The Warning.

Chapter 1: The Warning

The crisp autumn air carried the sweet scent of pumpkin spice and the distant chatter of students as they prepared for the upcoming Halloween party. Alpha walked across the campus, enjoying the vibrant colors of the changing leaves. He had received a call from Ciara earlier that day, asking for his help in decorating her dorm room. Alpha had agreed, looking forward to spending some time with his friend.

As he approached Ciara's dorm building, Alpha felt a sense of excitement. He had always enjoyed Ciara's company, and he was curious to see how she had decorated her room.

Alpha knocked on the door, and Ciara answered with a big smile on her face. "Hey, Alpha! Thanks for coming over."

Alpha's eyes widened as he stepped into the room. The space was transformed into a spooky haven, complete with spider webs, skeletons, and jack-o'-lanterns. Alpha's gaze landed on Ciara, who was standing amidst the decorations, looking like a completely different person.

Alpha's mind reeled in shock. Ciara wasn't the type of person who would normally decorate her room with spiders and skeletons. She was more of a romantic comedy kind of girl, not a horror movie enthusiast.

As Alpha stood there, frozen in amazement, a guy walked into the room. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a charming smile. "Hey, ladies, and a guy I don't know," he said, his eyes scanning the room.

Ciara's eyes lit up. "Ben! You're just in time. We're decorating for Halloween."

Ben walked straight to Maureen and gave her a peck on her cheek as they embraced each other. "Hey, beautiful. Your room looks lovely. I especially love the spider webs."

Alpha still stood at the door, looking lost. Ciara finally called out to him. "Alpha, c'mon, come help me out here."

Ciara walked over to Alpha and introduced him to her roommate "Guys, this is Alpha. We've been friends since high school."

Ariel's eyes lit up as she shook Alpha's hand. Her handshake was firm, but it lingered a bit too long. Alpha felt a spark of surprise, but he couldn't help but notice the way Ariel's eyes sparkled when she smiled.

Ben, who had been chatting with Maureen, turned to Alpha and extended his hand. "Hey, Alpha. I'm Ben, Maureen's boyfriend."

Alpha shook Ben's hand, feeling a bit awkward. He wasn't sure what to make of Ben, but he seemed friendly enough.

As Alpha began to help with the decorations, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. Ciara seemed different, influenced by her friends in a way that Alpha wasn't comfortable with.

Alpha's concern for Ciara was more than just friendship. He had been in love with her for a while now, but he hadn't found the right moment to tell her. Seeing her in this new environment, surrounded by people who seemed to be changing her, made Alpha feel anxious. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe from whatever was influencing her.

As they continued decorating, Alpha's unease grew. He couldn't help but think about the warning his mother had given him before he left for college.

"Be careful, Alpha," she had said, her voice filled with concern. "Piperswood University has a lot of bad influence. There are rumors of strange occurrences and unexplained events. Don't attend any parties, especially not on Halloween night."

Alpha had dismissed his mother's warning as mere superstition, but now he wasn't so sure. The decorations in Ciara's room seemed to be taking on a more sinister tone, and Alpha couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching them.

The group continued decorating, their laughter and chatter filling the room. But Alpha couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, that the warning his mother had given him was more than just a mere precaution.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the campus, the group decided to take a break and grab some dinner at the cafeteria.

As they walked across the campus, Alpha couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The trees seemed to loom over them, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. The wind rustled through the leaves, creating an eerie whispering sound.

"Hey, guys, let's make a pact to stick together tonight, okay?" Ciara said, looking around at her friends with a serious expression.

"Absolutely," Maureen replied, nodding her head.

"Definitely," Ariel agreed.

Ben and Alpha exchanged a look, and Alpha could sense a hint of unease behind Ben's eyes.

As they entered the cafeteria, the warm glow of the lights and the hum of conversation enveloped them, momentarily chasing away the feeling of unease.

As they sat down at a table, Alpha couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching them. He glanced around the cafeteria, but everyone seemed to be going about their business as usual.

Ciara, oblivious to Alpha's concerns, chatted excitedly about the Halloween party. "Guys, I heard it's going to be epic! There's going to be a costume contest, and the winner gets a prize."

Maureen's eyes lit up. "That sounds amazing! I'm definitely entering the contest."

Ariel nodded in agreement. "Me too! I've already got my costume planned out."

Ben smiled. "I'm not sure if I'll enter the contest, but I'm definitely going to the party."

Alpha hesitated, unsure of what to say. He didn't want to ruin the mood, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

As they continued eating, Alpha's unease grew. He couldn't help but think about the warning his mother had given him.

After dinner, the group decided to head back to the ladies room to finish decorating. Alpha walked alongside Ciara, trying to muster up the courage to tell her about his concerns.

As they approached the dorm building, Alpha noticed that the atmosphere seemed to grow more ominous. The trees seemed to loom over them, casting long, sinister shadows on the ground.

Ciara seemed to sense Alpha's unease and turned to him with a concerned expression. "Hey, Alpha, is everything okay? You seem a bit off."

Alpha hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn't want to ruin the mood, but he couldn't get off the feeling that something was off.

"It's just...I don't know, Ciara. I have a bad feeling about this," Alpha said, trying to sound casual.

Ciara's expression turned serious. "What do you mean? What's wrong?"

Alpha sighed, unsure of how to explain. "I don't know, Ciara. It's just...I feel like something is watching us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The decorations in your dorm room doesn't feel right Ciara."

Ciara's eyes widened in surprise. "Alpha, that's crazy! There's nothing to be afraid of."

But Alpha knew what he felt, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

As they entered Ciara's room, Alpha's unease grew. The decorations seemed to loom over them, casting sinister shadows on the walls.

The group continued decorating, their laughter and chatter filling the room. But Alpha couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

And as they finished decorating, Alpha knew that he had to find a way to protect Ciara and her friends from whatever was lurking in the shadows.

But for now, Alpha just smiled and pretended that everything was okay. Little did he know, the night was only just beginning, and things were about to take a dark and sinister turn.

As they finished decorating, the group decided to celebrate with a game night. They played truth or dare, card games, and even danced to their favorite songs. The room was filled with laughter and music, and for a moment, Alpha forgot about his concerns.

As the night wore on, Ben and Alpha decided to sleep over at the girls' place. They settled in for the night, with Ben and Alpha sleeping on the couch in the living room.

Before they went to bed, Ciara pulled Alpha aside and whispered, "Hey, don't feel uneasy, okay? Everything will be fine."

Alpha's heart skipped a beat as he looked into Ciara's eyes. He wanted to confess his feelings to her, to tell her how much he cared about her. But he waved the thought off, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Instead, he told Ciara about his mother's warning. "I don't know, Ciara. My mom told me to stay away from parties, especially Halloween parties."

Ciara chuckled. "Oh, Alpha, you know how superstitious your mom can be sometimes. Remember when she said that if you fall down to the ground on Christmas Day, it means bad luck?"

Alpha laughed, feeling a bit silly. "Yeah, I remember. She can be a bit dramatic sometimes."

Ben called out from the couch, "Hey, Alpha, excuse the ladies. We'll sleep out here."

Alpha nodded and bid the girls goodnight. As he settled in on the couch with Ben, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.

As he drifted off to sleep, Alpha had a nightmare. He was being chased by a strange being that he couldn't quite describe. It was tall and imposing, with eyes that glowed like embers.

Alpha gasped for air as he woke up, his heart racing. Ben stirred beside him, "Hey, man, you okay?"

Alpha nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream."

But as he lay back down, Alpha couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The words of his mum came flashing back and he thought all through the midnight till morning.