A behavioural example pertains to subdominant wolves licking the mouths of alpha wolves as a sign of submissiveness.

Selena looked up, freed from the diamond woman's stare, and found herself instantly snared by a gaze as deep as blue velvet night, as wild as an alpha wolf's.

As befits an alpha wolf, Richard is fiercely independent.

In the wild, the alpha wolves are merely the breeding pair, and the pack is generally comprised of their juvenile offspring and pups.

Dominance and the "alpha wolf"

As the alpha wolf approaches him, he arms himself with a knife, the wire antenna from the emergency wristwatch and shards of glass tied to his hand, and attacks.

Young pronounced himself the "alpha wolf" who would lead a new pack trying to overturn the nation's major laws on public lands, water and wildlife.

But as the alpha wolf, he has been all business, directing his efforts primarily at overhauling the Endangered Species Act.

It's what being an alpha wolf means.

Domini was impressed, and couldn't help but grin at the sight of a bunch of macho puppies taking on an alpha wolf.