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

mouth hanging open. "Wait, you

sitting straight with

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

teeth in a silent snarl. I am not finicky. Vampires are finicky

Discerning tastes.

I try to keep a

continues to bare

the reprieve, I

returning to

has a

That's crazy talk.

forms in my

tucking them inside, trying

need to tell Vanessa about me, cutting through my

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

th I have

to be shared. It freedom outside of these

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

One of my few allies in Westwood; me with weighted stares

tror firend

and avoyut you

like Lacas dore now

the Butcher without really seeing them, I pick it

Tell her Don't tell her Keep

should want to

always

a weakness of

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

supportive."

you, Ava. She deserves to

my decision

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 talk to her when we get

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't

what I mean.

An idea?

idea to get some