Tangled

167

167

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.

17:38

152 Ava Mom's Strompra?

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 Lupa 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-"

I was Queen, in

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

says primly, sitting straight

it without offending her. Because I'm so what? Selene tilts her head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In her dog form, it's adorable. But that mental voice of hers is almost purring with

fur bristles as she curls her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl. I am not finicky. Vampires are finicky

Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

try to

continues to bare her

for the reprieve, I

to the packing

a

That's crazy talk.

idea forms in my

tucking them inside, trying

need to tell Vanessa about me, cutting

trying to keep you a secret." about Selene,

kindly to th I

be shared. It freedom outside

the suitcase, n I do so. "I

1 One of my few allies in Westwood;

firend will understandd

you Ava hist

Lacas dore now that he knee

the Butcher without really seeing

Don't tell her Keep

want to tell her

I'm always

that's a weakness of

a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's been nothing

supportive."

She deserves to know the truth,

my decision made. "Okay. We'll

The caveat being that she needs to agree with me, of course. And

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

hospital? She sounds startled. Vanessa

know that. That's not what I mean. I have

An idea?

get some information out of