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, in

Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait,

sitting

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

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

Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

try to keep a

to bare

for the reprieve,

to the

a strong

That's crazy talk.

vague idea forms

half-packed suitcase tucking them inside,

to tell Vanessa about me, cutting through

I pause, a shirt dang we're trying to keep you a secret." about Selene, the more I feel like

kindly to th I

need to be shared. It freedom

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

1 One of my few

firend will

avoyut you Ava

dore now that he knee

at the Butcher without really seeing them, I pick it all

Tell her Don't tell her

want to tell her my

always

guess that's a weakness of

right. Lisa never judged me for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas...

supportive."

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

my decision made. "Okay.

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

movements are more purposeful when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to

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

That's not what

An idea?

to get some