I wanna give y’all some pack lore! I’ve been really into packs recently and I need someone to talk to about it. You may be asking yourself why not go to the discord where people can respond? Well, I wanna make my thoughts official on the official blog.
-There are 3 main roles in a pack: the pack alpha, the pack beta, and the pack omega. A lot of packs don’t usually have a pack beta, but pack betas make their lives much easier.
-To be in a fully mated pack, everyone gets a bite from the pack alpha, and then they can communicate through the bond instead of verbally.
-Usually multiple packs get together and form a large safety pack, but not everyone is bonded. They usually choose a pack alpha for all of the packs, but that’s usually only for the other pack alphas to listen to.
-Pack alphas provide safety and protection to the pack and can comfort other alphas in the pack much easier. They’re usually the most dominant ones and can get aggressive easily.
-Pack betas focus on the harmony of the pack. They’re the ones most focused on the emotional state of the pack. They know when things are going amiss and can settle it quickly.
-Pack omegas bring nurturing and calmness to the pack. There can only be one omega per pack because they’re extremely territorial and aggressive when it comes to their pack, unless the omega was bonded to another omega(s) before joining the pack.
-Usually most mated packs have anywhere from 2-10 alphas and betas and 1 omega.
-Of course monogamy exists in this world too, but I’m speaking mostly on polyamorous packs.
-Mated packs overrule safety packs most of the time. If a pack alpha of a mated pack says it’s too dangerous for his pack members, the safety pack alpha has to reevaluate the situation.
I have a lot more I want to add to this but I have to get my thoughts together more. Let me know if y’all think this is interesting, or not. It’s my blog and I’ll cry if I want to.
i love packs. packs are so important to my omegaverse. they’re communities, they’re friends, they’re families. fuck the nuclear family; in this omegaverse we are pack-centric
general
in an ideal situation, most people would be born into a pack. this would be the pup’s community of care. the loosest definition might be “a group of adults connected by pack bonds who engage in care for each other, and any children being raised by that group.” example pack makeups include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. A group of high school friends: Two A/O pairs, a B/O pair, a single B, and their pups.
2. A group of people who were packmates as pups, along with their mates: A/B/O triad, a single O, and a B/O pair and all of their pups.
3. A polycule of As, Bs, and Os and their pups.
4. A number of single As, Bs, and Os who have chosen to be each other’s cycle partners, and their pups.
packs tend to be made of groups of non-related adults, though in some cases (e.g. small or aging towns, instances of abuse, etc) groups of siblings or cousins may form a pack and simply avoid one another during reproductive cycles.
cycling
packmates are not obligated or expected to assist sexually during reproductive cycles, though many packmates will offer the cycling individual scented clothes or comfort items, food, or non-sexual comfort, especially in situations where the cycling individual’s mate may be absent.
when a cycling individual is unmated, their mate is absent, or they are unprepared, the pack is expected to provide non-sexual care (e.g. cooking/cleaning for them, offering nest companionship or cuddles when requested). it is perfectly acceptable for the pack to provide this care even when the mate is present. alleviating the burden on a cycling individual and their chosen partner is an act of pack care.
pups
packmates raise pups together. often, pups will refer to their non-parent adult packmates as ‘auntie,’ ‘uncle,’ or other similar terms. ideally, if packs do not share a home, they live near enough to one another that pups can safely travel between pack homes. when this is not possible, packmates escort pups to and from pack houses. packmates are listed on school documentation so that pups’ trusted adults can pick them up from school or make decisions on their parents’ behalf in case of emergency.
pups may refer to other pups in the pack as pack-siblings, cousins, or packmates. older pups tend to gravitate toward calling the other pups packmates, as it sounds more mature.
forming packs
after an individual has experienced their first full cycle, they may feel an increased drive to establish their own pack apart from their pack of origin. they may spend more time at friends’ homes and establish scent bonds with close friends. this can be a difficult transition for all parties involved. parents and packmates want to keep their pup close or may become despondent at ‘losing’ their pups, while young adults may feel stifled by overbearing or possessive packs of origin.
it’s common to see scent-bonded teenage packs spending time together in public. they aren’t afforded the same legal rights as adult packs, but in cases where emergencies occur (e.g. an accident or injury involving one scent-bonded packmate), leeway may be granted for access to things like hospital visits or school absences.
adult packs are created through the exchange of pack bites, generally a bite to the wrist from another pack member. historically, they were given by a pack’s dominant alpha, but this was a ceremonial restriction only. packs may be legally recognized with a document called a roster, which serves as a record of pack membership.
legal
adult packs have legal rights—the pack roster may be registered for ease of:
childcare (e.g., signing pups out of school early, accompanying them to medical appointments in a parent’s stead)
property ownership (e.g., a pack purchasing land or a house)
medical care (e.g., access to a hospitalized packmate’s room outside of visiting hours)
not all packs choose to formalize their membership, just as not all couples choose to become legally married. packs who do not hold a roster are still packs, and they provide all the social and emotional benefits of a pack but do not have a rostered pack’s legal privileges.
Nose tapping is exactly what it sounds like, it’s when individuals will rub and or bump/boop their noses together. This is often a form of greetings in close friendships, relationships and families. It also could be a form of reassurance. Nose taps are also a way to make your bond stronger, since you’re getting close to their scent glands around the area.
It can also help to be able to distinguish their pups and kiddies from others. Whether a strangers or if you have many. While they can see the differences, it’s always good to make sure by scent.
ABO Worldbuilding: Different Types of Social Structures
A cornerstone of the omegaverse trope is packs. Like the rest of the trope, packs are usually modelled after wolves. But I’ve been thinking recently; what if that wasn’t true everywhere in the world, and what would other pre-civilization social structures look like? In this four-part series, I will be outlining my ideas for four different social structures: Packs (modelled after wolves), Prides (modelled after lions), Pods (modelled after dolphins, and Clans (modelled after hyenas).
Part One: Packs
Part Two: Prides, Links to the other parts will be placed here after they are published.
Note: in this post, all heats and ruts happen at the same time every three months. Pre-heats and pre-ruts last for four days, while heats and ruts last for three days. This 7 day period is referred to as “mating week.”
Packs
Packs can range from 2 to 30 members, with an average of 10. Children in packs are called pups.
Smaller packs have only one head alpha, but bigger ones are co-led by an alpha male and an alpha female. All other members of the pack are subordinate to the head alpha(s), even if they are alphas themselves. Here is a diagram of the pack structure:
The chain of command goes Head Alpha(s), their Omega Mate(s), Subordinate Alphas, their Omega Mate, Beta Males, their Beta Female Mates, Unmated Alphas, Unmated Beta Males, and finally Unmated Omegas and Unmated Beta Females. Within each group, things like number of pups, favor of head alpha(s), fighting prowess, and past deeds determine an individual’s ranking. When it comes to the functioning of orders in the pack, they tend to be passed down as follows:
Head Alpha --> Subordinate Alpha --> Mated Beta Male --> Unmated Alphas --> Unmated Betas
It is common for alphas to challenge a head alpha and overthrow them by killing them. Challengers very rarely come from outside the pack, and are usually supported by other pack members. When it comes to packs with two head alphas, both alphas have to be overthrown by new ones in order for there to be a complete power shift (ex. if the head female alpha is overthrown by a new one, the newcomer cannot simply replace the head male alpha with someone else or get rid of him entirely; he has to be overthrown as well. Until he is, he will rule with the new head alpha female).
If a head alpha dies without being overthrown, they will either be proceeded by their eldest alpha child (of their own primary sex if there are two head alphas) or an alpha they appointed before their death. If they had no alpha children and appointed no successor, then either a vote by all pack members or a competitive fight between all eligible alphas in the pack will determine who takes the vacant role.
Head alphas are the only alphas in the pack allowed to have more than one omega. When they are overthrown, the new alpha claims their omega(s). They will also commonly kill the alpha children of the old head alpha. If the alpha dies naturally, their omegas will be reclaimed by the successor (unless the omega in question is related to the successor or too old to have more pups), but no children will be killed.
Every other alpha in the pack is allowed one omega, and each beta male one beta female. Some larger packs allow alphas to mate with beta females and omegas to mate with beta males, and it is not entirely uncommon for the head alpha male to have a sexual relationship with the head alpha female, although they are both expected to procreate with their respective omega(s).
Pups eat first at meal times, then the head alpha(s), then the head alpha(s)’s mate(s), then each mated couple with children in order of pup age from youngest to oldest, then childless mated couples, and finally unmated members.
Generally, the alphas and beta males of a pack will hunt, do border patrol, fight, and build shelters, while the beta females and omegas will look after their pups, gather food through scourging, and make clothes and weapons. It is not impossible for a beta female or omega to be allowed to hunt if they prove themselves to be strong and capable, but it is rare.
Every mating week, packs that are allied will meet up with each other in large gatherings at pre-agreed upon locations. Unmated pack members will mingle with one another, and if they find someone they like, they will present them to their parents and head alpha(s). If the parents and head alpha(s) approve of the selected person, they will spend their rut and heat together (or just bang a few times if they’re betas) and mate. Afterwards, the beta female/omega will move to the pack of their new mate and start a family.
If a beta female or omega doesn’t want to move packs, they can mate within their pack. However, because most pups in a pack are raised almost completely communally, they develop sibling-like bonds, and therefore do not feel much attraction towards each other, making same-pack matings quite rare.
Packs claim territory, with their borders being marked by the head alpha(s) scent being rubbed on whatever is around. You need a pack’s permission to enter their territory, and if you don’t obtain it, entering will be perceived as a highly aggressive act. Alpha and beta males will be attacked on sight, often with intention to kill. Beta females and omegas will be detained and sometimes kept, and negotiations will have to happen with their pack in order for them to be returned. Having members of your pack trespass in another’s territory will always make your relationship with that pack worse, resulting in it being highly discouraged, and members who do it without their head alpha(s) opinion will usually be punished for it within their own pack. Wars are very commonly a result of territorial disputes.
Packs are generally found in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Packs were the most common social structure amongst primitive human groups.
In your opinion, what is a good number for a pack? Also if you want to go into a little more detail, what ratio of the dynamics (secondary and tertiary) in a pack would there need to be to make an ideal pack balance?
Ahhh thank you for being my first anon!
Honestly, I don’t really think there’s one good number OR ratio for a pack- it all depends on the needs and preferences of whoever’s in it.
Speaking practically, however, it might not be realistic for an irl pack with more than, say, 10-15 or so members to come together. While their might be some people who could manage a very large pack, miscefolks planning to have a pack irl should take into consideration space, schedules, etc. Having a pack larger pack online seems a bit easier, as long as you make sure to stay active and not let things fizzle out. Most omegaverse fiction I’ve come across is more or less along those lines, with packs being around 10 members.
This leads into dynamic ratios, which I’ve pretty much only seen in fiction as 6 betas + 1-3 omegas + 1-3 alphas, or 3-4 betas + 3-4 omegas + 3-4 alphas. However, that often doesn’t work when actually trying to form a pack, since a “perfect” ratio and exclusively primary dynamics aren’t realistic for most miscefolks. The vast majority of miscefolks are omegas or on the omega spectrum - which is so interesting to me considering in most fiction theyre the ~rare and coveted~ dynamic but that’s a separate can of worms lol - so packs in my experience usually end up leaning towards an omega majority. Due to the emphasis on a pack head (usually an alpha specifically) this can sometimes cause a feeling of your pack being incomplete, but not every dynamic is necessary for a pack to thrive! In an ideal world, sure, at least one person of every dynamic (primary and secondary) would be in a pack, but it all boils down to what feels right for you and your pack. For example, while some people might feel the need for variation in dynamics to provide balance, fulfill roles, etc, other people might prefer the company of their own dynamic and feel more content with a pack wired similar to themselves.
I do have to say, though - personally, my ideal pack number and ratio... is the one I have! Three zetas (including me lol), two omegas, one dynamifluid person, and our lovely alpha ^-^
Remember, at the end of the day, while miscecanis/lupus/animalis can be a big part of someone’s identity, it’s a lifestyle that we choose to engage in. Your pack is a group of friends - arguably an extremely close group of friends - who share that lifestyle with you. So don’t bring someone into your pack just because you feel like you need more members or someone of a certain dynamic - there’s no right way to have a pack, it’s just what feels right for you.
what do you think if an alpha leader who stays together with all his members expects a child from an omega of his pack?
well...
if they all always sleep in the same room, then it would probably happen in the same room.
if the pack members who were connected in a romantic/intimate fashion wanted to have some alone time, they could have alone time. Perhaps there's a separate space for breeding, mating, and marking apart from the communal sleep space.
i guess it would also depend on if the omega is shared by multiple pack members or is only intimately connected to the alpha.
Imagine that Stiles used to go to music school, learning piano and how to sing. Once all the supernatural mishap began he had to stop, and he put his keyboard away for safe keeping. One pack night, when Lydia’s in charge of the aux, he hears ‘I Hear a Symphony’ (Cody Fry) and can’t help but sing along.
Derek just watches on in awe, utterly entranced by Stiles' voice.
