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, in my

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

sitting straight

she called you Lycan Queen, 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? Selene tilts her head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In her dog form, it's adorable. But that

bristles as she curls her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl. I

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes. That's what

I try to keep a straight

continues to bare her

the reprieve,

returning to the

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

half-packed suitcase tucking them inside,

tell Vanessa about me, cutting through

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

wolves don't take kindly to th I have no interest in spreading

shared. It freedom outside of

so. "I don't know, Selene.

One of my few

tror firend will

and avoyut you

like Lacas dore now that he

Butcher without really seeing

her Keep

I should want to

I'm always so

guess that's a

right. Lisa never judged me for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but

supportive."

you, Ava. She deserves to know

decision made. "Okay.

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

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

startled. Vanessa isn't at

That's not what I mean. I have an

An idea?

to get some information out