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 rare crack in her usually composed

demeanor.

prophet?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

mid–motion, her fingers tangled in my hair. She meets my gaze in the mirror, her eyes narrowing. “I told you, it’s none

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

was said

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 get me

tightens, and I wince as she tugs at a lock with more force than necessary.

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Sister Miriam

heard countless

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

***

with a thousand thoughts and a thousand more worries as I pace back and forth in the cramped

food, wondering if at any moment they’d

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

spot?

thoughts and I whirl around to see Phoenix entering the room. His expression is grim, his brow furrowed with concern.

“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, his grim tone

bells in my

want to vomit all the food I’ve eaten from past

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

Renard, they never expected that you would truly be able to bear him any kids, considering that he hasn’t had any

Renard is barren.”

frowning. “What do you

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

weren’t biologically

can’t be true. “How is

shifts his weight rolling

12:40

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Ava: Sister Miriam (II)

desk, then to the floor off to the side of him.

cover it up. She

Renard, the powerful and feared leader of our pack, has been deceived all this time, his wife bearing children

skirmishes with other

is almost too

because they weren’t alpha

she mate

I ask, my voice trembling with

She didn’t want to lose her position as Luna, even if it

mind reeling. How many other secrets are buried beneath the surface of

our pack?

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