The Protector

Plea

Gibbs scoffed a chuckle. "Why is it that Dinozzo is the one to always get into these situations?"

"Because he's Tony." I shrugged. "Do you really need any more reasons?"

"Suppose not." Gibbs leaned forward placing his beer on the coffee table. "About earlier with Lisa.."

"I get it, you had dinner plans and she was upset." I offered him a smile. "Don't worry about it."

"Alex, sh-"

"Leave it." My tone had gone down to a whisper. "Please, it's hard enough being here. Digging into whatever this may be, will do neither of us any good. You know that. I don't want you to end up getting hurt and I don't want to get hurt." I made my way to the back door, glancing out into the backyard. "Let us just leave things as they are for now. I'll see you in the morning."

I wasn't sure where I was going, but I couldn't be in the same house as he was. His scent alone was making my system go in overdrive. My restraint was close to snapping and crossing that invisible line. By the time I looked up, I found myself at a small cliff over a creek. The place looked rather familiar. Then it clicked, this was where we did our pack trials. I was so lost in thought I hadn't realized I walked down here.

'Out for a stroll?' Ned approached from behind, taking a seat beside me.

I nodded my head. 'Sleep hasn't come easy for me these past months. These nocturnal walks have become my dear friends.'

He chuckled. 'Why not spend them with your mate?'

'I don't think Nathan and I are in the best spot at the moment.' I had noticed a lot of distance between me and him. He was still there when I needed or called for him. But that was as far as the course went.

The larger wolf laid down, his paws dangling over the cliff's edge. 'Listen, Nathan's not that complicated to understand. All his life he has come second. Not something I have wanted him to endure, but that's pack life. No matter what he did or how well he accomplished something, our parents never saw him for who he was. I tried being there for him. Showed up at every major event in his life, but I was never enough.'

'Why are you telling me this?'

'So you can understand him.' Ned whispered. 'Nathan had given up on love. He had given up on ever feeling the approval or love of someone he cared about. When he learned about Mates, he got some of that hope back. He always talked about her. How she will love him unconditionally and he to her. When he met Aaron's mom he was infatuated with her. It wasn't love, just the want for someone to care for him.'

'I haven't exactly been the most caring mate.' I mumbled. 'Hell, he is always the one to instigate things between us.'

Ned nodded. 'I am not saying you are a bad mate or that you don't love him. But in the end, you have put everyone before him. Especially Gibbs.' He was quick to put a pause on my response. 'I get it, he is also your mate. But at the end of the day, you are mated to Nathan. You are carrying his pups.'

Ned was right in a way. 'But how can I not put Gibbs ahead? Nathan is a strong male. Alpha to a pack, he doesn't need protection. Gibbs and the others are humans. They can easily be killed.'

'So can we Alex.' He whispered. 'Look at Eyal. For trying to help that human, he nearly died in an alley. The man has been through enough in his lifetime. But because of what that human was to his mate, he helped. Eyal almost lost the chance to meet his pups.' He sat back up, his dark gaze overlooking the creek. 'I hate to say this, seeing how much they all mean to you, but this needs to stop. You and Ziva need to put some distance between the humans.'