Love Beyond Realms

MIKAEL

Blood. There's a lot of it on the floor and its coming from me. My stomach hurts, my lungs are on fire, my heart hurts. Tears run down my cheeks in floods and I'm unable to hold back my pained sobs as I heave over and over again on the bathroom floor, my white long-sleeved shirt stained with blood. Rose has just left my house a few minutes ago. Now I regret not letting her stay the night. I have a feeling that I won't see her again. I think I'm dying again and it hurts so bad. I whimper and curl into a ball as pain tears through me. Who would've thought that I would die this way this time? I've always known that I'm going to die. But, I did'nt expect it to happen so fast. I'd received my death sentence from the doctor two months back.

Stage IV Blood cancer.

It shouldn't surprise me though. Still it does.

Here I am, lying on the cold bathroom floor, whimpering and heaving. Such a mess.

I think about Rose's hazel eyes. I think about her milky white skin. I think about her blinding smile and the thought of not seeing her again brings a horrid ache to my chest. I would love to tell her goodbye but, I can't even move and my phone is far away from me. My eyelids begin to droop but suddenly, Rose's voice reaches my ears.

"Nick?! Nick?!"she calls out.

I let out a croak since I'm unable to say anything.

"Nick?! Where are you?!"

The bathroom door opens and there stands Rose in her blood red dress and her hair hanging over her left shoulder. Her eyes are filled with pain and distress.

"Nick! Oh my God!" She cries and kneels beside the pool of blood I've created. She cradles my head on her lap and begins to run her fingers through my hair as she weeps.

"I'm sorry," she sobs.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I failed you again!" She cries. I give her a look of disapproval. It takes a lot of effort just to say, "No."

"It's okay," I gasp and she shakes her head.

"No! No, its not!"

"I love you," I choke out as blood fills my lungs.

Rose begins to hum and caress my hair.

"I love you too. I always will," she cries, pressing her lips to my burning forehead. I close my eyes, a small smile tugging at my lips.

'Until we meet again,' I think as I feel my body slowly give in to exhaustion.

Now I can rest.

I finally sink into oblivion.

.....

I jolted upright on my bed, taking my time to drag in air into my lungs. Letting out a huff of frustration, I facepalmed myself. I just had a dream. A dream that had felt too real to be a mere dream. I switched on my bedside lamp and slipped out of bed, running a hand through my damp hair.

My thoughts went back to the lovers in my dream. The male had looked so much like me except he had a beard and seemed to be a pansy which I am most definitely not. The female though, I think I know her from somewhere. She had seemed really familiar to me. Anyway, it probably doesn't mean anything. Its probably a scene from a romantic movie I'd watched. But then, since when am I ever interested in romance? It's all bullshit, a waste of time and energy.

A quick glance at the digital clock on my bedside table told me that the time was twenty minutes past six. Moving the duvet aside, I slipped out of bed and rose to my full height, stretching my stiff muscles. I sauntered across the room and opened the door leading to my large bathroom. I walked into the bathroom to carry out my morning routine and half an hour later, I was standing in front of my full length mirror, knotting a grey tie.

Soon, I was fully dressed and ready to start the day. I grabbed my suitcase and went downstairs.

"Sir, won't you have breakfast?" One of the maid asked and I waved her off and quickly stepped out of my large mansion. Outside, my driver, a young man in his early thirties, was waiting for me.

"Good morning, Mr Kane" he greeted and I responded with a sharp nod. I got into the car and we both remained silent until I got to my destination, Kane's Enterprises Inc.

"Have a good day, sir," my driver said as I smoothly got out of the car. I moved into the lobby, receiving greetings and nods from my employees. That's right, I am the CEO of Kane's Enterprises Inc. and most people describe me as cold hearted, painfully gorgeous and rude. They're not wrong though. It's what happens when you grow too fast. My dad, Augustus Kane had died when I was nine years old. My mother had died three years later and I had lived with my uncle until I was old enough to get my own apartment and take over the company.

I walked into my office and my secretary walked up to me with a cup of coffee.

"G-good morning, s-sir" he stuttered as he handed me my black coffee.

I rolled my eyes and dropped down on my chair. He was always nervous around me. Not that I cared; but, was I that scary?

"What's today's schedule?" I asked and he gulped. He literally gulped! I ignored his ridiculous show of nervousness and took a sip of the coffee.

"You have a meeting with Mr Arnold in ten minutes and-"

I spat out the coffee in disgust. It was too sugary.

I growled and slammed the cup on my table.

"How do you not know what type of coffee I like up till now?!"

He flinched, sweat dampening his skin.

If I wasn't so mad, I would've laughed. Ruin my coffee, I ruin you. It's as simple as that. "I'm s-sorry, s-sir"

"Get out of my sight and get me my coffee!"

He nodded and scampered out of my office like a frightened mouse.

.....

BLAIR

"Mum? Whose picture is this?" I ask, not taking my eyes off the handsome young man who had his arms wrapped around me in the picture. Mum's expression turns sour as soon as she sees the picture.

"Where did you get that?" She asks. "In one of the old boxes in the storage room," I reply and she frowns. When she refuses to say anything, I flip the picture upside down, then I notice the date written there.

20/11/1992

Now, it's my turn to frown. I stare at the date, confused. I'm only twenty years old, why is the picture dated 1992? Who is the young man in the picture? Why does it feel like I know him?

"Mum, won't you say something?" I ask and she lets out a long sigh before sitting beside me on my bed. She holds my hands and gazes into my eyes fondly.

"This has been a long time coming. There's something you need to know, Blair"

"What is it, mum?"

"You're not just a werewolf, Blair. You're a demi-goddess"

I stare at her for a bit, trying to figure out if she is making things up but all I can see in her eyes is sincerity.

"Me? A demi-goddess? Yeah, right" I scoff.

"I'm not joking, Blair. Now, listen to me carefully. It happened seven centuries ago. You fell in love with Altan, a guard who was assigned to protect you. You would meet each other secretly and he loved you more than life itself. One day, your father found out and he had Altan executed. Your stepmother cursed you. She said each year, you would meet Altan and fall in love with him but you will lose him few months after he falls in love with you. It's an endless cycle, Blair. I have felt the pain of giving birth to you and losing you to suicide each time you lose Altan. But there's nothing we can do. Your fate is tied with Altan's. You are his and he is yours"

Tears are crawling down my cheeks at this point.

"Do you mean that this has happened continuously? Is there really nothing that can be done about this?" I ask.

"I'm sorry" she replies.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have allowed your father to take you away from me"

"Who is my father?" I ask and mother stiffens.

"Zeus" she replies and my stomach sinks.

"I'm sorry, baby girl"

"I'm a werewolf, mum. How is it possible that I'm a demigoddess at the same time?"

"I do not have the answer to that. It's your fate. It can't be questioned."

......

After that day, I started to think about ways to prevent my past from reoccurring. I already had a crush on the future Alpha of my pack. I figured I needed to move. It was not an easy decision. I was about to become a rogue. Yes, I was worried about the dangers it would pose. But, I was more afraid of dying from a heartbreak.

I grabbed my luggage and began to walk down the stairs, knowing I would miss my childhood home. Mum was standing by the stairs, crying and begging me not to leave. But my mind was already made up and there was no going back.

"I'm sorry, mum. I just can't stay" I said and she sighed.

"This is about Altan, isn't it?" She asked and I shrugged.

"You don't get it do you? You can't avoid him! You always find your way to each other. You just can't escape destiny" she says and I embrace her.

"Watch me. Bye, mum" I said and walked away.

Atlanta, here I come.

I'm ready to start my life anew....as a rogue.

MIKAEL

The door to my office swung open after a couple of knocks on the door which I'd ignored. But, the person behind the door was a persistent bastard; Lorenzo is his name. We've known each other since highschool and now he's also working for me as the head of HR department. He might be the only person who understands me even though I act like a jerk towards him most of the time. "Busy, I see" he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

I rolled my eyes and continued to type furiously on my laptop. "I see you didn't get the hint" I replied and he shrugged. "What can I say? I have a knack for making my own rules and breaking everybody else's rules"

He might be a jerk. But, he's been by my side even when I'd been banished from my pack. I am the illegitimate son of my father. It's why the pack elders ganged up against me. I was accused of murdering innocent women and was stripped of my title as alpha.

"Seriously boss, you're getting worse" he said and I frowned.

"What?"

"You've been overworking yourself and it's not healthy, you know that"

"Since when did you become my doctor, Enzo? Besides, what else am I supposed to do apart from work? Point of correction, I'm not overworking myself, I'm only working hard" I said and he groaned.

"You're still as stubborn as ever! That's the problem! Those bags under your eyes tell me a different story" he pressed further.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him until he looked away. "My goodness, you're grumpier than ever. You really need to get laid"

"Yeah, right" I scoffed.

"You should take a break, Kael. I don't like seeing my best friend burned out. Especially because the more tired you are, the angrier you get. You'll end up scaring off your employees"

He patted my back and made a quick glance at his wrist watch. "Oops. I've got to go now. Think about what I've said, okay?!" He said and sauntered out of my office. I leaned back on my chair and rubbed a hand over my face. As much as I didn't want to admit the fact that Lorenzo was right, I knew he was telling the truth. I've been feeling more exhausted than usual lately because I've been spending too much time working. But then, Lorenzo has a knack for exaggerating things. It's not like I was going to keel over in my office.

I stared at my schedule, noticing that I was supposed to go on a business trip to Chicago in the evening. Martin, my secretary had been stupid enough not to inform me about it. He's such an idiot! "Martin!" I called out and in a flash he was inside my office, holding a bunch of files. "You c-called me, s-sir" he stammered.

"Why didn't you tell me about the business trip to Chicago?" I said and his eyes widened.

"S-sorry, I forgot! B-but, the arrangement has been made" he stuttered, refusing to make eye contact with me.

"Send me the details" I said and he nodded immediately and went back to his desk.

Shortly, I received an email from him. My flight was scheduled for 07:45PM. I still had about two hours and fifteen minutes until then. I leaned back on my seat, suddenly feeling very exhausted. I closed my eyes and exhaled, thinking of what it would feel like to actually relax and let my guard down for a moment. But I knew that I couldn't, the last time I let my guard down, it had nearly cost me my left eye.

....

By the time I opened my eyes, I felt disoriented. I slowly sat up, rubbing my eyes slowly. I had slept off. I couldn't remember doing that. I must've been more exhausted than I thought. I rose to my feet, realizing that I was forgetting something. Something very important. I stared at the wall clock and my heart sank. 8:30PM.

Fuck! My flight!

I rose to my feet, anger settling deep in my bones.

I picked up my phone and dialled Martin's number.

"H-hello, sir"

"What happened?" I asked.

"I tried to wake you up b-but Mr Harris asked me to leave you alone"

Fucking Lorenzo!

"Did you tell him that I was supposed to catch a flight?" I asked.

"Yes, I d-did"

I growled and slammed my hand on the desk.

"I'm sorry, s-sir. I t-tried. I really tried but-"

"Well, you should have tried harder. You're fired"

"W-what? No, sir! Pl-"

The line went dead.

Letting out an angry yell, I pulled my hair hard. I grabbed my phone and suitcase and went downstairs. My driver was waiting for me downstairs.

I scowled at him and placed my suitcase inside the car.

"I'm driving today. You can go home" I said and he frowned.

"But, sir-"

"Just go home, you're not fired yet"

He stiffened and got out of the car. I slipped into the driver seat, slammed the door shut and put on my seatbelt. I turned on the ignition and zoomed off, leaving the bewildered young man frozen to a spot.

I was heading towards Lorenzo's home, ready to give him a piece of my mind.

I was supposed to meet a few clients in Chicago. Now, I would have to postpone the meeting thanks to Mr dickhead. Thunder began to rumble overhead and I let out a frustrated groan. Today was a horrible day. It started to rain heavily and I cursed under my breath. The rain was getting heavier by the minute and I was getting more frustrated by the second. Traffic wasn't good either and my anger was going to explode soon.

.....

BLAIR

I hummed to myself as I stood by the road side trying to get the attention of a taxi driver. My aunt had given me the directions to her home since I would be living with her until I got my own apartment.

I could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance. I was quite certain that it was about to rain. I breathed in the cool air and let out a long sigh. I was finally in Atlanta but I was totally jetlagged and all I wanted to do was to curl up on a warm bed and sleep for days. After five minutes of standing on a spot, I finally flagged down a taxi. Then I got in and the driver began to drive. It began to rain heavily and I was starting to doze off on my seat. But, all of a sudden, the driver stopped.

"There's something wrong with the taxi, miss. I'm sorry, I can't go further"

I gawked at him, dumbstruck.

"But-"

"I'm sorry, you have to get down"

Biting my lips, I grabbed my luggage with trembling hands and got out of the taxi. The rain was pouring buckets now and I was immediately drenched. I felt drained and miserable. Sniffling weakly, I started to move up ahead, perhaps I could get another taxi. But then, I noticed a sleek black Camaro by the road side and a man leaning against it. He looked furious. However, he was totally drenched by the rain. I stepped closer and continued to move forward, only for him to lift up his head. Our eyes locked and time froze instantly. My breath was knocked out of my lungs and all I could do was stare at the devilishly handsome man standing few feets away from me. His dark eyes were dazed even as he stared at me. He looked familiar, painfully familiar.

Then it hit me and my breath hitched.

This man was the man in the photo. This man was the man who had made me run away from home with hopes of escaping him. This man was Altan, the man mum had told me about. Tears filled my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. I guess I ended up running to him and not away from him.

Two cars immediately swerved around us. Someone got out of the first car and called my name.

"Blair?"

I gasped when I saw her.

"Aunt!" I said and she beamed.

"Come on, get in. You're soaked to the bones".

I got into the car but turned to look at Altan. He had gotten into the other car with a different man driving the car. Our eyes locked again and my heart started to thump harder. Aunt drove away but I wasn't even feeling the cold. I had become numb.

BLAIR

My eyes slowly blinked open and I realized that I was in an unfamiliar room. I sat up immediately, running my fingers through my hair. My head was hurting really bad.

The door opened and my aunt walked in with a big smile on her face.

"You're awake" she said, placing a tray on the bedside table. The previous night's events came rushing back to me and my eyes widened.

The taxi driver...

The rain...

Altan....

Aunt....

I frowned.

The last thing I remembered was getting into the car.

I noticed that my upper arm was stinging so badly.

"Aunt?"

"Yes, darling? You can call me Maggie" she said.

"What happened after you picked me up?" I asked.

"You passed out"

"I-I did?"

"Yup. Here's your breakfast. If you need anything, you can come downstairs" she said and kissed my temples, making me feel like a little girl once again. I got out of bed and padded into the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face and cringed when I saw how tired I looked. The skin beneath my eyes had darkened and there was a weariness in my eyes. I heaved a long sigh and took off my long sleeved shirt. My jaw dropped when I saw the tattoo on my upper arm.

A rose.

A bright red rose.

Oh. My. God.

I started to panic because I didn't remember getting the tattoo. Besides, the tattoo had not been there when I'd left home the previous day. I stared at the rose, fascinated. It looked so real and alive. I could actually feel it on my skin. I closed my eyes and opened them but the rose was still there. I took deep breaths to calm myself down. Perhaps, Aunt Maggie would know what had really happened. I did my morning routine and went downstairs after having my breakfast.

My aunt was watching a TV show when I walked into the sitting room.

"Blair, come sit. I should get you something for your headache" she said and I frowned.

How did she know that?

"When you passed out, you hit your head on the floor. I was worried at first that you would have a concussion. But, it turns out you'll only have a nasty headache" she said and I nodded.

Something still felt off and it felt like she was lying but I wasn't really in the mood to argue with her. So, I sat my ass down and gratefully took the medicine she gave me. I thought about the rose that had been magically tattooed on my skin. Perhaps, it was indeed magic and if it was really magic, I needed to talk to my mum about it.

"Um, so- I was thinking about getting a job" I said and she smiled.

"I can help you with that"

"Really?"

"Of course"

"Oh, thanks. That would be great"

........

MIKAEL

Groaning, I opened my eyes. I was definitely not in my room and fuck, my head was hurting really bad. The problem was that I had no idea where I was. I pushed my body to a sitting position. Only then did I feel the sting on my upper arm. The room was a little dark. So, I stumbled out of the bed and moved towards the window.

But before I could open the blinds, the door opened and someone walked in.

"You're finally awake" Lorenzo said and I frowned as everything came rushing back to me.

My flight....

The rain....

My car stopping in the middle of the road...

The girl in the rain....

Lorenzo....

"Good morning, Alpha"

"Don't call me that" I scoffed. I was still upset about what had happened yesterday but then, I was just too tired at the moment.

Besides, my head was still pounding. It was at this point that I realized something. I didn't remember walking out of Lorenzo's car. I didn't even remember lying down on the bed.

"Lorenzo?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened last night?" I asked.

"You passed out"

My eyes widened.

"W-what?!"

"You should rest more. I swear you're well on your way to looking like a zombie"

"Gee, thanks"

"I'm sure you're starving. Freshen up and come to the kitchen" he said and I stared at him, still in a daze. I didn't even notice him leaving.

Something else had taken over my mind.

The girl in the rain.

She had looked so much like the girl in my dream and when our eyes had met, I swear I had felt a spark. There was something so strange about the previous night.

I moved the curtains aside and opened the blinds only to notice the tattoo on my upper arm.

A red rose!

A fucking rose!

I stared at it, jaw slackened.

What the fuck?

I had two other tattoos on my body and I had gotten those during highschool. But at this point, I didn't remember getting a new tattoo. Besides, I would never get a tattoo of a rose because it's simply the symbol of love and romance. I'm not the type of person who's interested in love or a romantic relationship. So, why on earth would I get a rose tattoo? I walked into the bathroom and stared at my reflection. My left eye seemed more bloodshot than usual and the scar that ran from the top of my left brow down to the top of my cheekbone stood out even more against my pale face.

The pain in my skull worsened and I groaned weakly, trying to shake off the pain. I felt like I was having the worst hangover possible. But that's not possible because I didn't get drunk last night, or did I?

I took my bath and put on Lorenzo's white shirt and sweatpants which was overly fitting because we have literally the same body build. I left the room, brushing my hair out of my eyes. Lorenzo was humming to a song by Arctic Monkeys in the kitchen.

"How is your hangover?" He asked and I blinked.

"What hangover? I didn't get drunk last night, did I?" I said, cautiously.

"As a matter of fact, you kept downing shot after shot of whisky"

"But you said-"

"You asked me to drive you to the bar even though you were soaking wet. You were totally wrecked. I had to carry your unconscious ass to the car"

"What?"

I sat down on one of the stools when I started to feel light headed. I know I can be reckless sometimes but that didn't sound like something I would do.

"I fired Martin" I said and Lorenzo stared at me, his mouth agape.

"Why would you do that?"

"It's your fault and his fault that I missed my flight. I'm really mad at you but we'll talk about that later" I said and Lorenzo's gaze softened.

"Do you want me to find someone new for the job?" He asked.

"I think you should do that. But, I don't want another Martin in my office"

"Sure thing, boss"

"I'll get you something for your hangover"

I let out a long exhale and rested my head on the cool kitchen counter. Lorenzo had sounded too eager about getting someone for the job and that was kind of weird.

Something felt different but I couldn't place my finger on it.

.......

On Monday morning, I went to my office and called for Lorenzo. He walked in with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Did you do what I asked you to do?" I asked and he sat down on the chair in front of me. "Of course, boss. We have a candidate for the position of a secretary. I think you'll like her. All you have to do is give her an interview"

"Her?" I asked.

"Of course"

"Okay"

"You're not going to argue?" He asked and I glared at him.

"Get out of my office"

"Someone is even grumpier today. Oh, and by the way, she'll be here in two hours" he said and ambled out of my office.

Two hours later, the door opened and Lorenzo poked his head in.

"She's here" he whispered.

"Bring her in" I said and continued to focus on what I was working on. He left and a few minutes later, the door opened and the smell of roses and cinnamon filled my nostrils. My head jerked up immediately at the sound of high heels hitting the floor. I nearly lost my composure when I finally saw her. She was as stunning as ever up close. Her red hair was in an intricate braid that hung over her shoulder. Her hazel eyes were bright and beautiful. She was dressed in a knee length blue dress that accentuated her curves. The sight of her rendered me completely dumb and all I could do was stare. There was a spark deep within me and that spark was slowly turning into a current.

'Mate' Storm, my wolf growled in my head. Disoriented, I kept my gaze on her.

She stared at me with what could be best described as shock. I knew because her emotions mirrored mine.

It was her.

The girl in the rain.