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

"Wait, you were

sitting straight with her head

can finish the sentence, I try to think of a way to end it without offending her. Because I'm so what? Selene

her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl.

Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

I try to keep

continues to

for the reprieve, I

to

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

suitcase tucking them inside,

about me, cutting through my

I pause, a shirt dang we're trying to keep

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

need to be shared. It freedom outside of these

so. "I

of my few allies in Westwood; me with weighted stares

tror firend will

you

Lacas dore now that he knee the

at the Butcher without really seeing them, I pick

Tell her Don't tell her Keep secrets. But

should want to tell her

I'm always

a weakness of

a shifter or for my past. And Lucas...

supportive."

cares about you, Ava. She deserves to know the truth, and we could use her

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

that she needs to agree with me, of course.

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

sounds startled. Vanessa

that. That's not what I mean. I have an

An idea?

idea to get some information out