Chapter 2:

Ivaylo

My Other Half


After the end of the war, everything fell into place. Despite the peace, the humans were treated harshly because of the initial demeanor they had toward the hybrids. With time it subsided, but to this day it still lingered even in the younger population. The Beastmen began to live in the big cities and humans were confined to the outskirts and countryside.

Seeing a human being in the city was a very rare occasion. Most of them tried to avoid places that were heavily trafficked by Beastmen. The disdain for their ancestors was widely, silently approved. Despite the law which prohibited hostile and exclusionary behavior towards the human population, it still happened to many individuals.

Even Beastmen who resembled more a human than an animal weren't excepted.

Ivaylo, the Half-blood was a very handsome business Beastman. Humanoid face and a shredded body, but still, he had animalistic ears, a tail, and those bluish eyes that glowed turquoise. He sported his fangs and claws like a model from a magazine.

He loved to dress professionally in suits with some expensive watches, shoes, and ties. His chocolate hair waved mostly at shoulder length. Occasionally while working out, he wore it in a Beastmanbun. Yes, he frequented the gym regularly to keep up his physical abilities to the maximum. During his younger days, he was a skillful martial artist with a black belt and loved boxing.

Ivalyo was the fourth generation of Beastmen. His family belonged to the higher ranks, who fought in the first line against humankind, earning the respect of many others. Their wealth came from their fast adaptiveness and smart choices from the beginning of the new world.

From an early age, he loved to spend time with his great-grandparents and grandparents because they told him many stories from their younger years. It amazed him how the world which looked grim for his kind turned out to be so wonderful and full of opportunities. It indeed passed already over 100 years since the Great War.

Those stories also formed the opinion about humans. He unfortunately learned to despise them. Understandably, who wouldn't? His great-grandparents were created in a lab surrounded by humans who treated them like livestock and forced them to reproduce with certain individuals. That's now how you want to learn how your great-grandparents met. Despite the odds, both sets of them fell in love with each other and continued their relationship until their deaths.

His grandparents had it already a little bit easier. Their partners deliberately were chosen by their parents to succeed in their lineage. The push for hard work and striving for a bright future made them even stronger and wealthier. Ivaylo's parents were finally allowed to choose their own partners... They were allowed to LOVE.

Now it came time for Ivaylo to settle down. The parents pushed their only child son to get involved with a beautiful Beastwoman. He was well-established, he graduated from a University with a red diploma and his military duty was already over.

He could get any Beastwoman he would wish for, no matter which type or core animal it would be. His parents were very open-minded about his future choices. Often they gave him a tip or two on single females in their area. Although he was annoyed by their meddling, he never talked disrespectfully towards his parents. He behaved like the ideal son he was.

Being already an adult, he still didn't feel he needed someone next to his side. For sure he strived to excel at his job and then enjoy his life a little. Since his core animal was a wolf, he knew he wanted to take time to choose the right mate for himself.

Despite looking more human, he was very much favored by any Beastwoman. On the other side, Beastmen hated him not just for the resemblance to a human but also out of jealousy. In his former years, he was bullied from time to time, but those stopped because he would beat them to a pulp. He made himself to be a big name among the Beastkids. Already in the teenage times, nobody dared to challenge him.

Growing up for him was partly lonely. Ivaylo was a type of an introvert, who had just a handful of friends. His parents didn't fear for his future, because he was a great kind in the end. But what they didn't know... was his internal struggle.

An overly handsome male, who on the outside was acting cold, but well-mannered... Being a gentleman to any Beastwoman he met. He was a workaholic and his only flaw was a little drinking problem because...

On the inside, he was a very fearful, insecure guy, who despised his own reflection in the mirror.