Empire of Nothing

If Nova thought the attention would fade, she was wrong.

By Wednesday, the "Zova" fan accounts had multiplied.

Girls were asking Zane for selfies. Boys were asking Nova if she was really taken. One guy in the hallway even tried to flirt mid-presentation.

"Hey, Nova," he whispered, slipping her a note. "If your fiancé dies mysteriously, I'm available."

Zane nearly choked on his water.

Nova handed the note back with a smirk. "You wouldn't survive the brothers before the funeral."

She wasn't kidding.

By the end of the day, all four stepbrothers showed up at campus.

Together.

In the same car.

Like the four horsemen of Overprotectiveness.

They didn't even go looking for her.They waited by the front steps, leaning against their obnoxiously expensive car, arms crossed like bodyguards on a warpath.

Zane spotted them first. "Uh… Nova?"

She turned, mid-laugh.

Then froze.

"…Is that all four of them?"

"Yes."

"Why do they look like they're about to murder someone?"

Max waved. Ryder did not.

Nova sighed. "Great. Full moon. Protective brother mode engaged."

She approached like a soldier heading to battle.

"You're all here. At school. Unannounced."

Max grinned. "Yeah. Cool campus."

Ryder glared at Zane. "Where is he?"

"Don't say his name like he's Voldemort."

Darian stepped forward. "You're trending online. That makes you a target."

Nova blinked. "You're acting like I'm in a crime syndicate."

Ethan, calm but firm, added, "It's not safe anymore. People know your face. They know where you are. They're talking about you."

Nova raised a brow. "You're aware that this energy is about six weeks late, right?"

"We didn't realize how serious it was," Ryder muttered. "Now we do."

Nova didn't back down. "Zane's the only reason I even felt safe. You? You let me drown."

For once, they were silent.

Then Max sighed. "Can we at least pretend to threaten someone? For closure?"

Just then, Zane walked over holding bubble tea and a brownie. "Hey Poké—oh."

Four sets of eyes turned on him.

Nova stepped between them. "Don't even think about it."

Darian didn't blink. "What are your intentions with our sister?"

Zane raised an eyebrow. "Uh… making her laugh and giving her brownies?"

Ryder stepped forward. "One wrong move—"

Nova shoved her hand into Zane's and smiled sweetly. "We'll send you a wedding invite."

They didn't follow her.

But they didn't leave either.

They watched.

And maybe for the first time…

They realized the girl they ignored?

Had grown teeth.