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, in my

open. "Wait, you

Selene says primly, sitting straight with her

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 tilts her head, those ice-blue eyes staring deep into my soul. In

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

Discerning tastes.

to keep a straight

continues to bare her

the reprieve,

returning to the packing

a

That's crazy talk.

idea forms

suitcase tucking them inside, trying

about

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

wolves don't take kindly to th I have no interest in spreading

secrets need to be shared. It freedom outside

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

warm and kind. 1 One of my few

tror firend will

and avoyut you Ava hist like

Lacas dore now that he knee the

Butcher without really seeing them, I pick

tell her Keep secrets. But why?

to tell her my

I'm always

a weakness of

Lisa never judged me for being a shifter or for my past. And Lucas... was angry at first, but he's been

supportive."

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

my decision

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

into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the

That's not what I mean. I have

An idea?

get some information out of