"Breathe, sweetie," Papa said, standing on my left, holding my hand. "Trust me, I know it's hard, but you have to breathe."

I hissed breaths through my teeth, turning to glare at Noah, who was holding my other hand. "I swear if you even think about popping a knot anywhere in my vicinity again, you're going to lose it. I'll take a page out of Zeke and Ezra's book."

Noah's already pale face went sheet white. "What exactly have they been telling you?"

I met his eyes as I grunted out the words. "Dull. Knives."

"Just one last push, darling," the attending doctor said in a sweet voice that made me want to kick her in the face. How could she be so damn cheerful when I was in so much pain? "Push now!"

I met my mom's eyes across the room. Her eyes brimmed with empathy, and fingers woven together, but white knuckled. "You can do it," she mouthed. "Push."

I couldn't let my mom see me pansy out. I pushed.

"Got her!" the doctor called, and held her up. Noah's grip on my hand loosened, and I looked at him just as he went down—hard—his body sprawled awkwardly on the floor.

"Is he okay? What about Amelia? Why isn't she crying? Isn't she supposed to be crying?"

One of the nurses patted my arm as Papa went to help Dad with Noah. "Don't you worry, dad. Alphas faint all the time during births. And your little girl will be crying loud and long soon enough, don't you worry."

She was right, but I don't think I breathed deeply until I heard that first wail of protest coming from our little girl's mouth. And then she was in my arms. Dad propped a woozy Noah up by my side.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked.

"Just the birth of your daughter," I teased him.

"I think I saw that," he grumbled. "That's what sent me to kiss the floor."

"Don't make me jealous," I said wearily, exhaustion beginning to overtake the adrenaline.

"Don't quit on us now, dear," the nurse said. "We've still got the afterbirth."

"The afterwhat?" Noah asked, paling again.

"Let's get your little girl all cleaned up before we deal with that," the nurse said, wisely.

* * *

A couple hours later, Papa and Dad were bidding their farewells. "You did well, son," Papa said, bringing tears to my eyes. "She's beautiful."

"Takes after our side of the family," Dad said, puffing up his chest.

Papa smacked him in the stomach. "Clearly, he takes after Cindy and Preston and not your old mug."

Mom smiled, looking up briefly from her infatuated stare at Amelia, who slept peacefully in her arms.

Dad stroked his beard. "I thought you liked my mug."

"I love your mug," Papa said, kissing Dad's cheek. "Now let’s go get some sleep, or Preston will ban us both for fear our sleep deprived faces will scare the baby."

As they walked out, I smiled when I heard Papa softly singing The Most Beautiful Girl In The World.

After the sound of their footsteps faded, Mom came to stand next to my bed. "Would you mind if I stayed with you tonight? It's just that... well, I only just found you. I'm afraid if I leave, this will all turn out to be a dream."

"You're more than welcome to stay, Mom, but I promise, I'm not going anywhere. You'd be much more comfortable at home, but I'd love to have you near, too."

"I don't want to intrude..."

"You're not an intrusion, Cindy," Noah reassured her. "You're Preston's mother. You're family. You're always welcome."

My heart swelled with joy to see my mate support me and my mother so quickly, without question.

Mom blinked back tears and turned her face back to Amelia. "Why don't you boys get some rest? I'll sit with Amelia for a bit, and put her in her bassinet if I get tired, or wake you if she gets hungry."

I wanted to stay awake, to talk with Mom, to find out all about the life we'd missed together, but my mouth opened wide in an irresistible yawn.

"Stop it," Noah said, echoing my yawn. "You're making me tired."

"You're both exhausted," Mom said. "Now get some sleep. Mother's orders."

She didn't have to tell me twice. "Yes, ma'am." My eyes were already closing. I heard Noah puttering around, settling in to the chair beside my bed, but then I was lost to sleep.

A familiar voice wound its way through my dreams.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true

I knew that voice... like, actually knew that voice, and not in the vague snippet of a memory that told me I'd heard this before. That voice drew me from sleep, and I opened my eyes.

Noah lay asleep in the chair beside me, his hand clutching mine. It wasn't him singing—it was a woman.

My eyes fell on my mother, settled into the couch, holding Amelia, singing a song to her—my song, the song she'd always sung to me as a child. It was my memory of her that had come to me, a memory from the short period of my childhood we had been given.

She wouldn't miss out on Amelia's childhood, and she wouldn't miss out on the rest of my life either, if I could help it. I had to talk to Noah, and I wasn't sure if she was even willing, but if we could move Mom back home with us, I wasn't leaving unless she was on the plane with me.

I looked at Noah, then closed my eyes, overwhelmed with gratitude at the life I’d found, at the family I’d been gifted by fate. Family wasn't about position or titles or blood—it was about giving and receiving and just pure joy. I had never imagined that a joy this complete even existed.

I squeezed Noah's hand and he mumbled softly in his sleep. I wanted to make a million babies with Noah. I wanted to show them the love my father had denied me. I wanted them to be spoiled rotten by their grandparents. But I had time. I had Noah.

And with him, I had forever.

* * *

Team ALPHA’s story will continue! See Amelia grow up while the other guys find out what happily ever after looks like in future books!