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

says primly, sitting straight with

I try to think of a way to end it without offending her. Because I'm so

over her teeth in a silent snarl. I

Yes. Discerning

to keep a

continues to

for the reprieve,

to the

a

That's crazy talk.

idea forms

suitcase tucking

about me,

keep you a secret."

don't take kindly to th I

to be shared. It freedom

stuff the shirt into the suitcase, n I do so. "I don't know, Selene. What Vanessa might feel betrayed that

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

firend will understandd

you Ava

like Lacas dore now that

really seeing them, I pick

head. Tell her Don't tell her Keep secrets. But why? If I

I should want to

always

a weakness of

for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry

supportive."

to know the truth,

slowly, my decision made.

if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs

when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to her when we

startled. Vanessa isn't

what I

An idea?

get some information out of