Mating the Female Alpha
Chapter 39 – Bernice returns to the palace

Landry's POV

Landry finds Bernice sitting by a large oak tree. Her knees are pressed against her chest and her head is lowered. Her hair was covering her face, so he can't see it at first. But as he approaches, she lifts her gaze to meet his and he sees the glistening of tears running down her narrow features and delicately dripping off her chin.

Her eyes were like small pools as tears filled them and spilled over her long lashes. His heart was breaking seeing her like this. He doesn't ever want her to be hurt. He stands by her for a moment, allowing her to continue feeling her feelings. He knows this is a lot for her to take in. She just found out her family no longer needs her. Even though this was something she knew was going to happen eventually, Landry imagined that it wasn't very easy.

“I don't have anywhere to go,” she whispered, breaking her eyes from his and staring down at her trembling fingers.

This is the first time that Bernice has shown this level of weakness in front of him. He can feel the level of pain she is feeling and all he wants to do at that moment is wrap her in his arms and hold her close to his body. But he worries that she would only reject him as she's done many times already.

"I'm no longer the female alpha."

"You are still the best fighter I have had the pleasure of fighting alongside," Landry tells her, kneeling beside her. She meets his eyes, and more tears spill over her lashes, washing over her features. "You will always be the alpha I fought with and won many battles with."

"How can I be?" She whispers, her words trembling. "I'm an omega... not an alpha. I'll never be an alpha..."

"Maybe not. But that's not going to stop you from kicking ass when needed. You are the fiercest and strongest wolf I know, Bernice. You've never let your family bring you down before; don't start now."

She sniffles as she wipes the remaining tears from her eyes. But then she nods her head; the look of determination returned to her face. She is now looking like the same Bernice he had fallen in love with, and he can't help the smile that tugs at his face.

He sits down beside her, leaning his back against the large oak tree, and gazes up at the dark and starry night. The stars are large and surround the moon in almost a pattern. The chirping of the crickets sounds the night, soothing Landry and making him forget about his troubles. At least for a moment.

"I would like you to return to the palace," he finally says after a long pause. "It's too dangerous out here. With that assassin out there still..."

"I know," she breathes, also staring up at the sky. "You don't want me to get hurt. I get it."

He says nothing, but he nods slowly.

"Okay," she says. "But I need to know one thing. Why did you enforce a raid on the vampire territory?"

He was quiet for a moment; Jessie had permitted him to share this story with her, so he isn't sure why he finds it difficult to speak. Maybe because this is the first time, he was telling anybody. But he needed Bernice to trust him and for her to trust him, he needed to tell her the entire truth.

"Years ago, Jessie went away," he began to say; she glances at him curiously as he spoke. "When she returned, she had rashes all over her body. They were big and ugly, and they oozed this strange-looking goo." "What?" Bernice asks, narrowing her eyes at him. "What kind of illness is that?"

"It was from a sexual encounter," he says. "It was embarrassing for her, and she made me promise to never tell a soul. But this disease was taking her life. The doctors said that she didn't have long to live." "And the vampires had a cure?" Bernice asks, raising her brows.

Landry nods his head once before meeting her eyes.

"Yes, but they refused to give it to us. They hid it away and I didn't have any other choice but to enforce a raid so we can find it."

"That's why you enforced the raid?" Bernice breathes; he can see the sadness lingering in her eyes as she stares at the dirt that's covering her toes from the forest ground. "To get a medication that can save Jessie's life?"

"Yes," he answers. "If I didn't get that medication for her, she would have died. It would have been an awful and ugly death. We didn't take anything else other than that medication though. But the vampires struck back with ten times the force. A lot of my fighters lost their lives. I will forever have to live with that. As will Jessie..."

She stays silent for a moment; Landry can't tell what she is thinking about.

"I'm sorry," she finally says after a short pause. "I had no idea. I shouldn't have accused you of..."

"Don't apologize," Landry says quickly, stopping her words. "I know you were confused and hurt. I don't blame you for that. I'm sorry for not telling you the truth sooner."

"She asked you not to," Bernice says. "I get it. You were protecting your sister."

"We should get back to the palace now," Landry says as he stands up. He grabs her hand and pulls her to her feet. They walk together back to the palace.

...

Tina's POV

"Oh hello, Jessie," Tina says as she walks into the sitting room of Jessie's palace. Jessie sat on her couch with a cup of tea in her hands. She gives Tina a small smile as Tina sits down as well. "I wanted to apologize for the incident at the ball the other night. I had no idea the wine was spiked. I'm not sure how it happened."

"It's not your fault. But thank you for the apology."

"It's a shame about what happened with that omega, Denise. I heard a small rumor that she returned to her pack," Tina says trying to keep the grin off her face. If anyone could tell her the details of what happened, it would be Jessie. She knew Jessie was all about gossip.

Jessie frowns and sets the cup of tea on the small saucer on her table.

"That's correct; she did return to her pack," Jessie confirms, eyeing Tina carefully. Tina, of course, pretended as if she was upset about that information, even though she was jumping with happiness in her mind. "However, she came back last night."

Tina's heart nearly stops in her chest.

"She what?" Tina asks, raising her brows in surprise.

"It turns out it was just a big misunderstanding. My brother went to get her; she returned to the palace last night and they are as good as ever." "She returned to the palace?" Tina asks again, she can hardly believe what she is hearing. She felt fury rising through her at the very thought. "Yes," Jessie says again, cocking her head to the side. "She's back."