Author's Note: Hey y'all! Sorry that this is so late and that it's shorter than the other ones. Please someone let me know what you think of it!

Chapter 9: I Don't Wanna Know

I managed to get some decent sleep that night. That next afternoon, I was outside Merlotte's helping to set up Arlene's engagement party. Sam was putting up paper lanterns around the area, and I was helping to put up tables. Terry stopped next to me with beer in his arms. I looked over to him with a confused look. "Everything okay Terry?"

"I was just about to ask you that," he countered. "You've looked tired the last few days. I was just wondering if you were feeling better."

I smiled at him softly. "I got a good night's sleep, so I feel much better. Thank you for looking out for me Terry."

"It's what I do Ted," he shrugged awkwardly.

"It's very sweet of you," I complimented, and he blushed slightly.

It was then that Sookie came walking up and grabbed me as she went. "A word please Teddy," she demanded.

"Uh…sure," I muttered and let her drag me around the far end of the bar. When she stopped, she spun to look at me with a pissed off look. "What happened?"

"Sam's a shapeshifter!" she seethed in a faint voice. I blinked a few times and she continued. "Bill had asked him to look out for me, and I woke up this morning thinking that it was the dog that hangs around here, but instead it was Sam buck-naked!"

"So, he told you what he was?" I inquired, trying to get the full story.

Sookie looked at me in suspicion before gasping in accusation. "You knew?!" she hissed.

I rolled my eyes. "He could scent us, and we could scent him. It went both ways, and he asked me to keep quiet, so I did. It wasn't my place to tell his secret to anyone. Why are you so angry about this anyway?"

"Because I kissed him!" she whispered harshly. "And I know that he wanted to do more, but he didn't even try to tell me. He hid who he was from me."

I gave Sookie a glare that had her flinching back. "Sookie Stackhouse, get you head out of your ass," I growled at her. "Not everyone las to bare their secrets to you. I get that it's shocking but quit being closed minded to all of this."

With that, I stomped off leaving Sookie stunned. I continued helping out in setting up, still slightly fuming at Sookie. She thought that just because I told her what I am, it meant that I would tell her everything. The double-edged sword that was her ability was making her small minded.

"Sookie, could you reach up another box of these paper lanterns?" I heard Sam ask.

"I'm kind of busy right now setting up your bar," she responded snappily, and I turned to glare at her.

Walking towards where Sam was on the ladder, I reached down to pick up the box of paper lanterns and handed them to Sam. "Here Sam."

Sam looked at me with a grateful smile, even though it was strained. Sookie then said something that made me want to growl at her. "Thank you, Terry," she thanked in a high pitch tone. "You are so sweet and reliable. I always know what to expect from you. No nasty surprises."

"Well, that's just because you don't know me very well," Terry rebuffed as Sam climbed down from the ladder and I glared at her again.

A car pulled up and out came Arlene. She ran over and sighed happily when she saw the lanterns. "Oh Sam. These lanterns are just precious," she said happily, but then changed to her commanding voice. "But they ought to alternate colors. Like boy-girl seating."

"But they're already in place," Sam almost whined.

"Oh, it won't take a minute to change," she argued, while Sam just agreed with her. "Don't you think they should hang in little scallops, like a gingerbread house? It'll be more romantic that way, not like some hick barn dance."

"What do you want it to look like?" Sam chuckled in exasperation.

"A debutante ball," Terry interjected.

Arlene pointed to Terry in excitement. "Hug your neck. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I'll be right back. Thank you, Sam."

With that, Arlene went inside the bar, and I walked up to Sam, who got back on the ladder. "This is what happens when you give in to what she wants."

"Haha, very funny," Sam sarcastically shot back. "Just for that, you're helping me with changing the lanterns." I nodded back to him, and he turned to Terry. "How did you know what she wanted?"

"My cousin Portia was a deb in Shreveport when she turned 18," he explained as he petted the dog that hung around. "Every Bellefleur woman's been doing it since they started having them before the Revolutionary War."

Sam got a faraway look in his eyes. "It must be nice to come from such an old family."

"All families are old, Sam," Terry responded. "Some just keep better records."

I nodded to that. "I can trace my father's family back all the way to England almost two hundred years." Terry gave me an odd look. "What?"

"It's nothing," he shook his head. "I've just never heard you talk about your father."

"That's because there's nothing to tell," I scoffed. "He isn't father material and dropped me off with my aunt about two years after I was placed with him."

"He must have had his reasons," Terry tried to defend.

I sighed and smiled softly at him. "It's sweet of you to try and get me to see it another way Terry but believe me there was a lot of different ways that he could have handled everything. When I saw him next, he tried to act as if he was the perfect father when he was never there. He's just not a topic that I like to talk about."

Terry nodded in understanding as Arlene came back outside and tried to get Sam's attention. "Sam! Sam! Don't put the red ones next to the green ones. This ain't Christmas."

As she walked off, I turned to look up at Sam. "Let's get these changed Boss," I told him with a smile. "It'll get done quicker if we work together."

*Queen of the Wolves*

I walked around the party and watched as Rene led Arlene to the dance floor. I smiled despite the bad feeling that I got from Rene. He was sweet to her and her kids, which was what Arlene needed. I had changed from my earlier clothes into a dark green lace dress with a high-low skirt and sleeves wrapped around my shoulders. I paired that with a pair of black ankle wrap platform wedges.

I drank from a beer bottle as I watched people dance. I saw Sookie sitting alone at one of the tables. I was still angry at her for her attitude earlier and to me, she seemed to still have that attitude.

Someone grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor. When I was spun, it was into someone's arms. I looked up into the blue eyes of Sam. He smiled apologetically at me. "Sorry. I didn't know what else to do."

"If you wanted to talk, you could have just asked," I teased. "But I hope you know that I can't change Sookie."

Sam sighed. "I know that, but I was hoping that you could get her to see it another way."

I snorted. "Are you sure we're talking about the same person? Apparently, since I knew about you, I'm as guilty and worth her anger as well."

Sam looked apologetic. "I'm sorry that this is on you as well Teddy. I didn't want to cause a fight between family."

"It's okay Sam," I sighed. I then saw Sookie dancing with Rene, and I nodded to them. "Try talking to Sookie again, but don't expect to get anywhere."

Sam nodded then spun me around off of the dance floor. I walked away to get another beer. A few minutes later, Sam came walking over to me looking upset. "You bow out?" I asked.

Sam nodded to me. "You were right. You can't change Sookie."

*Queen of the Wolves*

I found myself sitting with Arlene, Amy, and Sookie at one of the tables. We were watching Jason, Rene, and Hoyt take shots. "You know what I love the most about Rene?" Arlene asked. "Aside from his fine little Cajun butt. Hee-hee-hee!"

She laughed at her own joke, and then smiled happily. "He's good to the kids. He's good to me. All the rest were fixer uppers. But Rene, he's solid all the way to the foundation. I can count on him. And I've never had that in all my life."

I rubbed her arm in comfort when her voice cracked, and Amy spoke next. "I know what you mean, I never knew I could have something like what I have with Jason. I'm not about to let anything destroy that."

"I wish I could have something like you two," I told them, thinking of Eric. "I found someone that I'm interested in, but I don't know if I should go after it."

"Ooh girl, it's about time!" Arlene squealed. "I was so worried that you wouldn't find anyone. What's he like?"

"The very definition of tall, dark and handsome and quite scary," I explained with a fond smile. "But the dark part is kind of heavy, so I don't know if he'd be even willing for a relationship."

Before Arlene or Amy could say anything, Sookie spoke up and brought down the good mood. "I don't know how anyone can trust anybody these days," she said in an angry tone. "They're always keeping things from you. You don't even know who people are or what they are."

There was a pause in conversation as we all just stared at Sookie. Amy tried to get the conversation back. "Well, you know what I love about Jason? Everything is just right there on the surface. You never have to wonder what he's thinking."

"Yeah, because he ain't thinking," Sookie snapped in an annoyed tone.

Arlene and I laughed nervously. Then over Arlene's head, I saw Tara walking up to the table. She wore a tight short red dress with her hair over one shoulder and a red solo cup in her hand. "Hey, girlfriends, what's up?"

Arlene looked at her a little shocked. "Tara. You look…you look great."

Tara looked down at her dress and she seemed kind of like she was drunk. "Prom night, 2000. I ain't wore it since."

"Well, it still fits you," Amy complimented awkwardly.

Sookie stood up and took Tara to the side. I just shook my head when the other two turned to me. I knew a part of what got her into this mood, but the other part, I thought she was being stupid about it.

Arlene then turned to me with an expectant look on her face. I raised my eyebrows. "What?"

"Don't what me," she teased. "Tell me about the guy that caught the unattainable Teddy's attention."

"Unattainable?" I questioned, scoffing, and taking a drink of my beer. "Where did you get that idea?"

"All the guys call you that," Amy explained. "Even I've heard about that. Since no one is able to catch your eye, they all call you unattainable. Apparently, the opposite of how Jason was."

I sighed. "I'm just waiting for that spark, that's all."

"And this guy has that spark then?" Arlene asked in excitement with a wide smile. "What does he look like?"

I was saved to answer by my phone ringing in my small crossbody purse. Taking it out, Arlene pouted, and Amy giggled while I looked at the caller ID. I didn't recognize the number and it wasn't saved in my phone, but that wasn't unusual. Wolves that needed advice were usually and were just given my number to call. But usually, the pack Alpha would call me beforehand.

I opened my phone and answered the call. "Hello?"

"I must say that I enjoy that color on you," Eric's deep voice came through the speaker and my heart rate sped up.

His words registered and I looked around. "Where are you?" I asked. "And how did you get my number?"

"How about you head to your car?" he suggested, ignoring my questions. "We have a lot to talk about."

With that, he hung up on me. I closed my phone and threw it in my purse in frustration. I turned to Arlene and Amy, who looked at me curiously, with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry Arlene," I said. "I have to leave. Something came up and I have to handle it."

"Was that the guy?" Amy asked. "It sounded like the vampire that came to the bar."

Arlene looked at me in slight alarm, but I waved her off. "I can take care of myself, believe me."

With that, I stood after giving Arlene a hug with another congratulations. Walking quickly, I made my way out of the party and towards where I parked my car. I had parked kind of far away, and I could see a large figure standing beside my baby. Focusing my sight, the sight of the blonde vampire made my wolf growl in my head. I took a deep breath before making my way over.

"Lovely to see you again Theodora," Eric purred as I got closer.

I only narrowed my eyes at him. "Eric. I'll ask only once. What are you doing here?"

Eric chuckled at me and swiftly moved to stand in front of me. I was fairly tall for a woman at 5'10", but Eric still managed to tower over me. Eric's unique scent washed over me. All vampires smelled of the last thing that they were around before turning and dirt from when they would sleep in the ground. Like Bill, he smelled like gunpowder from when he was in the war and fresh dirt.

But Eric simply smelled like fresh air of the ocean. The smell of dirt was different too. It was the smell of a rainstorm. It was altogether different than any vampire that I had ever met. The smell made my wolf howl and whine in my head to get closer to him. She was wanting me to claim him already, but I was very hesitant to do so.

Eric then started to speak, breaking the silence that fell. "I came here to ask what you are."

"And, again, what makes you think that I'm gonna tell you?" I snapped back.

"Because I am losing my patience when it comes to you," he shot back at me.

I smirked at him. "Oh, I get it. You're not used to someone road blocking you. You're used to getting whatever you want from others never actually putting in the work to get what you want."

Eric growled, but I put a hand on his chest to keep him from coming closer. "Listen here, Eric Northman," I started firmly. "If you want to know what I am, you have to earn it. I'm not just going to give up what you want to know on your whim. That's not how I work. It's based on trust, and I don't trust you enough to tell you."

"Our agreement—"

"Our agreement was when you need help with something," I spoke up, cutting him off. "Not for when your curiosity gets the better of you. You're a thousand-year-old vampire. How about you show some restraint?"

His fangs clicked down, and he bared them at me. "I don't take to being told what to do," he growled at me.

"Neither do I," I growled back. "If you want to know what I am, then you're gonna have to earn it. It's not gonna happen any other way."

With that, I pushed past him and got into my car. Starting up and driving away, I looked into my rear-view mirror and saw Eric scowling at me. I wanted to feel bad about blowing him off. My wolf was doing enough of that with all the growling she was doing in my head. But the way that he was demanding things from me made it hard to feel bad.

Being the Queen, I didn't bow to anyone, no matter who it was. Whether it was the Pack Masters of the other werewolves or the Vampire Authority, I don't cower and I don't bow down. That was what I was raised to do, and I would continue to do so. No one would break me.

*Queen of the Wolves*

I went driving around in order to calm down. Despite Eric being my mate, he still made my blood boil with how arrogant he is. The more I thought about it, the angrier I felt. No one had ever aggravated me like Eric, it was surprising. I was so angry that I almost missed the call for me from Sookie. 'Teddy! Teddy! I know that we were arguing, but I really need you to come home!'

'Sookie? Are you alright?' She sounded like she was scared and out of breath.

'The killer was at the party and almost got me,' she explained to me. 'Sam brought me home, but I would feel better if you were here.'

I turned the car towards Sookie's house as I answered her. 'I'm on my way now.'

Driving quickly, I made it to Sookie's house in record time. Without bothering to lock my car, I rushed inside. I saw both Sookie and Sam sitting on the made-up couch talking. The moment the door closed behind me, Sookie stood and ran to me. I met her in the middle and gave her a tight hug.

When we pulled back, I placed one hand on her face and the other on her shoulder. "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

She shook her head but leaned into my hand. "No, I'm not hurt. I'm just really shaken up. I could see inside his head Teddy. His thoughts were all red and snarly. But I couldn't identify anything in the images."

I could tell that she was going to start panicking, so I placed both hands on her cheeks and forced her to look at me. "Sookie, you need to breath and calm down. Panicking will not do you any good. Now, you need to get some sleep. Go to bed."

Sookie didn't argue with me, just nodded and gave me a hug before going upstairs. I turned my attention to Sam as he walked up. "Thank you for bringing her home Sam. I'm sorry for not being there."

Sam shook his head. "Don't be sorry Teddy. I'm just glad I was there. Besides, it sounded like you had trouble of your own." I gave him a confused look and he elaborated. "When we left, Arlene said that you got a call from a vampire and left. Is everything okay now?"

I sighed and rubbed my temple. "Not really. I've got a persistent vampire that wants to know what I am."

"And he doesn't know that you're Asena?" Sam asked. "What are you gonna do?"

Sam didn't just know about me being a wolf. I had told him about me being Queen as well. I went by Asena in the supernatural community to protect my identity in the human community. Wolves knew who I was, but to vampires, other werewolves, and all the others, I was Asena, Queen of the Wolves. Sam was the only supernatural creature that knew about both sides.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do honestly," I sighed. "It's a tricky situation. This vampire is my mate, so I can't just ignore him. But at the same time, I can't just tell him who I am because he could use that to his advantage."

Sam was shocked by this but looked at me with sympathy in his eyes. Reaching out, he put a hand on my shoulder in comfort. I looked up to his blue eyes that were full of understanding. "Whatever you need Teddy, I'm here to support you."

I smiled genuinely at him. "Thank you, Sam. Now, I better try and get some sleep. It might be busy tomorrow and I unfortunately have an errand to run tomorrow night.

Sam nodded and gave me a tight hug. When we pulled back, he smiled at me. "Goodnight Teddy."

"Goodnight Sam," I replied and went upstairs. After changing for bed, I laid in bed and fell asleep slowly, thinking of a certain blonde vampire.