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

my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a

Selene says primly, sitting straight

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

her lip over her teeth in

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes. That's what

try to keep a straight

continues to bare her

the reprieve,

to

a strong

That's crazy talk.

idea forms in my

my half-packed suitcase tucking

need to tell Vanessa about me, cutting

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

to th I have no interest

shared. It freedom

I do so. "I don't know,

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

firend will understandd

you Ava

now

really seeing

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

I should want to tell her

I'm always so

guess that's a weakness

or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at

supportive."

She deserves to know the truth, and we

decision made. "Okay.

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

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

hospital? She sounds startled. Vanessa

not what I mean. I have

An idea?

idea to get some