Humans are animals. We have instincts wired through evolution to reproduce. There is this idea going around that in human evolutionary history, only a small number of males reproduced. It is a question about if a female would rather share a high value male with other females, or have a lower value male of her own. Hard to test such a hypothesis.
Reproductive strategy is essential for males as it is for females. And this is a very strong driving force in the evolution of unusual traits seen in nature. Be it the feathers of the male peacock or the human brain.

We are also social creatures that need relationships. The need to find a mate to reproduce exists independently of the need for social relationships and friendship.

Why do females generally respond to masculine energy? Why do they have to? It is not a matter of choice for them, just as it isn't for males.

Females have to pick the best male they can find and get to pass on their genes to their child and protect their child. What does 'best' mean? It means whatever males genes are good for their female genes to survive in the world where humans evolved (and for a large part that is human hunter-gatherer societies ie 'caveman'.).

For the second part, you need someone that is responsible, has leadership, is confident and brave. And as the female takes much more risk in getting pregnant than the male, the male can just walk away and find some other female, the female has to be much much more critical about who she gets romantically engaged with. And this is wired into her brain.
Call it being 'alpha' vs 'beta'. And don't think about that in terms of men who are abusive and irresponsible vs guys who are nerds and feminine. Think about it in terms of being successful and exciting vs being a failure and boring. And yes, for the most part that means being a male that is confident and has strong social skills.