Chapter Text
" Introduction to the new enclosure has commenced."
"Prepare automatic release mechanism, focus cameras 014-017 on the east gate."
"Steady… this is it, folks. A new start."
Rem could hear the clicking of keyboards and shuffling papers as their team bustled about in preparation, feeling an equal measure of excitement and stomach churning nerves.
Their newest project was about to commence.
All around them was a stretch of wilderness as close to untamed as one could get; no four corners or walls to restrict and restrain, no artificial sun and whirring AC units monitoring temps, no staff needed to scrub down enclosures or release captive prey anymore. It took a lot of patience and funding- more than a few favors too- but Rem looked upon Project: SEED's newest wildlife preserve with a newfound appreciation. A sizable chunk of territory protected by both private and government officials, and fenced in with maximum protection for the critically endangered species within.
" Subject Punisher: 001 has been released. Establishing territory and providing scent markers is crucial. Monitor for further action."
The cage slips open with a mechanical click, and Wolfwood is all but bounding into the woods with a confused grimace, still mildly sedated from the transport. The massive Grey Wolf hybrid turned on his heels and snarled at the cage which held him, before immediately taking off, beginning the process of scenting the new territory and working to locate any trace of familiarity within. It isn't long before he's catching wind of something, sprinting off in the direction which it originated from.
Exactly to plan.
" Subject Punisher has found the scent trails leading towards Subjects Humanoid Typhoon and Millions Knives. En route towards their location."
The only downside to a larger swath of land was the lack of active surveillance they could manage. Aside from a series of cameras both inside and out of the enclosure, Rem leant against her desk and listened to the radio closely, relying on the rangers to update her on progress. They'd had strict orders for limited interaction with the population, yet some human intervention was necessary to keep things running smoothly.
She must look as frazzled as she feels, because it isn't long before Ranger Head Luida approaches with a cup of coffee in hand.
"Long night, Doctor Saverem?" The woman asks, the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes crinkling kindly once Rem gratefully accepts the cup, "I can't blame you for being jittery! This is a pretty big change for the pups."
Rem's sigh spoke volumes at the level of weariness they'd all felt.
"It really has been a wild couple of months since the project was approved, and now, we've got a whole nature preserve? I could hardly sleep waiting for the big day!" she lamented, turning the styrofoam cup within her palms. It warmed the chill to her fingers, as the remote location bordered between temperate forest and chilled arctics. A fine midpoint for the two species.
The radio cracked to life again, with Ranger Brad's gruff voice on the other end.
" Subject Punisher has found the Omega brothers' cage. Stampede is awake and aware enough to respond positively, yet Knives is still groggy. Showing signs of aggression late in pregnancy ."
Luida was particularly interested in this, leaning over the monitor to switch their feed once more. Cycling through the cameras until they could both see the aforementioned cage. It was as padded as can be with their old nesting materials, keeping the Arctic wolves as comfortable as possible through the transition. It had been enough of a gamble moving them as is- what with both brothers being confirmed in late stage pregnancy, expecting another litter in little more than a few week's time.
With the previous puppies rapidly outgrowing their nest, it was a hasty decision to expand their territory rather than remove the children from their parent's pack.
"I'm amazed Knives has managed to retain enough energy to be so grumpy," Luida comments, smiling at the paler hybrid's antics, "He gave our handlers quite the scare. Pretended to be fully tranquilized before attempting an escape. He's a smart one."
"Hah, well, leave it to Knives to always be one step ahead of us. That's the way he's always been- even as a puppy himself," Rem sighed, though there was nothing but fondness in her gaze.
The monitor revealed the scene; Wolfwood circled the perimeter with his ears perked and nose lifted, scanning for any danger, crouched low to the ground. Both out of respect for his mates locked behind the cage's bars, and to gauge if there were any predators nearby to threaten the vulnerable pair. Both brothers were heavily pregnant by this stage. Between a lack of familiarity with their environment and contact aggression, Knives all but snarled when Wolfwood approaches, fur bristling. Only soothed by the soft murmur of Vash, holding his older brother close.
It took a few minutes of tension before Knives managed to relax, allowing to approach close enough for Wolfwood to offer his wrist. The Omega took a few deep, huffing breaths of their Alpha's scent, before grogginess set in at the recognition of his mate. He slumps back against Vash, guard lowering enough for the team to feel satisfied.
"Did you want the honors of releasing the brothers, Miss Saverem?"
The offer made her smile back at Luida. Shifting the cup of coffee to her other hand, Rem rose from her seat and moved towards the control panel, feeling jittery from nerves. This was it. The culmination of their research and hard work finally coming to fruition. It was easy to reminisce upon all the turmoil and effort that brought them to this moment, the highs and the lows along the way. Her hand hovered at the release latch of the cage, taking a moment to close her eyes and breathe.
Alex would have been so, so proud to see how far they've come.
Rem disengages the lock with that comfort in mind, allowing the doors to slide open at last, the entire team watching the reunion of the mated pairs. Wolfwood all but rushes into the cage to dote upon both of his Omegas- nuzzling under Vash's chin and scooping the smaller into his arms, before his claws work tenderly through Nai's hair, keeping the elder twin rested upon Vash's lap. Helping to ease the tension and uncertainty weighing them down. The relief is palpable as their team gives a short round of applause, no longer worried over the threat of nonrecognition aggression.
" Well, that could have gone a hell of a lot worse," Brad teases over the radio," I'll make my way to the last contact point. Y'all better let me know when Papa and Mamas decide to leave their love nest."
There was only one cage left to go.
"Well, guess that's our cue. We better make sure we keep close eyes on them through the cameras. The stakes are always higher whenever we involve the puppies," Luida mumbles, "Can everyone pull up cameras 023 through 027? Granted they don't deviate from a straight path, it'll follow the scent trail that leads them right towards their pups."
There's the murmur of agreement, before the waiting game begins.
Not everything could be excitement and action after all.
It takes a solid two hours more before Knives begins to stir at all, let alone roll himself onto his front to stretch. The cage itself has become cramped from the extended period spent inside. They take their time in actually shuffling out- Stampede taking the lead, immediately honing in on the scent of their pack. He circles the ground a few times, clearly ready to go as his nose wiggles and tail flicks in anticipation. He manages to walk the perimeter of their cage three times before Punisher emerges as well, helping to support a very unsteady Knives, who looks a few moments away from being motion sick.
" Alright Brad, mommies and pops have left the cage. Keep on your toes out there."
On their camera feed, Ranger Brad gives a thumbs up from the bushes.
He was far enough out of the way to avoid a direct path with the hybrids, cautious and aware of their surroundings, yet close enough to monitor the family reunion in case something goes awry.
"Alright, team. This is vital. The pups are caged close to the cave formations that we believe our Arctic Omegas will prefer for nesting. We'll be releasing them right before the parents arrive on the scene to help alleviate stress on the dams. Much like the introduction to Punisher when we'd first begun the project, we are trying to slowly expose them to their territory," Rem explains, "So far they've only seen a fraction, and we hope to keep them isolated on the far side of the river until they settle. That's priority number one for the first week."
A murmur of understanding came from the crew, and all eyes remained on the cameras to watch the scene unfold.
Seven little hybrids tumbled around in their cage, the whole pack of them bundled in the remains of their nest.
Weaned off of milk and rapidly outgrowing their enclosure, it was amusing to see the chubby pups beginning to show their personalities, active and playful as can be. The biggest girl and Knive’s firstborn- dubbed Elendria Crimson Nail- was proving to be the leader of the herd. Keeping her siblings in line and constantly nipping at them with little barks, a young leader in herself. She looked after the smaller ones when her parents were away… and basked in the attention whenever she got it, acting innocent as can be despite her rougher nature.
The twin gray wolves, dubbed Eros and Apollo, were a perfect mix of Typhoon and Punisher. Golden blonde hair and dark skin, with speckles of moles and patches of dark fur littered between. The boys took after Typhoon with their constant energy, despite easily being the runts of the litter. One mischievous and sneaky, the other hyperactive and energetic.
The younger four pups had been slower to come into their personalities- with three following the lead of their dam, Knives. The elder twin kept a tight leash on their pups compared to Typhoon's passive and easygoing parenting style, which made for an amusing mix of personality in the litters. Lily the quietest grey wolf pup, Daisy the outgoing troublemaker, Camellia the calmest of the bunch, and Wisteria being the youngest arctic male to the litter with a very nervous personality.
They were all getting rowdy from being caged for so long, and it came as a relief to finally see their parents approaching down the path, eager to be reunited with their young.
“We've got sight of the parents both over camera and in person; ready the latch and power up the door, let's wrap this up for the night and let them all settle down!” Rem announces over the bustle of excitement from her crew, already beginning to organize her notes back into their folders and sort through all the new ones they'd taken.
Of course the crackle of Brad’s radio stopped her in her tracks.
" Guys, we got a problem. Latch ain't releasing remotely for the pups. Cage is dead on energy."
Hearing Brad's voice only confirmed their fears- no matter how they pressed the button or attempted to connect to their servers, the cage refused to budge. The attendant at their computer was trying to reconnect, but even Rem felt a bit of apprehension at how close Knives and Vash were getting, speeding up at the yips and barks from their puppies.
"If we can't release them, it'll only stress the parents out more to have their young out of reach," Rem spoke, hovering over their shoulders as the cage refused to budge. Beeping red with each failed connection. Apparently, they were taking too long for the Ranger's comfort, as with a wave of his hand Brad was emerging from his hiding place and moving towards the cage with a grimace. In his hands was a non-lethal tranquilizer and a flare gun, but Luida seemed just as hesitant.
"Brad, what are you doing? The parents are incoming! Your safety is a priority in situations such as these."
" I got time. We gotta make sure the squirts don't get spooked too- I'm not tranquilizing moms and pop to do this later. It's the best course of action right now."
"Can we send someone to distract the parents? Perhaps release some food to act as bait?"
"You think they'd be looking to hunt when they can smell their babies nearby?"
In all of the commotion happening in the Ranger's shack, Brad manages to approach the cage while crouched low to the ground, remaining on the far side as the pups within squeak and whine in confusion. None of them have had direct contact with people yet- Elendria keeps her fur puffed and eyes narrowed, but otherwise Brad is able to successfully throw the hatch and yank on the heavy steel doors, working on dragging them open with most of his strength.
“ Fuck, no wonder these things didn't budge! Someone's teeth had knawed the joints together and fried the electronics inside. What are these fuckers eating, nails for breakfast ?”
Once the door was opened wide enough for his liking, Brad was backing away from it with both hands held out. A placating gesture to the nestlings. For such young pups, he'd almost find it impressive how Elendria snapped at his fingers right before they were out of reach! Baring her teeth at the unfamiliar human, and keeping her brothers and sisters back with a few swooshes of her knobby tail.
“ Okay, all clear. Pups will be able to squeeze out. How much time I got?” Bras asked, only for the crackle of his radio to blare in his ear with multiple different frequencies.
Too many crews had tried to use the radio to warn him at once, and Brad’s stomach dropped when he realized all the warnings were walked on, not until Luida’s shout had cut through the static.
“ Get out of there now!”
He'd been about to turn fully and run right back to his hiding spot, covered by foliage and close enough to their van to act as protection, when the sound of broken snarling had the ranger frozen in his tracks.
Because right across the clearing- with dark eyes honed directly on him- was The Punisher himself.
There was something surreal about seeing the sheer size of a wild Hybrid up close. Domesticated varieties often had been bred down to be smaller and more manageable than their wild bred counterparts- but Nicholas D. Wolfwood was over six feet of rippling muscle and dark fur, still managing to come up to Brad’s shoulders when crouched upon all fours. Pacing a slow circle that cut the human off from his escape route, as well as the other rangers panicked in the bushes. He can see the crew ready to burst through and prepare their tranquilizers- but before they could aim and make the situation any worse, he's holding up a hand to them and crouching into as non-threatening of a stance as he can.
“Don't shoot em! Seriously- don’t fucking shoot! His wives will goddamn maul me if the big brute himself doesn't reach me first before going down!” Brad hisses into the receiver, before lowering his own gun and keeping his hands spread out. Letting the massive Alpha wolf see that he was neither challenging him, nor showing any aggression to him or his pups.
Because right behind him, he can hear the matching snarl of the other two parents.
With Vash the Stampede already squeezed into the cage to gather up their pups, it was just Brad’s luck that Millions Knives was the one to approach him from behind, shielding his brother and pups from the unfamiliar human. And he didn't give a shit if Omegas were supposed to be the most docile of the castes- Knives was the exact opposite of anything considered soft, and that wasn't including the fact he was hyped up on enough maternal hormones to make him all the more unpredictable.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Brad feels sweat beading down his neck despite the cold chill running through him.
On the other side of the enclosure, Rem was making a frantic phone call to Doctor Conrad while Luida took control of her rangers.
“Get the others on scene into the van and intercept! Just because you can't shoot, it doesn't mean you can't drive! Pick him up!” She shouts into the radio set, watching as the other rangers on standby quickly file into the vehicle and rev the engine to life. The only downside? They'd parked in the thickest of the brush, and it was taking too much time to back the bulky jeep out from where it had parked, and even trickier with the slick ice and uneven terrain. By now she could have bitten to her nail beds watching both sets of cameras- would it be that the rangers get to Brad on time, or would Millions Knives and Nicholas make good on their threat to attack?
Often in times of crisis, panic made the need for split-second decisions, especially crazy ones.
“Doctor Conrad, I need you to lower the gate between enclosure A and B on your end and sound the siren, right now ,” Rem announces into the receiver of her phone, tone leaving no room for argument for the co-founder of their nature preserve, “ Yes, I’m completely sure. The plan has changed. I will not be putting any more rangers in crisis today, not for our mistakes. There's only one thing that will keep Nicholas distracted long enough to rescue Brad.”
It was a gamble, but they were well and truly out of options, and Rem couldn't recall a tenser minute in the entirety of her life.
As per her orders, the fence adjacent to the riverbed began to lower in a blaring of emergency sirens. The noise itself had drawn both wolves’ attention momentarily- Nicholas turning on his heel and whipping his head towards the flashing lights, and Knives torn between keeping his eyes on Brad or stepping closer to his now-frightened pack. Hearing the panicked whimpers and sad cries of their puppies, the noise something completely new and scary to their sensitive ears… he’s forced to back down and instead help Vash in gathering up their scattered pups.
His twin had Eros and Apollo clutched in his one arm, and Wisteria held by the scruff in his teeth. That left his daughters to scramble in a blind panic- Lily and Camellia huddled in a fearful ball until Knives can scoop them into his arms, barking a sharp order for Daisy to stay close by his side.
That left Elendria as the last pup, and Knives didn't think twice to scoop the fiery pup up into his teeth before she could try and charge towards Brad, refusing to let any of their puppies come to harm.
“Brad, now! Start running towards the fence! The car’s going to turn the corner any second!” Luida barked out over the walkie talkie, gripping it hard enough to nearly crush the plastic in her hold. Heart pounding as that split second of distraction allowed Brad to snatch his gun and toss it onto his shoulder in a mad dash. The cold air felt like daggers as he panted hard for breath, putting his all into running past Nicholas and praying that the wolf wouldn't give chase. That he'd reconvene with his mates instead of chasing a human fleeing from his newfound territory.
Though judging by the sound of heavy footfalls into the snow, he wasn't about to be so lucky.
“ Brad, we need to shoot !”
“ Dont stop running!”
“ The van’s right there, keep going!”
It was all a cacophony of noise blaring through his speaker, barely audible over the slamming of his pulse. Gripping the smaller flare gun tight in his hold, he keeps his eyes locked on the prize, seeing his fellow rangers bursting through the treeline and starting to drive in his direction. They've got their own guns at the ready- but fuck, there isn't a clear shot, is there? Punisher is right behind him. Close enough he can feel the hot breath of the wolf inching closer, snapping at his heels, snarling and pissed and clearly refusing to take any chances when it came to the safety of his mates.
Clutching the flare gun to his chest, Brad debated if he'd be able to angle it behind his shoulder and blind the Alpha long enough to save as many limbs as he could. Because at this point, there's no way he ain’t getting caught.
Humans weren't nearly fast enough to outrun a Hybrid.
He'd been about to send a small prayer to whatever deity may be listening to him out there- for shits and giggles considering he'd never been very spiritual in his life- but… maybe there was something to this whole near death experience thing? Because through the fog of his breath and stinging eyes he swore he saw a rush of white, barreling down the snow and rushing towards them in a blur. Rapidly closing the distance between them.
Whatever it was; it was big, it was fast, and it rushed right past the ranger van in a single powerful leap.
With hair long enough to be initially mistaken for wings, it took Brad a moment to realize that he wasn't actually hallucinating an angel in his final moments.
“ Livio the Double Fang has crossed the territory border!” Doctor Conrad announced through the muffled speakers, and while he may be in his own office back at the Eye of Michael’s headquarters, all the commotion over his phone had the old doctor tuning into the radio station, watching the scene unfold through his own set of cameras.
“This wasn't supposed to happen until the Saverem twins had been able to settle and Nicholas had established his own territory- we could have a bloodbath on our hands if they take Livio as a threat too!” Luida stated in a panic, and it felt as though all eyes were looking to Rem and her for instruction. Do they tranquilize both Nicholas and Livio? Do they drive close enough to snatch Brad and risk putting them in the path of two wild hybrids? Would they have to switch to lethal force if both wolves turn on their other rangers as a result-?
Yet in a surprising turn of events, Brad can only watch with an open jaw as the newcomer utterly ignores him .
There's little stopping the momentum of a full grown, bulky grey wolf- especially as the ice skids over his claws and refuses to gain purchase, causing the Punisher to take the full brunt force of a wolf suddenly twice his muscle mass, sending both Nicholas and Livio to the ground in a flurry of snow. Momentarily having all sense knocked straight out of his skull- because surely this couldn't be, it was impossible for the grey wolf above him to be who he thinks he is.
Livio the Double Fang had been a scrawny mutt with jagged teeth and a cleft lip that he could barely chew with.
This? This was a big, healthy specimen of a Hybrid. With muscle packed onto a light grey coat that all but smothers Nicholas into the snow, weighing him down, leaving the Alpha barely any room to move by the time that he was shaking off the sudden tackle. Dizzy enough to see double, though the blinding smile focused down on him was undeniable once it centered into focus, all of those massive fangs on display and a freshly healed scar left where his split maw once had been.
“ Nico!” Livio barked out to him, and now there was no denying who it truly was.
The last living Beta member of their pack, and the closest thing to a true brother that Nicholas had. The one who had been with him through the worst of their puphood.
With the two hybrids thoroughly distracted at their unexpected reunion, Brad almost forgot that he was supposed to be running to the van- not until his fellow rangers were driving up next to him and all but yanking him into the back, so many voices speaking over each other at once, patting him over and smacking his back with nothing but relief . Practically flooring it down the weathered path that would bring them back to headquarters, and all of that leftover adrenaline left Brad feeling almost out of his body. He slumped back into the seat once his buddies had helped take his gear off of him, all but shoving a warm thermos of coffee into his hands and urging him to drink, though he could only stare at the shrinking forms of Nicholas and Livio both.
He'd actually gotten out unscathed.
Somehow everyone was okay.
On the other side of the sanctuary, Rem was in a similar state of shock. Slumped back into her chair as the ecstatic mood seemed to overtake her crew- cheering and following the ranger’s van on each different monitor, hollering over the radio in excitement, congratulating each other on a job well done. After how close it had been? She felt that heavy weight of dread in her gut lingering, a mixture of guilt and panic, even when a few of her team patted her on the shoulder and complimented her on her quick thinking.
In truth, she didn't feel so smart. Not when things could have gone even worse with Livio.
“Hey, I see that long face of yours, Doctor Saverem. You did good,” Luida finally spoke up, propping her hip against the control panel, “Brad’s the one who took a needless risk- and you dang well bet I'll be speaking with him about that later- but... You did good under pressure. A natural leader!”
Something about the other woman always managed to bring that hesitant, wobbly smile back onto her face.
“I sure don't feel like one right now, but I appreciate you saying that nonetheless,” Rem sighed, pushing her frazzled bangs back into place and smoothing out the flyaway hairs shed tugged out of place, “I'm mainly lucky that Conrad was able to override Livio’s enclosure so fast… but it was still so risky, I could have made everything so much worse if Livio turned on Brad or targeted the team. We're still not out of hot water yet either!”
Before her worries could spiral any further, Luida took the time to motion towards the cameras once more.
On the monitor it showed the Double Fang and Punisher all but frolicking in the snow, tousseling with one another, roughhousing with all of the enthusiasm of two energetic puppies. Clearly Wolfwood may be the older of the pair, but against an opponent that now rivaled his size? He was struggling to keep Livio in a proper grapple, only to yelp at the sudden difference in strength. His brother could all but toss him over a shoulder using one arm alone! Laid out flat on his back, he was all too happy to retaliate in a full body tackle.
“Rem, you've gotta cut yourself some slack here. Remember that these are wild animals for as much as they look like us. Nobody could actually predict what could happen… but isn't that the beauty of getting to study them up close?” Luida hummed, and both women soon basked in that quiet moment together. Watching the two brothers play together once more, reunited after all the time spent apart in the sanctuary.
There truly was something beautiful about getting to witness such a thing. Knowing that this was possible because of all their combined work spent conserving such a vital species.
“... Actually, you're right, Luida. I'd gotten so worked up on making sure everything went perfect, I got all caught up in my head!” Rem laughed, chest lighter than it had been all day. Because now she could truly sit back and relax .
The Arctic brothers had finished settling their pups into the new den, Brad confirmed himself back at base, and Wolfwood had finally managed to grapple his little brother into a proper bearhug.
All things considered? It could have gone a lot worse.
But instead, the very first day of Project SEED’s Conservation and Naturalistic Arctic Preserve had come to a proper close, and she could breathe easy. Even if they hadn't a single clue what could happen tomorrow- those worries paled in comparison to the moments being made now.
Though she did take a big sip of her coffee, thinking she could maybe use something stronger after all.
After all, they still had to introduce Livio to the Saverem pack.