Chapter Text
“What’s their story?”
“They’re the last of their kind, as far as we’re aware.”
A pitiful tale indeed, looking over the two Hybrids within their enclosure. A pair of brothers. They remained huddled close to the corner of their artificial biome- the bigger of the arctic wolves pacing from end to end. Glaring daggers towards the tinted window plane that the scientists watched them through, as if knowing they were there, documenting their every movement as they adjusted to the new environment.
“They’d just arrived here last night, and the smaller one is already showing signs of preheat.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? Repopulation and all?”
“Well, it would be, if they weren’t both Omega status.”
Drawn from their conversation by the whirring of doors behind them, Doctor William Conrad entered with Rem Saverem at his side, the leading environmental conservationist behind the Hybrid Restoration Project. At their arrival, the two scientists allowed them to approach the glass.
Placing her hand upon the enclosure’s windowpane, Rem could only sigh at the sorry sight the two made. The stress they must be under after being tranquilized and moved into a completely unfamiliar territory, so far from the arctic tundra they’d grown up in.
“I see Nai is awake and active,” she commented, “Has there been any movement from Vash thus far? The smaller, blonder one?”
With a shake of their heads, the scientists checked back through the files, sorting through the paperwork that made all of their lives a living headache. You'd think they'd have moved past physical paperwork by now and into the digital age. “According to the night crew, he’d only awoken long enough to drink some water before sedatives took hold again. No further response aside from the beginning symptoms of preheat.”
That explains why Nai was being so territorial.
Speaking of the Devil- with a sudden lunge towards the window, both scientists were scrambling back in fear of the loud bang Nai’s fist made upon glass, lips pulled back into a snarl. The wolf hybrid only appeared larger and more menacing up close. The muscles of his chest and arms rippled where they strained against the barrier, eyes narrowed in distaste… before he was turning away upon his hind legs once more. Walking back to Vash with a dismissive whip of his tail.
Conrad hadn’t so much as flinched from the display, and neither did Rem. Instead heaving another sigh once Nai sat himself down to block their view of Vash, working tender fingers through his younger brother’s hair. Pushing the blonde curls off of his sweaty forehead while the smaller hybrid whimpered in his sleep.
“Rem, you’ve monitored these hybrids since they were pups. Is there any danger to staff who enter, or any studs that we may introduce?” Doctor Conrad asks, and judging by the slight wince of his fellow conservationist, he can already tell this is going to be a hell of a case for their joint project.
Still, the pity in her eyes spoke overall as she stepped away from the glass to give the brothers their privacy.
“Knives and Vash used to have a close sister, code name Tesla, who had gotten killed by poachers in the area along with the rest of their endangered pack. They’d had to watch the gruesome scene before our rangers arrived. Ever since it seems Knives has a hatred for all of humanity, while Vash is more timid and withdrawn. I’ve made some progress in trying to socialize with them since their captivity… but it’s unlikely Knives will react positively to anyone else.”
In other words, it wasn’t looking good. Still, the doctor made his way over to their computer terminal at the center of their office, sitting down to open up the alternate cameras on file. The snowy biome of their habitat was displayed in multiple different angles, allowing the small research group to see Vash better, curled up as he was behind Nai. Shivering in the snow despite his big brother to rest against.
On the tab adjacent to the habitat, another live feed sat in waiting. Ever observant as she was, Rem pointed her pen to it.
“Doctor Conrad, what do you have planned for the twins? The last thing we want to do is act in haste,” she comments, “And I will remind you that Project SEEDS has full authorization with what happens to the Arctic Wolf subspecies of Hybrids. We’ve only agreed to collaborate with the Eye of Michael to broaden their genepool.”
Smiling, Conrad allowed the mouse to hover over the other tab, “You have no need to worry Doctor Saverem. They will be in good hands here in our sanctuary, and introduced slowly to their genetic doner. Under your supervision of course. This isn’t the first Wolf Hybrid case we’ve worked on.”
On the screen sat a different biome entirely; the camera focused front and center on another Hybrid, almost blending into the forest backdrop of his enclosure.
His gray and brown fur contrasted sharply to darker skin, blending him in seamlessly to the bark of the tree he was leaning against. Settled upon the ground with arms crossed over his chest, splattered in the occasional scar, standing out in distinct patches across his skin with the biggest just above his pecs. It was shaped into a jagged cross, pink and raised compared to the rest of them.
The Wolf’s eyes were closed while he rested, ears lowered enough to make one believe they were sleeping.
Yet with the whir of the camera's zoom, his eyes were open.
They stared directly into the camera with narrowed gaze, sharp brown eyes speckled with gold reflecting in a lens glare. It was clear he knew exactly where every camera was in his little enclosure, and didn't hesitate to show it once his ears flicked in agitation. "This is codename Wolfwood. Nicholas as we've liked to call him. He was a rescue from the local Wildlife Reserve, orphaned by poachers as well. The illegal pelt and trophy trade has many victims in this sanctuary, as you're aware."
Focusing upon the Hybrid himself, Wolfwood's ears eventually flicked back in dismissal, and he allowed his eyes to close once he was sure his irritation was known. Instead stretching out his torso to pluck a branch and place it between his teeth.
Rem had to admire the size of the Wolf itself. He was big and broad all around, a true Alpha specimen.
"He's been a genetic donor since he'd come of age, and while he would be fit for release back into the wild, he refuses to leave his packmate. Livio "Double Fang" is a smaller Grey Wolf whom had experienced head trauma inside of a hunter's trap, and is unfit for release." Doctor Conrad goes on to explain, and the camera panned over towards the center of their woodland biome. Rem had to admit the scar upon the smaller, lighter colored hybrid's face was tragically unsightly. He knelt at the edge of their pond, cupping water into his mouth with shaky and unsteady hands. One eye permanently shut, and the rest of his features stitched around a cleft within his lip. His teeth were prominent from the pulled skin, and she could see why he was called the Double Fang now.
Satisfied with the camera feed, Conrad switched it back to the pair of Arctic brothers.
"This is why we believe Wolfwood is the best option for our Omegan brothers," he begins, "As the Alpha is protective of his own kin to a fierce degree. I believe he can placate Knives with his protective streak, and comfort the youngest, Vash. Not to mention Grey Wolves are the closest match to the genetic code of our hybrids, and won't alter their base genetics too drastically. After all, we're trying to save the Arctic subcategory."
Satisfied with the explanation, Rem's smile turned soft once more. She leant against the side of the desk, studying the monitor with no small amount of pride, seeing the two brothers whom had been through so much together. If there's one thing she knew- those boys were truly special to her. Practically weaned off her hands.
"I think they're in good care, then. I look forward to working with you, Doctor Conrad. I'm eager to see what results we accomplish."
The first step in acclimation was to ensure their territory was secured, safe, and unchanging.
Within the first few days of their arrival, Knives had patrolled the territory at an almost obsessive level. Every hour, seemingly on the dot, he would rise from Vash's side and coax his brother back into the shoddy nest he'd begun to build. It was little more than sticks and branches of evergreen from the surrounding foliage, and whatever soft bedding Vash could scrounge together.
Every time Vash would whine at the loss of his packmate. Yet the eventual return with a warm meal more than made up for the loss. Nai was a very good hunter, and any wild game such as rabbit they supplied met a quick end upon the Hybrid's sharp claws and fangs.
The scientist ensured a routine feeding time to help settle the pair, and convenient scavengings to find. Stability and routine could help to ease their wary nature.
Step two was the introduction of scent.
With Vash's preheat beginning to run full swing by the first week's mark, it wasn't long before the youngest twin had become restless. Pacing the den which Nai had dug into snow and rock, as the older Omega was beginning to show signs of preheat himself. A synced cycle. If the scientists believed that Nai had been territorial before? It paled in comparison to how the elder had begun to patrol. He'd all but pinned Vash into his nest one day, biting his scruff and keeping Vash down, refusing to let him leave until he'd made another patrol. Rubbing his scent mark upon every surface, and outright bristling at the introduction to an unfamiliar Alpha.
The scientists had placed a killed rabbit at the other end of their territory, and upon its fur, Wolfwood's scent had been imprinted.
The introduction of Alpha pheromones was meant as a gradual warmer towards the Omega brothers, a potential mate to spend with. Instincts were a powerful thing after all. Yet they didn't anticipate how Nai's distrust ran stronger . Instead of taking the offering of a rabbit- by all intent meant to stage as a mating gift- he'd buried the stench of the Alpha beneath the ground. Rolling over the packed snow to ensure his own scent overpowered all else.
It was only a minor setback. Patience was a key when it came to a successful mating introduction.
With Vash so restless on the cusp of his heat, it wasn't long before Nai could no longer keep his twin placated. Despite his best efforts upon hiding the unfamiliar Alpha's scent, Nai had been getting sloppy. Distracted as he was by his own budding season, all it took was a sluggish attempt at burying a pelt with the rest of the trash, and he'd returned with the Alpha's pheromones upon his fur. Tired and affected by the constant presence of them, filling his head with cotton, making his body ache and instincts scream for that potential mate.
The moment he returned to the nest, Vash was interested .
His arms looped around his brother's neck in a close hug, cuddling to the front of his chest, almost drunk once he could shove his nose into the white fur upon Nai's pecs. Drawing in the soothing presence of his brother, and the heady scent of an Alpha upon it.
While Nai was insistent on denying the potential mate, Vash held no such qualms.
The younger of the two had always been reported to be far more outgoing and playful than his sibling. Whenever the feeding platform had been raised with their next meal, soon it was impossible to keep Vash away from it, sniffing about the offerings even at Nai's protest. He'd grown more outgoing as phase one of their integration had settled him comfortably into place, their territory established and deemed safe to explore.
From there, it was easy to place the Alpha's 'mating gifts'.
Instead of mere routine feedings, soon they were introducing bedding material into the enclosure. Soft pelts and warm blankets that were rich with Wolfwood's scent. Vash had all but pounced upon the bedding the moment he could smell an Alpha upon it, gathering the nest within his arms, carrying the bedding back into the den with eager intent. He'd lined the border of their home with the new materials, even with Nai's protest.
After all, the older Omega was equally as affected.
Flushed with sweat and beginning to steadily lose his energy, Nai had only been able to make a halfhearted attempt to rub the scent off with his own. Curled together with Vash and snuggling into the nest his little brother had perfected. It only served to further spread the Alpha's musk across his own fur, saturating the twins in their scent, both dizzy from the virile presence of a potential mate.
With Vash cuddled against him, and their tails intertwined, it seemed their heats had come full swing. Desperate whimpering and the soft sound of skin on skin as they tried to nest together, thighs intertwined, hips jerking together in a mutual need for release. Yet there wasn't an Alpha truly nearby. The scent was becoming a poor substitute every time that Nai had to drag them from the nest, sniffing about in search of more.
Unconscious though it may be, they'd both begun to seek out their potential mate.
Once the twins showed little interest in food or so much as leaving their safe haven, the scientists knew it was time. Their heats were in full swing. Without the drive to hunt or scavenge, all that was left was the burning need to be bred , leaving the brothers nestbound and desperate. Vash burying his face into the pelts rich with Alpha musk, panting as his hips ground back against Nai's tongue, both of them so desperate for release that would never come.
They needed a knot. They needed someone to care for them, to hunt for them and provide for their needs. To sate the instincts that demanded to fill their biological incentive.
The team knew it was time for the final phase.
Nicholas D. Wolfwood was introduced into the enclosure.
Of all the biomes that the Wolf had visited, this by far was the coldest.
Don't get Nick wrong- his own enclosure experienced artificial weather and seasonal patterns that matched their inner alarm clock, with the forest experiencing a hell of a cold wintertime. It was Livio's favorite season after all. But Nicholas couldn't help but groan once his cage was opened, and hind paws stepped into fresh snow, sinking down to the ankle.
He was disoriented from his sedation. He'd known for a while that the Eye of Michael was up to something again, leaving the scent of unfamiliar Omega within his territory. Pieces of wood and bark saturated with heat stench scattered about, one of the oldest tricks in their book to make him receptive to mating.
It bothered Livio's sensitive nose, so therefore it bothered him .
Still, he knew what they wanted in the end. The faster he performed, the faster that he'd be reunited with his pack. Breeding was more of a chore to the hardened wolf hybrid, and he'd been ready for a placid or submissive partner already half out of their mind.
What he didn't expect was Millions Knives .
He'd been halfway into scouting the new territory when a chilling growl ripped through the sparse treeline around them, colder than the snow he'd stepped into. It sent the hairs at the nape of his neck upwards in alarm. That didn't sound like no Omega he'd ever heard- and next thing he knew, there was a flash of pale blonde darting out of the treeline, crouched low within the snow and snarling with feral blue eyes. Nicholas hardly had time to crouch himself before the broad Omega was pouncing upon him, muscles rippling with the movement that sent them barreling into the snow together.
"Get away from my brother!"
His voice was rough and hoarse once his teeth sank into the meat of the Grey Wolf's shoulder, the heavy bulk shocking to feel on the typically submissive caste. There was nothing soft about the wolf on top of him. The swipe of claws attempt to come down upon his face, and Nico barely dodges out of the way, watching that arm sink deep into the snow surrounding him. Heart pounding in his chest once he bares his teeth to the sudden attack.
From the scientist's panel room, he can hear the sounds of their scrambling. Cameras whirring and panic setting in once Nai tries to snap his teeth to the Alpha's throat, striking to kill.
"I thought we sedated them for the territory merge! We put the drugs in their breakfast!"
"Did anyone see Knives eat? Did he eat his portion?"
"What do you mean you don't know!? This is why we have the charts goddamnit! It was the one time we needed the data before introduction!"
All of his limbs felt heavy once he tried to sit up, shoving back at the Omega's shoulders before those teeth could sink home into his throat. Nicholas's arms strained under the weight of an Omega bigger than him, as with a great heave, Wolfwood was flipping their position with a growl of his own. Pupils dilated and canines flashing to the other wolf. It took all of his waning strength to pin Knives down. Yet as he did so, it was clear the only reason he could was due to the similar weakness.
This Omega was in heat. There were two in the enclosure.
That explained the conflicting scents.
Laying flat on his back and framed by the tundra, he looked ethereally beautiful. Soft platinum hair wisping among the snow, nearly the same color if not for the streaks of blonde within it. His face was flushed a soft pink, doubly so with the way he pants to catch his breath, icy blue eyes staring right up at Nicholas. Glaring daggers , yet freezing up once the Alpha could lean closer, lips pulled back in warning. He had the other wolf pinned by both his waist and arms, held down in the snow.
For a moment, neither of them moved. The dizzying scent of aroused Omega was tickling beneath Nicholas's nose, filling his senses, making the tension between them charged with heat.
Nai's expression had gone soft and wistful, mouth parted to draw in a greedy breath of his own.
"Nai…? Is, uh, is everything okay out here?"
Such a soft voice spoken from behind the bushes, startling them both out of their stupor. From the pine needles sat the lop eared tilt of another Wolf hybrid, his eyes such a stark blue compared to their surroundings. While the one beneath him was a muted palette of soft pastels and monotone saturation, this one stood out like technicolor. Hair so spiked and blonde it nearly blinded him once the full hybrid stepped out on shaky legs, wary and hesitant, lopped ears pinned back. His body was criss-crossed in more scars than even Wolfwood was.
Realizing what was going on, he seemed to shrink into himself, and that was all it took for Nai to shove himself away from Nicholas. To scramble back to the smaller hybrid's side- his brother - and try to usher him back into the nest.
"It's not safe. Get back inside until I tell you otherwise! I warned you to stay back." Nai growled, yet Vash couldn't look away from Wolfwood.
That stare pinned him into place, leaving the Alpha breathless for a second time. The two were gorg e ous together. Perfect complements of one another, mirrored in every attribute he could see. Knives was solid and sturdy, tall yet refined in the grace he held himself. The other Omega was loose-limbed and relaxed, peering over his shoulder, ears perked as his nose wiggled a mile a minute. Sniffing the air around them.
"Wait, wait Nai. I think this is the Alpha that's been courting us," Vash begins, his irises swallowing ocean blue. Gorgeously framed by dark blonde lashes. Fluttering up at Nicholas once the smaller braves a step closer, coming out from the protective shadow of Nai. "The one who smells so, so good ."
That sure caught his attention.
A part of him wanted to puff his chest in pride with the interest swimming within Vash's gaze. Heady and aroused. They'd both been so deep in heat that neither of them could fully focus, and upon closer inspection Nai was hardly standing straight himself. Wavering upon his hind paws, trying to rest his hand over Vash's shoulder. "Does it matter? He's in our territory now. He attacked me-"
"Oye, Spikey, you're the one who lunged at me first! I was minding my business before you went for my throat!"
The two glowered between one another, until Vash was shoving at Nai's chest. Nipping at his brother's ear with a hissed out, "Quit it! You're in no state for fighting. You didn't even eat today!"
Nai at the very least appeared cowed. Ears flattening against his head, before he's nudging Vash closer to him. Arms slung around the jut of his twin's hips, where the dip of their waist melted into soft fur. Holding him closer. Staring at Nicholas with a leer that only made heat boil low in his abdomen, possessive and dark and wanting .
"Nobody unworthy touches my brother," Nai growled, and the threat was clear once Vash's whole body shuddered, melting back against the muscular chest behind him. "You won't get to us that easily, heat or otherwise. I'll keep Vash satisfied, like I always have . We have no need for scrappy strays."
Their pheromones together were irresistible.
Even with the tiny whimper of protest from Vash, he was helpless to the allure of Nai's teeth as they dug into his throat. Pointed canines pressing down to the skin. Urging him backwards, step by step, scruffed and pliant to how the bigger wolf guides him back into the bushes with a final growl. It isn't without one last smoldering stare that Nai appraises him, eyes drifting up and down tanned skin and solid build.
It felt like a challenge. Never before had Wolfwood's pulse jumped at the aspect of a chase, adrenaline lingering from how the first Omega had jumped him, how Vash's tiny whimpers called to him on a base level.
He wanted them. No- he needed to mate with them.
Luckily, Wolfwood knew one thing for certain, and that was how to play the long game. The Arctic wolves may have slinked away for now, but he would make sure they knew what a true Alpha could do for them.
After he worked his frustrations out into his palm, that is. This would be a grueling test of self control should we wish to win his prize.
What the hell has he gotten himself into this time?