Unleashing The Inner Wolf

by chaotica99

She called the one person she knew would help, no questions asked. She knew, with the help of this person, she wouldn't have trouble getting what she needed out of Seth. She could put the fear of God into this man. Based on the Children of the Wolves ep. of season 25, except it wasn't Velasco there at the park with Liv and things take a turn.

The night had descended into chaos. Flashing red and blue lights painted the street as officers swarmed the crime scene. Olivia Benson, a seasoned police captain, had seen it all before—the aftermath of violence, the shattered lives left in its wake. But tonight, something was different. Something in the air felt thick, heavy, like a storm was about to break.

Their suspect, Seth, was a young man with the mind frame of a tyrant. He was too calm, too collected, as if this was all part of some grand plan only he was privy to. His victims were just pawns to him. Rosie is dead and Sydney is traumatized and Olivia just knew she couldn't be the reason that the animal who tormented those poor girls walked free. Free of the hurt and pain that he caused.

Olivia refused to let anyone see that he was getting to her but she had to do something. Shatter that persona he's sporting so proudly.

"Velasco, I want him in my car," Olivia ordered, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of anger.

"What?" Detective Velasco hesitated, clearly taken aback by her request. The pause in his voice should've halted her but the rage she felt was much stronger.

"Do it," she repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument. There was a flicker of concern in Velasco's eyes, but he nodded and walked the suspect over to the suv.

Olivia watched as Velasco shoved Seth into the backseat of her SUV, the door slamming shut with a finality that echoed in the still night air. The neighborhood, once filled with screams and sirens, had fallen eerily silent. Only the hum of the patrol cars and the distant murmur of the officers remained.

There is too much noise in her head, and she will break; it is only a question of where and when. There has to be a way to release this pressure, and if she doesn't find a safe way to vent it, and soon, she's afraid she's going to explode.

She stepped to the side of the vehicle, her hand shaking slightly as she pulled out her phone. Punching the numbers on her screen, her fingers moving on their own, almost as if someone else were controlling them. The anger that had been simmering inside her since the beginning of the night was now boiling over, threatening to consume her. She knew she was treading dangerous ground, but she couldn't stop herself. Something about his smug demeanor got under her skin, like nails on a chalkboard.

She called the one person she knew would help, no questions asked. Standing just outside the car she thought about her plans while the phone started to ring. Each tone reverberated through her, heightening her anxiety. She needed to make this call, to reach out to someone she trusted completely.

She knew, with the help of this person, she wouldn't have trouble getting what she needed out of Seth. She could put the fear of God into this man.

"Hey, are you free?" she said as soon as the call connected, her voice clipped, betraying none of the turmoil she felt inside. "I need you to meet me"

There was a pause on the other end before a familiar voice came through, calm and steady., "Where?"

"At the park," she replied, her eyes flicking to Seth, who was still smirking at her from the back of the car. His arrogance infuriated her, fueling her determination to wipe that smug look off his face.

"Liv, what's going on?" Elliot Stabler's voice was calm, concerned, and it sent a wave of warmth through her—a reminder that she wasn't alone in this. She closed her eyes briefly, drawing strength from that connection.

"Just trust me. I'll explain when you get there," she said, her tone softening, revealing just a hint of the vulnerability she was trying so hard to keep hidden. Her eyes flicked to Seth, who was still smirking at her from the back of the car, clearly enjoying whatever game he thought he was playing.

Elliot didn't need more details. He had always trusted her instincts, just as she had always trusted his. "Alright, I'm on my way."

Olivia hung up the phone and took a deep breath, pushing down the unease that was starting to bubble up. She had to stay focused. This wasn't over yet.

She got into the driver's seat, the leather cool against her skin. As she pulled away from the scene, the rain began to fall harder, heavy droplets drumming against the windshield in rhythm with her racing heart.

In the backseat, Seth shifted, leaning forward as much as his restraints would allow, his voice dripping with mock concern. "Where we headed, Captain? Thought the station was the other way

"Shut up, Seth," Olivia snapped, keeping her eyes fixed on the road, her patience wearing thin. The city lights blurred through the rain-streaked windshield, casting a distorted glow inside the car. She could feel Seth's eyes on her, probing, trying to find a weakness to exploit. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

But Seth wasn't about to let up. "Come on, I thought we were friends. In this together, I scratch your bag, you scratch mine. After all, I'm the one who made all this possible."

Olivia gripped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles turning white. "You're delusional."

"It must be hard, carrying all that weight on your shoulders. All those years of doing the right thing, being the good cop. Doesn't it ever get exhausting?"

Olivia didn't respond, but Seth continued, his voice a slow, taunting drawl. "You ever wonder what it would be like, captain? To just let go? To stop caring so much? Maybe you and I aren't so different after all."

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. She wanted nothing more than to reach back and silence him, but she knew better. She had to stay in control, had to maintain the upper hand. She ignored him, focusing on the road ahead, but his words slithered into her mind, bringing questions she didn't want to acknowledge.

It's been so many weeks, hell years of trying to be good, of choosing the higher path, of skirting the edges of her mistakes, and she is exhausted from the fight. Hearing him ramble on in the back about being the same didn't help her tame the best that dwelled within.

The rain was coming down harder now, making it difficult to see the road ahead. The park was just a few minutes away. Olivia's mind raced, trying to piece together a plan. She wanted to do something misguided, had a need to give herself over to that beast and go awry just so she could feel again. Lately it's almost as if she's an armor of herself, the morally divine guide for the people she protects in her role of captain, a role she's so used to stepping into that she craves to do something to remember how it is to be human.

—-

She pulled into the park, the headlights cutting through the darkness. The trees loomed like a sentinel almost protecting the inner sector of the park , their branches swaying in the wind.

She spotted Elliot walking out of the darkness giving her a view of him, his silhouette barely visible in the gloom. He's making his way towards them as she brings the SUV to a stop, she can imagine just how bad the rain is soaking through his coat.

It's still coming down, drumming against the windshield like her fingers on the steering wheel as she pulls into the space. So far she's managed not to shoot the demon in her backseat but she's afraid that if she looks at the prick even one more time she might just pull the trigger.

Reaching for the door handle, she stops for a moment, taking the time to process what she was doing.

"What are we doing here?" Comes from the back, breaking her thoughts.

"You're askin' me a question that you already know the answer to." she finally said, her voice barely audible over the rain.

"You said we were going to the precinct"

He's at her car now, the frown lines evident on his face from the concern she can only imagine that's coursing through his veins.

"Well I guess I lied" she replied, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. It was a bitter, humorless smile, one that spoke of the darkness inside her. Stepping out of the car, she watches while Elliot closes her door as she makes her way towards the back. Her hand stills as she hears his voice cut through the pounding rain.

"What are we doing here, Liv?" he asked, his voice low, wary. He could sense the tension radiating off her, could see the fire burning in her eyes.

"Closing a case today and this", she points to the window showing a silhouette of a person in the back, "suspect has been nothing but an asshole. I" she pauses the words swirling in her mind. " I don't know, he just got under my skin. It's like he thinks he's doing us a favor and giving himself to us, like the crime doesn't matter. Like his victims don't matter"

"Just help me," she cut him off, her tone pleading. She didn't want to argue, didn't want to explain anymore. She just needed him to trust her.

Elliot studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright. Let's do this."

Olivia felt a surge of relief, but it was short-lived. She reached for the door handle and opened the back door. Seth looked up at her, his grin widening. He was enjoying this, relishing the chaos he had sown.

"Get out the car" Olivia ordered, her voice cold and commanding.

"What are you gonna do with me?" The little ass was still trying to act like the big man. Elliot didn't have to get background information to feel the annoyance Liv had with the suspect, his smirk alone caused his jaw to clench.

"I tell you what I'm not gonna do is ask you again" She could see the faint flicker of fear in his eyes, quickly masked by bravado. He was trying to maintain control, but Olivia wasn't going to let him.

Moving forward, she went to reach for him but her movement was halted by Elliot making the move for her. Grabbing the man by his arms, he pulled him out of the backseat before pushing him behind Olivia as they made their way into the park.

It was eerily quiet as they walked toward the area where the assault had taken place. Seth sauntered along between them, his hands still cuffed, but his cockiness was undiminished. Elliot could see the smirk that lined his lips and he already felt the enmity pulse harder at his demeanor.

They reached the spot where the assault had happened, and Olivia stopped, "So right after you came out of the townhouse. I got a call from the hospital." she walks around to stand in front of him. "It was not a good call. The girl that you attacked, Rosie, she was braindead. Her parents just decided to pull the plug."

For the first time, Seth's cocky facade faltered. His smirk faded, replaced by something darker, something more primal. "You're going down for murder"

"They killed her, not me" Elliot heard the weak excuse come from the boy as he stood off to the side. A weak excuse that still wasn't genuine as his plea was filled with fragments of a laugh. He was pass simple disdain and boiling with hatred for the asshole at this point.

"Don't you dare," Olivia snapped, her anger flaring. "Don't you dare try to shift the blame. You're going down."

Seth's face twisted in anger, but he didn't respond. Olivia knew she had struck a nerve.

"Do you know what a forensic reenactment is?" she asked, her tone almost casual.

"No" Seth shook his head, his confusion growing. She motioned for Elliot, who stepped forward, his expression grim.

"So we're going to recreate, what happened last night when you raped Rosie." Grabbing one arm she grabs one arm, as Elliot does the other, and begins to lead them to their next destination.

"Stations of the cross." Came Elliot as he helps drag the boy to the center of the park.

"Ah"

"Is that where you dragged her from?" She points as they walk to the center of field..

"No" Seth grunted, trying to pull away, but Elliot's grip was like iron.

Stopping, she turned to him with a scowl on her face. "How'd you move her to the playground?" her question was met with nothing but an eye roll.

"Don't make her ask you again, how'd you move her to the playground?" Elliot was irritated.

"I didn't, it was the other three guys" There it was again. The slow arrogant chuckle he weaves into his words as if he doesn't have a care in the world. No remorse for his victims in his blood at all.

"Well no one carried her because" Liv said watching as Elliot pushed him forward more into her direction. " I saw the drag marks," Her words came out ice cold piercing through the still pounding rain. "Only one person moved her," her eyes were as cold as her words as she stopped a couple paces in front of Seth, giving him a look that could kill.

"You're just doing this to mess with my head." Seth spat, his bravado cracking under the pressure.

"What you got a hearing problem, like she said it's a reenactment" She watched as Elliot walked up to him, dangerously close to his face. She could see the muscles in his arm clench through his shirt, his anger barely contained.

She glanced at him, his hands flexing at his sides, watching Seth with the same cold intensity that her eyes shot off. The shared intensity fueled the animal within her as she started the process of why they came here in the first place.

"Let's try ," walking behind him slowly. Before Elliot knew it he was in a headlock. "to recreate those drag marks" Her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline surging through her veins. She was walking a fine line, teetering on the edge of a precipice, but she couldn't stop now.

Elliot looked at her waiting for her next moves, his blood surging with something almost barbaric watching Liv cross that line. It reminded him somewhat of their old days, giving the suspects the treatment they felt they deserved for the abuse done to their victims. She dragged him across the grass, his feet digging in the mud beneath them.

They were at the merry-go-round, the rusted metal creaking under the weight of the rain. She let go of him and pushed Seth against the metal bar, his back slamming into the cold metal, the metal digging into his back. He groaned in pain, but neither Olivia nor Elliot relented.

The rain poured down, soaking them all to the bone, but Olivia barely noticed. Her mind was focused on one thing: making Seth pay for what he had done.

"So is this where you raped Rose", Olivia asked, her voice cutting through the rain. " and then you beat her till she was unconscious?

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" He mumbled, his voice breaking, but there was no sincerity in his words. His apology was laced with mockery, with laughter that bubbled up from deep within him.

"No you listen to the woman" Elliot growled, stepping forward having enough of the disrespectful scum in front of him. Elliot could see this boy had no ounce of guilt. He kept pushing the blame on his friends, a cowardly play if you'd ask him. His height allowed him to tower over him as his hand came to his shoulder, tightening his grip on Seth as the boy coward onto the metal behind him.

His words came out in stubble "Ssso"

"Sorry?, You ended her story last night" Her voice rising with every word as she thought back to those poor girls he hurt.

"What do you want from me?" His laugh this time made her snap away from the thoughts of the girls and into madness.

"Of what you did to Syndey," He was pushed down onto the contraption. The talk about being a man or an animal had vanished into thin air. The rage overtaking her. "Here, on the boat," he was pushed further onto the round metal, his body almost shrinking in fear at the sheer proximity of the woman in front of him. " in the townhouse," She grabbed his chin tilting his face upwards towards her "but not from this pathetic little insect"

"What happened to the forensic reenactment?" Seth's eyes darted between them, fear finally creeping into his expression.

"I changed my mind" she goes to turn around, her body stepping back a little to separate herself more from the perp. She needed spaces before she did something she would regret. She needed to think.

She heard the sound of metal and before she could react, she saw Elliot move out the corner of her eye.

Seth was lunging in her direction, his hand reaching for her gun. Her body tried to react, but Elliot moved faster than her mind could process. In an instant, he tackled Seth to the ground, both men crashing into the dirt. The gun flew from her holster with the help of Seth's grip, landing a few feet away in the dust. Olivia's heart pounded as she stood frozen and helpless for what felt like eternity, watching the chaos unfold before her.

A fierce struggle followed, their bodies twisting and grappling for control. The world around her seemed to vanish; all she could hear was the pounding in her ears, a constant thrum drowning out everything else. Her eyes tracked every movement, unable to tear herself away as the fight dragged on, tension tightening around her chest like a vice.

Then, time slowed. She saw Seth's hand stretch toward the gun lying dangerously close to their heads. In that moment, something inside her snapped—the wolf she had buried for so long howled to life, breaking free of the restraints she had carefully built around it. The animal taking over completely. The instinct to protect, primal and uncontrollable, surged through her, stripping away her carefully crafted veneer of control.

Before she even realized it, her body moved on its own. The sole of her boot connected with Seth's jaw in a brutal, savage arc. The sound—bone against bone, the sharp crack of impact—was deafening, yet it resonated like a twisted symphony for the beast that clawed away inside of her.

The wolf still howled though, unsatisfied, and craving more to decimate that dreadful hunger. The edge of her foot came down again, as she struck him one final time. The force of the blow sent Seth's head snapping back against the edge of the sharp blue metal as it was so dangerously close to their tussle. A loud, sickening clunk echoed in the air as his skull made contact.

It was silent.

The struggle ceased and the world around her slowly came back into focus. Elliot scrambled to his forearms, his breath coming in pants as his eyes took in the scene. No movement coming from the man beneath him. Seth lay still, his eyes wide open but unseeing. The life dimmed in his eyes with a mix of amusement and defiance, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth as he looked up at her. It was the same smirk he'd worn throughout the entire ordeal, painted on his face to stay. The rain continued to pour down, washing away the blood that started to pool beneath him.

For that moment, there was absolute nothing. Olivia stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. Seth was dead.

Elliot turned to her with his face pale, eyes filled with something between guilt and resolve."Liv—"

Before he could finish, Olivia shook her head. "We can't… This wasn't supposed to happen."

Elliot looked down at the body again, his expression grim. "He went for your gun. We had to do something."

"I didn't mean," Olivia said, her voice trembling. "He wasn't supposed to die"

Elliot got to his feet, his movements slow and deliberate. He reached out to her, his hand gripping her shoulder, grounding her in the moment. "Liv look at me" she feels his hands sliding down her arms soothing her as the panic surged through her.

The panicked look in her eyes should've scared him. He knew Liv, knew that even with her little outburst with perps here and there, this wasn't her and it definitely wasn't something they could let come to light.

"El I messed up, I wasn't even supposed to be here with him. FUCK!"

"I've got this,"

"But"

"No buts, my focus right now is to keep you safe and that's at any cost. Do you trust me?" She scoffed at his question. Of course she trusted him. Nodding her head in confirmation, she waited as he put a plan in action, knowing he would do anything to save her.

"You call Fin and tell him to meet us here with a couple things to help clean this up, " he gestured to the body lying there "Then I'll call Jet," Her eyes snapped up to him at the mention of the detective's name. "Listen, she's the only person I know that can wipe the camera's and she'll keep quiet."

"The story?" She asks the adrenaline from before slowly coming back surged by the nerves of what they had just done.

"He ran during your ride back to the precinct. Got bold, thought he could out smart a woman in power, you said he was the head person so let's say he was still strung on that high from a conversation in the car and bolted."

She looked him into his eyes, trying to get a good read on him while they processed the situation. She could see the thoughts rushing through his mind. His normal ocean blues a darker hue as if a storm has come crashing in, disturbing its peace.

He stepped forward his view blocking anything from the walking path a few feet away, he knew it was late but couldn't risk anyone stumbling upon them.

She barely noticed his movements though, only heard the low rumble of his voice as he greeted the young detective on the phone.

Knowing there was nothing else to do she followed his instructions. Her call to Fin being quick. He was the kind of man you called when you were in over your head. He was experienced, realistic, and most importantly, loyal. She knew he would be the one person to help them in this situation and when she summed it up to him, he didn't hesitate.

"I'm on my way," Fin said over the phone. " Don't do anything else till I get there."

While they waited, Olivia and Elliot stood in silence, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on them like a suffocating blanket. Olivia could hardly believe it—one moment, she was in control, and the next, everything had spiraled out of control.

She was shocked, but not in the way she thought she should be.

In all her years on the force, Olivia had never imagined she would find herself here—standing on the precipice of moral ruin, not just as a bystander but as an active participant in a cover-up for a murder. She had always prided herself on being a good cop and being fiercely protective of her integrity, on upholding the law and protecting the innocent. But now, she was complicit in a cover-up, a murder that should haunt her for the rest of her life.

But tonight, something had snapped.

It was a line she had sworn she would never cross, yet here she was, the ink of betrayal fresh on her hands.

It wasn't the first time she'd laid hands on a perp—far from it. But it had been years since she'd let her anger take control, years since she'd allowed the beast within her to surface, burying it under layers of compassion and duty.

The wolf had been dormant for so long that she had almost convinced herself it was gone. But tonight proved her wrong. The wolf had merely been sleeping, waiting for the right moment to strike, and tonight, with Seth, it had finally awakened.

She lost control with him; the wolf won that round, she knows. She came too close, teetering the edge of cataclysm, yet it shattered tonight.

It was all about choices and that's what she'd tried to tell Seth, tried to tell herself. Every day she wakes up, and she lives by the choices she's made. She denies the beast of anger that lives in her belly and she chooses to be good, and she had chosen that, but tonight; she fed that beast that's been worried deep within for all these years.

She wants to believe there's more choices than that, that there's more than two ways to be a person, to navigate this life, but sometimes, on nights like this one, the wolf howls away in her heart, and she knows.

Rather than choices, the animal inside can also go with impulse. Going on impulse wasn't something that people in their line of work were wired to do, although there were those few bad apples. You were always supposed to choose to do right, wrong was out the window, yet here she was the dedicated captain crumbling under the choices she had laid in front of her.

She was numb, the shock of what had just happened settling over her like a heavy blanket. But beneath the shock was something else—an unsettling lack of remorse.

After everything that had transpired, after everything she had done, there was no regret. Not even a flicker of guilt. Instead, there was an unsettling calmness, a sense of inevitability that terrified her more than any remorse ever could.

She wished she could say she felt bad, that there was any hint of remorse creeping through her veins but that would be a lie and the fact that she could live with it, that she could sit here and feel nothing but a cold, detached acceptance, terrified her more than any ghost ever could.

—-

After what felt like forever but was only a few minutes, Fin arrived at the park. The rain was relentless, drumming on the roof of his car as he pulled up next to Olivia's SUV. He stepped out, his body dimmed in the now flickering street lamp as he made his way towards them. The cold water instantly soaking through his clothes, but he barely noticed. When his friend, well more like sister, called him with her voice tense and clipped, he knew something had gone horribly wrong.

The details she briefly gave, sending dread throughout his body as he rushed to leave. When his focus zoned in on Olivia and Elliot standing a few feet away, their faces grim, he knew he was right.

"What the hell happened?" Fin demanded, his voice low and urgent as he approached them.

Olivia didn't answer right away. Instead, she just gestured toward the body lying in the mud. Fin's eyes followed her hand, and he felt a cold dread settle in. Seth Garrett, the perp they had just arrested, was lying dead at their feet. Just like she explained on the phone but seeing the situation with his own eyes made the reality of it punch him in the gut.

"Jesus," he muttered, running a hand over his face. "What's your story?"

"He ran during their ride back to the precinct. Got bold, thought he could outsmart a woman in power." Elliot spoke up, taking the lead in the situation. He already decided if anyone needed to feel the guilt of what happened tonight, it would be his shoulders to bear the weight. Like he told Liv already, he would do anything to protect her. " We figured since she said he was the head person we could just let's say he was still strung on that high from a conversation in the car and bolted."

"It's not too far off he was a smartass" Liv said with a scoff, almost making Fin laugh despite the circumstances.

Fin stared at him for a moment, then at Olivia, who looked like she was barely holding it together. He had known both of them for years, had seen them in some of the most intense situations imaginable. But he had never seen them like this.

"We need to cover this up," Olivia said, her voice flat, almost robotic.

"Not that I'm not agreeing but, ?" Fin looked her dead in the eye, his eyes narrowing. "You do realize what you're saying, Liv? This isn't just bending the rules. This is crossing a line we can't uncross."

"I know," Olivia said, her voice barely a whisper. "But we don't have a choice."

Fin clenched his jaw, his mind racing. He understood the stakes, understood the kind of trouble they'd be in if IAB got wind of the truth of this. But this wasn't just about protecting themselves—it was about making sure a murderer didn't walk free because of a technicality.

"Alright," Fin said finally, his voice firm. "But we need to be smart about this. No loose ends."

"I called Jet. She was the only person I know who can wipe the footage and keep quiet about it. Told her I'd give her a call back once you were here so we could have no cameras to see anything if there is any near" Elliot said walking forward ready to get the plan in action.

Fin hesitated, then nodded as he took a deep breath, his mind already working through any more possibilities. Turning into their little triangle once again, he stopped to give one more detail that could complete their story. "If they ask why you brought him here instead of going straight to the station, We'll just say he asked to go to the bathroom, that you stopped at a place that was closest that happened to be near the park. He made a run for it when we weren't looking."

"We can move him to a spot deeper into the woods of the park," He said with a huff the movement of the duffle bag in his hands catching her eye for the first time since he's shown. "Say you lost him with the rain and everything." He places it down as he starts pulling the contents out of the bag. "Send a search team out tomorrow to find him"

"Are you sure about this, Fin?" Olivia asked, her voice trembling with fear but nonetheless anxiety of being caught.

Fin looked at her, his expression unreadable. "We're all in this now, Liv. I'm not going to let you go down for this."

"Thank you," she whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

"I know it sounds bad but," he lets out a ragged sigh, " it's what we have to do" Fin said, giving Liv another long look.

"Alright I'll give another call to Jet to get the cameras done" Elliot said, already hitting the recently dialed number in his log.

It didn't take long for the detective to answer, already on alert since the last call.

"Give me a few minutes," Jet said, he could hear her fingers flying over the keyboard as she hacked into the park's security system. "I'll wipe everything clean. No one will have access to the cameras in a 5 mile radius."

"Well what if there's footage needed for other cases or something" Olivia said from the other side of El, jumping back into captain mode concerned for a fellow citizen even when her life is in shambles.

"I'll have the cameras shut down for a few days and then slowly bring them back but the ones at the park and near said bathroom will malfunction."

Olivia felt a mixture of relief and dread churning in her stomach. She knew they were doing what they had to, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow.

"It's done. There will be no trace of you there."

With the cameras taken care of, there was only one thing left to do: get rid of the body.

They wrapped Seth's body in a tarp they found in the back of Elliot's SUV, the task made all the more difficult by the rain-slicked ground and the dead weight they had to maneuver.

They continued to walk off path deep between the trees ensuring it was found in a location that matched their cover story. The rain was coming down even harder now, washing away any trace of the struggle that had just taken place. It was almost as if the universe itself was conspiring to help them cover their tracks.

Their glove ladened hands slick with mud as they positioned Seth's head by a deeply rooted rock. There was a wide tree near, the thick roots twisting up through the ground to seem as if he tripped.

It was a delicate dance, what they were doing, one misstep and everything would come crashing down. But they were in too deep now—there was no turning back.

Liv stayed behind using the rest of the things from the bag and what was left in the back of Fin's car that she asked him to bring during their call.

By the time she heard them returning, she had the spot in the park looking as if there wasn't a trace of them there.

Their hush tones send her nerves on end with her already heightened anxiety with the situation. It didn't help that they seemed to get quiet when they realized they were in her ear shot, but a quick reassuring glance from El helped simmer any awakening doubt.

"Everything good" Her low raspy voice cuts through the dead end of their conversation causing Fin to finally look in her direction. He just nodded, his usual stoic demeanor slipping for a moment as he gave her a reassuring look. "You're not alone in this. We'll make sure you're safe." With one last look at Elliot, he stepped forward to Liv and brought her into his arms feeling both of the relaxing at the act of comfort. "See you at the station"

As Fin drove off, Olivia and Elliot stood in the rain, the weight of their actions pressing down on them. They had done what they had to, but the cost was higher than either of them had anticipated.

"Liv" Elliot glanced at her, his eyes filled with concern. "Come to my place when you're done sending this in"

"El, I–" She went to protest but his hand coming up to her cheek, providing warmth and comfort in the now misty air, halted the rest of her words.

"No buts," his fingers swiped a piece of hair out of her face, the slickness of the rain helping glide him across her skin. " I'm not letting be alone tonight"

He was looking into her deeply, something that normally would've made her scoff with any other man but the pull in her gut won that war. She looked at him, searching his face for something to keep her steady within the storm that they created. She saw a little bit of uncertainty that will slowly plagued her heart but more signs of reassurance, some promise that everything would be okay. He had always been her rock, the one person she could count on no matter what.

He squeezed her shoulder gently, his expression softening. "We're in this together, Liv. We'll get through it, trust me."

"I do," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I trust you with my life."

"I can come to yours if that's better, is Noah there tonight?" She just simply nodded, settling into the comfort of his touch as his thumb kept its motion against her temple. "I can go over there while your at the station free the sitter for the night"

"Ok that sounds perfect"

Elliot pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he could protect her from the darkness that had seeped into their lives. For a moment, they just stood there, clinging to each other, the world around them forgotten.

But in the back of her mind, Olivia knew the truth. They had crossed a line, and there was no going back. The darkness they had tried so hard to keep at bay had finally found them, and there was no telling what it would do next.

"Call me when you get done"

"I will"

—-

It's well into the night when she walks into her home. Elliot sat on the couch in the stillness of her apartment, the weight of the night pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket. The dim light from the streetlamp outside barely illuminated the room, casting long, eerie shadows that seemed to mirror the darkness within.

He looked as she walked in the door into the quiet of the apartment, the tv giving off a low hum for background noise.

She's more disheveled than he's seen her since he's been back home; her hair is damp from the rain but still voluminous, wild and thick, escaping from the confines of her messily thrown up ponytail. She's wearing an NYPD jacket with wrinkles on the top where the kevlar previously sat underneath it, probably now at the station locked away. Her pants are a darker hue, still damp from the rain stuck to her like a second skin. Her gun is at her hip and her hands are shaking, but most surprising of all he can see the golden compass he gave to her glinting around her neck. It gave him hope in the midst of what they found themselves in, watching it everytime the light glimpsed at it under the streetlamps tonight. He may have given it to her for guidance, but tonight that purpose and use was transferred onto him. Every decision made tonight was through the eyes of the compass, the golden trim shining light in the darkness they found themselves surrounded in.

Fin's words are echoing in his head as they were covering their tracks back from the scene at the park.

"Take care of her"

It was something he planned to do anyways but he promised his friend nonetheless and he was going to make sure he fulfilled that promise.

"Noah's asleep"

"Good" the words somber as she slowly took off her boots. She stood by the doorway taking off the top layer of wet clothes, lost in thought he could tell. Her movements are shaking and he knows she's probably been like this since

"Liv" His voice is soft as he begins to make his way from the living room to the foyer where she stands.

"Liv, look at me " he rasps her name again causing her slow pace to halt, his voice was closer to her ear than she expected. She feels her whole body erupting in goosebumps, wondering how three letters said in that deep voice could make her so weak.

"I'm" He stepped forward, closing the gap between them as he cradled her face in his hands, tilting it up towards him

"El," Olivia began, her voice breaking, "what if this is the end? What if we've crossed a line we can't come back from?"

The memory of what she had done replayed in her mind like a twisted film, each scene more vivid and haunting than the last. But what disturbed her most wasn't the act itself; it was the realization that she felt nothing—no shame, no sorrow, just a cold, calculated acceptance. Liv leans into him, her eyes filling with tears "I just keep thinking about how I'm going to have to face everyone.. I'm supposed to be the one protecting and I feel like I failed."

El wraps his arms around her, holding her close "You didn't fail, Liv. What happened today is tragic, but we, I made the toughest calls. I made those decisions for us. You just did what you had to do, did it with more courage than anyone I know would have. It's okay to feel this way, but you can't shoulder all the blame."

She's still nestled against his chest, her words coming out mumbled as her tears soak into the cotton of his shirt "I'm just so tired, El. Tired of the weight of it all, of everything. I think I just finally caved in, I finally snapped."

He kisses the top of her head, his voice soothing "I know, baby. You don't have to carry it alone. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this together."

And he did know Now, after he sat alone in the dark, the reality of what they had done began to settle in. They had crossed a line, not just as cops but as people. They had fed the beast that had been lurking within for so long, and there was no going back.

"Let me take care of you?" his eyes pierced through hers sending a shiver through her spine as she fell deeper into the comfort they offered.

"The weight of the world is always on your shoulders and I just"

Liv grabbed his face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. It's hungry and desperate, the culmination of all the stolen glances and unspoken words from all the years past. When he slides his hands over her back and digs his fingers into her waist, it sets off a chain reaction—he tugs her hair at the nape of the neck, she bites down on his lower lip in response to the sudden pull, but frustratingly short-lived on both of their parts as Elliot pulls away.

"Liv I didn't mean," His hands came up, gripping her wrist as her thumbs continued to caress his cheekbones. "I need you to understand, I didn't come here for that. When I said I wanted to take care of you I meant that whole heartedly with nothing else attached" he offers softly, his voice so gentle she feels the warmth of it spreading through her chest at the sincerity in his statement. Knowing that what he said was true, made her want this even more. The burning desire that's always been awake inside flowing freely

"El, I know and that makes me want this more if anything, I just tonight," He watched as the pool of brown that her eyes grew darker. "Tonight I Just need to forget, I need to

Resuming the kiss from earlier with a fierce amount of passion, he eagerly kissed her back this time as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. Sparks flying as their lips met time and time again. God she felt like she was in heaven, as his strong hands roamed her back. He felt like he was in hell, because surely something that felt this good couldn't be right. They turned, her back now pressed against the wall, as his hands held her in place. She was surprised as his kiss was aggressive yet gentle, causing arousal to flood her body.

This time the kiss only being broken by the moans escaping their mouths. They stare into each other's eyes as if they're planning to consume each other, chests heaving and sweat breaking out on their skins

She can feel how turned on he is against her stomach, she brushes her cheek against his, her voice gentle but full of arousal. "Please I need you now, make me forget."

They moved at the same time. Him grabbing her hips and turning her around as they began to walk out of the open foyer, and down the hallway. They stumbled inside her room together, and Elliot shut the door behind them. "Just make sure to keep quiet, don't want to wake up Noah"

Eagerly, his lips crash back down on hers, her face cradled by his hands as his fingers weave through her hair, and she let her hand roam the expanse of his chest.

He moans a little as her fingers find the buttons on his Henley, his hands find the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head after she unbuttoned the first couple and tossing it to the floor with hers.

She takes a deep breath while her hands go to open his pants and finally pull them down as much as she can, using her feet to help guide them the rest of the way as they continue to swallow each other whole.

She stifled a moan as he sucked on her lower lip, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. He's wrenching her shirt from the hem of her pants, his fingers itching for the heat of her skin.

Under other circumstances he would usually take his time lifting the fabric over her head, getting lost in everything that is Olivia but that would just have to wait. The beast that's awakened inside him tonight raging at the peak of her tanned creamy skin and growing feral at the glimpse of deep red of her bra.

"Let me?" He states rather than asks, his eyes shining brighter than they ever have. Olivia looks back up, chocolate brown meeting ocean blue in a gaze so loving, she thinks she might cry. It was a simple statement that brought a tender feel to the moment, slowing down the

"Yes." She takes her hand away from the clasp. Her body scorched as she felt Elliot's hand reach behind her and unclasped it, letting it fall free from her arms and exposing her to him.

Once the garment was off of her she gasped as his mouth enclosed around her bard nipple. He paid attention to both breasts, turning her on even more with each flick of his tongue, and nip with his teeth. She tips of her nails scraped down the back of his head, holding him in place as she fought to keep her moans contained.

He was rock hard. The blazing attraction he feels towards her is undeniable. He had a wet spot on his briefs from where he was leaking precum and he ached in the confinement of the thin fabric as he touched her soft skin.

She surprised him then and he felt himself falling back against the mattress as she took full control. He was used to being the one in control in most things of his life. Tonight though, he was drowning in her and couldn't look away. He smiled as he laid in front of her shimmying up the bed further to her pillows, making her chuckle in the moment before climbing onto the bed slowly

Her kisses were soft but sure as she moved her body upward sliding against him, teasing him and pulling out sensations he'd never felt before.

"Touch Me" She gasps as his hand snakes its way beneath the fabric that's nearly there, his fingers gliding through her folds. One hand leaving imprints on his shoulder, the other free hand gripping the bed sheet.

"Fuck, you're already so wet, Liv." He growls, his mouth swapping to the other breast to give it the same feels her head swim, she's growing wetter by the second as she's surrounded by him. His moans elicit a soft whimper from her. God she needs him.

Her mind began going to her being pinned under him, his arms flexing as he held himself above her while continuing to work his hand below, kissing her lips, leading kisses down her neck and collarbone, going down even further…

It's almost as if he read her mind, his body playing out the actions that just flashed behind her eyes, flipping them over until she nestled against the soft plush pillows below. He made his way down her body kissing every inch of her skin, connecting each freckle with the slickness of his tongue along the way. He didn't stop his sensual game until he settled between her legs, eyeing his fingers as they continued to pump in and out of her with ease. Wanting a better view, he grabs what little fabric was covering her core and swiftly tugs it from her body. He couldn't help but smile as she lifted her hips to help him get her out of them, finally leaving nothing to his imagination.

He felt her wetness seeping out of her, remnants dripping off his hand and coating a spot on the bed from just how turned on she was. She was glistening, dripping wet for him. Her tanned body sprawled out on her bed, her hair fanning up over the covers. Her legs widen, opening more so he can get an even better view. She lifts her head and props herself up on her elbows, desperate to watch his every move.

He leans down and licks her inner thigh slowly, still working his fingers at his steady pace, kissing his way down until he reaches the apex of her thigh leaving a mark in his wake. He follows the same steps with her other thigh, loving the low moans he's drawing out of her, before moving his head down taking a long lick right through her center.

She cries out, and he grins from there. "Just getting started." She's sweeter than anything he's ever heard of in his life, and he savors the taste of her on his lips

Olivia gripped her hands in the sheets as his mouth latched onto her clit. "Fuck, Elliot…"

The moans oozing from her mouth spurred him on, making him wonder just how many more sounds he can draw from her that they'll have to muffle. He sucked down on the swollen bud, and pushed his fingers into her harder, faster. Delving into her like it's his last meal and starving for more.

Olivia muffles her cry out of "Yes…" Still mindful of his warning from earlier while her hands were busy holding the back of his head. "God, El…. Your mouth feels… Ah…"

Elliot fluttered his tongue against her clit, before lapping at her lips. Her body moved to be closer to him, his mouth, his hands. More contact, more friction. Her body was begging to come, to release all the tension built up.

"Come for me, baby." He covered her with his mouth and swirled his tongue over and over and over. Her back began to arch into his mouth and he pounded his hand into her.

She cried out above him as she came, several powerful squirts accompanying it landing in his beard and on his chest and the bed.

Elliot licked her slit from bottom to top once more, placing a soft kiss across her pussy and along her thighs . His fingers slowed before he let them slip out of her as he pulled away. Sitting up, drew his fingers into his mouth, making sure that every drop of her was licked clean from them. He felt proud of himself and not bothered to wipe his mouth clean with the back of his hand. Wanting her to be soaked into his skin loving the feel of being marked by her, being staked as hers.

He feels her hands pull at his shoulders bringing him back down to the bed on his back. "Elliot I need you:"

He had waited so long to hear those words come out of her mouth, he almost ruined it before it started. Breathing through his nose he calmed himself and quickly got rid of the last article of clothing that was left separating them. When Elliot rejoins her, she props herself up on her elbows again and takes her moment to take in his body in all of its naked glory. He blushes a little bit, as he goes to lean back against the bed resting against the pillows, taking his shaft into his hand, giving it a gentle pump.

"Take what you need from me." His voice low and husky.

As she lifted herself up, tossed her hair over her shoulder and slowly lowered herself onto him- it was like the world had stopped. While he was far from a virgin, a sin he dipped his toe into far too many times, this was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before.

She felt the familiar pinch, pain mixing with the pleasure as her walls stretched for him. Her face grimaced, and he looked at her with concern. "You ok."

"Fine. Been a while. Just need a second." She slowly began rocking, adjusting to him with every stroke. His fingers gripped her thighs as he watched her begin to ride him, setting a slow but steady pace.

She slowly picked up pace, riding him with vigor. He looked at her, hands back, breast bouncing freely as she took from him. It was the most beautiful sight he had seen.

Her hands slid up and under his, her nails clinging to the muscles in his back. He tips his head back falling deeper into the pillows, offering himself to her, pliant under the warmth of her palm.

He let out a sound akin to a growl as her nails scraped the back of his neck beckoning forward to open his mouth to her. She kisses him fearlessly, her hands trailing up from his chest to his shoulders and neck, anchoring his body to hers, urging him to touch her with the same fierceness. She pants against him when she finally breaks the kiss, their pupils blown wide as their reddened lips continue to slide over each other, not quite ready to stop the contact.

In all his life, he had never experienced this before. This wasn't just sex. This - this was making love and he truly understood the difference. Yes he was married before but, just the simple touch of Liv against him felt like home.

The only sounds in the room were the sounds of their moving bodies and the harsh breaths that left their lips, the whimpers of pleasure as she moved over him. He'd never seen her look so beautiful, so sexy, so full of power because she was powerful. She just didn't realize it. She was everything, everything good in this world and he would do anything to protect her from everything and everyone.

She was holding him close, her eyes boring into his, looking at him like he was the most important thing in her life. Like she adored him, trusted him, loved him. He stared at her, wide-eyed, and felt so overwhelmed with emotions. He wanted to keep her here, keep them in this place where nothing could hurt them. He watched as she leaned forward, her fingers wrapping around the back of his neck before kissing him, connecting them in every possible way.

"That's it baby"

"Fuck El " There's a pounding in her heart like thunder, her blood racing through her veins; behind her closed eyelids she sees two wolves, together, running silently through a forest.

"I need" Her words come out broken by the pants and moans she tries to stiffly by biting her lips.

"What baby tell me what you need" His hands palming her ass as he helps guide her through her faltered movements.

"Fuck, More, I need more" the look in her eyes almost pleading behind the fire that buried there. "Get behind me"

Not wasting a moment he shifted her off onto the bed pulling her hips into the air as he positioned himself behind her. He grabbed the pillow from beside her head and placed it beneath her.

"Bite into the pillow if you need to scream ok" his words was sealed with a kiss to her ear,

He entered her swiftly, grabbing her hips as he drove into her in deep hard thrust. . They both gasped at the sensation, the feeling of him buried so far within her that they felt like one. He slammed his hips back and forth, his hands gripping her hips for dear life as he set a punishing pace.

He never faltered before pulling her body upward changing the angle. His pace is brutal, sweat breaking out on their foreheads and chests. She feels holy, as if she's finally alive, her skin erupting in shivers and her voice breaking at the end of each deep, hearty moan, reaching a high pitch when he hits just right. He turned her face towards him as he thrust in and out of her, "Olivia…look at me."

His mouth was near her ears, his breath coming out in sharp puffs. "Thats it baby, I've got you. I've got you" those three words nearly drawing tears from her eyes.

He continued hard thrust, as he fist her hair in his hands, pulling her head back. He suckled her neck, sure to leave a love bite but he didn't care. His name becomes a mantra she repeats as he draws out pleasure from her, as if he knows her body like a map, each thrust a prayer sent to heaven. A cry for repentance as they shed the sin with every drip of sweat conjured between them.

They both tried to breathe in between short kisses, the gasps, the moans, and growls of pleasure. They both felt it building, felt the sweet taste of release here in his bed, where it had all started. The emotions of it all, the understanding of what this moment meant.

He smirked, linking his eyes with her hooded ones with his voice raspy with emotion. "So much better than what I had imagined." HE leaned down and licked behind her ear, suckling on her pulse until he felt her start to quiver a little. "So wet, so tight."

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes grew wide as she felt it nearing, felt the explosion from her toes to the top of her head. Every part of her body was overstimulated and it felt like little fires burning across her body, little flames that he ignited but also tamed as his beast went wild inside too. She cried out into the mattress below him as she came, the wolf inside her coming free again, its claws leaving blood-redden marks on the skin of his hands as she clung on tight for dear life.

His jaw was tense, clenched, his teeth biting into his lower lip as he still moved within her despite how her body pulsed around him, pulling him in, "Elliot, let go."

—-

They lay in silent bliss for what feels like hours.

He has bite marks on his forearms, half moon-shaped marks on his shoulders, and heightened red scratches on his back as souvenirs from the passion they succumbed too. Her marks aren't far from his, faint bruising on her breasts and inner thighs, ones that will soon darken within the next couple hours. He leaned back to look at her. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, her messy hair thrown up, and little wavy tendrils framing her flushed cheeks. She was so fucking beautiful. Sighing softly, he shook his head and pressed his hand into her lower back, holding her tight.

This was all he wanted, all he'd ever wanted, right here in his arms.

All the years and moments before, it was safer to stay away, to build that damn brick wall and keep it between them. But slowly they had taken it down, brick by brick and she'd even let him. She'd let him in. Let him start see the vulnerable parts of herself that wasn't just reserved for Olivia the Cop, be open to loving her, and make her feel worth something, make her feel like she mattered.

Each of their own minds in their own little world, recalling the events of tonight under the post orgasmic haze. They silently agreed to never speak of that night again, not to each other, not to anyone. It was their secret, a bond forged in blood and guilt. But it was also a curse, one that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

In the end, the darkness was a part of them, a stain on their souls that could never be washed away. And as they continued to walk the thin blue line between right and wrong, they knew that they would always be just one step away from falling into the abyss.

And in the quiet moments, when the noise of the world faded away, and they could still hear Seth's mocking laughter, a reminder that no matter how far they tried to run, they could never escape the darkness they had let in.