**Aria's POV**

The wine cellar door creaked open like something from a horror movie.

"Right on time." Marcus's voice came from the shadows. "I was beginning to think you'd disappoint me."

I stepped inside, my hands clenched into fists. The door slammed shut behind me, and I heard the lock click. My heart jumped into my throat.

"What do you want, Marcus?"

He moved into the dim light from a single bulb hanging above us. His smile made my skin crawl.

"What do I want?" He laughed. "That's a funny question coming from someone who's been sabotaging my family's resort for months."

I tried to keep my voice steady. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb, Aria Matthews. Or should I call you Aria Blake?" He pulled out his phone and showed me pictures. Pictures of me loosening screws on shelves. Pictures of me talking to vendors I'd paid to cancel. Pictures of me placing small devices around the resort.

My stomach dropped. He'd been watching me this whole time.

"How long have you known?" I whispered.

"Since the moment you drove into town." Marcus circled me like a hungry wolf. "Did you really think those scent blockers would fool me? I'm the one who helped develop them for military use. I know exactly what they smell like."

I felt stupid. So incredibly stupid.

"If you knew, why didn't you tell Dominic?"

Marcus stopped right in front of me. "Because, little omega, you're doing exactly what I need you to do. You're destroying my brother's credibility piece by piece. When this festival fails, the pack council will remove him as Alpha. And I'll finally take my rightful place."

"You're using me."

"Of course I am." He shrugged like it was obvious. "Just like I used you five years ago. Getting rid of you was the first step in weakening Dominic. Having you come back to finish the job? That's just perfect timing."

Rage burned through my chest. "You monster. You made him reject me. You made him think I was weak."

"You were weak," Marcus said coldly. "A pathetic little omega who thought she could be Luna. You would have ruined everything I'd been planning for years."

"And now?"

"Now you're going to keep sabotaging the festival. You're going to make sure everything falls apart on Christmas Eve. And when Dominic loses everything, I'll be there to save the pack from his failure."

I shook my head. "No. I won't do it."

Marcus's eyes turned dark and dangerous. "You don't have a choice. Either you help me, or I tell Dominic the truth about who you really are. Imagine his face when he learns that the woman he's been trusting is actually the dead girlfriend come back for revenge."

"He'd understand—"

"Would he?" Marcus laughed. "Would he understand that you've been lying to him for weeks? That you've been causing all these accidents? That you came here to destroy him?" He leaned closer. "No, Aria. He'd hate you. Just like he did five years ago."

Those words hit me like a punch. Because part of me believed them. Part of me was still that scared girl who'd been rejected in front of everyone.

"What if I refuse?" I asked quietly.

"Then Dominic dies."

The room spun around me. "What?"

"You heard me." Marcus pulled out a small vial from his pocket. "This is wolfsbane extract. Very rare. Very deadly. One drop in his coffee, and he'll be dead within hours. The pack will think it's just a heart attack. Stress from all the festival problems."

I couldn't breathe. "You wouldn't kill your own brother."

"I've been planning this for years, Aria. I've already poisoned the pack elders who would've stopped me. That 'car accident' they had? That was me too. I'll do whatever it takes to become Alpha."

My hands shook. This was worse than I'd imagined. Marcus wasn't just manipulative. He was a murderer.

"So here's the deal," Marcus continued. "You keep sabotaging the festival. Make sure it's a complete disaster. On Christmas Eve, when everything falls apart, you'll stand up in front of the pack and reveal who you really are. Tell them you came back for revenge. Make Dominic look like a fool for not recognizing his own mate."

"And if I don't?"

Marcus held up the vial. "Then I make sure Dominic never sees Christmas morning."

I wanted to scream. To fight. To run. But I was trapped. If I refused, Dominic would die. If I agreed, his reputation would be destroyed and Marcus would become Alpha.

Either way, I lost.

"I need time to think," I said.

"You have until tomorrow morning." Marcus walked to the door and unlocked it. "Oh, and Aria? Don't even think about warning Dominic. I have people watching him every second. If you try to tell him anything, he dies immediately."

The door swung open, and cold air rushed in.

"Sweet dreams, little omega."

I stumbled out of the wine cellar and into the hallway, my mind racing. What was I going to do? I couldn't let Marcus kill Dominic. But I also couldn't destroy everything Dominic had worked for.

My phone buzzed. A text from Dominic: "Are you okay? You left so quickly. I'm in my office if you need anything."

Tears filled my eyes. He was being kind to me. Caring about me. And I was stuck in the middle of his brother's evil plan.

I started walking toward his office without thinking. Maybe I could tell him everything. Maybe together we could stop Marcus.

But then I remembered the vial of wolfsbane. Marcus's promise to kill Dominic if I said anything.

I stopped outside Dominic's office door. Inside, I could hear him talking on the phone.

"Yes, Mother. I know the festival has to be perfect... No, I won't let the pack down... I promise."

The pain in his voice broke my heart. He was trying so hard. Fighting so hard to prove he was a good Alpha.

And I was the one destroying everything for him.

I raised my hand to knock on the door. Then I heard footsteps behind me.

Marcus's security guard stood at the end of the hallway, watching me. Waiting to see what I'd do.

I lowered my hand and walked away.

Back in my hotel room, I sat on the bed and cried. Real, painful tears that I'd been holding in for weeks.

I'd come here for revenge. To make Dominic suffer like I'd suffered. But now everything was twisted and wrong. Marcus was the real enemy. He'd always been the real enemy.

And Dominic? Dominic was just another victim in Marcus's game for power.

My phone buzzed again. Another text from Marcus: "I'm waiting for your answer. Choose wisely."

I stared at the message for a long time. Then I typed back: "I'll do it. But you have to promise not to hurt him."

"Scout's honor," Marcus replied with a laughing emoji.

I threw my phone across the room and buried my face in my hands.

Tomorrow, I'd have to start planning the festival while secretly making sure it failed. I'd have to smile at Dominic while destroying his dreams. I'd have to pretend everything was fine while my heart was breaking.

But at least he'd be alive.

A soft knock on my door made me freeze.

"Aria?" Dominic's voice called softly. "I know you're in there. I can... I can sense you. Please, just tell me you're okay."

I held my breath. How did he sense me through the blockers?

"I don't know what's wrong," he continued. "But whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone. Let me help you."

My hand reached for the door handle. Every part of me wanted to open it. To fall into his arms. To tell him everything.

But then my phone lit up with a new message. A photo.

It was Dominic, taken from outside his office window. And in the corner of the photo, barely visible, was a red laser dot.

A sniper's laser.

Aimed right at his heart.

The message below read: "Open that door and he dies. Make your choice now."

My hand dropped from the handle.

"I'm fine," I called through the door, my voice cracking. "Just tired. I'll see you tomorrow."

Silence. Then: "Okay. Goodnight, Aria."

His footsteps faded away down the hall.

I slid down the door and sat on the floor, shaking.

Marcus had a sniper watching Dominic. Right now. Ready to kill him if I made one wrong move.

This wasn't just a game anymore.

This was life or death.

And I had no idea how to save the man I loved without destroying him first.