Wildborn

Firelight and Fortitude

Bri should have known better than to jinx it.

She had told herself that it had been a good day.

But that was before the barbeque planning.

“This is worse than combat training,” Bri muttered under her breath, eyeing the twenty or so she-wolves gathered in the rear courtyard near the covered pergolas. All of them seemed to be Year Two or Year Three Lunebrook students, and every single one appeared to be under the delusion that this event, a barbeque welcoming home two returning ranked wolves and a dozen warriors from summer training next Friday, was actually a secret mate selection ceremony in disguise.

Luna Isabella and Gamma Lucy stood at the head of the long outdoor table, conferring quietly over checklists and event details. Soriah stood near them, clipboard in hand, cool and unreadable.

The she-wolves, meanwhile, were practically climbing over one another for tasks.

"I could manage the welcome arch," offered Isla, a blonde with a megawatt smile and eyes like polished silver. "I have a background in floral work, and I know Kai prefers lilies over roses."

"I think I should handle the greeting table," countered Cara, who had sleek brown hair and the kind of posture that screamed ballerina. "I have the best memory for names. And it’s important that Kai, Galen, and the returning warriors are welcomed by someone who can... make a lasting impression."

Bri was in disbelief of the audacity.

Even more shocking was that none of them seemed to care that Soriah was standing right there. Kai’s actual girlfriend.

Bri turned slightly and watched Soriah’s expression, composed, elegant, but cold. She felt sympathy rise in her chest.

She made her way closer and leaned over with a quiet, genuine tone.

"I don’t know how you do it. Keep your composure through all this." She offered a small smile.

"They act like you’re invisible."

Soriah glanced sideways at her. Her eyes narrowed slightly, studying Bri with the intensity of someone not used to people showing loyalty without strings.

She’s watching, Eira said. Testing your motives. But her wolf approves. But the girl is a different story. Loyalty speaks louder than charm.

Soriah nodded once, acknowledging her. "You get used to it."

Bri shrugged. "Don’t think I could. Just... if it were me, I’d throw that clipboard. Probably at Cara."

That earned a soft, unexpected laugh from Soriah. Her eyes crinkled slightly, though her stance remained careful.

Luna Isabella raised a hand, her voice calm but commanding.

"Before we dive into task assignments, we want you all to take the first part of this evening to simply get to know one another. Sit, talk, share what you're interested in. Planning is smoother when you understand who you're working with."

Gamma Lucy added with a smile, "Your roles tonight may not be permanent. We're looking at your strengths and where your energy fits best, so this is your chance to learn about each other. Who knows? You might discover talents you didn't realize you had."

Bri spent the entire socializing portion asking questions, not about tasks or prestige, but about the other girls themselves. Where they were from. What their favorite part of Lunebrook was. If they had any siblings. Whether they preferred forest hikes or creek swims. Her warmth was disarming. Her curiosity was genuine.

Because of it, no one saw her as a threat. Not the ambitious ones, not even the quiet ones in the corners who watched the social currents with suspicion. No one thought she was there to capture Kai or Galen’s attention. She wasn’t a rival. She was just Bri. And they liked her for that.

Then Luna Isabella clapped her hands. "Let’s break into task groups. We have lighting, decor, food, dessert, seating, music, and ambiance committees.

Bri was immediately flagged by several different groups.

Lighting wanted her help ensuring ambient mood lighting around the fire pits, plus firewood and extra blankets in case the temperature dropped. The dessert committee, led by a grumpy but brilliant Year Three named Elenora, needed her to meet with the pastry chef to finalize three featured desserts. Music wanted help liaising with the tech crew for the sound system setup. And the decor lead asked her to hang the lanterns and string lighting the day before the event.

By the time she was done being given task after task, Bri had managed to become involved in five subcommittees.

Not because she asked to be.

But because she said yes with a smile.

An hour later, back in the East Wing apartment, she found her mom reclined on the couch reading a book, and Grandma Riona seated near the window knitting something deep green.

"Good day?" her grandma asked.

Bri gave her a look. "If by good, you mean thrown to the wolves? Literally? Then yes."

Riona raised an eyebrow.

Bri laughed. "Barbecue planning was more cutthroat than combat training. But I’m alive."

How’d it go keeping your abilities in check? Riona mind linked.

All good on all fronts, Bri answered silently. But the pack healer, or Hollowbinder, Ivy. There’s something about her. Familiar. Is she Wildborn?

Riona set her knitting aside. She's not a threat.

Aloud, Bri said, "I’m going to explore the woods behind the house for a bit. Be back before curfew."

No response from her mother, but Grandma simply gave her a knowing smile.

Bri slipped into the forest, deliberately going in the opposite from the trail Sera had taken her on. There was no marked path, just the whisper of wind and the soft rustle of undergrowth, and Bri loved it; unknown nature.

At first, she made mental notes of landmarks in order to find her way back: a split-trunked pine, a cluster of ferns near a mossy stone, a twisted tree root arching above the soil.

But after a while, the woods became too dense. Too wild.

Bri paused. Her brow furrowed. After looking around her to ensure no one else was even close to near her, she reached out to the nearest tree and pressed her palm to the bark.

A soft warmth bloomed in her chest.

Green moss unfurled in the shape of a rudimentary arrow.

Careful, Eira murmured.

Bri continued.

The trees towered overhead, ancient and endless Bri couldn't even imagine how many hundreds of thousands of years they had been there. Sunlight slanted through the branches like golden ribbons. Birds chirped, and the air smelled of pine, damp earth, and something sweetly floral.

After another fifteen minutes, the forest opened.

And there it was.

A plunge pool. Not just one, but two. A waterfall cascaded down the cliff side into a round, crystalline pool. The water spilled over its far edge into a second pool below, and from there, disappeared into the trees.

It was perfect.

She climbed to the upper pool, found a wide, smooth rock that jutted out halfway into the water, and laid back. The surface was warm from the surrounding air and setting sun, the edge cool from the spray of the falls.

Before her stretched miles of wilderness. Endless trees. Horizon. Wind.

She sighed and almost dozed off.

But as the shadows lengthened and it cooled off, she stood.

Time to head back.

At each moss marker, she reversed the growth, the moss receding gently into the bark.

She reached the apartment just before the clock struck 10P.

Grabbing her notes from the barbeque prep meeting and heading to her room, if there was one thing she knew about herself, it was that she excelled at managing chaos. Project management was her superpower; lists, deadlines, touchpoints, coordination. It calmed her.

With that in mind, she got down to business.

Her desk was quickly cluttered with sticky notes and notepads.

She grabbed the planner Grandma Riona had bought her on their shopping day and began drafting a project plan.

Lighting Team:

- Check lanterns on Thursday.

- Confirm firewood delivery.

- Distribute blankets Saturday morning.

Desserts:

- Final meeting with pastry chef on Wednesday.

- Final selections: wildberry tartlets, chocolate hazelnut cake bites, and moon sugar cookies.

Music/Sound:

- Schedule tech walkthrough Friday night.

Decor:

- Hang string lights with Avi and Myla Friday evening.

Conditioning/Combat/Medicum:

- Block out 6A-12P for all training sessions. No overlap.

She mapped it all out hour by hour. Assigned names. Created checklist columns. Contact list. Vendor notes. Even penciled in “check in with committee leads” at key milestones.

By the time she finished, her calendar looked like something straight out of a military op.

Satisfied, she tucked her materials away, grabbed her towel, and took a long shower.

The hot water soothed her muscles and she climbed into bed exhausted, even forgetting to comb out her hair or brush her teeth.

This week might be madness.

But she was ready.

She would bring it all to life.

Firelight. Friendships. Fortitude.