My Best Friends Brother is my Mate (COMPLETED)

4: Happiness isn't there

Alyssa Mells POV

I shook with fear as I stared up at the duplex, I could practically smell the reek of urine and cigarettes. My lower lip wobbled as I slowly walked to the front door. The stains on the door made me want to gag as I slowly turned the handle. Axel and Amy didn't want me to leave, but I had to, all my things for school are here. Although because there isn't enough rooms, I had to live in a cupboard. Not like Harry Potter who lived under the stairs. My cupboard was just a small square where I had a cut out piece of a sleeping bag and a couple of second hand toys and books. The thought of my old "room" made my lip quiver. When the police came through my parents pretended that the guest room was mine.

I took a breath twisting the handle. As soon as it was open I had ten seconds to make it to that room. The door open and the ten seconds became six.

"Why are you back you little bitch - " I ran past my mother who yanked me back by my hair causing a pathetic squeal to leave my lips as my back hit the ground. I slid across the uneven floor and under the table, crawling away from my mother who threw a bottle at me, it rolled past me, thankfully not shattering as I quickly ran to the cupboard, locking it behind myself. My heart beating, my hands shook as I pressed my hands to my ears, feeling the thud of the door behind me. Not even a minute passed and they stopped, my mother giving up. Shaking I got down on my knees to open a small cabinet and pulled out a picture of Amy, Axel and I.

Pressing it to my chest I sat down on my makeshift bed and stared down at the smiling faces. I wish the cupboard had a window so I could escape, but the door to my room was ridden with dents and marks from rings that my mother wore. Breathing deeply, I waited. I needed to collect a few things from my room and go back to the Allisons before school tomorrow.

Fidgeting, I waited for the house to quiet down, the television, that they bought with the money I had made, blared loudly. Thankfully it was nowhere near the front door. Getting a bag, I shifted all my school books into it. I probably come back to my house once a week or else not only would I get in trouble, the government who come to check on me and the house will charge the Allisons and my parents. And because my parents are only living off my benifits or money I make, they'll just end up taking all my money. What makes it worse is that they didn't even bother having money stored away for my education.

Successfully stuffing my bag, I stood on shaking legs. I slowly unlocked the door so it didn't make the click sound, doing the same with the door knob. My parents lost their ability to shift before I was born thanks to all the things they've been doing with their bodies. It also meant they lost the other senses we werewolves get when still in human form, like heightened hearing, eye sight and smell.

My hands were sweating as my heart beat sped up, the door opening slowly and quietly. I slunk around it, only bothering to open it up enough for me to get out. I closed it behind me before quietly walking to the kitchen, which was a short cut to the front door. A family friend, if you could call him that, stood there with bloodshot eyes with bags beneath them. He stared out the window before he sensed me, turning his head to look at me. I froze, eyes wide as I had been caught. I resisted the urge to use my mind to alert Axel that I was in trouble, because we were part of the same pack, we could talk telepathically. Although that part of me is very hard to use and I only ever call on them when I need it. It mainly worked with Axel and his wolf for some reason, but it also meant I couldn't talk to them in wolf form. Which is why Axel and his wolf usually make noises at me and nudge me, so I know what's happening.

The man continued to stare at me, keeping eye contact. I should run, he looked to be in some sort of... state.

He was twice the size of me, but hopefully he was to incapacitated to shift. Slowly, I took a step. She bared his teeth in a grimace. "Hurry up and get out before I change my mind." His voice was hoarse, but none the less scary. Shaking I ran past him quickly, making it out the door, fear radiating off me that I'm pretty sure Axel who is back at the Allisons halfway across town, could smell it.

It got dark quick and I was still walking to their home, my watch told me that it was dinner time at the Allisons, six fifteen. My breath caught in my throat as a car slowed behind me. "Get in Al." I stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes met Axel, he was stand half out his car with a sad smile. I wasted no time and ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck and mumbling "thank you" over and over again. "Mum got worried." He patted my back. "She refused to start dinner." He laughed as I let go and got into the passenger side, still shaking. "It'll be okay Als." He assured me, squeezing my hand. I sent him a thankful smile as he drove us back to his house.

Breathing deeply, I smiled, as Axel opened the car door for me. "Thank you." I gushed again. He grabbed my forearm gently.

"Stop thanking me Als, please." He smiled. Nodding, I completely ignored him as I hugged him, thanking him once again. "Did... Did anything bad happen?" I froze for a moment.

"I got away, she only yanked my hair that's it." I didn't meet his eyes as I picked at a loose piece of one of Axels old, navy blue, knitted jumper strands. Axel clenched his jaw.

"One day Als, we're going to get you out of there, for good." He shoved my shoulder affectionately as we walked inside. He opened the house door for me, everyone anxiously waiting at the dinner table, Mrs Allison stood with her arms folded, her face pulled back in a worried expression. "I have her." Axel called out, coming inside after me. I stood there, the smallest in the house as Mrs Allison and Amy rushed towarda me. Amy squeezing me in an embrace.

"Amy careful." Mrs Allison grabbed my face and inspected it for any injuries. "Your knees!" She gushed. She was right, my jeans had torn and on the wood and revealed pink flesh, my wolfs healing process slow. "Honey this won't do. How about you go upstairs and clean up, I'll order take away." She smiled as I stood there, bemused. Mrs Allison was a healthy household, they despised letting us eat take away. Before I could complain Axel nudged me towards the stairs, Amy dragging me the rest of the way up. I let her drag me into her room.

"I knew we shouldn't have let you go alone, just take all your stuff and move in here, for good!" Amy demanded, pulling out some clothes that were mine. Mrs Allison knew I didn't like her spending money on me unless there was a reason. So she made up for it on birthdays, christmas any other big holiday. I can't refuse things easily, I'm to much of a people pleaser, not to mention no matter how hard I try, my upbringing involved doing what people say no question or I get a swift slap or yelled at. I never ever liked anyone raising their voice, even if it wasn't at me. If they amgrily yell I instantly get afraid or I feel like I'm in trouble. I'm submissive. I don't hate it, but when someone takes advantage of that then I know they're bad. But Amy, Axel, their parents. They don't. Axel might know I can't really say no, but he always gives me a choice, he just seems to know what I want. Probably because I've practically been living here my whole life around him. He knows me. He and Amy both do.

I try so hard not to call the Allisons place Home. I falter all the time when I'm talking about here. But I just... I don't know how everyone will react. Even if I'm here all the time, I'm still a guest. A friend. The small girl that is still trying to pick up the pieces that is my heart. The girl who gets in trouble over something silly and feels guilty about it for the rest of her life.

I'm just a girl.

But that doesn't stop me from being myself.

Wearing clothes from my best friend.

I'm practically living the dream.

Surrounded by my best friend.

Her cute brother.

... Did I just call Axel... cute?

I must be traumatized and way to great full of him driving me home. I needed to know that the Allisons really cared. They cared so much that they drove halfway across town to pick me up at night because they were worried.