This is NOT an Alpha/Beta/Omega series. There are Alphas and Omegas...but they operate differently. I may change these terms at a later date, but for now I'm going to finish this draft with those terms in mind.

This is a reference page for those that have been around, or are new, to werewolf stories. All the terms in the story will be defined organically, but I know with so many people defining their own world, it can help to have this to reference back to.

(Also, don't worry about the terms , in the sense that you have to remember them before reading the story. These get referenced numerous times in the story. This is, again, merely a reference)

Alpha: The leader of a pack. Any gender can have this role.

Omega: The mate to the Alpha. In terms of Pack ranks, it's Alpha/Omega/Vardan/Beta. The Omega — male or female — is the highest ranking member in a pack next to the Alpha. The Alpha and Omega exist to create a circle of power. (Traditionally in werewolf novels, and Alpha/Beta/Omega universes...these are the lowest rank. Not in this story, where the lowest ranking is something else.) Any gender can have this role.

The Talons: There is a First/Second/Third/Fourth Talon. They are the advisors to the Alpha

First Talon: The official advisor the Alpha -- this is the right hand main. Think of a vice president to the president.

Second Talon: This is the guy/gal that oversees the sentinels in a pack. They are the more military driven advisor to the Alpha

Third/Fourth Talon: These are political advisors who excel in Pack politics.

Vardan: A rank of lycans that head their Clans.

Clan:  A family name that exists within a Pack, and many territories within a pack are broken up into presiding Clans. Think of a City and then Neighborhoods. City = Pack / Neighborhood = Clans. Clans traditionally are broken up based on family name. So imagine if a neighborhood was the Jones Neighborhood, or the Turner Neighborhood.

Magna: The highest ranking Clan group. Consists of multiple Clans. Reiger and Frost Moon are among them. They produce the strongest, most capable lycans.

Borda: The second highest ranking Clans, sitting comfortably in the middle and make up most of the lycans in a pack. They can produce good stock of lycans, sometimes mating upward with Magna Clans, or the lessor of the Borda mate lower with the Thaella.

Thaella: The lowest members of a clan, and this is often where lycans mate when they have little options. These are not undervalued in their society, although their role is clear. Every now and again, a Thaella will appear that mates even into a Magna Clan, although they take on the last name of whatever Magna Clan they mate into.

Seer:  A priest/priestess lycan

Pack: A group of lycans owing allegiance to one Alpha. This gets solidified over many generations.

Pack Coalition: When a group of lycan packs decide to form a formal alliance with one another.

Ingram Alliance: The coalition of six packs -- Reiger/Delco/Petra/Eran Howl/Black Moon/Ingram. Ingram sits as the ruling body.

Queen: Unique to the Ingram Alliance. Instead of an Omega or Alpha presiding over the alliance, they have a queen. It'd be like having a kingdom where there are Emperors over a king (Alpha/Omega) or Queen (Alpha/Omega).

King: Unique to the Ingram Alliance. Instead of an Omega or Alpha presiding over the alliance, they have a queen, while other packs in the alliance have Alphas and Omegas. It'd be like having a kingdom where there are Emperors over a king or queen.

Sentinels: These are the guards to the Alphas/Kings/Queens. They are lycans trained to be the guards of important lycans. They are large in number and have a rotation, visiting home for on month and then leaving it to be a Sentinel for another month.

Ruby: A human female born with special blood that allows to become immensely powerful if turned into a lycan. They are born with bright red eyes

Phasing Ruby: The same as a Ruby, but their eye color waxes and wanes with the moon. The red is brightest on a full moon, and their normal eye color comes out on a new moon. When turned, they are even more powerful than a normal Ruby. Once turned, their eyes will actually glow red when they're using their powers, whereas a typical Ruby remains a flat red.

Omni: This is a Phasing Ruby, but it's what the lycans call them. Humans call them Phasing Rubies, whereas in lycan language "Omnari" means "All powerful".

Below, the differences are only necessary if you have read Waxing Moon, or Blood Type R (NEW DRAFT)

***THIS IS RELEVANT FOR IF YOU READ WAXING MOON***

1. This story takes places in a fictional world, much like a mixture of the 1600s and the late 1800s. Some areas are a bit rougher, and more like the 1600s in terms of technology. Major cities are more advanced with some combustion and steam technology, etc.

2. There are two color variations — Red eyes and the Phasing Ruby (Omni)

3. There are two gods here -- Svarog and Dagma

4. Witches are not seen as favorable by humans in this draft. Witches, in this story, have taken over humanity and rule over them. However, some witches are good. It's more of a mix here, but most of them rule humanity.

6. The Seers replace the Matriarchs, and can be both male and female

...More changes likely to come as I work on the other draft and solidify this one...

And here is a closeup!