Complexities of Pack Dynamics

packs usually settle in bigger places where they can hide better, or, rarely, in smaller places they can take over¹⁰
there are all sorts of protocols they insist upon when a new wolf comes into someone else's territory¹¹
rule of keeping pack trouble in the pack⁶⁷
wolves who can't control themselves are eliminated for the safety of the pack¹⁰⁵
two unmated male werewolves always get territorial in the presence of a female¹²¹
a pack won't accept a wolf who causes too much trouble¹²⁹
wolves are meant to run in a pack¹³⁰
they are strongly discouraged to discuss the matter of being a werewolf with anyone other than permanent mates; punishment for disobedience was harsh¹³⁵
the pack structure is very rigid¹⁴³
matter of safety to always know where you rank in the pack²¹⁴
dominance games²¹⁴

the pack falls into line with the Alpha⁴⁸
2nd and 3rd–most cases the ranks were so close that there was always some tension between the wolves who held them, especially without the Alpha around⁴⁵
pack law is necessarily brutal⁵¹
werewolves, outside of a well-run pack, will kill the wounded or weak¹³⁵
dominance among werewolves is a combination of force of personality, strength of will, physical ability and a component of other that can't be explained to anyone without the eyes, ears, and nose to sense it-and those with the proper senses wouldn't need it explained; willingness to fight is as close as it can be explained¹⁵⁴
it is because of that other that, outside of a pack, the natural dominance of a wolf changes within a fairly broad range; some days they are tired, depressed, happy-all of these affect natural dominance¹⁵⁴
in a pack, these natural swings are gradually sifted through; in wolves that are near-dominants, sometimes a fight between them will allow strength to determine pack rank¹⁵⁵

Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed

no matter how submissive the mate of the Alpha is, her commands are second only to his²²
packs are dictatorships⁷⁴
once in a pack, only the Alpha or the member can break it¹⁰⁵
instincts drive the wolf²⁴³
it's inconvenient sometimes to be a part of the pack²⁴³
when the pack magic is in full swing—with the moon close to her zenith—there's no hiding everything from each other all the time like we do as humans²⁴³
can't choose which things stay safely secret²⁴³
it's not all bad; it's knowing who they are, what's important to them, what makes them different; what strengths they each contribute to the pack²⁴³
at full moon in wolf form the Alpha can read everyone almost always; it allows them to use the individuals to build a pack²⁴³

since Warren joined the Columbia Basin Pack several other packs have allowed gay wolves to joinSB-24
Mercy is the first known nonwerewolf mate becoming packSB-14
a werewolf pack can feed off any of its members, borrowing energy³⁹
a pack is run like a bunch of testosterone-laden wild beasts momentarily subdued by the threat of immediate death under their leader's fangs⁴¹
pack existed before ceremonies; magic binds more obviously, more extensively, but not more deeplySB-56
in the best scenario, an injured wolf will be protected by his pack matesSB-188
pack is for comfort when you hurt²⁰⁵

one werewolf was a tough creature—but the real power of the werewolves lay in their packs⁸²

pack is about not standing alone; about having people you trust to have your back⁹⁵

Alpha & Omega Series

most Alphas have their members give ten percent of their earnings for the for the good of the pack; especially when the pack is new²¹²
this money is used to ensure there is a safe house²¹²
once a pack is firmly established, the need for money lessens²¹²

most werewolves have a built-in meter that tells them whether a wolf is dominant to them or not: if the meter doesn't tell them right away they usually fight it out¹⁵⁷

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Redemption

in most packs, the house of the Alpha's second was nearly as busy¹³⁵

Mercyverse Short Fiction

some Alphas explain dominance as the absolute rule you had to obey everyone you couldn't take down³⁷⁶

From Cry Wolf: it always took a while for a new wolf to establish his place in the packCW-217

New Werewolves

Mercy Thompson Series

the young ones have less control of their wolves than others⁰³
too young to have the kind of control he'd need to keep from killing someone his beast would see as a competing predator in his territory⁰⁹
new werewolves have to be taught how to use their senses²⁰
new werewolves unless they have the guidance of a strong dominant, have little control of their wolf form the first few times they change²⁰
there is a support structure to educate the new wolf, to keep him and everyone around him safe²¹
so new that they could be moonstruck²⁶
a new werewolf just doesn't stand a chance against the older ones³³
new werewolves are dangerous; especially when they're cold and hungry⁴³
some werewolves can change relatively quickly with practice, but a new werewolf can take a lot of time to change⁴⁶
new wolves need to be taught control so they could be allowed to live¹²²

new wolves lose control; if they did it very often, they were eliminated for the sake of the pack and everyone who came into contact with them¹⁰⁷
humans are not equipped to deal with a new-made werewolf¹²⁵
basic question used on new werewolves who were ready to go for their first hunt; so what do you do when you're out hunting and you can't find any tracks or scent? You go places that will attract your prey.²²⁴

a lot of time is spent trying to convince the new wolves that the human and wolf are two halves of a whole; that's not true but just easier to live with¹⁴⁵

the wolf can supersede the man often in newly Changed wolves; they are vicious, unpredictable, and dangerous even to the people they love⁶⁵

only a very new werewolf wouldn't be able to sense truth from falsehood⁶²

new werewolves are more vulnerable to the SDK Cocktail²⁰

Alpha & Omega Series

new wolves don't know what to do with their noses⁶⁵
they were taught that the wolf was part of them, just a series of urges that needed to be controlled¹³⁰
that seemed to help most of them in the transition phase; scaring them by telling them there were monsters living in their heads would certainly not help them gain the control necessary to be allowed out in the wide world¹³⁰
one of the danger signs watched for in a new werewolf was a sudden change in personality or mood that seemed to have no obvious cause, an indication that the beast was gaining control of the human¹³⁰

before the Reveal; new wolves who had been Changed for less than ten years, would be give several chances if their transgression came from loss of control¹²

a new wolf needs help controlling themself; a more dominant werewolf can help them keep their impulses in line until they can do it themselves⁶⁹
they have to prove they're not a risk to anyone, that they have the willpower to control the wolf⁶⁹
that first deep sleep often reset the newly rising werewolves' memories to the moments right before they were bitten; that was why it was such a dangerous moment¹³³

looking a stranger in the eyes was the first habit new wolves learned to break⁴³
no matter how tough you are, there are other people who are tougher⁴³

Old Werewolves

Mercy Thompson Series

the older wolves pull away from the world as it changes until some of them live like hermits in their caves, only coming out to feed and eventually losing interest in that¹⁸⁷

it's hard on the older werewolves to adjust to the modern ways of thinking⁴⁷
werewolves aren't immortal, just immune to age; but time is their enemy anyway; after just so long, nothing matters anymore and death looks better than living another day¹⁰⁸
older wolves don't ask about the past as a rule¹¹⁷

old werewolves were uptight, easy to anger, and especially in this last hundred years of rapid changes more likely to be hermits⁴²
old werewolves are oddly fragile; many of them go berserk and have to be killed¹³⁷
others pine and starve themselves to death—a starving werewolf is a very dangerous thing¹³⁷

werewolves don't do well on their own, especially not old wolves¹⁰
there are some advantages to being old¹⁰⁹
the longer the wolf is in control of the werewolf; he'll grow tired and more hungry than usual¹⁴⁰
he'll slowly lose the chains that were forged to control him, but all that will be left is a ravenous beast that will kill and destroy until he drops dead¹⁴⁰

old wolves don't deal with change very well¹⁷

old wolves—they'll do fine until suddenly they snap²³⁷

change is not easy on the old wolves; newer packs embracing change has caused a lot of conflict¹¹⁶
there aren't that many old wolves running around²⁶¹

old wolves talk about how much more satisfying it was to eat something while its heart pumped frantically from terror⁵⁸
some of the old wolves who came to live out their last years in the Marrok Pack were not kind⁵⁸
a lot of old wolves had history³³⁰

there was an entire folklore about old wolves and their deeds⁷⁸

Alpha & Omega Series

eventually old wolves lost touch with reality; the first crisis was when all the people they had known died, and there was no one left who had known them when they were human; the second came at different times to different wolves, when the change in the world left them no place where they could feel at home²⁶⁴

most of the old wolves are mad about something¹⁵²

old wolves; they think they know everything²²²
old-fashioned manners; old wolves did things like that²⁶⁶

how old wolves coped with the passing of time; they didn't often speak about the past unless it was important to something going on in the here and now²⁸⁸

Mercyverse Short Fiction: In Red, with Pearls

general resistance that the older wolves had to modern technology¹⁴²

Mercyverese Short Fiction

old werewolves aren't that common; most wolves who survive the Change die in fights with other werewolves shortly thereafter, because most werewolves don't understand body language³⁴¹
werewolves can smell lies<ups>343</sup>

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Redemption

werewolves might not get drunk, but that didn't affect the flavor, or even the initial hit of good, old, smoky scotch³⁶⁴

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Hollow

they're uptight, easy to anger, and especially in this last hundred years of rapid changes, were more likely to be hermitsIK-41 old werewolves are oddly fragileIK-129 many of them go berserk and have to be killed; others pine and starve themselves to death–and a starving werewolf is a very dangerous thingIK-129 some of the older wolves get pretty good at concealing what they are from othersCW-111 werewolves don't do well on their own, especially not old wolvesSB-11

Pack Hierarchy

Alpha

Mercy Thompson Series

some Alphas had to depend upon bars to control new wolves²⁴
werewolves live in packs, each pack has an Alpha—a wolf strong enough to keep the others under control³⁰
the only thing it takes to be Alpha is power, not intelligence or even common sense³⁴
werewolves were almost wiped out in the Middle Ages because some of the Alphas were indiscreet³⁴
natural leaders³⁸
shifting is harder the first few times; a good Alpha can get you through that³⁹
they can control your wolf until a new werewolf can; it's why they're an Alpha⁴⁶
you don't get to be an Alpha without being able to fight⁶²
in Europe, murder was still mostly the way the rule of the pack changed hands; the old Alpha ruled until one of the younger, hungrier dominant males decide the old one had grown weak and attacked him⁶⁴
at least one European Alpha killed any male who showed signs of being dominant⁶⁴
if an Alpha was injured, if any of the dominants had aspirations to become Alpha, they'd kill him⁶⁵
Alphas never look away when others were watching them⁹⁸
sometimes, if you tell them firmly enough, even Alphas will listen to commands¹²⁰
penalty for disobeying a direct order is brutal¹⁴²
the pack is sworn to obedience to the Alpha¹⁴⁵
it is always good for the Alpha to be happy¹⁵⁴
twice a year the Alphas meet with Bran at Bran's corporate headquarters in Colorado; they sometimes brought their seconds or thirds - but never the women²⁰³
Alphas are uncomfortable outside their own territory, and they interact badly with other Alphas²⁰³
with their mates beside them, all of that discomfort and territorialism had a greater tendency to turn toward violence²⁰³
some Alphas have an army in their pack house²⁰⁷
an Alpha never admits weakness in front of the pack²⁰⁷
meeting an Alpha on his home territory puts him in a superior position²¹⁴
an Alpha would kill himself fighting before he'd submit for very long²²⁸
song of an Alpha's strength²⁵²
an Alpha could take strength from his pack²⁶⁴

the Alpha was responsible for the welfare of all the werewolves in the area⁴⁴
being Alpha was more than dominant; there is magic in the bindings of a pack that gives power to their leader; he can draw on their strength and give some of it back to them¹⁰⁰
the pack can heal the Alpha and give him the power to force his dominion on other groups of werewolves¹⁰⁰
being Alpha also gives a wolf the need to protect—and control—everyone they believe falls under their command¹⁰⁰
the wolves don't disobey the Alpha's orders¹¹⁹
wolves who are out of control are killed by their Alpha so they don't hurt anyone¹²⁵
around one hundred and fifty Alphas in North America¹²⁸
sometimes, if a pack member is hurt, flesh and blood of the Alpha can help heal him¹⁴⁷
ability to play mind games is a good requirement for being an Alpha¹⁵⁰
can calm his wolves; his words carried a cool wind of peace, washing away all anger, the frustration, the fear¹⁵²
an Alpha who counts on others to fight his battles doesn't stay Alpha for long²³⁹
it's not a good idea to have a staring contest with an Alpha²⁸³
being an Alpha is different from just being dominant; if they're away from the pack they can make the Alpha go dormant but it takes real effort³⁰⁰
Alpha effect can be controlled; cooperation is always better than coercion—especially when that coercion only lasts until they're out of his presence; it's good to bring out the big guns when there's trouble in the pack that can't be solved by talking³⁰¹

Alpha is the most dominant wolf in his pack⁴¹
it's not an easy matter to oust an Alpha, in North America, that never happens without the consent of the Marrok⁴⁰
wolves wouldn't keep secrets from their Alpha⁸⁶
fragile things just don't fare well in the house of an Alpha werewolf¹⁰⁴
all of the wolves depend upon their Alpha to help them live among the humans¹²¹

Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed

an Alpha keeps himself in shape because he was Alpha and his body was a tool he used to keep his pack safe⁰²
the Alpha just didn't do the heavy lifting when there were capable minions about³¹
pack magic worked subtly different for the Alpha than it did for the rest of the pack⁶⁶
that Alphas are protective of their packs is an understatement¹⁰³
a vampire can't take an Alpha wolf as a sheep; if a vampire isn't strong enough to take every wolf in the pack, all at once, he can't take the Alpha¹⁸⁵
it doesn't mean it can't happen¹⁸⁶
an Alpha's home is seldom empty²³⁵

being an Alpha werewolf makes him a little overbearing about his concern⁰⁶
part of what makes an Alpha wolf more than he was before he took on that mantle; a pack can feed off any of its members, borrowing energy³⁹
don't try threatening an Alpha; they don't like it¹⁰⁵
strong Alphas could force a change on another wolf; it was a dirty trick¹⁸¹
the Alpha didn't show weakness if he could help it²¹⁹
an Alpha can be challenged at any time; the Marrok doesn't allow fights for an Alpha position without his consent²²¹
an Alpha will do anything in his power to hide his weakness in front of the pack²²²
the wolves knew when their Alpha was around you had a safe place to be²⁴⁹

Alpha wolves don't deal well with commercial airline travel; having to trust some stranger to fly the plane leaves them with the need for control²⁶
any kind of alpha takes some serious managing; werewolves are controlling bastards—and Alpha werewolves are worse than that⁸⁰
confrontations aren't productive with an Alpha; you'll just lose—or worse, make him lose control⁸⁰
when two Alphas were in the room; they might be allies, even friends, but they are waiting for the slightest sign of weakness or aggression¹⁶⁷
an Alpha tended to heal faster than most²¹⁴

an Alpha could pour pack strength into an injured packmate³⁴
it was an Alpha's duty to protect the pack⁴⁴
werewolves can get volatile in extreme emotion; their Alpha can keep them from losing control²⁴³
it happens that packs move; not often, usually just a matter of the Alpha switching jobs to a place where there is no pack and bringing the rest of his wolves with him²⁹⁰
an Alpha gains power from those who serve him²⁹⁵
Alphas don't work well together³¹⁵

good Alpha werewolves take care of those around them; it's part of what makes them Alpha⁰⁵
no Alpha would turn down a submissive wolf—there aren't many of them, and they tended to help a pack function more smoothly³⁴
Alpha's job to make sure all the members of his pack are safe and well fed, so they don't get desperate⁶⁴
being willing to accept responsibility for the well-being of others was part of being an Alpha²²⁷
nothing says fun like an Alpha werewolf²⁶²

it would be disrespectful to observe their Alpha in a weak position or to express concern that might be interpreted to mean they thought Adam was too weak to heal⁷¹
an Alpha's house was the center of the pack, designed to be part meetinghouse, part hotel, part hospital⁸³
as Alpha, they could draw upon the whole pack for power, so he healed faster than any of the rest of the werewolves⁸⁵
it isn't just posturing, the werewolf Alpha thing; it might not be safe to meet an Alpha's eyes because they see it as defiance, but it is also difficult¹⁶⁹
the base component of what an Alpha does for his pack: he provides a safe place to be; touch is better than any word¹⁷⁰
you know you have a good Alpha when everyone beats each other up trying to throw themselves in the tar pit after he jumps in²⁹⁸

the Alpha had a job to do, but it didn't make him more important than the most submissive of the wolves in the pack⁷¹
Alpha werewolves practically needed a treaty drawn up to move around¹¹²
now-vanishingly-rare Alpha who felt like that sleeping with their pack mates was the only way to dominate his pack¹²⁵
Alpha werewolves don't tend to be the kind of people who dither¹³⁵
possessive bite of an Alpha wolf who feels like someone is trying to take his pack away from him¹⁷⁵
the Alpha can tell if his pack is experiencing intense emotion through the pack bonds¹⁹⁷
there's not an Alpha on the planet who isn't difficult one way or the other²⁵⁸

Mercy Thompson Series #11: Silence Fallen

an Alpha wolf can make people, even people not in his pack, follow his command⁴⁷
as far as anyone knows, there were no female Alpha wolves⁴⁷
an Alpha werewolf is prickly about people noticing weaknesses¹³¹

most Alphas would not protect a woman with whom they shared a temporary legal arrangement¹³
a toll came with being the Alpha of a pack¹¹⁰
part of the need to protect those around him that made one and Alpha¹¹⁶

Alpha & Omega Series

the Alpha is responsible for the actions of his pack¹⁷⁸
Alphas are supposed to keep the Marrok informed when people die, or when new wolves are Changed²⁰⁸
most Alphas have their members give ten percent of their earnings for the for the good of the pack; especially when the pack is new²¹²
if an Alpha sold one of his pack, he'd have a rebellion on his hands²¹²
all their wolves are their children; they are the Alphas to love and feed, to guard and protect, to guide and teach²²⁹

not many Alphas would welcome a dominant lone wolf into their territory⁷⁴
being an Alpha isn't easy; it's a lot of responsibility, a lot of work¹¹¹
some of the older wolves get pretty good at concealing what they are from others—that's one of the reasons Alphas don't like old wolves moving into their packs¹¹¹
pack magic is what allows an Alpha to draw on his wolves to give himself an edge in speed or quicker healing; it lets him control wolves under his power or find them if he needs to¹⁵⁰
a man made himself an Alpha, it wasn't just an accident of birth¹⁹⁷
the Marrok has careful screening of the dominants under his rule before he allowed them to become Alphas²⁰⁷
Alpha's can hold pack members obedient; with a pack Alpha, distance counts, and so does eye or body-to-body contact²³²
the ability of all good Alphas is to ask specific questions²⁵⁴
consuming the flesh and blood of the Alpha also cements a wolf's place in their pack²⁹³

in the end, the Alpha's word was law⁰⁷
a wolf obeyed his Alpha or he killed him³³
Alpha wolves don't mingle well with others⁶⁵
most Alphas make an impression⁶⁶
Alphas understood about watching over their own⁷⁴
Alphas in whom the instinct to protect was paramount⁹⁰
a good Alpha protects his own⁹³
It is a privilege to protect submissive ones, the hearts of the pack; Alphas are called upon to protect even more strongly⁹⁵
an Alpha is the ultimate control freak, ready to kill anyone who threatens his pack; he protects the weaker from the strong and suffers no defiance of his will¹⁵⁸
an Alpha is the most dominant wolf in the pack, the most prone to violence; no one gives him crap, and his job is to protect his pack¹⁵⁸
the Alpha can pull strength, even magic from all the pack¹⁵⁹

it was up to the pack Alpha to take care of dispensing commonplace justice¹²
many Alphas were unhappy with the new harshness of the laws¹³
the Marrok cannot send an Alpha into another pack's territory without it becoming a challenge that will spawn even more bloodshed²²
they have that underlying aggressive territoriality that pushed dominant to the head of the pack³⁷
some Alphas have a reserved manner; they sit in the back and watch their packs, letting matters work out as they would until they veered too far from where he wished; then he'd pounce with a brutal efficiency⁴¹
the bond between an Alpha and his wolves isn't a mating bond⁸³
Alpha wolves tend to be faster, and they can change more often¹⁵⁷
always carry that edge²²²
no one gossips like us Alphas²⁴⁷
they rule by fiat, by strength of character, and by their understanding that it was this one who kept them safe and gave them direction—and would kill them if he needed to²⁶⁰

Alphas were used to people obeying them¹²⁵
Alphas had weird reactions to Omega wolves¹²⁶
protective instinct that made his Alpha kick in¹³²
Alphas were very responsible people¹³²
the very best Alphas brought order¹⁴²
the aura of guardianship—makes for a powerful Alpha¹⁸⁷
Alphas fancied themselves responsible for the safety and well-being of everyone around them²³⁷
an Alpha is, or should be, the one most capable of protecting his pack; not just the safety of the pack, but the well-being of each of its members²⁴⁷

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Seeing Eye

beautiful, fragile, a little helpless—just the kind of woman most Alpha wolves gravitate toward²³
the burden of being an Alpha²⁰⁸

Alpha & Omega Series #6: Wild Sign

there are bad Alphas out there⁰⁸
an Alpha can read the pack bonds very well²³⁴

Mercyverse Short Fiction

some Alphas don't follow anyone or allow anyone around them who might challenge them¹⁶³

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Roses in Winter

an Alpha doesn't talk just to hear himself speak²⁷⁷
it wasn't in an Alpha's nature to tamely bow to authority just because it was presented to them²⁹⁵
with some Alphas they can be knocked off their pedestal, made to look weak; it will reduce their support and weaken their magic³⁰⁴

Mercyverse Short Fiction: In Red, with Pearls

the loss of will to disobey that an Alpha could hit their wolves with—their bodies flat-out refused to move at all³⁴⁷

Omega

Identified Omega Wolves

Anna Cornick
Ric Postinger
Sarai

Chat Transcripts

there are more male Omegas–because there are more male werewolves Chat 2008-02-09
different Omegas are “differently abled”, not stronger or weaker Chat 2008-02-09
few Omegas seldom meet Chat 2008-02-09

Alpha & Omega Series

not constrained by an instinctive need to obey a more dominant wolf³⁷
no werewolf, acting on instincts alone, would attack an Omega²¹³

Omegas are rare¹³
outside the pack structure; neither dominant nor submissive³⁷
Omega and valued³⁸
it'd take a crazy bastard to attack an Omega⁹⁸
born an Omega; being a werewolf just brings it out and age puts a polish on it⁹⁸
a human Omega is something that it takes a mad-dog—a wolf crazy with killing—to attack⁹⁹
Omegas serve much the same purpose in a pack as submissives, but more so¹²⁷
instead of following anyone's orders they follow no one's¹²⁷
has all the protective instincts of an Alpha and none of the violent tendencies¹²⁷
they make sure that everyone in their pack is happy and sheltered from anything that might harm them¹²⁷
Omega wolves are unlikely to go rogue¹⁵⁰
wolf-tamer; peace-bringer¹⁹⁶
like dominance, being an Omega was mostly personality¹⁹⁷
Bran liked to say, identity was partly heritage, partly upbringing, but mostly the choices you made in life; just as a man makes himself into an Alpha so does an Omega; it's not an accident of birth¹⁹⁷
Anna as an Omega brought peace and serenity with her wherever she went; some of her power depended upon her being a werewolf, which magnified the effect of her magic; but a larger part of it was the steel backbone that made the best of whatever circumstances she happened to be in; those were conscious decisions¹⁹⁷

dominant wolves could relax around Omegas because they knew that they would never challenge them—not because they couldn't but because they wouldn't⁵²
Omegas didn't care about pack position, they just cared about the pack⁵²
could soothe everyone around her⁵⁶
Omega qualities called out for their protection; Alphas and dominants in whom the instinct to protect was paramount⁹⁰
protecting an Omega calls most strongly to Alphas⁹⁵
Omega didn't mean doormat¹⁰³
there aren't many Omegas¹⁵⁴
even enraged werewolves seldom attack Omega humans, even if the Omega desires to be Changed, it is difficult to find a wolf willing to do it¹⁵⁵
an Omega is a treasure to a pack¹⁵⁵
an Omega is outside the pack structure; the only one who can defy the Alpha¹⁵⁶
doesn't mean he'll let you get away with it¹⁵⁶
Omegas don't have that built-in meter most wolves do; they can tell who is in charge and who isn't but it doesn't have anything to do with their relationship with them¹⁵⁷
it is safer for Omegas to drop their eyes around the more dominant wolves¹⁵⁷
an Omega wolf is an Alpha wolf who is extremely zen¹⁵⁸
no one gives Omegas crap; it is their job to protect their packs, even from themselves; the zen part comes because they don't have to kill anyone to get their way¹⁵⁸
Omega doesn't mean weak¹⁵⁹
Zen wolf had a bigger punch than Omega¹⁵⁹
a wolf, especially a dominant wolf, would have a hard time deliberately hurting an Omega, even a human Omega¹⁹⁵
spreading peace and happiness is what an Omega wolf does²²⁹
not even a fae can stand against one²⁸⁹

magical talent for soothing wolfish tempers regardless of whether or not they wanted to be soothed; it felt wrong to impose her will on others, she tried not to do it unless the need was dire¹⁵
Omegas are worse than Alphas about protecting their mates¹⁷
Omega doesn't mean power without end¹⁸
the frustrating joy of having an Omega around; irritating as hell, but good for you²¹
an Omega makes everyone a bit more protective³⁸
the Omega part tended to confuse a lot of wolves who were used to immediately sizing up others when they first met them⁸¹
when an Omega talked, the wolf listened no matter what the man thought¹⁶⁸
they didn't have to follow anyone's orders; that was part of being Omega instead of a regular werewolf¹⁸²
the gift of an Omega; silencing the voices inside with a radiant peace that let wolves regain control¹⁹⁵
other packs should be honored that an Omega was visiting; they should bring them gifs and see if they could get them to abandon their pack and join theirs²²²
a blessing of having an Omega in your pack²²²
the other effect of being Omega was that dominant wolves tended to be overly protective of them²²⁴

Omega werewolves were rare as hens' teeth²³
there weren't that many because there weren't many werewolves crazy enough to attack and Change a person who had the qualities of an Omega²³
valium for werewolves²³
Omegas aren't submissive³⁴
it was an unusual reaction to not like an Omega³⁶
the Omega soothed⁵⁴
an Omega wolf doesn't have the urge to obey an Alpha¹²⁶
Alphas had weird reactions to Omega wolves¹²⁶
has a tranquilizing effect on other werewolves¹³⁸
some wolves tend to freak out about what Omega really meant²⁴⁵
among other things, Omegas can calm werewolves²⁴⁷
an Omega is outside the pack structure; they don't feel the same need to obey²⁴⁷
having an Omega too close slows down the first change²⁵²

they don't have to obey any dominant; including the Marrok⁰⁹
an Omega wolf isn't always a good thing when dealing with the wildlings¹³
any dominant wolf felt the need to make an Omega safe¹⁶
the instinctive deference that most wolves felt for the more dominant was just missing in an Omega³⁰
overjoyed that such a wolf ran in their woods⁴¹
an Omega wolf could meet the eyes of any without arousing another to challenge; her gaze warm and caring, like a blaze of peace in a world of war⁴⁴
wave of comfort and quiet; a Omega power⁴⁶
relief that the Omega nature brought to troubled wolves; instinct and felt desperately necessary¹⁸³
what the Omega aura did was flood an area with a wave of peace that sent the beast spirit of unprepared werewolves into sleep¹⁸⁴
Anna Cornick and Ric Postinger had been working with Asil Moreno on other ways to utilize their effect without dropping their friends in their tracks¹⁸⁴
one of the things they came up with was something that was more invitation than hammer¹⁸⁴
an Omega was a treasure²⁰⁸

Mercy Thompson Series

Omega wolves, are like Valium for werewolves⁵⁵

Dominant

Mercy Thompson Series

don't give orders to a werewolf; it's that whole dominance reflex thing⁰⁴
the werewolf's urge to dominate those they see as lesser being¹⁰
guidance of a strong dominant helps newer werewolves control their wolf²⁰
if the Alpha was injured or helpless, if any of the dominants had aspirations to become Alpha, they'd kill him⁶⁵
dominant wolves heal faster than submissive wolves⁷⁰
the downside of being dominant; if you did go moonstruck, you took everyone who was less dominant with you⁷⁶
power of a dominant wolf⁹⁰
humans had trouble telling a dominant from a submissive wolf¹⁸²
most werewolves died in dominance fights with other wolves²⁰¹
less dominant werewolves would have a tendency to panic when invading an Alpha's home²¹⁴
nature's balance to the role of the dominant wolf; as strong as the instinct of wolves to follow those who were dominant, was the instinct of dominants to protect those weaker than themselves²²⁷
a dominant's instinct is to protect²⁷⁵

a dominant wolf's desire to protect was a strong instinct²⁵
wolves that are near-dominants, sometimes a fight between them will allow strength to determine pack rank¹⁵⁵
an Alpha's second and third were the next two most dominant males in the pack¹⁵⁵
dominant males are more typically aggressive¹⁵⁵
dominant wolves were always prickly around each other, unless one of them was the Alpha²⁴³

you can't have two dominant werewolves after the same woman without bloodshed⁰⁴
dominant wolves exude power⁴¹
among werewolves, once dominance was acknowledged, the dominant werewolf could, by custom, do no more than cuff the less dominant out of his way⁸³
most dominant males are control freaks¹²³
the kind of determination it takes to survive the Change isn't usually found in a person who isn't at least a little dominant¹²³
protective instinct was one of the things that make a werewolf more dominant¹⁸³

Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed

dominants—tyrants if allowed; but their strongest, most urgent need was to protect¹⁸⁷

when an extremely dominant werewolf meets someone's gaze with his wolf in the fore, even humans bow to their knees⁵⁷
arguing with dominant wolves could have unpleasant results⁶⁹
when fighting for control of the wolf being dominant didn't make that fight easier, maybe the opposite; being stubborn helped¹¹³
usually once the wolf knows you've acknowledged he's the boss, dropping gazes only crop up when the more dominant wolf is upset¹³⁷
really dominant wolves can add a push into their voices²⁹³

dominant wolves heal pretty fast¹⁷⁸

all other wolves in the pack were rivals, dominants who would move against the others should the wolf above them show weakness⁴⁴
dominant werewolves are control freaks and do not enjoy being passengers in cars¹⁶³
no games between two dominant wolves unless they know each other very well and have established their dominance²⁰⁷
dominant werewolf instincts are to stare down everyone they meet²⁸⁴

in a wolf pack, the dominant members protect—they don't need protection¹⁵⁷

no one is proud like a dominant werewolf in front of an audience²²⁷

the spark that made one man more dominant than another without a word being said¹⁰
more dominant wolves can shift back and forth more²⁴⁴
dominant wolves were unpredictable²⁸⁹
most wolves had to establish dominance by meeting eyes; it was handy with other wolves, quite often preventing bloodshed or misunderstandings³¹⁰

more dominant wolves tend to draw your eye first⁰⁵
dominant wolves are more protective⁰⁷
more dominant wolves can change relatively quickly—ten or fifteen minutes, a little faster if they pull hard on pack bonds²⁹¹

Alpha & Omega Series

most werewolves were more or less dominant¹⁸⁰
a werewolf, especially a dominant wolf, is always on the edge of violence²¹⁴

dominant wolves didn't like their prowess questioned and sometimes reacted badly⁴⁴
it's hard for a dominant wolf to hurt a submissive wolf if he's sane—their instincts tell them to protect them⁹⁸
we who are dominant tend to think of that aspect of being a werewolf as rank: who is obeyed, who is to obey¹²⁶
it is also who is to protect and be protected¹²⁶
a dominant exists to protect those beneath them¹²⁶
pain makes a dominant more violent¹²⁷
torture a dominant, and the wolf came to the forefront¹³¹
dominant was more than just a rank in the pack¹⁸⁴
dominant wolves didn't back down much¹⁸⁸
the Marrok carefully screened the dominants under his rule before he allowed them to become Alphas²⁰⁷

middle or lower tier dominant wolves wouldn't spark a dominant male's instincts to put them in their places²⁰
we protect our pack, that's what our job has always been⁵²
the instinct to protect was paramount⁹⁰
it is the privilege of the dominants to protect their submissive wolves, the heart of their packs⁹⁵
dominant wolves didn't deal well with injuries that left them vulnerable¹⁰⁵
wolf inside, pacing and growling against the trappings of civilization they were forced to bear; that's what it meant to be dominant and ready to kill anything that threatened those under his protection; kill at a moment's notice¹²⁵
repertoire built to deal with a dominant male who didn't always follow the rules of civilization¹⁴⁰
wolves have a built-in meter that tells them whether a wolf is dominant to them or not; if the meter doesn't tell them right away they usually fight it out¹⁵⁷
dominant wolves fight with each other and take care of the submissive wolves¹⁵⁷
dominant wolves, their instincts tell them to protect with violence and control their environment; they are ready to kill; the more dominant the wolf, the quicker he is to kill¹⁵⁸
less dominant wolves cede the authority to protect the more dominant wolf¹⁵⁸
a dominant wolf will relax around a submissive wolf because the lesser wolf is no threat¹⁵⁸
there are dominant wolves who don't protect; they are called beasts¹⁶⁷
a dominant is driven to take care of those who belong to them¹⁷⁶
a dominant wolf would have a hard time deliberately hurting an Omega¹⁹⁵
any dominant hates the one who humiliates him¹⁹⁹
more dominant wolves healed faster²¹⁰
like when a dominant comes into a new pack and looks for the nastiest brute around to fight and so establish his place²¹⁷

a compulsory need to protect the weak, including, paradoxically, the wolves he was there to kill¹²
dominant wolves often didn't get along with each other¹⁷
a dominant wolf could not be compelled, only persuaded²⁰
underlying aggressive territoriality that pushed dominant to the head of the pack³⁷
dominant werewolves don't mix well with others⁴³
obey-or-be-obeyed scale; close enough in rank that a fight to determine who rules and who is ruled; who protects and who is protected⁸¹
a dominant wolf and part of being dominant was taking care of what was theirs¹²¹
dominant wolves were driven to protect those weaker than themselves¹⁸²
wolves could be a little unpredictable when a more dominant wolf was injured; it was a good time to eliminate the dominate and take his place²⁰⁸
dangerous to stay half-shifted, though some of the most dominant wolves could do it for a while²³⁹
more dominant wolves can force confessions from less dominant wolves²⁴⁸
strong emotion that makes a dominant wolf vulnerable; makes them not want anyone to see them²⁵¹

unless they knew each other well two dominant wolves would never have gotten into the same vehicle together²⁵
more dominant wolves help newer wolves control themselves⁶⁹
it wasn't a smart idea to meet a werewolf's eyes unless you were prepared for a dominance battle¹⁷¹
the Omega effect hits dominant wolves harder²⁴⁵

Adda
Alan Choo
Edison
Neal
Peter Jorgenson

being a dominant wolf the fear they felt sometimes made them snappish and stupid⁰⁸
just having another dominant in their territory could set them off¹⁴
the instinctive deference that most wolves felt for the more dominant³⁰
any dominant worth his hide protects those who cannot protect themselves¹²⁶
a dominant wolf protects his own with is life¹²⁶

Submissive

Identified Submissive Wolves

Mercy Thompson Series

submissive wolves are above women in pack position unless the male was unusually submissive³⁸
heal at a slower rate than other wolves⁷⁰
humans had trouble telling a dominant from a submissive wolf¹⁸²
a submissive wolf's instinct is to bow to authority²⁷⁵

submissive wolves are very obedient³⁵

there weren't actually all that many submissive wolves out there¹²³
submissive wolves tend to last longer than dominant wolves²²¹

it was inconceivable that a submissive wolf would play power games²²⁶

submissive wolves, rare, precious as rubies, were not driven to be on top, so they could be trusted absoluely—cherished and protected from all harm⁴⁴
submissive wolves obeyed orders²⁷⁸

averted eyes meant submissive wolf; they tended to live longer than other werewolves because they weren't so likely to end up on the losing end of a fight to the death³⁴
submissive wolves also got to travel because no Alpha would turn down a submissive wolf—there weren't many of them, and they tended to help a pack function more smoothly³⁴
submissive wolves usually do fine in pack politics because no one wants to hurt them⁶²
most submissive wolves are pretty soft-spoken and quiet¹³⁶
submissive wolves don't go around cringing; submissive means a wolf has no desire to be in charge¹⁸⁸

was most likely to hear if someone in the pack was in trouble⁰⁶
touches the pack a lot; nothing to do with sex¹⁹
no one wanted a sad submissive; a happy submissive wolf balanced the dominants and lowered tempers¹⁹
submissive or not, a werewolf was a predator, and his wolf liked the scent of blood and terror⁴²

submissive wolves—and their mates—were welcome in any pack they chose to honor with their presence¹¹²
a submissive wolf was a gift to any pack; they tended to cut own the petty bickering that was part and parcel of having a roomful of dominant personalities, and they settled the pack, made it feel, for everyone, as if pack was more a necessity, that it was a good thing to be a part of¹⁴²
a submissive made the survival of all the wolves in the pack more likely¹⁴²
werewolves can like a long time, just because one is submissive doesn't make them stupid; listen when the soft ones speak²⁵⁷
people discount submissive wolves²⁸⁰
sometimes submissive wolves run into problems if they're around too much violence²⁹¹

Alpha & Omega Series

gentler-natured people weren't usually cussed enough to survive the brutal transformation from human to werewolf; which meant that submissive werewolves were few and far between¹⁸¹

it's hard for a dominant wolf to hurt a submissive wolf; their instincts tell them to protect them⁹⁸
a submissive werewolf is not incapable of protecting himself: he can fight, he can kill as readily as any other¹²⁶
they don't feel the need to fight-not the way a dominant does¹²⁶
they are a treasure in a pack; a source of purpose and balance¹²⁶
protecting a submissive is far more rewarding because a submissive will never wait until you are wounded or your back is turned to see if you are truly dominant to them¹²⁶
submissive wolves can be trusted¹²⁶
they unite the pack with the goal of keeping them safe and cared for¹²⁶
torture a submissive, and you were left with the human¹³¹
submissives are brave²⁰⁷

submissives who are the heart of the pack⁵²
submissive wolves knew how to deal with raging werewolves; they calmed everyone down¹²⁵
submissives need care¹³⁴
a submissive wolf would have trouble standing up to the Alpha¹⁵⁶
submissive wolves are no thread; they need to be taken care of, though; a reassuring touch is necessary for them¹⁵⁸
submissive wolves are the kinder, gentler wolves¹⁵⁸
they are missing the killing instinct; that doesn't mean they won't kill under the right circumstances just that it is not their first answer to every problem¹⁵⁸
they don't need to control everyone around them^{158<sup>
* they are no threat to more dominant wolves so the other wolves relax around them<sup>158}
they are not children, they are still werewolves¹⁶⁷

there are so few submissives; they stabilize a pack and stabilize the Alpha⁵⁶

dominants were built to keep submissive wolves safe⁵⁴
a submissive wolf might feel he had no choice but to follow the orders he was given⁵⁴
if a submissive wolf could not be saved; they could be killed quickly and cleanly as possible so that they would never have a chance to be afraid⁵⁴
not considered a threat¹³³

Female Werewolves

Werewolves & Fertility

Mercy Thompson Series

a mated female took her pack position from her mate, but unmated females were always lower than males unless the male was unusually submissive³⁸
males werewolves treat their mates like beloved slaves⁹⁴
female werewolves are not allowed to be lone wolves¹¹⁷
werewolves have not yet joined the twentieth century, let alone the twenty-first, as far as women are concerned¹¹⁷

unmated females belong to the Alpha¹²⁴
a pack would never let a female out on her own; there are too few of them, and the males are too protective to allow a female to fend for themselves; they could request to change packs¹³⁴

female rights in the challenge ring²³⁴
for women who are wolves, their life span is almost double that of a male werewolf because they do not fight men for dominance²³⁵
there are still so few female werewolves; male werewolves feel they are too precious to allow them to risk so much²³⁵
the counter argument; that makes sense in a species where women are important to survival; but because female werewolves can't have children some of them feel they are no more valuable to the pack than anyone else²³⁵

female werewolves were few and far between²⁷³

a female wolf is supposed to take her rank from her mate²⁴²

most of the general public thought that there weren't any female werewolves⁸⁵

Columbia Basin Pack has rearranged how female werewolves are ranked, much to the betterment of their lot everywhere¹⁰¹

Mercy Thompson Series #11: Storm Cursed

as far as most people knew, there were no female Alpha werewolves⁴⁷

traditionally speaking, women didn't get their own rank⁸⁹
bottom-of-the-pack ranking where an unmated female would normally be accounted⁸⁹

Alpha & Omega Series

there weren't so many women, there never are²³⁰
there are not enough females—so those we have out to be protected²³⁰

females don't survive the Change as well as males¹²⁴
when speaking of an unmated female in the pack, “brutalized” was a terrible word, much worse than “abused”¹⁶⁶
female werewolves were not nearly as common¹⁷⁴

there were supposed to be a few female werewolves; but they were protective of them³⁵

females with no wolf mate to gain rank were usually put down on the bottom of the pecking order²⁵³

Carlos
Chen Li Qiang
Peggy
Warren Smith

female werewolves were relatively rare, and they were more or less (depending on their pack) expected to find a male werewolf to mate with¹⁴¹

Alpha & Omega Series #6: Wild Sign

the Marrok only brings in one or two women a year who need assistance⁰⁸
there are hundreds of female werewolves out there⁰⁸

LQBTQIA2S+ Werewolves

Identified LQBTQIA2S+ Wolves

Mercy Thompson Series

most of the werewolves in power in the US had been born in a time when homosexuality was anathema, even punishable by death in some places¹²⁸
werewolf packs are not a tribute to enlightenment¹²⁹
gay werewolves can't stay in the closet; werewolves are very good at sensing arousal; arousal in werewolves tends to bring out the fighting instinct in all the nearby males¹²⁹
a male wolf who is attracted to other male wolves gets in a lot of fights¹²⁹
a pack won't accept a wolf who causes too much trouble¹²⁹

since the Columbia Basin Pack has allowed Warren Smith to join; several other packs have allowed gay wolves to join²⁴
being a gay werewolf for a hundred years can give you a skin so thick it might as well be armor¹²⁸
packs would not tolerate having a gay man in second position because if something happened the Alpha he would run the pack²²⁴

packs used to kill gay werewolves¹⁹⁹

a lot of werewolves had grown up in eras in which being gay was not tolerated⁹⁰
the survival rate for gay or lesbian werewolves was far lower than for straight werewolves⁹⁰

Alpha & Omega Series

female werewolves were relatively rare, and they were more or less (depending on their pack) expected to find a male werewolf to mate with; leads to problems with werewolves who are lesbian; Alpha's can harass¹⁴¹

Outside Pack Hierarchy

Lone Wolves

Lone & Rogue Wolves
a lone wolf is a male who either declines to join a pack or cannot find a pack who will take him in¹¹⁷
being alone was no trivial thing for a wolf¹²⁹
all lone wolves aren't deviants; but werewolves need packs²²⁷
it takes something stronger to keep them away; a few hate what they are too much to live within a pack; most of them though are outcasts, men the pack wouldn't accept²²⁷

lone wolf was outside the pack hierarcy⁵¹
wolves need their pack, or else they start to get a little strange¹⁰⁹
lone wolves were, in general, an odd bunch, dangerous to themselves and others¹⁰⁹

Lone Wolves

a lone wolf is considered an outcastBC-34 a lone wolf is a male that either declines to join a pack or cannot find a pack that will take him in; females are not allowed that optionMC-117 lone wolves were, in general, an odd bunch, dangerous to themselves an othersBB-97

Rogue Wolves

there is a support structure to educate the new wolf, to keep him and everyone around him safe—but there are still the occasional attacks by rogue werewolves²¹
one of the duties of a pack is to kill those rogues and find their victims²¹
except for the occasional rogue, werewolves are organized into packs under an Alpha wolf³³

Rogue Wolves

a rogue is a wolf who has no official standing when tracked down a rogue is given the opportunity to join a pack, lone wolf under the Marrok's rules, or killed also a lone wolf who breaks the rules “goes rogue” and is hunted down and killed rogues can also be new wolves who don't know much and try to stay out of sightCW-95

even a werewolf deserves a chance⁹⁵
a rogue hiding out in the Cabinets is pretty desperate, and there's a good chance he's a victim⁹⁵
if only moonstruck, out of control through no fault of his own⁹⁵

Wildlings

Alpha & Omega Series