"I thought I'd find you up here."

Klaus stood at an easel in his studio, swirling a paintbrush in discolored water. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry."

His eyes flickered over to me for a moment. "You've already done so."

"I can't fix this if you won't let me."

He set his tools down with a thud. "I thought we had no relationship? That outside of a few good months, we'd only fucked."

I knew that was going to bite me in the ass. "I was wrong, okay? Clearly we're more connected than I anticipated."

For the first year, we did need space. Then it was secretive glances, and showing up where we knew the other would be.

All I needed was just to see him. Anything to soothe that growing ache in my chest. I knew it was partly because we were mated, and the fact that we were apparently true mates was also reason enough.

But there was something much deeper at play here.

It was a slow process and I finally felt like we were back on track. "I'm not sorry for protecting Bennett." I moved forward, and to my relief, he stayed where he was. "Or for keeping the part Marcel played close to my chest. I regret that I had to hurt you to save our son."

"I could have made you my queen. Instead you trusted Marcellus." And not him.

"Fuck, Klaus. What was I supposed to do? Dahlia, she made me- I saw-" fucking say it, you coward. Marcel later told me that he cleaned up the mess, compelling anyone to forget that might have been a witness. "If she could make me see people long since dead, then what else could she do to me? Then Marcel had this crazy ass plan and I went with it, she trusted him, and I needed Bennett to not have the same miserable life as Freya."

He frowned.

"I didn't want to tell you because you and Marcel were finally in a good place. If you'd known, you would've overreacted."

"Marcellus is in the garden, where he put his enemies. He's getting exactly what he deserves."

Had he put Freya there too? "Can you really tell me that you wouldn't have taken it further? In the heat of the moment? You almost killed the twins that night." I stopped just before his easel.

Klaus' jaw worked.

A part of me wanted to know why I hadn't received his ire. Though I wouldn't outright ask. I couldn't afford to lose any ground I had. Not when I had four toddlers.

"I'm well aware what you're capable of, and I know your anger. I tried to minimize the danger that went along with betraying you."

"That was your mistake." He shifted.

"How many times do I have to apologize?"

"Words are meaningless."

I winced. "Alright, then what would you have me do?"

"Come home."

Home. I hadn't called anywhere that for a long time.

"Klaus, I can't. I promised-"

He stepped into my space. "I'll let Freya out."

"No." Not yet. Not until I could get Elijah off this revenge scheme. His brow rose. "Do you know how hard it is to readjust a baby to a new environment, let alone four. If you're serious, I want to slowly introduce them here." That should buy me some time. "I want to be able to make the move the moment the wolves aren't cursed anymore."

He traced the length of my neck, ghosting over the mark. "I'll allow it."

Fuck.

I closed my eyes, just for a moment savoring it. "Don't. Please."

"What is it about this..." Klaus moved the collar of my shirt to the side. "That makes you shudder?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." I slapped his hand away. "You would react that way if I did the same things you do."

He tutted. "One day you'll tell me all your secrets."

"Thought you knew everything about me." 

"Clearly I do not." His hand settled against the side of my neck, eyes flickering to my lips. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

But he didn't.

Instead he drew away from me, stepping back until the distance between us set an ache in my chest.