SQL 2012 Replication Between Subscribers Across VPN
This has been resolved as the replication will be scripted using stored procedures from the publisher (remote instance) to the subscriber (local instance) using a sql account setup for the subscription's linked connection to the remote instance.

The VPN is dedicated so there no major concerns with the VPN. 

The publisher will use push method for the local subscription. Then from the local subscription a replication using the subscription (sub 1) will be pulled to the second local subscription(sub 2) that is read only.