In the world there's, besides two genders, another 3 sub genders: betas, more than 50% of the population, and the rarest Alphas and Omegas.
Betas are the neutral gender: they don't get influenced by pheromones and they don't have any increase or decrease in their physical constitution that would set them apart. They're most of the population. And in some canons they can get pregnant, but the chances are really slim and normally would be from an Alpha. Betas cannot be marked, they cannot forge a bond, they do not have a soul bond and they cannot forge one through sex or biting like an Alpha and an Omega would. Betas do not experience ruts.
Even if in some headcanons you can find drugs that can make Betas experience something like a rut.
Marks are what partners do to forge a bond, a soul bond is a bond that is already forged and that an Omega and an Alpha simply, like the name implies, share a deep, almost soul-like connection despite their personal feelings for one another. Without a mark, a bond cannot be made, and a soul bond needs also a mark to definitely be what it is - for the connection to become final.
In some headcanons, a bond can be broken, even if it's a bond between a soul bond, in others, the soul bond is the ultimate bond, therefor a normal bond can only be broken by a soul bond.
Ruts are states in which Omegas and Alphas get monthly or even from two and two months, depends, in which they feel an increase of sexual drive, mostly it's for mating and produce children, but also it's a state in which both of them can get easily dominated by pheromones. If an Alpha and an Omega experience each other's rut, they can also experience their own, losing completely their minds or most of it.
During a rut, an Alpha have more stamina and sperm, meanwhile an Omega becomes weak (sometimes it's said they also get a boost of stamina too, depends on the headcanon of each autor) and they become more fertile.
That's why taking suppressants is so important to both Alphas and Omegas, to avoid children bearing, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted bonds - the Alpha in special can, in their rut, to make the Omega more submissive, mark him in a heated moment. Betas do not experience ruts therefor they don't need suppressants.
Back at what Alphas and Omegas are:
Alphas are the top of the chain; above Omegas and Betas in everything, they're stronger, smarter, charming, tall, handsome/beautiful and all society love them. They're the leaders of the pack, the provider, and they tend to dominate their partners, be jealous and possessive, they also can be possessive with their Beta partners and another Alphas.
It's said also that Alphas can experience long and intense ruts, with the solemn objective of produce children.
In case of relationships between Alphas, there's the possibility of fight for domination between them, but normally, one of the Alphas can fit right into the submissive part just to keep their partners to themselves. You can say it's a defensive mechanic. Because Alphas hate sharing more than any other sub gender.
Omegas are the submissive ones; they're constantly in rut and, depending in what kind of story you reading, they're considered small, gorgeous, seductive, harmless, defenseless and always depending on Alphas. Some Omegas cannot have their rut subdue just with medicine, therefor, they can be looked down upon from Betas and Alphas.
I have read plenty of mangas and manhwas in which the Omega is well build, as strong as Alphas and Betas, and that their ruts do not ruin their lives, however, mostly media, hints are the fact that Omegas do not have control over their lives and always become a thing which Alphas can pray upon or use whatever they want. There's some Omegas that will never accept that, and they CAN find meaningful relationships with Betas. I never really saw an Omega with another Omega, but it can happen, since some Omegas can display the same behavior as Alphas.
The only big difference is that female or male Alphas can produce children with female or male Betas and Omegas, however, Betas can produce children with another Betas if they're from different genders, for Alphas the gender is not important, female Alphas can produce children with female Omegas or even, I think, male Omegas.
Male Omegas have ruts just like female Omegas and they can carry children as well. However, in some headcanons, a male Omega pregnancy is shorter than a normal pregnancy and they grow a belly but not as big as a woman would.
Omegas that have a bond or a soul bond stop producing pheromones that attrach other Alphas and if they get sexually assaulted or even engage in consensual intercorse with a Beta or an Alpha that isn't their mate, they can experience physical illness and reject them despite their personal feelings.
Bonds can also trigger each other's ruts whenever they get close or when they get in that time in the month, however, in some headcanons, the pheromones can or cannot be sensed by other's outside of that bond. In some headcanons THEY CAN produce pheromones that will attract others that aren't their partners, ruts not always get suppressed by bonds.
However, some writers do make bonds or soul bonds capable of stabilize an Omega's rut and make them unattractive to other Alphas and Betas.
Alphas can fight for the same mate, even Betas can fight with another Alphas for a mate, ultimately it has some to do with instincts but also feelings.
Ah, a Beta can step in and help an Alpha and an Omega with their ruts/heats, some headcanons say that a Beta cannot satisfy them, but most headcanons say that a Beta can - or at least the ones I have read.
A rut normally is the term of that period for an Alpha, meanwhile a heat is for an Omega. Nowdays I don't see much distinction that's why I forgot.
Despite Betas not being able to forge or get a bond, or a soul bond, neither experience ruts/heats, neither get under the influence of pheromones like Omegas or Alphas would, and in some headcanons, they can't produce children either - they still can have a mate, someone they cherish and be cherish by their own mate.
In some headcanons, an Alpha CAN fight against a soul bond or even a heat from an Omega and resist it, to pick their own mate, even if that's hurtful and go against their own nature. An Omega can also fight against it and win - to be with another partner and still have fulfillment. Normally that happens when the Alpha and the Omega have a partner Beta.
A soul bond can be forged even if an Alpha and an Omega hate each other, and even if they have sex, they can still hate each other, even if they're marked and they're mates, the bond and soul bond have nothing to do with feelings even if they can eventually influence feelings.
Since I am already here, I will also indicate some of my favs:
A relationship between Alphas:
Define The Relationship
A relationship between Alpha and Omegas that I personally find interesting:
Love Shuttle
In this one there's also an AlphaXAlpha relationship but I didn't read that one, I prefer the Omega and the Alpha of that one.
Kurui Naku No Wa Boku No Ban
This one is interesting, it talks about bonds and social roles, I like it. And since we're at it.
BetaXOmega:
Kurui Naku no wa Boku no Ban Beta
In this one we have a bond being broken and an Omega choosing a Beta instead of an Alpha.
AlphaXBeta:
Kashikomarimashita, Destiny
I don't like the OmegaxAlpha of that one, but the AlphaxBeta relationship is amazing.
Mr Beta
This one is cute, your honor, I call it cute.
Those are the ones that I personally like and always come back to or still read. And like I said, I never found one with OmegaXOmega. But those also explain certain dynamics and are the ones that engage outside of the same same that always find.
i need everyone to understand the poetry of curly turning a blind eye to anya’s suffering only to be robbed of his autonomy and voice as she was and then forced to observe jimmy’s crimes and the abuse of his own body