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Complexities of Pack Dynamics

“For a werewolf, survival depends upon the pack—and a pack is a complex social and military hierarchy that depends upon each member knowing exactly what his place is.”

Chat Transcripts

  • there's some magic involved in pack ranking Chat 2007-11-03
  • rank in the pack is both actual and magical; the magic is more inherent than acted upon, like say, a witch's magic Chat 2007-11-03

Mercy Thompson Series

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

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

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

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

Alpha & Omega Series

Alpha & Omega Series #0.5: Alpha & Omega Novella

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #2: Hunting Ground

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

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

Mercyverse Short Fiction

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Redemption

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

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

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

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

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

  • new werewolves are more vulnerable to the SDK Cocktail20

Alpha & Omega Series

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #3: Fair Game

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

  • old wolves don't deal with change very well17

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

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

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #10: Silence Fallen

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

  • there was an entire folklore about old wolves and their deeds78

Alpha & Omega Series

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #2: Hunting Ground

  • most of the old wolves are mad about something152

Alpha & Omega Series #3: Fair Game

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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • general resistance that the older wolves had to modern technology142

Mercyverese Short Fiction

Mercyverse Short Fiction: In Red, with Pearls

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #10: Silence Fallen

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #0.5: Alpha & Omega Novella

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #2: Hunting Ground

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #3: Fair Game

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Seeing Eye

  • 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

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

Alpha & Omega Series #0.5: Alpha & Omega Novella

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

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #2: Hunting Ground

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #3: Fair Game

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • Omega wolves, are like Valium for werewolves55

Dominant

Mercy Thompson Series

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

  • dominant wolves heal pretty fast178

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

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

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

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

Mercy Thompson Series #10: Silence Fallen

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #0.5: Alpha & Omega Novella

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

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #2: Hunting Ground

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #3: Fair Game

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • submissive wolves are very obedient35

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • it was inconceivable that a submissive wolf would play power games226

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #10: Silence Fallen

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #0.5: Alpha & Omega Novella

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #2: Hunting Ground

  • 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 them158<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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

  • female werewolves were few and far between273

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

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

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

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

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #0.5: Alpha & Omega Novella

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

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #3: Fair Game

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

Alpha & Omega Series #4: Dead Heat

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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

  • packs used to kill gay werewolves199

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #2: Blood Bound

  • 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

Mercy Thompson Series #1: Moon Called

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #1: Cry Wolf

  • 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

Alpha & Omega Series #5: Burn Bright

  • a group of wolves who lived in Aspen Creek, Montana; though they were not part of the Marrok's pack10
  • the wolves the Marrok deemed too damaged or too dangerous to function as part of a pack—even the Aspen Creek Pack which was full of damaged and dangerous wolves10
  • they belonged to the Marrok alone, not a separate pack but bound to his will and magic by blood and flesh11
  • other pack members called them the Walking Dead11
  • the wildlings lived in the mountains, separate from everyone, their homes and territory protected by the pack; in everyone's best interest for no one to intrude in what peace they could find11
  • they were both dangerous and fragile; Bran did not lightly allow anyone else to interact with them11
  • an Omega wolf isn't always a good thing when dealing with the wildlings13
  • initially Bran was excited what the Omega could do for the wildlings; there was an experiment that went wrong and the wildling died13
  • Arsonist Creek is in a part of the Aspen Creek Pack territory that they leave to the wildlings18
  • when there were incidents involving any of the wildlings, it usually meant that Charles Cornick had to kill one of the old wolves38
  • anyone heading into the wildling territory could not carry a cell phone63
  • Bran liked to give the wildlings some contact in the pack other than himself in the hopes of helping the wildling remain stable; usually the other person was Charles Cornick, Leah Cornick, Asil Moreno; Colin Taggart was the contact for Hester and Jonesy82
  • like all the wildlings they were there on sufferance90
  • stupid people with death wishes114
  • Bran kept the wildlings away from the pack; part of it was they were dangerous and needed to be isolated—and part of it was that a lot of them were very old123
  • very old werewolves tended to collect enemies123
  • the wildlings don't all know each other; some of them do, but a lot of them are very isolated because they want to be; or they need to be124
  • most of the wildlings change their name when they come to the packlands124
  • there is a lot of knowledge that the wildlings have that exists nowhere else on the planet124
  • they are unlikely to pick up a phone; they have a general resistance to modern technology142
  • only a few of them are stable enough to hide lies that are big without betraying themselves149
  • being a wildling means you're broken155
  • the wildlings were checked on once a month or so as soon as the snow flew; not that they couldn't take care of themselves; it was what they would do to take care of themselves236
  • most of the wildlings were twitchy in human form, as if the wolf were ready to climb out an any moments254
  • they were so fragile; dangerous but fragile260
  • most of them have worn out their ability to control their wolf263
  • the wildlings lived in the most remote corners of the pack territory271
pack_dynamics.txt · Last modified: 2021/07/27 11:28 by linda