A/B/O dynamics, short for Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics, is a type of alternate universe typically found in fanfiction. The words alpha, beta, and omega refer to what’s called a “secondary gender.” In an A/B/O ‘verse, everyone is either an alpha, a beta, or an omega. Character personality types do not influence whether someone is an alpha, beta, or omega. Anyone can be anything, and regardless of gender. it can spark a lot of interesting character development!

ALPHAS Alphas are typically the lorgest and physically stronger of the three dynamics. They tend to be aggressive, territorial, and protective. The scent of an omega in heat can often set them off on their rut which just makes them want to [bass boosted danny devito voice] ****. Generally, a healthy alpha has a rut about once every month or so (this can vary depending on your worldbuilding. Here, it’s every month, like a menstrual cycle). The rut is a period of highly hormone-driven sexual excitement where the alpha is motivated to bite, claim, ****, etc. - very primal behavior. If the alpha has a pack, they will typically spend their rut with their pack. Lots of messy group sex. 

BETAS Betas are still sexually active! Betas are similar to regular humans since they are in the middle of the alpha/omega scale.They typically have a lesser sense of smell than alphas or omegas and serve as a buffer between the instinctive behaviors of both. They tend to have more heightened senses than a human, but are not as aggressive as alphas or as submissive as omegas. Instinctual pheromones from Alphas and Omegas don’t affect a Beta as strongly as it does for the other two secondary genders. This helps them be able to break up any fights and calm down a situation since they are more stable. Betas can still have their own scent, and can scent things, but are not as affected as much by the heat or rut pheromones as an alpha or omega would be.

OMEGAS Omegas are typically the smallest or slightest of the three secondary genders. If the universe has mpreg, they are the ones that carry the children. Their instincts tell them to be more nurturing and caring (as opposed to a beta’s or alpha’s instincts). They are typically seen as submissive. Like alphas have ruts, omegas have heats, which are basically when they are most fertile (since our ‘verse doesn’t have mpreg, we’ll just say they get really horny once a month or so, again, not unlike a menstrual cycle). An omega’s heat can be triggered or set off early by alphas (like displays of strength or the scent of an alpha in rut). Omegas will typically have the urge to be claimed or knotted during this time - during a heat, the only thing that can sate an omega during their heat - aka end the heat - is a knot (not necessarily an alpha knot). Girl alphas will typically use knotted dildos or strap-ons to satisfy their omega partners.

RUTS / HEATS As explained above, ruts and heats are very similar and really only differ in the fact that ruts are what the alpha’s horny time is called and heats are what the omega’s horny time is called. The impetus behind omegaverse is that of claiming - so while omegas, during heat, have the biological need to be sated with a knot (and sometimes a claiming bite), alphas have the urge to provide the knot (aka babies, if your universe has mpreg). An omega’s body usually needs some sort of knot to tell their body, “Okay! We should be pregnant now! The heat can stop.” Heats typically end quicker if an alpha provides a knot.

BITING This doc has often talked about “claiming” or “marking.” Claiming is typically done by way of biting your partner on the neck, stimulating their scent glands. This normally happens during sex - often during a heat or rut - and it’s a very intimate gesture. It wouldn’t be shared by, say, an alpha and an omega who started dating a week ago. Once a mark has been formed, we say that the pair is “mated.” Bonds/claims can be broken, but it’s not easy, and will be very emotionally taxing for both parties. Bonding bites/claiming marks usually require multiple bites over time to make the mark last. It signals to other people that this person already has a pack or a mate.