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)

Sister Miriam has left her visibly unsettled, a

demeanor.

prophet?” I ask, unable to contain my

her eyes narrowing. “I told you, it’s none of your concern,” she snaps, her voice laced with irritation.

sharp tone, but a part of me refuses to back down. “But she was saying such odd things.” I just want

what was

the pack. If Alpha Renard hears something like that, it doesn’t

with more 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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Ava: Sister Miriam

I’ve heard countless

nod, so I choke out a soft, “Yes,” hoping I

***

and forth in the cramped space of my bedroom, having

down any food, wondering if at any moment they’d start

in my head like a haunting melody. How did she know about the power I can’t access? And are her words a vision of the future, or just some cryptic mumbo–jumbo

spot?

sound of the door opening interrupts my circular thoughts and I whirl around to see Phoenix entering the room. His expression is grim, his brow furrowed

“What’s going on?”

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Ava Sister Miriam

ask, heart pounding.

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

bells in

eaten from past to future. “Are they going to

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

him any kids, considering that he hasn’t had any luck in

Renard is barren.”

frowning. “What do you mean? How

sighs, his shoulders sagging with the weight of some

kids weren’t biologically his.”

be true. “How is

weight rolling his

12:40

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Ava: Sister Miriam (II)

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

helped cover it up. She

deceived all this time, his wife bearing children that were not truly his own. They’d

with

is almost too much to comprehend.

died because they weren’t alpha

Did she mate

I ask, my voice

pack. She didn’t want to lose her position as Luna,

sink onto the edge of my bed, my mind reeling. How many

our pack?

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