Chapter 406: I’ll Be The Anchor

"Because it’s not nothing," Nicholas said quietly. "It’s everything. Lilith is everything. And if my death brings her back, if trading my life for hers means she gets to live, then it’s worth it."

"Nicholas, please..." Sebastian said.

"This isn’t a debate," Nicholas interrupted. His voice was firm. Final. "I’m the eldest. I’m the Alpha Prime. And I’m making this decision. I will be the anchor. I will go into the Veil. I will bring Lilith back. And you will both accept this and support it because it’s what needs to happen."

"I won’t accept it," Lucian said. "I refuse. We’ll find another way. We’ll...."

"There is no other way," Victoria said quietly. "I asked Thalia. I searched for alternatives. This is the only option. One of you must sacrifice yourselves or Lilith stays dead."

"Then I’ll do it," Sebastian said immediately. "I’ll be the anchor. Not Nicholas. Me."

"No," Nicholas said.

"Why not?" Sebastian challenged. "Why does it have to be you? Why can’t it be me or Lucian?"

"Because you’re not thinking clearly," Nicholas said. "Neither of you are. You’re both too emotional. Too desperate. The anchor needs to be calm. Focused. Strong enough to hold onto Lilith’s soul while the ritual is performed. Strong enough to let go at the right moment. Strong enough to choose death without hesitation."

He looked at both his brothers.

"I can do that," Nicholas said. "I can make that choice without breaking. Without failing. Without condemning Lilith to permanent death because I hesitated at the wrong moment. Can either of you say the same?"

Sebastian’s face crumpled.

Lucian looked away.

Because they both knew Nicholas was right.

Sebastian would hesitate. Would try to find a way to bring both himself and Lilith back. Would risk the entire resurrection trying to save everyone.

Lucian would rage. Would fight the Veil itself. Would burn everything trying to force a different outcome.

But Nicholas....

Nicholas would do what needed to be done.

Would make the sacrifice cleanly.

Would let go when the time came.

Would die so Lilith could live.

"This is insane," Lucian whispered. "You’re talking about dying. About ceasing to exist. About leaving us....leaving the pack....leaving everything...."

"I know," Nicholas said. "But Lucian, what’s the alternative? We let Lilith stay dead? We live the rest of our lives knowing we could have saved her but chose not to because the price was too high? I can’t do that. I won’t do that."

"But we’ll lose you," Sebastian said, his voice sounding rougher than it should be . "We’ll lose our brother. We’ve been together since birth. Since before birth. How are we supposed to...." His voice broke completely. "How are we supposed to live without you?"

Nicholas felt his own chest tighten.

This was the part that hurt. Not his own death. Not the ending. But leaving his brothers behind. Leaving them to grieve. Leaving them to pick up the pieces and keep going without him.

"You’ll do what you always do," Nicholas said quietly. "You’ll be strong. You’ll lead the pack. You’ll take care of Lilith when she comes back. You’ll live full lives and be happy and make sure my sacrifice meant something."

"Nicholas...." Sebastian started.

"Both of you," Nicholas interrupted. His voice was firm. Alpha command threading through the words. "My office. Now. We need to talk."

He stood and walked toward the door.

Sebastian and Lucian stared after him.

"That’s an order," Nicholas said without looking back. "Both of you. My office. Five minutes."

He left the sitting room.

Left his brothers standing there broken.

Left Victoria and Elena to process what had just happened.

And walked toward his office knowing that the conversation waiting there would be one of the hardest he had ever had.

Because he needed to prepare his brothers for a world without him.

Needed to delegate everything.

Needed to say goodbye.

And he had less than twenty-four hours to do it.

***

Victoria’s POV

Victoria stood in the sitting room after Nicholas left and felt grief wash over her.

She had known one of the Alphas would volunteer. Had known they loved Lilith enough to die for her.

But watching Nicholas make that choice, watching him decide with absolute calm that he would cease to exist so Lilith could live....

It was devastating.

"He’s really going to do it," Elena said quietly.

"Yes," Victoria confirmed.

"And there’s no other way?" Elena asked. "No alternative you haven’t explored?"

"None," Victoria said. "I asked Thalia every question I could think of. Searched for loopholes. Looked for options that didn’t require a living sacrifice. There are none. One of them has to die or Lilith stays claimed by the entity."

"Then Nicholas is right," Elena said. "He’s the only one who can do it without breaking. Without risking the resurrection by hesitating."

Victoria knew Elena was right.

But it did not make it easier.

Did not make the weight of what was coming any lighter.

"When do we perform the ritual?" Elena asked.

"Tomorrow night," Victoria said. "Nicholas wants to move as quickly as possible. Give everyone today to prepare. Say goodbye. Handle pack business. Then tomorrow at midnight, we resurrect Lilith."

"And Nicholas goes into the Veil," Elena said.

"And Nicholas dies," Victoria corrected. "Permanently. Completely. Never coming back."

Elena closed her eyes. "May the Moon Goddess have mercy on all of us."

"The Moon Goddess has no mercy," Victoria said bitterly. "If she did, we wouldn’t be in this situation."

She looked toward the door Nicholas had disappeared through.

Toward the office where he was about to tell his brothers how to live without him.

Toward the Alpha who had just sentenced himself to death to save the girl he loved.

And Victoria felt the weight of her deal with Thalia settle heavier on her shoulders.

Nicholas was sacrificing everything.

Lilith would come back changed and marked by death.

And Victoria....

Victoria would pay whatever price Thalia demanded.

Because in the end, they were all paying for Lilith’s life.

And the cost was higher than any of them had imagined.