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,

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

primly, sitting straight with her

a way to end it without offending her. Because I'm so what? Selene tilts her head, those

she curls her lip over her teeth

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

to

continues to bare her

for the reprieve, I

to

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

idea forms in my

tucking them inside,

Vanessa about

to keep you a secret." about Selene, the more I feel like

take kindly to th I

be shared. It freedom outside of these

do so. "I don't know,

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

tror firend

and avoyut you Ava

Lacas dore now that

seeing them, I pick it all

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

want to

always so

guess that's a

for my past. And Lucas...

supportive."

Ava. She deserves to know

slowly, my decision made. "Okay.

she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree with me, of course. And she holds significant sway over her mate, Vester. This

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

hospital? She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at

what I mean. I have

An idea?

to get some information