Chapter 413: You Have To Let Me Go

They went to the training grounds.

Sparred like they had when they were children. Nicholas going easy on Sebastian, Lucian fighting with barely controlled fury, all three of them moving through familiar patterns that had been burned into their muscles over decades.

It felt good. Felt normal. Felt like the thousand other times they had done this.

Except it was the last time.

The last time Nicholas would spar with his brothers.

The last time they would move together like this.

The last time they would be three instead of two.

***

After an hour, they stopped.

Sat on the ground breathing hard.

"Remember when we were kids," Sebastian said quietly. "And we thought we were invincible? Thought nothing could hurt us as long as we stuck together?"

"I remember," Nicholas said.

"We were stupid," Lucian said bitterly.

"We were children," Nicholas corrected. "Children who had not learned yet that being together is not enough. That sometimes the world takes people away no matter how hard you hold onto them."

"I don’t want to let you go," Sebastian said.

"I know," Nicholas said. He put his arm around Sebastian’s shoulders. "But you have to. Both of you. You have to let me go. You have to keep living. You have to be okay."

"How?" Lucian asked. "How are we supposed to be okay when half of us is missing?"

"The same way you would be okay if it was me sitting here and you going into the Veil," Nicholas said. "You honor the sacrifice. You live well. You make sure my death meant something."

"It’s not fair," Sebastian whispered.

"No," Nicholas agreed. "It’s not fair. But it’s what we have. And we make the best of it."

***

They sat together until the sun was high in the sky.

Then they went back to the estate.

The afternoon passed too quickly and very soon it was evening

Nicholas, Sebastian, and Lucian sat together in Nicholas’s office as darkness fell.

They had talked for hours. About everything and nothing. About childhood memories and pack business and all the things that mattered and all the things that did not.

And now the sun was gone.

And midnight was approaching.

"It’s almost time," Nicholas said quietly.

Sebastian made a sound like something inside him was breaking.

Lucian’s hands were clenched so tight his knuckles were white.

"I don’t know how to do this," Sebastian whispered. "I don’t know how to say goodbye to you."

"Then don’t," Nicholas said. "Don’t say goodbye. Say....see you later. Say....thank you. But don’t say goodbye. Because goodbye feels too final."

"But it is final," Lucian said, his voice rough. "You’re dying, Nicholas. Permanently. You’re not coming back. How is that not goodbye?"

Nicholas looked at his brothers.

"Because you’ll carry me with you," Nicholas said. "Every decision you make. Every time you lead the pack. Every time you protect Lilith. I’ll be there. Not physically. But in the choices you make. In the lessons I taught you. In the love we shared. That’s not goodbye. That’s....transformation. I’m changing form. Becoming memory instead of flesh. But I’m not disappearing."

"I love you both," Nicholas continued. "More than anything in this world. More than life itself. You’ve been my best friends since before we were born. You’ve been the constants in my life. The people I could always count on. The brothers who made everything better just by existing."

He stood.

Walked to them.

Pulled them both into an embrace.

All three of them holding onto each other like if they held tight enough, they could stop what was coming.

"Promise me you’ll be okay," Nicholas said. "Promise me you’ll live full lives. That you’ll be happy. That you’ll love Lilith the way she deserves. Promise me my death will not destroy you."

"We promise," Sebastian whispered.

They held each other as the clock ticked toward midnight.

And then....

A knock at the door.

Victoria’s voice. "It’s time."

Nicholas felt his chest tighten.

It was time.

Time to leave.

He released his brothers and stepped back.

"Take care," Nicholas said and walked to the door and opened it.

Victoria stood there looking exhausted and terrified and absolutely determined.

"Are you ready?" Victoria asked quietly.

"No," Nicholas said honestly. "But I’m going anyway."

He looked back at his brothers one more time.

Sebastian and Lucian standing where he had left them.

Nicholas memorized the image.

His last sight of his brothers.

His last moment in this office.

His last seconds as a living person.

"Goodbye," Nicholas whispered.

Then he stepped into the hallway.

And closed the door behind him.

***

The entire household had gathered.

Pack members lined the courtyard. Warriors stood at attention. The betas stood on one side. Agnes was crying openly. Sera beside her. Elena standing near the portal circle Victoria had already drawn.

Everyone had come to say goodbye.

Everyone had come to witness the Alpha Prime’s last moments.

Nicholas walked through the courtyard with Victoria beside him.

He could feel hundreds of eyes on him. Could hear the quiet crying. Could sense the grief radiating from everyone present.

"Alpha Nicholas," Callum said, stepping forward. "The pack honors your sacrifice. We will remember you. We will tell your story. We will make sure your name lives forever."

"Thank you," Nicholas said.

The other Betas stepped forward.

Eli. Finn.

All three of them saluted.

Nicholas nodded, then continued walking toward the portal circle.

Sebastian and Lucian had followed him from the office. They stood at the edge of the courtyard, both of them looking like they wanted to run forward and stop this but knew they could not.

Nicholas reached the portal circle.

Victoria stood beside it with her hands already glowing green.

"This portal will take us directly to the Underworld," Victoria said quietly, speaking only to Nicholas. "To the middle realms where Thalia is waiting. Once we step through, there’s no coming back until the ritual is complete. Are you sure about this?"

"I’m sure," Nicholas said.

"Nicholas...." Victoria’s voice caught. "Thank you. For doing this. For saving her. For being willing to sacrifice everything."

"She’s worth it," Nicholas said simply.

Victoria nodded.

She placed her hands on the portal circle and began chanting.

Green light blazed. The air shimmered. Reality bent.

And a portal opened.