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 my

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

Selene says primly, sitting straight

I can finish the sentence, 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 dog form, it's adorable. But that mental voice of hers is

over her teeth in a silent snarl.

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes. That's what

to keep a straight

to

for the reprieve, I

returning to

a

That's crazy talk.

vague idea forms in my

tucking

need to tell Vanessa about

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

kindly to th I have

shared. It freedom outside

stuff the shirt into the suitcase, n I do so. "I don't know, Selene. What Vanessa might feel

my few allies

firend

and avoyut you Ava hist like

na like Lacas dore now that he

seeing

Don't tell her Keep

I should want to tell her my

I'm always so

that's a weakness of

Lisa never judged me for being a shifter or for my

supportive."

you, Ava. She deserves to know the truth, and we could use her

my decision made. "Okay.

if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree with me, of

into my brain with insistence.

sounds startled. Vanessa isn't

what I mean. I have an

An idea?

idea to get some information out