One Night with the ALPHA Instructor

are you certa

that belonged to Clara's closest friend, Jane, who was stari

ing between the elegant script

tion out of nowhere?" Jane continued, disbelief co

, almost ancient-looking handwriting. She had ask

d with an old-fashioned wax stamp that bore an insignia she di

u'd expect to find in a museum, n

intriguing, don't you think? Lunar Ridge Academy...an elite institution that offers a '

rilliant, 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 co

ng about it online. Just a vague website with a picture o

aside from an email, and yet-" she trailed

what?" Jan

o do," Clara whispered, more to herself than to Jane.

moving to the moon. "That's not a good enough reason

letter back into its envelope. "But I've

ifferent, something that matters. Don't yo

g her lips. "Just...be careful, okay? Promi

ng a small, reassurin

the base of a sprawling stone staircase, staring u

ugh dense forests and narrow mountain roads that seem

spine. The school was more massive than she'd expected, its tower

novel, with ivy crawling up the stone walls and gargoyles p

elf, her breath visible in the cool

king in protest, and stepped onto the cobb

coming from the distant howl of a wolf-a sound that made her pause and gla

y swung open with a groan, revealing a tall,

bun, and her pale blue eyes seemed to

the woman said, her voice

d, feeling a little off balance

aid, extending a gloved hand. "I'm Evelyn Grav

even through the glove. "It's a pleasure to mee

her tone held no warmth. "I tru

ut fine. The oppressive atmosphere of the school was already settling into

u to your quarters," Evelyn said, turning sharply on her

of stern-looking men and women, their

eemed to have a shadowy figure behind them-figures with the faintes

ara remarked, trying to break the si

eplied, her voice echoing slightly off the stone walls.

tion and discipline. We expect all our s

she couldn't help but wonder what

yn spoke made it clear that n

en door, which Evelyn unlocked with a

a spacious room, furnished in d

and a fire crackled in the hearth, cast

ration of your stay," Evelyn said,

. I suggest you get some rest before th

nd turned to Evelyn. "Thank yo

to ensure your experience is...produ

ed a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and began to unpack her belongi

ng the heavy curtains aside to

olden light over the treetops. But as she looked clos

nding at the edge of the woods,

ny details, but it was tall-taller

didn't seem to breathe, j

she backed away from the window,

when she looked again, the figure was gone-van

whispered to herself

it was nothing-just a trick of the lig

n the first place, told her that she had just seen so

t was, it was f

t its warmth did nothing to chase away the cold

sed the beginning of something much darker, muc

hone on the nightstand, her prom

the strange figure, about the unsettling feelin

room creaked open slowly, and Clara's breath caught i