Detective Elliot Stabler arrives on the scene of a murder to find a young woman brutally killed, and carrying a rare bird species found dead in her purse. Dr. Melinda Warner comes back with some startling evidence - the saliva found in the cuts on the victim's body shows she was mauled by a tiger. Oscar Assadorian leads the detectives to the victim's twin sister, Anna Bleers who in turn leads the detectives to Hip Hop artist, Gots Money. Gots, who admits to working for an animal smuggling ring, agrees to go undercover with Detective Stabler to catch the smugglers, Andre Bushido and Tybor. But when Detective Olivia Benson poses as a prostitute to help out her partner undercover, Detective Stabler finds himself wounded and his marriage in disarray.

Detective Olivia Benson is put to the test when pregnant Corporal Jessica Crewes disappears from her post as a Marine, and is about to give birth to her rapist's child. When Jessie is found dead in the trunk of her car, Navy Commander Grant Marcus attempts to take over proceedings, but Detective Benson and ADA Kim Greylek must fight together and stand their ground to keep the case within the SVU squad. With flashbacks of sexual assault, Detective Benson soon realizes that her past may stir up painful emotions that threaten her ability to remain professional, and enlists the help of Detective Odafin Tutulola to find Jessie's killer.