Klaus moved around the kitchen, and I watched from the table, curled up in a chair, basking in the little patch of warm sunlight I found myself in.

I should hate him, should be trying to escape. Though what awaited me away from him? Sure I saved Jeremy's life, but I was so far down on their list of priorities, they wouldn't care if I lived or died.

The kitchen was a lot more than the white room. It kind of hurt my eyes, to be in a place so colorful, despite the fact that two months ago, I would've found it beautiful.

The woodwork, the tiled floors, even the arched windows. It was all a bit too much.

A heaping plate was set down in front of me, and I jumped, curling in on myself further. I couldn't even look him in the eye.

"You've got to get your strength up."

So he had noticed that I hadn't been eating in the room. He'd said it in his room, but I hadn't processed it.

"No."

It was the only type of control I knew I had and I wasn't going to give it up.

He sighed. "Eat it before I shove it down your throat."

There was the Klaus I knew. I chewed my lip, and barely caught him watching the action. "I want to go outside."

"Not happening."

This time I did it again.

His tongue rolled across his bottom lip.

Interesting.

"Why?"

"I let you out of your room, that should be enough." A shiver went up my spine at the reminder. "Unless of course, you'd prefer to return."

With a grumble, I picked up my fork and angrily stabbed some of the food.

He lightly dragged his knuckle over the length of my forearm, seemingly entranced by the way goosebumps rose from his touch.

I looked away, hoping to hide any sort of reaction, how I savored it, how I hadn't had any human contact in almost two months. How it pulled something from deep inside of me, a part I didn't fully understand.

Nimble fingers grasped my jaw, and forced me to look back at him.

There was a fire dancing in his eyes.

No. This was wrong, it was so wrong.

Klaus was the reason my pack was dead.

He leaned forward, inches from my face, and I swallowed. "Do you want to know why I picked you?"

Yes.

"I assume it was to boost that overly large ego of yours, coming after my pack." As for why me specifically, my father was on the pack council. That and mine was a rather prominent pack, known for being relatively peaceful for the species.

"Wrong." Klaus inched forward. "Care to guess again?"

I tried to get away, give myself some room, something that wasn't breathing that intoxicating scent he had, but a hand snaked up to my neck, pulling me right back.

My gut twisted, though it wasn't all that unpleasant.

"Maybe you were just trying to play pretend with a real wolf."

He tutted, grip tightening ever so slightly. "My, what a sharp tongue, I'd love to see what else it does."

Heat crept up my neck. "I'd sooner stake you."

Klaus chuckled and I hated the way my heart fluttered at the sound. "Lying to ourselves, are we?" He leaned in further, brushing his lips against mine, I jolted in his hold, pinned between the back of the chair and the hand on my throat. "An adorable attempt." He did it again. "Go ahead, little tempest. Give in."

No. I couldn't do it.

He'd killed so many people, so many of my people. The hybrids I'd befriended.

A quieter part of myself whispered to me, muttering sinful things. I felt attracted to Klaus, in this moment, I realized, and it was just a meaningless kiss.

Neither was in love with the other.

So why was I hesitating?

I stopped myself from thinking too much about it, and pushed forward. Our mouths collided, teeth crashing together, there was nothing sweet or tender about it. It was hateful, and filled with anger

But in some twisted way, it made me feel alive, like I was on fire.

He impatiently nipped at my lip, and I gasped, allowing his tongue into my mouth.

Klaus moved, slowly standing the both of us up, and neither of us stopped until I'd been backed against the kitchen wall, and he started working down my neck.

I leaned my head back, breathlessly.

"Wait." I kind of wanted to see what he'd do. If I asked, would he stop?

Klaus froze and looked at me.

So he would.

"This is- only one time."

A slow grin overtook his face. "Then I'll make it count."