Triumph

by Mazzy J March

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Triumph

  A Shifter of Consequence Tale

  Copyright 2020 by Mazzy J. March

  ISBN: 978-1-68361-437-1

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden

  without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing LLC

  Table of Contents

  Academy Books from Decadent Publishing You Might Enjoy

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Threes’

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Bonus Chapter

  Next in Series: Dominion

  An Excerpt from Survivor

  The Rattlecreek pack won’t take no for answer.

  They claim it’s because I’m an eligible female, but I think they know about my gift. The alpha has found out information about my past, but more than anything, I’m afraid to find out. What if my mates don’t want me anymore? And they hand me over to Rattlecreek.

  Or what if whoever haunted my childhood is still following me? My parents are dead, my aunt is dead… And there’s been another fire. It might be time to leave before they hurt anyone else I love. My mates are everything to me, but I can’t live if they are harmed or killed.

  Academy and New Adult Paranormal Books from Decadent Publishing You Might Enjoy

  The Lycan Academy by Mazzy J. March

  First Howling

  Second Growl

  Third Snarl

  Jaded Love

  The Academy of Fire and Ash by Mazzy J. March

  Betrayed by Dragons

  Coveted by Dragons

  Mated to Dragons

  Alien Academy by Jenna M. Jett

  First Contact

  Second Sighting

  Third Encounter – Coming Soon

  Shifters of Consequence

  Survivor

  Legacy

  Triumph

  Dominion

  Triumph

  by

  Mazzy J. March

  Prologue

  After all the excitement of the past weeks, all I wanted was a little peace and the guys agreed. The four of them who had come together, along with my new bestie, Christie, and the rest of the Midnight Alder pack, to change my life in all the best ways.

  First I’d met Brandon, the brother of the pack alpha. His sandy-brown hair and golden eyes, along with his muscular build came together to present a package every girl in town turned to stare at whenever he was there. At first, it had bothered me, but I soon realized he had interest in nobody but me. I didn’t know why. The day he came to see me, to inform me I was breaking pack rules by moving into their territory without checking in with his brother or the rest of the pack elders, I’d been just a big an ogler as all the other girls. And I still was. When I could stop laughing because he was also the jokester in the group and had the ability to lift my spirits and make me laugh. He never missed a meal, but he didn’t carry an ounce of fat.

  And riding on the back of his motorcycle, I was about as happy as I’d ever been in life.

  Then there was Cashel of the blond hair and green eyes I’d come to know him as a quiet man who always put others he cared about—me, his pack, my other mates—ahead of himself. He was muscular, but more lean than Brandon, like cowboy might be in a romance novel, a physique I attributed to the fact he never stopped working for a minute, and I was always afraid he didn’t get enough to eat. He was the kind I’d heard described as an introvert and rarely said much in front of others, more likely to shrug than talk. But when we were alone, like in his old, wonderful pickup truck, he would talk my ear off. I took a lot of pride in that.

  The broody one was Escher. Black hair, close shaven, light brown eyes. He lived with Cashel’s family and had since his parents died. So much anger coiled inside, but he was never anything but kind to me. I’d learned a lot about why he felt the way he did, and would gladly chew those who had caused him so much pain into tiny pieces—which I would then spit out because I didn’t want the bad taste in my mouth.

  I’d come to town to start college, make a fresh beginning after the house I’d grown up in had burned. My aunt had died in the fire. Did I mention I’m also an orphan? Probably one more reason I could empathize with Escher. I’d always been told my parents’ death when I was five, in a car crash I’d barely survived, was an accident.

  Lately, I’d had my doubts.

  The main reason I’d chosen this town for my new home was the excellent college here. And a great deal I’d gotten on a small house near to campus. The school had also offered me a job in the library to help with expenses.

  Moss was my fourth mate. The nerd with strawberry-blond hair and mint-green eyes. Like all the others, he was a babe magnet. And like the others, he only paid attention to me. The only one of my fellows who attended college with me, he’d been there since the very beginning to help me get my footing…

  My footing.

  I had no footing then. I’d been confined to a wheelchair since the accident. And unable to shift.

  Lots has happened since then. So much, it would take a long time to tell the story, so I think I’ll just begin with today.

  Chapter One

  I wanted to get back to school and work as soon as possible, get things back to normal after weeks of anything but. My mates and my bestie disagreed. They insisted I needed a few days to relax, to rebuild my strength, and when I still argued, they threatened to “tell the alpha” on me. Even though I hadn’t been raised in a pack, I’d been here long enough to know I did not want the alpha to summon me—again. So I was wearing a quilted robe embellished with big pink roses, my freshly washed hair wrapped in a towel and my feet in fuzzy bunny slippers when the first knock came on the door.

  It was a couple I’d never spoken to but had seen around the pack lands a few times. They were not young, not old. Shifters held their youth better than humans, so it wasn’t always easy to tell but I figured late thirties. The woman held a basket.

  I pulled the towel off and tossed it out of sight behind the coat tree in the front hallway. “Hi. Moss isn’t here.” He, like all the others, had gone back to work and left me to my own devices. The frail one—sure. The more I thought about it, the more I was determined to go back to school and work tomorrow. Even if I
had to face down the alpha to do it.

  The man and woman looked at each other then at me. A few times. Finally, the woman took a step forward, and I was starting to worry. What was going on?” “Oh, we don’t want to see him.” She glanced back at the man.

  “You came to talk to me then?”

  She nodded. This was going to take all day. I’d been guarded since my arrival here, but things had calmed down, and this was the very first day I had totally to myself. Even if I’d argued about being plenty strong enough to get back to my schedule, I’d kind of looked forward to solitude.

  After all, other than my aunt, I’d been by myself nearly all the time until recently. I hadn’t appreciated it nearly enough. I stepped back and opened the door wider. “Well, I’m not dressed for company, but if you’d like to come in, I’ll quick get dressed and make a pot of coffee.”

  I walked up the stairs then, out of sight of the couple, ran down the hall toward my room and scooted inside. I didn’t know if leaving strangers along was a good idea, but I was pretty sure visiting with them in a robe with nothing under it and my cursedly cute bunny slippers—a gift from Escher of all people—was a bad idea. So I donned jeans and a loose T-shirt with a wolf howling at the moon on the front—a gift from Brandon—combed my hair and headed downstairs.

  Barefoot. I was almost always without shoes in the house and didn’t think of it until I was in the kitchen brewing coffee. Oh well, if I had to run away, I’d do it as a wolf anyway. I hoped it wouldn’t happen, though. I loved this shirt. The moon glowed in the dark.

  By the time I was setting a tray with the coffee things and a plate of shortbread cookies on the coffee table, it had occurred to me my guests had not introduced themselves. They sat side by side on the couch so I took a chair across from them and offered what I hoped was an easy, relaxed smile. Judging from their widened eyes, I didn’t succeed.

  Oh well.

  “So,” I said, waving toward the tray, “please help yourselves to some refreshments and let’s get acquainted. I’m Wendi.” As if they didn’t know.

  “Oh!” The woman’s cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry. I’ve seen you around and I didn’t even think we’d never spoken directly. I mean, everyone knows who you are and what you can —”

  “Jenny!” Looked like the man could speak. I had started to wonder. He cleared his throat and took over. “I’m Clark, and this is my wife, Jenny. We wanted to come by and say hello and welcome to the pack.”

  Odd. I’d already been welcomed in a big way, but maybe they just meant more personally. “Okay. And is there anything in that basket that —” I wanted to ask is that for me since people didn’t usually carry baskets to people’s houses otherwise, but this socially awkward conversation was exhausting.

  “Yes!” Jenny reached for the handle of the basket she’d set by her feet. “It’s a little gift to say hi.” Keep saying hi, people. Eventually they would tell me why they were really there, at least I hoped so.

  I accepted the woven container and opened the lid to find a beautiful turquoise pottery bowl nestled in deep-green fabric. “This is gorgeous.” I lifted it out carefully and examined it from all angles.

  “It’s a salad bowl for you and you and your mates.” Jenny looked a little less tense, now that I’d expressed admiration for their gift. “You really like it?”

  I’m sometimes slow on the uptake, but I looked at the bottom and saw the potter’s mark, a stylized J. “You made this yourself.” I was in awe. “You’re the first true artist I’ve ever met.”

  “It’s not art,” she protested, while her husband smiled down at her proudly. “Just a serving bowl.”

  “I could never put food in this.” And chance breaking it while washing dishes? “It’s an art piece and I plan to display it for everyone to see how lucky we are to receive such a gift.”

  Jenny’s blush deepened, but so did the beginnings of a stunning smile. She’d looked kind of worn down before and tired. “Thank you. I’m never sure if what I make is good enough. I’m thinking of approaching some stores…”

  “Galleries,” I told her firmly. “There’s one not far from campus featuring local artists and artisans. I’ve shopped there and they don’t have anything this nice. Do you have other pieces?”

  She nodded, eyes sparkling. “I do. Shelves of them. I just keep making them to fill time because…” And all animation went out of her. “Because we have no children and I don’t have anything else to do.”

  “Oh.” I didn’t have any children yet, either, but found plenty to keep me busy. “I’d suggest you take some classes but every minute you’re not working on your pottery is wasted. You have a great talent.”

  “Thank you,” Jenny said, again, but her intent state made me think I was missing something. Like…I’d been here for a while and nobody brought me welcome gifts.

  Silence stretched out, and finally I gave up and asked. “So, is there any special reason you decided to come see me today?”

  Clark’s exhale was a whoosh.

  Jenny’s tears poured down her cheeks. She spoke so low, I had to listen in to hear her. “We need you to help us have a baby, healer.”

  Huh?

  “Excuse me?”

  “We know, we heard about you and all the things you can do. You are the promised one, the one who can heal anything, and we need your help to have a baby.” Her words poured out in a rush since she’d gotten started. “We’ve been trying for years and years, and I’m afraid if we don’t have one soon, we should just give up.”

  “I don’t know how to make someone get pregnant.” I only knew the mechanics anyone learned in sex ed. And mine was online, and I hadn’t actually paid much attention. “Maybe see a specialist?”

  “We have seen shifter healers and human doctors.” Clark’s voice held so much pain. “We know what the problem is, and we just need you to heal me. It seems when I was a little boy I had shifter mumps…”

  I tried to convince them I didn’t have the ability to do anything, but they left promising to come back and see if I had changed my mind. I followed them to the door swearing it wasn’t that I didn’t want to help. I really didn’t have any idea how to.

  As I opened the door for them, I looked at the tears on Jenny’s cheeks and said I still didn’t think I could help, but I’d try to think of something, anything…

  A woman waited on the steps as they left. She held a young child in her arms.

  I must have seen a dozen people by the time Moss got home. Every one with a gift. Everyone wanted help.

  Help I had no idea how to give.

  I fell into his arms crying harder than I could ever remember. And he just held me, soothed me, and told me it would be okay.

  But how could it?

  He got me to take a shower and when I emerged clean and somewhat more composed, I came downstairs to find him sitting with an old woman who something told me didn’t need healing.

  She turned her lined face up toward me, and I saw ancient wisdom in her eyes.

  Why hadn’t everyone today gone to her?

  Chapter Two

  “There’s no emergency. It’s okay. I’m sure you will figure it out,” Cash tried to assure me later on that day. The elderly woman had just come to see me but when our hands touched, I knew there was more. It felt like she had been waiting for me and I for her.

  Never felt anything like it in my life.

  She told me she was there for me. When I needed to dig a little deeper, she would be waiting to tell me what I needed to know. All I had to do was knock on her door.

  I assured her I would and actually started in on a slew of questions, but she shushed me. “Come see me when you have gotten your bearings.”

  She left without another word.

  “I know I will. Jenny just looked so desperate. I want to help her.”

  “And you will,” he answered but was preoccupied with his phone. I’d never known Cash to be on his phone more than he needed to.

  “A
m I so boring?” I asked, mostly joking.

  “What?” He snapped his head up to stare at me.

  I pointed to his phone.

  “Oh, no, just going over some plans for…well, for that.” He nodded to the window, and I knew what he was talking about without looking. He was in charge of a new building on the pack lands, but everyone was hush, hush about what it was.

  “What is that place, anyway? It’s huge.” I walked over to the window and noticed the new additions to the building. Some kind of paper wrapping had gone up around the wood since the day before. Insulation, I presumed, but what did I know about construction? Not a lot.

  “Oh, we got the plans weeks ago, but I had to do some negotiating about where I wanted it.”

  Cash was acting squirrelly. Again, not like him at all. “So…what is it?” I repeated since he hadn’t answered my question at all.

  “Oh, um, it’s a house, actually.” His face reddened.

  “Oh, what a big house. Is it for the alpha? Wait, I’ve never seen him with a girl. Is he mated?”

  Cash cleared his throat and moved from one foot to the other. “Um, no, he’s not. It is a big house. Six bedrooms and six bathrooms. Each bedroom has its own ensuite. And a powder room off the living area on the first floor.”

  I felt my eyes widen. “Goodness. That’s a lot of bathrooms. Is it for one family or…”

  “You might as well just tell her,” Brandon said as he entered. Cash almost looked relieved he along with Escher and Moss walked in when they did.

  “Tell me what?” I asked, accepting Brandon’s kiss on my temple while Escher wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder.

  “Are you sure?” Cash eyed Brandon like they were having some kind of secret conversation.

  “Well, she’s going to know sooner or later,” Escher’s chin dug into my shoulder as he spoke.

  “Why are you keeping secrets from me?” My voice cracked as though my trust had been betrayed and, truth was, it felt like it had a little.