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 my

stare at Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a

says primly, sitting straight with

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

head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In

"Um. You know. Finicky?"

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

meant." I try to keep a straight face, but a giggle escapes my

to bare her teeth,

silent apology before returning to the

a

That's crazy talk.

forms in

I start folding clothes and tucking

me, Selene says, her mental voice cutting through

you a secret." The more people who know about Selene, the more I feel like she's in

don't take kindly to those of us who are

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

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

so warm and kind. Losing her would be terrible. One of my few allies in Westwood; someone who doesn't look

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

my head. Tell her. Don't tell her. Keep secrets. But why? If I like her, I

always so

that's a

being a shifter or for my

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

slowly, my decision made. "Okay. We'll tell

that she needs to

This should help.

packing as my idea roots into my brain

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't