Chapter Text
The hours ticked by quickly. By now, most of the Cleaners had gathered throughout the base, leaving the team captains in the communal room. Enjin was in the middle of a card game with Gris, Bro Santa, and Semiu, who had joined her comrades and friends simply because she had nothing better to do.
On the other side of the room, Rudo and the rest of the Child team were hanging out in the same space. But unlike the adults, the pups were completely absorbed in drawing and eating sweets—with Rudo, specifically, fighting over the candy as if he were a dragon guarding his most precious treasure.
The comforting scent created by everyone's pheromones mingling in the room was a silent sign of unity, typical of a close-knit pack. It was a rich blend of Bro's citrusy notes, Enjin's tobacco scent, Gris's coffee aroma, and that soft, milky undertone so characteristic of pups under fifteen.
On the other hand, Riyo was up on the base’s roof, sitting right on the ledge alongside Eisha, with Amo and Fu by their side. They were all silently waiting for Corvus to arrive at the base with the Hell Guard brigade. Enjin had tasked Riyo with this "mission" so Semiu could relax downstairs with the others, and naturally, the Beta hadn't hesitated to drag her lovely Alpha girlfriend along. Amo and Fu had joined them shortly after, having just returned from a stroll through a nearby city to celebrate their day off.
Lazily, the red-haired Beta leaned heavier against the shoulder of her charming, timid girlfriend, letting out a chuckle as she watched the blonde blush at her shameless closeness. The minutes ticked by slowly, and exactly when two o'clock rolled around, they finally caught the sound of several cars approaching.
"About time! They took long enough, but they're right on schedule with the time the boss gave us. Amo, Fu, do you mind letting the others know?"
Before Riyo could even finish her sentence, Amo was already sprinting off, dragging the small, timid Alpha along by the hand right through the terrace door. Eisha let out a soft, melodic laugh at both the boys' antics and the adorable pout forming on her girlfriend's face.
"Well... Come on, darling. Let's put on our best smiles so the Hell Guards don't hate us any more than they already do."
Before Eisha could even try to head downstairs like a civilized person, Riyo scooped her up in her arms and jumped straight off the roof toward the ground, absolutely adoring the way the blonde gripped her clothes in sudden fright.
Fortunately, they both landed well before the cars emerged from the tunnel, preventing any faint-hearted guards from spotting them. She set her girlfriend back on her feet just as Enjin, Gris, Semiu, and Bro stepped out of the base with quick, decisive movements. Riyo tugged Eisha's hand to position themselves right next to Enjin, allowing her girlfriend to step back and re-enter the base.
When Corvus climbed out of the jeep, he paused to offer his pack a somewhat exhausted smile, which served as both a greeting and a silent plea for help. He then waited patiently for all the Hell Guards to exit their vehicles. Once everyone was out, the Alpha leader of the Cleaners approached his pack without hesitation, ready to introduce them.
"Commander Nijiku of the first squad, Sub-Commander of the first squad, along with your apprentices and soldiers, I present to you with honor my workers, comrades, and the pack that forms our Organization."
Corvus ignored how some of the young soldiers made slight grimaces at the mention of all the Cleaners being a single pack. It didn't surprise him, as packs weren't exactly common practice, but he still felt a silent prick of offense at the disdain shown toward his family.
Even so, keeping his composure, he maintained his smile while giving his people a nod so they could introduce themselves.
"Well, you heard our leader! I'll introduce myself, though I assume some of you already know who I am."
As he said those last words, Enjin shot a thoroughly mocking look toward the Nijiku siblings, who were glaring back at him with an immense, burning hatred.
"My name is Enjin. I'm the leader of the Akuta crew and sub-pack, and as you might guess, I am also a Giver. The big guy next to me is Gris Rubion, one of the wonderful pillars of the Cleaners. The one in the bandana is Bro Santa, leader of the child sub-pack and captain of the team that carries that name, and the white-haired girl is Semiu Grier, our wonderful receptionist."
Having finished introducing the "pillars" of the pack (or at least most of them), Enjin didn't hesitate to step beside Riyo, throwing one of his massive arms over the younger girl's shoulders with a wide, beaming grin.
"And this little one is Riyo Reaper, a member of my crew and my sub-pack."
The blonde Alpha's grin stretched into a thoroughly mocking smirk as he watched Zanka's older siblings shift their gazes over to Riyo. He instantly identified the look in their eyes: jealousy, envy, resentment, and hatred. To Enjin, it was incredibly entertaining to see those two imposing Alphas get so visibly worked up! On top of that, it gave his own instincts a dark sense of pride, knowing that in some small way, he was getting a bit of payback on Zanka's behalf for everything the boy had endured back in his old home.
Seeing that the introductions were over and the soldiers remained silent, Semiu took two steps forward. She flashed a perfectly crafted, professional smile, ready to be the one to invite everyone inside.
"Now that our introductions are complete, how about we head inside the base? That way, we can begin the tour and introduce you to the rest of our team."
Corvus and the Hell Guard commanders took the first step forward, ready to get things started, and the rest of the young guards and their peers quickly followed suit. Semiu naturally stepped back, letting Gris and Enjin hold the doors open for everyone. She didn't miss the faint sound of a pair of hurried footsteps scurrying away from the entrance; it was obvious they had sent one of the kids to give the heads-up that they were coming in. The thought inevitably made her shoulders relax. Everyone in this pack was an idiot in their own special way, but they were *their* idiots.