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-"

was Queen, in

mouth hanging open. "Wait, you were a queen? Like, an actual

primly, sitting straight with her head

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

curls her lip over her teeth in a silent snarl. I am

finicky. Discerning. Yes. Discerning

to keep a straight

continues to bare

for the reprieve, I

to

a strong

That's crazy talk.

forms in

half-packed suitcase tucking them

to tell Vanessa about me,

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

don't take kindly to th I

secrets need to be shared. It freedom outside

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

One of my few allies in Westwood; me with weighted

tror firend

you Ava hist like

na like Lacas dore now that

Butcher without really seeing them, I pick it

her Don't tell her

to tell her my

I'm always so

guess that's a

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

supportive."

to know the truth, and we could use

nod slowly, my decision made.

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

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

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the

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

An idea?

get some