Scars and the Claws That Leave Them

by HakuroNoKage

William Grimm newly transferred to the ZPD from the Ulfhaven Sheriff's Dept. tries to move forward with his life as his past remains a burden that seems to haunt him at every turn. Rated M for everything under the sun, and Nihil Nove Sub Sole. Much love, and many thanks to Darkwolfslayer21 for a cover image for this story, and for so much more besides. It's Nodachi Time.

17. Ohm Sweet Ohm

Brief A/N: So here it is the beginning of the Ulfhaven Arc, did I mention there would be drama? Because this has been planned for a while especially what Lola reveals to Will, as well as Sierra, and Layla's first interaction. From here things are gonna mellow out a little bit. Personally I'd be taking a break from writing at least for a day to catch up on some anime that I never did the last time I said I would, but the call of the next chapter is too strong. All I'm going to tell you about what's coming in Ch.18 is a teaser for a certain something I can't wait for my sneak peak of, and finally the full story of the infamous 'Bloody Bucky'. Oh, and since the title song for this chapter is sort of an obscure one I'll tell y'all about it - it's sung by Cheap Trick for the Canadian animated film Rock & Rule which also features music from Debbie Harry, and Lou Reed; I should mention all the characters in said film are anthropomorphs since I'm sure for us Zootopia fans that's a selling point. Anywho on to story recommendations.

Earning the Badge by BunnyRock - Only two chapters so far, but it's awesome, it's long, and I totally got an 'Elementary' vibe reading it [you know the tv show with Lucy Liu?]

Guardian Blue: Season 1 - Mentioning this one again because chapter 15 was fucking hilarious, and in chapter 17 'The Getting' was just . . . you have to read it to know. I seriously am waiting for Season 2, and 1 isn't even done yet that's how much I dig this one.

---

Monday [Week five, Day one]

It had been two weeks since Lola had set foot in the main house where her mother, and father lived. Most of the family had already gathered here for the week long festivities. She knew her brother would stop here first when he got here later that morning, and that was the only reason she'd come since she'd been avoiding a subject her scent, and appearance would have broadcast to everyone. As the local Sheriff no one paid much mind to the fact even at home she walked around with her M1911 on her hip; it had been a gift from her brother when she was elected to her position, and without it she always felt naked. Her mother was the first to see her, the first to smell her, and the first to embrace her full of joy. Then she was surrounded by the rest with Holly, and Sierra hugging her as tight as they dared. Lola didn't fail to notice that Sage who'd flown herself, and Holly in to Ulfhaven took one sniff in her direction before leaving out the back door probably towards Will's house on the property where he'd asked his pack to gather; before her thoughts could wander after Sage her mother managed to quell her excitement enough to form coherent words.

"Oh, my baby girl you're going to be a mother. I'm going to be a grandmother! I'd almost given up hope Will would give me grandcubs, and here you are my only hope come true" Her mother said just a little crazy in her exuberance.

"So how far along are you? Who is the father? I didn't think you'd gone that far with David yet." Sierra asked the pertinent questions making Lola wish her cousin would just go frag herself.

"I was a week along when I saw Dr. Sequoia, so two weeks now." Lola answered her cousin with the only bit of information she was willing to divulge.

"Not gonna lie I'm a little surprised your going to be a mom, but congratulations." Holly said with obvious happiness for her cousin.

"Yes. Who is this lucky wolf?" Lola's mom Marie asked.

"He's not lucky, and none of your business mom." Lola responded evenly.

"You're pregnant. I want to have a long talk with whoever he his." her father James said sternly.

"I'm not telling you who the father is. Not until I've talked with my alpha about it, and made sure he won't kill him, and not until I've had a chance to tell the father either." Layla responded to her parents flatly.

"Lola I am your father. As alpha of this family I have every right to know who the wolf is that knocked up my daughter, and decide for myself if he's worthy of you" her father demanded using the same authoritative tone he used as mayor.

"You are not my alpha you son of a fucking whore! You will back the fuck off, or I will put you in a fucking hole!" Lola shouted at him drawing her pistol, and pointing it at him before adding "It's bad enough not knowing how my alpha will react. I don't want the father of my cub to die." the anger draining from her into sobs.

"Easy sis, just lower the gun" Sophie said getting Lola to lower her arm before the arctic vixen wheeled on her adoptive father telling him sternly "You're not our alpha anymore dad, and haven't been for years so do not assume to be, or our alpha will not hesitate to attack you once he gets here."

"Threaten us, or any of our packmates, and you will be lucky if he just forces you to submit to him; he won't hesitate to tear into you with his fangs if he has to dad." Lola added regaining her self control.

"Who is this alpha of yours then?" their father asked.

Lola's first response was to howl specifically to call her packmates to her with Sierra, and the normally nonviolent Holly assuming defensive positions between her, and her parents along with Sophie while back in through the front door walked Sage with a white she-wolf no one knew who was dressed in a black kimono with a cherry blossom pattern, and had a katana slung over her back.

"You called us pack sister. Who threatens you?" the she-wolf in the kimono asked putting a paw on the hilt of her sword.

"I am not threatened Naomi-chan. I just wanted to show my family how we are a pack apart under our alpha" Lola answered before adding "It's good to meet you finally. Damn you are as pretty as he said you were"

"You haven't answered me. Who is this alpha you think is strong enough to make me submit to him let alone anything else?" her father asked again.

"He's almost here Lola. It shouldn't be more than a couple hours, are you sure now is the time to finally tell them?" Sage said.

"Why else do you think he wanted us to all gather here for him? He wanted the rest of them to know his pack, and for all of us to finally know each other" Lola answered Sage before turning back to her father, and saying "Will is our alpha, and when he gets here you'll get to meet the rest of our pack"

"I find it hard to believe my own son would make me submit to him" their father said.

"Will could never hurt someone with his fangs, let alone his own father" their mother added shocked her daughter had even suggested it.

"He stopped being the wolf you knew a long time ago, and even more so after the ZIA recruited him from special forces. Right Sage, and Naomi?" Lola responded.

"Haha they didn't call him Beast for nothing, but he has only done what he's done with good reason" Sage replied.

"To Okami-Sama you are all just other wolves, given reason he will send you to the Mother with his own fangs. It has hurt him everytime he's had to do so, but he will not hesitate if it is what is called for. I have seen him do it in defense of myself, and others" Naomi added.

"Lola you said he'd be bringing the rest of our pack with him. Who else is coming with him, and will you introduce us to this new pack sister of ours?" Sierra asked looking admiringly at Naomi.

"I would be the one to answer your first question." Sage said to Sierra "His mate will be with him as well as Maria, and her boyfriend along with Nick, and his girlfriend."

"I've missed Yoru-chan it will be good to see her again" Naomi said then introduced herself to Sierra, and by extension the rest of the mammals present "Red Wolf of the Mountain Wood I am Naomi, and as a miko of the only temple in Japan dedicated to the Wolf Father it is an honor to meet you, and a greater honor to be your pack sister through our alpha."

"I didn't get to meet the jaguaress in our pack when I visited Will. It will be good to finally do so." Lola said before turning to Naomi "You should tell everyone how you met Will; I think I'm the only one who knows, and it's a pretty funny story."

"Wait a minute." Sierra said holding up a paw "Sage did you just say Will's mate?"

"I did though I'm not telling you anything since I'm sure he will want to introduce her to everyone himself." Sage answered.

"Did you hear that Jim? Will finally found himself a mate. Ooh I sense more grandcubs in my future" Marie said to her husband patting him roughly on the shoulder in her excitement at the news.

"Will you at least tell us the name of this she-wolf Sage? Since Lola refuses to say anything about the father of her cub." Jim asked still a little grumpy about that latter point adding to his wife "He's only been gone a month, and he's already met a female to settle down with? That seems a little fast hon, don't you think?"

"Oh, I don't care about that. If she's good enough for him then that's good enough for me, and should be enough for you too." Marie responded adding "Please Sage for me at least what's her name?"

"Sage, Naomi don't say anything." Lola said to them before addressing her cousin, mother, and father "You guys it's complicated like you wouldn't believe, and it'd be better if you heard it from them. Just know that they do truly love each other, and I'm sorry mom, but Will is not going to give you grandcubs ever."

Marie looked a little wounded at that, but let it go while Sage looked like she was just barely holding back from saying something anyway, and that whatever it was it was eating at her something fierce.

"What Sage?" Lola asked though her tone indicated the coyote had better choose her words carefuly.

"You don't even know the half of how wrong you are Lola." Sage blurted assertively "You don't know what's happened in the last week, but you're right it's for them to say if they choose, and another thing. One day he will be father to my pups even if I have to steal his sperm, and get inseminated at a clinic."

"You would do that to him?" Lola asked Sage raising an eyebrow.

"No. I wouldn't steal his sperm, but I probably would have to get inseminated since the only coywolves I've read about are grey wolf-coyote hybrids. His stance on fathering young has changed Lola, but you're right it is for him to explain." Sage answered looking Lola in the eye before heading back outside mentioning she needed a smoke.

"Lola, Sophie, Sierra, Holly I guess I should have figured you were all packmates especially with how you two get along Sophie, and Holly as well as how you two argue Lola, and Sierra. I knew the day he told me you were a part of our family now Sophie that Will would be a good, and strong alpha; I guess I really am getting old." Jim addressed them before turning to Naomi "So Naomi-san how did you meet my son?"

"I was in San Furcisco helping with my father's business across the purcific. One night I felt compelled to visit the chinese restaurant where my girlfriend at the time had enjoyed her last meal which was honey walnut shrimp. No sooner was I following a server to a table then I saw a giant arctic wolf eating the same dish, and I . . . attacked him . . . I thought he was going to kill himself like Sakura had, and wasn't about to watch another wolf do so on my watch. As it turned out he simply hadn't eaten all day, and ordered the first thing that he thought smelled good. He hadn't even looked at the menu, or asked what it was he was ordering." Naomi explained with a laugh before finishing her story "We ended up having dinner together then he spent the night at the hotel room I'd been staying in though he didn't take advantage of my grief. He later asked to stay with me, and my family when his work brought him to Japan. When he visited the shrine where I am a priestess I saw him for who he truly is, and since I had saved his life he was more than willing to allow me into his pack when I asked if I could call him my alpha."

"The Mother bless you for saving my son." Marie exclaimed with tears in her eyes as she hugged Naomi much to her surprise.

"That I get to so directly call him my alpha She already has, Oka-san. I only saved his life the once; if you want to thank a mammal for truly being the reason he is still walking this earth you should thank the one who holds his heart in her paws when she gets here."

"You mention his work" Jim said as if to himself then turned to Lola asking "You said Will was in the ZIA. Is this true?"

"It is dad, but you should really ask him about it . . ." Lola answered before her muzzle expression fell, and she shook her head "Some days I can't believe he went through everything he did, and is still the same brother I grew up with."

After that they made themselves comfortable in the living room of the main house chatting idly with Sophie taking a keener interest than the rest in getting to know Naomi. Eventually Sage came back in, and sat next to Lola while they waited for Will to arrive.

---

Will had made good time if he said so himself which he did once they passed the Ulfhaven county line. Even with the regular stops at rest areas for bathroom breaks, and stretching of the legs, and at gas stations for fuel, and snacks many of which Will had been the instigator of. It had helped that with his C.B. to listen in on police chatter he knew the stretches of road he could truly speed down particularly in the wee hours of the night when he'd been able to even get his Shelby up to her top speed of two hundred miles per hour though he didn't push the engine too hard. When they had crossed the county line he'd gone out over the radio on the channel the sheriff's department used, and let them know not only that he was back in town, but that he'd keep his speed no higher than a hundred miles per hour as traffic allowed. It surprised him that it had been David instead of his sister who had responded over the radio, and found out from him that Lola hadn't been to work in a week which Will found curious, but figured he'd find out the reason for when he got to his family home.

With his speed not dropping below eighty miles per hour it was around eleven-thirty when Will had got them to the town of Ulfhaven limits, and as the Grimm family home was south of the town proper he slowed down to around sixty miles per hour. When he got closer to the turnoff from the main road onto the long driveway leading on the Grimm family property he actually stopped at a spot roughly fifteen yards from the driveway where he sighed as he took a moment in remembrance of the night he saved Sophie before he got them going again.

When he was pulling up to the main house he saw Sophie who was immediately identifiable by her pink nose come darting out of the small mansion to greet him. He was the only one who didn't look at the home the Grimm family had built up over the centuries from a small log cabin for maybe seven at most including room for guests into something resembling the kind of stone, and wood structure that could pass for an alpine ski resort with plenty of space for over thirty wolves, and their cubs though the full Grimm family at present was barely pushing twenty adults. At the turn of the last century there had been a fire that left nothing, but the foundations standing which the Grimm family had rebuilt while they were taken in by the Frost tribe, and after Will's father had first become mayor nearly ten years ago he'd had the whole home remodeled, and updated since it hadn't been for nearly fifty years.

Once Will had parked he got out, and after moving his seat forward so Maria, and David could get out while Layla did the same on the other side for Nick, and Judy he stretched enjoying the slight breeze through the fur of his bare chest having changed out of his cloak hidden lingerie ensemble at one of the rest stops they'd made use of sometime in the early hours of sunday morning. Sophie was the very picture of an excited canine to see her brother again, and like a dart tackled him in a hug while he was wide open in the middle of his stretch. When she rather vocally started gekkering at him in her exuberance he was the only one not surprised, and the bewildered looks he saw at her display on the muzzles of everyone including Layla made him laugh.

"I didn't know foxes could make those noises." Nick said to Will as he stretched out his limbs.

"It's called gekkering, and of course you wouldn't Mr. City-fox. You probably haven't made sounds like this since you were too young to remember." Will replied.

"I see I'm not the only one who does that with you." Layla noted with a laugh when Sophie simply flopped against him going completely limp, and he simply scooped her up in response.

"Hehe, no you're not, and now you know how I'm so good at catching you when you do." Will responded with a smile before walking towards the house, and saying to everyone "Come on guys let's go say hi to everyone."

While he walked with Sophie in his arms he nuzzled into her neck ruff having missed her fluffy fur, and paused halfway to the porch insisting Layla likewise share in Sophie's neck fluff which Sophie didn't mind, and Layla though hesitant at first insisted while her muzzle was surrounded by the arctic vixens ruff that it was "So damn fluffy."

"Go ahead, and set me down big brother. As soon as you set foot inside Lola want's to talk to you." Sophie said to Will when they reached the porch though she looked as comfortable in his arms as a kit curled in a blanket.

After he set her down, and kept a paw on her shoulder to make sure she was steady on her hindpaws she led the way inside, and no sooner did he cross the threshold into the foyer than he was taken by the paw by Lola who had been standing there waiting for him down the adjacent hall into a free bedroom where they could talk.

"You're pregnant" Will said quite surprised as Lola sat on the bed.

"Yes, yes I am." Lola responded.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order. Have you told David yet?" Will asked grinning at her in his happiness for her.

"He's not the father Will. You are." Lola answered her voice heavy as she lowered her head to stare at her feet "The test results from when I saw Dr. Sequoia last week were pretty clear. I was already pregnant before David, and I first slept together."

To say Will was shocked would be an understatement, and he found he couldn't move as he processed what his sister had just told him.

"How many times did we have sex when we were teenagers before I got on the pill, and this didn't happen even in the middle of winter? I guess I thought it couldn't happen, and figured as my body was processing out the hormones from the pill after I stopped taking them that it wouldn't happen. I guess the fates really like showing us how we are wrong." Lola said dejectedly not knowing how to take his silence "I'm a week away from reaching the end of the first trimester; It's not too late for me to have an abortion."

"No." Will told her firmly his instincts as the Wolf Father screaming at him that of all things that wasn't an option.

"Lola look at me." Will said to her moving to kneel in front of her, and lifting her chin so he could see into her eyes. The sadness he saw in her amber eyes was not something he could abide.

"You are going to bear this cub, and he, or she will be a part of this family. They will know all the love it is in us to give. Even if David is unwilling to be a father, and even though I will not be able to be a father for our cub nothing will change that" Will told her gripping her paws in his own.

"Our cub." Layla said before she wrapped her arms around him, and cried into him releasing the emotions that had pent up within her. Will did his best to comfort her as tears also streamed from his eyes. As much as he was looking forward to being the best father he could be for his future kit with Layla for him to know that there would be another young of his, and that he could not be a father for him, or her hurt him in a way he did not know he could be, but he swore to himself that even if their cub grew up publicly fatherless he, or she would know a father in him if no one else.

---

Meanwhile as Will was pulled away by his fraternal twin Sage, and Naomi were the first to greet Layla with Naomi practically glomping her. Thanks to Sage introductions were made in the absence of Will, and Lola.

"Yoru-chan hisashiburi da ne!" Naomi said excitedly as she embraced Layla.

"That it has Naomi-chan" Layla agreed as she returned the hug.

"Everyone" Sage said to Will's family members who were behind her "This vixen who is taller than any other is Will's mate Layla Eidolon. The tod, and doe duo are Nick Wilde the most recent addition to our pack, and his if my nose is anything to go by mate Judy Hopps. The jaguaress paw in paw with the grey wolf are Maria Suarez our pack sister, and her boyfriend David."

"In reverse." Sage continued gesturing to each mammal in turn "This is Naomi, Sierra, Holly, Sophie, and Mr., and Mrs. Grimm. Back there in the living room are the rest you'll get to know I'm sure including Will's Aunt Kay, and her husband John."

"I recognize you, vixen from the plushie my brother had made." Sierra said approaching Layla before baring her fangs, and saying with no small amount of animosity "You're the one who left him, and broke his heart."

Layla was all too aware of who the red wolf threatening her was, and responded in kind "He was the one who left me! Alone in a foreign hospital with nothing, but a note saying he left to protect me, his knife as a memento, and a story from the doc through a translator that I would be dead if it weren't for his blood flowing in my veins!"

At that Sierra was quite taken aback, and the only ones not shocked by Layla's statement were Sage, Maria, and Nick who already knew.

"But Layla how could you be safer not at his side?" Naomi asked disbelievingly.

"Based on the intel he had at the time leaving me was the only choice he felt he had. If I had been conscious to argue that I could be used to get to him he'd probably have stayed, but that really doesn't matter anymore." Layla answered wistfully.

"Yet you found him, and went to him" Sophie noted stepping forward to embrace Layla.

"Only after a certain ocelot showed me the video on zootube of him rescuing that lion cub out of a tree, and told me the three of us would be left alone so long as we kept to ourselves." Laya replied with a slight grin at the pretty arctic vixen who rather uniquely had a pink nose.

"On a different subject, why is Will's fur as black as coal?" Holly asked.

"We went as the Big Bad Wolf, and the Red Cloaked Vixen for the ZPD halloween party saturday that Will funded." Layla answered.

"You're not just his mate are you?" Sierra asked pointedly sniffing in Layla's direction.

"I'd rather talk about all that with him beside me, but you are not wrong." Layla answered.

"What do you mean Sierra" Marie asked quizzically.

"Come smell her, and find out." Sierra answered.

"That would be rude." Marie responded.

"All I smell is a normal mate marking albeit a little stronger than most" Holly said.

"I am always forgetting it's just Will, and I who really remember the old ways. Thanks for the reminder cousin. So Layla do you know what it means for him to have marked you so strongly, or rather has he told you?" Sierra asked of the vixen as tall as she was.

"I am well aware of just what it means as well as why you're pressing the issue, but I'm sure we'll go over all of this when he, and Lola come back so can you be patient, please?" Layla responded.

As if on cue Will followed by Lola came down the hallway back to where his immediate family, and pack mates were gathered. The both of them clearly having shed tears though as there approach was noted so was the resolve on Will's muzzle, and to those that new her the somewhat submissive posture of Lola seemed odd.

"Well now that you've spoken to your alpha will you finally tell me who the father is Lola?" James Will's father asked.

"Who the father is doesn't matter. Her cub will be a part of our family, and know our love." Will stated in response.

"You may be an alpha in your own right, and I am proud of you my son, but I am still your father. I have a right to know who knocked up my daughter." Will's dad said sternly.

At that Will's hackles rose, and he bared his fangs radiating his dominance as the Wolf Father the very chi radiating out of him causing the lights, and television to flicker.

"I am Alpha above all others, and you dare defy me?" Will snarled before dropping to all fours his eyes taken on their feral set then he growled "You Will submit, or be put in your place!"

Of his pack mates only Layla, and Sierra were unphased by Will's display that even caused Lola to back away in a submissive crouch. Of the canids present the only ones who didn't openly submit were Layla who as his mate, and because she was behind him didn't need to while Sierra as his fellow angel incarnate was free to stand her ground since she wasn't the one facing his ire. Sierra was the only one who saw in his eyes how much it was hurting him to go so far. When his father laid on his belly with no small amount of fear in his eyes Will walked over to him, and with a shove forced his father on his back then latched his jaws around his father's throat enough that they were felt, but not enough to draw blood growling viciously as he did so.

Seeing her mate, and husband so forcibly humbled by none other than her son who would always be her little cub even as her own instincts told her that he was indeed the Father himself Marie couldn't help the fearful whine that escaped her, and it was this sound that broke Will's focus on putting the mammal that was his father in this life in his rightful place. As the sound reached his ears Will released his jaws from his father's throat to look at the arctic she-wolf who bore him into this life with the hurt in his eyes that Sierra had seen just as evident to her. Rising onto his hindpaws the aura of dominance that Will had been exuding vanished like smoke, and the electronics in the vicinity returned to normal function.

Will reached a paw down to his father, and pulled him back on his hindpaws then said to him with a voice heavy with the weight of sadness "Now you know the truth dad that you are, and are not my father as I am, and am not your son. I never wanted you to know me as I truly am this way, and I never want to have to do that to any wolf. I am sorry that I had to do that, but it did need to be done dad; even if there is no mammal who will be a father to my sister's cub I will be his, or her father as I will always be to all of my children."

Then Will turned to his mother, and when he spoke to her seeing the fear still on her muzzle he could not hold back the fresh tears that came to his eyes, or how his voice broke "Please, mother do not fear me. I could not bear it. It was not without reason I chose you, and dad to be the ones to bring me into the world for this lifetime; so long as I still draw breath I will never stop being your son, or ever stop loving you both as my parents."

Layla came up on Will's left taking his paw in her's while Sierra did the same on his right both offering him comfort he needed, and was grateful for.

"While we are on the subject of sharing hidden truths let me tell you that Sierra has wings no different than mine, and in Ulfheim is my right paw" Will said then managed a grin before saying "Mom, Dad let me properly introduce you both to my mate, and soon to be wife Layla Eidolon who will also be mother to our future kit as soon as I get her pregnant."

Sierra turned to him, and couldn't help her incredulity at his words asking him "The Mother permits this?"

"She holds my heart in her paws my sister. I do not betray the Mother by making her my wife in this lifetime since already we have mate bonded which I was free to do, and I am sure our future kit is one whom the Mother will look upon with fondness." Will answered her.

"Then she is truly special beyond measure." Sierra responded then turned to Layla "My sister can you forgive me my aggression towards you earlier? I am sorry I assumed what I did."

"You don't need my forgiveness sister. In your position I would have done the same." Layla told her.

"So how did you two meet?" Will's mom asked.

"Well mom the usual lie is that we met in college when I saved her from some jerks who had ganged up on her, but the truth is we did actually go to the same college, and actually had some of the same classes though our schedules were different; we didn't actually meet until Agent Sky Danger recruited us into the ZIA. Though let's save all of that till after we've all had time to get settled in over at my place okay?" Will answered.

"Alright, but you will tell us what you can right?" Marie inquired.

"That, and then some; some secrets need to stay that way, but the rest need to be aired out at least within my pack plus you, and dad deserve to finally know why I came home last year out of nowhere the broken mammal I was." Will told her.

"Alright my pack, on me." Will said to his packmates then headed for the front door.

As Will crossed the threshold back outside he cast his eyes to the western skies before the largest geographical feature of Ulfhaven which was Mount Sequoia caught his gaze. He didn't let his thoughts turn to the direction they always did seeing the lone mountain, and instead turned around to face the rest of his pack as well as Judy, and David as they followed out to where he'd stopped halfway towards his Shelby.

He could see on their muzzles that Holly, Judy, and David were still processing their shock from his display that his father had bore the brunt of. Sophie, Maria, and Sage seemed to be handling it better while Layla, Lola, and Sierra appeared unfazed at all. Naomi he noted looked at him with unmasked awe, and Nick just seemed aloof. Once they'd gathered in front of him Will simply asked Lola to lead everyone to his place while he drove over there to which she simply nodded in response. Layla knew her mate well enough to know he'd need what temporary time alone he'd have in his car so she followed with the rest of them while Will got in his Shelby.

Lola led them along the road that passed in front of the Grimm family home staying to the right of it. They had made it a good dozen yards down the road before they heard the Shelby roar to life, and the engine continued a low rumble as Will passed them at what for him was a crawl, but still faster than their walking speed.

For Nick, Judy, Maria, David, and Naomi who were in Ulfhaven for the first time the walk along the road through the thick woods gave them time to really feel the aura of the place which for Nick, David, and Naomi seemed mildly invigorative. They'd made it another sixty some odd yards with Lola, and Sophie in the lead followed by Sierra, and Layla with the rest loosely behind them when they came across a traditional Japanese style building with curved roof, and everything built off to the side in a mammal made clearing. When Judy asked if this was Will's home Lola informed her, and by extension the rest of them besides Sophie, Sierra, and Sage who'd been here before that it was in fact the dojo Will had built using money he'd saved from when he'd been in the Ulfhaven Conservation Corps., and a Forest Ranger adding that his home was just a short ways ahead where the road they were on that they all simply referred to as the 'long drive' ended. As they were passing the dojo Sierra broke the relative silence in which they walked.

"So you nearly shot your dad this morning, and Will just proved who the real alpha in these woods really is just because he wanted to know who the father of your cub is; I take it your beau David isn't the father?" Sierra asked Lola.

"Why do you care Sierra?" Lola asked clearly wanting to drop the subject.

"Because as the future godmother to your cub I want to know if the father should be the next body we find in the silent forest." Sierra answered.

"For all intents, and purposes my David is the father, and that is what I'm going to tell him. You assume much if you think I'll name you my cub's godmother, or let you hurt my David for any reason." Lola responded.

"You really do like him don't you? Well if he hurts you don't begrudge me giving him a swift kick to his balls. You're already going to name Will as your cub's godfather, but with his life now in zootopia you'll need someone here to raise your cub if the worst should happen so that leaves either me, or Sophie." Sierra replied back.

"Lola you already know I don't care if I'm the godmother. I'm gonna be the best auntie ever." Sophie said on her own part.

"Yeah you will. The only one the cubs in the family like more than you Sophie is Will" Lola agreed.

"Say Layla since we're on the subject once your pregnant do you already have in mind who you'll name as the godparents?" Sierra asked turning to her.

"Well the god mother has already been named, and as for god father Will was thinking of naming Nick." Layla answered.

"What? I'm sorry I think I misheard you." Nick sputtered flabbergasted.

"You didn't." Judy assured him before asking Layla "Will's really thinking of naming Nick as your kit's godfather?"

"I know normally it'd be up to me who the godparents are, but I trust Will's judgement plus Nick's the closest he has to a brother, or else he wouldn't have wanted him in his pack." Layla answered.

As they were talking they made it the rest of the way to the home Will had built for himself by local contractors during his first year in the ZIA when he had the money to fund the pet project. The surface structure was a rather wide flat roofed hempcrete construct reminiscent of a rectangular pillbox without the loopholes. The outer face of the four walls were all slanted giving it the appearance of a pyramid without the top half. The side of it facing the mammals approaching it bore two very solid looking steel doors which were flush with the angle of the hempcrete exterior; a large one on the left for the garage, and the smaller one on the right which was the main entrance.

"For those of you who haven't been here before you've seen the House of Grimm, and now I welcome you to my Den." Will said to them from where he sat smoking next to the luggage he'd retrieved from his Shelby as he pulled out a remote from his pocket closing the garage door which slid from the ground up into place.

"Seriously Will your home is a bunker?" Nick asked.

"Well yes, and no my brother. This is just the entrance, and is much a deterrent to attack as it is a decoy. You'll see what I mean once we get inside" Will answered putting out his cigarette by rolling the cherry off the end then stomping it out before picking up the luggage next to him, and leading the way through the main entrance.

They all followed him to the main door which he kicked open with a hindpaw then down along a lengthy descending hallway. As he led them in Will explained some the building's specifications.

"The long drive terminates at my external garage door which is a solid six inch steel plate that is moved by a sort of maglev system since it's heavy as shit, and that was the most technological solution I could think of. The external front door on the other paw as you saw moves on simple milspec hinges. It too is a solid six inch steel plate, and locks using titanium rods that slide into it from the walls. That everything is slanted may seem strange to you, but it's done for the same reason tanks have slanted armor. Like I said though it's fortified enough that assaulting this position is something any enemy I've made would think twice about though it's also a decoy. As fortified as it is land a powerful enough missile on the roof, or a bunker buster, and all you'll succeed in doing is collapsing what you see topside, and part of this hallway." While Will was talking they reached a second set of doors that were open which coincided with his next point "These here are the interior doors, and they're rated to handle the event should a bunker buster be used against this implacement, as are the ones on the garage side. They mark the true entrance to my den, and the point where we're two thirds down the length of this hallway heading inside. I should also note that we're now about a hundred feet underground."

"I remember when you were planning, and designing this place." Layla commented then asked "So how did implementing your other security measures come along?"

"Oh, the camera, and motion sensor systems in the surrounding woods went up without a fuss, and the pop-up turrets at each corner work smoothly. It really does help having friends in the right places; instead of the M2's I was going to put in the turrets I got my paws on M61's though I tooled with them a little to decrease their rate of fire to conserve ammunition." Will answered.

"A mammal could've wondered why you went home if you expected the ZIA to attempt a hit on you, but to do that here, and succeed . . . they'd need another you." Layla responded.

"Yep, too much foliage for a sniper to make a clean shot without being obvious to a trained sniper such as myself, roping in one of the average special forces black-ops units would lead to too much paperwork, and too many questions when they failed as would attempting a drone strike in a non-combatant territory. They could've gone for sending in a couple agents in plain clothes to get close enough to stab, or shoot me, but there was the unspoken threat that should they fail I'd come a knockin' on HQ's doors." Will agreed.

"I still think we should take out the Director, and put an end to things." Layla commented off-paw.

"Not without warrant, or else it'll never stop escalating my love, and I'm tired of that level of killing. Admittedly those rogue leopards were damn near warrant enough, but I'll give the Director that one if it maintains our uneasy peace; I am the better mammal after all." Will told her.

"Brother what are you two talking about?" Sophie asked confusedly.

"Seriously Will it's like you two are speaking a different language while still using english." Holly added.

"Look I just want to show everyone to their rooms, and let y'all get settled while I have a wash to get this dye out of my fur, and maybe a nap to sleep off this come down I'm running through. Then we'll all head back to the main house, and have a nice long talk about a great many things." Will said to them as they reached the end of the hallway entering into the living room of his den.

The hall they'd walked through was sized to fit three polar bears abreast comfortably, and the rest of Will's den was built much the same with most of the furniture sized for polar bears as well albeit lower to the ground. There was a half ring of sofas with accompanying coffee tables around a white screen that would display a television feed, or other visual input through a projector. In every corner of the room there were sizable wall mounted speakers. Set into some walls were touch screen displays that would allow for someone to access the media library Will had amassed to play music throughout the whole place, or in just a specific room.

The kitchen, and dining area were off to the left of the living room from the entrance hall, and it was the one area where the furniture, and appliances were sized more for mammals the size of the average wolf except for the set of speakers in each corner. The dining table was easily large enough to seat a dozen, and was solid piece of teak with matching chairs all painted black. The kitchen was done with more teak for the cabinets, and slate for the countertops with three refrigerators labeled for their contents; one for beer, one for sodas, and one for food. Farther into the kitchen was the doorway that led into the walk-in larder where the dry goods were kept as well as two deep freezers. The other door in this section which was in the wall at the edge where the kitchen ended, and dining room began led to the garage where Will's Shelby, and Lola, and Sophie's cars were.

As they entered the living room proper Will gave to Nick, Judy, Maria, and David their luggage. While he was doing this a voice chimed up from the living room it's owner being hidden laying in a sofa.

"I was wondering when you'd get here Brat Volk. You should tell your sisters to lock the front door, and only you would have a whole fridge for beer, and another for soda half full of 'Monsuta'." Kat spoke from where she was reclining on the sofa directly opposite the projection screen.

"Hey Kat get your tail over here, and I'll show you to your room." Will called over to her his back turned.

"Da, da. I suppose sharing your bed is out of the question?" Kat responded getting up from the sofa, and heading towards them a cold beer in her paw.

"I take it more introductions are in order, brother." Sierra pointedly said to Will.

"That they are Sierra. I humbly introduce to you our sister, and my counterpart. I hope you remember me telling you I found her." Will told her.

"It would be more accurate to say I found you, and your vixen would it not Brat Vampir?" Katarina countered his statement with a grin, and a drink from her beer.

"Tonikaku mina-san this is Katarina Zimaya, the unofficial member of our pack, and as I just said she is as much my sister as Sierra for the same reason though please do keep that under your hat. Also Judy I recall you being curious as to how tasers are ineffective against Layla, and I. If you really want the truth of that one feel free to ask Kat to tell you since she just brought up how we met." Will introduced Kat to the rest of them.

With that Will led the way down the hall to the right from the foyer which turned left about a dozen feet from the foyer. On the right was a doorway that led via sloped floors down to the lower levels which Will pointed out explaining that the level beneath them contained the bathhouse, library, and full bar with the level beneath that containing the vault, and access to the escape tunnels adding that the garage floor actually was an elevator down to the third level, and the main escape tunnel would accommodate all three vehicles currently parked there.

Turning left down the hallway it was lined with doors on each side with one at the very end, and Will told everyone that they could take their pick of rooms since they were identical in their furnishing except for the three at the end of the hall which were Lola's room on the left, Sophie's on the right, and his in the center; for convenience there were dry erase boards set into the doors where they could write their names so there wouldn't be any confusion on who was sleeping where. He also told them that each room contained it's own private bath in case the communal bathhouse downstairs wasn't their kinda thing.

That done Will asked Layla, and Naomi to follow him as he made his way downstairs to the bathhouse. As he disappeared down the rampway followed by Layla, and Naomi, Lola told everyone not already familiar with Will's Den that if they'd like the full tour after they got settled in she'd be in the living room. Holly, Sierra and Sage who'd already claimed their rooms with Sierra next to Lola, and Sage, and Holly across from each other at the beginning of the hall made their way to the living room after Lola. Kat who'd claimed the room next to Sierra only bothered to write her name on the door in english underneath where she'd written it in russian, and retrieve a cigar from the box she'd left on the dresser inside before heading down to the bar which was the designated indoor smoking area out of conscientiousness for the pregnant Lola. Maria with David in paw claimed the room next to Sophie's, and both marveled at the sheer space of the room which much like the living room was furnished more for polar bears albeit everything was lower since the largest mammal present in the whole den besides Will, and Lola was Katarina.

Nick for his part chose a room in between the one Maria, and David went into, and the one Sage had claimed. With the dry erase board at chest height for a mammal Will's size it took Judy being on his shoulders for them to get their names written on it. Nick had pointed out to Judy that he could've done it, but she had wanted to do it so he had wisely given in to her wishes, and next to their names she'd drawn terrible, but cute little caricatures of a happy bunny face, and smirking fox face. Once they got inside the room proper they both noted first the bed which was easily king size for a polar bear. They both dropped their luggage just past the door, and their minds thinking alike they both took running leaps onto the massive mattress that was low enough they didn't actually need to jump so high, or with so much force, but the landing was worth it.

"Sweet fresh carrots Nick the trip was worth it for this bed alone. I don't think I've ever laid on anything so soft." Judy sighed happily as she sprawled out.

"After seeing how the living room is furnished I don't know why I expected the furniture in these rooms to be smaller. I'm almost looking forward to chasing you around this thing." Nick agreed likewise sprawled out next to the lapine doe he loved his left paw holding her right.

"Nick!" Judy tried to admonish him for his comment, but was too comfortable for her exclamation to have any weight much like how she felt weightless on the compared to her giant bed.

"Judy I never thought it was possible for me to love another with every fiber of my being until I fell for you. I think I've proved I can keep my paws to myself when we were at your parent's place since being honest here I didn't want to be neutered via your dad's shotgun, but that doesn't mean I want to keep my paws to myself, and not love you with every fiber of my being." Nick said to her though his voice remained lazy as he too enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness simply because neither of their weights even put together displaced much of the mattresses padding.

Judy's response was to roll over on to Nick before saying "Keep talking to me like that my romantic cuddly gentlefox, and I won't want to bother making you hunt for your dinner" then pressing her lips against his.

Nick returned the kiss, and then some his long canid tongue searching out her smaller lapine one while his paws traveled down her back to her hips where one caressed her rear through her jeans, and the other stroked her short fluffy tail.

"Maybe we should wait to christen this bed. A nap sounds really good after that long drive sleeping in Will's car." Judy said as she broke the kiss sitting up, and straddling his stomach earning a whine of protest from him.

Nick whined again before agreeing "This bed isn't going anywhere, and we're here all week."

"Speaking of, Nick. It was one thing seeing Will do that to Jack a couple weeks ago, but for a second there I thought he was going to kill his own father." Judy responded burrowing into Nick's chest.

"Sierra said it though didn't she that Will's dad wanted to know who the father of Lola's cub is, but Lola nearly shot him, and Will felt compelled to enforce his dominance as the Wolf Father to put an end to the issue. It begs the question who really is the father, but I think that really it doesn't matter." Nick said after thinking it over for a moment.

"In our line of work Nick I've seen mammals get angry, and violent, but never like Will. When he saved Sarah I will never forget that fear I felt that had me, and John unable to move, or how you knew just what to do to calm him down. When he shielded those fawns with his body, that howl, and how he was so angry he roared at, and threw that leopard . . . then thursday when those leopards took me . . . I'm not sure I even want to know what he did to them that got him so covered in blood, but . . ." Judy trailed off unable to find the right words.

"I can't imagine what it's like for him being the Wolf Father incarnate. His instincts are so much stronger than what I, or any other canid will go through, and it shows, but Judy his actions make it clear his strongest instinct isn't to kill. It's to protect. I cannot tell you what it did to me to see you taken from me, and not be able to do anything. I will always owe him for doing what he did to get you back to me safe, even if you weren't really in danger from those leopards we both thought you were. Each species that believes that each has it's own angels in heaven likes to think that those angels solely look out for their species, but Will is here on this earth with us, and he doesn't care about who is what species he will protect everyone he can, and do whatever he has to in order to do so." Nick responded unable to not choke up remembering being cuffed to their cruiser as she was taken, and following her blood trail once Autumn had freed him.

Judy just hugged him as tight as she could as she heard the emotion in his voice picturing how she would've felt if their roles had been reversed before saying "That saturday when Layla, and I were on our way back to my family's farm after she'd miscarried, and I took her to the hospital she told me that if you joined his pack, with me as your mate that would make me an extended member of his pack, and by extension my whole family as likewise under his protection. I couldn't really wrap my mind around one mammal taking on that much responsibility for mammals that weren't direct family, but I think I'm starting to understand that Will isn't just the kind of mammal who would take on that kind of responsibility as if it were natural, but that he can actually shoulder that kind of responsibility."

"I guess that's what it means being able to say we literally have an angel on our side, huh carrots?" Nick replied with a smirk.

"I guess so slick." Judy responded with a smirk of her own.

---

Meanwhile downstairs in the bathhouse Naomi was quite surprised, and slightly marveled at the fact that Will had built an indoor sento that like the rest of his den in terms of dimensions was sized for polar bears. Will explained that since the whole complex was underground he hadn't been that limited space-wise, and designed the whole place so even he could feel as if he weren't underground; it also helped in terms of temperature control during the sometimes very cold winters.

The three of them disrobed in the first room of the bathhouse where there were cubbies for their clothes, and while Will, and Naomi entered the second room which contained the open showers to get hot water going from one of them Layla dug through her duffle bag for the dye removing fur soap she'd packed before following after. Will could've gotten most of his fur cleaned of the black dye, but was a firm believer that showers were best when one had at least one other mammal to help wash one's back, and tail which Layla could've done herself, but he'd asked Naomi to join them since it had been nearly two years since they'd seen her. It took the two females the better part of half an hour to get Will's fur back to it's natural white, and then it was Will, and Naomi's turn to assist Layla since she figured on doing the same as Will in getting her fur back to it's natural coloration. Then Will, and Layla turned their paws to scrubbing down Naomi as neither of them were inclined to leave her out of her share of attention.

Once they were all clean, and rinsed of the fur soap, and conditioner they'd used they turned off the shower head they'd been using, and went for a soak in the tubs in the final room of the bathhouse. Such was the process of japanese style bathing, and it was worth it with all three enjoying their relaxing submersion in the hot water. The decor of the tub room was varying types of granite with the floor, and walls of the communal tub being made from black, and white granite, the floor of the tub being red granite, and the walls, and ceiling of the room itself being black granite with the far wall painted with a mural of a scenic oceanscape during a brewing storm.

"Only you Okami-sama would find this mural relaxing." Naomi commented as they sat at the side of the massive tub on the ledge that ringed the inside allowing them to relax comfortably with only their necks, and heads above water.

"I do enjoy the contrast it offers compared to this delicious water. It is good to be home." Will agreed.

"This is creature comfort my wolf. I think the only things that would make it better are a little music, and some weed to smoke." Layla added.

"Ask, and I shall oblige my lovely kitsune." Will responded with a chuckle before lightly paddling through the shallow water over to the wall to their right where with a paw he activated one of the three touch screens set in each of the walls that allowed him to not only control the water's temperature, and water jets, but also get some instrumental music going as well as open a hidden compartment in the wall revealing a stash of cannabis, and a bong.

"Would there be maybe some sake in that stash spot?" Naomi asked Will as he was retrieving the bong, and a bag of weed.

"Actually Naomi-chan the secret minibar is on the other side of the tub." Will responded, and after a tap to the lit-up touch screen the said minibar opened on the wall across the tub from him.

Naomi paddled over to wall that was to the left of her where there was one shelf with a sort of flat bottomed miniature boat meant to hold a chosen bottle of spirits, and shot glasses, or in this case red lacquered sakazuki sake cups. Naomi noted that the minibar only contained a medium sized bottle of sake, and two other bottles that each bore a black label with a green japanese style dragon on one, and green fairy on the other.

"What are these other two bottles?" Naomi asked as she got three of the sakazuki style cups, and the bottle of sake in the boat before pushing it towards Layla then paddling after it.

"They would be Green Dragon, and Green Fairy hence the labels." Will answered her with a smirk enjoying the sight of her paddling after the sake boat nudging it along with her nose as she went before properly explaining for her "Green Dragon is typically cannabis infused clear high proof alcohol best made with moonshine since the THC is alcohol soluble, but in this case some really good russian vodka. In a related note I usually keep a stock of cannabis infused butter in the fridge upstairs for special peanut butter cookies. The Green Fairy is more commonly known as Absinthe, and some will tell you that thanks to the wormwood in it that it has hallucinogenic properties, but I haven't found that to be the case; at least not like psilocybin mushrooms anyway."

"Then I'm glad I grabbed the sake. Nigori Genshu I noticed; I approve." Naomi said as she reached the spot she had occupied.

"Always, Always unfiltered, and undiluted." Will said with solemn seriousness as he packed a bowl in the bong adding "Be it with beer, or sake anything less is just swill though sometimes one must make do with said swill."

The relative coolness of the sake was a nice compliment to the warmth of the bathwater as they enjoyed their light drink, and a couple bowls of weed. They ended up loosing track of time as they relaxed in the bath chatting idly, but got out before they became too water logged after putting away their intoxicants, and paraphernalia though Will was the one most reluctant to leave the bath. Layla, and Naomi both teased him lightly about it as both knew he loved to be in water either bathing, or swimming which he chalked up to being because he was a pisces. The three of them each indulged in that most primitive of canine methods for ridding one's fur of water when they were back in the shower room vigorously shaking themselves on all fours.

While Will was still on all fours Layla as was her custom straddled Will's back with Naomi joining in for fun, and they rode him over to the fur drying vent pads which were much heavier duty than a normal canid, or felid apartment might have. Once they were dry they reentered the disrobing, and redressing room with Will putting back on his still relativlt speaking clean boxers, and black fatigue trousers, Naomi putting back on her kimono with Will assisting her in retying her obi though she insisted she could do it herself, and Layla changing into a pair of black fatigue trousers along with a simple black t-shirt.

The three of them having gotten dressed made their way back upstairs to the living room where everyone else was lounging on the sofas that had more than enough room for everyone gathered. Nick, Judy, Maria, and David occupied the one to the left when facing the projection screen, Sophie, Sierra, Sage, and Holly occupied the one opposite the screen, and Kat was sprawled across the remaining sofa appearing to doze lazily. Everyone seemed quite comfortable with their respective drinks on the coffee table with only Judy, Maria, and David not drinking a beer while Sophie was using her tablet to adjust the music so that it played in the background. As Will, Layla, and Naomi came around the corner Nick was the first to notice them, and spoke up.

"Say Will where'd you get this beer? It's pretty good." Nick asked lifting the bottle in his paw.

"Well what's it say on it?" Will asked back since he couldn't tell which beer it was from his distance away.

"Flamerock-Strider Velvet Merlin" Nick answered reading the label.

"Ah, that's from a local brewery. I imagine we'll all get up to visit the place; they do tours, and I could use a couple growlers to take back to Zootopia. That oatmeal stout you hold in your paw is my favorite of their selection though their undiluted double barrel ale is quite good too; I should probably bring the Chief back a growler, or two of that what do you think?" Will responded.

"I'd say that'd definitely get you back in his good graces if that's what your going for." Nick replied.

"Say gatito how come you didn't grab you, and David a beer?" Will asked Maria.

"Will! They're underage! You're an officer, you can't just contribute to the delinquency of minors" Judy exclaimed at him looking rather shocked.

"In my den if my little sister wants to have a beer she can; a beer, or two won't hurt her, and it's not like she isn't surrounded by adults to keep an eye on her. If she'd rather stick to juice, or soda that's fine too; I was just letting her know the option is on the table. It's better to be open about drugs with teenagers than make them forbidden fruit because that's half the allure to underage drug use. I should know since I was her age when I started smoking weed, and seventeen when I started drinking" Will told her looking at her like she was the one who was daft.

"Maybe later Angel. I'm fine with soda." Maria said to Will before turning to Judy telling her "He's not wrong, and it's not like he's putting shots of tequila in front of me."

"I guess we better not mention the 'things' I bought you, eh Maria?" Layla said with a smirk.

"No, I don't want to hear anymore about those things." David responded putting his paws over his ears looking quite embarrassed.

"Oh, admit it you're thinking about Maria using one, and thinking of you." Will said loud enough for David to still hear him then added "And your sister using one too".

At that David's muzzle couldn't look more a mix of horror, and embarrassment which got quite the laughter out of Will, Layla, and Maria who pulled one of David's paws away from his head to tell him "Maybe next time I'll just use you instead."

"Okay what're you guys talking about? I want in." Sierra said.

"Well, what's your wild guess sister?" Will asked in response.

"Layla ordered some canine dildos, and a vibrator online then sent them to Maria. I was there." Kat chimed in from her position on the couch.

"What'd you spoil the fun for, Kat?" Layla asked her.

"It was still fun for me, and little bunny needs to lighten up. Maybe Kolya should take her to that place in Sahara Square. What was it again the Oasis of the Mystic Springs?" Kat replied.

At that Judy's ears shot up, and flushed with obvious embarrassment while Nick just started snickering uncontrollably earning himself a punch to the arm. When he managed to mutter through his laughter that they'd already been during a case Judy punched his arm again, and harder, but the damage was done with Will, Layla, Kat, and Sage laughing their tails off. As their laughter died down Will noticed the absence of his fraternal twin.

"Say where is Lola?" Will asked.

"Out front talking to her David." Sierra answered.

Will just nodded his muzzle falling into expressionlessness as he was filled with conflicting emotions, and he made his way out the way Lola had gone pulling out his cigarettes while Layla sat on the sofa with Kat. As he went he could hear Sage telling Judy "We're all healthy mammals here, Judy. Even you. We're just more open about it, as you should try to be. There's nothing wrong with sexuality only in repressing it."

"Well for the most part." Will could hear Layla add as he reached the end of hearing distance.

When Will made it out front of his den he could see Lola, and her deputy sitting on the back of his cruiser shoulder to shoulder. The sound of him lighting his cigarette with this flip lighter announced his presence causing his sister to turn around. When she saw that it was him she gave her David's paw a squeeze then hopped off the trunk of the cruiser, and made her way towards Will. He took a couple steps past the door noting the happiness on her muzzle which eased a bit the hard set his features had taken. As she passed him heading back into the den they shared a look that conveyed to each other that they both felt the same turmoil.

Will could tell the grey wolf a foot shorter than him was nervous even though his back was turned. Will didn't say anything to David as he approached letting the grey wolf stew a bit. Only after taking the place on the trunk of the cruiser that Lola had occupied, and offering David a cigarette which he accepted did Will finally speak.

"So you're going to be a father, huh?" Will said waiting to gauge David's response.

"I'm still wrapping my head around it, but yes, yes I will be." David responded resolutely.

"Well that makes two of us, but you've got the leg up on me. I still need to get my mate pregnant." Will told him with a grin.

"Wait you have a mate?" Davi asked.

"Prettiest, and tallest vixen in the world with fur actually worthy of the word red. You'll meet her if you stick around for dinner up at the main house." Will answered.

"I don't think I have a choice about staying for dinner, do I?" David inquired.

"Haha, nope." Will told him with a grin.

"So . . . uh, this the part where you give me the big brother speech before I get the one from your dad the family alpha?" David asked warily off-guard because of Will's lack of anger, or animosity towards him for knocking up Lola which he'd been expecting.

"No, David I am the alpha of this family, but dad will still give you a talking to; he gets to, he's dad. You forget I worked with you for six months, and know full well the way you have looked at my sister." Will said pausing for a glance at David, and smirking at the sheepish expression he saw on the other wolf's muzzle. "You never once looked at her like a piece of tail to be hunted like I tend to look at females. That already earned you points, but all I want to know, all that matters is are you really willing to be a father worthy of my sister's cub?"

At that Will took a long hard look into the eyes of the grey wolf next to him who would be father to his cub. To his credit David didn't look away as he responded without hesitation to Will's question.

"Will I love your sister, and even if it turns out that she doesn't love me I will still do everything I can to be a father for my son, or daughter. What kind of son of the Mother, and Father would I be if I abandoned a cub let alone my own? Never mind that they would never forgive me, I would never forgive myself." David answered Will's question his voice full of the weight of his seriousness, and emotions.

For Will there was no doubt of the sincerity of David's words, and he surprised the smaller wolf with his response which was to pull him into an embrace openly crying into his shoulder. Will couldn't help it letting out the hurt that he could not openly be the father for his cub as well as his gratitude towards, and proudness for David for being a true wolf worth his fur. For his part David was more than a little caught off guard having never seen Will such as he was, and could only awkwardly pat him on the back doing his best to be comforting.

After Will managed to regain his composure they stayed where they were on the trunk of the cruiser smoking, and chatting about how things were going around the county. Since Will had been gone things had stayed mostly quiet other than the usual tourists causing problems, or bar fight. While they were laughing at a new joke David had heard Lola followed by the rest of Will's pack made their way out of Will's den with Lola telling Will that their mom had called saying everyone else had arrived, and his paws were required to help with dinner.

Will hopped off the back of David's cruiser enthusiastically, and took up leading the way back to the main house. As they passed the dojo this time in the opposite direction Naomi asked Will if he'd be up for some sparring tomorrow to which he agreed so long as they had breakfast first, and Layla along with Sierra expressed their willingness to join them.

"So where is the recoil therapy center round these parts, Will?" Layla asked him her curiosity plain on her muzzle.

"What do you want to put down range?" Lola asked in response.

"I have some RDX in the vault" Will said nonchalantly.

"I was thinking more like some fifty-cal Meister Jaeger'" Layla pointedly told Will.

"Fine live-fire only, no detonations." Will relented.

"Say, Will is it me, or are we going faster this way than we did coming the other way?" Nick asked him.

"We are heading downhill, brother." Will answered turning towards Nick as he maintained point position.

When they reached the main house Will's own relaxed calmness seemed to radiate echoed by Layla, Lola, Naomi, and Nick while of the rest only Lola's deputy David was truly nervous due to his forthcoming conversation with Will's dad. Will was the first to cross the threshold after he lightly bounded up the porch, and barely made it far enough in to allow inside the rest of his pack.

"Uncle Will!" An obviously young female voice exclaimed before the sound of small paws on wood floor were heard.

Will barely had time to take one knee, and brace himself grinning toothily before a grey blur the size of Judy tackled him.

"Hey, there Dakota; where are the rest of the anklebiters?" Will said clearly with a laugh at her exuberance.

"Here it comes. Everyone, stay back." Lola cautioned everyone holding out a paw, and backing up keeping her eyes on Will.

"The Micro-Pack-Attack" Sierra added with a hint of dread.

Within half a minute multiple running sets of paws could be heard then it was Dakota's flying tackle cranked up to eleven by half a dozen other cubs. Their sheer mass together completely floored him, and he laughed the whole way.

"Layla will you make sure the little one's don't swallow him? If they want dessert they will have to let him make it." Marie called out from the kitchen.

"You hear that guys? No dessert unless you let Will go." Layla said to the pile of cubs that made a small hill over Will.

It took a moment for their words to register, but when they did like magic the pack of cubs gave Will space lastly being Dakota herself who gave Will one last hug before returning to her mom in the living room. Before Will made his way to the kitchen he followed after Dakota asking Naomi to follow him.

"And so the Fang Devil has come home." the grey she-wolf Dakota ran to greeted Will.

"Hime-sama I have something I would ask you, as well as you my pack-sister Naomi." Will told them turning so he faced both, and stretching out a paw towards Layla which she took.

"Okami-sama what would you ask of us?" Naomi asked seeing the seriousness on Will's muzzle that matched his tone.

"What in Niflheim is the matter with you?" the grey she-wolf put to him tilting her head quizzically.

"Naomi imouto-chan, Sarah Healer of the Frost Tribe will either of you marry us?" Will asked them hopefully.

The sound of a plate breaking upon the floor in the kitchen was the first sound to respond in the silence that followed Will's open query of the two.

"I cannot accept the honor you would bestow upon me Okami-sama; I am honored enough that you call a simple servant pack-sister, and am not worthy of what you ask of me." Naomi said to Will with her eyes wide with surprise.

"So, Will you really are who you are, and would ask this of us?" Sarah responded with incredulity similar to Naomi's at the nature of what Will really was asking.

"I am, and you are free to refuse Sarah. Father Logan will agree to do it." Will explained evenly.

"Would you go into the Silent Forest just for the ceremony for what the marks you both bear already make reality" Sarah asked the both of them challengingly.

"I would." Will, and Layla answered in unison, and mutual seriousness.

"Then I will do this for you Thursday. You have my number let me know the location, and time. The forecast is for the first rain of winter." Sarah said to them.

"By the Howling Point at the edge of the Silent Forest as the clouds permit." Will responded with an affirmative nod.

"Then I will see you that morning, and we'll see how it goes" Sarah said as she rose from her seat revealing the dagger she wore then continuing "So, Will. I didn't come here expecting that of all things from you of all wolves. I came here because I heard a rumor concerning your sister though my dad will want to know you are here as does Father Logan."

"What rumor would that be Sarah?" Lola asked stepping forward.

"So it's true." Sarah said taking full stock of Lola's figure before her tail betrayed her first with it's wagging followed by her ears, and the rest of her muzzle as she approached Lola with open arms saying "Congratulations. So when were you going to tell your big sister, huh?"

"I was going to tell you the next time I saw you, so now?" Lola responded apologetically.

"It's all good lil' sis'. So you, and David can't hide anything anymore? Good, just come to me when you both are ready; I made your dress years ago Lola." Sarah responded.

"I think that'll be a while . . . wait, what? Sarah, you did what?" Layla replied flabbergasted.

"I couldn't help it. It came to me in a dream so I made it reality. You will look amazing." Sarah told her with confidence before turning back to Will saying to him "So, now that most of my business here is done are you going to introduce me to the mammal who won your heart?".

"Sarah this is Layla Eidolon My Vixen; My vixen this is Sarah Frost shaman of her tribe." Will introduced the two to eachother who shook paws.

"You truly are a special one to have won his heart, and I see the bond between you is strong. I hope to hear how it formed, and grew over dinner." Sarah said to Layla.

"I am beyond blessed to call him My Wolf, and there is much for us to say on what we've been through." Layla responded.

"Alright I am needed in the kitchen." Will said then called to the rest of his pack "Nick, Judy come with me I will have need of you. Everyone else make yourselves at home."

With that he made his way into the kitchen where his mom was throwing away the pieces to the plate she'd dropped followed by Judy, and Nick who sniffed at the smells of cooking with his tail lazily wagging. The rest of Will's pack made their way into the living room led by Sophie, and Sierra where they all made themselves comfortable.

"I saw them . . . your wings . . ." Will's mom said as she looked up at him as he entered the kitchen that was her domain.

Will just smiled at her, and picked her up in an embrace nuzzling into her neck fur before telling her "I'm still your son, and it is good to be home. Now you were saying something about press ganging me into dessert detail; what exactly would you have me make?"

"Put me down." Marie said, and once he had told him "I was hoping you'd do something with the last of the berries, maybe a cobbler?"

"Sounds good to me." Nick said with a grin earning a laugh from Will.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Maria asked as she walked into the kitchen followed by Layla.

"The more paws the merrier." Marie answered her with a smile.

Under Marie's direction Layla, and Maria helped with getting dinner finished which consisted of enough baked vegetables, and salmon to feed the nearly thirty mammals present including Will's pack while Nick, and Judy helped Will with the dessert though mostly that was just helping him get the ingredients he needed that were on the lower shelves of the fridge.

"Judy I think we've found a magic fridge that seems to replenish berries as soon as we take them out." Nick joked while Will stood at the counter using a bear sized stand mixer to get the batter that would go over the berries going.

"I would say you're dreaming, but there just seems to be no end to them." Judy responded with a laugh.

"It's not a bag of holding you two." Will laughed then said to Nick "Just don't eat all the blueberries okay? I kinda need those."

Within an hour dinner proper was done, and the three pans full of cobbler were in the oven with a timer set for Will to pull them out when they were done. Sierra, and Sage had just finished setting the table when Will's ears perked up hearing the front door open with the evening's final visitors arrival. With a swiftness Will strided to greet one in particular of the three mammals who entered the Grimm family home.

"I hope I'm not too late. I brought wine." A feminine voice called out.

"You are just in time. Now I can say my family is finally all here." Will answered as he approached the grey she-wolf his mother's age who was an inch taller than he was.

"So you did come home, Will. It's good to see you." She responded as she wrapped him in a hug he returned warmly.

"Now let me look at you. What happened to the sad wolf you were when you left?" She asked as she let him go, and appraised the open happiness on his muzzle.

"My heart came back to me." Will replied grinning even wider than he was.

"Conny." Marie greeted her warmly coming in for a hug of her own telling her "You won't believe it, but he's getting married."

"What? Mr. 'I'm never getting married, or having cubs'?" Conny asked turning to look at Will just as he held out his left paw, and Layla came up grasping it in her right.

"And as soon as I get her pregnant we will have a kit of our own." Will said pulling Layla into his side so he could wrap his arm around her.

"For the record I did come back to him once I found out where he was though he was the one who left me." Layla said with a grin.

"Your life flows within her. Why would you leave her?" Conny asked Will as she saw the way they were together.

"I will answer that, and more over dinner. It's time for a great deal to come out in the open." Will answered before addressing the grey wolf, and wolverine who had entered behind her "Elder Frost, Father Logan I take it you're not here for just a social visit."

"That would be correct William, but we can wait till after dinner." the grey wolf responded.

"Aye, lad we've business with ye, but first we'll break bread." the wolverine added.

"Well then come on in. Dinner is just about to be put on the table." Will said to them motioning for them to follow as he turned heading into the dining room.

As the entered the dining room Will's father James was talking to David, and Lola who were paw in paw.

"So your the wolf that got my daughter pregnant? Her deputy no less, and Will let you live? Well he may approve of you, but you had better remember if you ever hurt her that I load my shotgun with slugs not birdshot." James said to David.

"I hate to break it to you pops, but I've got dibs on his pelt should he even dare to make her cry. I patrol the Silent Forest." Sierra told Will's father.

"If he proves unworthy of the trust I am putting in him then I will make sure I skin him first Sierra because all that will be left of him will be what I shit out. That said I say he is worth his fur, and that should be enough for the both of you." Will told them both causing David to visibly gulp in fear.

"Okay, enough threatening my boyfriend. Mayor, and Forest Ranger, or not I'll arrest you both if you don't cease, and desist. He is an officer of the law." Lola said to her father, and Sierra.

"I wasn't threatening him. I was warning him." James said in response.

"And I was making a promise." Sierra added.

"Neither of you will make good on either. He is a good wolf, and will be a good father." Will reiterated calmly.

Will's father just looked at him then gave a huff before taking his seat at the head of the table. Will walked into the kitchen where his mom still was, and told her to sit while everyone else was taking their seats. Will's mom sat to her husband's right along with her sister Kay, and Kay's husband John. Conny sat across from Will's mom with Sarah, and Dakota to her left followed by Elder Frost, and Father Logan. The rest of the Grimm family, and their cubs filled in the middle while Will's pack following Lola took up seats on the opposite end of the table. Will, and Sierra brought the food to the table with first the platters full of baked salmon, and then the platters full of the oven roasted vegetables with the larger of the two being placed on his end of the table by Will.

That done Will took his seat opposite his dad with Layla on his right followed by Kat, Nick, Judy, Maria, and her David. On Will's left sat first Sierra then Lola, her David, Sophie, Holly, Naomi, and Sage. There was a moment of silence after the clattering of everyone filling their plates that was broken by Will tossing a piece of roasted squash into his mouth with a paw, and chewing.

"So are you going to say grace, or shall I?" Will's dad asked him from the opposite end of the long table.

Will swallowed the mouthful of squash he'd taken then said "My family, my pack we have come together to strengthen, and renew the bonds between us that remain no matter how far apart we may roam. We may growl, and bare our fangs at each other, but let us not do so because we are hungry. Dig in."

With that everyone tucked in to their plates, and after everyone had gotten a few mouthfuls of food into their stomachs conversation sprang up.

"Eating your vegetables first you're going to get your pred card revoked." Will's uncle John remarked causing laughter to erupt from Will, Layla, and Kat who took a long minute to calm themselves.

"I eat my veggies for the same reason Father Logan joined the cloth, and then some John." Will responded still snickering slightly.

"He is known as the beast for a reason." Kat added.

"You can't be serious lad?" Father Logan said to Will.

"Father Logan I should have fur as red as my lovely vixen's with as much blood as I'm covered in, and with as much blood as I've ingested over the years eating my veggies eases my conscience." Will told him plainly.

"On that note my wolf how much should we declassify?" Layla asked Will.

"The beginning, and end of CLAWS at least; maybe a little of the middle." Will answered.

"Here comes long winded story time everyone." Maria joked.

"That it does gatito." Will agreed with a grin then began his telling "Layla, and I went to the same college both of us on military scholarships, even had some of the same teachers, and had heard about each other, but didn't meet until we met a certain vixen by the name of Sky Danger who recruited us into the ZIA. The Agency wanted their own dedicated in house black ops unit that could back up their best field agents, and handle the kind of wetwork field agents couldn't. They called our unit CLAWS because that was what we were the Agency's claws; I was the unit's sniper, and infiltration specialist, my vixen here was our electronic warfare specialist, and my spotter. The other three with us were the grey-wolf Dagger whose specialty was demolitions, the tiger Rambo who was our heavy gunner, and the ocelot Revolver who is an interrogation specialist; Rev was the only one of us not special forces trained though he'd been in the agency the longest."

"How we went from partners at work, and friends to something a little more is a bit of a funny story." Layla cut in "This big idiot made a habit of shielding the rest of us from bullets at every opportunity even though we all wore vests, and even John when he was bigger than him. We had been a unit for about two months, and were helping the German anti-terrorism unit take out some undesirables when one of the would-be-terrorists got the drop on us, and leveled a submachine gun at me. Needless to say Will put himself in the way taking fire meant for me, and when the gun jammed crushed the punk's larynx. Now I'm no kit in combat, and had had enough of his senselessness so I proceeded to give him a good pummeling along with a piece of my mind until John pulled me off."

"I told her I knew full well she was just as capable as me, but couldn't help it." Will interjected.

"And that just made me hit him harder." Layla continued. "So anyway we're back at the base the germans were putting us up at, and while Will's off getting his bruises iced John pointed out to me that whenever he saw me in danger Will got angry, then Jack let slip that this wolf of mine was more than a little fond of my scent, and staring at my tail. The icing on the cake was Adam flat out telling me Will had admitted liking me. I scoffed at all three of them because I'm a master of the honey-pot, and I'd know if a mammal were interested in me, but that got me thinking how as open as he was about himself with all of us he actually talked about all of you to me. I just wrote it off as us being partnered as often as we were, but Adam's words really put the hook in me so I decided to put them to the test."

"I'm gonna let you finish telling your side of things just remember there are cubs present." Will said to her.

"I am well aware of younger ears. Now stop interrupting me that's Maria's thing." Layla told him.

"Hey!" Maria exclaimed.

"Anyway." Layla said "I found him in his quarters in our barracks, and honey-pot expert I am put the moves on him, or at least I tried to. I swear it was like I was the one playing with his deck the way he countered every suggestive posture, and flirt I leveled at him. He was actually refusing my advances, which I admit I kinda took a little personal, until I got pawsy, and found his weak spots. Then I pushed his buttons for all they were worth; I will never forget when he finally broke the way his eyes went feral, and he looked at me the way I look at a chicken. As soon as he did though he went back to normal, and tried to run, but I wouldn't let him. He'd been had, and I was sure as hell gonna get him. That night I knew his fangs, and the rest of him as he knew me, and mine."

At that Will leaned over towards her giving her a nuzzle, and she playfully nipped his ear in response.

"Our relationship grew from there over a great deal of things we still can't talk about." Will said as he leaned back into his chair "Though at this point I think it's time to tell everyone how we met Katarina, or rather how she met us. What do you say Sestra? I know Judy here want's to know how tasers are no longer effective against us."

"That is not a happy story brat volk, or an easy one to put gently, but if you would have them know I will tell it." Kat responded hesitatingly with her ears back.

"They should hear it, and it will make it easier when we get to how our unit ended." Will replied with a nod.

"Very well then, but it is not a story for cubs to hear." Kat said glancing towards the younger wolves at the table.

"Come on guys we can finish our food in the living room while the adults talk." A teenage red wolf who was Sierra's little sister said to the cubs who followed her into the living room.

"Thank you Chelsea." Will said to her as she herded the cubs into the living room.

"No problem." Chelsea responded as she left the dining room.

"In my home country I was in the secret police, and I met Will, and Layla when I was tasked with sneaking into a mob compound to plant a bug." Kat said once she was sure the younger ones were out of earshot "When I got there however it looked like someone had already been there. At first I thought the guards, and other mammals I came across had been tranqed because they were all down, and there was no blood. However tranqed mammals still breath, and will snore especially bears, but I checked for pulses, and found none. None of the mammals on the ground floor, or the first basement level were alive, or obviously injured which had me nervous as hell. The second basement level was a different story. There I found rooms where mammals were taken to be tortured as the implements that filled them indicated, and there were more bodies, but they were torn apart. Some that were smaller than me were missing arms, others their heads while the rest it was plain had been killed by a predator using their fangs to rip out their throats. At the end of the hall I found two rooms where the torture of choice was electrocution. The first was empty save for more bodies dead without wounds while the other was another bloodbath save for Will covered in blood releasing Layla's limp body from her restraints."

"That particular mob organization made their money kidnapping others to be pawned off to mammal traffickers. Our mission had been like Kat's to simply infiltrate, and gather intel." Will said once she'd finished her side of events.

"However there had been a leak which we later plugged, and we'd been captured." Layla added.

"When they couldn't break me they left the doors open so I would hear as they started on her; her screams sent me over the edge, and sealed their fates." Will finished the tale rather pointedly popping another vegetable in his mouth.

"Mother above, no!" Marie exclaimed openly crying, as was Conny while everyone else looked horrified except for Father Logan who understood such manner of events.

"Brother you never told me about that one." Lola said to Will with shock.

"No I told you about how I let loose when the desert hit the storm, and how if it weren't for Layla I'd never have snapped out of it." Will responded before addressing the table at large "Now is the point where Layla, and I tell you about the CLAWS' last mission. Those of you who already know please forgive the repetition."

"We were sent in to infiltrate the jungle compound of a cartel eliminate any leaders there, and obtain any incriminating evidence so the local government could dismantle 'em. Will, and I went in did what we do best, and were gone before anyone was the wiser. However when the time came for our extraction Sky broke protocol to tell us there wouldn't be any extraction, and with that as they say things went sideways." Layla began "As far as exfiltrating the area went we didn't have a lot of options, but the cartel we'd just struck they had choppers so we went with the best option we saw at the time since Will here is a pilot. All five of us managed to sneak back into the compound, and a third of the way towards the makeshift helipad before the jig was up. Thanks to John, and Jack we managed to fight our way another third of the way to our target, but then our luck ran out. John got downed first followed by Jack while Adam, Will, and I kept running, and gunning with whatever cover we could get helped along by Jack fragging himself with the last of his C4. We got pinned behind some crates running low on ammo since we'd packed light. Will ran dry first then did every battle drug he had on him, and Adam, and I did our best to keep the bastards off of us till Will could bring his inner savage to bear. Then I caught some armor piercing rounds that luckily went right through me. Last thing I remember was . . . the Wolf of Death howling . . ."

Will just took Layla's paw in his own, and picked up where she trailed off "I saw her fall, and I lost it. I used the howl of despair which stopped our attackers cold. The one closest to me lost his head by my jaws, and the next one didn't fare much better. When a mammal has been struck dumb it an even easier thing to take their life. Once the path was clear I picked up Adam, and at the time what I thought was Layla's corpse, and I ran to the nearest helicopter. I got us in the air as fast as I could, and luckily we didn't get hit too bad by their reinforcements. If I hadn't needed to fly us to the nearest hospital I would've shoved my tongue down Adam's throat when he told me she was still alive. Once I'd gotten us to that hospital I rushed her in to the nearest doctor while Adam talked down security who weren't exactly keen on letting an armed ocelot into the building; I guess they were too scared of my bloody mug to give me any shit. I'm lucky they understood enough english to get that she'd been shot, and need an O.R. ASAP. It seemed like no time at all that Adam was back at my side then the doc was saying something to him. It took me a second to get that Adam was telling me she'd lost too much blood, and wouldn't make it since there were no foxes in that country; I about gave the doc a heart attack when I picked him up, and marched to where they'd gotten her stabilized. I'm a canid universal donor, and I've had field triage training it didn't take me long to get me plugged into her to get her refueled. Thanks to Adam translating when the doc told me I'd given her enough blood he didn't protest much when I told him to take more from me in case she needed it; I probably forced them to take more from me than I should have, but it all worked out. Anyway while we're waiting for them to finish patching her up Adam, and I get to talking about just why the fuck we got left in the wind, and what the fuck we were going to do about it. It wasn't hard to figure out though since we as a unit relied so heavily on my ability to kill as only I have, and after a while when the bodies you leave in your wake number in the dozens at a time mammals start asking hard to answer questions, that the ZIA Director decided I was a liability that couldn't be allowed into the public conscious so he wrote off our whole unit just to kill me. That his first plan failed didn't mean he wouldn't try again so I made the least horrible decision I could think of. I left my Layla in that hospital with a note explaining my decision, my knife, and Adam watching over her. I figured since I was the one he wanted dead that if I was alone he'd only send agents after me."

"Did I mention this wolf of mine is a big idiot? The ZIA Director is a real crafty piece of work. He could've come after me to use as bait for a trap, or killed me, and Adam for knowing too much then made it seem we were still alive, and bait for a trap. But, no what does the Director do for his second attempt to see my wolf killed? He let's sensitive documents pertaining to his kill count be seen by a pair of barely wet behind the ears agents in training who just so happen to go rogue, and make their own attempt using Judy as bait which they failed, and he gets to write them off as nothing since they went rogue." Layla said nearly snarling.

"Calm down my love. They dared attack my pack brother, and use Judy as bait; they got what they deserved. The third time will pay for all if the Director tries his shit again; if he fails he brings death upon himself, and anyone on his side. If he succeeds which he won't Sky will make sure the world knows he was responsible, and the canids of the world will hunt him down, and have his blood." Will said to her putting a paw over her's that was nearest him.

"I don't understand Will. Why would they want you dead just because you have killed with your teeth?" Will's father asked him.

"You weren't really listening dad when Kat said she came across bodies dead without wounds with the point being that I was responsible." Will answered.

"The Fang Devil of all Fang Devils has taken life with his nature. You Jim with your holy book do not know the legends of the Father, but my Tribe we remember. This is another dark lifetime for you William." Elder Frost added.

"You may think so Grandfather, but I disagree. Look at the pack I've made for myself, the kin I have at my side, and Sarah didn't tell you I am to marry my vixen, or that I can, and will get her with at least one kit." Will responded.

"Wait just a minute." Lola interjected. "Judy what did Layla mean you got used as bait for a trap to kill my brother?"

"This last thursday we were on a routine patrol when we pull over to stop a fight between two leopards in an alley only for them to tase us, and decide it'd be more fitting to take her for bait when they were going to use me." Nick answered with a frown holding one of Judy's paws in his adding "They even cut her arm so there would be a blood trail for him, and I to follow".

"They patched up my arm, and even apologized for having to cut me. They said they weren't going to hurt me, and would let me go once Will was dead." Judy said.

"They brought on themselves what I did to them." Will said his visage scrunching into one of utter malice matching his words before he quite visibly softened.

"Judy they weren't going to hurt you because they expected Will with his nose full of the scent of your blood to do that for them so they could explain away their killing him." Layla said to her adding "Tell me when we were in Bunnyburrow did you ever get the feeling he was a threat at all to anyone there?"

As Layla's words sank in Judy's muzzle showed her horror, but she recovered quickly answering her question "That's not even a question; of course not. Heck half of the kits have been pestering my mom wanting to know if I'll be bringing you, Nick, and Will home for Yule."

"Aww. Well you tell Bonnie we'll be more than happy to come by if she'll have us." Will said to her with a warm grin adding with a light chuckle "I'll need your help getting gifts for all the little ones though; Santa Paws needs his best helper."

"Um, Will. Solstice Fire Festival?" Layla reminded him.

"Ah, yes . . . well while we're at it discussing the holidays; every year that I can I host a Solstice Fire Festival, my own little spin on the season up here in Ulfhaven." Will said the turned to address his whole pack "As my pack mates you all are invited though we'll have to work out timing our arrival, and departure."

"I may be able to help on that front." Sage spoke up "I've been meaning to get a new plane since I passed my certification for private jets."

"Find one, and I'll pay for it." Will responded without hesitation.

"You can afford that son?" Will's dad asked.

"I got to keep the spoils from most of my kills in the ZIA. Layla, and I have what a little over fourteen million between us though most of it is offshore in Isla de Muerta Holdings. It was sixteen million till I funded a gear, and uniform overhaul for our precinct." Will answered.

"And so the conversation turns back around." Father Logan noted the said to Will "Perhaps now would be a good time for us to discuss our business wouldn't you say laddie?."

"I agree. Thank you for dinner Marie, but we didn't come here to impose upon you for very long." Elder Frost added.

"Yeah we might as well." Will responded standing up though he leaned down to lick Layla's muzzle before giving her a nuzzle the said "And Grandfather you know you, and Father Logan are as welcome in this home as I am."

"Tell me William are you not the same way when you are in my den?" Elder Frost asked him as he, and Father Logan likewise rose.

"True, I am, and Grandmother is always chiding me for it too" Will answered with a chuckle before asking "How is she by the way?"

"She's still as she ever was. She is expecting you to come by sometime this week, and bring your vixen with you." Elder Frost answered as he led the way out front.

"So I take it you're both here because now every canid who actually listens to their instincts, and has seen the news knows just who I am?" Will asked them as he pulled out a cigarette, and lit it then held out his flip lighter so Father Logan could light the cigar he'd pulled out.

"That'd be the right of it, lad." Father Logan replied giving him a nod in thanks for the light.

"Well then let's take a seat, and get down to it shall we?" Will said gesturing to some of the loose chairs on the porch.

They seated themselves in a roughly triangular formation, and no sooner were they comfortable then Elder Frost pulled out a pouch full of weed, and proceeded to roll himself a joint. To Will's keen nose the smell of the cannabis that he could only describe as 'purple' told him that it was exactly that, and brought back to him fond memories of times he'd spent in the den of the Frost's.

"It's been too long since I've smelled that strain; Grandmother always did grow the best Purple Haze." Will commented inhaling deeply.

"Maybe if you actually visited our den after you came home it wouldn't have been so long." Elder Frost responded giving Will a pointed look with one eye "Though now I understand your reasons do not expect my wife to be so forgiving."

"Alright, Will" Father Logan began "Nearly every wolf in the parish has been asking me what to make of the news you are indeed the Father incarnate. Their instincts tell them you are, but their faith tells them angels don't wear flesh. It doesn't do well for a priest to tell his parishioners that the bible was written by mammals, and translated by mammals being reinterpreted every time the language changed so they should listen to their instincts instead of what some book says, but this last sunday that I did; I made my whole sermon about not needing the bible to follow god's wishes for all mammals to live in harmony which went over about as well as you'd expect. And on top of that because I've known you since you were a wee cub the Bishop above me is on my tail about it too wants to know if this is some hoax, or if not how we can use it to bolster the faith."

"Father Logan that is why I didn't want this to be known to all canids, but I guess damage control begins with us three." Will responded "You were right to tell your churchgoers what you did, and as for your higher ups you tell them they even think about making me a rallying figure for the faith I will go to the vatican, and the pope himself will not like my words to him. I am not here to rule, or conquer anyone, and I should like to help everyone if at all possible, but I will not do it by throwing my weight behind any one religion least of all monotheism."

"Aye, and I told him as much. That you have no love for our faith though no quarrel with the faithful so long as we do not give you cause to have one. If you really kill so easily with your fangs . . ." Father Logan replied trailing off.

"Those leopards that took Judy I cut the head off one then tortured the other one with it once I found out they were brothers. Even softened him up with the wet end of his brother's arm I'd cut off with my knife, when I suggested I'd make him a necktie out of his brother's tail he talked, and once I'd heard enough I cut off his limbs then bit off his head with two bites. Make it clear it's in the church's best interest to leave me alone because if the church pisses me off I'm not above tearing apart the pope, and littering the pieces across vatican square; I'd rather not have things come to that, and would rather we coexist peacefully, but I am no tool for any religion, and any that dare try to make me one I will see burned to the ground." Will said with deadly seriousness.

"I will pass that along, though can I ask what happened to you laddie that changed you from the gentle little cub I was Chief Scout to?" Father Logan asked unable to hide his sadness.

"I'd rather not go into the very classified details of that mission right now, but suffice it to say once I'd had to kill with my fangs it became a go to tool in my arsenal." Will answered calmly.

"I understand Will." Father Logan replied placing a paw on Will's arm causing him to give the older wolverine a small smile.

"Well, William what would you have me say to the rest of the wolves here who come to me for guidance on the matter of you revealing yourself?" Elder Frost asked passing Will who'd finished his cigarette the sizable joint he'd been puffing on.

"Well what are they asking you Grandfather?" Will inquired in response before taking a hit from the joint.

"Some are unsure of the truth of their instincts. The rest wonder if you will take your rightful place at the head of all packs. The young ones show greater interest in the legends, and myths concerning you since anywhere else they barely find mention of you." Elder Frost answered.

"It's easy enough for you to assure the doubtful that their instincts are true, but the ones who would look to me to lead them . . . Only if I truly needed to in order to maintain peace between all mammals would I consider such a thing. Otherwise I would be seen as just another wolf on this earth even if I am not." Will responded taking another hit from the joint then passing it back.

Meanwhile back at the dinner table at Marie's behest the rest of Will's pack shared their stories of how they joined his pack. Sage had started them off by explaining she'd started out in Medecins Sans Frontieres after college becoming a smuggler getting medical supplies, and weapons to the poorer regions where normal international aid wound up hoarded by corrupt governments when Will made contact with her for transport into a warzone since his mission was to aid the local populace in overthrowing a dictator. Thanks to his influence she'd found the opportunity to get out of that illegal, and deadly field of work, and put her medical degree to use as a coroner helping bring murderers to justice. When Sage had finished it was Katarina who asked Maria how she became a member of Will's pack.

"I was born to a cartel whore who died with a needle in her arm." Maria began "Growing up she did her best to keep me away from those who would've made use of me as they used her, but living in that kind of environment sex, and drugs become normal parts of life. It was three years ago now that my mom died, and her pimp didn't even bat an eye since he had me to replace her. He, and several of his cartel hermanos were about to initiate me into the same service my mother provided. I still don't know how I was so fortunate to be saved by Will just as they were striping me of my clothes, but he came through the door attacking my would-be rapists with nothing more than his fangs, and that massive knife of his. He didn't stop until he saw me, but it wasn't until Layla caught up to him that he actually calmed down; I will never forget how with just a whisper in his ear from her his eyes lost their feral gleam, or how when he picked me up to carry me out of that place I saw his wings."

"We were there to send a message to that particular cartel that their mammal trafficking days were up." Layla said "He heard her screams, and reacted before I even knew what set him off."

"Will, and Layla took me in since I didn't have any family, and brought me to Zootopia where they gave me a chance at a better life. The year we spent as a family was the happiest of my life, and when they had to leave me on my own since they had to get out of the city I was a little sad, but they'd both taught me enough so that I could take care of myself." Maria finished her story.

"We had to leave because Will single-pawed prevented a terrorist attack on the nocturnal district, and we needed to hunt down the rest of the fucks in the countries they were holed up in. From there work kinda just took over, and we couldn't really make it back to the city." Layla explained.

"Alright handsome" Lola addressed Nick "Your turn."

"Well I don't really have a story to tell like you guys." Nick replied "I mean it's all kind of happened pretty fast. The saturday we were at Judy's parent's Will, and I were in the showers, and he told me he wanted me to join his pack then left me to my thoughts. It wasn't lost on me the seriousness of him openly wanting me, a fox, as his pack-brother, but after some of the things he said later that day I had my reservations. When Judy, and I were at my mom's for dinner that monday when I mentioned him referring to himself as the Shield, and Sword of the Wolf Mother she seemed to think it was a pretty clear cut decision, but . . . when he showed me, and some of the other wolves we work with that he really is the Father incarnate my instincts spoke for me. I still had my suspicions about him though that kinda came to a head thursday after I overheard him telling Officer Caldera just what he did to those leopards who attacked Judy, and I; we talked it out though, and to be honest with you all I'm honored he calls me brother, and honored to call him brother in return."

"You worried about whether, or not you could truly trust him?" Layla asked.

"Yes, yes I did, but I promised him I wouldn't judge him till I'd heard the full story." Nick answered.

"If there was any one mission he took part in while we were in the ZIA that truly changed him, and put him down the path he went in his time in the agency that one was it. I can't count even using my toes how many times he tried killing himself after that mission . . ." Layla said her voice heavy as she ran a paw along her muzzle.

"Just what did my son do?" Will's father asked while Marie, and Conny looked the most shocked out of all his family present.

"That is between him, me, Sky who witnessed it, and now Nick. We were going to take it to our graves." Layla answered.

"And I'd like to keep it that way, but my pack at least deserve to know how far I went against the worst sort of mammals." Will said surprising everyone with his presence as he came back into the dining room just as the timer for the oven dinged, and he went about getting the cobblers out of the oven.

"Dessert is ready!" came the chorus of the cubs who came running into the kitchen noses eagerly sniffing the air.

"Patience little ones. They have to cool, or we will all scorch our tongues." Will said to them smiling warmly.

"Come on guys let's go wait at the table, and maybe we'll get seconds." Chelsea added as she came back into the dining room.

Once he had the three cobblers set on the counter, and set a timer for five minutes he went back to his seat at the table sinking into it, and slumping forward staring at his paws. Layla already knew where his thoughts were, and she reached out grasping his right paw in her left. Will's gaze shifted on to the dark furred paw of his mate as she did her best to radiate comfort into him through the contact. When he looked up though his gaze went to Judy, and both her, and Nick saw plainly the hollow look in his eyes that made the burdened look on his muzzle all the more heavy. Then Will closed his eyes, and pulling Layla over on to his lap he just buried his head into her neck fur. As Layla just stroked her paw along the back of his head, and his neck he seemed to deflate further into her, but her efforts were working.

When the timer dinged he didn't make to move, and Sierra with Lola, and her David went about helping clear the table then together got out smaller dessert plates from where they were kept with Lola putting portions of cobbler onto them while her David, and Sierra carried them to the table. When Sierra brought Will his piece which was a corner one he had come around enough to pick at it with a fork, and with Layla on his lap ended up feeding her most of it though the bites he did take were small. The way he took his time chewing, and swallowing what he did put it in his mouth as if the actions were taking a great deal of his effort was the biggest tell that he was still far from his usual self.

At Chelsea's mention of how good dessert was to the cubs around her they all thanked Will, and asked for seconds their tails wagging happily. Will agreed with their request on the condition they all give him a hug since he really needed it, and motioning for Layla to get up from his lap he slipped onto the floor where they all gave him quite the group embrace. The natural positivity that exuded from the happy cubs was what finally brought him out of the funk he'd slipped into, and he reciprocated their positivity nuzzling into them all warmly. Much to the surprise of everyone but his packmates who'd seen them before his wings were visible to all as he was surrounded by the cubs leaving no doubt in the rest of his family that he truly was the Father incarnate.

Once he noted that his pack had finished their dessert Will suggested they all return to his den for the night for some much needed sleep which they all agreed to. Will's mom promised breakfast for everyone in the morning as they were leaving, and wouldn't let Will go without wrapping him in a tear filled hug. Will just held her close nuzzling against her understanding it hadn't been easy for her to hear about some of the things he'd been through, and the kinds of things he'd done since he would always be her little cub. Likewise Conny who wasn't his aunt, but he referred to her as such because in his book she was family of the first order embraced him unable to hold back her tears either.

The walk back to Will's den was relatively uneventful though Will led the way back on all fours with Layla riding him; at Judy's request Nick likewise provided her similar transport though when Will joked suggestively that she just wanted to ride her fox much to everyone's amusement she actually admitted that, that was precisely what she wanted to do which prompted Will to tell Nick that he'd better give her what she wanted. While they were walking after everyone's laughter at their banter subsided Nick inquired as to what was so significant about the Silent Forest that had been mentioned so frequently.

"The Silent Forest is Ulfhaven's version of Aokigahara in Japan" Will answered Nick.

"It's a section of the forest at the base of Mount Sequoia where the trees are particularly dense. Traditionally it is where old wolves go to die, and while some of the older wolves still go there when they feel their time has come anymore it's a place where mammals will go to take their own lives" Sierra explained further adding "As a Ranger my main duty is patrolling there keeping my nose in the air for fresh corpses. On a side note Will quit being a Ranger when they told him to patrol there."

"That I did because while for most wolves Mount Sequoia, and it's surrounding woods are sacred for Sierra, and me especially they hold special significance I'd rather not go into right now." Will said.

With that they reached Will's den, and made their way in. Will who hadn't taken the nap he'd wanted to, and had been fighting off his fatigue that was only exacerbated by the emotional day he'd had bid everyone a goodnight as he carried Layla on his back with him to his room. When they got in his room Layla got off of him so he could stand back up which he did taking off his clothes save for his boxers. While the living quarters of Will's den were essentially identical in their decor, and white color scheme Will's room he'd personalized with black carpet, and a black painted ceiling offsetting the white walls. His furniture from the bedframe, and dressers to the entertainment center were like the rest found throughout his den made from teak though they'd been lacquered black. The only decoration that adorned the walls were the pair of katana mounted over the bed. The other main difference between Will's personal room, and the rest in his den was that beside the bathroom, and closet doors there was a third door which led into his meditation room which had wall, and ceiling painted as black as the carpeted floor, and contained a sensory deprivation tank.

While Layla made herself comfortable on the bed with it's black sheets Will walked over to his private liquor cabinet, and retrieved a bottle of absinthe with it's telltale label of a green fairy on a black field which he uncorked then took a healthy swallow from as he made his way to the bed. When he started freely chugging from the bottle Layla moved over to him, and with a paw lowered the bottle from his muzzle.

"Today had been a fucking day, and then some my love." Will answered the questioning look on her muzzle "David isn't the father of my sister's cub, I am. On top of the fact that I have to somehow make my peace with another wolf being a father to my cub now I am officially the alpha of this family a role I didn't want unless my dad died before me. Not to mention how the news of me being who I really am truly has spread across the world. Father Logan will carry my word that I am no religion's rallying tool, or proof of their superiority over other beliefs, and that if any should try to make me so I will burn them to the ground to the church. Elder Frost will handle the rest of the wolves who come here seeking answers, but soon I will need to make a statement to canids at large clarifying my position here."

Layla simply responded by looking at him with understanding as she stroked his muzzle then pulled him into her where he cried into her shoulder. She understood that of the two issues being unable to be a father for a cub that was his was what truly ate at him, and just gave him what comfort she could with her embrace. When he pulled away from her to chug again at the bottle in his paw she put a paw over his that held it to his muzzle, and wordlessly convinced him to put the cork back in it. Will just set the resealed bottle of absinthe on the floor, and crawled in bed holding Layla to him as the potent alcohol took effect, and lulled him to sleep.