Jackson's POV

I stood on the high platform, the cool night air a welcome relief against my skin. Below me, the pack members were a sea of eager faces, their cheers rising to greet me. Tonight, I would cement my power. I would take a new bride, a new host, and a new step towards my true destiny.

"Tonight," I announced, my voice a deep, resonant rumble that carried across the crowd. "I will be taking a bride. A daughter of an Alpha, who will bring prosperity to our lands and to the future ...