Mating the Female Alpha
Chapter 21 - Is It Love?

Landry POV "Alpha King!"

Landry's advisor bursts into the room looking frazzled. Landry looks up, displeased, as the witch-doctor finishes bandaging his arm. Landry's Beta is still glaring at him and pacing on the other side of the room, muttering about Landry's decision to donate his blood to Bernice.

"What is it?" Landry demands as his advisor pants and gasps for breath. The witch-doctor finishes bandaging his arm and steps back, gathering his supplies and finishing up the potion for Bernice. Alarm grows in Landry the longer it takes for his advisor to catch his breath.

"The vampires," his advisor finally pants. "They are planning to attack the capital. Today!"

"They must think it poorly defended with the female Alpha on a mission," Landry's Beta says immediately. "We must launch a counter-strike."

"Immediately," Landry orders. "Mobilize the soldiers. I'll lead the strike. We'll stop them before they even reach the capital."

"Yes, Alpha King," Landry's advisor says, and rushes off. Landry's Beta turns to Landry.

"After bleeding yourself, is it safe to fight?" he asks, his face betraying how unhappy he still is that Landry did that. Landry glares at him. "Will she fight?"

"She will not fight," Landry thunders. "And I am fine. We must move quickly. Witch-doctor, will that be ready by the time I am back?"

"It will."

"I will give it to her then."

Landry's army has the element of surprise and the vampires are no match for them. It is a quick, brutal battle, and the enemy is defeated soundly. They had not even gotten near the capital, instead having been held off in the mountains a few miles away.

Landry is glistening with sweat and only slightly out of breath from such an intense but short battle. Around him, his soldiers are celebrating, but his focus is back in the palace, with the potion prepared by the witch-doctor. He wonders if it will truly work, if Bernice can truly have her pain eased.

"Alpha King!"

Landry turns as one of his soldiers calls his name, breaking his concentration. It's one of the younger wolves. If Landry remembers correctly, this is one of his first battles.

"Yes?" Landry asks, with as much patience as he can give. He just wants to get back to what he was doing.

"They are throwing a celebration, in the capital," the young wolf gushes. "With a parade and a party in our honor. Are you coming?"

Before, the answer would be yes. Before Landry had Bernice, before the change in Landry's life that Bernice had brought, there would be nowhere else Landry would be. Every party, Landry was there, soaking in the attention that being the Alpha King got him.

He was used to enjoying every after party celebration, after every successful battle, but the only thing on his mind now is Bernice.

"No," he says. "You enjoy yourself. I have something to do."

With that, he turns to head back to the palace. Whispers start up around him as he does.

"The Alpha King is not staying?"

"He always stays!"

"Where could he be going?"

He does his best to ignore them, focusing instead on Bernice, heading away from the scene of the battle and back to the palace.

Bernice POV

I do not expect Landry back until tomorrow.

It was hard to let him go, because I wanted to fight right by his side. It's where I've always been. I've never not fought in a battle, when I'm needed, and to sit alone in a palace while Landry goes off to battle is against everything I am used to. I wander about the palace, avoiding anyone left as much as I can. I still value my privacy, and I don't want to be asked prying, invasive questions. I'm not lonely- the concept is ridiculous, I don't get lonely. I am strong and don't need anyone. It's just very quiet without Landry.

I'm just wondering what part of the celebrations are happening now - is there a beautiful woman approaching him, with large breasts and pouty lips? Will he go with her, into a dark room, in private? Will she touch him?

A flare of emotion hits me and I swallow hard - that's strange. I've never felt that before. It must be a product of my illness. I give myself a shake and keep walking.

"Bernice!"

I jump as my name is called and turn, eyes wide. My long skirts swirl with the movement and my eyes catch on Landry as he rushes down the hall, still in his battle uniform. He's sweaty and flushed, hair wild and eyes bright as he hurries towards me and, for some reason, my heart feels full.

"Landry," I gasp as he reaches me and pulls me close for a long moment. I catch a whiff of his scent, heady and deep, full of rich, manly notes. It makes me a bit dizzy, but I disregard it. "I thought - you won! The celebrations?" Landry laughs, voice deep. I shiver and he pulls me closer, clearly believing me to be cold.

"They are celebrating," he says. "But I couldn't stop thinking about you. I didn't want to leave you alone."

I stare at Landry, who grins roguishly down at me, before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and leading me down the hall. I go with him, falling easily into step beside him.

"I must show you something," he tells me, and he sounds uncharacteristically serious now. I frown a bit, focusing on him. "I know you believe there to be no cure for your...affliction." He does not elaborate, given that we are still out in the hallway, and I am grateful. I nod, and he swallows.

"I asked a witch-doctor, discreetly, for something that may help," he says. A sense of helplessness rises in me but I bite it down. Nothing will help! He is searching fruitlessly, and I know it, but I don't say anything and let him continue. "The witch-doctor found something. Would you try it?"

"Nothing will save me," I warn, again, for the thousandth time. Landry's expression does not change. I sigh. "But if it will make you happy, I will try it."

Landry's face splits into a smile once more and he takes my arm.

"It will make me happy," he says, and I resign myself to more disappointment.

Bernice POV

Landry is much different than he used to be, I reflect.

I know from all our time fighting alongside each other, Landry was very focused on work. He focused on Alpha King matters, attending business and politics matters promptly, discussing strategy for the war frequently, and was often seen taking work home.

Now, it was more often than not that Landry left early from meetings with his Secretaries of State. He still showed up to his appointments, still dedicated his time to his important affairs of the state, but his work was no longer his sole focus. It's strange, I must admit. I try not to think about it too much. I don't want to wonder why he would go from someone so focused on work to someone so different.

Much of Landry's free time is spent now with me, which also makes me squirm. I don't want to think about that too hard, either. We go lots of places together, now, spending hours together, like Landry is a totally different person.

We are apple picking in the palace's private orchard today, and it's a lovely day. Landry is paying so much attention to me, it makes me feel special. He carries the basket for us, opens the gate to allow me to step through first, carefully pushes aside stray branches that might scratch my skin.

He leans in to kiss me every so often, walks arm-in-arm with me, and looks as if he is courting me. Courting me! Absolutely not.

I push that thought firmly aside. He is not courting me. He is being kind - he feels sorry for me.

That's all it is. That's all it can be.