PUNISHMENTS

Jannie's Pov

"You're not ordinary; you're extraordinary," Zeke murmured, kissing Jannie on the forehead.

"About what I asked before," Jannie began, but Zeke interjected, "The imprint question?" She nodded. "Well, it's something like that. My ancestors are from a werewolf bloodline, meaning we can shift into a wolf form. You've met my wolf, Nero."

Jannie nodded again.

"What that means is that our wolf's soul is split into two halves when we are born. The other half is sent into the universe, searching for a compatible mate. We are born as humans, with our wolves living inside us, until we mature enough to shift forms, often around our sixteenth birthday. As soon as our wolf has established itself and we have mastered the shifting process, our instinct to find our mate will take over."

Zeke paused, and Jannie frowned. "This is...Wow," she commented, prompting Zeke to continue.

"Our mate is like the last piece of a puzzle; without them, we will never feel complete. It's as if we can't truly function without them. We need them like oxygen because only then will our existence make sense."

Zeke paused again, and Jannie swallowed nervously. "I don't know what to say..."

"I know it sounds crazy, and most of the time, half of us will rarely choose a human because that complicates things, as you've probably already figured out," Zeke explained.

"Yes. Don't wolves have a rank order? Like a leader in a pack?" Jannie blushed a little, feeling foolish.

Zeke laughed. "Yeah, we do. My Father is the Alpha of our pack, called Black-Moon, which makes my mom the Luna. Then there's the Beta, second in command, the Delta, and the hunters. Finally, we have the Omega, whom we call followers."

"So, do you live with a pack?" Jannie asked, feeling even more embarrassed.

"Yeah, we have a huge reserved area outside of the city. It's very secluded and surrounded by a forest with some open fields. This land has been in my family's possession for generations. Our pack members live on the property; it's like our sanctuary."

"How many of you are there?" Jannie asked, trying to picture it.

"We're around five hundred now, give or take. It's actually quite a lot. Most packs have around one hundred to two hundred members. It was different in the 1800s when packs could have thousands of members, but with modernization, many wolves broke free to live a more civilized life."

"Why did they do that? Isn't a wolf's instinct to run in a pack?" Jannie inquired with curiosity.

"Yes, it is, but pack life can be very raw, and some wolves don't have the mentality to survive. Others refuse to submit to an Alpha."

"Raw in what way?" Jannie asked.

"Every pack has specific rules to follow, and with those rules come punishments."

"Punishments?" Jannie replied anxiously.

"We have rules to obey, and most of them make sense. The first and most important rule is to keep our existence under the radar. This is easy for an elder wolf, but the young pups can sometimes get cocky and impulsive. That's why someone needs to keep them in line, often the Delta of the pack. Another important rule is that no wolf may harm or touch another wolf's mate; that's punishable by death. Disobeying, conspiring against, or speaking badly about those in higher ranks, such as your Alpha, Luna, or Beta, will also have severe consequences. These are the three most important rules to remember."

Zeke finished speaking, and Jannie was taken aback. It was hard to comprehend that these kinds of structures existed.

"Are werewolves immortal?" Jannie asked, continuing the conversation.

"In a way, we are," he replied. "We age more slowly than humans. We can live for up to three hundred years, but most of us live between one hundred and fifty to two hundred. It really depends on how we choose to live. Our appearance stops aging when we reach about eighty years old, and after that, we tend to look like we're in our fifties for a long time."

"I don't understand. Can you refuse to die?" Jannie wondered aloud.

"Well, kind of," he said. "But the older you get, the more strength you lose. You reach your peak strength around fifty and can maintain it until about a hundred. Unlike vampires, who grow stronger as they age, we are more like humans in that regard."

Jannie sighed. "So, you can live a very long time, then?" she mumbled, contemplating what this meant for them.

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Zeke's Pov

"Yes, I can," Zeke replied, "but I hoped to live a long life with you..."

Jannie's eyes widened. "What? That's impossible! Even so, we just met; it's crazy to think like that," she said.

"Maybe it is, Jannie. But I know I can't be away from you. I want you as much as I need you," Zeke responded.

"But I can't live that long, Zeke. What happens to you when I die?" Jannie stumbled over her words.

"I'm trying to figure that part out, okay?" Zeke answered, and Jannie frowned. "Wait... The only way I could live for that long is if... I were the same as you?" Her breaths shortened. "Is that even possible?" she asked, her voice rising in panic as she stood up.

"No, no, no!" she mumbled, pacing back and forth.

"Jannie, calm down," Zeke said as he approached her. "Hey, we don't need to do this right now. Just calm down!"

The doorbell rang. "That must be the pizza," Zeke mumbled, heading toward the hall. "Let's just calm down and enjoy our pizza," Zeke said over his shoulder.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Zeke. Is this worth it? What should I expect? Will I be in a vulnerable position beside you, considering that I am human? What happens if I fully commit to this relationship? Where will I stand in your pack? Will I be seen as weak because I'm not a wolf? I may not know much about wolves, but I understand that they perceive weakness as a threat." Jannie took a bite of her pizza slice, expressing all the concerns he had been worried about.