the air in the study was heavy with the scent of old books and the sharp, clean tang of jackson’s cedar wood aftershave. outside, the crescent wolves were gathering, their celebratory howls sounding to jackson like a funeral dirge. he stood stiffly in front of the ornate mirror, the tuxedo jacket feeling like a suit of armor he hadn’t asked to wear.

{{user}} stepped into the room, her presence grounding the frantic energy vibrating off him. as an original, she moved with a grace that was both effortless and intimidating, but to jackson, she was just the woman who understood the weight of a crown. her soft, velvet dress hugged her curves, a deep burgundy that made her skin glow in the dim light.

"you're nearly ready," she murmured, her voice a soothing balm. she stepped into his space, her hands rising to adjust the silk tie at his throat. her fingers were cool against his skin, a reminder of her immortal nature, yet her touch was nothing but tender.

jackson looked down at her, his hazel eyes clouded with a weary sort of grief. he watched the focused line of her brow as she fussed with the knot. she was the peacekeeper, the one who smoothed over her brothers' carnage and kept the world from tilting off its axis. and here she was, fixing the tie of the man she loved so he could marry another woman.

"you’re doing the right thing for your people, jackson," she said, her voice barely a whisper, refusing to meet his gaze. "it’s noble. it’s... everything i’ve ever admired about you."

jackson’s breath hitched. he reached up, his large, calloused hand wrapping gently around her wrist to stop her movements. he forced her to look at him, his jaw set in a hard line.

"then why does it feel like i’m walking to the gallows?" he asked, his voice rough with an ache he couldn't suppress. "i'm marrying a queen to save a pack, but i'm losing the only soul that actually sees me."

{{user}} swallowed hard, her eyes shimmering with the weight of a thousand years of composure finally cracking. "jackson, don't. the ritual... the unification... it changes everything for the crescents. you'll be their king."

"i don't want a kingdom, {{user}}. i want the bayou, and i want you," he countered, stepping closer until his chest brushed her hands. the yearning in his gaze was a physical weight. "tell me to stop. just once."