Chapter 12

The next morning, the sun streamed through the window curtain, casting a warm glow over the room as Emma stretched lazily on her bed. 

She was startled out of her sleep by the sound of a knock on her door. Before she could answer, her mother stopped stepping. Her face was beaming with joy. 

“Emma, you are finally home!” Her mother exclaimed, rushing forward to wrap her hand in a warm hug. 

Emma sat up, smiling lightly as she returned the embrace. “It is good to see you too, mom. I missed you so much!” she exaggerated.

Her mom pulled back slightly, her eyes scanning Emma’s face. “You look exhausted. Did you rest well?” she questioned.

Emma nodded, forcing her tone to remain as casual as she could. “As well as I could,” she replied.

Her mother seemed satisfied with the answer and began talking about how much she had missed having her around. Emma, feeling the weight of the previous day’s events, gave that response with hope for life, carefully not letting any bitterness seep through her words.

Her mother then suggested they go for breakfast, which Emma happily agreed to.

When they finally sat down for breakfast, Emma noticed that Damien was not yet downstairs. She decided to go knock on his door. 

When she arrived, she knocked briefly, and the door burst open, revealing Damien in his shorts and damp hair.

“Oh, I’m here to call you for breakfast,” Emma said, pointing toward the dining table.

“I’ll be right there in just a minute,” Damien replied, closing the door while Emma walked back to the dining table.

Soon, all of them finally sat down for breakfast. Their father also joined them at the table. The scent of freshly baked bread and spice filled the room as they extended the sentries. 

Emma's dad set his cup down gently on the table. “We need to talk about visiting the twins as soon as possible. It’s important for the family, and we don’t want to delay it any further,” he suggested.

Emma’s heart went blank, but she kept her face as neutral as she could. “I understand that, but I’ve just arrived. I need a bit of time to recover before we visit anyone, please,” she begged.

Her mother chimed in, her voice calm and firm. “Of course, darling, take the rest of today to regain your strength. But by tomorrow, we need to prepare. The alphas have high expectations, and we must present ourselves well,” she emphasized.

Emma’s mind raced as she tried to figure out how to navigate the situation without defending herself or making her parents angry. But no matter how far she thought, nothing came to her mind, so she simply had to accept their suggestion.

“Okay, thank you for understanding. I will make sure I’m ready when the time comes,” she answered.

They ate with smiles when suddenly, the door creaked open. Ever stepped out of her room, her eyes puffy and red. Her father glared at her with an annoyed look before returning to his meal.

She stared at Emma with annoyance. 

Emma thought of a way to annoy her, and a suggestion came to her mind.

She turned her body toward Ever. “Ever Could you pour me a cup of tea, please?” she asked sweetly, a small smile on her lips.

Ever shot her a glance but complied. She walked toward Emma stiffly. When she got there, she poured the tea, and Emma caught a fleeting glance from her mother, feigning innocence as she sipped her tea with exaggerated politeness.

Ever was about to sit down, but her mother shot her a sharp glance. “Stand up. You don’t deserve to sit on that chair,” she said, her voice stern. Ever quickly sprang to her feet. “You have to stand there and watch us eat. When we’re done, then you can have your breakfast.”

Emma’s father nodded in agreement. Emma felt a sense of enjoyment bubble up within her. It was as if a scene were replaying itself; she remembered this exact moment from before.

Damien, seated at the table, remained silent, looking on without saying anything. He didn’t know where to begin or how to enter the conversation.

Suddenly, Emma’s father spoke. “We want you to have everything you need for the meeting with the alphas,” he said with a smile. “Go shopping for whatever you require, clothes, accessories, anything to make a good impression.”

Emma forced a smile, though the thought of the impending meeting made her stomach churn. She didn’t want to go, but she nodded. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll make sure to find something suitable.”

Her father nodded approvingly, but the moment was short-lived when Ever, who had been quiet all along, decided to seize the opportunity to undermine her sister.

“Why bother?” Ever said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Emma is reckless. She will find a way to embarrass the family no matter what she wears.” She smiled as if expecting the whole family to back her up.

“Ever,” Emma said in a calm voice, “if anyone has a story of embarrassing the family, it’s you. Perhaps you should focus on your own behavior instead of projecting your insecurities onto me.”

Ever’s expression darkened at Emma’s words.

“Ever,” their father said, “that’s enough. You’re being disrespectful to your sister.”

Ever’s face flushed with anger and humiliation, but she did not back down. “She’s the one who—”

“Apologize to your sister, now,” their father interrupted.

Ever reluctantly mumbled a half-hearted apology.

“That’s not good enough,” their father said with steely eyes. “You’ve crossed a line, and there need to be consequences. From now on, you will stay in the basement until you decide to behave.”

“You’re sending me to the basement for her?” Her voice rose in embarrassment. 

“Yes,” their mother replied firmly. “You need time to reflect on your actions.”