The kings stayed with her all night, not leaving her side for even a second. It was clear they were all still on edge from the attack, their eyes sharp and muscles taut as if they were waiting for another one to happen at any moment.
Bella had arrived home shortly after them. After making a quick stop in Sophie's room to check on her sister, she retired to her own room, but not before telling Sophie that she was welcome to sleep with her if she needed to.
Though, she didn't get much sleep, anyway.
Every time she tried to close her eyes, she could only see Riley's face and remember how close he had been to killing her. Panic was always close to the surface, just waiting to spill over into her veins and send her into a spiraling attack. And while each of her mates were trying to give her space, she knew they were struggling not to comfort her.
And she wanted them to, so badly. But she couldn't bring herself to step over the line she had drawn for herself.
So instead, they only spoke in short, hushed sentences. She wasn't ready to wake her father up accidentally and only really spoke when her mates asked how she was feeling, otherwise content to listen to their quiet chatter.
It was comforting to have them there, as much as she hated to admit it. With each interaction she had with them, she could feel her resolve growing weaker and weaker. They were only there for a couple more weeks, their plan to only stay until just after Bella graduated.
Sophie didn't know what she'd do with herself when they left her.
By the time morning came, Sophie was exhausted. The dark circles that always seemed to be present under her eyes seemed even darker and her movements even slower than normal. At the same time she was restless, hating to be cooped up in her room and dying for it to be morning. She was out of bed right when she heard her dad leave for work and making her way towards the bathroom.
She could feel the wounds in her neck, was itching to see how bad the damage actually was.
Her breath caught in her throat when she saw her damaged skin in the mirror. Carlisle was correct in saying they'd bruise but she wasn't prepared for how dark they'd actually be. She stepped closer to her reflection, her watery blue eyes glued to her neck.
Her bony fingers traveled up to her neck, and she winced softly when she poked at her wounds. Her neck was splotched in small, dark bruises where Riley's nails had punctured her skin, the wounds an ugly red and not yet closed.
Sophie's already shallow breathing intensified, leaving her fingers feeling tingly and heart racing in her chest. She could feel the panic finally begin to seep into her veins and she gripped the countertop of the sink, trying her best to fight back the tears that were stinging her eyes.
She knew the kings were probably well aware of the oncoming panic attack, but she didn't want them to witness it firsthand. Panic attacks were something she often got, especially when she had first been diagnosed with anorexia, and while she was normally good at talking herself out of them, the angry marks on her pale skin were preventing her from seeing reason.
A knock sounded on the door and Sophie's breath hitched. She reached for the knob, pressing her body weight against the door as she held it closed. "D-Don't come in."
Her voice came out in a whispered gasp and she couldn't help the shame and embarrassment that flooded her body. She didn't want to know what her mates thought of her breaking down in the bathroom.
"Sophie, it's Bella." Her sister's steady voice drifted through the wood. "Let me in."
She shook her head against the frame, letting her eyes flutter shut as the first tears finally fell. She felt like a child, hopeless and weak and too fragile for the path she was now on.
Bella knocked again. "Soph, please. Let someone in."
It felt like her walls were breaking - hours spent not seeking the comfort of her mates in her rooms and years before that of turning down comfort from everyone who cared about her. She had very nearly been killed - half a second later and she likely would have been. Maybe for once it would be okay to rely on someone else's strength instead of her own entirely. And this situation, one between life and death, seemed like a pretty good time to use that comfort.
Sophie opened the door enough to let Bella in, keeping her eyes down on the floor as Bella slipped past her. She shut the door again when she was in, and her breath was knocked from her lungs when her sister wrapped her in her arms.
"Jesus, Sophie." Bella whispered into her shoulder. Sophie's own arms tightened around her sister's frame as another wave of tears rushed over her. "You're never allowed to leave anyone's sight again."
Sophie couldn't help the choked laugh that escaped from her. In truth, that probably wouldn't be too bad of an idea. "I thought I was going to die."
Bella didn't say anything after that - there was nothing to say. She could have died and no one could reassure her that there was no chance of that happening. The two sisters stood in the bathroom for a long time, each comforting themselves in the presence of each other.
The plan for the day was to head back over to the Cullens' to discuss the events of the night before. After the two girls had left the bathroom, Bella had left Sophie to her mates to double check the plans with Edward and Carlisle. Sophie felt awkward entering her bedroom again - her eyes were bloodshot, her hollowed cheeks a blotchy red, and her nose still runny.
Marcus greeted her first when she entered, lounging back on her bed with one of her books in her hand. He set it beside him, patting the comforter as an invite to join him. Caius sat in her desk chair beside her bed, while Aro lounged in the white armchair by her window.
Sophie sat beside Marcus, wiping her nose with her sleeve as she did so. "Sorry. Had a little bit of a breakdown."
"Don't apologize, piccolina." Marcus sighed, his brow furrowed as he chastised her. She couldn't help the heat that rushed to her cheeks at the sweet endearment. "We would be concerned if you didn't react at all."
Sophie only looked away from him, her pale eyes finding the yellow rug on her floor. Caius exchanged looks with his brothers above Sophie's head, silently urging one of them to begin speaking. Aro took the lead, watching Sophie carefully as he spoke. "We are going to attend the meeting at the Cullen house today. If you do not feel comfortable to join, one of us will stay with you while the other two go."
"No." Sophie shook her head. "I want to go. I should know what's going to happen now. I was the one that was attacked."
The three men winced, clearly not happy with the reminder that their small mate had almost been killed. Sophie apologized quietly, though she didn't back down. She was in this now, one-hundred percent, and she wasn't going to be left out of the conversation anymore.
"If at any time in the conversation, you get too overwhelmed, let one of us know and we'll stop." Marcus continued after a moment of heavy silence. Sophie didn't bother to argue back with him - she knew the three of them were wound tight after the too-close call and the least she could do was let them worry over her a little bit.
She reached over to grab Marcus' hand, squeezing it tightly while giving him a small smile. The other two kings smiled softly at the interaction, both noting that Sophie had been more open with her physical contact lately - a positive sign that she wasn't fighting the bond as much. "I promise I'll let you all know if I can't handle it."
Her words seemed to ease their tension the slightest, which made Sophie relax as well. It was weird to feel other emotions that she knew weren't her own - it was a new thing she had noticed lately, picking up on her mates' feelings as well. They were only slight indications, but she knew some of the feelings that she felt in her veins didn't belong to her.
Sophie sighed, letting go of Marcus' hand after a moment and softly smacking her hands against her thighs. She needed to call Jacob - it was a phone call that she was dreading but she would rather tell him the events of the night over the phone so he could calm down by the time he saw her in person "I need to call Jacob."
"The wolf friend?" Caius clarified. "Why?"
"I figured he should probably get the news from me rather than someone else." She clarified, shooting Caius an unamused stare as she brushed her fingers through her hair and stood up. Each of the kings seemed to exhibit jealousy towards Jacob, but he wouldn't be going anywhere. "And I'd rather tell him over the phone - he's probably going to freak out."
Despite the dark expressions on her mates' faces, she reached over to grab her phone off the bedside table. After telling the three that she'd be right back, she exited her room, mentally preparing herself for the conversation she was about to have.
The groups of kings and Swans' arrived at the Cullen house a little after noon. Jacob planned to join their meeting shortly after them, anxious to see Sophie after her phone call that morning. Presumably, Jake had freaked out, nearly to the point of running for Sophie's house right when he heard what had happened. She had managed to talk him into waiting a little bit longer, explaining that her mates were with her and that she was fine now.
She was growing nervous though - Marcus had been the only one to meet Jacob so far, and it was a very brief encounter. The four of them would be in the same space for the first time since Sophie had met them - it was going to be an interesting day for sure.
Carlisle greeted them first, leaving Sophie for last so he could examine her. In the privacy of his office, he tilted her chin side to side to look at the wounds, her three mates watching over his shoulder. His amber eyes were attentive, fingers cold and soothing against her skin. "I would ice your neck every few hours for the next few days - it should help with the swelling and bruising.
She nodded her head, giving Carlisle a small, thankful smile. He had always been attentive to her, from the very first time she had seen him in the Emergency Room. Carlisle had been her doctor many times and he was one of the few people Sophie fully trusted.
The small group gathered in the Cullens' upstairs study shortly after that, getting settled in quickly to begin the talk about last night's events and the plans going forward. Sophie got comfortable on their plush white sofa next to Bella, smiling at her sister when the younger girl wrapped an arm around her. Her kings positioned themselves across the room from her - Aro leaning against one of the many bookshelves, Marcus beside him, and Caius beside the stairs.
Sophie must have dozed off a bit while everyone around her caught up - Bella's fingers were toying with her hair and the quiet conversations easily lulled her into a sleepy state - but she lifted her head at the sudden ceasing on conversation. Everyone had turned their heads to the door, anticipating someone's arrival that the Swan siblings didn't know about.
Footsteps rushed up the stairs, the new guest clearly in a hurry. Sophie knew immediately who it was - there was only one person they were waiting on anyway. Jacob appeared upstairs, his face twisted with anxiety and dark eyes on Sophie.
The tension in the room only seemed to grow - Carlisle and Alice exchanged wary glances, Emmett and Esme looked cautiously over at the kings as Jake approached his best friend.
She flattened her lips into a smile, standing wordlessly to hug Jacob back. He clung to her tightly, his face buried in her neck for half a second before he pulled back to look at the wounds. His expression twisted again into something darker as he met her eyes. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." She murmured, nodding against his hands which were now holding her face. "A little traumatized, but I'm fine."
"God, I was so worried." He pulled her into another hug. "Why didn't you call me sooner?"
Sophie huffed, her eyes moving to glance behind Jacob at her mates. Each of them looked uncomfortable, Caius' expression nearly homicidal, his eyes darkening as he looked at Jake. "I was a little preoccupied. Didn't really have a chance until this morning."
As if Jake knew that she was hinting at the rest of her evening with her mates, he finally pulled away and turned towards them. It was silent- clearly a staredown as both sides assessed the other. The kings and Jacob were almost too overprotective of Sophie and would do whatever they could to keep her safe. Her mates were wary of the werewolf - Caius and Aro were not overly fond of the close relationship the two shared, jealousy poking them both uncomfortably. And while Marcus also wasn't too excited to see another man so close to Sophie, the close sibling-like bond the two shared comforted him in a way.
He knew Sophie would always have another protector as long as Jacob was around.
Jacob, however, was only worried about Sophie's feelings towards the kings, especially because she was still on the fence about how she felt. He only wished the best for his friend and wanted her to be happy in every aspect of her life. Jake worried that the kings weren't going to be good enough for her, would be too harsh and demanding of her when she was already dealing with so much.
But they had been there for her the previous night to watch over her and comfort her, and for that, Jacob would tolerate them.
For now.
"What are we doing about this?" Jacob turned towards Carlisle after acknowledging the kings, the tension in the room slowly dissipating away as he moved away from Sophie to sit in another chair. "I really hope you're not planning on leaving Soph and Bella in that house without some sort of watch."
Sophie returned to her spot on the couch beside Bella, smiling over at her when her sister squeezed her arm. Carlisle sighed, crossing his arms where he stood leaning against the wall. "Afton and Chelsea are already there to look over Sophie. They're not without protection."
"Well, they clearly weren't quick enough." Jacob argued, his voice harsh as he motioned to Sophie. "A second later and Sophie wouldn't be here now."
Sophie winced at that, not needing the reminder. She was very, very lucky to be alive now. Riley had had her against the wall, his hand tight around her neck. If Afton and Chelsea had been a second later, there was a big possibility that Sophie would be dead.
"He's right." Aro spoke up, his red eyes staring worriedly at Sophie for a moment before moving towards Carlisle. "It wouldn't be the worst idea to have more people on watch until we can find Victoria."
"We can take shifts." Carlisle nodded, clearly in agreement. Beside him, Rosalie rolled her eyes.
Bella began to shake her head. "No. No, you all can't spend all of your time watching over us. Looking for Victoria is the top priority and you need to keep yourselves fed."
"We're not leaving either of you defenseless." Edward said.
"We wouldn't be defenseless." Sophie spoke up before her sister could argue back with Edward. Bella relaxed against the back of the chair, crossing her arms with a quiet mumble. Sophie rolled her eyes as she continued to think aloud. "And they wouldn't starve."
Her blue eyes found Jacob again and she raised her brows. While she hated including Jacob and her pack friends, she knew that Bella wouldn't make it easy if the Cullens and Volturi were the only ones taking shifts and not giving themselves time to feed. Jacob sighed, easily understanding what Sophie was asking, even without words.
"I'll follow you to your house and see if I can smell anything other than the one leech." He said, ignoring the incredulous looks he was now getting from the kings. "And I'll report back to Sam and the pack about fitting some shifts around patrol."
Sophie glanced around the group, pausing to see if there were any objections. When no one spoke up, she nodded, secretly pleased that she had come up with a possible solution. "Great. We'll see you at the house then, Jake."
Later that night, Sophie found herself alone in her bedroom. Jacob had left immediately after he had sniffed out the Swan house, deciding to tell Sam about the plan as soon as possible. Her kings left shortly after Jake, needing to finalize their own plans to get the Elite guard out to Washington as soon as possible.
It was the first time she had been left alone since the accident - except for the brief time she was alone in the bathroom that morning - and she felt incredibly anxious. Bella was in her room, but Edward was also there and Sophie didn't want to disturb them. Charlie was, of course, at work, working on a case that would lead him nowhere.
Sophie laid in the middle of her bed, trying desperately to keep her mind on the book in her hands and away from the swirling, dark thoughts that were beginning to cloud her mind. She really didn't want Edward reading her thoughts for one, and she also had enjoyed not thinking about anything when the kings were around her.
Her eyes lingered on her phone, teeth gnawing on her lip as she contemplated what she wanted to do. She had been fighting her connection to the kings for so long now but their presence was so comforting. She just hated to bother them when she knew they had important things to attend to.
An ache was beginning to form in her chest and she sighed, knowing that it was because she was far from her mates. She hoped the connection wouldn't always be this uncomfortable when they were aware, especially because she wasn't sure how long they'd be apart when the kings left in a couple weeks.
Her phone rang suddenly, making her jump out of her thoughts and back into the present. Caius' name flashed across the screen, the first time of it doing so since they had just put their numbers in her phone last night. She swallowed before sliding her finger across the screen and placing the phone to her ear. "Hello?"
"Are you alright, Sophie?" His voice was concerned, and Sophie could picture his blonde brows pulled down in a frown. Aro's voice spoke next. "There's strain on the bonds."
She felt embarrassed then, not thinking about what the kings might be feeling from her. Her thumb fingered the edge of the book. "I'm okay. I was just thinking."
When the line stayed silent, she knew they were waiting for her to speak again. She stuttered for a moment, the words not wanting to come out of her mouth as she fought with herself to what she wanted. The pain in her chest was only tightening and she could feel her resolve weakening. "I don't want to be alone."
"Oh, tesoro." Aro's voice breathed through the phone. Sophie felt her cheeks heat at the word and suddenly wished she hadn't said anything. "We'll be there as quickly as we can be."
"No, you-you don't have to." She was quick to say, not wanting to disrupt their work. "You guys have things to do and I'm just being needy."
"No task we have is more important than you." Caius told her - it was strange to hear such reassuring words come from him, but Sophie found that she liked it. "We're nearly done anyway, the rest we can do tonight while you sleep."
She made a sound, ready to open her mouth to argue again when Marcus interrupted her. "We'll be there soon, darling. Try not to think about the bond too much."
The call ended after that and Sophie sighed as she let the phone fall onto her bed. A part of her felt bad that she had interrupted their evening, but another smaller part of her was relieved that the three of them were coming to her so quickly.
Satisfied with the fact that Caius, Marcus, and Aro were coming and that the strain on her chest had lessened - not all the way, but some - she picked her book up and waited for her mates to join her.
An hour quickly passed and Sophie was jolted from her reading by a knock on her window. She startled for a moment, her heart rate spiking significantly before remembering that this was how the three men had come in after the attack, so they didn't wake her dad.
Sophie cracked her window open, smiling at each of her mates when they entered the room. Once they were all together, Sophie felt the lingering pain in her chest completely disappeared, and she sighed in relief. Aro grinned at her. "Feel better?"
"Loads." She told him, shutting the window once they were all in and falling back on her bed. "I'm really sorry about calling. You really didn't have to come all this way."
"Yes, we did." Marcus answered, giving her a stern look as he collapsed in his usual spot beside her on her bed. "As Caius said, nothing is more important than you and we would drop anything to attend to your needs."
His intense stare and certain tone made her blush again and she looked down at her hands, fingers instantly picking at the skin around them. "Thank you."
"We're very proud of how you handled the conversation at Carlisle's today, Sophie." Aro said casually as he sat back in her armchair. "You came up with a situation very quickly."
Sophie shoved the validation she felt down as she answered Aro with a shrug. "It seemed like the simple solution."
"Maybe, but you were the one who spoke up when others were arguing." She couldn't help but smile at the pointed look Aro gave her, knowing he was taking a small dig at Bella and Edward.
Caius and Marcus hummed in agreement. The blonde ruffled through some of Sophie's sketches at her desk. "The wolf seems very protective of you."
"He is." She murmured, crawling under her blankets as she did so. She was getting chilly and could feel the coolness radiating off of Marcus as he laid beside her. "We both are of each other - he's like the little brother I never had."
"Your bond is very unique." Marcus said. When she looked at him, his eyes were distant, like he was looking at something very far away. Sophie looked at him curiously, wondering what he meant. When his gaze came back to her, he smiled. "I can see the bonds of every individual - bonds of family, friends, lovers, people you've met one time. You and Jacob do share a very sibling-like bond."
His gift sounded very interesting and she wondered how complex it actually was - like how he saw the bonds or what they looked and felt like. He must have seen the questions on her face and he laughed, happily. "I can answer any questions you have."
She jumped right into it. "Do different bonds look different?"
He nodded, looking very delighted that his mate was interested in asking about his ability. "Yes. The weakest bonds are normally red, indicating that you aren't very close with another person. Black typically indicates conflict, yellow is friendship, blue is family. Pink is typically romantic love and mating bonds - like ours - are pure white."
"Ours is white?"
He hesitated for a moment, slipping back into the bond sight with a distant look. "It is getting there. It's brighter on each of our ends since we have fully accepted the bond. Since you are still getting used to it, your end is looking a little gray."
"Oh." Sophie breathed. She didn't realize that they could all see that she was still struggling with this. "I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize, piccolina" Marcus scolded her softly. She felt the bed sink down beside her and looked to see Caius sitting next to her now and Aro had moved to the end of the bed. "It is a new situation for you and understandably overwhelming. You've taken steps to accept the bond, so there is no need to worry."
"If there was ever any hesitation on your end, we would take time away to give you your space." Aro reassured her, his expression open and comforting. "You come first, Sophie. You have plenty of time to decide if this is what you want."
"And if it's not?" She whispered, refusing to look any of them in the eye. She was starting to become more certain that she wanted this bond, even if it would take a long time to get used to it, but she needed to know their answer.
"Then we walk away." Caius told her. "As much as we can - we would stop courting you and only come around when necessary to keep ourselves strong. But you would be free to live as normally as you could."
Aro could see more questions forming but, with one look at the clock on her desk, he stopped her. "It is late, Sophie. Try to sleep and we will talk more about this tomorrow."
She sighed, knowing he was right after looking at the clock herself. She hadn't slept much last night and now that her mates were with her, she felt content and tired, even if she did have a whirlwind of questions swirling in her mind. "Promise we'll talk more about all of this tomorrow?"
Marcus' fingers ran through her hair and he nodded. "We promise."
Satisfied, Sophie situated herself in the bed and closed her eyes, falling asleep easily in the presence of her mates.