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Overview

Omegaverse (also known as A/B/O(/G) or simply Alpha/Omega) is one of the most prevalent, long-living and popular AUs in fandom. Though it originates as a smut-centric, niche AU, it has long-since grown to accommodate the need of contemporary fandoms and fans alike. Though it remains very smut-centric, there are a lot of themes that are often included (if not exclusively tied with) the omegaverse AU.

It details a world where people are divided according to two sexes instead of one: a primary sex (male or female) and a secondary sex (Alpha, Omega, Beta or Gamma). Though the primary sex will constitute for a large portion of the individual’s reproductive anatomy, the secondary sex will modify and emphasize a particular demeanor within the individual's reproductive physiology.

Secondary Sexes

In general (and especially for betas), secondary sexuality will vary somewhat between individuals. There is no super hard or fast rule for every omega male or alpha female or thensome, just general anatomy for each secondary sex and some of the things they can expect of their body and mind.

It is also not unheard of or impossible for an individual not to identify with the anatomy of their secondary sex just as much as their primary, and are able to take hormones to supplement or suppress characteristics of the typing they identify as. For example, it isn’t uncommon for, say, a Beta-A male or female to take alpha hormones, or a Gamma male or female to take omega hormones.

Background / History of Omegaverse

From the Alpha/Beta/Omega page on fanlore:

“The trope originated in Supernatural fandom with a few very specific AU kink meme prompts for the J2 RPF ship. The first one was in May 2010 and has also been identified as the culprit responsible for the popularity of knotting in SPN fandom….The trope was a natural extension of SPN's popular werewolf and knotting kinks.”

The origins of omegaverse go as far back as 2010, as stated in the quote above, from the Supernatural fandom. The SPN fandom at the time was known for it’s abundance of inhuman characters, monsters, demons and thensome, often taking inspiration from mythology and popular adoration of monsters for a majority of it’s lore.

Werewolves were a very common theme in various SPN fanfics, and is what spawned the original inception of omegaverse as a way to include the popular heat, knotting and male pregnancy kinks without including most other aspects of a werewolf AU fic, such as shape-shifting.

Omegaverse took hold as a pan-fandom AU soon afterward, but remained associated mostly with male/male smut, due to its origins only including males as alphas or omegas. Even today, omegaverse is still regarded as a smut-centric AU due to the elements most popular works include, but has diversified with the inclusion of several other sexes (Betas and Gammas) as well as including sexual relationships outside male/male.

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 Terminology

Primary Sex: The base sex of an individual, commonly either male or female, but exceptions occur with a combination of the two. These are not influence secondary sex (females are not more likely to be omega, etc).

Secondary Sex: Commonly referred to as the ‘modification’ of the primary sex. Secondary sexes (or types) refer to being Alpha, Beta, Omega or Gamma. It is not influenced by the primary sex.

Sexual Orientation: An individual’s attraction to specific, often primary sexes. Specific terms, such as type-sexuality, refer to an individual’s attraction for specific secondary sexes.

Gender:  The state of being male, female, a combination thereof or a lack thereof, typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. Gender has no correlation with primary or secondary sex.

Type / Typing: Shorthand for referring either to an individual's overall secondary sex or a Beta’s specific typing (A, O, or otherwise).

Alpha: Commonly the most territorial of the typings and are commonly (but not always) the most dominant. They exhibit knots and go into ruts.

Beta: A general term for someone who is between being an Alpha or Omega. They are able to detect scents and are able to scent others, but they do not possess all the anatomical or biological parts of either an Omega or Alpha. The most common Beta-types are Beta-A and Beta-O, with the letter indicating which side of the spectrum they lean.

Omega: Commonly the least territorial of the typings and are commonly (but not always) the most submissive. They exhibit heats and will have a womb or womb-like structure (depending on the primary sex).

Gamma: A general term for someone who is neither Alpha, Omega or Beta in typing. Though they may exhibit slight, if any secondary sex characteristics, Gammas are known for lacking the ability to smell the scent of or scent other people. Note: Gammas are NOT asexual.

Knot / Knotting: A bulge of muscles at the base of a cock that swells either when erect or before orgasm, often to keep both individuals from separating during and after ejaculation to ensure conception. A knot, regardless of primary sex, will last anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.

Rut / Rutting: A period of 3-5 days where an Alpha-identified individual will act more possessive and territorial than normal, but not specifically in need of mating with someone. Normally, rutting periods are more common after being mated, as part of a biological cycle to protect said mate.

Scenting: Alphas, Omegas, and Betas all give off a very specific sort of scent as a personal marker to their primary and secondary sex. They all have the ability to scent others, which is simply the process of spreading their specific scent on another person or object (often by physically rubbing against them).

Beta-Type: The specific leaning of a Beta on the secondary sex spectrum, commonly either being Beta-A or Beta-O.

Estrus / Heat: A period of 3-5 days where an Omega-identified individual will experience sexual excitability and have an increase in fertility. This often comes in tandem with a large release of pheromones to communicate the biological shift to others.

Pups: A general term for young of Omega-identified individuals, but can also refer to children in general.

Slick: A word describing the increased self-lubrication that Omega-identified individuals experience, specifically during their heat.

Nest / Nesting: A structure that Omega-identified individuals build, most commonly during heat and while pregnant. It can vary in appearance, but serves a calming purpose and dates back when a nest was required to keep an omega-identified individual safe during heat and pregnancy, as it was often built specifically to be hidden. Some still consider nest-building to be part of an omega-identified individual’s courtship or heat cycle process.

Suppressants: Medication given to Alpha or Omega-identifying individuals, specifically to suppress rut or heat cycles. It can also suppress the fertility of the individuals, and is often referred to in conversations about birth-control.

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Alpha

Often seen as the most territorial and dominant of the types, male or female alphas are differentiated, physically, by several key characteristics: ruts, knots, and possessive scenting.

Ruts are seasonal cycles often occurring every couple months unless otherwise triggered by an Omega-typed individuals estrus cycle. During a rut, an Alpha is more aggressive or territorial, but does not biologically need to mate.

Oftentimes, ruts are the time periods where Alphas feel an increased need to find a mate, often unconsciously showing themselves and their skills off in attempt to get attention.

For younger Alphas, they are more susceptible to the negative side-effects that a rut brings, while older and more experienced Alphas have the ability to ignore them, often simply being mistaken for being grumpy or in ill-spirits.

Knots , similar to what one might find in popular werewolf AUs, are an anatomical bulge found at the base of an alpha’s cock, often unnoticed and until the Alpha is aroused or near orgasm. Only then will the knot thicken and swell, as its biological function is to lock the alpha’s cock inside their mate while they release semen.

They don’t occur with every sexual encounter, and are the most common during an Alpha's rut cycle or if responding to an Omega-typed individuals estrus cycle.

Alphas, male and female, are generally the most virile when they knot, often being unable to help a mate conceive without it. In other words, an Alpha has a far smaller chance of impregnating a mate without knotting them.

Alpha Male Specifics

Alpha males can sire young, but have no biological ability to give birth to young. They go through ruts every couple of months normally, but will never undergo heats.

Alpha Female Specifics

Alpha females have a cock-like structure in place of a clitoris, and can both sire and give birth to young, but have a lessened fertility in the latter regard. They go through ruts every couple of months normally, but will never undergo heats.

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Omega

Often seen as the least territorial or possessive without as much of a need to control others, male and female omegas are differentiated by their possession of wombs (specifically for omega males) and increased fertility (omega females). Omegas of either primary sex will also experience seasonal heats.

Heat (or estrus) cycles are periods of 3-5 days where an Omega will experience sexual excitability and have an increase in fertility. This often comes in tandem with a large release of pheromones to communicate the biological shift to others. Depending on several variables, such as emotional and mental state, safety, and whether or not they have a mate, most Omegas will experience a heat every 3-6 months.

Pregnancy is commonly associated with omegas of either primary sex, mostly due to the fact that they are the most fertile of any other combination. Most omegas will carry at least 1-2 pups per pregnancy regardless of who impregnated them, but larger numbers are common if the conception was during a heat cycle.

The length of pregnancy is the same for both male and female omegas (8-9 months).

Omega Male Specifics

Omega males are biologically capable of giving birth to young due to the adaption of a womb-like organ, connecting to the lower portion of the rectum. When they are not in heat, the channel to the organ is closed off and unable to access during sex. The structure of the opening is very similar to the female cervix.

Omega males will only lactate during and just after pregnancy.

Omega Female Specifics

Omega females are extremely fertile during heat cycles, but are usually unable to get pregnant outside of them. Menstrual cycles are uncommon if present at all in omega females, as their body has stocked almost all of their biological resources in the heat cycles versus menstrual cycles.

Omega females will lactate most of their lives if their body is given extended stimuli to their breasts, but will stop lactating without this stimuli.

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Beta

Betas are regarded as a very general term, as they will not be entirely either Alpha or Omega, but somewhere on the spectrum between the two extremes. Betas will often identify themselves with a beta-type, most commonly being either Beta-A or Beta-O, but sometimes will type themselves as Beta-G.

Beta-A aligns closer to the Alpha side of the spectrum, Beta-O aligns to the Omega side, and Beta-G is described of having absolutely no secondary sex typing outside of being able to detect scents.

Beta Male Specifics

Beta-A males will generally undergo ruts and will otherwise act more territorial, but often lack a knot. However, they remain virile even without a knot.

Beta-O males will generally undergo heats and will otherwise act less territorial, but often will not have the womb-like structure that Omegas do. If they do posses one, it will often be smaller in comparison. They will often go into heats, if they have them, every 6-12 months.

Beta Female Specifics

Beta-A females will generally undergo ruts and will otherwise act more territorial, but often lack a knot. They may or may not have a cock-like clitoris, however, and the size and fertility of such anatomy can vary.

Beta-O females will generally undergo heats, but far less than Omega females. These heats will generally occur every 6-12 months. Outside of heats, Beta-O females will also experience menstrual cycles, and thus are able to conceive young outside of heats.

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Gamma

Gammas are regarded as individuals with a lack of secondary sex, showing little to no physical difference outside of their primary sex. Gammas are also insensitive to most scents and are unable to scent others. This means that they are biologically unaffected both by heats and ruts, but are also unable to negatively affect Alpha or Omega-identifying individuals.

Due to their lack of scenting or scent, they are unaffected by Alpha-identified individuals and thus less overly-aggressive or territorial. This also means that they are unaffected by heats as well, but also unable to detect them unless communicated directly by the omega-identified individuals experiencing the heat.

Gamma Male Specifics

Gamma males lack a knot and womb-like structure. This means that while they are unable to give birth to young, they are universally able to sire young with an almost constant level of virility, unlike Alphas, who are the most virile when they knot during sex.

Gamma Female Specifics

Gamma females do not undergo heat and do not have a knot, but are able to conceive young year-round due to their constant menstrual cycle. However, they will only lactate during and just after pregnancy.