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

"Wait,

Selene says primly, sitting straight with her

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,

bristles as she curls her lip over her teeth in a

Yes. Discerning

try to keep

to bare

for the reprieve, I

to

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms

tucking them inside, trying

tell Vanessa about me, cutting through

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

to th I

need to be shared. It freedom outside of these

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

so warm and kind. 1 One of my few allies in

firend will

and avoyut you Ava hist

now that

really seeing them,

Tell her Don't tell her

want to tell her

I'm always

a weakness

my past.

supportive."

about you, Ava. She deserves to know the truth, and we

decision made.

being that she needs to agree with me, of course. And she holds significant sway over her mate,

roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to her when we get

startled. Vanessa isn't at the

not what I mean. I have an

An idea?

to get some information out