Chapter 12: Transfusion

 They left Seattle without Isabella trying to detain David, but she said she'd file a formal complaint with the tribunal about Dante harboring another Viktor hybrid on his land.

David was in a reinforced transport vehicle and Marcus was sitting beside him, looking like he was trying to process seeing his dead brother alive and transformed into something else. The drive back to Blackwood Estate was tense and quiet.

Elena planned how to approach Viktor's facility with less than thirty-six hours before his deadline, but Dr. Chen met them at the estate with bad news, derailing her plans. Katerina collapsed an hour after leaving for Seattle, her heart stopping twice before the doctor stabilized her.

"She's dying," Dr. Chen informed Elena as she led her to the medical wing. Her bone marrow can't produce healthy blood cells after 18 years of systematic blood extraction. Without a silver wolf transfusion within 24 hours, her organs will shut down."

Elena felt sick because there was only one silver wolf and she was supposed to attack Viktor's facility. "What amount of blood would you need?" she asked.

"Two pints minimum," Dr. Chen said.

"Which would weaken you for at least two weeks, possibly longer given your recent transformation. Losing that much blood while adjusting could impair your abilities."

Dante appeared in the doorway, and Elena could tell from his expression that he'd heard the doctor's assessment. "We'll find another way," he said confidently. "We're not risking Elena's health when she's the only one who can stop Viktor's hybrids."

Katerina whispered, "There is no other way," from the bed. Gray-skinned, hollow-eyed, and with IV lines on both arms, she looked worse than Elena had ever seen her. Elena, you're not transfusing. I'll die rather than risk your life for a few months."

"It's not a few months," Elena said, approaching her mother's bed.

If we transfuse, Dr. Chen can stabilize you, and I need you alive to teach me tribunal skills."

"You must be strong to survive Viktor," Katerina corrected. "Taking two pints of blood now would leave you vulnerable at the worst time. Two weeks until the tribunal and 36 hours until Viktor's deadline.

Being weak in either fight is unacceptable."

The logic was sound, but Elena couldn't let her mother die when she could save her. Dante's expression showed his conflict between protecting his mate and realizing that Katerina's knowledge could help Elena survive the tribunal.

"How long will Elena recover if we transfuse now?" Dante queried Chen.

"Minimum ten days before her strength returns to current levels," said the doctor. "Two weeks before she could fight without bleeding from minor injuries. That would severely impair her healing."

Viktor's facility assault can't wait two weeks "Marcus said from the doorway, listening. Unless we catch him before his deadline, he releases thirty hybrids into Seattle and we can't stop this quietly.

Elena decided before further debate. "Do the transfusion," she told Dr. Chen. Katerina's silver wolf knowledge is worth more than my physical strength right now, and if I can't fight Viktor, we'll have to be smart about how we approach his facility.

Elena, no. Dante began, but she stopped him.

It's not your call "Elena whispered. I won't let my mother die if I can save her. Viktor will be solved without my full strength.

Doctor Chen waited for Dante's confirmation because as alpha he could overrule Elena's decision, but he nodded. Do it "said. If Viktor uses Elena's weakness against us, I'm responsible for the blood.

Elena was so dizzy after the three-hour transfusion that she needed support. To avoid shocking Elena, Dr. Chen had to take the blood slowly. By the time they finished, Katerina's color had improved and Elena looked like a vampire. Dante took her to a recovery room and stayed by her bed as her body adjusted to the loss.

"You're an idiot," Dante whispered, but not in anger.

Elena said, "Runs in the family apparently," slurring, exhausted. How long until Viktor's deadline?

"28 hours," Dante said.

Marcus is questioning David about facility layout and security. If his information is correct, we're looking at a fortified position with twenty armed guards and thirty-two hybrids in various stages of stability."

"And I'm going to be too weak to help," Elena said, exhausted and frustrated.

"You'll coordinate from here perceiving hybrids," Dante said. "David claims Viktor maintains their obedience with a central control system that manipulates pack bonds. You could disrupt artificial bonds remotely if you can sense them."

Sitting up made Elena regret it as the room spun. "I've never used my skills remotely," she said. "When I touch someone, I can barely control them.

Twenty-eight hours to learn "Dante helped her lie down. "Because we'll hit Viktor's facility tomorrow night, full strength or not."

Marcus appeared shaken in the doorway, and Elena knew David's interrogation had revealed something worse than expected. "We have a problem," Marcus said.

David says Viktor has been receiving information about silver wolf weaknesses from a high-ranking werewolf council member.

Which councilman? Dante insisted.

Unknown name "Marcus said. But whoever it is has been helping Viktor create a serum to neutralize silver wolf abilities. Viktor can inject Elena with it during the assault to permanently remove her powers and turn her into a normal human.

The implications chilled Elena. "The council wants me dead," she said. "They're helping Viktor kill me before I can challenge them.

Their goal is control "Dante grimaced. A human Elena does not threaten their power structure, but a silver wolf Elena could overthrow it.

“Either way, we can't trust the tribunal will be fair,” Marcus said. "No matter what evidence we present, a council member working against Elena will ensure the vote goes against her.

Elena opened an unknown number's message to find a video file. The footage showed Isabella Cross meeting with someone whose face was kept out of frame, but the audio was clear enough to hear Isabella discussing her plans to forcefully breed Elena after the tribunal.

Elena showed Dante the video. Isabella planned this from the start. She wants to control me and use my genetics to create a new generation of Cross pack silver wolves -- not kill me.

Where did you get this? Elena didn't recognize the sender's number when Dante asked.

Before she could respond, another message arrived: "Viktor isn't your only enemy. Attend the tribunal with caution.

Marcus said, reading over Elena's shoulder, Someone's playing both sides. Someone with Isabella's private meetings and technical skills to sneak surveillance footage past her security.

Dante looked cold and calculated. "We're manipulated," he said. Victor, Isabella, council, possibly Dmitri. Everyone is trying to get Elena, but someone is behind the scenes, feeding us just enough information to keep us fighting instead of identifying the real threat.

Elena was about to pass out from exhaustion when her mother's voice came through the doorway. "The real threat isn't Viktor or Isabella," Katerina said, walking to Elena's room despite Dr. Chen's protests.

"Who convinced the council to eliminate silver wolves. That person has worked for 200 years to ex

terminate our bloodline, and Elena won't survive because she's inconvenient."