This is the history of the Space Wolves, one of the Chapters of Space Marine in the Warhammer 40,000 Universe.

Leman Russ was one of the twenty Primarchs that the Emperor created to lead his armies against the enemies of humanity. The Primarchs were more giant than man, each far more powerful than a any ordinary man. However, when the Chaos Gods learned of the Emperors plans, they tried to intervene, but could not. Instead they broke down the mental barriers between the Emperor and the tiny infants, growing in their incubation pods. These were whisked away through the warp and scattered throughout space and time...

So it was that one pod came crashing down on the world of Fenris. The child was found by a she-wolf, and instead of ripping him apart, she carried him back to her lair to be raised as her own. The child grew quickly, accelerated by the engineered genes within his body, and within a few short years the child was a man. There it might have ended, had not the King of the people of Russ, known as Thengir, and his hunters not gone into the forests to clear out the packs. The old she-wolf and her cubs died under the arrows of the men, but the Primarch was spared and taken, bound and gagged before the King.

The King took the man under his protection and named him Leman - Leman of the Russ. Leman quickly learned the skills of men, and showed a great natural skill for the way of the warrior. He soon mastered their weapons and won many victories. Tales were soon told of his strength - how he could break a tree over his knee; his courage - how he could stand against a hundred men in battle; and how he could consume a whole ox and wash it down with a barrel of beer. When the old King died, Leman took his place, by his side were Freki and Geri, his wolf brothers who had escaped the hunters, and who now controlled their own wolf packs.

When the stories of this Wolf King reached the Emperor, he realised he had found one of his lost Primarchs. He travelled to Fenris and confronted the Wolf King, who blindly refused to pay the Emperor homage. When challenged, Russ boasted he could out drink the Emperor, and emptied the cellars to prove it. Russ boasted he could out eat the Emperor, and consumed three whole oxen. Russ then boasted that he could defeat the Emperor in combat; the Emperor held his power glove aloft for a moment, then brought it crashing down on Russ's head. Defeated, Russ acknowledged the Emperor and swore to serve him faithfully.

Leman Russ was given command of the Space Wolves Legion, and they quickly were restructured along Russ's image. Instead of the standard companies, the Space Wolves had the Long Fangs - hardened old warriors who were the most experienced in the Legion, there were the Blood Claws who used assault weapons and charged into battle shrieking their battle cries. The main force is made up of Grey Hunters, tactical units who are flexible and suited to most battle situations.

Because of this, the Space Wolves have a very unique organization, extremely different from the other chapters of the Imperium. They have 12 Great companies, each with it's own Wolf Lord. In that company, the word of its Wolf Lord is the law, and the Wolf Lord only answers to the Great Wolf. The Great Wolf is responsible for the entire Space Wolves Chapter as well as his own great company. The Grand Annulus of the Space Wolves is found in the centre of the Great hall of the Fang and each outer segment is carved with the sigil and runes of the Wolf Lord it represents. During feats in the hall, the different great companies are seated according to this. The central device indicates the position of the Great Wolf and is rotated to show which of the Wolf Lords have that rank. As Wolf Lords die and are replaced, their name stones are placed in the Grove of Heroes where they circle the oldest name stone, that of the Great Russ himself. The centre device is currently pointing at Logan Grimnar's name stone, indicating that he his the current Great Wolf.

On the world of Dulan, the Space Wolves and Dark Angels were to assault an enemy held fortress. Russ claimed the right to lead the attack, but 'Lion' EI' Jonson, commander of the Dark Angels, refused and started the attack early. Russ was furious, and began a feud which was to continue for three centuries. The Emperor intervened to quell the fighting. and ordered that the disagreement be settled with a duel. Leman Russ faced his friend in combat and took a blade through the heart; the duel was declared a draw, and the normally fatal wound healed within weeks.

When the Horus Heresy happened, the Space Wolves were not near the fighting. They were fighting along with the Dark Angels, and although they rushed to Earth, they were not quick enough to help the defence of Earth. They fought many battles with Chaos Marines as they retreated into the Eye of Terror. After the events had died, and the Emperor was encased in the Golden Throne, the Space Wolves were split into many chapters, with Russ leading the chapter which had retained the name of Space Wolves.