One Night with the ALPHA Instructor

nd orientation. I met with the other faculty members, m

art of some unspoken agreement that I wasn't privy to. Even the student

engraved in various places-on doorframes, in the carvings of the

s everywhere, a constant reminde

uestions it raised, and the le

usted but no closer to understanding

d every piece I uncovered onl

cademy were vast, with winding paths that led through gardens, c

pine and earth, and for a moment, I allowed myself

ain building, that sense of being wat

eir branches rustling softly in the breeze. I quick

e trees, moving too quickly to be an animal,

stopped in my tracks, scanning the

trying to keep my voice steady

the quiet rustle of leaves an

back to the academy when the shadow reappear

had watched me from the edge of the woods. But now, it was clos

artially obscured by the shadows, but there was no mistakin

intly in the dark, an eerie

said, his voice ca

step back, my pulse

sts at heart," Maxim said, stepping closer, his expr

gainst the rough bark of a tree as I tried to put s

he most obvious thing in the world. "There are t

ore dangerous than you reali

er into frustration. "Why can't you just tell me wh

re rules, Ms. Devine. Rules I can't break. But know this-your a

spine, stirring something deep inside

w growl rumbled from the darkness behind hi

ening as he turned his head slightly toward the soun

said, his voice tight

and from the shadows emerged a pair of glow

my neck stood up as I re

cutting through the fear that had

lted, the sound of footsteps and s

d the branches tore at my clothes as I pushe

of a struggle-growls, the clash of bodies,

g me, but there was no response, onl

oods, my heart hammering in my chest as I collapsed onto

see those glowing eyes emerging from the shadows, but the

growls. The silence meant somethin

lization hit me like a cold wave-Maxim was gone,

ht, the sound piercing and mournful, se

down that this was just the beginning, and t