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-"

I was Queen, in my

at Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were

primly, sitting straight

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

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

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

I try to keep

to bare her

for the

to the

a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

my half-packed suitcase tucking

to tell Vanessa about me, cutting through my

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

take kindly to th I have

secrets need to be shared. It

the suitcase, n I do so. "I don't know, Selene. What Vanessa might feel

warm and kind. 1 One of my few allies

firend

and avoyut you

Lacas dore now that he

without really seeing

her Don't tell her Keep secrets. But

to

always so

that's a weakness of

a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first,

supportive."

deserves to know the

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

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

idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk

startled. Vanessa isn't at the

not what I mean. I

An idea?

idea to get some information out