She narrowed her eyes. “How do I know you’re not just saying that you called Social Services so I’ll feel that I owe you?”

“I suppose you don’t. But you could always check with Social Services. I never made any secret of my interest in being sure you were placed somewhere safe. I also didn’t call them anonymously. My name and my involvement should be on record.”

She slowly sank back into her chair. “So you want me to cower before the Moores as a thank-you to you for getting me out of that trailer?”

He pursed his lips. “Well, it would be nice if you did it for me purely because I’m your father, but I’d be disappointed in you if you showed any respect to someone who hasn’t earned it. So, yes, doing it as a thank-you would suit me fine.”

“It’s not that simple. They didn’t just hurt the shifter. They invested months of their lives into fucking up my life. Brandt even came close to beating me with a bat not so long ago.”

Kenny’s face hardened. “Did he, now? I can guarantee that won’t happen again.”

“No, you can’t. Brandt doesn’t listen to anyone. He doesn’t heed warnings or threats. Hell, he doesn’t even heed common sense.”

“I’ll make it clear to his family that any trouble he causes you will be revisited on all of them.”

Since she couldn’t afford to look as though she was giving in easily, she continued to argue. “My point is that I’m not just gunning for that family because of what they did to the shifter—I want them to pay for the shit they’ve caused for me. Altering my statement and saving Brandt from the wrath of the shifter council doesn’t really appeal to me.”

Kenny actually smiled, the weirdo. “You get that vengeful streak from me.”

Um, no, she didn’t.

“He’ll pay for what he did to you, and I’ll make it clear that you’re not to be harassed or touched. In exchange, you’ll change your statement. Everybody wins.”

“Except for the shifter.”

Kenny flicked his hand. “She’s not more important than your life, Gwen. And that’s what we’re talking about here. Your life. If you go ahead with frying Brandt’s ass, the anti-shifter extremists might find out. If they do, they will leap on the situation. They wouldn’t just go after you; they’d go after your foster family. So ask yourself, Gwen . . . is one shifter more important than the lives of you and those closest to you?”

She gritted her teeth against the urge to point out that he could probably put a leash on the extremists if he really wanted to—telling them he’d withdraw funding would most likely go a long way toward making them let the situation alone.

“If you’re going to keep yourself and your foster family safe, you need to take action. It’s best not to delay. I understand that you don’t know or trust me, so of course you’ll struggle with doing what I’m asking of you. But the truth is that if you change your statement, you’ll be doing it for yourself and for your foster family too.”

For a very long moment, she said nothing. Let the silence stretch out. Ensuring that she sounded begrudging, she said, “I’ll do it. For my family.”

He smiled again. “Excellent.” He pushed out of his seat. “It’s been nice talking to you, Gwen. I have to say, I wasn’t expecting that.” He did sound genuinely surprised. “You, Geena, and I will have to get together sometime.”

Hell, no.

“I’ll be in touch.” He and his cronies then left.

Remaining seated, she watched through the window as they disappeared in a black BMW. That was when the Mercury wolves joined her.

Zander took the chair beside hers and angled it so that his front was pressed to her side. Even sitting down, he managed to crowd her. His spread legs bracketed her chair while one arm draped over her shoulders and the other reached across her body to smooth his hand over her thigh. “You okay?”

“Kind of.” She sighed. “I didn’t think he’d try the concerned-father routine. I thought he might play on my concern for Geena and pretend that any trouble I had could bleed over onto her.”

Zander kissed her temple. “Instead, he appealed to your sense of fairness.”

She nodded. “He made out like I owed him a debt, somehow sensing I was the kind of person who’d repay one.” She could see why Geena cared for Kenny—he was manipulative, played on a person’s weakness. He’d know that Geena wanted his approval, and he likely used that to keep her loyal to him. Gwen didn’t like to think of her sister being played that way.

“I think he really did call Social Services,” said Ally. “I heard the ring of truth in his voice. Not that I’m saying you owe him anything, Gwen. You don’t. I just figured you might prefer knowing.”

Gwen nodded her thanks. “It doesn’t change anything. He wasn’t a father to me. And you’re right. I owe him nothing. But he thinks I should feel that I do, so I don’t think he’ll doubt that I’m truly backing down.”

“He’ll believe it,” agreed Zander, stroking a hand over her hair. It had been damn hard to remain in his seat, leaving her to deal with Cogman alone. He’d wanted to be close, wanted to give her support as a mate should. Instead, he’d had to watch her sit opposite that motherfucker. His wolf had growled and snarled and brooded, not wanting the male anywhere near her.

Zander had also kept watch on Cogman’s bodyguards, wanting to be sure they didn’t touch Gwen. If they’d even tried, Zander’s shifter-speed would have had him at her side in an instant. Cupping her chin, he brought her face to his. “You won’t have to deal with him again.”

He kissed her, and Gwen almost moaned. He tasted of cream, fluffy pastry, and sugary glaze. As he pulled back, she took a long breath and said, “So now we put the next part of our plan into action. I need to speak to Colt.”

Zander brushed his thumb over her chin. “I’ll be with you.”

“You can’t come into the station with me.”

His grip involuntarily tightened on her jaw. “Why not?”

“Because it wouldn’t make any sense for you to keep protecting me if you thought I was giving up on Andie. Colt will think it’s weird that you’d stay at my side. I have to lie to him and say that you don’t know why I’m there.”

Zander swore, releasing her. He hadn’t considered that.

She rubbed his thigh. “You can stay in the SUV. I’ll give some spiel to Colt about wanting to keep you guys around for my family’s sake. I’ll be okay on my own. Nothing’s going to happen to me in a police station.”

Zander clenched his jaw. She was probably right. Still . . . “I don’t like it.”

“Trust me, I’ll be fine.”

“I do trust you.”

Gwen’s breath caught in her throat. Considering she’d opened up to him at a snail’s pace, it was the last thing she’d thought he’d say. Especially since he was, by his own admission, extremely guarded. Lost for words, she leaned into him, letting him know she appreciated and valued his trust in her.

He pressed a lingering kiss to her hair and squeezed her nape. “Let’s get this done, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said softly.

A short while later, Derren whipped the SUV into a parking space outside the sheriff’s department. Zander immediately noticed the sheriff’s car. Through the large windows of the office, it was easy to see that the chairs in the reception area were vacant. Good. Zander didn’t want Gwen to have to hang around awhile, waiting for her chance to speak with Colt.