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,

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

primly, sitting straight with

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

bristles as she curls her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl. I am not finicky.

Discerning tastes. That's what

I try to keep

continues to bare her

the reprieve, I

to

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms

tucking them

to tell Vanessa about me, cutting through

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

take kindly to th I have no

need to be shared. It freedom outside of these

n I do so. "I don't know, Selene.

kind. 1 One of my

firend will understandd

avoyut you Ava

na like Lacas dore now that he knee

Butcher without really seeing them, I pick it

tell her Keep secrets.

should want to tell

I'm always so

a

being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at

supportive."

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

nod slowly, my decision made. "Okay. We'll

Lucas' rules if she agrees with me. The caveat being that she needs to agree

roots into my brain

She sounds startled.

not what

An idea?

to get some information out