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epic fantasy
Series · urban fantasy
Alpha and Omega
The Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs has 7 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Alpha and Omega (2007).
- Books
- 6 novels + 1 novella
- First published
- 2007
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Alpha and Omega (2007) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Alpha and Omega
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Alpha and Omega - Book 2:
Cry Wolf
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Cry Wolf - Book 3:
Hunting Ground
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Hunting Ground - Book 4:
Fair Game
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fair Game - Book 5:
Dead Heat
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dead Heat - Book 6:
Burn Bright
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Burn Bright - Book 7:
Wild Sign
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Wild Sign
About the Alpha and Omega series
Alpha and Omega is Patricia Briggs's companion series to Mercy Thompson, set in the same 'Mercyverse' but centered on Anna Latham, a rare Omega wolf -- a werewolf whose nature calms and steadies packs rather than dominating them -- and Charles Cornick, the Marrok's enforcer son, tasked by his father with investigating Anna's abusive Chicago pack. The origin novella, 'Alpha and Omega,' introduces their pairing and the abuse Anna is escaping; Cry Wolf picks up soon after as Charles brings her home to Montana and the two begin building a life together while werewolf society's secrets keep surfacing around them.
Where Mercy Thompson filters werewolf politics through an outsider's eyes, Alpha and Omega goes inside pack structure directly, with Charles as the Marrok's enforcer giving the series a harder, more procedural edge -- Anna and Charles are often the ones sent to handle problems other wolves can't. Briggs maintains the same careful, consequence-driven world-building across both series, and character and plot threads cross over regularly: events in one series affect the other, and eventually Mercy Thompson herself, and the Alpha and Omega leads, share entries directly (Winter Lost, tracked under Mercy Thompson, features both).
At seven entries, Alpha and Omega rewards readers who want deeper werewolf-pack politics alongside Mercy Thompson's wider mystery plots.
How to read this series
Read in publication order, starting with the origin novella 'Alpha and Omega' (originally published in the anthology On the Prowl), then Cry Wolf. The series is best read interleaved with Mercy Thompson rather than as a separate track -- Patricia Briggs' own recommended reading order weaves the two together by publication date, since events and characters cross over in both directions. As a rough guide: read the novella and Cry Wolf after Moon Called/Blood Bound, Hunting Ground around Iron Kissed, and so on, keeping pace with the main series' publication dates. Winter Lost (2024), which features both Anna and Charles alongside Mercy, is tracked as Mercy Thompson book 14 on this site rather than duplicated here, since it was published and numbered as part of that series.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Alpha and Omega series?
Seven: the origin novella 'Alpha and Omega' (2007) plus six novels, from Cry Wolf (2008) to Wild Sign (2021).
What order should I read Alpha and Omega in?
Publication order, starting with the novella and then Cry Wolf. Many readers interleave it with Mercy Thompson by publication date, since the two series share a world and increasingly cross over.
Do I need to read Mercy Thompson first?
Not strictly, but the two series share the same 'Mercyverse' and increasingly reference each other's events and characters, so most readers get more out of Alpha and Omega if they're at least keeping pace with Mercy Thompson.
Is Alpha and Omega finished?
No, it's ongoing. Wild Sign (2021) is the most recent entry billed under this series; Winter Lost (2024) featured both series' leads but was published as Mercy Thompson book 14.
Where do I find the origin novella?
'Alpha and Omega' was originally published in the multi-author anthology On the Prowl (2007) and has since been reprinted in Briggs' own collections.
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Reading order last verified .