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    A Mate for the Sheriff
    A Mate for the Sheriff
    A Mate for the Sheriff
    Ebook137 pages2 hours

    A Mate for the Sheriff

    By April Zyon

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    About this ebook

    Jessica Morris has a secret that could get her killed. Hiding in plain sight, pretending to be normal, is all she’s ever known. And even though she’s been lucky so far, she knows that she can’t hide in Shifter Falls forever. Getting involved with the town sheriff is the last thing she needs, but lately it’s all she can think about.

    Novak Porter has watched Jessica since the first day she came into town. He suspects that, like everyone else in Shifter Falls, she’s got a skeleton or two in her closet. She’s nervous around him, and for years he’s forced himself to give her time. But when a chance encounter throws them together for more than five minutes, Novak decides he’s tired of waiting. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep her around. Convincing her to work for him is easy, but getting her to believe in happily ever after might be a little more difficult.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherEvernight Publishing
    Release dateFeb 17, 2017
    ISBN9781773391816
    A Mate for the Sheriff
    Author

    April Zyon

    Having been a lover of the written word all her life April has always wanted to expand her horizons and write something that could be shared with the world. Only one thing held April back, the fact that the letters and numbers mixed and jumbled more often than not. Diagnosed with Dyslexia when she was eight years old April had to work her butt off just to be able to keep up with the other kids in reading and writing, so her love for fictional writing was tossed to the wayside for the moment. Time marched on, as it always does, and she forgot her childhood dream of becoming an author and instead focused on what she had to – creating a career for herself. As the endless waves of time passed the shores became less rocky and more sandy, a place where she could find an even foot. That and Microsoft invented Word. Hallelujah. This is where April began her journey into the written world, the world that her imagination had been ceaselessly creating for her entire adult life. Now she has been given a chance to let her literary wings unfold and fly, thanks to the amazing publishers with Evernight Publishing and Secret Cravings Publishing. Now its time to let the dream take flight and watch it soar! What do I write? Fantastic question. I’m an author of erotic romance with flair. I love to create new worlds, love to make strong Alpha heroes and loving feminine characters that make these bad boy Alpha’s want to love them.

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      Book preview

      A Mate for the Sheriff - April Zyon

      Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

      www.evernightpublishing.com

      Copyright© 2017 April Zyon

      ISBN: 978-1-77339-181-6

      Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

      Editor: Jessica Ruth

      ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

      WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

      This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      DEDICATION

      To Tracie, thank you for reading for me and for always being there for me. You are truly special and amazing, I am blessed to have you in my life.

      Rhonda, you are just the best.

      Avril, I would be lost without you.

      To all of my readers and fans - I love each and every single one of you. You are the reason that I write.

      A MATE FOR THE SHERIFF

      Shifters-Match.com, 4

      April Zyon

      Copyright © 2017

      Chapter One

      No.

      Come on, Jess, he’s not that bad.

      Damn, Phi, that’s a lie and I could feel it coming in the door. This came from a very pregnant and satisfied-looking Quinn Raske. She rubbed her belly and added, Don’t tell Daddy Mommy said a bad word.

      Jessica laughed. Piran had gone over the freaking rails when he found out that Quinn was pregnant, and he was driving everyone in Shifter Falls crazy because he swore that kids could hear in the womb and that was why Phi and Jagger’s cub’s first word was damn. Jess didn’t believe it for a minute, but what did she know? And what do I get for not telling him that you are cussing while preggers? she asked Quinn, a good friend of hers since Quinn had made her home in Shifter Falls.

      My undying gratitude? Quinn tried. Okay, and brownies, she said when Jessica gave her a look.

      Phi went running for her cub, who had climbed up the massive TV wall unit Piran had hand carved for Phi and Jagger. Quinn gestured toward the claw marks and deep impressions made from the cub’s feet as he climbed up the unit. Told you that you never should have put something like that in here. It’s pure temptation to the little guy.

      I know, but I wanted it and it’s so beautiful, Phi said as she pulled her cub down.

      Mommy… he cooed to her, now a little boy and smiling up at his mother.

      She’s going to melt, watch, Quinn said with a smirk.

      Aww, how could I be mad at you, my wee man? Phi said as she hugged the little boy cub to her chest. The child looked over his mother’s shoulder and at the women, grinning as if he knew just what he was getting away with. And just when Jess thought she was off the hook, Phi looked up and said, Seriously, Jess, what about the sheriff’s office? Because I think you’d be perfect for the job.

      I already have a job.

      Yeah, but—

      No way, she said, fixing Quinn and Phi with a wry smile. Absolutely not. I cannot work for Sheriff Hotty McHot because number one, the man is so big and sexy that he makes every woman in the county’s panties wet. Number two, the man is far too observant. Number three, he would drive me crazy within two minutes. Number four, he would likely shoot me because I would drive him crazy within a minute. So yeah. No. There was one more reason why she couldn’t work for the sheriff. A few years back, she’d accidentally touched him one day at a party, and she had realized in that moment just what he was to her. Thank God she’d been swallowed up by a whole mess of people, and he hadn’t realized who she was, or he would have tracked her down. She’d always thought it was strange that he hadn’t felt the sparks between them, hadn’t scented her somehow. From everything Jess had heard, shifters were supposed to just know when they found their mate. But Novak hadn’t, and Jess had tried not to push her luck where he was concerned ever since. She was something that shouldn’t be, and even her mother’s coven had put her out when her mother revealed that she was born without abilities. To them she was only human and therefore wasn’t allowed inside the hallowed halls of the coven. If it hadn’t been for that prophesy, she would have been dead—no matter what family she had been born into—and she knew it.

      Quinn and Phi both looked at each other, laughed, then in unison stated, Sheriff Hotty McHot? Phi was the one who continued and snickered. Oh God. I so have to tell Jagger that one. I don’t think anyone has ever spoken of the sheriff like that. It’s too cute. Jessica and Novak sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…

      Oh Lord love a duck, you are so juvenile, Jessica replied with a snort. Now, if you two are finished, I’m going home because some of us need to get to work in the morning. Jessica worked for the town council, and while she tried not to make waves where she worked, she didn’t go out of her way to make things easy for them.

      She stood, walked over to Phi and the little boy, and gave the child a noisy kiss on his cheek. She was rewarded with a growl from his inner bear. Well, growl to you as well, my darling. She stroked her fingers over his long black hair and smiled. Gracious, your momma cooked up a very handsome little boy.

      He frowned at her. I no cook.

      She smiled and nodded. I know you didn’t really cook, baby boy. I was just teasing you.

      That had him smiling and he growled again. Wike you, he told her.

      I know and I wike you, too. I have to go, but I will bring you goodies next time, and no more climbing the wood furniture that your uncle Piran makes for your momma and daddy.

      Me wood, the boy said with another freaking adorable rawr.

      I’ll ask Piran to make you something, Quinn said easily. As long as your mom and dad approve, I think you would like it.

      Oh Lord. Not the cat tower idea again, Q, was the last thing Phi said before Jessica walked out of the house and into the darkness so she could head home.

      Chapter Two

      There were days he loved being sheriff, with his home base in the small town of Shifter Falls and the small county of Round Rock. It was a laid-back community where everyone knew everybody else and yet didn’t really get into other folks’ business. There were a few budding problems that growth brought in, but for the most part the town looked after their own and kept shit in check, just like the surrounding towns of Dragon’s Horn and Shadow Valley.

      Then there were days that Novak seriously wondered what the ever-loving fuck he’d been thinking taking the damn job when the mayor had practically begged him to run for election. The least he could’ve done was get a larger salary for this crap. Like today. Two idiots had devised the brilliant plan of drag racing down an old abandoned logging road. In their parents’ cars and without even checking the road prior to tearing off down it. Now he had two totaled vehicles, four angry parents, two terrified kids practically pleading with him to take them off to jail, and one hell of a migraine. There was not enough money in the world for him to do this job on days like today.

      Stepping between the parents who had pretty well regressed to childhood themselves with the insults they were slinging, he let out a piercing whistle. All of you, shut the fuck up or I’m throwing the lot of you in jail overnight. It would be worth the paperwork to stop this bullshit.

      While everyone was gaping at him, he looked to the tow truck drivers. Haul out the cars and take them to impound. Make an assessment on the damages and file them with the department. He faced the parents again. At which time, along with my report, I will give you both a copy, and you can then file with your insurance companies. Your premiums are going to go through the roof. And you’re all probably going to be paying for your own repairs because your children were idiots. The boys will be going down to the station to issue statements that will be binding in court. One parent each is permitted to ride with them in the deputy vehicles, and the other can meet you there. If you feel the need to get your lawyers involved, please do so, but do it quickly. And boys. He turned a menacing look on the two scared teenagers. Both were barely seventeen and knew they were in for hell to come for many months to follow. You lie at any point, I’ll know, and I will toss you in a cell and hold you for the maximum allotted time. Do not test me.

      After both gave him a good impression of those bobble head figures he occasionally saw in vehicles, he waved in his deputies. The parents looked ready to argue, but Novak wasn’t having any of it. Cutting them a scathing look, he pointed to the vehicles they’d arrived in and waited them out.

      Only when the deputies, the parents, and the tow truck drivers were gone did he finally blow out a breath. He didn’t know what he’d done in a past life to deserve this shit, but whatever it was he knew he had to have paid his dues already. In spades! Rubbing a hand to his nape, Novak headed toward his SUV and slid into the driver’s seat. He really should check in, but he needed a moment’s peace and quiet first. Leaning his head back, he took a long, slow breath in, then let it slide out. He repeated the breathing a few more times, until the worst of the tension around his shoulders slid away.

      A few minutes later he picked up the radio to check in with the office. There were no other pressing issues, so he had the dispatcher patch him through to the deputies on site and gave them a heads-up about the incoming squabble. Despite their amusement, he knew they’d be stone-faced and professional when everyone arrived.

      Satisfied he had completed his investigation, Novak put the camera he’d used to document the entire scene into the case behind the passenger seat and locked it. He’d have a deputy come back out to the scene tomorrow to clean up the markers and tape once he doubled-checked he had everything he needed.

      Pulling away from the scene, he took his time up the logging road. Definitely something the teens should have done. They were damn lucky neither ended up with more than a few bumps and bruises. A thought that had him reaching for his phone to call the clinic. The local doctor did the department the occasional favor

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