Warm sunlight on my face wakes me. It’s so comforting it makes me want to stay in bed all day. Why do I feel like I’ve been flattened by a truck? As my eyes flutter open and the distinctive hospital ceiling comes into focus, my whole world comes crashing around me.

Jocelyn!

My pulse jolting into panic mode, I grip the covers and jerk my line of sight around the room, ready to scream for the nurse. My gaze lands on Sebastian leaning over our baby girl, changing her diaper. She’s making whimpering sounds like she’s hungry, which tells me she’s no longer in danger. Taking a calming breath to slow my heart, I watch my husband silently and bite my lip at the utter cuteness of his military precision of lining up the tabs to make sure her diaper is on good and snug. But what makes my heart melt even more is how comfortable he seems tucking her little legs back into her onesie, then wrapping the blanket around her like an expert.

“Your bottom’s all clean. So why all the fussing?” he says in a hushed tone. Lifting her into his arms, he squints against the sunlight while he gently bounces her up and down until her crying subsides. “Papa knows what you like, doesn’t he, Joey.”

Joey? I blink back unshed tears. How adorable is that? “Why didn’t you close the blinds. I know the sunlight bothers your eyes.”

Sebastian glances my way and the look of relieved love on his face chokes me up. He swiftly moves to my side and settles the baby against my breast. Sliding his hand into my hair, he cups the back of my head and presses a kiss to the top, whispering against my hair, “But you love the sunlight, Little Red.”

I soak in the strength of his comforting hold and rest my fingers over his gauze-wrapped knuckles folded over my arm. We both apparently paid in blood today. “I love you too,” I say, my tears flowing.

Pulling back, he brushes my tears away. “They wouldn’t let me wake you. God knows I wanted to. I needed to see your eyes. To know…” He exhales and his throat bobs. “That you were going to be okay, but they said to let you sleep until your body woke you up.”

I suddenly gasp as another worry hits me. “My aunt. Please tell me she’s—”

He moves his hand to my shoulder. “Your message before you passed out was enough to remind me of the comment you made when Theo was attacked. Remember you questioned why she was unharmed? As soon as I got here, I had them change out her IV. Upon investigating, we found that her machine had been tampered with. She’s still in ICU, but she’s safe. The doctor said you can visit her once you’re feeling up to it.” His hold on my shoulder tightens slightly. “Nathan and Simone have been arrested and are facing multiple charges.”

I exhale my relief that the threat to our family is finally over, thankful we’re all okay. “So you spent the time I slept coming up with a nickname for our child?” I tease as I help the baby latch on and begin to nurse.

He rubs his thumb along the baby’s hair, a smile tilting his lips. “She likes to bounce. It’s our thing. So Joey it is.”

It takes my foggy brain a second, then I laugh, loving my husband’s sense of humor. “As in a baby kangaroo?”

“Would you rather I call her Roo?” His eyes light up. “Actually, I’ll probably call her that half the time too.”

I snicker and glance down at her adorable face as she sucks down as much milk as she possibly can. “Joey is perfect, Sebastian.”

Touching my hair, he tucks a section behind my ear, his fingers lingering. “Talia, your aunt…”

He stops and my heart feels like it’s on a short circuit cycle. “What? You should have told me about her heart attack. No more holding back.”

He folds his hand over mine, his expression somber. “Her doctor told me that her heart was too damaged from the heart attack. She’s dying. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

I let out a watery sob, my heart breaking. “No. That can’t be true.” The look on his face tells me that my hope won’t help this time. “How long does she have?”

“They said days, a week at the most.” Sitting down in the chair beside the bed, he kisses my hand, folding it between his. “I think you should spend the time while you’re here with Vanessa. Unfortunately the baby can’t be brought into the ICU, but we’ll figure out a way for your aunt to see her. I’ll be here every step of the way. I promise.”

I close my eyes and release the last bit of guilt I had over pulling that trigger, not just once, but twice. Simone’s actions killed my aunt. Aunt Vanessa might’ve had a chance otherwise. Swallowing my emotions, I force myself not to think about the limited time I’ll have with the woman who raised me. Not yet. “I want to go see her right after I finish feeding the baby and take a shower.”

“Of course. I’ll get a wheelchair brought up so you can go visit her.”

I frown, my tone tense. “I can walk.”

He shakes his head. “Those are my terms, Talia. You might not have needed a transfusion, but you lost quite a bit of blood. They want you on bed rest for the next few days and nursing regularly.”

“Other than feeding my child, why is that a stipulation?” I ask as I sit the baby up to burp her, then move her to my other breast.

“According to the doctor, it’ll help your uterus contract and shrink faster so that hopefully there won’t be any more bleeding issues.”

My uterus suddenly cramps as the baby sucks particularly hard. “Ugh,” I wince. “Okay then, I can see why they say this might work.” Nodding, I agree to his terms. Anything to get me down to see my aunt as quickly as possible. My heart squeezes with guilt. I spent so much time being angry with her. I might’ve been justified at the time, but now it all feels so trivial.

An hour and a hot shower later, I feel somewhat human again even as the news about my aunt weighs heavily on my heart. When hope no longer does any good, will I ever smile again? I step out of the bathroom after drying my hair and stop short at the sight of my husband sitting in the chair with the baby stretched on his thighs. With his forearms on his knees, his big hands cup her little head. Sunlight streams over them and my heart squeezes with a renewal of hope.

He glances up at me and my lips twitch that he’d found the sunglasses I’d tucked into the baby’s bag. Guess he looked in every pocket for that compact hairdryer. At least we’ll both enjoy the sunny room now.

“Her hair is so red,” he says in awe. “The brightness is amazing. I can’t believe it!”

I grab onto the edge of the bed, shocked that the glasses worked. “You can see colors now?”

He shakes his head, but his smile never fades as he looks at our baby once more. “No, but the red is back. More vivid than before. There are so many shades in her hair. And pinks. I can see the pink on her cheeks and lips. My God, she’s so beautiful.” Looking up at me, his voice shakes. “Just like her mother.”

I move to my knees beside them, and as I kiss Joey on top of her head, he bends and kisses my head at the same time, whispering, “I’m so sorry about your aunt. Little Roo couldn’t have come into our life at a better time. Thank you for the greatest gift. You two are my world. Promise you’ll never stop loving me.”

I look up at him, my smile trembling. “You’re stuck with us, Mister Black. Forever and ever.”

“Ah, I’m glad to see you’re up.” Doctor Chabra opens the door after a brief knock. “Just don’t stay on your feet too long. Those are Doctor’s orders.” Smiling at me, he sets the tablet he’s carrying down on the bed. “Now we just need to make sure you don’t go running off to save the world again, then we should be good.”

I look at the doctor, my thoughts on my aunt. “I’m not making any promises.”

“When I told you to ‘be the Alpha,’ I didn’t expect you to take it quite so literally,” Cass says from the open doorway.

Standing behind her, Calder puts his hand on her shoulder. “Translated: We’re so glad to see you’re recovering nicely.”

“Cass, would you please go with me to visit my aunt in ICU while the guys hang with the baby?”

Her expression turning somber, Cass walks in and helps me to my feet. Hugging me close, she whispers, “I’m so sorry about Vanessa,” then pulls back, keeping her arm around my shoulders. “Absolutely, I’m ready to go whenever you are.”

Doctor Chabra clears his throat and turns a stern expression my way. “That’ll be after your doctor conducts an exam on mother and child, Mrs. Blake.”

Releasing me, Cass turns and lifts the baby from Sebastian’s arms, cooing to her, “Okay, Jocelyn, your godmother is going to steal some quality time with you while the doctor a-okay’s your mom. You cool with that?”

As Doctor Chabra listens to my heart, I shake my head that Cass has already assigned herself as our child’s godmother. Not that I’d have it any other way, but watching Cass carry on an entire conversation with Jocelyn, my sad, sluggish heart starts to fill with compassion and love for my friend. She’s struggling with her own worries, too. I reach over and brush her dark hair over her shoulder, saying, “It’s Jocelyn Vanessa. As Joey’s godparents, you and Calder will need to know her full name at the Christening.”

Cass glances up, tears brimming in her eyes. “It’s perfect, Talia. And, aww, so is Joey. I love the nickname. I can’t wait to spoil her rotten.”

I swallow my emotions and take deep breaths when the doctor asks me to, hoping that I don’t completely break down in front of my aunt. My hand starts to tremble and my heart feels like it’s being ripped in two.

My friend clasps my hand before I pull away, her fingers folding with mine. “You’ll be okay. We’re all here for you.” She glances to the doorway and nods. “All of us.”

I follow her line of sight and everyone is standing in the hall. My father, Sebastian’s father, Mina and Sebastian’s brothers, Gavin and Damien, Charlie, Elijah, Den, and even Theo walks up with Trevor’s help.

Among the bevy of flowers and balloons, what strikes me the most is the unspoken emotion in their gazes. Nodding my appreciation for their support, I shift my gaze back to Sebastian. I know he did this. He had them all come, right now and at this very moment, so that I’d know I still have family who will be there if I need them.

I take a deep breath on my own this time as the doctor takes notes in his tablet. The days ahead will be heart wrenching and hard, but I’m going to make the most of every moment I have left with my aunt.