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,

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

primly, sitting straight with her head

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 mental voice of hers is almost purring

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

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes.

try to keep a straight

to bare her

for the reprieve,

to the

a

That's crazy talk.

idea forms in

my half-packed suitcase tucking them

tell Vanessa about me, cutting

dang we're trying to keep you a secret." about Selene,

to th

secrets need to be shared. It

the shirt into the suitcase, n I do so.

kind. 1 One of my

firend

avoyut you Ava

Lacas dore now that

the Butcher without really seeing them, I

her

I should want to tell her

always

that's a weakness of

a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's been nothing

supportive."

to know the truth, and we could

slowly, my decision

rules if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree with me, of course. And she holds significant sway over her

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

hospital? She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the

know that. That's not what I

An idea?

some information out of