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,

Selene, my mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a queen?

Selene says primly, sitting straight with

you Lycan Queen, 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

over her teeth in a silent snarl. I am

Discerning. Yes. Discerning

to keep a straight

to bare

for the reprieve, I

to

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms

suitcase tucking them inside, trying

to tell Vanessa about

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

don't take kindly to th I have

secrets need to be shared.

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

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

firend

you Ava hist like

na like Lacas dore now that he knee

seeing them, I

my head. Tell her Don't tell her Keep secrets. But why? If I

I should want to tell her my

I'm always

guess that's a weakness of

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

supportive."

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

decision made. "Okay.

with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree with me,

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

startled. Vanessa isn't at the

what

An idea?

some