Mating the Female Alpha
Chapter 73 – What did Cora do?

Bernice

I couldn't get Cora's words out of my head.

Leave Landry; and don't return.

Maybe I should; it might make things easier. He clearly can't get it in his head that there's no saving me. So, maybe leaving him is the best choice.

"You don't mean that," Julia complained. "You love him; just tell him the truth."

Thankfully, Landry hadn't noticed I left. He was too preoccupied with doing damage control. The kingdom was furious at this discovery. They felt lied to and unsafe and I couldn't blame them.

Landry thinks it's best if I keep an even lower profile; now that the vampires and bears know that we are vulnerable, they are bound to attack at any moment.

When I was in my room and received the mindlink from Cora, I had to admit that I was a little surprised she wanted to speak to me. A part of me assumed she had something to do with the bugs around the palace and leaking the information to the media. I didn't know that Landry suspected the same thing.

Landry and I still haven't spoken about our argument and maybe that was for the best. With everything going on now, it seemed like a stupid thing to argue about. I was getting strange looks from those around the palace. I could only imagine what it would be like going into town.

...

"She was here?!" Jessie gasped as soon as I told her about Cora's random visit a bit ago. Since the news broadcasted my secret, Jessie remained at the palace.

I sat, curled up, on the couch in the living room and she sat on the other end of the couch with her legs crossed together, staring at me, with large and worried eyes.

I nodded once as I continued telling her what Cora had said.

"You can't let her come back here, Bernice. I mean it; she's dangerous," Jessie scolded. "Does Landry know she was here?"

I shook my head.

"Do you really think she did this? Bugged the palace and leaked the information to the media?" I ask, eyeing her carefully. Jessie thought about it for a moment, staring down at her hands.

"I don't know,” she admitted. "But I do know is she's bad news. She always has been. It just took until now for me to see it."

"I don't understand," I say to her. "If you don't know if she's the one who did this, then what makes her bad news? Other than the fact that she wants me out of the palace."

"I made a promise that I wouldn't say...." Jessie breathed, closing her eyes. "But just know, she isn't a good person."

"Jessie, you've had her in your palace for a week, and now you're saying she's bad news. What happened?"

"Please, don't make me tell you..." she pleaded, meeting my eyes.

I saw the sorrow and worry lingering in her gaze and it tugged at my heart. At that moment, I knew it was Landry she was protecting. My wolf started going crazy at the thought that Landry might be in trouble. Something was wrong. "It's Landry, isn't it?" I say to her.

She sighs.

"What exactly did Cora say to you? That you should leave the palace?" She asks.

I recalled the exact words Cora used, bringing them to the surface in my mind.

"She told me that if I'm not sure how I feel for him, then I should leave and not return. Landry needs someone who is sure about him and is capable of running a kingdom..." I paused for a moment. "She might be right..."

"I will admit she does have a point about the whole love thing..." Jessie said thoughtfully. "I know you care for him, but he does need someone who is sure of him. He needs someone who actually wants to be a Luna Queen and rule the kingdom by his side. Someone he can trust. I want that someone to be you, as does he... clearly. But it doesn't seem you are ready to make that commitment."

My heart continued to be heavy in my chest; it felt like it was breaking. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but at that moment, all I wanted to do was cry but I refrained from doing so.

Maybe they were both right; maybe I'm not what Landry needs.

Jessie reaches for my hand, grasping it tightly.

"I love you like a sister, Bernice. I think you'd make a wonderful Luna Queen, whether you see it or not. Landry loves you as well and thinks the same thing. You might think you are dying in a few months and don't have much of a future, but let Landry give you that future. I'm not saying you should leave... actually, quite the opposite. I don't think you should listen to Cora at all. As I said, she's not a good person. But I do think you should listen to your heart. Maybe even your wolf..."

"She's right..." Julia cooed from inside me; I knew she couldn't keep quiet for long. "You should listen to your wolf."

"Sometimes I feel maybe Cora would be the right one to be his Luna Queen..." I say outloud with a sigh. "She obviously cares for him..."

"That's absolute bullshit," Jessie hissed; I saw a flash of fury in Jessie's eyes, a look that I see very rarely.

"What do you mean? Why do I get the feeling you aren't telling me everything?" I ask, raising my brows. I know Cora has a strange way about her, and she's being accused of spilling my secret. But what if she didn't and it's just a misunderstanding? She swears that it wasn't her and I want to believe her.

Landry and Cora have a history together; I can't pretend I don't see their chemistry.

"She took advantage of him when they were young. We had grown up with Cora and she's always been beautiful. Her family was extremely close to our parents. It was no secret that our mother wanted Landry to marry Cora, but Landry never saw past friendship. He remained to be Cora's friend... but Cora always wanted more..."

Jessie paused for a moment to gather her thoughts; I remained silent and continued listening.

"I thought that's where it ended, with Cora's crush and Landry's friendship. We continued being friends regardless of how Cora and our mother felt. But I guess that's not where it ended. I didn't know the drastic measures that Cora took to ensure Landry be hers..."

"I don't understand..." I said, hesitantly. "What did she do?"

She was quiet for a moment; debating whether or not she should tell me. But then she finally spoke.

"One night she drugged Landry's drink, and he passed out. When he woke up, he was lying in bed with Cora... they were both naked."

"Oh, my goddess..." I breathed, my words coming out shaky and hardly audible. Tears instantly welled up in my eyes at the thought of it.

"She was trying to get pregnant, Bernice..." Jessie finally said. "She was trying to get pregnant to lock Landry into marriage..."

And just like that, it felt like my entire world crashed around me.