Umayza I just celebrated my twentieth birthday a few days ago, and I am enjoying my day off. Tarja and Blaze joined me about an hour ago, only to tell me that the Council had a special assignment for me and that I have to be at the Council's Chamber at three sharp. I decide to enjoy the rest of my time off as I am sitting on the bleachers, watching Lycans and Werewolves train. To my right is the largest group, males and females that want to join the Lycan King's Army, and one day they will be known as the Lycan Queen's Army. Which will happen on the day that Princess Taliyah takes over from . Not that it will happen any time soon, but we all know that somewhere down the line that day will come, and the males and females that are training right now will be a part of her Army someday. I have met a lot of Lycans and Werewolves over the past two years that are already Warriors in the King's Army, and none of them will resign when Princess Taliyah takes her rightful place on the Throne. To my left is a smaller group, and I watch them from the shadows; it is something I am very good at. The smaller group consists of Princess Taliyah, her Mates, her personal Guards, and two trainers. Everyone here knows the story of why her Mates are training her personal Guards. You do not mess with Gammas and certainly not with Royal Gammas, and that is what her Mates are; they are King Alaric's Royal Gammas. However, her personal Guards were correct to address them with "Your Highness"; after all, they are mated to a Princess and our future Queen. I see movement further to my left, and I see two familiar figures moving towards the field. I pull a little deeper into the shadows and watch as the two males approach the group of Princess Taliyah, something I have been doing for the past two years. One of her trainers steps towards them, and I see him shaking his head, but I can't hear why he is shaking his head. Not that I need to hear it, because it probably is for the same reason as always, and that reason is me.I turned eighteen just before a Full Moon, but I didn't accept the invitation to the Palace, and they have been stopping by ever since then. Even though everyone knows that I am not on assignment and most people have seen me around, no one can see me when I don't want them to see me. It is something my Father taught me, and I perfected it in the Pack I used to live in, and with my current job, I am glad that I am so damn good at it. I know they won't stay long because they never do, and I will just sit here waiting for them to leave. I watch the Warriors train while keeping in the shadows, and after an hour, they finally get up and leave. I can breathe a little easier, knowing they won't be back for at least a week or so. They just received a new assignment, and from what I heard, it isn't an easy one. "Umayza, report to the Council's Chamber." Council-member Armas says through the mind-link. I just cut him off and head up to the Chamber as Tarja and Blaze head to our Quarters. He knows that I will be there, and he doesn't need me to acknowledge it. I never take the elevator because I don't like being confined to small spaces, and I run up the stairs in the stairwell. I almost tumble down the stairs as I collide with a human wall; luckily, someone is fast enough to grab my arms and keeps me from falling. "Wow, who is chasing you?" I hear a male voice ask me, and when I look up, I see Princess Taliyah and her Mates. I know I shouldn't do this, but I can't help myself. "No one, Your Highness. On my way to Council-member Armas, and I hate to keep him waiting," I say. He looks rather uncomfortable with me calling him "Your Highness", and I have to fight hard not to start laughing. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get going before someone starts yelling in my head," I say with a chuckle, and before anyone can say something, I have slipped past them, continuing my run up the stairs. I knock on the door and wait to be called in, but Council-member Boaz opens the door for me and looks over my shoulder towards the stairwell. "They will be here once they realize I actually gave them the slip or he recovers from me calling him Your Highness," I say. "Come in, Umayza. We will wait for them, and then we can get started," Council-member Boaz replies, and I walk into the Chamber. I want to run from the room when I see Captain Armand talking to Council-member Dayanah, but I just sit down in an armchair with my back turned towards him. "What the fuck is he doing here?" I ask Yade, but I know she doesn't have the answer either. The last time I saw Captain Armand was just before I lost consciousness, after Dolion had run into our SUV and Captain Armand had lost control of the SUV. "I believe you and Captain Armand have met before," Dayanah says as she sits down on a couch to my left, and I tell her she is correct. "You might remember he was driving the SUV Dolion ran into as I was on my way to the Academy," I reply with my eyes on Council-member Boaz. Captain Armand Armas had told me yesterday he had a new assignment for us and that I would hear all about it when everyone involved was present the following day. I told him if he had a few minutes for me, as I really needed to tell someone about what we have been hiding for almost three years. He wasn't pleased with me when he heard the entire story, and truth be told, I can't blame him, but my men had asked me not to tell any of the Council-members. He told me he had to talk to the other Council-members about this, and I needed to come in an hour before the rest would arrive. My Squad knows we are receiving a new assignment, but Evander and Conri don't know that I told Armas about Umayza being their Mate or that we have all known since the day she left the Safe-house. I need his advice on what to do because Mylo and Kane are becoming a liability. "Armand, take a seat," Armas says, and I see that all the other Council-members are present, but Vivyanna looks at me as if she wants to kick my ass. After I sit down, Vivyanna asks me if there is a chance Umayza might have overheard Conri and Evander. Her question surprises me, but I answer her truthfully, "No, she was fast asleep. The only place they discussed it was in the living room before they went to bed." Dayanah asks me if she was on her own in the living room after that but before they left Pack territory. I think back on what Conri and Evander had told me about that night and day; it takes me a few minutes to recall everything, and I tell her Umayza had her breakfast in the living room. "Evander was keeping an eye on her from outside, and he told me she was in the living room." Almost every Council-member is cussing, but Finlay is his usual calm self as he looks at me, "Captain, do you know what Night Shade Pack is known for?" He asks me, and I nod my head; I know how that Pack makes a living for themselves. "Do you know who the Alpha and Luna are at the moment?" Is his next question, and for a moment, I wonder why he is asking, but I tell him that I know who the Alpha and Luna of Night Shade Pack are. Dayanah and Vivyanna have a look on their faces I can't place, and I hope someone will start explaining soon. "Armand, Alpha Kendrick and Luna Calliope had two Daughters; you probably have heard of Wenonah," Finlay says, and I nod my head. "There is not much known about their youngest Daughter, Baylinn. It has nothing to do with them hiding her, but with the fact that she disappeared one day," he states. "I know Luna Calliope and her Daughter Wenonah have the gift of perception, but as far as I know, Wenonah never had any offspring, even though she has had three chosen Mates. I also know she is desperately looking for chosen Mate number four, but Wenonah is known for her temper and killing her Mates whenever he disappoints her," I say. "You are absolutely correct, but what would happen if Wenonah finds a fourth Mate and her Daughters don't possess the gift?" Finlay asks me, and I let his words run through my mind for a moment, but I just shrug my shoulders as I have no answer for him. "Wenonah will figure out that her Daughters don't possess the gift because there is already a female in their generation that possesses the gift, and that will unleash a manhunt for that female. I don't have to tell you that that will become a bloodbath. Luna Calliope is not too keen on Wenonah finding a fourth Mate that can give her Daughters because Calliope knows her Daughters will never possess the gift. I did some research a few years ago, and I found a pattern in the females that have the gift. Calliope is not Wenonah and Baylinn's birth mother; she raised them after her Sister killed herself when she found her Mate cheating on her, and they never told Wenonah or Baylinn. Both girls believe that they are Calliope's Pups. The pattern I found is something Calliope must have figured out as well. Why else take care of Pups that are not your own? Calliope has the gift, but her Mother didn't; it was Calliope's Aunt that had the gift, and with Calliope having the gift, her Daughter would never get the gift. A Daughter of Calliope's Sister would have the gift, and the Daughter without the gift would give birth to the next female with the gift," he explains. It is quiet for a few minutes before I ask him, "You mean that there is a female out there that possesses the gift of perception but is unaware of that?" He shakes his head, "No, she is very aware of her gift. She has known most of her life she had it. You might have heard of her; she is known around here as Little Ghost," he says, and I stare at him for a moment. We all have heard about her; she started her service with the King two years ago, and she can find answers no one else has been able to find.