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

hanging open. "Wait, you were a

sitting

her. Because I'm so what? Selene tilts her head, those ice-blue eyes

as she curls her lip over her teeth in a silent

Discerning tastes. That's what

I try to keep a

continues to bare her

for the reprieve, I

to the

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

idea forms

tucking them inside, trying

about me,

trying to keep you a secret." about Selene, the more I feel like

th I have no interest in spreading

to be shared. It freedom outside of these

the shirt into the suitcase, n I do so. "I don't

been so warm and kind. 1 One of my few allies in Westwood; me with weighted stares

firend will

avoyut you Ava hist

Lacas dore now

really seeing them, I pick it all

Don't tell her Keep secrets. But

to tell her

always so

that's a weakness of

being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's been

supportive."

deserves to know

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

to buck Lucas' rules if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree

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

sounds startled.

know that. That's not what

An idea?

some information