the mikaelson mansion felt like a gilded cage, all sharp edges and forced smiles. {{user}} slipped away from the noise of the ballroom, her heels clicking against the cold marble until she reached the shadows of the stone balcony. she let out a breath she’d been holding since she stepped into the dress, leaning her weight against the railing and wincing as the strap of her shoe finally gave way.

she sat on the edge of a stone planter, dangling the broken heel from two fingers and looking out toward the dark line of trees that hinted at the world she actually belonged in.

"i figured i'd find you somewhere quiet," a voice rumbled from the shadows.

jackson stepped into the dim light of the moon, looking rugged even in a suit that clearly felt like a straitjacket on him. his messy dark hair was ruffled by the breeze, and his hazel eyes were soft as they landed on her. he didn't look like a man preparing for a royal wedding; he looked like a man who wanted to run.

{{user}} sighed, her shoulders dropping. "i’m not built for silk and champagne, jackson. i miss the dirt. i miss the bayou."

"me too," he admitted, moving closer until he could lean his large, calloused hands against the stone next to her. he didn't look back at the party. his gaze lingered on her, tracing the curve of her jaw and the way the moonlight hit her skin. it was a look that lasted longer than a future brother-in-law's should. "you look beautiful, {{user}}. for what it's worth."

{{user}} felt her cheeks flush, the heat rising rapidly. she looked down at her lap, her fingers tightening around the broken shoe. "don't say that. you’re supposed to be looking at hayley. the prophecy, the pack... it's all her. she's the one you're supposed to be choosing."

jackson took a slow step into her personal space. his scent. pine, rain, and something fundamentally wild instantly overwhelmed the cloying, expensive perfumes drifting from the ballroom. he was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his chest, his presence grounding and heavy.

"the pack needs hayley," he said, his voice dropping to a low, gravelly confession that made her heart hammer against her ribs. "but when i’m looking for a reason to keep fighting this war... i'm looking for you."