Look Before You Leap [True Blood]

17: The Voice Of Reason

LPOV

We were unloaded roughly from the back of an armored vehicle and pushed through the doors of the concrete building. It didn't look like much and was not at all what I was expecting to be the head quarters of the Authority. A vampire met us when we went inside and walked towards Nora. "Salome," Nora said. "They're more valuable to us alive than dead. I never had any attention of betraying-" Salome silenced her and stepped towards us.

"Mr. Compton, Mr. Northman, I've heard much about you both. But you my dear are quite elusive; no one can ever get their hands on you. You have the life don't you? All the perks of being a vampire, without actually losing your life. Now which one are you? You have a twin, yes?"

"My name is Lily," I said.

"Well, welcome Lily." She motioned us to follow her. We walked flanked by guards down the stairs and into an elevator with a lock that seemed to analyze her blood. The elevator opened to reveal a reception office which was much more how I pictured the Authority's office to look. It was business professional and many people passed through on their way to other parts of the facility. I was intrigued and under any other circumstances this might even be exciting. We were led through complicated hallways till we finally reached a room full of cells. The four of us were each tossed into matching, silver barred cells. I collapsed to the ground and lay there for a second still in shock.

RPOV

"Ew, what the fuck is she doing?"

"It's a were ritual, the way they send off their dead," Luna told me. "But I agree it's not pleasant." She went over to Sam who had fallen down and inspected his wounds.

"I think you've done enough here," one man said stepping towards Alcide. "Why don't you take your loner ways and your little human girlfriend back to Mississippi?"

"Gladly," Alcide said grabbing my hand and starting to step into the trees again.

"If I ever see your face around here again I'll rip your throat out myself," the man said. Alcide tensed but I tightened my grip on his hand and pulled him a little into the woods. But before we could get father than a step Martha was walking towards us.

"You killed the pack master, as the new pack master you have an obligation to eat," she said. Alcide turned and stepped towards her slipping his hand from mine.

"I have no interest in being the new pack master, find someone else." He turned and walked back to me.

"There are laws!" Martha called after us.

"Screw the laws," Alcide said without looking back. I followed him through the trees and back out to the street. We found his car parked next to Luna's. I got in and turned to face him.

"Is that true? You're the new pack master?" I asked.

"That's what the laws say."

"Don't you have to then? Isn't there some Authority that can force you?"

"This isn't vampire politics, weres are different. I won't be pack master."

"Why do you hate it so much, being a werewolf I mean?"

"You saw them back there, savages, animals. If I could get rid of this part of me I would but this was how I was born. Werewolves don't get a choice in what they are, not like vampires."

"Fairies don't either. Sure I like what I can do sometimes, but my life would sure as hell be a whole lot easier if I was normal."

"So you understand."

"But Alcide, don't hate yourself." I touched his cheek lightly. "You're an amazing person, you're kind and you aren't at all like them. You make the most of what you are. It kills me to see how much you can't stand yourself when I love everything about you, even the parts that you don't."