Chapter 16: Hard-Hearted Hannah

When we got back to the hotel, we all went our separate way. Sookie and Bill went to their room while Eric went to the bar. I went to my room to relax a little and call Zander. He was awake – thank God – and so was Georgette. I spoke to them about what happened at the airport and what we found out after. About what I found out at the pack house and what Dante told me. Then finally what we planned at Godric's house and what I found out about Willow and Godric.

"Well, at least he has someone now," Zander said. "He was always so lonely when we were around."

"But he doesn't know about it Z," I reminded him.

"Didn't he once say that he knew the previous Queen?" Georgette asked. "Surely he knows the mate bond and what it does."

"But he might not realize it in front of him," I reasoned. "He might have thought that it would never happen to him. I do agree with Zander though. Godric was always lonely, and I think that they are good for each other."

Then Georgette asked the question that I was dreading. "What are you going to about Nixon and Zoey?"

I ran a hand down my face as I sat on the bed. "I'm not sure yet. I won't have the whole story unless I speak with Godric. But, I might move them to another pack. They've become too obsessed with power. You should have heard them today. They were so angry that they were being told what to do."

"Sounds like they are more than obsessed with it," Zander murmured. "They might become a problem later on."

"I know," I sighed.

"You should get some sleep Teddy," Georgette suggested. "You have a big day tomorrow."

"Soon," I told her. "But I need you to get some of the pack together and bring them over here."

"Who do you need?" Zander asked instantly.

"The both of you for starters," I said, then started counting off who I would need. "Bryson, Leo, Bella, bring Nikola, Abbie, and Ciro with you as well. Farren can run the pack with Isleen and Felix to support her. I'm gonna need help with this one."

"We'll see you in a day or so," Zander told me. "I'll make the arrangements in the morning. Now, try to get some sleep T."

"I will," I agree. "I love you guys."

"We love you too," they said in unison.

We said our goodbyes and hung up. I ran a hand through my hair to alleviate the oncoming headache with a sigh. I needed a drink. I got up, taking my jacket off and putting my phone and wallet in the pocket of my jeans. I then made my way down to the bar.

When I walked in, I saw most of the males turn to me. Most of the men back in Bon Temps would do the same, and I usually have to fight most of them off. I glanced around the bar and noticed a certain blonde vampire talking to a brunette female vampire. Scoffing, I rolled my eyes and moved towards the bar. I sat down and didn't even look up to see when someone came up.

"Bourbon neat, please," I groaned.

A glass was placed in front of me, and a kind voice spoke up. "Penny for your thoughts my Queen?"

My head snapped up to see a young man, probably in his early twenties with messy dirty blonde hair and light green eyes. His skin was tanned from the sun, and he gave me a kind smile. "Do you need a shot of something? On the house."

I smiled at him. "Double shot of whiskey, if it's not too much trouble." The guy smiled and poured me a glass of whiskey. I knocked it back and shivered slightly at the burn. Looking at the young man, I leaned in on my elbows. "It's Aaron, right? The recent wolf to the pack."

He nodded at me with a shy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you my Queen. If I may ask, how did you know my name? Do you remember every new wolf that joins a pack?"

I laughed, unaware that it brought people's attention to me. "I certainly try. But I remember you from Willow speaking about you. She told me that she and Godric pulled some strings to get you a job here."

Aaron smile genuinely. "I will be forever grateful to them both for that. I'm sure she told you that I've had a little trouble in my life."

"She mentioned it," I confirmed giving him a reassuring smile. "But she also mentioned that you're trying to turn your life around. For your daughter, correct?"

He nodded, looking proud as he pulled out a picture and showed it to me. It was of a little girl, about five years old, with bright blonde hair that fell in bouncy curls. Her skin was naturally tan, and her bright sea-foam green eyes stuck out against it. She was absolutely beautiful.

"She's beautiful," I cooed then looked up at Aaron to see so much love in his eyes. "What's her name?"

"Anora," he told me putting the picture back. "I wanted her name to be special and it means light. She's my light in the darkness. I'm glad to have her in my life. Her mother wasn't my mate, but I love her all the same."

I couldn't stop my smile from turning into a full-blown grin. "I wish all single fathers were like you," I muttered as I took a drink of my bourdon. Aaron looked at me confused. "My parents weren't mates either and my father wasn't really dad material. I'm glad that she has you, who loves her like you do." I took another drink and changed the subject. "Who watches her while you work here?"

"My sister, Astrid," he said. "She moved here with me to help watch her."

I nodded. "It's always good to have family close. Is she younger or older?"

"Older," he replied, then rolled his eyes. "Something that she never lets me forget."

"It's an older sibling thing, I guess," I commented with a laugh. "My older half-brother is very loyal to me as his Queen, but he'll pull the big brother card whenever he can."

We shared a laugh and a growl sounded behind me. I turned to see Eric standing there, a dark storm brewing in his eyes. His jaw was twitching again. "Eric," I said blandly. I then sighed as his eyes turned to Aaron. Taking out a hundred-dollar bill from my wallet, I held it out to Aaron. He was about to protest, and I cut him off. "It's a tip."

Aaron smiled at me while taking the money. I finished the rest of my bourbon before standing and walking towards Eric. Grabbing his hand, I pulled him from the bar. Eric was still glaring at Aaron until I slapped him on the arm. He turned his stormy eyes to me, and I just rolled my eyes while walking away.

I heard his footsteps follow me as I went up to the elevators. I pressed the up button and crossed my arms as I waited. "What was that?" Eric demanded.

I turned to glare at him as he came to stand next to me. "I was having an enjoyable conversation with a fellow wolf that you interrupted. What? Am I not allowed to talk to my own kind?"

Before he could answer, the elevator doors opened and I immediately turned and stomped in. As soon as I pressed the button to my floor, I was pressed up against the wall by Eric, his arms caging me in. He stared into my eyes as the door closed and we started moving. "I will not have you talking or flirting with other men," he growled at me. "You are mine."

I took a moment to really look at him, even thought my wolf was howling in joy at his words. I realized the feeling that I felt from him was jealousy. "You're jealous?" I asked in shock.

Eric looked startled for a moment, but his glare returned as he got in my face. "You belong to me. You do as I say."

Despite his words, my wolf agreed with me at being angry with his statement. My eyes glowed, my canines extended, and a growl erupted from my chest. "I am not a human pet that you can claim as yours Eric Northman," I growled lowly, and Eric's fangs clicked down. "I'm also not a simple Beta or Omega that will bend to your will. I am the Queen. I don't bend or break to others. If you want me to be yours, it will be as equals, not master and servant." Eric had lowered his arms during my rant, and I pushed him in the chest. "Besides, you seemed to be otherwise occupied as well."

Eric seemed to smirk immediately. "Now who's jealous?"

I smirked back and leaned in, getting in his face. "Jealous of Bill's Maker?" Eric's face fell. "I think not."

At that moment, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. I brushed past him and walked quickly to the room. Just as I reached the door, Eric vamped in front of me. He opened the door, grabbed me by the arm, and shoved me inside. I wasn't expecting it, so I stumbled a little.

Gaining back my balance, I spun to look at him with anger. "What the hell was that?!"

Eric immediately got in my face, his fangs still out. "How did you know that?"

I scoffed at him. "I'm insulted to think that you think so little of me. I am able to multitask, and my hearing is just as good as yours. I had spoken to Bill, and he admitted that his maker was a woman. It wasn't hard to figure it out. Besides, you haven't been very focused lately, so it's not a surprise that you called her in."

"What do you mean I haven't been focused?" Eric questioned with a scoff. "I am very focused."

"Focused on finding Godric," I corrected. "You are unfocused when it comes to everything else. You are acting like someone who has a beef with their Sheriff." Eric scoffed again at my accusation. "Am I wrong?"

Eric stared at me for a moment. "If that was true, why would I bring Lorena here?"

I took a moment to evaluate his emotions. Jealousy was still in the forefront, but uncertainty lingered in the background. "You're worried that you might not be able to control Bill without her. We will find Godric, but you are Sheriff of Louisiana's Area 5, not Bill. You should act like it instead of doing this petty shit."

"What would you know about it?" he bit back. "You are a wolf, not a vampire."

"I wouldn't be the Queen that I am without Godric," I explained, getting louder. "He always told me that when you're in a position of power, you have to be confident in your decisions, and you definitely don't let anyone walk all over you. I don't bend to anyone else, and neither should you. You are Sheriff, own up to it. You don't need Lorena to control Bill. I'm sure Godric taught you that at least."

Eric was quiet when I was done, and I tried to catch my breath. Once I calmed down, he still didn't say anything, so I chose to keep going. "Get rid of her," I told him. "If you need to speak to someone, talk to me. I've told you plenty of things that I've never told anyone. You can rely on me." When he remined quiet, I growled. "Males and your pride."

I turned around to go to the dresser to get another nightgown but stopped at Eric's voice. "What if he's met the true death?"

I spun around to see Eric looking at the floor. I walked back to him in confusion. I saw the line of blood from his eye and my own eyes widened. Eric was crying. He was crying at the prospect of never seeing Godric again. Suddenly, everything clicked. "Godric is your Maker," I whispered.

Eric nodded and I quickly got a tissue. I dabbed his eye and cleaned up the blood. I took his hand and led him to sit on the couch in the room. I sat next to him, lacing our fingers together and squeezed his hand. He looked at me with a lost look in his eyes. "Godric isn't gone," I reassured him.

"How do you know that?" he demanded.

"Because of Willow," I told him, and he narrowed his eyes in confusion. I sighed. "Godric is her mate." His eyes widened. "She already completed the bond, so if he was to be destroyed, she would die along with him. That's how I know he's alive."

Eric seemed to think it over. "What goes with the bond? What happens?"

"An exchange of blood and sex to consummate it," I told him. "It allows mates to mind speak with each other as well as feel their emotions. Willow can't find him with their bond which means that he must not be feeling anything."

I let out a quiet breath, but Eric must have heard it because he shifted in his seat to face me. "What is it?"

I looked up into his clear blue eyes, seeing that the storm has passed. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Just something that I learned from the meeting with the Dallas pack. I think that Willow's parents, Nixon, and Zoey, are the reason that Godric went missing." Eric's eyes narrowed and turned to ice. "But, I have no proof, unless I speak with Godric. He's the only one that I need to speak with to be sure of my suspicions."

"What suspicions?" Eric prompted.

I backed down from my confidence. Pulling my hand back, I stood up. "I should go to bed," I muttered. "I actually need to be up early tomorrow."

Before I could get to far, Eric stood and grabbed my arm, pulling me back into his chest. He stared into my emerald green eyes with a tenderness that I hadn't seen before. "I trust you Theodora," he whispered to me. "I know that you trust me, so let me be there like you're there for me."

I sighed as his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer, my hands resting on his chest. "I think that they were trying to sever the mate bond between Godric and Willow. They want her to be mated to another wolf and continue the blood line. But, to sever the mate bond, that's serious. It is one of the major crimes that a wolf can commit. To us, the mate bond is sacred and not something that should be messed with."

We stood there a moment as he searched my face and I started to trace patterns on his shirt. "What would you do to them if they did?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted with a shake of my head. "The Ransom family are an old one. They've been the Alphas of the Dallas pack since before Texas became a state. Nixon Ransom was the Alpha before his daughter took over, so they are used to having power. And their kids are even more successful than they were."

"How so?" Eric encouraged.

"Their oldest, Leo, is a Beta to one of my personal Alphas," I explained. "Then there's Willow. She's a True Alpha and has turned out to be one of the most powerful Alphas outside of my personal pack."

"True Alpha?" Eric asked with confusion.

I laughed quietly. "You have a lot of things that you need to learn about wolves. A True Alpha is a Beta that doesn't need to be promoted by another. They make themselves an Alpha on their own, by their own will power. Willow is known as the Iron Will of the Wolves. She has the strongest will that I have ever known. If she wasn't needed here, then I would have had her in my personal pack.

"Lastly, their youngest, Dante, is only nineteen, but is already a successful realtor and Willow's second-in-command. All three of them have achieved remarkable things. But I can't just kill them out right. I'm leaning towards moving them to another pack in order to humble them down, but I'm hoping that they don't cause problems in the future."

Eric searched my face as I avoided his eyes. "And you need to speak to Godric in order to figure out if they broke the law or not?"

I nodded and tried to suppress a yawn. Eric cupped my cheek with one of his hands, and I involuntarily leaned into his touch. His hand may be cold, but it held a certain comfort to it.

"If you are going to find Godric tomorrow, then you need to rest," Eric advised. "You get in bed, and I'll be back."

I nodded to him with a slight smile. For a moment, neither of us oved away from each other. Eric leaned in and gave me a lingering kiss before pulling back. I smiled at him before leaving his arms slowly. Getting my night dress, I took one last look over my shoulder at Eric, who stood there staring at me with steely eyes again.

I gave one last smile before closing the door. I leaned my back against the door and tried to calm down. It was getting harder to resist the mate bond. But, first, I had to find Godric and deal with the Dallas pack. Eric could wait.

*Queen of the Wolves*

I got dressed the next morning in a light green dress that fell to just above the knee and showed just a little bit of cleavage with a pair of black running shorts underneath. Putting on some tan heels, I looked towards Eric who slept soundly in the bed. It had been hard to get out of his arms that morning, his had been as heavy as lead. I smiled at the peaceful look on his face. I wasn't sure if it was the mate bond or my own feelings, but the only thing that I was sure of was that I was falling hard for Eric.

I sighed, getting my purse and keys before leaving the room. Going down to the bar, I saw Sookie sitting there with a man that I hadn't seen before. "Mornin' Sookie," I greeted as I walked up to them.

"Morning Teddy," Sookie replied with a bright smile. She then turned to the man next to her. "Teddy, this is Hugo. He's with Isabel. Hugo, this is my cousin Teddy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Hugo said with a kind smile as he stuck out his hand.

I smiled at him and shook his hand after a moment's hesitation. There was something that told me not to trust him. I just didn't know what it was. "It's good to meet you Hugo, but what are you doing here?"

"Isabel thought that it would be better for us to have a man with us," Sookie explained. "The church apparently has a habit of not trusting a woman when she is without a man. Isabel asked Hugo to help us out and pretend to be engaged to one of us to avoid suspicion."

"I see," I muttered. "That was thoughtful of her."

"Would you like something to eat?" Sookie offered as I sat next to her at the bar.

I shook my head with a smile. "No, actually Eric ordered me room service for this morning, so I've already eaten."

"Eric?" Sookie inquired in disbelief. "He ordered you room service? Like before you woke up?"

I nodded, my smile getting bigger. "I know. It surprised me too. He's been doing a lot of stuff like that lately."

Sookie had an unreadable look on her face. 'You're really happy, aren't you?"

'I really am,' I replied. 'I really think I'm falling for him, and it's not just the mating call.'

It was then that Hugo spoke up. "So, Sookie and I will play the couple about to get married. You'll be her cousin that's the maid of honor. We'll be looking for a church to get married in."

I nodded in understanding and Sookie stood up, looking slightly awkward. "We should probably get going then."

Raising an eyebrow at that, I stood with Hugo as he looked at her apologetically. "Listen, I'm so sorry. I-I shouldn't have told you that, I—"

Sookie cut him off, much to my confusion. "It's okay, Hugo. Really. Besides, now if I did today, who cares? I'll never have to feel old and unloved and unwanted."

With that she walked away, and Hugo followed me bringing up the rear. As we walked outside, Hugo went past her to his car, and I came up next to Sookie. 'What did I miss?' I asked her in her mind.

'It's nothing Teddy,' she replied.

I scoffed lightly. 'Yeah, right,' I told her sarcastically.

*Queen of the Wolves*

We drove up to the church parking lot with Sookie in the passenger seat and me in the back. We all made sure to get our stories and names straight on the way there. As Hugo pulled in, we saw a blond woman wearing a gold suit pointing to the parking spots. "Why do I recognize her?" Sookie wondered.

"Because she's on TV all the time," Hugo told her. "That's Sarah Newlin. She's the reverend's wife."

"Oh, right," Sookie realized. "You know, in person, she looks like vanilla pudding."

I snorted a laugh as Hugo parked and we all got out. Sarah came over to greet us as we walked up. "Hi there," she greeted in a honey sweet voice. "I just happened to be looking out the window as you all were driving up, and I thought I'd come on out and greet you myself. I'm Sarah Newlin. And you all are?"

Before Hugo could say anything, Sookie spoke up, her nerves getting to her. "Hi, Holly Simpson," she greeted. "I cannot believe I'm actually meeting you in person. You are cute as a button."

"Oh, well, thank you, Holly," she giggled. "And you're like a cool breeze on a hot summer day."

"Quit," Sookie giggled.

Sarah then looked to Hugo and I while extending her hand. "And you both are?"

"Oh, silly me," Sookie cut him off again. "This is my cousin Harper and Rufus Dobson, my fiancé. I love saying that word. In fact, sometimes I love it so much, I don't even want to get married, just so I can keep calling him it. But we're going to. Get married, that is. Which is why we're looking for a church."

"Well, excellence," she said. "And I'm pleased to meet you, Rufus, Harper."

"Well, it's an honor," Hugo told her.

I just smiled at her, trying to keep from frowning. There was something that didn't feel right. I hadn't met her before, so I wasn't familiar with her heart rhythm, but there was definitely an uptick to her heartbeat when she greeted us.

"The honor's mine," Sarah waved off. "Now, how about you all follow me in, and we'll see if Steve is available. I'm sure he'd love to meet you three."

That feeling that there was something wrong with this situation came forward as Sookie tried to be excited about it. "For real?" she questioned. "Reverend Newlin himself? Oh, that would be just super."

"Well, come on," she encouraged as she walked ahead of us.

Hugo put a hand on the small of Sookie's back to lead her but leaned in to speak to her in a faint voice. "I thought you were going to let me do the talking."

"When I get nervous, sometimes I talk too much," Sookie explained in a faint voice.

*Queen of the Wolves*

We met Steve Newlin in his office and Sookie and Hugo sat in the chairs in front of the desk. Sarah stood behind Steve, who sat in his chair, while I stood behind Sookie. Sookie was going into the cover story that we had. "Well, funny thing is, Rufus and I actually met in church, but we both left with Harper, like, a month later when we realized that our pastor was… a little iffy."

"He was a homosexual," Steve assumed.

"We don't know," Sookie told him, and Steve hissed through his teeth. "He might have been that too, but what became all too clear was that… he was… a sympathizer."

Steve sighed as both he and Sarah shook their heads. "See, that really ticks me off," he told us. "I mean, how can you claim to be a God-loving person and then love something that God detests?"

"It's very upsetting," I spoke up, trying very hard to keep the growl out of my voice. My wolf wasn't taking the insult very well. "It's been hard to deal with the knowledge that he sympathized with the vampires."

"It's been very hard," Hugo cut in, reaching to take Sookie's hand. "But that's why the three of us are here Harper. We want to make this our new home."

"We are thrilled that you've chosen us," Sarah expressed with a wide smile.

She went on to say more, but my hearing zeroed in on Steve's heartbeat. It had sped up in a way that said he was excited about something, and he was looking forward to something. He was staring out the window with an excited smile on his face. That had me worried about what they had planned.

Sookie then cut back into the conversation. "It'll be amazing to finally be amongst like-minded people. I don't care what anyone says about vampires being able to control themselves. I know better. I know that every single one of them is a vicious, bloodthirsty killer."

She then turned to Hugo and I, meeting our eyes briefly. "I'm so glad that we came here."

When Sookie met my eyes, she gave me a small nod and I smiled and nodded back to her. But I knew what she meant. Godric was here.

*Queen of the Wolves*

They took us on a tour of the church, and I was trying to find his scent in the church to follow for later. I just couldn't find anything. It was like the scent just vanished. Even if it has been a few weeks, there would still have been something. During the tour, Steve got a call on his cellphone. I tried to listen in, but it was mostly the other person talking, something about everything being ready. "See you soon," he said, and he hung up as he turned to us. "Careful now."

We all shared a confused look. "Careful?" Hugo asked. "About what?"

"Sometimes when we open these doors, so much love comes flowing out that it'll knock you down if you're not ready for it," Steve explained in an excited tone.

"We'll be sure to brace ourselves," Sookie giggled.

The Newlin's shared a look before opening the double doors to the sanctuary. The light that came at us was blinding for a moment. But when I got used to it, the sight was amazing. The light from the afternoon sun was pouring in from the glass wall on the opposite side of the room. It gave the room an ethereal glow.

"Wow," I said at a loss for words.

"Oh, my gosh," Sookie whispered as we all walked further in.

"I know," Sarah sighed in contentment. "I just love it in here. The way it glows like it does. Particularly in the late afternoon."

"Oh, it's inspiring, isn't it?" Steve asked with a smile that I really didn't trust.

"It really is," Sookie responded, still in awe of the sight.

"Yes, sirree," Hugo declared. "This is where we're getting married. I can't wait to see you walk down this aisle."

"Me either," Sookie agreed.

"Hey, have any of you been to a lock-in?" Steve asked out of nowhere.

We all looked to him in confusion. "A lock-in?" Sookie echoed.

"Oh, yeah, it's loads of fun," Steve said, then went on to explain it. It did sound like a lot of fun, but the smile that Steve had on his face was off putting. Sarah looked at Steve with a slightly worried look as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Her heart rate sped up in nervousness, and I grew even more suspicious.

"That lock-in does sound like fun," Sookie said. "Rufus, Harper, we gotta go home and get our sleeping bags now."

I could tell by her panicked voice that something was wrong with their thoughts. I was apparently the only one who could hear the panic. "But, honey, the tour's not even over yet," Hugo said.

"I know, honey, but I think we really ought to go so we can come back for the lockdown," Sookie tried again. I could tell that she was trying to get us out of here.

"There'll be plenty of time to get ready," Steve chuckled. "The lock-in is not until tomorrow night."

Before I could say anything to help, a large man started to walk up to us. I could tell that he was supposed to be the muscle, and I knew then that they must have known about us.

"Oh, good," Steve said. "Holly, Rufus, Harper, I'd like you to meet an aide of mine. This is Gabe." Hugo and Sookie greeted him while shaking his hand. I just smiled at him and waved slightly. "Gabe here is gonna be joining us for the rest of the tour."

A pit formed lower in my stomach with dread. I just had to remain positive that we would be able to make it out.

*Queen of the Wolves*

The sun had already set, and we were still at the church. I was starting to get aggravated with everything we had to see. Not to mention Gabe. Every time he was across from me, he was staring at my chest. And now, as he walked behind me, I could feel him staring at my ass. It was all getting to my nerves.

"Now, I'd like to take you all to see a very special part of the church," Steve announced.

"There's more?" I asked, keeping the groan out of my voice as he led us to a door off to the side.

"Yes," he answered. "My father's tomb. It's on the lower level."

"Honey, are you sure?" Sarah asked in a hesitant voice.

"Absolutely, darling," Steve responded.

"Steve, I just don't see why we need to take 'em down there," she tried to argue.

Steve ignored his wife and turned to us. "You can feel the presence of his spirit."

"It's okay, we don't need to see it," Sookie contradicted nervously.

"Oh, I insist," Steve said while unlocking the door. "It's the rock that our church was built on, much like St. Peter's tomb in the Catholic Church, only without being polluted by evil. Did you know that there was actually a vampire pope back in the Middle Ages?"

He opened the door and we all saw the stairway that led down. Everything clicked that this was where they wanted to trap us. "Rufus, Harper," Sookie said with panic clear in her voice.

Steve looked between all of us with a confused look. "What's the matter?"

"It's no big deal," Hugo said shakily, and his heartbeat stuttered in panic. "She just has a tiny little case of claustrophobia. We both do, actually."

"Well, at-at least take a quick little look-see, and that way you can say you saw the whole church and you'll be making an informed decision," Steve pushed.

"Steve," Sarah tried again.

"It's all right, Sarah," Steve cut off and looked stern. "This is something they need to see."

Sarah deflated and Sookie looked at Hugo, taking his hand. "But we've already decided that we're getting married here, so how about we go back to our apartment, we'll look at a calendar and we'll call you on the phone to set the date."

Steve gave us a fake smile and sighed. "No. Gabe."

Gabe went to grab me, but I threw my elbow into his nose. I lunged towards Steve and punched him in the gut. I pushed Sookie and Hugo behind me while growling deeply. The reverend coughed and looked at me with wide eyes. "You're not human," he groaned.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a gun cocking behind me. I turned around to see Gabe was holding a revolver to Sookie, who froze in fear. "Don't move," he growled. "Or I pull the trigger."

I growled threateningly. However, before I could disarm him, something hit the back of my head hard. Before I lost consciousness, I heard Sookie scream my name.