What roles do the breeding male and breeding female have in a gray wolf pack?

In a gray wolf pack, the breeding pair—often referred to as the alpha male and alpha female—serves as the core of the family group, guiding the activities of the pack and maintaining order through a dominance hierarchy.12

While both the male and female are active in hunting and killing prey, their roles within the pack are generally divided as follows:

• Breeding Female: She predominates in roles related to the care and defense of the pups.1
• Breeding Male: He predominates in foraging, food provisioning, and the travels associated with those activities.1

Together, the breeding pair continually asserts their status over subordinate members to ensure the stability of the pack.1