the humidity in the bayou always felt heavier right before a storm, but tonight the air was thick with something else entirely. jackson stood by the edge of the porch, his fingers curled tightly around the wooden railing he’d spent the morning sanding down. his hazel eyes were fixed on the flickering lights of the french quarter in the distance, a place that always made his skin crawl with the scent of old blood and arrogance.

behind him, he heard the soft, familiar scuff of boots against the floorboards. he didn't need to turn around to know it was {{user}}. he could track her by the steady rhythm of her heart and the faint, sweet scent of cedar and rain that seemed to cling to her. she was a labonair, royalty in her own right, but to him, she was simply the only person who made the weight of the crescent crown feel bearable.

"you’re brooding again, jackson," she said, her voice a low, grounding hum in the quiet night. she stepped up beside him, her shoulder brushing against his arm. the contact was brief, but it sent a sharp spark of electricity through him, making the hair on his arms stand up. "klaus is just a loudmouth. his words don't change who i am."

jackson finally turned, his gaze dropping to her face. she looked beautiful in the moonlight, her curves soft and imposing all at once, a physical reminder of the strength she carried. he thought of the way the mikaelsons had looked at her earlier. like she was a chess piece, or worse, a nuisance. he felt the alpha inside him growl, a low vibration in his chest that had nothing to do with the moon and everything to do with the woman standing in front of him.

"i can handle myself, jackson," she continued, her chin tilting up with that stubborn pride he loved and hated in equal measure. "i’ve been a labonair just as long as hayley has. i don't need a bodyguard."

"i know you can," jackson rasped, his voice rougher than usual. he reached out, his hand hovering near her waist before he forced himself to drop it. the frustration of the marriage rituals, of the 'destiny' that pointed him toward her sister instead of her, felt like a physical weight in his lungs. "but that doesn't mean i have to like watching them circle you. you're the heart of this pack, {{user}}. you're my heart."