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

hanging open. "Wait,

says primly, sitting straight with her head

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. In her dog form, it's adorable. But that mental voice of hers is almost purring

teeth in a silent snarl. I am

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes.

try to keep

continues to bare her

for the reprieve, I

to the packing

a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

half-packed suitcase tucking them

need to tell Vanessa about me, cutting

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

th I have no interest in

shared. It

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

kind. 1 One of my few allies

firend

you Ava

dore now that he

at the Butcher without really seeing them,

Don't tell her Keep secrets. But

to tell

always so

that's a weakness

being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first,

supportive."

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

my decision made. "Okay. We'll tell

won't be afraid to buck Lucas' rules if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree with me, of course. And she holds significant sway

purposeful when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the

that. That's not what I mean. I

An idea?

idea to get some