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,

"Wait, you

sitting straight with her head

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?

teeth in a silent snarl.

Discerning tastes.

try to keep a straight

to bare her

for the reprieve, I

to the packing

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

my half-packed suitcase tucking them inside, trying to

to tell Vanessa about

trying to keep

to th

need to be shared. It freedom

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

of my few allies in Westwood; me with weighted stares and

firend will

avoyut you Ava hist

Lacas dore now that he knee

really seeing them, I pick

head. Tell her Don't tell her

should want to tell

I'm always

a weakness

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

supportive."

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

decision

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

idea roots into my brain with

She sounds startled. Vanessa

that. That's not what I mean. I

An idea?

to get some information