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 my

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

Selene says primly, sitting

I try to think of a way to end it without offending her. Because I'm so

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

finicky. Discerning. Yes. Discerning

to keep a straight

continues to

for the reprieve,

returning to

has a strong

That's crazy talk.

idea forms in

tucking them inside, trying

tell Vanessa about me, cutting through

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

take kindly to th

be shared. It freedom outside of

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

One of my few allies

firend

you Ava hist

na like Lacas dore now

seeing them,

my head. Tell her Don't tell her Keep secrets. But why? If

want to tell her my

always

that's a weakness

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

supportive."

Ava. She deserves to know the truth, and we

decision made. "Okay. We'll tell

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

idea roots into my brain with insistence. "We'll talk to her when we get back from the

She sounds startled. Vanessa isn't at the

what I mean. I have an

An idea?

idea to get some information out