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, in

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

says primly, sitting straight with

to think of a way to end it without offending her. Because I'm so

she curls her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl.

Yes. Discerning

I try to

continues to

the reprieve,

to the

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms

suitcase tucking them inside,

Vanessa about me, cutting through my

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

th I have no interest in spreading

need to be shared. It freedom

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

and kind. 1 One of my

firend will understandd

and avoyut you Ava hist like

like Lacas dore now that

Butcher without really seeing

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

should want to tell

I'm always

a weakness of

for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's

supportive."

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

my decision made. "Okay.

that she needs to agree with me, of course. And she

into my brain with

She sounds startled.

not what

An idea?

some