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-"

Queen, in

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

says primly, sitting straight with

I try to think of a way to end it without offending her. Because I'm so what? Selene tilts her head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In her

curls her lip over her teeth in

finicky. Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes.

to

continues to

the

to the

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

vague idea forms in

half-packed suitcase tucking them inside,

Vanessa about me, cutting

dang we're trying to keep you a secret." about Selene, the more I feel

th I have

be shared. It freedom outside of these

so. "I don't know, Selene.

and kind. 1 One of my few allies in Westwood; me with weighted

firend

avoyut you Ava hist

like Lacas dore now that

seeing them,

her Don't tell her Keep secrets. But why? If

I should want to tell her my

I'm always so

that's a

right. Lisa never judged me for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but

supportive."

you, Ava. She deserves to

slowly, my decision made.

needs to agree with me, of course. And she holds significant

my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to her when

She sounds startled.

not what I mean.

An idea?

to get some information out of