Behaviors in Heats and Ruts
Omegas will begin to try and find and/or create a safe space even before the first symptoms of the heat hit. That behavior is known as nesting. Said nest is usually built in a comfortably small place, with dim lighting. Single Omegas tend to collect items that belong to their family or/and friends (in other words, someone who they recognize as a pack) for comfort. Sometimes even a trusted friend or family member can be brought into the nest to help the Omega take care of themselves. The practice however is purely platonic. Neither of those two practices does occur in Omegas who want to spend a heat with a partner. Omegas with a partner (or rare multiple partners) spend their heat with only them and rely only on their help in meeting their basic needs. If a relationship is sexual, an Omega will build the nest with only their partnersâ items (and/or courting gifts given to them) as itâs considered alluring in nature.
While an Omega in heat may be feverish and appear drugged or not all-there, they are not at all defenseless. In fact, itâs their most animalistic and primal state. If an Omega deems you incompatible for whatever reason, they will not let you get close. Even Alphas (as in, the most affected dynamic) are respectful of such decision (side note, some incompatibility works both ways, some only one. The outcome tends to be the same in that situation - no compatibility no mating). However, if one tries to force an unwilling Omega in heat, itâs not unusual for that person to be severely hurt - as if bitten, scratched, etc. As mentioned before, an Omega in heat is very feral and will not hold back. Such disrespectful individuals in old times were usually spotted missing eyes or chunks of their body - then they were promptly exiled from the pack, as such violation was never tolerated.Â
Even in modern times, the law states that threatened Omegas in heat can in fact use every defense that they deem necessary without legal repercussions.
Heats are not really painful per se. Omegas donât really experience our cramps during the heat, even if not mated - though itâs very uncomfortable and stressful for them still.Â
Alphas are naturally the dynamics that is the most attracted to an Omegas scent - Betas and Omegas tend to be less affected but it still works on them. Itâs just that heat is a thing that is very much fertility based and chances falling pregnant with a dynamic goes Alpha->Beta->Omega.
Heat smell can be in fact so powerful that even dynamics normally not attracted to Omegas at all can feel the need to breed with them. It is though much less prominent and they do come back to being themselves after the fact. Letâs put it that way - the act at the time is more important than the person the act is performed with. Even so, mating between an Omega in heat and someone who is not attracted to them normally is very uncommon.
Important: Family members (Alphas included) do not get affected by an Omegas heat scent. In fact, the scent may be slightly unpleasant for them. Incest is still very much incest in my ABO - itâs still unnatural and taboo to see family members that are attracted to each otherâs scent - related by blood or not.Â
Hell, it is not uncommon at all that people who were only raised together (as in, childhood friends for example) are not attracted to each other scents. Thatâs why in old times kids usually left their parents packs to start their own.
First heat, or even few first heats tend to be more uncomfortable than sexual in nature. Such heat may be weaker (as if, the Omega being fully conscious but still very uncomfortable), or stronger (as if, making Omega barely-there and having them require being taken care of) than âfull-grownâ heat. Itâs just a very different experience, body first getting used to being an âadultâ.
Now, ruts are not really sexual in nature. Alphas in ruts tend to be restless and more aggressive - marking their perceived territory and challenging other Alphas that they feel are a âthreatâ to them. Itâs mostly a way of ensuring and securing their own place in the pack. Unmated Alphas tend to look for a challenge in other single alphas, meanwhile mated ones are in a hard âprotect and take care of my familyâ mode.
Alphas in rut are usually seen as a threat by other dynamics, though some compatible with Alpha in rut may in fact find their scent both threatening and arousing. Alphas in a rut are indeed more sexually active, though it tends to be more of a⊠Side effect.
Alphas love spending their ruts in safe spaces - like nests belonging to a loving Omega. While they naturally spend their whole rut agitated and ready to fight, such a state of being is tiring to them, and so an Omega creating/opening their safe space for them tends to be big energy and comfort boost for them.
While young Alphas donât typically recognize their Alpha parents as a threat (an Alpha parent is mostly recognized as a âtop Alphaâ in the household so out of the respect for them, they wonât attack even if felt challenged), it is ill-advised for the Alpha parent to visit a young Alphaâs safe space without permission. This may lead to unwanted aggression or long term distrust.
It is common for Alpha siblings to fight with each other during ruts. Fights are not usually serious and are more strength-testing in spirit, itâs still best for growing Alphas to have a room for themselves.
Alphas in rut are rarely really aggressive towards Betas or Omegas since, in Alphaâs mind, they are not really recognized as a threat. Betas/Omegas that are strangers and invading an Alphas territory however are an entirely different matter.
A non-typical rut appears when an Alphas partner is not around in the long term. Their hormones basically go into crisis mode since everything in an Alpha screams that their mate is missing or dead. Their instinct believes that there should be their mateâs scent all over the apartment but thereâs nothing there so they slowly go deeper and deeper into freak-out mode.Â
Itâs called a non-typical rut because it looks the same as a rut for the most part - the Alpha appearing agitated, behaving aggressively, obsessively scent marking their territory, probably also scenting their friends and surroundings a lot. Itâs an instinct thing so even if an Alpha objectively knows that their mate is okay, the non-typical rut may still hit them like a train.
Alphas are more of a pack creatures than Omegas and Betas since itâs in their instincts to lead and take care of people; so itâs recommended for them to not live alone and/or to have some Beta/Omega scent around the house. Living with their own scent alone for years may cause something that appears very similar to anxiety in an Alpha - being extra vigilant, on edge, and subconsciously stressed out.
Something similar to a non-typical rut happens in Omegas that live apart from their mate but the symptoms are drastically different and harder to spot. Basically, an Omega will appear spaced out and closed off. They may also gaze off into the windows or doors a lot, as if expecting their mate to just walk in any second. Itâs also an instinctual response and basically cannot be calmed just by indirect contact - such as texting or calling their mate.Â