Tango 2 the Alpha's Heart

Lilly POV

"You worthless piece of shit!" Sade's harsh, cruel words cut through, making me freeze as her hand connected with my cheek, sending me to the floor. I bit down on my jaw, suppressing the urge to whimper, my cheek burning where she just struck me.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Instead, I focused on the cold, hard ground beneath me.

"That is precisely where you belong," she sneered. Her brown eyes turned black with hate and anger. "On the floor!"

She stepped closer, grabbed me by the hair, and forced me to look up at her. "Now clean this mess before I lose my temper. You don't want my mother to see this mess!" She threw me onto my back, causing my head to collide with the floor.

Fear gripped me, knowing that her wrath would only escalate if I didn’t act quickly. Dazed and disoriented, I struggled back to my knees and started to collect the bits of the broken porcelain teacup on the floor.

I internally sighed.

It's been like this as long as I remember. I was blamed and punished for everything—even for the simplest things—even when it wasn't even my fault.

This time Sade's tea wasn't to her liking.

This was my life, and there was nothing I could do about it. Escaping wasn't an option. There was nothing for me out there. Not a mate. Not a future.

Besides, who would want a she-wolf like me?

I accepted my destiny. My purpose. I would forever serve the house of Axel Black—not that I have ever seen a picture of him... Rumor has it that he served in the Royal Army and died protecting the King. His death left Angelica, his mate, heartbroken while raising their child.

Maybe that's why she was so cold and cruel toward me—she never got over the loss of her mate...

My mind shifted to myself—I couldn't remember much about my childhood. The only solid memory I had was the sound of angry snarling, crying, and screaming, followed by huge angry flames consuming everything in their path.

Prior to that, I am unable to recall any details—not a single face, scent, or sound. It was as if everything about my past was erased.

The emptiness of those lost years gnawed at me, leaving a hollow ache in my chest.

I often wondered if the fire had not just destroyed my home but also my very identity, leaving me to piece together who I was from the ashes of memory that had long since faded.

Angelica found me in a deserted warehouse, and I was naive enough to believe she actually cared for me. She looked like an angel with long blond hair and big green eyes. She told me that my parents had died and she was now my guardian.

I didn't ask any questions. I naively believed her and followed her home. However, I soon discovered