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 crack in her usually composed

demeanor.

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

the mirror, her eyes narrowing. “I told you, it’s none of your concern,” she snaps, her

back down. “But she was saying such odd things.” I just

what was said

than she’s thinking of her own status in the pack. If Alpha Renard hears something

on my hair tightens, and I wince as she tugs at a lock with more force than necessary. “Enough, Ava. You’re not to speak of this again, do you understand?” Her voice

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Sister Miriam (1)

countless times before.

choke out a soft, “Yes,” hoping

***

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

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

melody. How did she know about the power I can’t access? And are her words a vision of the

spot?

around to see Phoenix entering the room. His expression is grim, his brow furrowed with concern. He tosses a burner phone onto

“What’s going

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Sister

ask, heart pounding.

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

bells in

twists, and I want to vomit all the food I’ve eaten from past to future. “Are they going to tell

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

to Alpha Renard, they never expected that you would truly be able to bear him any kids, considering that he hasn’t had any luck in so long. Even with you being an

Renard is barren.”

“What do you mean? How do you know that?”

sagging with the weight of some unseen burden. “Dad

weren’t

can’t be true. “How is that possible?”

weight rolling his

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Ava: Sister Miriam (II)

desk, then to the floor off to

friend. She helped cover it up. She told Dad everything.”

his wife bearing children that were not truly his own. They’d been his pride and joy, even if

skirmishes with

revelation is almost too much

because they weren’t alpha

she mate

ask, my voice trembling with a

in a pack. She didn’t want to lose her position

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

our pack?

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