Chapter 1

When We First Met

Dezmond Dowerson was a challenged boy growing up, he was bullied, he had attention problems, and he was mostly insane. It wasn't Dez's fault that his parents decided to mate with who they did. His mother, a Human, was a very kind and gentle woman who encouraged Dez to try hard and achieve great things. Unlike his father, a Wolf, was quite the opposite. He told Dez daily that he should've never been born and that he would never amount to nothing. Sometimes when Dez came home late because the bullies caught him and beat up in the park, his father would physically abuse him. Dez was a Halfling, the spawn of a Wolf and a Human.

Every sensible Wolf and Human would think that Halflings are an abomination of this world and choose to scorn the ones that do exist. Because of this hate for Halflings, poor little Dez was hated by everyone when he was just 9 years old. He couldn't go to the same schools as the other kids went to, he didn't have any friends, and he didn't have a good home life. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to live like one of them. To live as freely as a Wolf or a Human, was to live like gods to the Halflings.

Then one day, 4 years later, all of that changed. It was a bright sunny morning when Dez walked out his front door to walk to school. Dez was taking the day as any other, until he saw her… Over on the sidewalk, waiting for the bus that went to his school, was the most amazing she-wolf he had ever seen. Her fur was the color of oak wood glistening in the sunlight, her body the perfect size and shape. Dez wondered why a girl like her would be going to his school for. Working up what little courage he had, he walked over to her.

"H-Hi," he said, mentally kicking himself for the stutter. She turned to look at him and that's when he saw them. Her eyes were the colors of rubies, just like his, just like everyone born with "The Madness".

"Hi," she said, her crimson gaze never wavering from looking into Dez's eyes.

"I'm Dez," he held out a hand, "are you new here? I haven't seen you around before?"

She reached out suddenly and moved his hair out of his eyes, pushing back the ivory colored tips to reveal his red eyes. She looked deeply into them and stared for a while. He blushed, starting to become uncomfortable, when she smiled the most beautiful smile.

"Nice to meet you Dez, I'm Zoe," she said in reply, "I'm a new student at your school."

"Oh well if you need someone to help show you around I'll be here," he said. She smiled sweetly at him, flicking her tail from side to side happily.

"I'd like that," she said, "You wanna be friends?" Dez thought about it for a minute, then looked at her and said three words that bonded them together.

"I'd love to…" he said kindly brushing his ebony colored hair out of his eyes.

She squeaked with delight and hugged him softly, causing him to blush. The bus then pulled up at the stop sign and the door opened. "Hi Horus," Dez said happily. Horus maintained his usual frown and grunted in acknowledge meant. Dez started to head down the aisle when he felt something slip into his hand. He looked down to see Zoe smiling sweetly at him and holding his hand. He smiled back and walked her towards his usual seat, not noticing that the big, burly, hulkish kid sitting up front had stuck his foot out. Dez trip and started to fall forward towards the ground, only to fall onto the child's awaiting fist, knocking the air out of him.

His buddy sitting next to him gave the kid a high five.

"Nice one Brutus! You knocked the air out of that abomination!" he said. They both started laughing, not even remotely aware that Dez had gotten to his feet. He started giggling uncontrollably, causing Brutus to stop laughing. Brutus turned to his friend, "This guy's insane. Watch this I'm gonna knock him fla-" Brutus' words were cut short when a punch from Dez came in and broke his nose.

Dez was now laughing maniacally and started tasting the blood on his fist.

"Delicious, yummy, yummy blood," he said. Zoe was becoming scared for Dez now so she grabbed his hand and led him back to his seat. Dez, who by now had returned to normal, expected to spend another bus ride alone, but to his great surprise, Zoe sat down next to him.

"Are you ok, Dez?" she asked, a worried look on her face. Dez looked into her beautiful eyes and found himself in her arms with his head laying on something soft. He smiled as he saw her looking down at him and sighed as he drifted off to sleep.

When he awoke, Zoe was looking at him and saying something to him.

"-up so we can go to class" she was saying. He sat up and grabbed his things, grabbed her head, and led her off the bus. He was hurrying towards the door when he felt her suddenly stop. He turned to look at her, his curiosity skyrocketing. The Halfling was shocked to find her looking at the school with big scared eyes.

"Zoe? A-are you ok?" Dez said as he went to her.

"I-I'm scared Dez," she said, "what if people don't like me?"

"Hey, hey, hey come on, don't say things like that," he said giving her a hug. "The only thing you need to worry about is getting to class on time. Just remember though, I'll always be your friend, no matter what."

"O-ok, if you say so, "she replied.

"Come on," Dez said. They walked up to the front door, took a deep breath, and walked inside…

Dez and Zoe took a look around at the school. Ever since Brutus and his gang set the place on fire last year, they had the building destroyed and rebuilt it, so it was like Dez's first day of school as well. He squeezed Zoe's hand for comfort, and to his relief, he felt her squeeze his hand back.

"Zoe, can I be honest with you?" the Halfling asked.

"S-sure Dez, what is it?"

"I'm really scared, I…I haven't been here since the school burned down, I'm not sure where to go," Dez said, flattening his ears in shame Zoe looked at him and giggled. The young wolf came up to him and leaned towards him. Dez's eyes opened wide and a blush spread across his face as he felt her tender lips on his cheek. When she pulled away, Dez found himself rubbing the area where she had just kissed him.

He turned to look at her, blushing like crazy, to see her standing with her face about 3 inches away from his. His heart started pounding in his chest as he felt something he had never felt before. He was about to close the gap between them when Zoe giggled and started to run down the hall. He stood and blinked for a moment, then, bursting with laughter, he chased after her. By the time he caught up with the wolf she was outside going over the fence and into the forest. Dez became worried as not only are you not allowed out of school while the school is in session, but going into the forest was forbidden.

The Halfling very carefully and very quietly jumped the fence and headed into the forest after Zoe. Dez looked around, wary of all the beasts that may be hiding in the bushes at every turn. He followed her scent trail through the forest. He would never admit out loud that he was intoxicated by her scent, a mixture of perfume and the scent of the wild. Dez was amazed by the freedom she expressed and the kindness she shows at all times. This combined with the fact that she was strikingly beautiful made Dez's heart flutter.

By the time he found where the scent trail led, it was dusk and the sun had just started to set. He followed the rest of the trail and through a patch of thick, luscious, green shrubbery, where he found Zoe, waving and holding a small cyan flower between her teeth and sitting on a blanket. The Halfling looked at everything the young wolf had put here and he started to cry tears of happiness. He went and sat down by her, looking at her crimson eyes and taking the flower from her mouth to smell it.

They turned to the sun to watch it set over the snow-tipped mountains in the distance, watching while the bright yellow ball of fire started to change to a shade of deep orange and sink slowly over the mountains. When the sun was nearly finished setting he felt something warm and furry slide into his hand. He smiled and squeezed her paw lightly, looking up at the sky and marveling at the wondrous mysteries of the stars. Zoe laid her head on his chest and he ran a hand through her auburn hair. For Dez, that first day had also been the perfect day…