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,

open. "Wait, you were a queen? Like,

primly, sitting

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 head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In

teeth in a silent snarl. I am

finicky. Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes. That's

I try to keep a

continues to

the reprieve, I

to the

a strong

That's crazy talk.

idea forms

my half-packed suitcase tucking them inside,

to tell Vanessa about

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

kindly to th I have no interest in spreading

shared. It freedom outside of

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

and kind. 1 One of my few

tror firend

avoyut you Ava

like Lacas dore now that

at the Butcher without really seeing

tell her Keep secrets. But why?

to tell

always

guess that's a

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

supportive."

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

slowly, my decision made.

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

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

sounds startled. Vanessa

what

An idea?

idea to get some information out of