Tangled

70 Ava: Sister Miriam (II)

Trepidation and anxiety flow in equal measure through my veins as my mother leans forward, tired of waiting for a clear answer. “Can you sense if Ava is pregnant, Sister Miriam?” o

The woman’s eyes glaze, her gaze becoming distant as if peering into another realm. Her voice deepens, taking on a strong cadence that seems to vibrate the very air around us. “An ancient power lies dormant, awaiting the weakest to awaken it. Her womb shall house the strongest, who will inherit the legacy of the

Lycans.”

And just like that, she’s back, the energy dispersed in mere seconds. She blinks at me, then toward my

mother. “It is uncertain,” she answers, still with her eerie smile. “I shall come again before the ceremony. Alpha Renard has chosen well.”

“Ah, yes…” My mom’s pathetic agreement only cements her disdain toward me. “Thank you for coming, Sister

Miriam.”

“What are friends for, Grace?”

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70 Avs Ster Miriam (1)

Sister Miriam’s gaze meets mine once again. There’s a glint in her eyes that makes me nervous. “If you ever need me, child,” she says, her voice low and almost melodic, “simply light a candle and call my name. I’ll

find you.”

I watch Sister Miriam leave, her words lingering in the air like an ominous mist. As the door closes behind her,

my mother lets out a shudder, her face twisted. She

reaches for a small travel bottle of hand sanitizer on Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

the dresser and rubs the gel over her palms, making sure no amount of skin is untouched, as if trying to scrub away an invisible stain.

“Who is she?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity despite the strange encounter.

My mother’s eyes narrow as she turns to face me. “Stop being so nosy, Ava,” she snaps, her voice laced with irritation. “That’s none of your concern.”

She looks over my body in disgust. “It’s unfortunate that we still don’t know if you’re pregnant, but I guess there’s little we can do except wait.”

I watch my mother closely as she continues fussing with my hair, her movements stiff and agitated. The

C

70 Ava: Sister Miriam (II)

has left her visibly unsettled, a rare crack

demeanor.

she some sort of prophet?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity

fingers tangled in my hair. She meets my gaze in the mirror, her eyes narrowing. “I told you, it’s none of your concern,” she snaps, her voice laced with irritation. “Don’t ask about things that don’t involve you.”

“But she was saying such odd things.” I just want to

what was said

Renard hears something like that, it doesn’t matter what plan Phoenix has in mind–he’ll keep trying to get me

force than necessary. “Enough, Ava. You’re not to speak of this again, do you understand?” Her voice is low and

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Sister

heard countless times

out a soft, “Yes,” hoping I look properly cowed.

***

thousand thoughts and a thousand more worries as I pace back and forth in the cramped space of my bedroom, having

any moment they’d

melody. How did she know about the power I can’t

spot?

to see Phoenix entering the room. His expression is grim, his brow furrowed with

caution. “What’s

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Ava Sister Miriam (II)

ask, heart pounding.

freaking out about what Sister

in my

all the food I’ve eaten from past to

his head. “No, they won’t,” he assures me,

Alpha Renard, they never expected that you would truly be able to bear him any kids, considering that he

Renard is barren.”

frowning. “What do you mean?

with the weight of some unseen burden. “Dad and Mom said that

kids weren’t biologically

“How is that

rolling his shoulders in

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Sister Miriam

goes over my head, to my desk, then to the floor off to the side of him. “Mom was

best friend. She helped cover it up. She

Alpha Renard, the powerful and feared leader of our pack, has been deceived all this time, his wife bearing children that were not truly his own. They’d been his pride and joy, even if they were weak for alpha–heirs, all

skirmishes with

almost too much

weren’t alpha heirs at all.

were weak. Did she

would they do that?” I ask, my voice

power in a pack. She didn’t want to lose her position as Luna, even if

the edge of my bed, my mind reeling. How many other secrets are buried beneath the

our pack?

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