My Best Friends Brother is my Mate (COMPLETED)

The sweet smell of freshly baked muffins and a gentle poke to her side slowly roused Alyssa from sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing Amy, mouth agape and eyes closed, still asleep beside her. It wasn't Amy who was poking her.

Rolling over slowly, Alyssa found herself face-to-face with Axel. His chestnut brown hair, lighter than Amy's, was charmingly tousled, and his warm, tan skin seemed to glow in the soft morning light filtering through the window.

"Good morning," Alyssa greeted, her voice low and gravelly with sleep, still not sitting up.

"Good morning," Axel replied, his own voice hushed. "I'm giving you time to get to a safe distance before I wake Miss Grumpy-pants over there. Muffins downstairs if you want one." He added a playful wink.

Smiling, Alyssa finally got out of bed and padded down the familiar stairs of the Allison household. She loved it here, this place that smelled of food and forest air, not beer and cigarettes. This place with smooth, clean floors, not the disgusting cupboard she'd once called home. Her heart, once so guarded, felt a rare sense of peace here.