Idris couldn't believe that only minutes ago, Alixandria had been his. More than that, she seemed to accept their bond and was no longer in denial about how she felt about him. She had finally decided to be with him and if it was up to him, he would have taken her straight to his home...but that was not how things worked.

Alixandria needed to work things out with Henry and he feared that if she didn't, there would always be a part of her that felt indebted to him. The thought of that made his blood boil over. Something about Henry never sat right with him and he would make sure he didn't hurt Alixandria. He'd remain close and would step in at any sign of danger.

Idris had been alive long enough to see just how messy and sometimes violent breakups could get.

When they reached her apartment complex, he parked beside her and rolled down the window as she sauntered over. "I don't know how long this will take but I'm assuming next time you see me I'll have some luggage with me." She said nervously.

It occurred to Idris that Alixandria could be worried that he would not want to move so fast and have her move in with him, but he had been ready for that since the moment he saw her.

"I'll be here."

Alixandria smiled and with that she took off in the direction of the apartment that she would soon no longer be sharing with Henry. When she was out of sight, he kept his senses trained on the sound of her footsteps, her keys jingled for a moment, her heartbeat was a mess, but something else shocked him. From the apartment he could hear not just Henry's heartbeat, but someone else's.

This was not good. What would Alixandria be walking into? Idris got out of his car and shut the door when suddenly he caught a scent in the wind that stopped him from going up to the apartment. The familiar scent of red roses curled around him. His body tensed, sensing a pair of eyes on him.

"I know you're there Amber."

It was deadly silent for a short moment before a girlish laugh came from the shadows above him. He looked up to see the silhouette of a woman crouched on the metal roof of the parking lot shade. Effortlessly, she jumped down on her heels and sauntered over to him, finally stepping out of the shadows.

"Hello Idris." Amber's honey-colored eyes narrowed as she looked him over with a wide smirk. "Miss me?"

"Why are you here?" He seethed, wondering how long she had been following him? Did she know about Alixandria?

"No reason." Her smiled feigned innocence.

Amber looked exactly as he had remembered her. She pulled her long dark hair over her shoulder as she sauntered closer in a tight black dress.

"I see you found your mate?"

"Why do you care?"

"You know why."

Idris had had a suspicion of why she was here and now that she acknowledged what he had been thinking he couldn't help but chuckle. "You're wasting your time."

"It wasn't a waste of time for Ben."

"That was luck, Amber. You know the chances of this is extremely rare right?"

"And yet I was right," She said to his complete surprise. "I've been tailing you for a while Idris and from what I can tell, this would benefit you just as much as it would benefit me."

Damn, she was right. Idris couldn't argue that, even if this turned out to be a dud, it could help him move on with Alixandria and perhaps even remove that guilt or feeling of debt she felt to Henry. But Alixandria had already made a stride towards her freedom and he would not do anything that could jeopardize their new relationship.

"Come on..." She purred. "we could help each other out, they don't have to know."

"No." He turned away from Amber and wanted to get back into his car. Since Amber had shown up, he had lost focus of Alixandria. If she was in any danger he needed to be ready.

"No?" Amber suddenly side stepped him and blocked his path from the car. "Are you that certain in your relationship."

"We're soulmates."

"And yet there she is in his apartment. Don't you find it odd that the pull hasn't had such a strong effect on her? You've seen how that thing affects humans...even our kind go frenzied." She smiled before tilting her head. "She should have been drooling all over you, she should have been unable to resist and yet... " She chuckled.

"You know as well as I do the pull doesn't affect everyone the same."

"Yes... but typically the longer you go without bonding the more the pull tears at you," She inhaled a little closer to him and he backed away. "hmm, and from the smell of it you two have mated...but not bonded."

"Shut up, this is none of your concern!"

"Surely mating would have driven her mad...unless," She tapped at her chin as Idris remained quiet causing Amber to laugh. "Are you certain she's even your mate?"

"I'm done with this." He went for the handle. Her initial intent was starting to blur and he would not let her come between him and Alixandria.

"You know there's one sure way we can tell."

"Alixandria is my mate. I will not turn her against her will just to satisfy my needs."

"And how do you know she's not his mate too?"

"And what of you and your mate, huh? I don't see him here beside you either."

"My point exactly, Idris. Think clearly about all this!" She seethed, becoming angry, "While you've been focused on winning her affection, I've been digging a little dirt and you want to know what I found out about our beloved Henry?"

"No."

"Oh come on, it's so juicy." She pressed on his shoulder as she circled him. Idris shoved her touch from him. As much as it was killing to know what she had found out, he also knew that Amber was not someone to be trusted, she'd lost his trust and friendship years ago.

He wasn't going to stand there and listen to her lies that would only serve to benefit her. Amber was selfish and whatever she knew was either twisted or untrue.

"Come on Idris, you're going to need me."

"Go home, Amber. I will never need you."

She scoffed, "We'll see about that." She began to saunter away, until she was out of sight and Idris could no longer smell her in the air, but he knew this wasn't the last time they would meet.

Amber was up to something and unlike him, she would do whatever it took to get what she wanted.