Lady of the house

chapter 2

"Oh, so you're the brother I have heard so much about from Emily. She didn't mention that Andrea is your mate, though." Adam says.

"We actually just found out today when he walked in here. I can't believe it. My best friend and my brother are mates. I am so happy for them. They have some stuff to figure out, but I'm sure it will turn out the way it's supposed to." Emily tells Adam.

"There is nothing to figure out we are mates, and she isn't allowed to leave me, and I'm not leaving her over something as not being the same shifter. If the goddess didn't want us to be together, she wouldn't have paired us up." Devon argues.

"You might see that way, but the internal battle Andrea is having right now says otherwise. It's written all over her face that she is panicking. Dang Devon, maybe you guys should go somewhere else and have a talk about this. reassure her that things will work out or something. Let her get what is weighing on her mind off." Emily yells at her brother.

Devon takes a step back and looks at Andrea. He sees the fear in her eyes. "Is she afraid of me, Max? Did I do something and not know it?" I ask my lion inside of me.

"No, her leopard is telling me that she is having a fear that once you find out that she is not in your league. She isn't saying much to me because she doesn't want to upset Andrea more." Max tell him.

Devon says to Andrea. "Let's go to my place and we can talk. Nothing you say is going to change how I feel, but if you have something to get off your chest, I will listen."

Andrea whispers. "Okay."

They walk out and wait for the valet to get his car and bring it to them. As they are waiting for the car, Devon wraps Andrea in his arms. He looks down at her with a small smile on his face and tries to look like he cares about her. She shivers in his arms, whether from the cold wind or his closeness. The car finally arrives, and they climb in. Devon starts the car and turns on the heat. They drive in silence, Devon not knowing what to say to Andrea to make her open up to him.

They pull to his condo in Queens, and it's huge. Devon opens up the door for me, and I climb out astonished by the mere sight of the place. "Wow, this place is amazing." I say.

"Thank you. Why don't we go in and get comfortable while we talk. Would you like a drink?" He asks as he ushers me into the living room just off to the left of the door that opens into a hallway that had a grand staircase that went up just down the hall. He gestures for me to sit down on the couch. "Would you like a drink." He asks again, bringing me out of my own thoughts on the place.

"I would love one. Do you have any tea? If you don't, I will take some water." I say not wanting to drink anymore alcohol tonight because I don't want my thoughts compromised by it.

"Okay. I think we have tea. I will go get you some." He says as he walks out of the room. He is gone for a couple of minutes and walks back in carrying a tray with some tea and cookies on it. He sits the tray down on the coffee table in front of the couch. He grabs a cup to fill it up with the hot water and grabs a tea bag, and sets it in the cup. "Do you take any sugar or milk in your tea? He says, gesturing to the other things on the tray.

"Yes, thank you." I reach forward to grab the sugar and a spoon to measure it out, but he takes it out of my hand, gesturing that he would like to do it for me. "Two sugars, please, no milk, thank you." I tell him, and he measures it out and stirs it up and hands me the cup. He proceeds to make his own as I battle with my thoughts on how to start telling him about myself.

"I'm not a good match for you." I blurt out." I'm an orphan. I don't have any family. I'm not rich. The only person who cared about me is your sister. I work at the bar that we were in, but they let me go to the party because your sister is my best friend. I don't deserve you." I ramble. "I ..."

"Stop right there." He interrupts me. "I don't care that you aren't rich or where you come from. I will care for you. You can quit your job for all I care about. I make enough to last us 4 life times even if I quit today." He. sits his tea down and takes mine from my hand and does the same. He grabs me and tucks me into his arm as he has us sit on the couch together. I melt into his side, not able to resist his touch. "Before you argue that we aren't the same shifter. I'm going to tell you one more time. I don't care. We will make it work. the moon goddess isn't going to give you to me to take you away because we are different shifters."

"I don't know what to say. Can you give me some time? This is a lot to process. I believe that you are telling the truth about not caring, but I grew up being told that we aren't supposed to be with other shifters. I was also told no one of high class is going to want me." I say to him.

"I will give you your space, but I won't give up on us. I will show you just how I feel every day." He says. He stands up and offers me a hand. "Why don't you stay the night. I'll show you to the guest room. You must be tired from all the excitement of tonight with finding out we are mates and everything else."

"Okay." I say. my thoughts are to ask him if I could stay with him in his room. I dismiss it, though.

Abby says to me. "Go for it. He wants to, but he knows you also want space to figure things out. He doesn't want to rush things with you."

"Hey, Devon." I say with hesitation.

"Yes, Andrea." He looks at me with curiosity.

"I wonder if we could share a room. I don't want to be alone." I say shyly.

He thinks about it as he leads me up the stairs. We get to the landing. He looks both ways contemplating. "Are you sure you want to join me?" He asks, looking into my eyes, trying to see if it's what I truly want.

I hesitate, but I answer with confidence. "Yes, I want to." That's all he needs to lead me down the left part of the corridor to what I assume is his room. He opens the door, and I look around. His room is dark grey and has a minimal amount of furniture in it. There is a large California king-size bed in the middle of the room.

"I'm going to go take a shower over here. Make yourself comfortable." He says, entering the room off to the left. I soon here water running. I sit down on the bed wondering if he would get upset if I explore his room.