---
It wasn't that I was nervous. I wasn't.
I was just… mildly concerned that I was about to enter a battlefield with a bunch of psychopaths in school uniforms.
But that's what happens when you're sent on a mission like mine.
Codename: Raven.
New identity: Ray.
The world thought I was just another boy in a criminal university. The reality? I was there to expose it. And nothing was going to stop me—not even the dangerously handsome, mafia-infected boys who walked these halls like they owned it.
---
King's Dominion University.
A prestigious institution for the criminally inclined.
An elite breeding ground for assassins, thieves, hackers, and mafia heirs.
And it was now my home for the next six months.
I walked through the iron gates with a practiced nonchalance, adjusting the blazer that barely fit over my chest. The bindings were tight—too tight, but I had no choice. It was either this or risk blowing my cover. My short hair was combed to perfection, hiding any hint of the woman beneath.
Boys walked past, sizing me up, probably thinking I was a new recruit.
The tension in the air was palpable, like they were all one wrong word away from tearing each other's throats out. Perfect.
I kept my head down, pretending I belonged here. No one would expect a girl to pose as a boy, right? Let's hope that kept me alive long enough to complete my mission.
---
"Yo, you lost, Barbie?"
The voice came from behind me, dripping with sarcasm. I turned, my eyes meeting the unamused glare of a tall guy leaning against the gate. His dark curls were messy, like he just rolled out of bed after a fight. I recognized him immediately. Neo.
The tech genius. Hacker extraordinaire. Flirty bastard.
I gave him a lazy smirk. "Nope. Just looking for where they keep the clowns."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Feisty. Cute. You're either brave or stupid."
I shrugged. "Or both."
He didn't seem to mind the sass. Instead, he pushed off the gate, his hands casually slipping into his pockets. "You'll fit right in here. Just don't fall for Zavian's charm, yeah?"
"Zavian?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"King of this joint. Mafia prince, too. He's the one who runs everything around here. Good luck, Ray," Neo added, the playful edge in his voice sliding into something darker. "Trust me, kid, you're gonna need it."
---
I had barely processed his words when a door slammed open in front of me.
Zavian. The guy everyone feared. The mafia heir and university owner. He was everything I wasn't—cold, ruthless, untouchable.
He stood in the doorway, one hand tucked casually in his pocket, eyes locked on me with a hint of… something. Intrigue? Suspicion?
"You're new," he said in that calm, dangerous voice. "Ray, right?"
"Correct," I replied, trying to match his level of coldness, but failing miserably. There was something unnerving about him. A presence that made the air around him heavier.
"I don't like lies," he said, his eyes narrowing. "And I don't like people who don't belong here."
"I belong here," I said with a shrug. "I'm a student, just like everyone else."
He studied me for a moment, then nodded. "We'll see about that."
I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me. "You should be careful. This place has a way of breaking people."
I kept walking, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of a response. But my heart was racing. It was clear Zavian wasn't an easy target, and if I was going to get anywhere with my mission, I had to figure him out fast.
---
Room 709.
I stepped into the room and froze.
There was a guy sitting on the top bunk, staring out the window with a cigarette dangling from his lips. His dark eyes seemed to see everything, as if he were constantly reading the room for danger. Rivan. The assassin-in-training. Deadly silent, but never anything less than lethal.
I couldn't tell if he was intrigued by my entrance or just bored out of his mind.
"Got a problem?" I asked, my voice sharp.
He glanced at me once, then flicked the cigarette out of the window with one fluid motion. "No. Just wondering why the hell they put you with me."
I shrugged, tossing my duffel bag on the floor. "Probably thought I'd be a good influence on you."
"Right," he muttered, not looking at me. "Let's see how long you last before you piss off the wrong person."
---
Later that night, in combat class, I finally realized what I was up against.
We were partnered for sparring. My partner? Rivan. The quiet, deadly one who barely spoke. It was clear he could kill me with a single move if he wanted to.
"Don't go easy on me," I warned him, squaring up.
He smirked, his eyes cold. "You won't last ten seconds."
We collided.
His moves were sharp, brutal. I barely dodged a punch to the face and quickly countered with a low kick. But before I could react, his hand was around my throat, pushing me to the ground.
"That's enough," the instructor called, but Rivan didn't let go immediately. His eyes met mine, and for a brief second, there was something… unreadable there.
"Try not to get yourself killed," he said before stepping back.
---
Three boys.
One mafia prince.
One silent assassin.
One hacker.
And one girl pretending to be a boy.
I wasn't here to make friends.
I wasn't here to survive.
I was here to bring this place down.
---