Atticus waited for more tears, possibly screaming, threats or bargaining. Some kind of reaction. Sophia just stared at him, a flush creeping up her throat until her entire face reddened. She laughed instead, a sharp bark with very little amusement in it, and gripped the bars of the cage until her knuckles turned white. "Fuck you very much, that isn't funny."
"It's not a joke." This from Edgar, his expression difficult to read.
Sophia looked at Atticus and cleared her throat. "I'm serious. It's not funny."
"I'm serious too." Edgar went to the desk and picked up the remote for the security system, clicking buttons as he continued to talk. "I don't know your background, Sophia, so I don't know who failed to tell you what you are, but you are most certainly a shapeshifter."
She shook her head, continued shaking it even as one of the panels on the wall near the desk opened and a set of monitors came into view. Edgar brought up one of the tapes from the night before on the main screen and fast forwarded, not looking at her. "Last night, after you were attacked, you shifted. No doubt a reaction to the stress and adrenaline. Luckily, Atticus was there and notified us so we were able to track you, tranquilize you, and bring you back here before you hurt anyone."
A bitter laugh choked in her throat and Atticus wanted to hold her, wanted to pull her into the safety of his arms and keep her there until his brothers left. Then he could explain.
The muscles in her jaw jumped as she started pacing inside the cage. "I don't know what kind of fucked up trick this is, but you guys get off on some weird shit. Let me out of here right now and I won't call the cops."
Atticus watched the rise and fall of her breathing. He inhaled deeply, trying to get a read on the level of her panic. The night before, she shifted so quickly he hadn't caught any of the indicators. But Edgar continued talking and pointed at the monitor. "Right here, young lady. This is you."
The grainy security footage of inside the office showed the team placing the unconscious snow leopard in the cage. Atticus winced to see himself on film, wearing only sweatpants. He sent everyone else out and then dragged blankets and towels and pillows from his room to make a nest for her in the cage. He felt the weight of his brothers' gazes, and then Sophia's, but he didn't dare look away from the video as his cheeks heated. So he wanted her to be comfortable when she woke up. That wasn't weird. It was kindness. Very practical kindness.
As he made himself comfortable on the couch and fell asleep on the video, Sophia made an ugly noise. "So what? Video can be manipulated, and if —"
She cut off and Atticus held his breath. The transformation was never pretty, but he'd grown up knowing a body could turn itself inside out and come out looking different. She hadn't, clearly. As the snow leopard on the video curled in on itself, cried out, and writhed, she became human again. Naked, panting in pain, and still in the cage, but human.
The silence stretched for so long Atticus couldn't take it, and he looked at her. She stared at the video, mouth agape. Then she turned on her heel, marched to the far end of the cage, and vomited all over the floor.
Benedict made a face. "That's a Persian carpet, you know."
Sophia, eyes narrowed, wiped her mouth on her sleeve and spread the puddle with her foot. "So sorry."
Logan pinched the bridge of his nose, then gestured for Edgar to get on with it. The security chief paused the tape. "And on that note, Sophia, we have a couple of issues to discuss. They're different issues than we expected, to be perfectly frank. A shifter who can't control their animal form is one thing, but someone unwitting to even being a shifter... We haven't seen that in some time. Years."
"I'll control it from now on," she said. Her lips thinned to a knife-slash across her face. "Message received. You can let me go and I'll behave. It won't happen again."
"Sophia." Atticus spoke without thinking, and her name escaped more like a caress than a warning. He cleared his throat and handed her another bottle of water through the bars of the cage. "You can't control it. It's probably been happening your entire life."
She went very still, the bottle open but forgotten in her hands. At length, her hazel eyes met his and a charge jolted through him. Her face went blank, her voice flat. "Seizures. I have seizures. That's all it is."
"Do you wake up naked? Do you remember anything from during the seizure, or right before it?" From the tremble in her chin, Atticus knew she knew. She just couldn't admit it yet. He knew the feeling — he fought it every day, slowly losing control of his own life and yet not being able to stop the train wreck. He took a deep breath. "Did you ever wake up with blood on your hands or teeth?"
The color drained from her face and she made another trip to the corner to retch. Atticus looked at his brothers. "Give us a minute. Send up dinner when it's ready."
Logan raised his eyebrows. "Giving orders, little brother?"
"She's afraid." Atticus stared his alpha in the throat. "It's easier this way."
Benedict glanced at his watch, attention already elsewhere. "Sure. I have to meet Eloise anyway. Good luck, Atticus." And then he was gone. Logan soon followed, no doubt on his way to meet Natalia for dinner as well.
Only Edgar remained to fiddle with the security cameras and panel by the desk. Sophia stared vacantly at him as the security chief approached the cage, his arms folded over his chest. Edgar radiated calm, far more effective at using some of the shifter magic to calm her down. It worked earlier when Atticus did it, but Edgar was a master. Sophia's eyes drooped and she leaned back against the cage as Edgar started talking. "Atticus will talk you through a few things, Sophia, but the most important thing — do not try to escape. Do not run. You are a danger to yourself and to others until you're able to control your shifting. We'll let you out of the cage but only if you promise not to run. Understood?"
She blinked long and slow, almost owlish, and Atticus wanted to kiss her. She looked so damn cute. Cute but miserable as she hugged herself and nodded. "Okay."
"Good." Edgar nodded. He clapped Atticus on the shoulder. "Call if you need anything." And then he moved silently out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
Atticus unlocked the cage and swung the door open, standing back as he gestured at the couch where he'd slept. "Here. Have a seat."
She edged past him, eying him with a degree of caution that punched him in the chest, and perched on the couch. Atticus sat on an ottoman in front of her and chose his words with care. "I know it's a lot to take in. You're doing great, by the way."
She made a rude noise and he smiled, rubbing his jaw. "I'm serious. Look, I can answer your questions and we can all help you learn how to shift, how to control it. It can be liberating. You're a beautiful leopard."
Her head tilted and an eyebrow arched, and Atticus flushed. He meant every word of it, though. "But here's the thing. We're all shifters as well. Lions. So you really shouldn't run."
"Or you'll kill me?"
He wanted to smile and assure her that wasn't the case, but he wasn't entirely certain. Logan might decide the only way to fix the problem was to eliminate it. He let the silence hang and then said quietly, "We'll work on controlling your shift. That's the best, safest way."
She stared at him for so long he almost reached out to shake her, to make sure she still breathed. Sophia took a deep breath and looked around the room. "I need a drink."
Atticus retrieved a bottle of whiskey from the secret stash in the globe near the desk. "That's easy."
As he handed her a glass full of the amber liquid, a tentative smile broke the tension in her expression and something in him eased. She would be fine. She would learn and grow stronger, and maybe she would stay. His lion felt better with her nearby. It wasn't the same struggle to remain human when he could see and smell her, when he felt the warmth of her hand near his. He felt whole. Like he might be able to make it, to survive, if she stayed with him.
And that was fucking terrifying.