Mating the Female Alpha
Chapter 27 – Setting up the ball

Landry's

POV

Jessie glances behind Landry at Bernice before looking back up at him. Her face is red once she realizes what she's interrupting. Landry would be lying if he said isn't a bit annoyed, but he doesn't make it known to her. He stares down at the sparkling pink invitation that Jessie handed to him moments ago.

You are invited to Princess Jessie's Ball, located in her palace!

"What's the occasion?" Landry asks, looking back at his sister questionably.

"No occasion," she answers. "It's just for fun. I figured we could use a little fun."

Landry finds it to be odd; nobody has a ball for no occasion around here. But Jessie has always thought outside the box, and she was always looking to stir things up. So, for Jessie, this isn't so much as odd behavior, but inviting them to the ball is what's questionable. Jessie and Bernice didn't have a good conversation during their last exchange. Maybe this was her way of making things up to Bernice.

"I hope to see you both there," Jessie said, a smile tugging at her rose-colored and glossed lips.

"Thank you," Landry says in return before Jessie backs out of the door and starts down the hall.

Shutting the door, Landry turns back to Bernice who's staring at him curiously. Her plush robe covers her bare body, but Landry can't help but imagine that robe falling off and revealing to him her soft, naked body.

"What was she saying? She invited us to a ball?" Bernice asks, raising her brows curiously.

Landry nods and shows her the invitation.

"Apparently so," he answers with a shrug as he puts the invitation on her nightstand and turns to face her.

"What's the ball for?"

"She said it's just for fun," Landry replies. "Maybe she's right. We could use a little fun."

"Don't we already have fun?" She asks, raising her brows playfully. Landry can't help the smirk.

"I mean outside the bedroom."

She chuckles and walks past him and toward the bathroom

"Then perhaps we should attend the ball."

This would be the first real ball that Bernice has attended. All the other events she has gone to weren't nearly as elegant. Knowing Jessie, this was going to be a very elegant ball. If Jessie can do one thing, it's throwing events. The ball invitation is dated for tomorrow night; that's not enough time for his designers to create a ball gown good enough for this kind of event. Especially not for Bernice's first ball.

Thankfully, Landry knew a small place in the middle of town that creates and sells beautiful ball gowns. Landry wants this evening to go perfectly for Bernice; she doesn't have a lot of fun outside the bedroom, and this might be a good opportunity to loosen up a little.

When she comes out of the bathroom, she's wearing a light pink sundress that hangs off her body loosely. Her hair is down and drapes over her shoulders beautifully.

"I'm going to take you shopping," he says as he grabs his shirt off the floor. "Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Shopping?" She asks, her eyes widening. That's something she certainly isn't used to. Shopping.

"Yes, you'll need a ball gown for this event."

"Aren't you worried about the assassin being out there?"

"You will be protected," Landry tells her as he pulls the bedroom door open. "So, you don't need to worry."

He said that last part teasingly. He knew she wasn't the one that was worried; she was worried that he would be worried because usually, he is. But he also knew she was a strong and capable fighter. For so long they have fought side by side; they have been unbeatable. Somewhere along the line of protecting her and falling in love with her, he had forgotten that detail.

She smirks as he leaves the room.

Tina's POV

Jessie was in her ballroom with a handful of her maids and servants, preparing it for the upcoming ball. She only has 24 hours before she needs to complete everything. She has just finished completing the menu for meal courses and handing it off to the cooks for completion.

"It has to be perfect," Jessie tells them. "We don't have any room for mistakes. Please, do your best."

"Yes, princess," the head chef, bowed his head respectfully to her before they disappeared into the kitchen.

"Those are the wrong tablecloths!" She said to the maid who was setting up the tables. The maid pauses and frowns. "I said I wanted the ones with the little yellow flowers on them. Please find the correct ones."

Jessie can be assertive when she wanted to be. Tina still finds her to be extremely dim-witted though. Not how a princess should act. She's too carefree and hyper for Tina's taste. Once Tina is the rightful luna queen, she will have to put Jessie in her place once and for all.

Tina has arrived at the ballroom so she can help Jessie set up for the ball as promised. It was her idea after all.

"Oh, good. Cousin, you're here! I need you to pick an assortment of music to play. Something you think the guests will like," Jessie says as Tina walks through the chaotic ballroom and towards her.

"Of course," Tina says with a forced smile. "I'd be happy to help."

Jessie beams and points her in the direction of her music collection. Seems she has a giant bin of CDs on a table to the far side of the room. Tina makes her way across the room and toward the music bin. As she goes through the bin, she's realizing that none of it is fit for an elegant ball. Tina was thinking of something more classical and a little less pop and rock.

A couple of maids are putting together the tables nearby. One of them had gotten the tablecloths with the little yellow flowers on them, just as Jessie had ordered. Tina couldn't help but overhear some of their conversations as they worked. "She's quite beautiful. Do you think she will be coming to the ball tomorrow night?"

"If she's the Alpha King's mate, then she must come. Right?"

"You think she's, his mate?"

"You don't?"

"Well... if I were to be completely honest. No, I don't think this she-wolf is his mate. I don't think she's here by choice."

"What are you saying?"

"Years ago, there was a fire in my village near the border where I once lived. A fire so great, that it nearly took everyone out and burned everything to a crisp. There was a female alpha that showed up with some other soldiers, including the Alpha King. She was brave and rescued nearly everyone in our village. I only saw her from a distance, but I'll never forget how beautiful I found her. Her face was easy to distinguish, and she had the look of power and bravery." "Okay?"

"Don't you see? She has the same face as the omega she-wolf. I believe they are the same. I overheard the Alpha King saying that the female alpha is on an undercover mission. But what if she's not? What if he's holding her hostage in his palace?"

"That's ridiculous. The Alpha King would never do such a thing. He's a noble man..."

"He can be wanton too. He is the king after all."

Both maids fall silent as their conversation is left wafting in the air between them. Tina can't help the surprised expression on her face. Could it be true?

Could the female alpha and that omega bitch be the same person?