Mating the Female Alpha
Chapter 68 – Landry’s palace is bugged.

Landry's POV

Landry stayed in the hospital for one more day before he was completely healed and was able to return to his palace. Bernice hadn't left his side and Jessie popped in periodically to check on him. He couldn't help but think of Cora in Jessie's palace.

"I wish you would just kick her out," Landry said to her as they made their way back to his palace. He was alone with Jessie at this point because Bernice wasn't feeling well and stayed at the palace, in bed. "There's no reason she needs to stay around."

"I know..." Jessie said, staring down at her hands. "But she was once a good friend of mine... just as she was yours. I'm not sure what happened between the two of you to change that, and I know she may be overstepping, making Bernice uncomfortable, but I can't bring myself to throw her out on the streets."

"She could return to wherever she came from," Landry mumbled.

He hasn't told Jessie what exactly Cora has done; he knew if she knew, it would break her heart. She would be furious that he kept something like this from her as well; he couldn't risk hurting his sister.

"She could... but I think something happened wherever she came from," Jessie said thoughtfully, staring out the window. "She won't talk about it. another reason why I feel bad kicking her out. As long as we keep her on a short leash, I don't see the harm in allowing her to stay for a little while."

Landry didn't argue against her; he remained silent. The palace was coming into view and his wolf grew excited knowing they were nearing Bernice.

"We need to find a cure for her..." Jessie said softly from next to him.

He glanced at her, confused as to what she meant.

"Bernice?" He asked.

She nodded, looking over at him with worried eyes.

"Yes," she confirmed. "We need to find a way to help her. You want to help her, don't you, Landry?"

"More than anything," he confessed. "But every attempt I make at helping her only fails. The doctors say that my blood can lessen the symptoms. But it's not a cure."

"I refuse to believe there's no cure for this," Jessie said, folding her arms across her chest. "Everything has a cure."

"Maybe we can do some research together," Landry suggested.

Jessie smiled at that idea.

"Shall we meet in the library this evening?"

"Sounds great," he answered, giving his sister a smile.

"I told you, there's no cure," Bernice said firmly before Landry left to meet Jessie in the library. She wasn't listening to reason, and she didn't understand how much they cared about her. "And I told you, I'm not going to rest until we figure something out. We can't lose you. Neither of us wants to lose you."

"I appreciate that you want to help but -"

"There's no 'but'," Landry snapped. "You're going to let us help you. That's an order from your Alpha."

Nobody could resist a direct order from their Alpha, not even Bernice. She eventually sighed and nodded, though she didn't look so certain.

He said nothing more as he left the room.

...

Cora's POV

A cure? A cure for what?

Cora listened to the audio that came from Denise's room from the bug she planted when Denise was preoccupied at the hospital. It was easy to get into Denise's room and it was even easier to hide the small bug near her bed. She knew Denise and Landry wouldn't notice it. She managed to plant a couple of other bugs around the palace as well.

She could hear everything going on in Denise's room from her phone, in the safety of Jessie's palace.

Landry was speaking to Denise about doing research to find a cure. Bernice doesn't think there is a cure and is saying she will die by the time she is 25.

What is causing such a thing?

She decided to pick up her phone and dial the number of a dear friend.

"I need you to find out more information about this omega."

"Sure, but she's closed book," she said in return.

"It's because she's hiding something," Cora explained. "Something that could help us later. Try again and report to me anything that you find." "Okay."

She hung up the phone.

Cora saved the audio clip, formed a new text, and then pressed send. She waited a moment before an incoming text came through.

Good work. We can use this for our benefit.

...

Landry's POV

Landry and Jessie have been sitting in the library for over an hour with a mound of books spread out across the table. They were researching everything they could about this medication Bernice has been taking. There was very little on this medication.

"Where did her father even get such a medicine?" Jessie asked. "There's hardly anything on it."

"It could be a potion he got from a sorcerer," Landry suggested.

Jessie snapped him a look.

"If we knew what sorcerer, we could probably get a cure for them. Would her father give up that information?"

"Doubtful," Landry said, closing the 4th book he's read. "Her father doesn't care whether she lives or dies."

"You are the Alpha King. You can make him give us the information."

Jessie had a point; he could force Bernice's father to tell him where he got the potion. Whoever created the potion, probably has a cure for it as well.

"At least it's a lead," Jessie said with a shrug.

...

"Alpha King?" Bernice's father said with large eyes as Landry made his way into his home. "What do I have the honor of this visit?"

"We need to speak to you," Landry said; Jessie gave the Alpha a small smile and stayed close to Landry's side.

"Of course, take a seat," the Alpha said, motioning for the couch. "May we get you anything?"

"No, we are all set. Thank you."

Bernice's father nodded in response and at in one of his chairs across from the couch, crossing his leg over the other. Landry and Jessie and Landry sat next to one another on the couch.

"I'm sure you suspect that we are here on behalf of Bernice," Landry began. "We know of the medication that she has been taking to turn herself into an Alpha."

The color on the Alpha's face is drained. Landry could punish him for lying and manipulation. Posing as an Alpha was a crime. However, he would have to punish Bernice as well to make it fair. Something he wasn't willing to do. "I'm not sure what you are talking about, Alpha King -"

"I don't need your excuses and I'm not here to punish you," Landry continued, holding up a hand to silence him. "But we know Bernice doesn't have long to live because of this medication and we need a cure." The Alpha looked like he was contemplating something deeply.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. But there is no cure..."

"Everything has a cure," Jessie intervened. "There has to be a cure for this."

"Jessie" Landry warned.

"I'm afraid this doesn't," the Alpha said, leaning back in his seat. "Bernice knew this when she took the medication. She said it was worth it if she could protect her pack until her brother came of age."

Landry hated this man and wanted to rip his head off his shoulders; it was taking Amon everything he had to not do such a thing.

"We understand why she did this," Landry said, keeping his tone calm. "But we don't understand how there isn't a cure."

"It's a potion that uses dark magic," the Alpha explained. "It always comes with a price..." He gave a nervous laugh before adding, "If there was a cure that could help my daughter, of course, I would get it for her. But there isn't. There's nothing any of us can do."

Landry couldn't help but wonder how hard he even tried.

"Where did you get this potion?" Landry asked. "I'm sure whoever gave it to you can help with a cure."

"I'm afraid that's not possible."

"Why?" Jessie nearly snapped. "Why can't they get us a cure? Surely, they have something that can help."

"Maybe so..." The Alpha breathed thoughtfully. "However, it's not possible."

"Care to explain why?" Landry urged; he couldn't keep the annoyance from his tone.

"Because she's dead."