Read Mate Marked: Shifters of Silver Peak for Free Online

criminal statutes. Why had they gotten such a bee in their bonnet about hiring a new sheriff? They barely even needed one.
    “You’re a deputy,” she informed Pepper, who rolled over onto her back and waved her paws in the air to show how much she appreciated the new title. “It doesn’t come with any money, but I can promise you treats and belly rubs.”
    It was five p.m. She’d already unloaded all her belongings at the small log cabin style building that would be her new home. It didn’t have an oven, just a hot plate and a microwave. She’d have to figure out how to finagle an oven out of the townspeople. Somebody must have a spare oven. She needed to keep her baking skills up, because one day, no matter how long it took, she would be opening a bakery of her own.
    It was still early, and she’d already had quite the eventful day. She’d signed the papers that said she was a member of the Silver Peak pack, shifted, inked her paw print and stepped on the appropriate spot on the registration papers with her inky paw. The mayor had hurried off to fax the registration to the Council of Shifter Affairs.
    There was a loud rapping on the door. “Come in,” she called.
    Susan and Lorena walked in, each holding a coffee cake and arguing. Barbara was trailing behind them.
    “She doesn’t need two coffee cakes,” Lorena was saying indignantly.
    “Well, then you shouldn’t have copied me. This town needs a mayor who’s an original thinker,” Susan said.
    “I copied you? Liar! Keep it up and you’ll get a smack.”
    “Ladies! I love coffee cake,” Chelsea interrupted them quickly. “I’ll take all the coffee cake I can get.”
    “You see,” Susan said triumphantly to her twin, setting the cake down on the table, “there you go stirring up trouble over nothing.”
    “By the way, what does Mayor Winkleman think about you both running?” Chelsea asked. Lorena produced a plastic knife from her purse and began cutting slices of cake.
    “Oh, he only became mayor because the last mayor left town in a hurry,” Lorena said. “He can’t wait to give up the job. Takes too much time away from his business and his family.”
    The last mayor left town too? Chelsea thought uneasily. And in a hurry? What was it about Silver Peak?
    Susan set out slices of cake on paper plates that she fetched from the cupboard . As they settled in and she poured the coffee she’d just brewed, Barbara pulled out her notepad.
    “Now, what’s the first thing you’re going to do as sheriff?” she asked, pencil poised above the pad.
    As if in answer, they heard angry shouting coming from the street outside.
    “Arrest someone?” Chelsea sighed, setting down her coffee cup. Note to self , she thought; learn how handcuffs work.
    She hurried outdoors, with Barbara, Susan and Lorena racing after her. To her shock, the commotion was coming from Erika, who was beating up Mayor Winkleman on the front steps of the town hall.
    She ran over and grabbed Erika by the arm and hauled her off him.
    “Erika! What the heck? Do you actually want to be the first person I arrest?” she demanded indignantly. “I thought we were practicing the whole ladylike thing! Beating up elected officials is not ladylike!”
    “Tell her!” Erika yelled at the mayor. “Or I swear I’ll kick your ass from here to Billings!”
    The mayor hung his head, glanced up at Chelsea and then stared down at the ground. “Well, there is one little thing that we may have forgotten to mention when we offered you the sheriff’s job.”
    Oh, crud. Here it comes.
    “What?” she demanded.
    The mayor shuffled his feet.
    The local merchants and their customers had run up and were gathered around, eagerly watching. Barbara was scribbling madly on her notepad.
    The mayor opened his briefcase, pulled out a sheet of paper and held it up. It was a wanted poster of a shockingly handsome man with a sexy scowl.
    It took her a moment to realize who the man was. It was Roman, the man