Choleric

HIERARCHY AND MATING RULES AND OTHER STUFF

Don't need to know about all this? Feel free to skip :)

I know a few of you may be a little confused over the system (even if you understand Alpha, beta, Omega stuff) so I thought I'd put it in an orderly fashion to help clear the clouds.

First off about the mating (I know this may seem sexist to you, but please understand that they live in a completely different world to us where, unfortunately that is just how it is):

The general rule to mating is you mate within your position or either one position above or below you. AND you become the title of the male as any females born by titled parents are known as High Ladies. So if you're parents are Alpha's you will either mate with another Alpha or a Beta. If you're Beta-born you will mate with either an Alpha, Beta or High Warrior. If you High Warrior-born you will (obviously) mate with either a Beta, High Warrior or High Healer. Healers are mated to Warriors, healers and High chefs. AND FINALLY high chef's are mated to other high chef's or Healers. I think you've got the gist by now hahahaha.

The exceptions to this rule is Omega's and normal class wolves (those without titles). Omega's only mate with other Omega's and untitled wolves only mate with untitled wolves.

Territories.

ALSO I keep getting East and West mixed up for Cassius's territory so if I call it the wrong one I haven't changed my mind I just keep tripping balls every time I try to think which one it is and I've called it both.

As you just saw in that chapter and a few chapters back as well, it hurts to cross a territory border if you are not part of the pack. This means only wolves who are a part of the pack can have safe entry, which is why they mostly live in packs within territory borders. To become a part of a new pack the Alpha must accept you into their pack while you are in the borders.

Hierarchy.

Of course the Alpha goes here. There's the Alpha male and highest lady (or Alpha female. It means the same thing) on the highest rung. There is no gender difference here, males are not considered more important, but their builds are usually stronger as they protect the pack through fighting while the female protects the young. Usually, the only way an Alpha has greater power than another is if they have been Alpha for longer or were simply born with more animalistic instincts. Because Cassius has a forced shift every full moon he is closer to his animalistic side than his human one, which is why he is seen as the most feared Alpha (because he has so much power. People fear the powerful). He also intimidates Celia because he has been an Alpha for longer than her so he also holds more power in that sense... as Celia grows more into her position she will gain more courage (as you're already starting to see). To become an Alpha you must be born into either an Alpha or Beta family.

Beta. This is different to the Alpha. Only a male will have the official position of Beta, but once the female mates with the Beta she too is a Beta.

High Ladies. Any female mated to a high male or is born to a high family is a high lady. They grow up learning how to be the three (or two depending what title you're born into) titles they might be mated into. As an example Celia would have grown up learning how to be a High Warrior's mate (although she doesn't fight, instead she would have learnt battle strategies and how to evacuate the pack as efficiently as possible. The High ladies are probably the most respected (except the Alpha). And they are the most protected, as well as the pups.

High Warrior. The male will learn how to lead battles while the females will be the ones directing everyone and making all the decisions and strategies.

High Healers. They are in charge of healing everyone and also teaching the "untitled" wolves how to be healers. So they are the boss, like head surgeon or something...

High Chef. Well that's pretty obvious... they are in charge of keeping the food fair between everyone and making it and stuff. Not a hard one to decipher... actually none of these are really hard when you think about it...

Untitled wolves. They are born regular wolves and they just do their bit to keep the pack going. They can learn to become warriors, chefs, healers etc. and be led by those with that title. These guys make up the vast majority of the pack.

Omega's. Wolves who are unable to shift. They are well protected in the pack, but are used mostly as slaves or servants. Omega's are generally grateful to their packs for protecting them against Bad Souls and other things that may pick them off as they are the weakest of all wolves so they do not see themselves as enslaved but instead see it as paying for their protection. Most packs only ever chain them up to transport them or to sell to other packs. Other packs don't want that kind of weakness and will kill any Omega's born in their territory. And some packs are very cruel to them. So it is generally a luck of the draw when it comes to how they are treated.

Rogues. They are thought of as pests but are in the most parts harmless. They simply do not wish to live in a pack, but live an extremely hard life outside of the safety of the borders.

Bad Souls. They are very evil and everyone hates them and fears them. that's the basicness anyway.

Have any more questions? Ask here.

Could you guys please do me a favour and take 2 minutes out of your day to read my short story Words Aren't Always Spoken and give me some feedback? It'd mean a lot! Thank you! xxx