The morning sun crept into Nova's room, painting golden lines across the sheets. Her phone buzzed with a hundred unread messages. Mostly from Kane. A couple from Zane's overly enthusiastic mom: "Found the perfect wedding venue!" and "Do you like white lilies or blush roses?"
Nova rubbed her eyes, half-laughing and half-panicking. She'd only barely agreed to date Kane, and suddenly the world had placed a crown on her head and dragged her down the aisle.
Downstairs, the mansion was oddly quiet. Too quiet.
She tiptoed into the hallway—only to be startled by the sight of Ryder, arms folded and scowl deep. He was leaning against the wall outside her door like a bouncer outside a VIP room.
"Morning," she said carefully.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ryder asked.
"To get coffee?"
"You're not stepping outside alone," Darian said, appearing like a ghost from the shadows. Nova jumped. "It's the full moon tonight."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"You don't know what kind of people crawl out on a night like this," Darian muttered. "Or what Kane might turn into."
Nova rolled her eyes. "He's not a werewolf."
"Emotionally? Maybe."
Before she could argue, Max popped in with a ridiculous grin, holding out a ridiculous pink helmet. "You need a bodyguard today? Because I made a schedule. Ethan's turn is after lunch."
"I'm not a baby," Nova said, but the words had no power. They were steam against the wall of brotherly protectiveness.
As if summoned by the chaos, Ethan walked in with two mugs of coffee. "Let her breathe, guys."
"Finally, someone sane," Nova said, grabbing a mug.
Ethan raised a brow. "But you're not going out alone."
Nova's head fell back in frustration. "You guys didn't care before!"
"That was before you became someone's girlfriend," Ryder said. "Now there are... stakes."
"Also," Max added with a wink, "Kane's family already started planning your baby shower. So technically, we're trying to keep you from being dragged into bridal bootcamp."
That shut Nova up.
Later that day, Kane came over.
The moment he stepped into the living room, all four brothers formed a silent wall. Kane tried to act confident, but the way Ryder's jaw ticked, or Darian's eyes followed his every step, made it obvious — he was walking into enemy territory.
Nova, annoyed and embarrassed, stood up. "Can we talk outside?"
Ryder stepped in. "No."
Ethan cleared his throat. "She can. He can't."
Kane looked at Nova. "You okay?"
She hesitated. And the truth was... she didn't know. Kane had been sweet, generous, funny — everything a girl should want. But something was missing. That flutter in the chest. That deep, aching pull. Maybe she was too messed up. Maybe she just wasn't ready.
"I'm okay," she said. Then softer: "Just not sure where this is going."
Kane blinked but smiled sadly. "Wherever you want it to go."
He handed her something small — a photo of the two of them at the funfair. Nova stared at it, suddenly unsure of everything. She liked Kane. A lot.
But she didn't love him.
Not yet