Ever since Jared can recall, he have always stay in his little rounded hut with grandgran at his side. The only world and place he knew that existed is his home, grandgran, and the vast forest that protected them. It was only the two of them but it was cozy and Jared was satisfied.

Jared always remembers grandgran as being his entire world. She was an old little woman who has lost her eyesight and speed over the years but still has her wisdom with her. She has take cared of Jared ever since he was born and teaches him everything he needs to know.

Grandgran would teach him how to do housework, ranging from cooking to embroideries. Grandgran also teaches him about medicines and herbs. They would take long walk in the forest, collecting plants and grandgran would always explain what the plant is good for. Jared would always look up to her and memorized everything she said in his tiny little brain.

Jared was satisfied with his life. Yes, sometime he'll feel lonely and his only friends are a couple of squirrels and birds but it was fine. Everything are fine with grandgran at his side.

Until he finally learns that there existed a whole new world.

It starts out as a regular day. Grandgran have asked little 10 years old Jared to go collected a few herbs and he instantly took off. When he come back with a basket full of herbs, he saw an adult male sitting around their little fire and talking to grandgran.

He quietly comes inside and both people noticed him. Grandgran smiled at him and told him to drop the basket beside the hearth. Jared nodded and do as he is told but when he turn back to look at the strange new person. The man growl at him. Scared, Jared quickly ran outside and hides beside the hut but still peer through the wall to look at the man. This is his first time meeting someone.

Grandgran told the man to settle down and he growl out a word, "Half-breed". Jared heard the word but he doesn't know what it means. For little Jared, the conversation between the adult is undecipherable and so he headed toward the forest to feed his animal friends.

After a couple of hours have gone by, he came back home and only saw grandgran smashing some herbs. Grandgran smile at him and patted a spot next to her side for him to sit down. Jared makes his way quietly into the spot while observing where the man could have gone to.

"Don't worry dear, the man is gone," Grandgran smiled at him

Jared feel more secure so he relaxed into his spot and look at what grandgran is doing.

"Who-who is that person, grandgran," Jared asked

"He's someone from the village. Only come to ask for a charm." grandgran reassured him.

Jared nodded but he's curious. He never knows there are other people beside him and grandgran. And what is this "village" that grandgran just said.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Jared ask grandgran.

Grandgran smile her toothless smile and patted his head. "You'll see tomorrow." Grandgran replied.

Jared is confused. See what tomorrow.

Sensing the confusion, grandgran told him, "Tomorrow, we'll make a trip the village to get new supplies and tools."

Jared hesitates for a second but when he understands that they'll going to another place and meet new people, he's very excited.

He also learned that grandgran is a medicine woman and people came to her to get medicines and charms.

During that night, Jared couldn't sleep due to his excitement. He never once considered that there'll be another place beside his home and other people to meet. He'll be able to see a lot of houses and new things that he can't even imagine. Maybe, he'll make a friend tomorrow too. Oh he can't wait.

So both of them woke up earlier than usual. Grandgran prepared some food for them while Jared put on his newest clothing. When he finished dressing, he came to grandgran and present himself to her and she only laugh and complimented they were out of the door, grandgran reached down into her back and Jared saw that it is a furry cap. Grandgran put the cap onto Jared's head and told him to never take off the cap when they're in the village, and especially that he must covered his white wolf ears on top of his head.

Jared wanted to ask why but grandgran didn't explain and they set out into the forest.

The trip was wasn't that much difficult, only a 1 hour walk, but it seem like forever to Jared. When they reach the big front gate of the village, Jared was already lost for word. The gate was within a 40 ft high wall.

When they passed the gate, Jared hold tightly to grandgran's skirt but look everywhere. From the gate is a dusk road that leads through the entire village. On both side of the road are markets and stands whereas the wooded houses are built on top of mountains and behind the market. There are also a lot of trees that surround the village.

Both Jared and grandgran make their way toward the noisy market to get the supplies and tools. On their search, Jared was able to see lot of people shopping and interesting things that are sold such as meat, fishes, baskets, clothes, tools, animal, jewelries and toys.

When grandgran went inside a store to pick out some tools, Jared noticed a shiny round blue marble and he grabbed it. It fit perfectly in his palm and he smiled. He doesn't know what this thing is but it make him happy and he thought that maybe grandgran can buy it for him.

Just as he was stilled in thought, an old fat man came up and slapped him across his face. Jared falls into the ground and dropped the cap also falled off but he quickly grabbed it to cover his head. The fat man gasped but he quickly went to pick up the marble and wipe it with a piece of clothes while yelling at Jared.

Grandgran quickly rushed outside and went to lift Jared up the ground. Jared have tears in his eye, he doesn't know what he did wrong and why did he get hit. Jared stayed behind grandgran and sobbed miserably into her skirt. While grandgran ask what's the matter.

"Oh! Is this little thief your's?" the fat man sneered

"A thief? I think you misunderstood, sir. Jared would never do such as thing. He's a good boy." Grandgran stated back.

"Well, I caught him red handed stealing this priceless marble. What do you have to say to that?" the man yelled.

Grandgran turn to face Jared and ask him if the man was right. Jared shook his head.

The fat man become even angrier and starts yelling at Jared for being a liar and a thief. Jared was too sad to understand what he rambling about but he did catch the word "half-breed".

After a few minute, grandgran was able to calm the man down with a few coins and he scuffed off.

Grandgran lead Jared out of the store.

Jared wanted to explain that he didn't steal anything and was about to open his mouth when grandgran smiled at him and said, "I know you didn't do it, sweeties. That man is nothing but a greedy pig."

Jared nodded his head but he remember the word "half-breed" and wanted to ask grandgran about it but grandgran have stopped and went to the meat stand. While she looking through the flesh on the table, Jared stand closed to her and look at his shoes like they're the most interesting thing in the world. Just then, he heard some children laughing and turns his gazed to see a bunch of children running toward them. One with a wooden sword.

Jared's eye light up and he instantly let go of grandgran's skirt and run after the children.

Jared was a slow runner and when he finally catches up to the children. He decides to stay beside the bushes and look to see what they are doing. The children are playing some sort of fighting game near the edge of a pond. There are 4 boys and 2 girls and they look like they are a few years older than Jared. Jared was especially astonished by the tall boy with the wooden sword.

The boy has brownest-blond hair and the greenest eyes that Jared ever seen. His smile and laugh are also very pleasant to Jared as well. The boy was swinging his wooden sword around teasingly and the rest of the kids tried to grab it from his hand.

Jared couldn't keep his eye off the children but when he feels something wriggling on his hand, he quickly glanced at it and saw a big yellow caterpillar crawling on his hand.

Jared screams and quickly shot up from his place, revealing him to the children.

After Jared gets rid of the pest, he noticed that the children are looking at him in a confused manner. He quickly blushed and glanced down. He brings his hand together and tried to explained why he's there.

The green eye boy came up to him and after he examined Jared. He pulled Jared's cap off and the children gasped. Jared quickly covered his fatten ears with his hand and back away. Suddenly the green eye boy struck Jared down with his wooden sword and yelled "monster" and "half-breed". The rest of the children joined in and start punching and beating Jared. Jared pleaded but they won't stop and he starts crying.

After Jared felt numb all over his body and can't moved an inched, The children finally stop and the green eye boys kicked Jared over to his back and pin him down with his feet on Jared's chest, with the wooden sword at Jared's throat.

'And now the hero will struck down the monster!" the boy yelled. His friend cheering him on.

"Pl-please..." Jared slowly whimpers out.

When the boy was about to stuck the final blow, Jared heard grandgran yelling for him and then the weight on his chest was gone and he was scooped onto grandgran's chest. He turn to look at his attackers but can only see the children running away blurrily and then everything went dark.

When he comes too, he was on the back of grandgran. He can heard the chirps of the crickets and saw trees moving passed him.

Jared groan and said softly,"Grand..gran.?"

"Go back to sleep, my child." grandgran said and Jared found that his eye suddenly become heavy and he let them closed.

The next time Jared wakes up was in his bed. Jared pulled himself out of his sleep and uses his elbow to prop him up to examined the room. He saw grandgran stirring something in the pot and turn to faced Jared.

When grandgran flashed him a sweet smiled, Jared weakly stood up and ran to hug her side. Jared's tears come out like rivers.

"There, there, don't cry, sweetie." Grandgran sooth him and rubbed circle around his back but Jared just continued crying.

It was then that Jared makes up his mind to never go to the village.

It took a few minute for Jared to calm down and he nestled deeper into grandgran's chest.

After that, Jared tried to explained what happened and beg for her forgiveness, then he suddenly remember the word "Half-breed".

"Grandgran…the children called me a monster and a half-breed but I'm not a monster right? And what is half-breed?" Jared asked

Grandgran stop smiling and looked into Jared eye. Jared could clearly see the sadness behind her eye which makes him even more insecured. Grandgran puffed out a breath and patted Jared's head.

"Oh my sweet child, you're so young and yet you have to find out this way." Grandgran said

Jared was confused. Why is grandgran saying such thing? What did Jared do wrong?

"My sweet child… a half-breed is …a combination of two unlikely things." Grandgran answered.

" But…I'm a complete person" Jared replied

Grandgran chuckled and her hand went up to Jared's ear and strokes it. Jared was still confused but he lets his head falls into grandgran's hand.

"I know honey, but a half-breed means that your parents are not alike and so they have you and you're a half-species." Grangran again explained

Jared sat there looking devastated and stilled confused.

"You…you mean that I'm only half-werewolf?." Jared corrected and Grandgran nodded

For the rest of the night grandgran explained to Jared that his mother was a werewolf but his father is a human. His mother went to heaven after she gives birth to him and so grandgran took it upon her job to take care of him. She also explained that full-fledge were-wolves hated and discriminate half-breed and that is why Jared get beating by the children and also why he have to wear the cap and covered his ears.

There was nothing for Jared to do except cried in the chest of grandgran. He cried that he's a half-breed, he cried that nobody want him and they all hated him, he cried because he can't see his mother anymore and he cried because he can't do anything about it.