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M I S S E D

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"How do I look, Lucas?" the young woman questioned as she spun around in circles, the dress wrapped around her body dancing in the air. They were located in one of the most popular dress shops in the capital, and with their high status, they were able to get the whole place to themselves.

"Beautiful like always, Esmerelda," the man praised as he got up from the couch and softly applauded.

"Oh stop it." Esmerelda giggled as she waltzed over and slapped his shoulder. "You're just saying that because you're my fiancé."

Lucas chortled at the remark. "That's not true. You really are beautiful. You know that." Everyone knew that. Without warning, Esmerelda got on her tippy-toes and pecked his lips, catching him off guard. It was the first time they'd kissed since they'd met each other. They've been engaged for a little under a year now and although he didn't want to admit it, it felt rather peculiar. "What was that for?" he asked as he tried to conceal his emotions.

"That was me thanking you, silly," Esmerelda chimed sweetly as she draped her arms over his shoulders. "Not a lot of men would be willing to come out shopping with their betrothed but then again, you aren't just any ordinary man." He should have taken it as a compliment but he didn't. He couldn't.

"Right." He forced himself to smile and broke the embrace. "So does that mean you fancy this one?"

"No." Esmerelda shook her head. "The real question should be: do you fancy it? If you do, I'll get it." She beamed.

Lucas took another glance at the dress and thought the colors complemented her well. "I do," he replied.

"Then it's settled. I'll meet you at the register, okay?" she said before disappearing into the changing room.

"All right," he called out as he headed back. Suddenly, a man burst through the entrance, wheezing and panting. Shock consumed Lucas as he watched his friend and colleague hunched over, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "Baxter, what's the matter? What are you doing here?"

"Another person has gone missing," Baxter reported, frazzled. The woman fixing up the mannequin turned their way and Lucas immediately exited the shop with Baxter to get away from prying ears and eyes.

"Wait—what? Another person? Are you positive?" Lucas whispered, scanning their surroundings.

"His mother said he's been gone for a week now. She told us that the last time she saw him was when he told her he was going out for a late night run by the woods," the man narrated. 

"And where does he usually run? Please don't tell me by the borders either," Lucas pleaded as his hand ran a palm down his face.

"I can't..." Baxter sighed. "We have good reason to believe the Rogues got him. When we arrived at the area his mother said he most frequented, we found a shoe."

"So? It doesn't mean it's his," the latter rebuked.

"Lucas, it's the same model his mother said he was wearing when he left. The size and description fit perfectly. I know you don't want to believe it but we've lost another citizen to those—to those beasts," Baxter proclaimed with his hands clenched into fists.

"You don't know that. We don't have enough sufficient evidence to be accusing anyone just yet. At least not right now. For all we know, he could have eloped with some unknown woman," he shot back. He didn't know why but he was getting protective again, like he usually did when someone mentioned Rogues. 

"Are you serious right now?" Baxter balked. "It's pretty obvious that they're all dead, you idiot! This is the tenth person who's disappeared by the borders in two months! Do you think it's a coincidence? What are you suggesting, Lucas? That they all ran away together?" he snarled.

"I don't know what to think, okay?" Lucas fumed as he raked his fingers though his hair. "Don't you think it's too obvious? What if there's a serial killer out there intentionally framing the Rogues? But let's say that you're right. That this is all happening because of them. So what if it's the Rogues doing? According to the law, there's nothing we can do about it if our citizens are the ones who crossed the border."

"A serial killer framing the Rogues? Are you kidding me right now? Do you realize how absurd that sounds? Why would anyone want to frame those monsters?" Baxter barked. "You know what, Lucas? You better believe that if more people keep vanishing like this, the people are going to start a riot. And by the way, jackass, his shoe was discovered twenty yards away from the borders. So what is that telling you, huh? Because that's telling me the poor guy wasn't the one who crossed the borders. If he was attacked on our land, it gives us every right to demand the Alpha turn in the murderer!" 

"Just be quiet and let me think for a moment!" Lucas growled. "I have to examine the crime scene for myself. Where is it?" Beads of sweat rolled down his temple as Lucas entered the shop, looking a little shifty.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Esmerelda inquired, concern written all over her pretty face. "You don't look too well. Did you catch a fever?" Her hand extended out to touch his forehead but he quickly moved away, ultimately avoiding her touch.

"I'm sorry, Esmerelda. Something has come up. I have to go," he explained vaguely.

Esmerelda's face fell as she retracted her arm and chewed on her bottom lip. "Is it work?"

"Yes," Lucas answered since she'd hit the nail right on the head. "This means I will not be able to join you and your parents for dinner tonight. Perhaps another time."

"But I'm leaving to Hellsing tomorrow. Do you know how far that city is from here?" Esmerelda murmured, disheartened. "I'm supposed to be staying there for a few months to take care of my grandmother."

"I know you were looking forward to this, but it's very important. You understand, don't you?" he asked carefully, despite already being aware of her response.

"I do," she whispered. "And sometimes, I wish I didn't."

"I'll make it up to you," Lucas promised, turning to leave. 

Next, Esmerelda grasped onto his arm and held him back. "I love you," she told him with much sincerity written over her face.

"Just make sure you travel safely. I'll send you a message later," he said before he removed her hand and abandoned her.

When he was out of sight, the woman closed her eyes, not wanting any tears to escape. "Why can't you tell me that you love me too? Is it that hard for you to utter those three words to me, Lucas Vanderbilt?" she croaked, her voice trembling.

* * *

"Where's the shoe?" Lucas questioned as soon as he climbed off of his horse.

"Over here!" Baxter hollered. When Lucas reached him, Baxter spoke up, "See, I told you it's far from the borders."

"You do realize that there could be a number of reasons as to how his shoe ended up over here, don't you?" Lucas retorted. Then he got up and scoped the area. There wasn't anything really out of place until his eyes landed on a tree. "Gloves. Someone give me gloves," he commanded as he approached the tree. A minute later, a pair of leather gloves was given to him and he wasted no time slipping them over his hands. He didn't want to contaminate the crime scene.

Everyone followed him and just as he suspected, there was a bullet wedged in the bark of the tree. When they all saw this, their eyes widened in stagnation as murmuring roused. A triumphant smirk greeted Lucas's lips as he glanced over to his friend. "Now I don't know about you, Bax, but I've never heard of a Rogue using a gun before. Have you?"

Once the discovery was made, Lucas instructed the officers to search for more bullets or shell cases that could be lying around. He then leaned against his stallion and sighed. "Sorry I snapped at you earlier," Baxter apologized. "This is just getting more frustrating for me, you know?"

"I do," Lucas agreed.

"But do you really think there's someone amongst our people actually trying to frame the Rogues for all of this?" he inquired, curious to what the man had to say.

He nodded without reluctance. "I am."

"How can you be so certain though? What if you're wrong and all of this is the doing of a Rogue?" Baxter countered.

"I guess you can call it a gut feeling," Lucas said.

"Why though? Why would they go through all of this trouble to frame the Rogues? They don't bother us and we don't bother them. What do they have to do with anything we do?" Baxter ruffled his hair and shook his head in disbelief. None of this made any kind of sense to him.

"War," Lucas declared. He proceeded to look over at his friend with a serious countenance. "They want to start a war with the Rogues but you know what? I'm not going to let them. I will find whoever is behind this and ensure that they receive the punish they deserve."

Meanwhile, a few meters back, an officer was watching the two of them with eagle eyes. He retreated to a secluded area and stared at the black crow situated on the rock. "They found a bullet, sir. I don't think Prince Lucas believes the Rogues are the ones behind these disappearances."

"Well then I guess we'll just have to make him believe that they are. Find another victim," his superior stated. "And this time, make sure they can find the body. At least, what will remain of it after the Rogues so viciously mutilated it." 

* * *

"Lucas Vanderbilt, what were you thinking?" his father growled, slamming his palms against the table as soon as his son entered the vicinity.

"What did I do this time?" Lucas sighed.

"How could you leave your fiancée alone? Do you know how impudent that makes us look?" Lord Vanderbilt spat, fury coursing through his veins. They couldn't afford to be on bad terms with the Amadors, especially not before the royal wedding took place.

"There was nothing I could do about it," Lucas justified. "Baxter made another discovery so of course I had to go there and check it out."

"Oh, you just had to go, didn't you? What? Is your friend incompetent of making his own decisions or something? Maybe I should have him fired," his father threatened.

"If you're upset with me, can you please just for once, leave other people out of the conversation?" he pleaded wearily. "I apologize I left Esmerelda at the shop, but work is work. If that's all, I'll be heading up to my room to retire now. Oh and my day was fine. Thank you for asking... father."

As Lucas closed the door to his room, he trudged over to his large, king-sized bed and fell onto his back. Staring up at the ceiling, he allowed his eyes to flutter shut as he tried to filter everything out of his mind. The last five years of being back in Collier put a laborious strain on him and if he was to be honest, Lucas hated it.

He hated being where he was today and all he could think about was how easy and simple things were back when he resided in Eden. Back when he wasn't a prince. Back when he didn't have to worry about anything or anyone but himself. Back when he didn't have to force his heart to flutter at the sight of a girl he was barely acquainted with.

So many things had changed over the course of the years. Except, however, for the fact that there was always one particular thing Lucas always thought about whenever times were getting too rough for him to handle on his own. The one thing he hoped would never change. Then, in the midst of the dark abyss, he saw that familiar pair of glowing auburn orbs which had always managed to make his breath hitch. "I miss you," he muttered tenderly, "Irina."

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Author's Thoughts: Here's the present day Lucas! Thank you all again for reading, voting and commenting on this story. It means the world to me!