Alpha werewolf

An alpha werewolf refers to the leader of a pack of werewolves. All other werewolves within a pack generally defer to the authority of it's leader. Like with any social group however, there are always those who rise to challenge the Alpha's leadership capabilities.

On the HBO television series True Blood, the role of an alpha is referred to by the title packmaster. Marcus Bozeman was the packmaster of a group of werewolves from Shreveport, Louisiana. What distinguished Marcus' group from others was the fact that they increased their physical prowess by regularly consuming vampire blood. Marcus was killed by werewolf Alcide Herveaux. By right, the role of packmaster would turn to him, but Alcide turned his back on the other members of the group. As part of their tradition, the surviving members of a pack would consume the remains of their fallen leader. An older werewolf named J.D. sought to become Marcus' replacement, but when Alcide learned that he intended on continuing the tradition of drinking vampire blood, he challenged him to the position.