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 straight with

off before 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

teeth in a silent snarl. I am not finicky. Vampires are finicky

Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

I try to keep a straight

to

for the reprieve, I

to the

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

suitcase tucking them inside, trying

about me, cutting through

Why?" I pause, a shirt dang we're trying to keep you a secret." about

wolves don't take kindly to th

need to be shared. It

so. "I

One of my few allies

firend

avoyut you

Lacas dore now that he

at the Butcher without really seeing them,

head. Tell her Don't tell her

should want to

always

a

for my past. And Lucas... was angry

supportive."

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

my decision

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

my brain with

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the

know that. That's not what

An idea?

some information out