Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 167 Ava: Mom's Stronger?

"Mom?" I ask in disbelief.

It can't be. How can Mom be stronger than the pack beta?

In another pack, your mother would have been a strong Luna candidate.

Wow.

I'd always known Mom had a strong presence, but I would have never guessed—never, in a million years, ever—that her wolf is stronger than Dad's.

I wonder how that worked out. Did Mom force her wolf to submit?

It is likely that the alpha did.

"Alpha Renard?"

Correct. An alpha's bond can force submission in any wolf, and change dynamics as he wishes.

I'd heard about things like that, of course. I knew we all had to submit, and I knew he had the power to force submission—but I don't think I've ever heard of him forcing wolves to submit to other wolves.

It happens.

"Wow." Despite my visit with Mom yesterday, I feel a little sorry for her.

A woman like her? With a strong wolf? She must have felt so stifled in this pack.

Your mother is strong in wolf, but weak in human, she explains. Not all souls are well matched.

"You said she would be a strong Luna candidate. Why can't strong female wolves be alphas?"

They can be. They used to be. Selene sounds frustrated. But today's wolves don't recognize it. An alpha today would have been King in my era.

My mind jiggles. A Lycan King.

Wait a second.

"Sister Miriam called you—"

Queen, in

mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a queen? Like,

primly, sitting straight

before I can finish the sentence, I try to

what? Selene tilts her head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In her

"Um. You know. Finicky?"

Selene's fur bristles as she curls her lip over her teeth in

I meant." I try to keep a straight

her teeth,

neck in silent apology before returning to

a

That's crazy talk.

idea forms in

half-packed suitcase, I start folding clothes and tucking them inside, trying

need to tell Vanessa about me, Selene

we're trying to keep you a secret." The more people who know about Selene, the more I feel like she's

kindly to those of us who are different, and I have

to be shared. It's shackling us. We have no freedom

the shirt into the suitcase, not really paying attention to how I do so. "I don't know, Selene. What if

her would be terrible. One of my few allies in Westwood; someone who doesn't look at me

true friend will understand and accept you, Ava. Just like Lisa does. Just like Lucas

I pick it all apart in my head. Tell her. Don't tell her. Keep secrets. But why?

I'm always so

that's a weakness of

right. Lisa never judged me for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's been nothing but

about you, Ava. She deserves to know the truth, and

decision

rules if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree with me, of course. And she holds significant sway over her mate,

This should help.

are more purposeful when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll

hospital? She sounds startled. Vanessa