Chapter 71|Crime Scene.

....

Arabella stared at Isabelle's retreating form with narrowed eyes. She couldn't understand why Isabelle wouldn't let her wait behind when they were supposed to dine in the same place.

"Now I'll sit alone and bored until she gets there too." She mused to herself, sliding her phone into the white purse in her grasp.

Something felt odd about Isabelle's giddiness and the slight difference between their dress choice, while Isabelle's could easily pass as a casual outfit, hers couldn't. The dress was too date-like to be used in an informal event.

With a crimson painted fingernail she brushed aside the stray tendril breezing past her nose on her way to the black car Isabelle literally forced her to.

Her palms felt sweaty and her pulse raced for a reason that was unknown to her. For their date, they decided to ditch the personal guards assigned to them by Alexander because according to Isabelle, the Pack guards will do and there was no need for one of the women to be hovering near unless they themselves wanted to dine there. But then, both women responded on the negative and so they were given a day off.

The closer they got to the diner the faster her heart raced.

The car parked in tandem with another similar car directly beside them. The two drivers acknowledged each other with a nod and a guard led Arabella to the entryway. Her name being called from beside her had her brows pulling tighter than they did earlier, the second time had her inching closer to the darkness.

She noticed how the sound was louder the more she went closer to the alleyway on the side of the restaurant.

"Excuse me, I need to get something done." She whispered to the guard escorting her to the entryway.

"Sorry ma'am, the Alpha wants you protected at all times. I'm following you to wherever it is you go and will protect you with my life." He swore, his expression bored and his eyes covered in dark glasses that gave bodyguard vibes.

Her response to him was a mere shrug as curiosity pulled her deeper into the dark alley. Midway, she stopped and someone appeared from the darkness.

"Hello Arabella." Was all she heard before an unexpected swing to her head had her reeling to the ground and the sound of a gunshot ran in the air.

All Arabella could remember was the sound of the man behind her falling with a loud thud before darkness enveloped her.

.....


**Lucas' P O V.


I glanced at the time for the ninth time with a scowl on my face.

According to Isabelle, Arabella was supposed to arrive ten minutes earlier. Unable to help myself I redialed her contact asking for more information about Arabella's trip.

The worry in her voice had me rising to my feet and the blood in my veins running cold, "Lucas there's a problem, the guard assigned to her was found dead in the alley beside the restaurant. Arabella is no where to be found. I'm on my way there."

My heart stopped beating instantly at her words.

Dead.

Missing.

My wolf spurred me into action. The music played in the background wasn't loud but the combination of the subtle chattering and the music was enough to make everyone within the building totally unaware of the happenings outside of it and it was obvious that the management of the building did not want to alert the people dining within.

Fucking hell. I swore under my breath.

I raced to the doors wondering how the fuck a day that started out very good could turn into such miserable bullshit.

Damn if I'm letting her slip out of my grasp for the second time.

And I'm fucking killing anyone who dared to hurt her whether it's considered a crime to commit murder or not. I don't care anymore.

I found the Bane Pack police surrounding the crime scene and felt my heart beat wildly at the sight of the blood pooling on the floor, my gaze moved to the man who was in the process of being wheeled into an ambulance with blood oozing from somewhere around his chest.

I'm fucking killing someone for this. I swore, urging the police to inform me of the matter and for the first time I regret not being a Pack member with a prominent position and status because the cop stared warily at me before urging me past the alley's entrance.

Isabelle raced towards us at that moment. Her face tormented and so pale it seems as though she just saw a ghost.

"Luke, she can't be found. There's no news about her, there's no sign of her anywhere. They killed him, the guard was killed. Hell!" She ranted, her arms helplessly wrapping themselves around her body as she prattled on, she was obviously tormented.

There's two of us.

"Oh God, I pray she's not hurt. Everything was going well, so well. Arabella was getting comfortable.. I.. I.." She panicked catching her breath.

I took her arm in mine to calm her down despite me needing the reassurance that she was going to be okay myself. It was proving very difficult for me to accept my own words that she was going to be found and my vow of returning her unscathed. Isabelle swooned and I took her deeper into my arms, supporting her with my sturdy frame and urging her towards my car.

I cursed my not marking her earlier, atleast it would have been better and I would've been able to feel her heartbeat but right now all I could feel was red hot fury coursing through my veins and the overwhelming fear of the unknown.

"Ma'am are you Isabelle Knight?" A hefty police officer asked the woman in my arms, a piece of paper in his grasp.

The woman in question jolted back to life instantly, nodding vigorously "Yes, I'm Isabelle. We need to get Arabella back. We need to track her down before they kill her. She was abducted.."

The man looked up at me with a questioning look, Isabelle was obviously on the verge of hysteria or atleast, a panic attack and my soothing efforts were done in vain. Only her mate could soothe her at the moment.

"You can tell me anything, Arabella is my mate." I gritted tightly.

He glanced at Isabelle who nodded immediately, "He's her mate, they were supposed to be on a date." She explained.

"We found this not too far from the man who was shot, it's a paper meant for someone and well, you can read it but we need to keep it."

I collected the piece of paper with slightly trembling fingers. My rage was directly beneath the surface waiting for its time to erupt when I find her. Now I need my sanity most and a battalion of hunters next.

The paper was small and the words written were few but the message was passed quite alright.

It read, "She was mine to begin with and she'll be mine for the taking. I'll take her down before you breathe your next breath."

My hands closed around the paper my wolf took over, it didn't howl, it roared its fury and prowled in search of its mate.

I took a vow to protect her and protect her I shall.