The Michaels Twins [Book One in the Hard at Heart series]

Chapter Seventeen

Like a Phoenix, I'm rising from the ashes.

• Grayson's pøv •

23 days later. April 5th.

"Gray, bub you can't stay in your room forever." Kit said softly while brushing my hair out of my eyes. "Why not? You have your mate, you don't understand." My heart ached, my brain dead and my body numb.

"She was my best friend Gray. I miss her just as much as you do but we can't hold onto her forever. Believe me, it's hard getting over it and it hurts like hell but I'm trying to be strong for you. Only one of us can break at a time or else we're not the strong people we're expected to be." My tear stained cheeks were wiped gently by Kit, "It's been a month. Try and move on just a little. Everyone misses you."

"I just-" I paused, a soft sob escaping my dry, cracked lips. "It's my fault. She wouldn't have died if I hadn't-" "You sassing Emily is not why she.. Killed Megan... She killed her to get her out of the way and to make you mad enough to bring out your inner Alpha. It's not your fault." "Even then, it still is!" I exclaimed.

"I'm the one with the Alpha powers. I'm the one they really wanted. They used you two as leverage and now Megan is dead! It's still my fault Kit." "No it's not Gray. Stop. It's not your fault. It's no ones fault but Crawford and Emily's. Now we're going out for a bit and we're leaving soon. Come down if you want."

She kissed my forehead and rubbed the back of my hand. "We'll be waiting." Kit got up and went downstairs to Drew and I sat alone. 

"It's all my fault.." I whispered to myself.

~~ 23 Days Earlier ~~

As I held Megan's body in my arms, Drew came in covered in blood and bruises to help Kit get free. Once he untied her, he turned to see Megan and I. "Megan.." He whispered. He ran to us with tears streaming from his eyes. "Megan don't leave us. Please. Come back." He cried. He took her from my arms and held her close, "I can't lose you too." He told her quietly. Drew and Megan knew each other before they knew Kit and I and they knew things about each other that not even Kit and I know.

Kit started crying and covered her mouth with her hand to hold back her sobs. "It's not real." She mumbled while dropping to her knees and covering her eyes. She dug her hands into her hair harshly and pulled. "Wake up." She said. "Wake up!" She yelled crying. "This isn't real." She started tugging roughly and I ran to her and pulled her hands away. "Kitty. Kitty, look at me." She looked into my eyes and broke into a thousand pieces.

Drew set Megan down gently and pushed the hair out of her face. "Guys, we have to go. Crawford is still out there." He said. "Chase-" "Is dealt with. He's dead." Drew said coldly while standing up. Kit hugged Megan and kissed her forehead, "Forever in my memory. I love you." She stood up and we all left the Megan and Emily's cold bodies in the room to hunt down Crawford.

~~ Present Day ~~

After that we found Crawford in a room by himself with a gun; he'd killed himself. Kit and I ran back to get Megan's body but her and Emily's corpses were missing.

We held a funeral for Megan without a body to show. Her parents pretended she never even existed and my own parents acted as though she was one of their own.

I could've saved her.

They wouldn't have been kidnapped and Megan wouldn't have died.

I let the small things slip. I slipped.

And Megan paid the ultimate price; her life. Her whole existence. Gone.

I stood up and walked to my closet. I need to get out. I need to stop from hating myself. I thought. It's not my fault. I told myself.

I pulled on some black skinny jeans and a baggy white T-shirt. I put on some deodorant and sprayed on my cologne. I sighed before slipping on my shoes and heading downstairs.

"Grayson!" Joey yelled from the living room. He dropped his dinky cars and clung to my leg. I looked at my mom curiously. "What's up buddy?" I asked while picking him up in my muscular arms. "I missed you." He said while wrapping his arms around my neck. "I've just been in my room..."

"Yeah but I haven't seen you in forever cause your heart hurts." "I-" I paused. His big minty green eyes stared into my blue ones sorrowfully. I hugged my youngest brother to my chest tightly. "I am so sorry Joey." I apologized.

He picked up his toys and I watched him. "It's okay." He shrugged. "Is your heart all better now?" He asked. A tear slipped from my eye and rolled down my cheek. "I don't know." I said honestly. "Do you still miss Megan?" "Yeah." "Do you love her?" "I.. Yes. I love her buddy." He looked up towards me. "Then why are you sad?"

"Because she's gone." He stood up and gestured his finger for me to get down. "She's still here." He poked my chest and then leaned in to whisper in my ear. "I don't think she wants you to be sad." Is he secretly yoda or something? "If you love something let it go. If it doesn't come back- mommy, what's the rest?" He turned to her, "Then it was never yours to begin with." She finished.

"I learned that in school the other day." He said with a proud smile. "So don't be sad." "I'll try." "For Megan?" He asked. "For Megan." I confirmed.

She had become a shadow in the night, a ghost roaming an empty hall. She was the whispers you would hear in the wind on a stormy night.
She was..

Gone.