely walking not far behind her.

Caroline felt her rage boil. "I thought we were in a hurry, Klaus?" She spit out grinding her teeth. "Caroline… how old are you?" Caroline stared straight ahead without even turning to look at him. "I'm within my sixteenth year… and yourself?"

She waited for his answer, but when he didn't speak she faced him. "Well… how old are you?" He shifted his gaze downwards before meeting her eyes. "Old enough." Caroline flashed him a curious glance before he walked past her. 'Another riddle… apparently this man is full of them.'

"There is a faster way to get to my home, but I don't know if you would approve." Caroline perked up at the suggestion. "If it involves not walking, then yes I will agree to the terms. No matter what." Klaus gave her the small smirk she was becoming accustomed to seeing.

Her eyes furrowed when he bent down, and craned his neck to her. "You said you accept, no matter the terms." Caroline laughed when it dawned on her, "You want me to climb aboard your back? This is absurd!" She could tell that he was getting fed up with her, but this was crossing a line.

"I cannot. It would be un-lady like of me… What if someone saw!?" Caroline squeaked out. "Caroline, you are wearing a man's shirt and breeches… does it matter?" Caroline sighed and admitted defeat. She walked up to Klaus and place her hands around his neck.

She jumped when his hands wrapped around her thighs to support her. "If you ever, speak to anyone about this…" She warned. She could feel the rumble of his laughter against her chest. "Caroline, you might want to prepare yourself. This will only take a moment."

Caroline smiled, but she couldn't get one word out before Klaus took off. Caroline clenched her arms around his neck as the trees blurred past her. Caroline buried her face into his shoulder, feeling ill from the excessive speed.

She had never experience something as what was happening now. Caroline had ridden a horse only once to the nearest village because her Lord had requested her to do so, but it could not compare to this. Caroline felt Klaus' beginning to slow down and so she slowly raised her head to look at her surroundings.

Caroline gasped as she saw the most extravagant mansion she had ever seen. "This… this is your home?" Caroline whispered in Klaus' ear. He stopped and dropped her to the ground, her legs wobbling back and forth. Klaus placed a hand on her shoulder to help support her, "Yes, this is my family's home."

'Family? I only knew of a father.' Caroline gently pushed Klaus' hand away when she felt secure enough to stand on her own. "Your family?" Klaus opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when a high-pitched scream came from around the corner of the mansion.

"Nik! You're back!" Caroline watched as a pretty blonde girl in a golden gown with a red petite coat ran into Klaus' awaiting arms. She had never felt the intensity of jealousy before, but now Caroline knew how it felt. She was envious of this girl, that she was certain of.

The blonde girl and Klaus began talking to one another as Caroline awkwardly waited to be noticed. When Klaus' eyes drifted towards her, he gave her an apologetic smile and led the blonde over towards her. "Caroline, excuse me… I'm sorry but this is my sister, Rebekah."

'His sister! I am a fool.' Caroline smiled weakly and tried to curtsied but realized she was not wearing her usual attire of a gown. She watched as Rebekah scrunched her nose up at her and flashed her a judgmental stare. Caroline was obvious to Rebekah's distaste for her. She looked up in shock as Rebekah asked Klaus, "So this is our little savior?"