Chapter Text
Sephiroth rested just outside his pack’s den, silver eyes lazily scanning the tree line at the edge of the meadow that surrounded their home. The den was built high on a hillside at the edge of a small, snow-covered clearing. The entrance was small so as to conserve precious heat, but the tunnels they’d built just inside were expansive.
It was an ideal area. Their den was well protected with good visibility, and the clearing beneath them was large enough for playing in the spring and summer. They were close to a running stream and surrounded by thick, healthy evergreens. Perhaps most importantly, they were deep in untouched territory.
The continuously expanding human settlements were far away from them, and there were no other packs nearby to compete with. Other large predators were few, and, while the winters were often harsh, resources were plentiful.
It had been many years since Sephiroth had gathered his lovers, Genesis and Angeal, to start their own pack. Zack, who was at the cusp of adulthood and already hopelessly attached to Angeal, had followed them until he’d been fully accepted into their pack. Ultimately, he was also accepted into the tight-knit mate bond shared by Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal as well.
Their territory was well established now. Their den was warm, and their lives had gained a sense of routine. What it lacked was a sense of future. Their pack had no omega, and, no matter how badly they might want pups, they had no way to produce them.
It was Sephiroth’s fault. He’d been so determined to find safe territory, that he’d taken them to far away from their fellow wolf shifters.
Sephiroth released a long sigh, allowing himself to relax. The air was almost uncomfortably crisp, despite the thick fur. The first snows had only come a few short days ago, and Sephiroth could already tell that it was going to be a difficult winter.
Sephiroth was nearly asleep when a cry broke the silence.
It was not a howl, but a scream of agony.
Sephiroth was on his feet and running in moments. He would recognize Zack’s call anywhere. Zack was young, but he was steadfast, sturdy, and strong. Sephiroth didn’t want to know what it would take to make him scream like that.
The sounds of scrambling behind him let Sephiroth know that Angeal and Genesis had left the den to join him. They raced through the trees, following Zack’s trail from earlier that morning.
Zack’s screams lowered in volume, but he continued to make plenty of noise so that his pack mates could locate him. They found him on a well worn path between several old pines. The snow was less dense there, which made it an easy path home.
Someone must have suspected that animals would pass through, because Zack was caught in the steel jaws of a human bear trap. Brilliant, red blood covered the snow around the young wolf as he struggled vainly with the trap that held him.
Rage made Sephiroth’s blood boil as he watched Angeal shift into his human form to help Zack out of the trap. He couldn’t see the extent of the damage. Zack’s fur was jet black, hiding the worst of the blood, but the scent of it was thick in the air.
Sephiroth didn’t have to see to know it was bad. He’d seen the work of human hunters before. Zack’s entire body shook with shock.
Genesis circled the pair. The spice brown of his fur receded to human skin as he sat beside Zack. He cooed gently to their youngest lover, holding him still for Angeal and carding his fingers through Zack’s fur to sooth him.
Sephiroth growled low in his throat as Angeal’s human fingers explored the mechanism.
This was the first time that a human had made it anywhere near their territory.
“I’ll take care of Zack. You should make sure no human hunters are closing in on us,” Angeal suggested. The man’s face was set in a grim scowl. He shook with cold without the protection of his fur, but his fingers never faltered as they worked.
“I should go too,” Genesis suggested.
He looked like he was about to stand, but Sephiroth growled softly to stop him. They had been together long enough that Genesis could hear the order in it. The man glared at Sephiroth a moment. It seemed like he might argue, but then Zack whimpered and Genesis turned his full attention back to their youngest again.
Sephiroth raced away. Zack was in good hands, but he’d made enough noise to potentially alert whoever was hunting in their territory. Sephiroth wanted to find and dispose of them before they could do any more damage.
The trail was faint. So faint that it took considerable time for Sephiroth to find it. The tracks of a single human could be found, though they were little more than thin indents in the snow now. Still, as the trail neared the thick underbrush, Sephiroth was able to pick up the unmistakeable scent of a human male.
He followed it as quickly as he was able to a makeshift shelter. It was small with minimum supplies scattered about. Fortunately, he could only find one distinct scent. Sephiroth might have hesitated to take down a group, but he could easily kill a single, human hunter.
He picked up the freshest trail and followed it. He wasn’t gone long before he caught sight of the human walking in the distance. He was tightly wrapped in clothing and moving slowly through thick snow.
Easy prey.
Sephiroth took off at full speed, using the trail the human had cut in the snow to reach him faster. The human must had heard him, because he turned toward the noise, but he had no time to react before Sephiroth was on him.
The silver wolf tore violently at the human’s clothing. He was bundled up tight, but it wouldn’t protect him against Sephiroth’s vengeance. The human was struggling violently. He attempted to push his hands against Sephiroth’s bulk, but wolf shifters were far larger than their animal counterparts.
The hunter seemed to realize immediately. He shifted tactics. Sephiroth saw the flash of a knife, but he managed to sink his fangs deep into the boy’s arm before he could use it. Blood filled the wolf’s mouth as he tore deep into the flesh.
The human screamed and thrashed.
Sephiroth found his way into clothing now. He let go of the human’s arm and bit deep into his shoulder. Sephiroth shook his head, tearing the pale flesh even as the human desperately pushed at his face and neck with his good arm.
Sephiroth didn’t stop until the human’s scent seemed to overpower the metallic tang of blood on his tongue.
The human’s struggling had become weak and uncoordinated. Sephiroth could just barely hear his nonsensical muttering over the rush of blood in his ears as the human went limp in his jaws.
Slowly, gently, Sephiroth released the human’s shoulder. He could taste, no, smell something…?
His stomach rolled with revulsion as the unique taste of the human’s blood settled over his tongue. He felt a powerful, instinctual pull to stop. Something inside prickled with anxiety over the damage he’d already caused the pale body beneath him.
The human had lost consciousness, and Sephiroth allowed himself a moment to look him over.
The blood smeared over his neck and jaw couldn’t hide that he was young and beautiful - something Sephiroth had not expected in a hunter. His face was nearly as white as the snow that surrounded them. He had a sharp jaw and straight nose, but his features were softened by full lips and pale blond hair.
Sephiroth growled softly, but changed forms so that he could temporarily care for the boy’s wounds. Instincts were a real bitch, and they demanded that he do something.
Every shifter was of two minds. One could split them into two categories: instinctual and reason or wolf and human. Often, the wolf’s instinct made decisions for the more rational human brain.
His wolf wanted to care for this human. It had already forgiven his transgression against the pack, and that was absolutely infuriating. Sephiroth’s rational mind clung to the rage that it had been fostering since he’d seen Zack struggling in that trap, but his wolf was quickly winning.
Sephiroth ripped the human’s ruined clothing into strips and used them to bandage the wounds as best he could. He tucked the human carefully against his chest to keep him as warm as possible and carried him back toward the den.
The human’s breathing was erratic, and his temperature was rising despite the cold. It was grating on Sephiroth’s nerves. His hands shook with the implications.
There was only one thing his wolf could want more than revenge.
The change was already starting. This human would be a wolf if he survived it, and he would be an omega. Sephiroth buried his face in the human’s hair and breathed in deeply. It was so faint. Even instinctually, Sephiroth wasn’t sure how he’d known, but he was certain now.
This boy could be their omega, and Sephiroth’s wolf desperately wanted him to live.
It had been two days since Sephiroth had stumbled into the den with the torn up human wrapped possessively in his arms. The pack had been in a panic at the time. Genesis had managed to stabilize Zack, but no one was happy that the human was still breathing when Sephiroth brought him home.
Zack had been sleeping off his injuries since then - usually with Sephiroth at his side. The human had not woken once, but Genesis still glowered and growled whenever he caught sight of blond hair.
Genesis still wasn’t sure why Sephiroth was allowing the boy to complete his change, but Angeal seemed to have accepted the human almost immediately. The boy had been moved into Angeal’s private part of the den, and the enormous alpha had spent the majority of his time since curled protectively around the boy’s broken body.
Angeal was trying to ease the boy through his change with tender touches and the calming scent of alpha. The human rested on a thick bed of Angeal’s furs with Angeal carefully wrapped around him. His fingers brushed through the human’s sweat soaked hair as he whispered reassuringly in his ear.
For the first time since Sephiroth had come home, Genesis approached Angeal’s private section of the den with purpose. Angeal glanced up at him and offered a soft smile in greeting. His fingers never paused in their tender stroking. The blond’s brow was furrowed, but he was otherwise quiet as Genesis him over.
“I can’t understand why Sephiroth is letting him live,” Genesis began. His eyes were narrowed with irritation, but he kept his voice low - so as not to disturb the human’s fitful rest.
“He’s very beautiful,” Angeal suggested. His eyes flickered up with Genesis knowingly. There was a hint of mischief in his expression that made Genesis wary.
“He hurt Zack.”
“Come on… You know there must be a reason. I know your nose isn’t as sharp as Sephiroth’s, but I’m sure you could guess.” Angeal’s chest rumbled with a low purr of contentment as the human turned his head toward Angeal’s chest. The blond was moving more now. Angeal hoped that meant his change wouldn’t be a difficult one.
Genesis’s eyes narrowed as he watched Angeal tuck the human against his body. “He’s covered in your scent. You’ve already accepted him.”
“Yes,” Angeal confirmed. He leaned down, rubbing the scent glands just under his jaw over the human’s hair, leaving his scent behind - something he had done many times over the last few days.
Genesis scowled at him.
“Is he… An omega? Can you already tell?” Genesis finally asked.
Angeal grinned widely, confirming Genesis’s suspicions. “I think Sephiroth could smell or taste it as soon as his bite took. His wolf wouldn’t let him finish the job when his victim was a potential mate.”
Genesis seemed to be deep in thought. He reached out hesitantly, and, when Angeal didn’t stop him, he slid his fingers slowly through the human’s pale hair. “Does this mean… We’ll be able to have pups?”
“I certainly hope so,” Angeal admitted.
“I don’t think he’ll agree. He’s a hunter, a former human, and he was already attacked by Sephiroth,” Genesis admitted, though his anger seemed to have vanished completely. He shifted until he could lay down beside the human. He looked over the human curiously now, trying to take in his unique features.
“He wronged us first. I hope we can forgive each other.” Angeal carefully turned the human toward Genesis. The boy whimpered, and both wolves tensed, going very still as they waited for the human to quiet. The beauty shifted for a few moments, but seemed to relax when Genesis pulled the boy into his arms.
“I guess I’m willing to forgive him, as long as Zack makes a complete recovery,” Genesis admitted. His hands already shook with reverence as he gripped the human.
The boy was so much smaller than Genesis expected. Genesis leaned in close, attempting to breath in the human’s natural scent hidden beneath Angeal’s strong scent marking. He felt his body relax with contentment when he found it.
The alphas of their pack had strong, earthy scents. The betas had simple, fresh scents. This boy’s was sweeter than either, but not quite floral. Genesis supposed it was similar to juniper or pine. The wolf tilted the human’s head back, checking to see if proper scent glands had begun to form.
Genesis stopped when the boy whimpered again. The human’s eyes fluttered but didn’t open. His fever was getting worse, and Genesis was sure he was exhausted.
“He’s looking for Sephiroth. He’s feeling vulnerable without his maker,” Angeal explained. He hummed, pressing his body against the human’s back, as though to let the boy know he hadn’t been abandoned.
“Their mate bond is already partially complete. I’ll ask Sephiroth to stay with him when the transformation is nearing completion,” Angeal explained.
Angeal reached down and tilted the human’s head in the opposite direction. Sure enough, the deep bite Sephiroth had left in his shoulder was healing into a mate mark. The scar was a familiar silvery color - mimicking the mate marks that the rest of the pack already wore.