"You want to do the marking when?" Nathan had listened to both Ned and Alex's concerns.

"Not after we speak with the girls." Alex replied. "It's going to be an emotional hit for them when it is done and I want to make sure the understand."

"Have you two spoken to Eyal about this?" Nathan asked. "The man can barely be in the same room as his daughters. Marking might not be the right move here."

"They have bared my mark for too long Nathan." Ned exhaled deeply. "The longer we wait the more painful the bond breaking will be."

"Alright. Alright." Running his hand through his hair, he took in a deep breath. "Get Eyal here. Talk to him, while Alex and I talk to the girls."

Ned nodded with a grumble. "Sure leave me with the stubborn part of the deal."

Alex scoffed. "Have you met his daughters?"

Eyal sat on the couch with his head leaned back. He felt like shit having walked away from his family like that. But he felt odd being around his pups. He missed so much of their life. And it wasn't just them, his pack was different as well. They weren't themselves either. It was as if the spark that made them, them was gone.

He needed to think of a way to get close to his pups. Show them who he truly was. They had some aspect he suppose, considering Eyla tried looking for him.

"Alpha Lavine."

Raising his head he motioned for the she-wolf to enter. "What is it Ymir?"

"The pack is restless alpha." She kneeled on the other side of the table between them. "They are restless and it's getting harder to keep them at bay."

Eyal frowned. "At bay from what?"

"From what?" Ymir mimic his facial expression. "From tearing that human apart. The same one that nearly killed you."

Eyal had completely forgotten about that minor detail. "Tony is off limits Ymir. What happened wasn't his fault."

"Wasn't his fault?!" She jumped to her feet, glaring down at her alpha. "He put not one, but multiple laced bullets in you. He put you on your death bed. And you want us to simply co-live with him!"

"Watch your tone Ymir." Eyal growled. "I have my reasons."

"Then tell us!" She yelled. "You have had us far from home for over a year now! Living with other packs. Living with humans! We are not your pets Eyal, we are your pack. And we are falling apart!"

"The pack is fine." Eyal was suddenly tired. "It seems you are the one with the issue."

"The pack is not fine." What the hell was wrong with him? "I wouldn't be here if they were. I have felt with them since your attack! I have carried the burden! We have had losses in the time you were gone! And not once have you checked on them! For fuck sake you are putting humans ahead of your own kind! You are asking us to live with the same one that attacked you!"

"That's enough Ymir!" Eyal jumped up, towering over the she-wolf. "I gave you an order. Tony is off limits. The humans are off-limits. Any harm comes to them by any of you, the punishment will be death."

Ymir gapped at the alpha. "Very well." Falling to her knee, she removed the necklace she carried. It was the logo of her pack and the one thing that identified her as a warrior. "As of this moment, I am no longer your protector. Nor am I a member of your pack Alpha Lavine. I am aware I am in your debt for failing to protect the alpha family, and I will not do anything until it's been lifted. But I no longer see you as my alpha."

"Ymir, what are you doing?" Eyal gasped at the flash of pain rushing through him. Falling onto the couch, he gasped for air.

Ymir had felt the pain as well. Looking down at her arm her eyes watered at seeing his mark begin to erase. Not wanting to be seen as weak, she scrambled to her feet. "Goodbye Eyal."

"Ymir!" Struggling to get up, he fell to the ground. "Ymir wait!"

"Whoa!" Ned caught the fleeing girl as she ran out of the house. "Ymir? What's the matter? What happen-" He was confused at catching her scent alone. "Why do-oh Ymir." Grabbing her arm he saw the mark fading. "What did you do?"

"The right choice." Shrugging the alpha off her. She ran for the pack house.

Ned rushed up the stairs to find Eyal in pain. "Shit." Picking him up, he laid him on the couch. "Let's get you some water."

Eyal shook his head. "Abdomen hurts too much."

"It'll pass." Ned sat by his feet arms crossed. "She finally snapped."

"W-what?"

"Ymir. She finally gave up." Ned sighed. "Ever since that night, that girl had been holding the pack on her own. Ymir was the one to keep them together. She took on too much in such a short time. I'm surprised she didn't break sooner."

Eyal covered his face with his hand. "I fucked up."

"Don't need me to tell you that." Ned shrugged. "Let's just hope she doesn't get herself killed. A lone wolf is as good as a dead one."

"I'll have Zion gather a few and go search for her." Eyal muttered.

Ned shook his head. "You want her to see you actually care Eyal. To do that you must be the one to go find her. Ymir has given you her life. You hold it in your hands. You can't just let her leave like that. That wolf won't survive without her alpha."

Alex and Nathan sat across from the two girls. Eyla and Ewa watched the alphas with curious looks.

"What's this about?" Eyla asked.

Alex took the charge on this one. "It's about your alpha marks."

"What about it?" Ewa asked, weary slipping into her voice.

"We need to break the alpha bond you have with Alpha Stark." Alex spoke slowly. "And have your father mark you."

"Why?" Eyla quickly asked, panic beginning to rise. "I don't want to."

Nathan shared a look with his mate. "Why not?"

"Because it's going to hurt." Ewa replied.

"That is true, but it must be done." Nathan said. "If you don't accept your father's mark, you will be bounded to Ned until you come of age. That means staying with Ned and his pack."

"Leaving mom and dad?" Ewa whispered.

Alex nodded. "Yes, if you leave the mark you can't stay too far from your alpha."

Sharing a look with her sister, Ewa nodded. "Okay."

"Good girl." Nathan caressed her cheek. "Don't worry too much over it, it won't happen just yet."

Ziva had shifted back to her wolf after Tony had challenged her to a race. Not knowing what had happened, Tony had nearly fainted at seeing the blur of white fur fly past him. Now the problem was she couldn't shift back.

"That's what you get for cheating." Tony teased.

'I wasn't cheating. I simply used what I had at hand to win.' Ziva huffed.

Tony rolled his eyes in annoyance. "For the hundredth time, I have no clue what you're saying."

'You can be such a child at times.' Ziva trotted ahead of him, sniffing around. She was amazed by the amount of smells her nose picked up on. 'I can sme-' She paused. That scent was very familiar. It reminded her is Alex. Taking another sniff of the air, she took off in the direction of said smell. Her heart was pounding as she picked up on more smells. Hunters. Gun powder. Noah. 'Noah!'

Coming to a hole in the ground she peeped down to find the unconscious pup. Noah's leg had a sharpened piece of stick sticking through it.

"I am not a wolf Ziva, you can't just take off-" He was cut off by her whimpering and distressed prancing. "What is it?" Walking to the edge of the hole he let out a shaky breath. "Ziva, I'll jump in there and make sure he's breathing. Go get the others."

'This is a hunter's trap. You don't know how long until they show up.' Of course, all he heard was growling.

"Go!" Shrugging his coat off, she braced himself on the edge of the hole. Letting go of his grip, he slid to the bottom. "Alright buddy, let's check you out." Scratching the side of his head he frowned. "How do you check a wolf's pulse?" Grabbing a hand full of loose dirt, he held his hand out flat near the pup's nose. A bit flew off allowing Tony to relax. "Okay, you're breathing. That's good. Now we need to see about that leg." Grabbing the top half, he sent an apologetic look to Noah. "This is going to hurt just a bit." Snapping the top half, he quickly grabbed the pup's jaw and held it shut. "I really hope your parents do not show up at this moment." Noah's muffled cries were still loud enough to alert anyone nearby. "Noah, listen to me. You fell into a hunter's trap. We need to free your leg in order to get you out of here. But I can't do that if you keep crying. We need to hurry before they come back to search this trap. Do you understand?" The pup nodded against his hold. "Okay, try not to yell, howl or cry until after we are out of here."

Noah closed his eyes in anticipation of the pain. He felt Tony's hand grab his leg. The pain started to spread from the smallest of movements. He heard the human counting to three before his leg was raised and free in one hard pull. Noah clenched his jaw shut, holding back the howl of pain.

Tony slid his shirt off, ripping a strip of it and wrapping it around the pup's leg. "We need to get you out of here. For whatever reason you're not healing, I don't think it's a good one."

'Alex! Nathan!' Ziva burst from the tree line, yelling for the alphas. 'Alex!'

"Ziva?" Alex leaned over the porch, confusion the only expression she could show. "Get stuck again?"

'It's Noah.' Ziva spoke out of breath. Her sides heaving from the running.

Alex stiffed at the mention of her pup. "What about Noah? Where is he?" Jumping over the porch she landed in front of the new wolf. "Where is he?!"

"Alex, what the matter?" Nathan jogged over with Ned and Hotchner in tow. "What with the yelling?"

'Noah fell in a hunter's trap. Tony is getting him out, but you need to hurry.' Taking off, she lead the scared mother to her pup.

"Ty!" Nathan yelled. "Get the medical room ready, and find me, Seth!"

"Yes alpha."

Tony held the pup in his arms, rocking him back and forth. He wasn't only trying to soothe the pup but himself as well. Noah looked bad. He knew a thing or two about dog anatomy. Tony had checked the pup's gums and they were pale. His eyes were glossed over and his breathing was shallow.

"Come on Ziva." Tony heard a few twigs snap. Clutching Noah closer he prepared himself to fight the lost battle. To his relief, Ziva popped her head over the edge. "A howl would have been nice!"

"Noah!" Alex slid to a stop on the edge. "Tony, how is he?"

"He's in bad shape, we need to get him out of here." Standing up with the pup, he held leaned against the edge. "Nathan, can you reach him if I raise him?"

"Yeah."

Picking him up over his head, he felt the weight being lifted off him. "Damn he's heavy."

"Give me your hand."

Looking up he was surprised to see Nathan holding his hand out. Stepping back, he ran and jumped, just enough to latch hands. Being pulled out he fell to the ground breathing heavily. "How is he?"

"The stakes were laced with wolf's bane." Hotchner growled examining the leg. "We need to get him back and burn it out."

'No!' Every wolf jumped looking down at the young soon-to-be alpha. 'Please don't.'

"Noah we have to." Nathan told him. The pup scrambled to get away from their hold, howling at hurting himself. "That's enough!"

'I'm sorry. I won't run away again.' Noah cried. 'I won't fail ever again. Just please don't punish me like that.'

"Pun-" Nathan was at a loss. "Noah, I am not trying to punish you. Why would you think that?"

'Because of my carelessness, I got hurt. Just like because of me Eyla got hurt.'

Looking at Alex he sighed. 'Noah, I was wrong that day. I was too harsh with you and I apologize. But right now we need to burn that out of you.' Running his hand over his son's face, he kissed him on the head. "I will be by your side the whole time."

'Promise?' Noah was suddenly a puppy in need of his father's protection.

'Yeah.' Picking him up, they ran back to the house. "I got you."

Nathan held on to Noah as Hotchner prepared what they needed. Ned secured the rubber band around Noah's leg to stop the flow of blood. Alex ran her hand down his head, using soothing words to calm their son.

"Alright, buddy." Hotch grabbed the blow torch and turning it one he glanced at Nathan. "I need you to hold him as still as possible."

"I got him." Using his upper body to hold Noah down, he gave Hotch the go.

Seth jumped at the loud howl followed by burnt blood. 'What the hell are they doing to him?!'

"Calm yourself, Seth." Eyal stood in front of the door blocking the older brother and his daughters from storming the medical ward. "Noah had wolf's bane in his bloodstream. The only way we can get it out from a pup is by burning it out."

'There is another way.' Eyla stated. 'Mother said you once used that method.'

He nodded. "Yes, but that method would kill a wolf as young as Noah."

Seth turned his focus on the conversation, trying his best not to hear the screams of his brother. 'What is it?'

Eyal sighed. "You cleanse your blood. To do that the wolf must injure themselves. The old blood is bled out and new clean blood takes its place."

Ewa pulled a face. 'And you did that? Why?'

"It was the only way to save myself and my pack." Eyal cringed at the loud bang coming from inside. Frowning when everything was quiet. Opening the door he popped his head in to find Nathan and Alex hugging their boy. "Hotch?"

"We're done. The wolf's bane it burned, Noah is already healing." Putting the items away, he walked out to find Seth growling at him. "You're not an alpha yet Seth."

'You smell of Noah's blood.' Seth's growling got louder. 'You harmed my brother.'

"Seth!" Nathan stepped out of the house with Noah in his arms. "Hotchner saved your brother. Apologize!"

Flinching at the harsh tone, he bowed his head at the alpha. 'Sorry.'

Hotch grumbled it's fine and stormed off. "Damn pups."

"Let's get him to bed." Alex played with the little hairs sticking from his head. "He must be worn out."

"Tony told me what happened today." Gibbs appeared at her side, looking down at the sleeping pup. "Is he going to be alright?"

"Yeah, Hotch burned the bane out." Running a hand across his back she let out a shaky breath. "The guys are going out tomorrow to hunt down the ones that made the hole."

"Speaking of tomorrow, we will be going back to work." Gibbs told her. "You coming along?"

"If I don't who's to keep you lot from trouble." Kissing her son on the forehead, she ushered Gibbs out of the room. "We have a case?"

"No, but we need to get back to some normality." Gibbs said. "What better than getting to work."

"Okay, just let me know when we are heading out."

"We have looked everywhere Eyal." Pushing a branch away from his face, Zion ducked as it came back at him. "Ymir is probably hiding."

"We can't leave her out on her own." Eyal growled. "The fact that the trap was so close to us means they know where we are."

"Can also mean they are tracking us." Hector spoke up from the back. "Alpha Lavine, we can not risk the rest of the pack for one wolf. Who has declared herself a lone wolf."

Eyal growled to himself. They were right. The further they went the higher the chance of drawing unwanted visitors to them. As much as he hated the idea of abandoning the search, he also knew Ned was wrong. Ymir would be the one that knew how to survive without a pack. "Alright, let's head back."

Nathan and Hotchner laid on the ground, the bushes covering them from sight. They were scouting the hunter's trap. Nathan had rebuilt the cover making it seem as if no one had fallen in before.

'I hate stakeouts.' Hotch yawned, stretching himself at full length.

Nathan scoffed. 'Aren't you a fed?'

'Yeah, but we don't do stakeouts. BAU remember?'

'Right, by the way, what's with that agent that showed up?'

Hotch huffed. 'Agent Jones? Errand boy for Strauss.'

'Doesn't like you very much.' Nathan pointed out.

Hotch laughed. 'Tell me something I don't know. He's been hostile ever since Kate and I announced our engagement.'

'Oh, he had a thing for Kate?' Nathan had only started the conversation to dull out the boredom. Now he was interested in the details.

'Kate was engaged to him. She joined my team. We got to know each other, I showed her my world and she called it off.' Hotch chuckled at the reminder of Jones's face. 'Didn't help we announced our engagement three days after.'

'Damn.'

'How's Noah?'

'He was done healing by the time I met up with you.' Nathan replied. 'His fever is gone and he's breathing fine. I didn't thank you before.'

'Don't have to.' Hotch's ears twitched at picking up the snap of a twig. Sitting up he remained on his stomach. 'I can't catch a scent.'

'It's not hunters.' Nathan sniffed the air a few times. 'It smells familiar, but I can't place it.'

'Pa-Got damn it!' Hotch jumped at someone jumping on his back. Falling to his side he glared up at the white wolf on top of him. 'Ziva!'

'How is it possible you couldn't recognize my scent?' Ziva growled.

Hotch sighed, crawling out from underneath her he stood up and shook himself. 'What are you doing here?'

'Eyal thought you might need some company.' Settling beside Nathan.

Nathan nudged her. 'Annoyed him already?'

'No. He just needs some time to adjust back. Plus he's still agitated from Ymir's departure.' The trio sat in silence for a few moments. Ziva peered up at her brother. 'Who do you resemble the most?'

Hotch frowned. 'What?'

'Your mother or our father?'

'My mother.' Hotch grumbled. 'I look nothing like that bastard. I'm going to check the other side.'

Ziva was taken aback by his bitterness. 'Was it something I said?'

Nathan shook his head. 'Hotchner's family is a touchy subject. Unlike your childhood, his wasn't so nice. His father was not a good one and his mother would look the other way.'

'He got beat?' Ziva whispered.

'Beat. Kicked. Locked up. Fought.' Nathan named a few. 'It was a well-known secret in our world. Thomas Hotchner was a tyrant, but no one could or would put a stop to him. Until Aaron became of age and challenged his father.'

'I thought one couldn't take the title of another pure line?' Ziva asked.

'This wasn't an outsider.' Seeing the look of confusion on her face, he elaborated. 'A sibling or the offspring of the current pure line alpha can challenge them. But the fight is to death, so many refuse to challenge said alpha. Hotchner was 15 when he challenged his father.'

'Wouldn't our father be stronger?'

Nathan chuckled. 'In rankings, Hotchner might be the youngest of us. But he is not the weakest one. If you were to rank us by sheer strength alone, Hotch would be at the top. There is a reason the feds wanted him.'

'How can I get close to him?' Ziva asked. 'He's my brother after all.'

'Just be by his side.'

Hotch trotted alongside their territory line. Picking up an unknown scent, he followed it. Too distracted by the scent, he failed to see the bear trap hidden under the leaves. He noticed the cold steel under his paws too late. With a loud howl, he fell back. 'Fuck!'

'Aaron?' Nathan called for him.

'Bear trap. North of your direction.' Hotch relayed.

'We're coming.' Ziva's voice sounded in a panic.

Hearing the bellowing of the hunter's dogs, he looked around for a spot he hide in. The trap was laced with silver, which meant wolf hunters. Also meant those dogs with them were trained to kill on the spot. Shifting back, he grabbed one side of the trap's mouth and tried prying it open. Sitting on his ass, he used his foot to hold one side steady and tried it once more. Getting himself free he let go of the trap with a loud snap.

Before he had time to shift back a large body of fur tackled him to the ground. Pushing the dog off him, he quickly dived over a log and shifted. Hearing the dogs getting closer once more he jumped around his cover. Warning the mutts to back off, he took them on one by one.

Nathan grabbed the she-wolf by the back of the neck, pulling her back into the covers of the trees. 'I wouldn't go out there.'

'He needs help.' Ziva snapped.

'Did you not hear what I said earlier?' Nathan rolled his eyes. 'Hotch is a very serious person and takes any attack against him or his pack very personally. That thing you see in the shape of Aaron is his wolf in full control. You go out there and he might not recognize you.'

Ziva turned towards the massacre happening a few feet in front of them. Hotch tore each dog apart. Dropping the bodies like they were insignificant beings. She flinched at seeing him leap for the hunter, completely ignoring the bullet ripping through his shoulder. The hunter went down under the weight of the wolf, the impact knocking him out.

'Shows over.' Hotch's breaths come out with low grumbles. 'You two going to help or am I going to have to drag him back on my own?'

Nathan huffed. 'Always with the attitude.'

Ziva walked over to him, inspecting the bullet wound. 'It's not healing. Why?'

'The bullet needs to be removed.' Hotch answered. 'The paw will heal in time.'

Nathan crawled under the unconscious hunter, lifting him as he stood. 'Think we need to burn it out?'

Aaron shook his head. 'Bleed the area. That should get rid of it. I'll have someone come to scout the area. Remove every trap they find.'

"Ow watch it!" Hotch clenched his jaw as Ziva dug the pincers into his shoulder.

With the worry of Hotch being hurt and in need of help, she had managed to shift back.

"Almost there." That was a lie, she couldn't even find the damn bullet. "I still don't know why you didn't take the morphine."

Shaking his head sweat flew off his wet hair. "Our body burns through it quickly. By the time it hits our system, it's gone."

"So nothing to numb the pain?" Ziva was attempting to keep him talking as she worked. "No herbs?"

"No." Grabbing the armrest on the chair he growled. "Just pull it out already!"

"I'm trying! But if you keep moving the bullet will go in deeper." Twisting the pincers she gasped happily at feeling the steel. "Found it." Grabbing ahold of it, she yanked it out.

"Fuck!" Leaning back on the chair he gasped for air. Swallowing hard he turned to catch the last bit of healing.

"You'd think after being shot so many times, you'd get used to it." Alex walked over to him, inspecting the healed shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy from the silver." Closing his eyes, he leaned into her while Alex ran her nails through his hair.

Alex cringed. "Burn or bleed?"

"Bleed." He whispered. "It's not a lot."

"Anything else bothering you?" Grabbing the alcohol, she drenched it over the wounded hand. "Besides the dizziness?"

Hotch shook his head, only to wince. "Headache."

Grabbing a scalpel, Alex sliced his hand quickly. Hotch barely reacted to it, simply flinched. Putting pressure hallways up his arm, she kneaded her hand back to his hand. Blood flowed from the cut before closing up. Doing it a few more times, she continued to ask what he felt. She didn't stop until the dizziness was gone.

"Is it all gone?" Pushing his hair back, he placed a kiss on his forehead.

Hotch nodded. "Yeah."

Ziva felt a ping in her chest as seeing how close Alex was to Hotch. She knew it was foolish to feel jealous over something as simple as their connection. But seeing her bond and care for her brother did that to her. It felt as if she was taking him away. Granted she just found out about him. Was it so bad she wanted that same connection?

"Come on, let's get you into bed." Helping him out of the chair, she gestured he put his weight on her. "When's your team coming?"

"Should be here in the morning."

Alex paused, looking over at Ziva. "Ziva, can you take Hotch and make sure he gets straight to bed." She had noticed Ziva stepping away while she cured his hand. "I forgot I had to get some things for Noah and Seth."

"Sure." Taking her spot in holding Aaron, Ziva guided him back to his place. "If I offended you earlier about who you looked like, I apologize."

Hotch knitted his brows together in confusion. "I wasn't bothered by that. You did nothing wrong. It's just a feeling I get when I hear or talk about Thomas. Not a happy chapter in my life." Nudging her gently with his head, he offered her a smile. "Let me introduce you to my team tomorrow."

"I'd like that."

The next morning everyone was in movement. The patrols were changing shifts, relieving the night guards for the day. Hotch was healed and getting ready to head out. His team was scattered throughout his home and porch. The man came out looking like a damn model, in his black three-piece suit and red tie.

"You always look so dashing chasing serial killers?" Alex teased him, walking out of her place just in time to catch him. "How's the hand?"

Holding it up, he clenched it a few times. "Like you never sliced it."

Kate slapped his shoulder. "Thank you for looking out for him."

"Not me you should thank." She jerked her head towards her approaching team. "Ziva is the one the dug the bullet out."

"Oh, I am aware you have met Ziva." Hotch grabbed her hand offering her a reassuring smile. "After some digging around, we discovered we share the same father."

Dave raised a brow. "Thomas?"

Hotch nodded. "A few years after I was born."

"Well, I suppose that makes me your sister-in-law." Kate chuckled. "About time I had someone to back me up against him."

Ziva laughed. "Anytime."

"Alright, we need to get going." The team noticed his switch from laid-back Aaron to unit chief Hotchner. "We will be in New York, if anything happens you have my pack to help."

Alex nodded. "Gibbs and the team will be going back to work starting today. Ty will be left in charge. Eyal will also be here to watch over the pups and packs."

Bidding their goodbyes, each team went their separate ways. Nathan stood alongside Eyal watching them depart. "I have a job I need to get to, you good on your own?"

Eyal gave him a side look, walking back inside without a word. He needed to get some of his pent-up energy. Grabbing his phone he called his handler, letting them know he was good to take a job. Recently he hadn't been feeling himself. He hoped a distraction from all this would help.