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,

stare at Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were

says primly, sitting straight with

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.

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

Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

I try to

to bare

for the

to the

a

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

tucking them

tell Vanessa about me, cutting

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

th I have no interest in spreading

secrets need to be shared. It freedom outside

stuff the shirt into the suitcase, n I do so. "I don't know, Selene. What

of my few allies

tror firend will understandd

you Ava hist like

like Lacas dore now

at the Butcher without really seeing

her Don't tell her Keep secrets.

to tell

always so

a weakness of

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

supportive."

deserves to know

my decision made.

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

when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence.

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't

not what I

An idea?

to get some