The Protector

How it all began.

ENJOY!

Director Vance walked down the long hallway looking left to right. As of now, he was looking for the newest member for Gibbs team. He figured it was the only thing missing to complete the unique team. Vance was just about to give up when he reached the final caged. It had a red sign attached on the door that read 'Aggressive', inside laid a large red and black body. If he had to guess, he'd say it was a shepherd.

Vance turned to the man behind him. "What's the story behind this one?"

"She was picked up during a swat raid. Although if you are looking for a working dog, she is not the one for you." The man said, giving the dog a dirty look.

"And why is that?" Vance asked, something about this animal had him intrigued.

"Well for starters she is not a full-blooded dog. According to our vets, she is a high content wolf." Vance gave him an 'Explain' look. "She has more wolf blood in her than a dog. Second, you want a stable animal, one that will follow orders, and not bite the hand that feeds her."

Vance nodded looking back at the dog. He really couldn't care less about what he had to say. "Get her up."

The man huffed but did as ordered. Walking up to the door he rattled it, causing her to jump. Vance rolled his eyes, of course, she'd hate him if he did that every time.

He was now able to get a good look at her. He was mistaken before the wolf was a mixture of red, black, and white. The red and black ran all through her back, stopping just at her shoulders. Her legs were white with gray mixed in there. The top of her head was just like her back, only the top was red and black. The markings stopped halfway on her snout, leaving it all white except in the middle of her chest, which had a black misshaped half-moon.

Vance kneeled down in front of the cage, smirking at the way she snarled at him. 'Oh yeah, she'll fit right in.'

Little did Vance know the so call wolf hybrid was actually a 27-year-old trapped inside. Her alpha had injected her with enough silver to keep her trapped in her form for no less than a year and that was just last week.

"I'll be taking her." Vance said in a no-argument tone. The man shook his head, mumbling something that sounded like 'crazy feds'. Vance glanced back down at the wolf. "Well looks like you will soon be an NCIS K-9." With that Vance walked out following the man into the office to sign off the paperwork. For now, she will be under his name, but soon it will be changed to one of the team members. After all, was filled and sign Vance shook the man's hand. "An officer will come by to pick her up later today for training." The man nodded telling him he'll have her ready. With a thank you Vance left.

Alex paced the kennel, she hated being locked up like some wild animal. Okay, she was an animal, but not wild. Sometimes. So she bit the man. He had it coming. I mean what would you do if someone just started manhandling you? Sit back and take it? or bite them?

Alex tensed at the sound of their caretaker's keys jiggling; the guy was alright when not trying to get her pissed off. She eyed him as he kneeled down in front of her kennel.

"Looks like you got lucky; let's just hope you don't get killed in the line of duty." The man smirked. "Since you will be the first they send in most of the time." Alex growled at him. "Watch it! You still have a couple of hours with me." He smiled proudly as she quickly stopped the growling.

The day went on with nothing major happening, people walking in and out, same with dogs. At one point someone tried adopting her which led to an argument as the customer even offered money for her.

Alex laid on her side waiting to get the hell out of there when the sound of her door opening had her jumping to her feet, tail wagging. Growling when the man placed a muzzle on her, but the harder she protested, the tighter he made it. Behind him stood another man in a navy uniform, probably in his early 30 with a leash in his hand. Alex knew he was here to take her away. Stopping her struggle she allowed the muzzle and harness to be placed on her, followed by the leash and being led out of the building. The ride was short-lived as they arrived in what she knew was the navy base.

Alex was seriously getting dizzy at seeing the same colors over and over. The car stopped next to a small building. The smell and barking told her this was her training facility. The petty officer pulled her out of the car and into the building, only to the lined up kennels. Dogs barking and jumping against the caged doors. She knew her scent alone would drive them mad. She stopped walking, not wanting to be put back into a kennel.

'No! I don't want to!' Alex yelled, but all he heard was snarling and growls. He figured she was simply retaliating at the dogs. She yelped at the stinging feeling on her nose. 'Di-did you just flicked me on the nose!?' Alex growled the whole way she was pulled and tossed into the kennel. 'Great back in the slammer.' Huffing she paced the steel cage for about an hour snapping at the dog next to her whenever he tried sniffing her. Bored she decided sleep would be the best thing to do.

For the past week it was non-stop training, scenarios of chase downs, search and rescue, drug and weapon search and recovery, Etc.

At one point she was given five shirts, all with different smells. The first one smelt way too much of cologne, mint, and...sex? It made her scrunch up her nose in disgust. The second one was a female-alpha female-she had a distinctive scent, one of desert and breeze, along with a pint of lavender. The third was a male, young, he smelled of nervous sweat and of expensive cologne 'Hugo boss if I'm not mistaken'. She had always loved that smell. The fourth had her curious it smelled like a hospital, but it had a wild smell as well, almost as if someone had smashed all the shirts together. Alex had to admit she kinda liked it. The last shirt had her rolling and sleeping in it, why you ask? She had no clue! It was coffee, old spice, and sawdust. Somehow those three things mashed so well together and somehow it made her feel safe. She grew to find comfort in almost all the smells, she refused anyone from taking them away.

At one point during the cleaning of the kennels, a rookie tried to take the shirts away. It earned himself a pissed-off wolf hovering over him. Alex had noticed the senior Marines laughing at the poor boy, then it clicked they had tricked him into doing this 'So they like scaring kids do they?'

Growling softly, she sneaked her way over to them and waited until they sobered up a bit. Then she made her jump tackling one and snapping at his face. With a nasty snarl, she jumped off the fallen man and stood over the fallen boy 'He is mine! I dare you to mess with him again!' The Marines slowly stood up, making a hasty escape.

Alex turned to the boy giving him a lick on the cheek 'I am sorry, didn't mean to scare you.' Although all he heard was whimpering. Alex grabbed the shirts and dropped them in his lap and allowed him to finish the cleaning.

The boy would come over every day and simply sit with her. He'd either talk or simply read her whatever book he had. She enjoyed them, his gentle voice was soothing and relaxing. It also became clear to the others, that he was not to be messed with.

But that all ended when her time to leave came. He was there to say bye to her. Alex gave him the shirts in return, hoping he would find the same comfort she did. Giving him one last lick just before the leash and muzzle were placed on her.

"Come girl, time to meet your new team." The officer said leading her out of the building and into the car. As usual, the car ride ended too soon for her, she might be a human trapped inside a wolf body, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy sticking her head out the window. They pulled up into a parking structure, jumped out of the car and into an elevator.