Chapter 409: Take Care Of Them

He extended his hand.

Nicholas took it.

Then pulled Callum into a brief embrace.

Did the same with Eli. Then Finn.

"Take care of them," Nicholas said. "All of them. Sebastian. Lucian. Lilith. The pack. Make sure my sacrifice means something."

"We will," all three said in unison.

Nicholas nodded, then continued walking toward the kitchens where he knew Agnes would be.

***

Agnes was working when Nicholas entered.

Preparing food that no one would eat. Keeping herself busy because standing still meant thinking about the girl lying dead in the ice room.

She looked up when Nicholas walked in.

And immediately knew something was wrong.

"Alpha," Agnes said, setting down the knife she had been using. "What’s happened?"

"Can we talk?" Nicholas asked. "Somewhere private?"

Agnes wiped her hands on her apron and led him to the small sitting room off the kitchens. The one the staff used for breaks.

They sat down and Nicholas looked at the woman who had been part of the Blackwood household for over twenty years. Who had raised him and his brothers in many ways after their parents died. Who had loved Lilith like a daughter.

"Victoria found a way to bring Lilith back," Nicholas said.

Agnes’s face lit up with hope. "She did? How? When?"

"Tomorrow night," Nicholas said. "We perform the resurrection ritual. And if it works, Lilith lives."

"That’s wonderful!" Agnes said. Then she saw Nicholas’s expression. "What’s the cost?"

"Someone has to take her place," Nicholas said quietly. "Trade their life for hers. Go into death so she can return to life."

Agnes’s hand flew to her mouth. "No."

"I’m volunteering," Nicholas said. "I’m going into the Veil tomorrow night. And I’m not coming back."

Agnes made a sound like she had been punched.

"Alpha, no...."

"It’s already decided," Nicholas said gently. "This isn’t a conversation where you convince me otherwise. This is me saying goodbye and asking you for something important."

Agnes’s eyes filled with tears. "What?"

"I need you to take care of my brothers," Nicholas said. "Sebastian and Lucian are going to fall apart when I’m gone. They’re going to grieve hard. Maybe dangerously. I need you to keep them functional. Make them eat. Make them sleep. Make them take care of themselves even when they don’t want to."

"I will," Agnes whispered.

"And Lilith," Nicholas continued. "When she comes back, she’s going to need someone who loves her unconditionally. Someone who sees her as family, not just as the girl who cost an Alpha his life. Someone who will take care of her the way you’ve always taken care of her."

"Of course," Agnes said. "Always. She’s...." Her voice broke. "She’s like a daughter to me. I love her."

"I know," Nicholas said. "That’s why I’m asking you. Lilith is going to wake up and learn that I died to bring her back. She’s going to blame herself. She’s going to think she should have stayed dead. I need you to help her understand that this was my choice. That I wanted this. That she’s worth every sacrifice."

Agnes was crying openly now. "How am I supposed to do that when I don’t understand it myself?"

"Because you love her enough to try," Nicholas said simply.

He reached out and took Agnes’s hand.

"You’ve been more than staff," Nicholas said. "You’ve been family. You raised us when our parents couldn’t. You took care of us when we were too stubborn to take care of ourselves. You loved us unconditionally. Thank you, Agnes. For everything."

Agnes sobbed and pulled Nicholas into a tight embrace.

"You’re a good man," Agnes whispered. "A good Alpha. A good person. The world is going to be darker without you in it."

"The world will have Lilith instead," Nicholas said. "That’s a fair trade."

He held Agnes for a long moment.

Then released her and stood.

"I should go," Nicholas said. "I have...." He stopped. "I have things to prepare. Goodbyes to finish."

Agnes wiped her eyes and stood as well.

"I’ll take care of them," Agnes promised. "All of them. Sebastian. Lucian. Lilith. I’ll make sure they eat. I’ll make sure they function. I’ll make sure they remember you the way you deserve to be remembered."

"Thank you," Nicholas said.

He walked to the door.

Paused.

Looked back at Agnes one more time.

"Tell Lilith...." Nicholas stopped. "When she wakes up. Tell her I was honored to be her mate. Even for the short time we had. Tell her she made me happier than I thought possible. Tell her..." His voice caught. "Tell her I love her. And that my last thought will be of her."

Then he left before he could see Agnes break completely.

***

Nicholas walked through the estate corridors alone.

His brothers were in his office processing what he had told them.

The Betas were preparing to support Sebastian’s leadership.

Agnes was grieving in the kitchens.

And Nicholas...

Nicholas was running out of time.

He had one more stop to make.

One more goodbye.

The most important one.

***

Nicholas walked to the ice room.

Opened the door.

And found Elena still standing beside Lilith’s body, maintaining the preservation spells.

"Nicholas," Elena said softly.

"Can I have a moment?" Nicholas asked. "Alone with her?"

Elena nodded. "I’ll be right outside if you need me."

She left, and Nicholas was alone with Lilith’s body.

He walked slowly to the stone table and looked down at the girl who had changed his life in such a short time.

She looked peaceful. Beautiful. Like she was sleeping and might wake up at any moment.

But she was dead.

And tomorrow night, Nicholas would trade his life to bring her back.

He sat in the chair beside the table and took her cold hand.

"I don’t know if you can hear me," Nicholas said quietly. "I don’t know if there’s any part of you still aware of what’s happening in the world you left behind. But I need to say this. Just in case."

He took a breath.

"I love you," Nicholas said. "I know we didn’t have much time. I know the bonds are broken and maybe what we felt wasn’t real. Maybe it was just the curse forcing connections that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. But Lilith....it felt real to me. Loving you felt like the most real thing I’ve ever experienced."