I fell silent, watching them work to create a small batch of the vaccine. When the team finished, they hurried out of the room with Cillian and Monroe following on their heels. I stayed, refusing to leave Charlee alone. Linc and Copeland were in the best hands possible.
Charlee’s breathing was shallow, but steady. She’d sunk into a coma, but the doctor had assured me she was stable and just needed time for her body to heal itself. I found that hard to believe while staring at a face so pale I could see the veins beneath her skin. There was nothing I wanted more than to see her smile at me and look into her big green eyes. Would I see them again?
For nearly an hour, I lay stroking Charlee’s hair and counting each beat of her heart. I glanced toward the door as footsteps in the hall grew closer. Dr. Blaine and two nurses came through the doorway and made their way toward us. My stomach sank as I saw their expressions. Something hadn’t gone as planned.
“Are they still alive?” How could I bear to face Charlee if she woke to find they were gone?
“It’s too soon to know about the vaccine.” Dr. Blaine cleared his throat. “As for Copeland and Linc, the transfusion worked, but because of their critical condition, it wasn’t enough.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
My unease grew as the doctor and nurses exchanged glances.
“We need more of her blood,” Dr. Blaine explained.
They’d been in the process of taking blood from her when I’d arrived in the room, and they hadn’t seemed concerned then. “Why are you asking for my permission now?”
The doctor scrubbed a hand down his face, looking grim. “Because we need to take a significant amount of her blood, far more than a safe donor amount. We’ll give her a transfusion immediately after, but I won’t lie. It’s risky.”
My arm tightened around her fragile body. “How can you even ask that of me—of her? Charlee has already given too much blood. Hades! She’s in a coma because her body is struggling.”
He sighed. “We understand, and if there were any other way, we’d try that first. But we’re out of time and options.”
I refused to do anything that would risk losing her. “What about Boone? I thought he was giving blood as well.”
The doctor shook his head. “We’re taking as much as we can from him as well. Dr. Boone insisted he wanted us to take as much of his blood as possible rather than weakening Charlee any further. We honored his wishes, but we can’t risk taking any more from him, and we were forced to start giving him a blood transfusion.”
“Then take mine,” I insisted.
“It wouldn’t work. You don’t have enough of the antibodies in your bloodstream. Even if we injected you with the toxin now, it would take a couple of hours before we could start taking your blood.” The doctor was patient in his explanations, but he kept checking his phone, seeming more agitated with each notification he received.
Finally, he met my gaze head-on. “Sir, I know you’re frustrated, and I’d feel the same if it were my mate. The alpha ordered that the decision is to be left in your hands.”
“Then I say absolutely not. We’re not putting her life at further risk. She’s done more than enough.” My tone madeit clear this wasn’t open for negotiation. “You’ll have to find another way.”
An older nurse with kind eyes moved to the side of the bed. “Dear, I can’t imagine what you’re going through, and we will honor your wishes. But right now, you’re Charlee’s voice. Please take a moment to consider what she’d want.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “I can’t lose her.”
“And she doesn’t want to lose any of you.” The nurse gently patted my arm. “Without more of her antibody-rich blood, Linc and Copeland will not make it. Seeing how far she was willing to go to save them, when she wakes up, are you prepared to tell her you made this decision for her?”
I wanted to be angry at the nurse for pushing for me to change my mind, but I couldn’t. How could I when she was only speaking the truth?
If I said yes, and Charlee died, I’d lose her. But if I said no, and the wolves died, Charlee would never forgive me, and I’d still lose her. Either way, she’d be gone. As hard as it was, I needed to do what she would have wanted.
I ran my fingers down her silky hair. “Charlee? I need you to be strong. You have a little more work to do.” Without looking up, I choked out, “Do it. Save Linc and Copeland.”
Hours later,Dr. Blaine dropped into the chair next to the bed. He dropped his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Charlee was weak, and she remained in a coma, but her vitals had stabilized.
The minutes ticked by, with the doctor remaining silent. Unable to handle the stress of not knowing, I asked, “How are Linc and Copeland?”
“They are finally out of the woods,” he responded without opening his eyes. “In the last thirty minutes, we’ve witnessed signs that their shifter healing abilities are working to repair the damage done to their bodies.”
The tension in my muscles relaxed, and I drew in the first full breath I’d taken since this nightmare began.
Opening his eyelids, he met my relieved gaze. “We would have lost them if Charlee hadn’t secured the research and injected herself with the toxin. She’s a hero.”
“I know,” I murmured.
