Mating the Female Alpha
Chapter 12 The Most Important Thing

Landry's

POV

Landry is stunned.

She doesn't understand? How could she not understand? How are his feelings not clear?

He could explain. Right now. He could tell her everything.

But staring into her eyes, Landry feels a lump in his throat and decides on a lie. The truth is far too painful, he can't imagine looking into her beautiful, guarded eyes and telling her his feelings, for her to not respond. "You've been my comrade for many years," he tells her. It's at least partly the truth. Anyone knows the best lies start that way. "You are the only female Alpha. We have fought together, bled together. You are important." Something Landry can't identify flashes in Bernice's eyes, too quickly for him to realize what it is. She shakes her head, long blonde locks tumbling over her back, and fixes her gaze on him.

Landry recognizes that gaze. It is the same one she used while she acted as Alpha, on unruly wolves who dared cross the line. It's stern, no nonsense, and Landry gulps. He's somewhat aroused by it. "No Landry," Bernice tells him, frowning. "Nothing is more important than guarding the wolves."

Landry knows that arguing further would be fruitless. Bernice has a note of finality in her voice, the one that means she's not going to change her mind, so he gives up on trying to convince her.

His eyes fall to her shoulder and he realizes she is still bleeding, the blood soaking into the shirt she wears, dribbling down her back and her chest, staining everything red. He can't let her sit and bleed, sit and suffer so he crosses closer, meeting her eyes again.

"May I?" he asks, and surprise crosses her pretty features before she nods hesitantly. It's all the answer Landry needs, ripping her shirt open to expose the deep knife wound, the one that Landry is to blame for.

Landry feels sick looking at it. He can see muscle and bone, and this wouldn't have happened if he hadn't handcuffed Bernice. The vampire spy would have been no match for Bernice's strength, even weakened as she was, and she's hurt because of Landry.

"Don't," Bernice says softly, and Landry meets her eyes. They're soft now, full of concern as she looks at him. A lock of hair hangs in her face and she tosses her head to move it, exposing her neck to Landry for a moment. Landry swallows and looks down, reaching for the first-aid kit he keeps in the side table beside the bed.

"This is my fault," he insists. "You could have fought her if you weren't locked up."

He presses cloth to the wound and douses it with antiseptic. Bernice doesn't even flinch. Landry is again reminded that she is a warrior, experienced with injuries. Her many scars prove that.

"It's not," Bernice says. "And I beat her in the end, did I not?"

A ghost of a smile quirks Landry's lips as he begins bandaging the wound on Bernice's shoulder. It's true. Even handcuffed, Bernice did win.

"Alright," he says. "You won. But at least allow me to protect you until the spy's mastermind is found. I have an obligation to do that, and not just because of tonight, but because of all the times we fought together." Bernice is quiet for a moment, eyes searching Landry before she sighs.

"I'll allow it," she says finally, and Landry's heart gives a leap in his chest. He swallows and nods, stepping back once the bandage is wrapped tight.

"Thank you," he tells her, then clears his throat, looking away. "I'll sleep in here tonight. On the floor."

There's a pause, before Bernice speaks.

"You may share the bed," she says, and Landry's heart leaps again. He remembers Bernice's strawberry milk scent and hopes he can sleep tonight, beside this she-wolf he knows he loves. Bernice POV

"I don't believe it," Landry snarls. His own spy, a lower wolf from his pack, nods in confirmation. "It's him. The Alpha of B pack."

"He's the spy's handler?" I gasp. That's the last person I would suspect... Landry growls low in his throat, crumpling up the paper and hurling it at the wall in anger. He begins to pace. I look at Landry's spy.

"We have to lure him out." I'm back in my authority as an Alpha, with the aid of the drugs I've taken my entire life that suppress my Omega features. The spy nods. It's clear he doesn't even suspect I am the Omega Landry brought home, despite everyone talking about it.

"But how?" he asks. I think. This is a difficult problem.

"Perhaps we can pretend I'm alone," I say. "And helpless. Since I defeated the spy, it will make the Alpha want to come himself, but we will be ready."

A glance at Landry shows a frown on his face, like he is unhappy with me acting as the bait for the traitor, but he says nothing. He knows I am the best option.

"I will spread the rumor," Landry's spy declares. "Hopefully it will be no time at all before the traitor is falling into our trap."

"Go," Landry orders, and the spy runs off. Landry watches him go, before he turns to face me. "I don't like this plan."

I survey him calmly. His eyes are alive with passionate fire and his mouth is drawn in an unhappy frown. There is a wrinkle on his forehead.

"I know. But it is the best one, and you know it."

In the garden, the bright sun momentarily blinds me.

I close my eyes and lay on the chair in the center of the garden, pretending to sunbathe and tan my skin. I pretend to ask the maid who is chatting with me around me to go away.

"I need quiet." I tell them. I don't want them hurt, plus I want to seem to be alone.

There is only me in the garden.

I know it is a good chance to lure out opponents hiding in the shadows. Landry disagrees with this plan, but despite this, I know he and I will fight well like we did while we fought at war before. He will not abandon me.

I lay down for a while, got up with nothing to do, and started to walk around. The sun shines down on me like a spotlight, a beacon for the traitor to find.

No one else is in the garden, making me perfectly easy to spot. I use all of my years of experience on the battlefield to watch my surroundings carefully. I position myself as if I am helpless, leaning against a tree, like I am weak and easy to capture.

Surely it won't be long now....the rumors Landry's spy will have spread and the traitorous Alpha of Aurora Pack won't be able to resist the chance to take me.

My lips curl into a smirk as the bushes on the far side of the garden rustle as if someone is sneaking around in them. It seems as if our plan is coming together already.

"Attack!" I shout, pointing at the rustling bushes, and a large group of Landry's soldiers explode out of the palace and fall upon the bushes.

I hear swearing and shouting and I stand up straight, going back on guard just in case the soldiers fail. Leaves are flying everywhere as the bushes are torn apart to reveal the group of imposing wolves, all pinning down the snarling Alpha of Aurora Pack, who has walked directly into our trap.

Landry POV

It takes no time at all before Landry's trustworthy spy and his Beta are dragging the Alpha of Aurora Pack into the interrogation room. Bernice and Landry are ready for them. Landry doesn't know how Bernice is doing it, but she's back to looking and acting like the powerful, fearless Alpha he's always known.

The traitorous swine is spitting curses at Landry's men as they tie him to a chair in the center of the dimly lit room, but they ignore him. Landry dismisses them with a nod when they finish restraining him, and they leave, leaving Landry and Bernice alone with the Alpha.

"So," Landry says, voice low and dangerous. The Alpha traitor snaps his attention to him, a snarl on his features, making him ugly and almost grotesque. "You are a traitor."

"You can prove nothing!" the traitor shouts. "You have kidnapped me! Release me at once!"

"You sent a spy into this palace," Bernice spits, and Landry sees the fighter in her, the power rushing off her in waves, her long blonde hair rippling down and her eyes bright with fury. The traitor shrinks back for a moment before he remembers himself.

"I know you're hiding something," he spits, indicating Landry. There is dark fury in his eyes. "And I will discover it."

"What makes you think I am hiding anything?" Landry demands. He has to know what gave them away, so he can hide it better. It will not do for anyone else to discover Bernice's secret.

"It is your manner," the traitor Alpha sneers. He is sweating in fear, squirming in his bindings, eyes nervously looking from Bernice to Landry. "You are secretive, not explaining yourself. I knew there was something, and so did my love-I mean, my spy!"

"Your love?" Bernice asks, raising one eyebrow. Landry is intrigued too. That was quite the slip of the tongue.

The Alpha's eyes are wide. He is clearly afraid, and hadn't meant to let that slip. He struggles harder, trying to get away, to run for his freedom.

"You can't prove anything!" he cries again, and Bernice snarls, baring her teeth. Her cheeks are growing red and Landry begins to become alarmed as her Alpha features are fading - what is happening?

From the way the Alpha traitor's eyes latch onto Bernice, he is noticing, too, and he looks her over with an interest that has Landry's hackles rising and a growl ripping itself from his throat.

"Don't look at her!" he roars. The slimy traitor laughs, and ugly sound, like nails on a chalkboard, and spits at Bernice.

"Omega filth!" he shouts, and, when Landry glances at Bernice, he can see that her Alpha features have totally melted away, leaving her a red-faced Omega standing before him, chest heaving, strawberry-milk scent strong in the air. Landry has no idea what happened to cause this, but he knows he must get her out of here, and quickly. He moves to cover her when the traitor speaks again.

"You, Alpha King - you love this Omega Bitch. I can tell. Like a dog, you love her! Well I curse you to never be with her, never in your whole life!"

Landry sees red.

In a flash, he falls upon the traitor and executes him like every other spy and traitor he's executed in his life as an Alpha. It's quick, brutal, and without even a shred of mercy.

Blood sprays from the slice Landry makes in the Alpha swine's neck, splattering Landry's face with warm wet liquid, and at the traitor's scream, Landry's men rush into the room. They look at Landry with fear - his handsome features covered with the blood of his enemies, but his body so calm.

All except Bernice, who looks as calm as she had before. Though, she realizes he is not in a good mood and asks in concern:

"Are you all right?"

The question snaps Landry out of it and he looks Bernice over quickly. She seems unharmed, so he exhales in relief. "Yes. Are you?"

She nods.

"Yes."

They smile at each other, and for a moment, they are transported to how it used to be, just like they were on the battlefield smiling at each other, when they were both bruised and battered but victorious. "Let's get out of here."

At home, Landry recognizes that Bernice has fallen into heat. Her flushed cheeks and rich, strawberry-milk scent tells him so, and though she still seems horribly embarrassed, she opens her legs for him to relieve her with his broad, calloused fingers.

Afterwards, in the shower, he is struck by her humming a sweet love song. Encouraged by this never before seen side of Bernice, he asks the question on his mind: "How did you make yourself into an Alpha?"