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

Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were

primly, sitting straight

called you Lycan Queen, I figured it was because you're so..." Trailing off before I can finish the sentence, I try

deep into my soul. In her

"Um. You know. Finicky?"

her teeth in a silent snarl. I

I meant." I try to keep a straight face,

bare her teeth,

in silent apology before returning

a strong

That's crazy talk.

idea forms

clothes and tucking

need to tell Vanessa about me, Selene

my hands. "I thought we're trying to keep you a secret." The more people

are different, and I have no interest

It's shackling us. We have no freedom outside of

how I do so. "I don't know, Selene. What if it ruins our friendship? Vanessa might feel betrayed

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

Ava. Just like Lisa does. Just like Lucas

apart in my head. Tell her. Don't tell her. Keep

always so

that's a

a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first,

She deserves to know

slowly, my decision

won't be afraid to buck Lucas' rules if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs

This should help.

packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to her when

sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the