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C** hapter One**

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With the sun just beginning to brilliantly rise into the eastern sky shaded baby blue, with the time reading 8:00am on every clock, the day of September 18th had begun to officially transpire for the small yet steadfast town of Hastings. Indeed, as scheduled, the first classes of the few school systems available to the community had begun. The many businesses of the area - stores, repairs, attractions, dining, so on - were in full swing. The streets going north, south, east as well as west throughout town were lively with vehicles coming and going wherever their drivers planned to go for the day.

Truly, for most everyone awake experiencing it, things were turning out to be just another typical Monday for the community of Hastings.

Or was the day so very plain in the eyes of everyone? Did they not realize that since the end of the previous if not memorably perfect summer, the days of September had been quite special in their own right? Had no one noticed, despite it only being early morning still, the already warm weather of September 18th or the start of the changing of the colors of the treetops or the fresh breezes that rolled by every so often?

No. Unfortunately, no, the majority of the people of Hastings didn't notice the specialness of the current day that was the 18th nor the days that had come before it. Honestly, though, it wasn't their fault. For they hadn't been able to do so while always having been locked away indoors stacking up work hours, pay as well as the determination to see the arrival of their weekends which they would have off from to do what they wished.

Still, during the week days, not all of the good things about the coming of September had been lost to everyone in Hastings. There was one individual who had appreciated the fact that the first of the autumn days had been good to the world rather than bitter like last year. That appreciative individual in question was twenty-three year old Michael Squires who had graduated from a local high school five years ago, who had a minor from college in theatrics, who was now opening the restaurant he'd worked at for the last three years of his life as a bartender; Hasting's County Seat located on the side street, Willow Drive.

Just as he'd done so many times over up to this day, no more than an hour ago to the sounding of his alarm clock, average thinking Michael had woken up in his bed in his well-kept apartment over in Golden Oaks Valley residence. In turn, he'd taken his usual morning shower to waken his senses, cooked himself breakfast in the kitchen, brushed his teeth, swept back his short yet ruffled dark brown hair out of his bluer than blue eyes, dressed himself in the County Seat attire of all black clothing and finally decided then at the end of it all that he - although average in most every way - had looked good enough for another workday.

Mind, however, despite his averageness, during his usual twenty minute drive in his 2009 Ford Neon to work, Michael hadn't failed to take notice of the signs of how nice a day September 18th was clearly going to turn out to be. As he'd driven to his workplace, he'd gained a sense of exhilaration at seeing how cloudless the morning sky was, at noticing some of the treetops had turned from green to rusty, at realizing that the morning air was already comfortably warm if not fresh to breathe in deeply.

On a side note, during his drive from Golden Oaks Valley to the County Seat, a certain something else had definitely helped boosted Michael's work day spirit. That certain something had been him pulling up to a red light beside a regular looking Toyota truck... with a not so regular looking but drop dead gorgeous wolfess female his age behind the wheel. And truly, with a pelt as dark as the night, with eyes the colors of emeralds, dressed in a country girl outfit complete with a cowboy hat resting upon her head, she had very much been drop dead gorgeous. She only became more so when she'd noticed Michael beside her, given him a mischievous wink, then roared off ahead when the light had changed green for them both.

The dark furred wolfess had encouraged for fun to go on between herself as well as Michael, of course. Many times, having pulled over ahead of him in his lane, she'd slowed down in front of him along with roared her engine. At the last red light before the county seat, she had even let him pull up next to her again. Only this time, he didn't get to see her wink. Rather, he'd gotten to see her phone number taped to the passenger window before she'd roared off in her truck once more.

To be precise, her number had been 1-269-785-3476. Underneath it, a heart with wings as well as a winking smiling face had been rather creatively scribbled. Yet, as crazy as it clearly was for him to think, still feeling impressed with himself as he went about opening his workplace for business, Michael wasn't planning on dialing the wolfess's number. Like never ever. Why? Well, since he'd decided back in high school during his theatrical years where females of all different species had been keen to get his attention, he wasn't the type that appreciated playing around but being serious.

No, judging just from what little he'd experienced with her, seeing as she'd so quickly revealed her number to him, the country wolfess obviously wasn't someone who took relationships seriously like Michael did. Mind, there was nothing wrong with that in Michael's opinion. As he'd come to learn during his career as a bartender serving so many different kinds of folks, everyone in the world lived their own way. And even if he wanted to try his hardest to do so, he wouldn't get anywhere with trying to make a loyal mate out of the onyx pelted wolfess. Instead, like some of the maidens he'd already dated with in the past, she would more than likely break his heart in the end.

All in all, having enjoyed the scenery during his ride to work, having been flirted with a most beautiful wolfess along the way, Michael was sure he was - out of everybody in Hastings - going to enjoy the day of September 18th. Even though he would be forced to be indoors from 8:00 in the morning to 6:00 in the afternoon, he was determined to not let anything ruin his good mood. Thus, unlocking the front as well as back entrance to the County Seat, taking stock of the items at the bar, staying good hearted hellos to both his fellow employees as well as new customers, keeping a warm smile on his face at all times, he was the role model of the day in the workplace.

Soon enough, not having been able to really keep from saying something about it to his humored fellow workers, news of Michael having been involved with a hot wolfess had spread through the workplace like wildfire. As expected, all of the guys who came to hear about the story playfully encouraged him to give the feisty country she-wolf a call. Not only that, he should invite her down for everyone to get a good look at with their own eyes.

Yet, with much confusion from his fellow guys and giggles from the girls on staff, Michael did not encourage his drop gorgeous wolfess to appear on the scene. As said before, he hadn't really been into her rebellious attitude. As for why he'd said anything about her to begin with, well, shamefully on his part, it'd been his thing like every other guy to brag. And ever since he'd begun working at the County Seat, after he finished bragging about whatever, he'd found it quite funny to listen to his supposed buddies try to give him advice on his tactics at the bar one moment... before, next moment, they began talking about how insane he was for not pursuing some of the babes that seemed interested in him while downing their drinks.

None of the current talking behind Michael's back did him any harm, mind. Sure, at the start of his bar keeping career, he'd been a bit unsure of the comments thrown his way. Yet, nowadays, he'd come to learn that all of the guys on staff didn't really mean anything hostile towards him. Like the guys that they were, they were just purely joking around about him being a fool for not taking interest in every hot female that took a seat at the bar. For after having worked three years in the County Seat, it was known to Michael's fellow workers that he was a loyal lover... and not anyone's a plaything.

Some say that time speeds up when someone is happy. As if to confirm that saying, the first four hours of content Michael's shift passed by within a heartbeat. Being a Monday, the going would have been long otherwise for no one was out on vacation or anything when noon was announced by the tolling of the bell tower in the town square. In turn, having a chance to breathe after having caught up on his list of things to do in the workplace, Michael took a moment to pull a certain something special from underneath the bar counter; a new looking novel entitled "Never Losing Hope".

To be honest, this was not the first time Michael had begun to read at his empty bar to help pass the time. For the last month since its official release, Michael had actually been very eagerly reading Never Losing Hope for many reasons. Firstly, it was an enticing fantasy adventure that featured a world torn by war which was to be united as well as saved by a very brave, generous, heroic as well as formerly average vixen by the name of Serylda. Secondly, known to only himself, Michael had always had a thing for she-foxes so he was more than happy to read about Serylda.

Thirdly and most importantly of his reasons for reading Never Losing hope, though, was that at one point in time, back during his high school years... Michael had known the celebrated writer. He'd known her, a hopeful vixen girl, during his days in theatre. He'd been good friends with her before her success at writing as well as getting swooped up in the national popularity afterwards. To this day, where she may have forgotten him during all of the interviews, attention and congratulations on her story, he hadn't forgotten her.

And that was why at a quarter past noon on September 15th, flipping through the pages filled with adventurous wonders, Michael was reading Never Losing Hope with utmost concentration. A concentration that was broken when one of his fellow employees, a brown pelted he-squirrel by the name of Jasper, came running up to him with a most excited glint in his bronze eyes.

"Dude, Michael, you really called your wolfess here, after all?" Jasper exclaimed, a huge smile on his face, "Did things get to be too boring here at the work place for you to last the rest of the day without the company of some major babe?"

Not having ever really taken the eccentric squirrel boy seriously or liked him since he'd started working as a waiter three months ago, Michael firmly answered Jasper without looking up from his book, "No, I haven't called any wolfess, today, squirrel. I'm not bored either. I'm having a good time reading here. So go back to wiping down the tables or gathering nuts or whatever is you're supposed to be doing."

"Michael! Buddy, good for you. It's about time you went and called for some action around this place." Another waiter, a feline boy by the name of "Guinevere", laughed from by the doors to the kitchen, "Man, you were right about that wolfess of yours being drop dead gorgeous. She's sending all of the cooks back here wild."

Getting a bit irritated over something he clearly hadn't done, Michael looked up from Never Losing Hope and past excited Jasper as he shouted back across the empty workplace, "I have no idea what you're talking about, cat. Whatever she-wolf has got the cooks all riled up is beyond me. I haven't called anybody since starting work today."

"Sure you haven't." Jasper snickered with a wink, "C'mon spill it, man. You couldn't resist right? You had the wolfess's number, saw that today was going slowly and therefore invited her down to not only have some fun but to also prove to the rest of us that you weren't really fibbing about her-"

"What you and the rest of the staff think I'm fibbing about doesn't concern me, Jasper. It never has. At the end of each day, I have never lost a wink of sleep over how you or anyone else do not believe me on some things." Michael cut in, glaring at the squirrel impatiently now, "And I will tell you again, I did not call the she-wolf here. I'm not bored enough to want her company here at the bar. I have a book. I'm reading. I'm fine. End of discussion."

"Or is it?" Guinevere wondered back, coming up to the bar to inquire curiously, "Listen, one way or the other, Michael, there's a very steaming hot wolfess coming over here from across the parking lot. And guess what she parked? That exact same Toyota truck you described her in."

Feeling a bit uncertain all of a sudden, Michael eyed both the squirrel as well as cat boy looking eagerly at him. It took him a moment to slowly ask of the feline, "She parked a truck you say? Um... What was she wearing? Did she have black fur?"

"Yep, the she-wolf the cooks are looking at while we speak had - like you said about her earlier this morning - hair as dark as night and a figure the exact shape of an hourglass." Guinevere explained, smiling slyly at the abruptly disbelieving look on Michael's face at the news, "Ha ha, buddy, you're believing me now, aren't you? Well, if you don't fully believe me, listen to this; she's also wearing a leather jacket, skin tight jean pants and a set of high heel boots like the ones you described."

"Bull." Michael stated back, although his heart was suddenly wanting to escape from his chest and into his stomach over what was obviously going to happen to him in a matter of moments whether he was willing to believe it or not, "You're bullshitting me, you two. Why... Why would she be coming here? I never called her or anything. Urgh, what's happening here?"

"Maybe it's destiny in the works." Jasper put in, shrugging to himself, "Maybe it's fate. Hey, what have you got to be upset for? Man, I would so want to be in your shoes right now! What's with the grimacing?"

"Unfortunately, you're not in my shoes. And I'll grimace when I please, bush tail." Michael replied with a snap, hurriedly putting away Never Losing Hope underneath the bar counter when the door up front opened momentarily as well as shut in turn, "Okay, okay, okay, I don't need to freak. It's more than likely not her that all of you dorks are telling me, just another customer... Guinevere, Jasper! Stop standing there gawking at me and get out of here! You're waiters, not bartenders. I'll handle things here. You guys handle things over there at the tables."

"Nuh-uh, dude. I've washed those tables ten times already. I'm getting first look at your lady wolf of the evening." Guinevere declared proudly before dully correcting himself with a more awkward correction of words, "Er, I mean lady wolf of the noon. Yeah, of the NOON."

"Me too, me too!" Jasper eagerly put in, watching the front entrance while almost hopping up and down on the balls of his feet, "I - UGH!"

In a flash, not wanting to have the eager two of them give his bar a weird kind of stalker like vibe, Michael leaned over the bar counter, seized excitedly bug eyed Guinevere as well as Jasper by the backs of their uniforms, whirled them around, then made them lean close to him as he hissed some sage advice in their faces.

"Well, if you're got to be seeing whoever wolf lady of the evening or noon or whatnot at my bar... You will not do so like two perverted, troublesome, wide eyed weirdo stalkers from freaking Mars! Instead, you will both be doing something productive rather than frightening away a possible customer."

"Uh, what will we be doing productive?" Jasper wondered.

"You will be wiping down my counter." Michael immediately if not sneakily answered, having already cleaned his area a hundred times today but wanting it done one more time during this very important moment, "And don't you argue with me! Neither of you! Wipe down this counter, act like you're busy and you can take short peeks every so often at whoever came through the front door just now."

"You mean that whoever came through the front door just now?" Guinevere questioned simply next, looking to his left to whoever had come in through County Seat's front door and just taken a seat at the bar, "That... er, drop dead gorgeous wolf girl there?"

The someone that Guinevere referred to, the someone who had just taken a seat at the bar in a chair further down from them, was indeed drop dead gorgeous. To Michael, mind, even though he was finding it hard to believe at the moment, he'd seen her once before winking at him in the driver's seat of a Toyota truck during his drive to work earlier. Now, with a devilish grin on her face that said she knew where she was and who she was looking at, the onyx pelted, country dressed she-wolf winked a second time at Michael as well as the two boys he held by the collars.

"Oh my... god." Jasper murmured, getting more than a look from the sly wolfess but a wink also, "The rest of the guys need to get out here and see this chick-"

"Get to wiping down the counter, idiots." Michael snarled under his breath to his two fellows, cutting across the squirrel quickly while also trying to get in character as bartender, "And don't you dare bring out the rest of the staff from the kitchens. Trust me, the last thing this she-wolf needs... is such attention."

"Oh?" Guinevere wondered, "Is that so?"

"Yes, that is so. I've seen plenty of girls like this wolfess before, Guinevere. Somehow, she knew I'd be here today. So, she's come seeking an adventure." Michael explained, knowing what he was talking about while directing a falsely welcoming smile towards the waiting ebony she-wolf watching him with her lightning blue eyes, "Unfortunately for her, I'm not in the mood for adventures. And hopefully she'll catch onto that soon as well as leave here."

"How can he not be in the mood to go an adventure with that babe?" Jasper questioned incredulously to Guinevere next, watching Michael begin to tend to the country dressed wolfess who never seemed to stop smiling her sly yet enticing smile, "That's messed up."

"Well, he may say he's not interested in going on an adventure now." The feline replied to the squirrel while beginning to wipe down the bar counter, "Still, even if he is a messed up human, Michael is still a guy, Jasper. And so, his mind about not adventuring with that hot stuff... may very well change within the hour. I know mine would."