Emilia's Pov

My father stepped forward first, his chest puffed like he thought he still intimidated me.

“We have always known you were special,” he announced proudly, as if he hadn’t spent years treating me like a disease. “Just look at you now—standing beside the Alpha King as his mate and queen.”

My mother clasped her hands together like she was witnessing some kind of holy miracle. “Yes! The entire kingdom will talk about us,” she gushed. “Our daughter, the Queen!”

Behind them, Rosella stood stiff as a stick, her eye twitching like she was fighting a demon inside her. She couldn’t even pretend to be happy. The anger was...