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-"

was Queen,

stare at Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait,

sitting

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

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

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

to keep a

to

the

returning to

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

vague idea forms

half-packed suitcase tucking them inside, trying

Vanessa about me, cutting through my

keep you a secret." about

to th I have no

secrets need to be shared. It freedom outside of these

n I do so. "I don't know, Selene.

of my few allies in

tror firend will understandd

avoyut you Ava

dore now that he knee

at the Butcher without really seeing them, I pick it all

tell her Keep secrets.

I should want to tell her my

I'm always so

that's a

my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's been

supportive."

deserves to know

my decision made.

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

my

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at

That's not what I mean. I have

An idea?

to get some information out of