Definition of Family

by Geeked

Humans and the naturally gifted co-exist alongside each other but when you live on the fringes it can be hard to be accepted, especially when you're no longer accepted as what you were and yet to be accepted as what you are now. Add to mix what caused the change and what's happened since and you have a member of NCIS keeping a lot hidden, and he's not just protecting for himself.

1. Chapter 1

Definition of Family

Prologue

The young wolf tilted his head to the side as he watched, safely from a distance hidden amongst the trees the large group of wolves playing in the park as the setting sun. Not for the first time he found himself wishing to be a part of that group, he whined softly before mentally berating himself knowing that it would never be possible. His life was one of an outcast, shunned by humans and the naturally gifted a like.

Naturally gifted were how the humans referred to those that had the ability to take on both human and animal form, mostly that of wolves, though a few had the ability to take on other forms too. The young wolf however was not naturally gifted, much to his human father's dislike, he had been unwillingly turned and therefore had found himself abandoned by his family, several years ago now, at just 15 years of age.

But still he was drawn towards those that he was now like, those that could change form even though he knew the ones he was watching didn't know his secret. He wished he could just tell them but that wasn't and option as he was still working hard to be accepted into this group - in human form - as colleague, teammate and/or partner and wasn't about to risk losing the one thing in his life that made up for all the anguish and heartache he'd been through after one too many late study nights.

A loud growl and snarl brought the young wolf out of his revelry as he realised not only has he been spotted, but a couple of the dark haired wolves, with several others following closely behind, were moving towards him. Startled he backed off hastily before turning tail and running in no particular direction, having forgotten that certain areas of this particular woodland were a minefield of illegal huntsman's traps.

No sooner has his mind registered the danger he had allowed himself to fall into, than his getaway was brought to a sudden and painful end as one of his front legs was caught in one of those traps causing the young wolf to howl in agony.