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-"

Queen,

hanging open. "Wait, you were a

sitting straight with her

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

over her teeth in a silent

Discerning tastes.

I try to

continues to

for the

to

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms

my half-packed suitcase tucking them inside, trying to

need to tell Vanessa about

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

th I have no

need to be shared. It

do so.

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

firend

you Ava

now that

without really seeing them,

my head. Tell her Don't tell her Keep secrets.

should want to tell

I'm always

guess that's a weakness of

shifter or for my past.

supportive."

Vanessa cares about you, Ava. She deserves to know

slowly, my decision

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 over her mate, Vester.

are more purposeful when I resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to her when we get back

She sounds startled.

that. That's not what I mean. I have

An idea?

some information out