One Night with the ALPHA Instructor

"Ms. Devine, are you certain about this?"

The words hung in the air, the hesitation clear in the voice that belonged to Clara's closest friend, Jane, who was staring at the letter in Clara's hand as if it were a coiled snake.

Her brown eyes were wide, darting between the elegant script and Clara's own uncertain gaze.

"I mean, an elite school offering a teaching position out of nowhere?" Jane continued, disbelief coloring her tone. "This doesn't strike you as...odd?"

Clara bit her lip, her eyes tracing the delicate, almost ancient-looking handwriting. She had asked herself the same question a dozen times already.

The letter had arrived in her mailbox the previous day, sealed with an old-fashioned wax stamp that bore an insignia she didn't recognize-two wolves intertwined around a crescent moon.

The paper was thick, the kind you'd expect to find in a museum, not in your average correspondence.

"Of course it's odd," Clara finally admitted, her voice a soft murmur. "But it's also intriguing, don't you think? Lunar Ridge Academy...an elite institution that offers a 'unique opportunity' to someone like me? I have to at least find out what this is about."

Jane scoffed, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "Someone like you? Clara, you're brilliant, but you know as well as I do that jobs like this don't just fall into your lap-especially not for someone with no connections to whatever shadowy board runs a place like that. Have you even looked this school up? It could be some sort of scam."

Clara shook her head. "I tried, but there's almost nothing about it online. Just a vague website with a picture of the school-looks like it's out in the middle of nowhere.

There's no reviews, no contact information aside from an email, and yet-" she trailed off, her fingers brushing the letter's edge.

"And yet what?" Jane prodded.

"And yet I feel like this is something I'm supposed to do," Clara whispered, more to herself than to Jane. "I can't explain it. It's like I'm being...drawn there."

Jane stared at her as if she'd just announced she was moving to the moon. "That's not a good enough reason to go, Clara. You don't know what you're getting into."

"Maybe not," Clara conceded, slipping the letter back into its envelope. "But I've been stuck in the same routine for so long.

This might be my chance to do something different, something that matters. Don't you ever feel like you're destined for more?"

Jane's expression softened, a sigh escaping her lips. "Just...be careful, okay? Promise me you'll call as soon as you get there."

Clara nodded, offering a small, reassuring smile. "I promise."

Two weeks later, Clara found herself standing at the base of a sprawling stone staircase, staring up at the imposing iron gates of Lunar Ridge Academy.

The drive had been long and winding, taking her through dense forests and narrow mountain roads that seemed to lead her deeper into isolation with every mile.

As she gripped the handle of her suitcase, a chill crept up her spine. The school was more massive than she'd expected, its towering spires disappearing into the mist that clung to the treetops.

The building itself looked like something out of a Gothic novel, with ivy crawling up the stone walls and gargoyles perched at the corners, their faces frozen in eternal snarls.

"This is it," she muttered to herself, her breath visible in the cool evening air. "No turning back now."

She pushed the gate open, the hinges creaking in protest, and stepped onto the cobblestone path leading to the main entrance.

The sound of her footsteps echoed in the stillness, the only other noise coming from the distant howl of a wolf-a sound that made her pause and glance around, but the thick forest concealed any movement beyond the shadows.

As she approached the massive oak doors, they swung open with a groan, revealing a tall, slender woman dressed in a severe black suit.

Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and her pale blue eyes seemed to scrutinize Clara as she stepped inside.

"Ms. Devine, I presume?" the woman said, her voice smooth and cold as marble.

"Yes, that's me," Clara replied, feeling a little off balance under the woman's piercing gaze.

"Welcome to Lunar Ridge Academy," the woman said, extending a gloved hand. "I'm Evelyn Graves, the headmistress. We've been expecting you."

Clara shook her hand, noting how cold it felt even through the glove. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Graves. The academy is...incredible."

"Indeed," Evelyn said, though her tone held no warmth. "I trust your journey was uneventful?"

"Yes, it was fine, thank you," Clara answered, though she felt anything but fine. The oppressive atmosphere of the school was already settling into her bones, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

"Good. We have much to discuss, but first, I'll show you to your quarters," Evelyn said, turning sharply on her heel and leading Clara down a long, dimly lit hallway.

The walls were lined with portraits of stern-looking men and women, their eyes following her as she walked by.

Clara couldn't help but notice that each figure in the paintings seemed to have a shadowy figure behind them-figures with the faintest hint of glowing eyes, almost like wolves lurking in the darkness.

"This place is full of history," Clara remarked, trying to break the silence that had settled between them.

"Lunar Ridge Academy has stood for centuries," Evelyn replied, her voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. "It has seen many changes, many...events over the years.

You'll find that it is a place of tradition and discipline. We expect all our staff and students to uphold these values."

"Of course," Clara said, though she couldn't help but wonder what exactly those "events" entailed.

Something about the way Evelyn spoke made it clear that not all of them were pleasant.

They stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, which Evelyn unlocked with a brass key she produced from her pocket.

The door swung open to reveal a spacious room, furnished in dark wood and deep green velvet.

A large window overlooked the forest, and a fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room.

"This will be your room for the duration of your stay," Evelyn said, stepping aside to let Clara enter.

"Dinner is at seven in the dining hall. I suggest you get some rest before then. The first day can be...overwhelming."

Clara set her suitcase down and turned to Evelyn. "Thank you. I appreciate all the help."

Evelyn gave a curt nod. "We are here to ensure your experience is...productive. I'll leave you to get settled."

With that, she turned and left, the door clicking shut behind her. Clara exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and began to unpack her belongings, trying to shake the unease that had taken hold of her since she'd arrived.

She moved to the window, pulling the heavy curtains aside to get a better view of the forest.

The sun was just beginning to set, casting a warm, golden light over the treetops. But as she looked closer, she caught sight of something that made her freeze.

A large, shadowy figure was standing at the edge of the woods, partially obscured by the trees.

It was too far away to make out any details, but it was tall-taller than any person she'd ever seen.

The figure didn't move, didn't seem to breathe, just stood there, watching.

Clara's heart began to race as she backed away from the window, her pulse thudding in her ears.

She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but when she looked again, the figure was gone-vanished into the growing darkness of the forest.

"What was that?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

The rational part of her mind insisted it was nothing-just a trick of the light, a product of her tired imagination.

But another part, the part that had drawn her here in the first place, told her that she had just seen something very real, something that was waiting for her.

And whatever it was, it was far from friendly.

The fire in the hearth crackled behind her, but its warmth did nothing to chase away the cold dread that settled in the pit of her stomach.

Clara knew, deep down, that she had just glimpsed the beginning of something much darker, much more dangerous than she had ever anticipated.

Clara's hand hovered over the phone on the nightstand, her promise to Jane echoing in her mind.

Should she call her friend and tell her about the strange figure, about the unsettling feeling that had taken hold of her since she arrived?

But before she could make a decision, the door to her room creaked open slowly, and Clara's breath caught in her throat as a shadowy figure loomed in the doorway.