Title:

Pairing: Alex Cabot/Olivia Benson

Rating: T

Author's Note: As always, these characters aren't mine. They belong to Dick Wolf and NBC.

For Providence26, without whom this story never would've gotten written.

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Chapter 1

Early-evening light shines down through the trees, sparsely illuminating the forest floor.

The lack of light doesn't bother the wolf; she lies in wait, hidden in the underbrush, the threat of losing the pack's next meal keeping her silent.

The world around her is quiet, still – everything has slowed as the forest prepares to settle down for the night.

The wolf smells the deer before she actually sees it - it's sweet, mouthwatering. As soon as it comes into view, the wolf is up and running, and then she is lunging.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the wolf recalls her mother berating her for this behavior. You're a human, for God's sake, she'd say, get your food like a human does. But she's always preferred this way.

The deer falls, dead before it hits the ground. Its blood is warm in the wolf's mouth and it covers her muzzle like a prize.

She drags the carcass back to the pack, relishing in the warmth of their praise.

She smirks her wolf-smirk, her white fangs glinting in the setting sun, at the younger wolf beside her. See? the swish of her tail seems to say, I'm still far better than you'll ever be.

The younger wolf snarls, the sound loud in his throat. He tenses, his hackles standing, and prepares to pounce.

But the wolf barks a laugh, not even fazed by the younger wolf's behavior. You can try, little brother, she growls, but you're just going to fail.

Just as the younger wolf is about to lunge at his sister, a shadow falls over them, making them drop their tails and ears and cower to the ground.

The Alpha of the pack stands over them, blood staining his muzzle. He looks down at them - his children, for all intents and purposes, whether biological (like the girl) or not (like the boy) - and rolls his wolf-eyes. Ridiculous, the irritation oozing off of him seems to say, absolutely ridiculous; have you two no shame, no common decency; have you two no desire to behave as part of this pack?

The younger wolves keep their heads bowed, gazes focused on the ground, as the Alpha circles around them. This behavior is despicable, he growls, if the both of you don't start behaving the way I've raised you to behave, you'll be out on your own. Do you understand me this time?

The younger wolves nod and the Alpha dismisses them with a sharp bark.

...

...

Park Ranger Olivia Benson is hopelessly lost. She clutches her map tight in her hand, swearing as she passes the same tree the fifth time.

She stops and looks down at her map, tracing the trail she is supposed to be on with her fingertip. "Shit," she whispers, crinkling her map back up in her hand. "Shit!" She turns around, backtracking back toward the point where she made a wrong turn.

The entrance to the path she missed is so small and sits hidden between two great trees. Honestly, it's no wonder she missed it again. She rolls her eyes at herself and heads down the path.

There is a certain kind of peace that comes with being in the woods as it gets dark, Olivia is certain of this. It is quiet - peaceful - and Olivia is sure she could spend her entire night just wandering through the forest.

She stops for a minute, standing in the middle of a clearing, letting the shades of red and orange wash over her. She breathes in deep, letting the smell of pine trees and fresh underbrush fill her with a lightness she hasn't felt since...well, it's been a long time.

She continues following the path, the familiarity of it all very comforting; she has, in fact, travelled this particular path hundreds of times, even if she misses the entrance at least once per week.

She walks without watching the ground - a rookie mistake if there ever was one, especially considering the unevenness of the forest floor with its rising roots and emerging boulders and fresh underbrush.

And so, like a rookie, she trips and falls, tumbling dramatically downhill, and crashes painfully into a large tree. She sits up with a loud groan, holding her head. Dazed, she looks around, trying to regain her bearing, just to find she is face-to-face with what may be the largest wolf she has ever encountered.

"Oh dear God."

The wolf smirks his wolf-smirk, his fangs glinting in the dim light. He watches Olivia through narrowed eyes, following her rapid breathing like she is dinner.

Olivia swallows hard, willing herself to keep completely still. It's going to be okay, she thinks. I'm going to make it through this. But even as the words pass through her mind, she does not believe them.

The pack flanks their Alpha, grinning their wolf-smiles. It's been so long since they've had human for supper; their mouths are watering.

The Alpha crouches low, preparing to strike. His hackles stand tall and the growling in his chest deepens until Olivia feels like she is standing in the center of thunder.

As quickly as the wolf's warm breath washes over Olivia, it is gone, replaced by hot droplets of blood.

Olivia watches in stunned silence as the two wolves fight. Their snarling and growling vibrate her body and the biting and ripping and clawing is horrifying, but she can't bring herself to look away.

By the time the fight ends - when all the blood has been shed and the battle has been won - the Alpha stands over the beaten wolf, his muzzle covered in her blood and fire in his eyes. If I ever see you in my territory again, he growls, I will kill you.

The injured wolf nods, her eyes fluttering shut.

The Alpha beckons for his pack to follow him. They file past Olivia, no longer focused on her.

As soon as the pack is out of sight, Olivia scrambles over to the injured wolf. She sits beside her, pushing matted and bloody fur out of her eyes.

"You're going to be okay," she says, looking over the wolf's wounds; they're bad - deep gouges, bloody patches of missing fur, at least one or two broken bones - but Olivia is almost confident she can she can heal her.

She stands on shaking legs and gently lifts the wolf from where she lies. The wolf whimpers in pain, and Olivia starts the long trek back to her house.

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