In my normal AU, the wolf from experiment P.A.C.K. manages to survive due to the Winter Soldier intervening. Except in this story, things take a tragic turn.. (This story isn't canon to my AU, I was just feeling angsty at 1 in the morning)
TW: Basically a feast of angst, dark themes, animal abuse, neglect, animal death, blood, gore (?), graphic injuries, medical equipment, (mentions syringes) HYDRA, Typical HYDRA behavior. <- Let me know if I should add anything plz.
Project P.A.C.K
Protect Attack Canine Killsquad
It was supposed to be a breakthrough for HYDRA.
The organization thought animals would be the answer for the struggle with human super-soldiers.
Because humans have emotions, intelligence, and personalities. They are defiant, stubborn and always want their own way. They take longer to break.
But animals?
They lack emotion. Sure, they have intelligence and instincts, but only for their own survival.
Now, if you take those instincts, and inhance them, you would get an apex predator.
With the right training and direction, you would get an obedient apex predator.
Partnering them alongside super-soldiers would make them 10 times more efficient.
Sounds simple enough.
The animal chosen for the experiment?
Wolves, of course. Wolves were a natural occurring mammal in the surrounding mountains and forests of Siberia.
Capturing a few wasn't too difficult, breeding them in captivity.
And that's where Subject 3962 came from.
Subject 3972.
A female wolf pup with golden eyes and a case of melanism, resulting in a coat of solid charcoal colored fur.
A harmless issue, really.
As soon as the pup was weaned from its mother's milk, it was separated, just like the rest of the litter, placed in sterile cages labeled with their experiment numbers.
From then on, Subject 3972 was put through rigorous mental and physical conditioning, teaching her to respond to commands and testing her stamina.
Daily injections of modified super-soldier serum and other hormones increased her abilities, enhancing her strength and skills beyond a normal wolf.
Training was strict, and the pup soon associated obedience to survival and rewards, while disobedience was met with punishment and pain.
Soon, a year had passed.
And with the enhancements from the serum, Subject 3972 was fully grown and now fully trained.
So she was placed in the next phase of the experiment.
The Ring.
This phase consisted of enhanced wolves being placed in an arena to fight, testing their strength, endurance and stamina. It was another form of training as well sharpening their instincts.
It also helped the scientists determine which traits and strengths they wanted in future P.A.C.K. soldiers, choosing some wolves for selective breeding.
Subject 3972 was phenomenal in The Ring, winning fights almost immediately. She was a phantom of claws and sharp teeth, leaving her opponents bloodied and broken. She was a savage, violent, bloodthirsty predator through and through.
But controllable?
Not for long. As everyone knows, all good things must come to an end.
So now, at only 2 and a half years old, Subject 3972 was locked away in a cell, broken beyond repair.
It was damp and musty, the cold concrete unwelcoming and uncomfortable against her injured form.
She had gotten too violent, too aggressive between her time in the Ring, and the times spent being poked and examined by scientists.
It broke her mind and drove her insane.
The female wolf had even started being aggressive towards its handlers, recognizing them as the causes of her suffering.
She nearly killed one of them before she had been subdued.
Not wanting to waste her precious DNA, HYDRA scientists decided to attempt to breed her instead.
Big mistake.
She slaughtered the male wolf that had been chosen to breed with her. But the brutal fight between the two predators had left her critically injured.
Her front right leg had been horribly mangled by the male, leaving her crippled.
So now, three days later, Subject 3972 lay on the floor of her cell, her once healthy charcoal pelt now matted with sweat, dirt and dried blood.
Her once piercing golden gaze was dulled with pain and exhaustion, each breath a struggle now as she panted with fever.
But she wouldn't let anybody touch her or get too close, resulting in sharp snaps and terrifying snarls. She just.. existed at the moment. Covered in nasty wounds, blood and grime.
Subject 3972 had followed her orders and was still dealt the bad hand. Just like the Winter Soldier.
She had been a weapon used until she was broken. So now, she just waited for the end.
A shadow fell across the bars of her cell as a figure approached silently.
The she-wolf's ears perked weakly as she sensed the new presence. But she didn't move from her position on the floor, splayed out on her side. She was too weak to.
Silent footsteps stopped outside her cell as the figure observed her.
There was a soft clink as the figure leaned against the bars of the cell, their metal arm resting against the bars.
The Winter Soldier.
His icy blue eyes took in the wolf's broken form, unflinching at the sight of the numerous wounds and the mangled front leg. He had heard about this wolf. This particular experiment, with her aggression and refusal to be breed.
It reminded him of himself.
Somewhat.
Either way, he felt a strange connection to this wolf. A kinship.
Both of them had been pushed until their minds shattered.
Both of them still stuck in this hellhole.
Both of them still at stuck at the mercy of their handlers if necessary.
Nearby, two scientists were examining a clipboard containing a sheet of all the wolves in this particular kennel.
Failed experiments had been crossed out in red pen.
Terminated.
Worthless.
The scientist holding the clipboard tapped their pen on the column labeled Subject 3972.
"What about this one? Why haven't they put her down yet?"
"Because." The other scientist replied. "She's our most successful one yet, even if she's not mentally stable. The serum modification in her genetic code is valuable, but none of us can approach her for a sample without almost losing a limb. She nearly tore Wilson's hand off the other day."
The two scientists looked down the hall at Subject 3972's cell, noticing the Winter Soldier observing the wolf quietly.
Both scientists watched the Winter Soldier silently for a few moments.
"Isn't the Asset strong enough to handle her?" One of the scientists said
The scientist with the clipboard paused for a moment. He had never considered that option until now.
"Yes actually.." He replied slowly. "If anyone could handle that beast, it's him."
Soon enough, the Winter Soldier found himself summoned by the pair of scientists.
"Asset, we need you to enter Subject 3972's cell. None of us have the strength needed to handle her aggressiveness." He said bluntly. "However, she's too valuable to terminate. Access her condition and report back to us."
The Winter Soldier didn't question his orders, simply nodding and turning back towards the cell.
The barred door opened with a screech, the she-wolf's ears perking weakly. Too weak and exhausted to move, she did the only thing she could, bare her teeth and let a low growl rumble in her chest.
The Winter Soldier stepped into the cell, footsteps silent on the concrete, crouching down a short distance away from the injured she wolf. Close enough to observe, yet far enough away to avoid being bit.
If she was even strong enough to, that is.
His icy gaze scanned over the gruesome wounds.
Clawmarks and bites littered her pelt. The mangled leg sat at an awkward angle, fractured bones piercing through the skin. Her ribs showed through her grimy and bloody fur.
They had broke her too.
And Subject 3972 continued to growl, teeth barred in a way that was almost pitiful. Her body trembled in a mix of fear, aggression, pain and exhaustion, the same emotions reflected in her golden gaze as well.
The Winter Soldier recognized that look. It was the same look he'd seen in the mirror after brutal missions.
After a brief hesitation, his metal hand reached slowly towards the she wolf, it's vulnerability striking something unfamiliar in him.
The animal flinched at the movement, the sound of her growl spiking in ferocity, but her body too weak to back it up.
Her golden eyes widened, ears pinned back, lips drawn back in a weak snarl, fixed on his approaching metal limb.
She braced herself for pain. A threat. A blow. Punishment for her weakness.
But the hand stopped just inches away from her head. The Winter Soldier let his metal hand hover for a few moments, showing her that he wasn't going to punish her.
Cause he knew exactly how it felt.
Subject 3972's growls slowly died down as she ran out of breath to continue, resorting to watching his hovering hand warily.
Her pained gaze then met his, gold meeting icy blue. And she saw the same pain reflected back at her, catching her off guard. The she-wolf slowly stopped baring her teeth, unsure of how to respond.
The Winter Soldier took that as a good sign.
"Good girl.." He murmured.
And slowly, he let his metal hand touch her blood matted head, making the she wolf stiffening with a flinch, torn between her instincts screaming at her to attack, and her sheer inability to move.
But there no was pain.
Just the grounding coolness from the assassin's metal hand.
She didn't understand.
A pathetic whine escaped her throat, ears continuing to stay laid flat. This simple human contact, lacking pain, lacking fear, was alien to her.
The Winter Soldier then gently stroked the blood matted fur on her head, avoiding any wounds or sensitive areas.
Subject 3972 remained tense, whining softly, but didn't pull away. She couldn't even want to if she tried.
She had never been touched like this before, with such gentleness, such patience. It confused her greatly, but she was too broken and exhausted to care.
She merely continued to brace herself for the other shoe to drop.
Taking in her somewhat calm demeanor, the Winter Soldier then checked over her injuries, metal hand gently probing the mangled leg.
Not a good choice.
The charcoal she-wolf yelped then snarled in pain, her body jerking weakly in response, instinctively half attempting to snap at his hand.
But the movement took too much out of her, made her ribs grind painfully. She let her head fall back to the concrete, panting with effort and pain.
The Winter Soldier immediately pulled his hand back, recognizing her limits.
After a brief hesitation, he resumed stroking the matted fur on her head once more, a soothing attempt.
Her leg, shattered beyond repair, infection setting in and spreading, along with all the other wounds on top.. HYDRA wouldn't fix this.
Heck, he wasn't even sure they could if they tried.
The assassin glanced back at the scientists in the hallway outside the cell, who had been conversing quietly over the information on the clipboard.
"She's dying." He stated flatly.
The pair of scientists exchanged a look, as if they had been expecting that answer, and seemed frustrated.
"That is to be expected, but her DNA is the priority here. We need a fresh sample before she expires." The one holding the clipboard responded.
The Winter Soldier slowly stood up, looking from the dying wolf to the scientists.
The second scientist disappeared, then came back with a metal tray equipped with medical tools—scapels, tweeters, sample tubes, syringes–everything needed to collect DNA.
The Winter Soldier hesitated at the sight of the tools, looking like an array of weapons.
He glanced back at the wolf once more, who was panting heavily now, eyes dulled with pain, watching them all with a mix of fear and resignation.
And the scientists wanted a sample.
They wanted him to cut into her dying body like it was cake, just to get what they needed.
"But she's still alive." The Winter Soldier said quietly.
But even that was basically a lie at this point. Subject 3972's breathing was shallow and labored, infection coursing through her body.
She wouldn't last the night.
The scientist holding the tray was impatient, rattling the tray slightly.
"She's beyond saving. Get the DNA sample and terminate her if necessary. She's run her course."
The Winter Soldier hesitantly took the tool tray held out to him, eyeing the tools blankly.
The scientist who had been holding the tray turned and left down the hallway.
The scientist with the clipboard looked at Subject 3972 for the last time, before turning to leave as well.
"She's just a failed experiment at this point." They muttered, before the Asset was left alone with the dying wolf.
He stared down at the metal tray of tools.
No.
He's used to inflicting pain on healthy, unsuspecting people.
But this?
A dying wolf who has gone through the same pain as him?
Who has spent its entire existence behind bars in agony?
It just wasn't right.
The Winter Soldier placed the tray of medical tools outside the cell.
Out of the wolf's sight.
Then he turned, went back over to the wolf, and sat down next to her.
Subject 3972 flinched once more at the movement with a whimper.
But the assassin gently stroked her matted fur once more, carefully lifting her head into his lap.
And after a few moments, the she-wolf's golden eyes flickered open, struggling to focus on his face.
She was far too gone to struggle, to fight. His gentle touch, foreign and confusing, wasn't painful, so she let her head rest in his lap.
His fingers then started to comb gently through her bloody and grimy pelt with slow gentle strokes.
She didn't deserve this end, yet here she was. And he was going to do everything to make sure she was comfortable.
The she-wolf's shallow breathing transitioned into ragged wet sounds, her eyes starting to dull slightly. But they remained fixed on his face.
She didn't understand words. She didn't understand why he was treating her like glass.
But she understood tone. She understood absence of pain.
A small broken sound escaped her, not quite a growl, not a whimper, but something in between.
As if she was trying to ask him 'why?'.
The Winter Soldier then noticed something.
On her right ear, or at least what remained of it, faint black markings.
Not random.
Numbers. Tattooed on the inside of her ear.
3962.
No name, just reduced to a number.
His jaw tightened. HYDRA gave no names.
The wolf's eyes were fluttering now, her breathing starting to grow shallower.
She was slipping away into the dark.
The Asset gently stroked the fur of her cheek as her breathing slowed, the rise and fall of her chest becoming faint as well.
"You can let go now." He murmured.
The golden eyes began to glaze over, the pain leaving her face as the charcoal wolf exhaled one last shuddering breath.
Then she went still.
The tension finally left her muscles, golden eyes staring but not seeing.
She was gone.
But the Winter Soldier?
He remained there, the wolf's head still cradled in his lap, still staring at the number tattooed inside her ear.
3962
Nameless.
Disposable.
Failure.
He carefully closed her eyes.
The scientists would be back soon, expecting a DNA sample and her corpse for dissection.
He gently smoothed down her fur, before standing up slowly, movements stiff and slow. As if trying not to wake her.
The Winter Soldier stated down at the wolf for a long time.
Then he looked away, metal hand clenching into a fist.
As he reached the cell door, he looked back one last time.
Subject 3962-no, the wolf- may have died thinking she had lost.
What had once been a powerful predator, reduced to a shivering, injured failure, with an infection getting the best of her.
It was pathetic.
But not to the Winter Soldier.
He had watched her fight until the last breath. Watched as she finally exhaled one last time, her spirit finally free from this hellhole.
So as he turned away, leaving the cell behind, a single thought crossed his mind.
She didn't lose her last fight.
To him?
She had won.
Authors Note: Was feeling angsty and felt like torturing my OC a bit 😅. Genuinely cried writing this. Hope you enjoyed a good cry as well.
These following stories are just thoughts/little drabbles I came up with on a whim
✦Bucky Encounters Captain HYDRA for the First Time
✦Infinity War If Peter Recorded It On His Phone Like He Did in Civil War
── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ──
𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕌 𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕤
These following stories are little drabbles from either of my two Marvel AUs, which you can read about at the bottom.
✦ Death of a Hero (Wolftracks What If? AU)
✦Her Last Fight (AU of Wolftracks AU)
✦Hooked on a Feeling (Stargazing What If? AU)
── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ──
── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅✧⋅⋆ ──
𝕄𝕪 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕌𝕤
~•°☆°●~ 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙰𝚄 ~•°☆°●~ - What if Peter Quill wasn't the only child captured by Ravagers that fateful night? Who else did they kidnap, you ask? The daughter of Tony Stark himself.
^Basically, this is A Guardians of the Galaxy Fix-it fic that gives him a happy ending with the daughter of Tony Stark, so yeah, its OC x canon
|-☆-| ᴡᴏʟғᴛʀᴀᴄᴋs ᴀᴜ |-☆-| - The Winter Soldier was a legendary HYDRA assassin, credited with over two dozen kills, leaving nothing behind but bloodshed and destruction. But following behind him? A trail of wolf tracks.
^Another fix it fic that came to mind after Endgame, when Steve left Bucky behind. And since Marvel has not gave Bucky his pet cat, Alpine like they should, I decided to give him a wolf instead.
