A War of Carnal Lies

Chapter 3: Kauis

Kauis POV

She was a lithe looking thing. Long dark hair flowed down her shoulders, sticking to her sweater. She stared from the driveway. As if she could see past the shadowed glass between us. Unless those bright blue eyes held some power I was unaware of. I knew she couldn’t but yet.. she was looking right at me. Could she sense me? “Who is that?” I mused aloud.

“Who cares. She's with the shifters.” Colette sneered. Sighing and rolling my eyes. “And what is your problem with the shifters?”

“What is MY problem!? Do you not remember when I found one of them in your bed at the last summit?” She shrieks.

“Do you blame me? They’re animals in bed.” I can’t help the snicker that escapes. She huffs and storms off presumably for our district's tower. Hopefully, she will not be placed in the room next to mine this time.

“Kauis.” My mother calls. “Try not to rouse Colette while we’re here. She could hardly sit through the meetings at the last summit because of you.”

“Me?” I feigned hurt. “I don’t see how. Who I take to my bed is none of her business.”

“I agree but you should have thought of that before you took her to your bed. I warned you, that girl is vile.”

“If you have so much disdain for her, then why is she here, mother? I wouldn't shed a tear if we suddenly found ourselves with a new speaker.”

“I tried. I had so many candidates run for the election this year.. I truly don’t know how she has the people's votes, but you know there's nothing I, nor your father, can do about it now.`` She sighs exasperated.

“Do you know who that is?” I asked intently, this time pointing to the temptress now collecting her bag from the car.

“No. She must be a new speaker for the shifters. I’ve never seen her before.” My mother gazed.

“Could the Moon District finally be announcing an Heir tonight?”

“I don’t think so. As far as I know, they haven’t named a new heir since Arwan and Celestes’ son was killed all those years ago.”

“Miles. His name was Miles.” My throat constricted. No one had mentioned the poor boy's death in quite some time. It had been six years, only six… I had been out all night partying. One of my benders that lasted days, weeks. I was wrapped in between some random man and woman I had brought back to my bed. My c**k was buried deep in one of them when the pain ripped through me. It sliced through me. The pair ran from my room as I laid double over screaming and clutching my chest. I screamed and screamed until my voice was hoarse and I was sure my vocal cords were shredded. I didn’t know who my mate was. If they were a man or woman. I only knew that they were dead. They had died while I laid with another.

It wasn’t until the next day that the news reached us of the Wolves heir's death. I learned his name then. It was Miles. They said he died protecting his assumed mate from a random rogue attack. Only I knew this couldn’t be true. I was his mate. Or would have been. He was just a couple of months away from his 18th birthday. It most likely would have been this very summit we would have met at. It was rare for mates to be different species. Not unheard of these days, just rare.

I never told a soul what happened that night. I never gave anyone an answer as to why I laid there and screamed and sobbed for hours. I started to disappear for days at a time after that, for different reasons than before. I could hardly sit still for the longest time. I never gave an explanation why I no longer took anyone to my bed. I never told anyone. I believe my mother had her suspicions but she never asked and I never offered. It had only been six years.. And at a mere 119 years old, I still had a millennial to live without him. My only wish was that I could have met him. Just once. I knew nothing about him. Only his name.

“Right, Miles.” My mother mused with a side glance. “Well, we’ll find out who the girl is soon. I had the room arrangements changed this year. You’ll be in the room at the top of our tower.”

A small smile graces my lips. I swear this woman can read my mind sometimes. “Thank you, mother.”

“Kauis, I wanted to give you a warning of sorts. Your father has grown tired. He believes you are ready to take your place as King, in order for you to do so..”

An exasperated gasp leaves my lips. “He wants me to marry mother, I know. And I’ll tell you just as I told him. I will not take a chosen mate. I will not marry. There is no law requiring me to be married in order to take my place as king. So he can have me alone or he can find a new heir.”

“Kauis you don't really mean that?”

“I do, mother. I do. I am not going to spend my life with someone other than my true mate.”

“But your mate-”

“IS WHAT?!” I interject “My true mate is what?”

“Nothing. I will see you at the introduction.”

I watched the girl out the window as she strolled away. Rage radiating from my body. My father and I had these conversations many times. My mind would not change. I refused to bind someone to me for eternity when I did not truly want to be with them. It wouldn’t be fair to them. It wasn’t fair to anyone. Cracking my neck, I felt some of the tension dissipate from my body as an intriguing scent floated from the entryway as she walked through the doors. Judging by the awe on her face, this was definitely her first time here. I laughed lightly. She smelled of pine and.. I took a deeper breath.. cinnamon bark. I was delectable, intoxicating. She was a wolf. Likely part of the hierarchy in the moon district. I followed along in the shadows as she walked to the tower designated for the moon district. Luckily enough for me, she was placed in the top room of the tower. And I would bet she was unaware the parapet below the single window led all the way to mine. Delightful.