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)

her visibly unsettled, a rare

demeanor.

she some sort of prophet?” I ask,

hands freeze mid–motion, her 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

she was saying such odd things.” I just want to make sure Mom isn’t going to go telling

what was said here.

Phoenix more than she’s thinking of her own status in the pack. If Alpha Renard hears something like that, it doesn’t matter what plan Phoenix has in mind–he’ll keep trying to

than necessary. “Enough, Ava. You’re not to speak

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Ava: Sister Miriam (1)

heard countless times before.

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

***

I pace back and forth in the cramped space of my bedroom, having

food, wondering if at any moment they’d start talking about

the power I can’t access? And are her words a vision of the future, or just some cryptic mumbo–jumbo she spewed

spot?

is grim, his brow furrowed with concern. He tosses a burner phone onto my bed, the device bouncing

“What’s going on?”

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Ava Sister Miriam

ask, heart pounding.

his tousled hair. “Mom and Dad are freaking out about what Sister Miriam said,” he explains,

in my

stomach twists, and I want to vomit all the food I’ve eaten

shakes his head. “No, they won’t,” he assures me, but his tone is laced with uncertainty.

bear him any kids, considering that he hasn’t had any luck in so long. Even with you being

Renard is barren.”

frowning. “What do you

sighs, his shoulders sagging with the weight of some unseen burden. “Dad and Mom said

weren’t biologically

true. “How is that

weight rolling

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Ava: Sister Miriam (II)

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

She helped cover it up. She told

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

skirmishes with

revelation is almost too much to comprehend.

died because they weren’t alpha

were weak. Did she

voice trembling with a

expression hardens. “Power, Ava. It’s always about power in a pack. She didn’t want to lose her position as Luna, even if it meant betraying her

reeling. How many other secrets are buried

our pack?

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