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,

Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a queen? Like, an

says primly, sitting straight with her head

I figured it was because you're so..." Trailing 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?

curls her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl. I am not

Discerning

try to keep a straight

continues to bare

the reprieve, I

returning to the packing

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms

half-packed suitcase tucking

to tell Vanessa about

pause, a shirt dang we're trying to keep you

kindly to th I have

need to be shared. It freedom outside of

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

warm and kind. 1 One of my few allies in Westwood;

firend

and avoyut you Ava hist like

now that he

without really seeing them, I pick it all

Don't tell her Keep

I should want to

always

guess that's a weakness of

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

supportive."

deserves to know the truth, and we could use

my decision made. "Okay. We'll tell

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

are more purposeful when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to

startled.

that. That's not what I mean.

An idea?

idea to get some information out