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Her gaze keeps flicking to the floor as she bites on her pretty, plump lower lip, as if she’s trying to stop herself from speaking. My hands ball into fists as I watch the beautiful girl fade into the background as though she isn’t even here.

I choose to remain in the shadows, watching and waiting until it’s the right time to make myself known, whereas Harper is being purposefully pushed off to the side. I might not know anything about her, but I’m fucking certain a girl like Harper should never be hidden away.

As I shuffle from one foot to the other, trying to dispel the nervous energy that’s making me want to stab someone, I must move just enough to draw attention my way, as Ryan’s gaze lands on me. His eyes widen and almost sparkle as a giant shit-eating grin spreads across his face.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the famous Lawson Radley. Did you really come all the way here, just so that we could watch your arse get kicked out?” Ryan gloats, taking a step towards me, pulling Harper with him.

I keep my face neutral, making sure he can see I’m not affected by his words. Instead of replying to him, I take a lazy swig of my drink, loving the way his smile drops into a frown at my disinterest.

Ryan turns slightly and points at the board. “Can you see the name on the top spot? Ryan Sheehan—me. I’m High Crow after our initiation. Where is your name? I thought you said that with your Legacy and skills, there would be no competition…you’d easily be taking the top spot. But I don’t see your name anywhere.”

The urge to argue with him grows, but patience is a skill that any good Crow has, and I’m waiting for my moment. I don’t have to wait long as the clock strikes the hour and the door to the dining room slams open again. Xander Chance, Head of Crowhurst House, strides in, aiming straight for the ranking board.

As the crowd gathers around him, I stay where I am, lazily leaning against the wall. I can see everything from here, including the gorgeous girl who keeps sneaking glances at me out of the corner of her eye when she thinks Ryan isn’t looking.

Her arse is fucking perfect, I think to myself, before Xander interrupts my thoughts.

“Crows, time is up. The initiation period has ended. If your name isn’t on the board, you have not made the cut. You have thirty minutes to get your shit out of this house and off university grounds. If I see your face again after the thirty minutes are up, I will kill you,” Xander announces loudly, his tone turning deadly at the end.

Ryan turns to stare at me, an evil smirk on his face as he wiggles his eyebrows almost comically. But before he can say anything, Xander continues.

“Though I have a last-minute adjustment that needs to be made.”

Starting with the name at the bottom of the ranking, Xander slides it out and moves it to the empty slot below. He then repeats that with all the names on the list, until he gets to Ryan’s at the very top. As he slides Ryan’s name out of the top spot, moving it to the row below, Ryan’s face twists with anger.

“What the fuck?!” he snaps, but Xander ignores him.

He pulls a new plaque out of his pocket and slides it into the space at the top, and as soon as everyone reads the name that’s written in gold, all eyes turn to me.

Lawson Radley—my name now sits in the High Crow Pledge position, and if I have my way, that’s exactly where it will stay for the next three years.

As Ryan glares at me, anger twisting his pretty boy features, I can’t contain my smug, cocky grin. I hold up the pointer finger on my right hand, letting him see the Crow ring that now proudly sits there, glistening under the lights. His gaze flickers between the plaque and my ring, before turning his attention to Xander.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You can’t fucking do that. The deadline has passed,” he snaps.

Xander takes a threatening step towards Ryan, who has the good sense to move back, as Xander’s deadly gaze makes it clear he won’t be spoken to in that way by a Pledge.

“As Head of Crowhurst House, I can do whatever the fuck I want, and you’ll do well to remember your place, Mr Sheehan, or I can take the time to remind you, if you’d like?

“As it is, Mr Radley submitted his evidence to me half an hour ago, which was within the deadline, albeit a little last minute.

“His performance was graded the same way everyone else’s was, and I can assure you, he earned his place at the top. If that bothers you, I suggest you work harder in the future, but my decision is final, and you won’t ever question it again. Do I make myself clear?”

The tone Xander uses makes it incredibly clear there’s no room for arguments, and the temperature seems to drop from the icy glare he’s giving Ryan.

“Yes, sir,” Ryan mutters through gritted teeth, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment.

Xander doesn’t even acknowledge his response; he simply turns on his heel and strides out the door, not sparing any of us a second glance. He’s not here to be our friend. He’s here to push us to be the best Crows we can be, and there won’t be any paternal-style bonding involved.

As the door slams closed behind him, that seems to pull Ryan from the submissive silence he slipped into, and his face twists with anger once more as he turns his attention back to me.

“How the fuck did you do that? You weren’t even on the board half an hour ago. How the hell did you beat me?” he snarls, taking a menacing step towards me, dragging Harper along with him.

She looks up at me, her eyes wide with fear, and I want to reassure her I’m not a danger to her, but that would mean showing weakness in front of Ryan, which I can’t afford right now. Not when my plan is playing out beautifully.

I purposefully avoid looking at her as I take another sip of my beer, pushing off from the wall I’m leaning against. I take a couple of slow steps until I stop right in front of them, the cocky smirk still on my face.

“I can’t help it if I’m better than you. I did what any good Crow should have done…I watched, and I waited,” I explain, shrugging my shoulders dismissively.