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,

mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a

says primly, sitting straight with

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 her dog form, it's adorable. But that mental voice of

her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl.

Discerning. Yes. Discerning tastes.

to keep a

continues to bare

the reprieve, I

returning to the

a

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

half-packed suitcase tucking them inside,

Vanessa about me, cutting through

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

th

secrets need to be shared. It freedom outside of

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

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

tror firend will understandd

avoyut you Ava hist like

now that

at the Butcher without really seeing them, I pick it all

Tell her Don't tell her Keep

should want to tell her

always so

guess that's a weakness of

never judged me for being a shifter or for my

supportive."

you, Ava. She deserves to know the

nod slowly, my decision

with me. The caveat being that she needs to

resume packing as my idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to

startled. Vanessa isn't

that. That's not what I mean.

An idea?

some information out of