Chapter 242

Chapter 242
Natasha's POV

Alexander's hand slipped from my cheek as his eyes slowly closed. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it almost impossible to breathe.

"Alexander! Don't do this! Open your eyes and look at me!" I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, unable to believe he was slipping away like this.

My hands trembled as I pressed against the wound on his chest, trying to stop the bleeding, but blood continued to flow from the wound, the warm crimson immediately staining my fingers.

"He's lost too much blood, Natasha... I can't feel his life force..." Astra's voice echoed in my mind, heavy with sorrow.

Frantically, I pressed two fingers against the side of his neck, waiting for that familiar pulse. Those few seconds felt like centuries. My heart grew heavier as my fingers kept changing position, hoping to find even the faintest sign of life.

"No... no no no... there's no pulse..." My voice was barely audible.

I knelt on the ground, cradling Alexander's head in my arms, tears falling like rain, dampening his pale face. My heart filled with indescribable pain and despair, as if the entire world had collapsed in that moment.

"You can't leave me like this!" I desperately pressed on his chest, hoping to bring him back to life. "Sophia is waiting for you! Our baby hasn't even met you yet!"

I looked up at the dim sky, my voice choked with emotion: "Astra! Please... there must be a way... I've only just found him..."

"I'm sorry... you chose to return to the real world, some things cannot be reversed..." Astra's response was filled with sadness and resignation.

A cold wind blew past as I hugged myself, my gaze falling on Victor's body in the distance. His wounds were horrifically grotesque, but I felt no joy in victory, only endless grief.

I looked down at Alexander's peaceful face, my heart refusing to accept this was the end. I leaned down to kiss his cold lips, a tear falling onto his chest.

Just then, I felt something beneath my fingertips—a movement so faint it was almost imperceptible. I jerked my head up, not daring to trust my senses.

"Wait... is that..." I held my breath, pressing my ear against his chest.

"Alexander?" I listened, focusing intently on catching every sound. "Oh my God! I can hear a heartbeat!"

A spark of hope ignited in my heart. I closed my eyes, placing both hands over the worst of Alexander's wounds on his chest, calling once more to my wolf spirit: "Astra, I need your strength..."

I concentrated all my remaining energy. Closing my eyes, I thought of everything I loved about Alexander... his smile that I wanted to see again, his laugh, the feeling of his warm arms around me. The way he blushed when the children made fun of his drawings. The rise and fall of his chest when I laid my head on it at night.

I focused my mind, feeling the energy surge within me. All the power in my body channeled toward Alexander.

Alexander's body twitched slightly under my hands, his lips trembled, and he made a weak sound: "Na...ta...sha..."

"I'm here!" I watched excitedly as his eyelids fluttered, tears and smiles appearing simultaneously on my face. Watching the skin around Alexander's wounds begin to heal and his color gradually return, I felt an indescribable joy.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen, and the silver light began to flicker unstably. I gritted my teeth, knowing I had to stop.

"Enough... stop..." I said with difficulty to Astra, feeling dizzy. I couldn't heal him any further; I was worried it would harm the baby. Now that Alexander had a chance to live, I wanted our family to be whole.

Alexander seemed to sense my weakening strength and weakly grabbed my wrist: "Don't... hurt... the baby..." His eyes were full of concern, despite still being in danger himself.

"How do you feel?" I helped him sit up, carefully avoiding the wounds that were still healing.

"Alive... but not great..." Alexander grimaced in pain as he sat up, letting out a painful groan.

"We need to get out of here," I looked around at the dim forest hiding countless dangers, "Victor's people could come at any moment..."

Alexander nodded, weakly reaching out to touch my face: "You... transformed... beautiful..."

I couldn't help but smile, leaning down to kiss his lips deeply. It was filled with the relief of having survived, grateful that we could still be together.

"Alexander," I leaned down to tell him, holding his face in my hands, "I'm going to carry you back to the estate in wolf form. Can you hold on?"

Seeing Alexander slowly nod, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and felt Astra's presence within me. I knew this was the only way to get Alexander out of here. My body began to emit a silver light as I experienced the strange sensation of transformation. Bones restructuring, muscles stretching, skin growing silver fur. In seconds, I completed the transformation, becoming a wolf radiating silver light.

"Hold on tight," I told Alexander through mental connection, "We'll reach the estate soon."

Alexander carefully climbed onto my back, his fingers burying deep into my fur. Each bump caused him to groan in pain, but I knew we had to leave quickly. Before long, I felt dizzy, my limbs beginning to weaken.

"Astra, I can't hold on much longer..." I called to my wolf spirit, feeling my strength rapidly draining.

"Just a little longer," Astra responded, "Feel the power within you... for him... for your child..."

In wolf form, as the fog dissipated, I knew how to find the way home.

Soon, I stumbled out of the forest, the distant lights of the estate guiding me like a lighthouse. Each step required enormous willpower, but thinking of Alexander and the child in my womb, I continued to persevere.

Alexander weakly raised his head: "Almost... there..." His voice was barely audible but full of encouragement.

When I jumped over a fallen tree, Alexander groaned, but he held on tightly. This was where Madelyn and I had walked together. Of course, Madelyn had disappeared without a trace, likely fleeing after her plan was realized.

But none of that mattered now, because the estate finally came into view.

Grace was the first to rush out from the estate, her screams attracting more people: "My God! It's Alexander! And a... wolf?"