**Aria's POV**

The fire alarm screamed through the resort at six in the morning.

I jumped out of bed, my heart pounding. This wasn't part of my plan. I hadn't set any fires.

Which meant Marcus was making his own moves.

I threw on clothes and ran downstairs. Smoke poured from the kitchen, and people were rushing everywhere. Dominic stood in the middle of the chaos, shouting orders to his staff.

"Get everyone outside! Call the fire department!"

I pushed through the crowd until I reached him. "What happened?"

He turned to me, his face covered in soot. "The ovens exploded. All of them. At the same time." His eyes were wild with stress. "That's not an accident, Aria. Someone's doing this on purpose."

My stomach twisted with guilt. Even though I hadn't caused this one, I was still part of Marcus's plan.

"Is anyone hurt?" I asked.

"No, thank God. But the kitchen is destroyed. We can't cook food for three hundred people without a kitchen." He ran his hands through his hair. "The festival is in five days. Five days, and everything's falling apart."

I wanted to hug him. To tell him it would be okay. But Marcus's sniper was probably watching us right now.

"We'll figure it out," I said instead. "I know a catering company that can bring in portable kitchens."

Dominic looked at me with such hope that it hurt. "Really?"

"Really. Let me make some calls."

As the fire department arrived, I stepped away to text Marcus: "Did you do this?"

His reply came instantly: "Of course. Keep things interesting. And remember - make sure nothing actually gets fixed."

I stared at the message. Marcus wanted me to pretend to help while making sure the festival still failed. He was testing me. Seeing if I'd really choose Dominic's life over my revenge.

The answer was easy. I'd choose Dominic every time.

But how could I save him when Marcus controlled everything?

"Aria?" Dominic's voice made me jump. "Are you okay? You look scared."

I forced a smile. "Just worried about the timeline. But don't stress. I'll handle it."

He stepped closer, and even through my blockers, I could smell his scent. Pine and leather and something that made my wolf whine with longing.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" he asked quietly.

The question surprised me. "What do you mean?"

"Most people would've quit by now. Too many problems. Too much stress. But you keep staying. Keep helping." He searched my face like he was looking for something. "Why?"

Because I love you, I wanted to say. Because five years ago you were my whole world, and even though you broke my heart, I never stopped loving you.

But instead I said, "Because I don't give up on people."

Something flickered in his eyes. Pain. Hope. Recognition.

"You remind me of someone," he whispered.

My heart stopped. "Who?"

"Someone I lost. Someone who used to look at me the way you're looking at me right now."

I stepped back quickly. Too close. This was too close to the truth.

"I should make those calls," I said, my voice shaking.

Before he could respond, his phone rang. He answered it, and I watched his face go pale.

"What? When?" He listened, his jaw clenching tighter and tighter. "I'll be right there."

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The pack elders. The ones who were in the car accident?" His voice was hollow. "One of them just died. The doctors say it was unexpected complications."

I felt sick. Marcus had killed someone. Actually killed someone to get what he wanted.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered.

Dominic looked at me with such sadness that I wanted to cry. "This pack is cursed. Everything I touch turns to disaster. Maybe Marcus is right. Maybe I'm not meant to be Alpha."

"Don't say that—"

"Why not? It's true." He gestured at the smoking kitchen. "Look around, Aria. My father built this resort from nothing. He created a safe, happy place for our pack. And in two years as Alpha, I've watched it all crumble."

"That's not your fault."

"Isn't it?" He laughed bitterly. "Five years ago, I made the worst decision of my life. I rejected my true mate because I was scared and weak. And ever since then, nothing has gone right. It's like the universe is punishing me."

I couldn't hold back anymore. "What if she forgave you? What if she came back?"

Dominic's eyes met mine, and for a second, I saw hope flash across his face. Then it died.

"She's dead. And even if she wasn't, why would she forgive me? I destroyed her. Called her worthless in front of everyone. Sent her out to die in a snowstorm." His voice cracked. "I don't deserve forgiveness."

"Everyone deserves forgiveness," I said fiercely. "Even people who make terrible mistakes."

We stood there staring at each other, and I felt the air between us crack with electricity. My wolf was howling inside me, begging me to tell him the truth. To throw away my blockers and show him who I really was.

But then I remembered the sniper. The wolfsbane. Marcus's promise to kill Dominic if I didn't play along.

My phone buzzed. Another text from Marcus: "Touching scene. Now get back to work. The ballroom chandelier needs to 'accidentally' fall this afternoon. Make it happen."

I felt tears burn my eyes. I had to keep hurting Dominic to save him. How twisted was that?

"I should go," I said quickly. "Lots to do."

"Aria, wait." Dominic grabbed my hand, and the touch sent electricity through my whole body. "Thank you. For everything. For not giving up on us."

The word "us" made my heart ache. There was no "us." There couldn't be. Not while Marcus held all the power.

"You're welcome," I managed to say.

I spent the rest of the morning making calls for real catering companies while secretly planning how to make the chandelier fall. It felt like being torn in two. Part of me wanted to help Dominic so badly. The other part knew that helping him meant Marcus would kill him.

Around noon, Dominic brought me coffee. Real coffee, made exactly how I liked it. Sweet with lots of cream.

"How did you know?" I asked, staring at the cup.

He smiled sadly. "Lucky guess."

But it wasn't a guess. He remembered. This was how I'd drunk my coffee five years ago. Which meant some part of him recognized me, even if he didn't know it yet.

"You should drink it before it gets cold," he said.

I took a sip, and it was perfect. Just like he used to make for me when we were teenagers and everything was simple and beautiful.

"Thank you," I whispered.

We worked together all afternoon, planning decorations and schedules. And despite everything, I found myself laughing at his jokes. Smiling at his stories. Remembering why I'd fallen in love with him in the first place.

He wasn't the cold Alpha who'd rejected me. He was Dominic. The boy who'd held my hand during thunderstorms. Who'd shared his lunch when I forgot mine. Who'd promised me forever under the stars.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, catching me staring at him.

"Just... old memories."

"Good ones or bad ones?"

"Both."

He nodded like he understood. "Yeah. I know that feeling."

At three o'clock, Marcus's security guard appeared in the doorway. He looked at me and tapped his watch. Time to sabotage the chandelier.

My hands started shaking.

"I need to check on the ballroom decorations," I said, standing up.

"I'll come with you," Dominic offered.

"No!" I said too quickly. Then softer: "I mean, don't you have that pack meeting? You should go. I've got this."

He looked hurt but nodded. "Okay. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Later."

I watched him walk away, his shoulders slumped with stress. Then I followed the guard to the ballroom.

"You're cutting it close," the guard said, handing me a small tool. "Marcus wants this done now."

I looked up at the beautiful crystal chandelier hanging over the center of the ballroom. If it fell, it could hurt someone. Maybe even kill someone.

"I can't do this," I said.

The guard pulled out his phone and showed me a live video. Dominic, sitting in his office. Alone. Unprotected.

"You have ten minutes," the guard said. "Or he dies. Your choice."

I climbed the ladder with tears streaming down my face. My hands shook as I loosened the bolts holding the chandelier. Just a little. Just enough that it would fall later when the ballroom was empty.

I hoped.

I prayed.

I climbed back down and ran out of the ballroom. I couldn't watch. Couldn't see what I'd done.

In the bathroom, I splashed cold water on my face and stared at myself in the mirror. Who was I anymore? Not Aria Matthews, the innocent girl who'd believed in love. Not Aria Blake, the successful event planner with a revenge plan.

I was something in between. Something broken.

My phone rang. Elena.

"How's it going?" she asked cheerfully.

"Terrible. Everything's terrible."

"What's wrong?"

I wanted to tell her everything. About Marcus. About the threats. About how I was trapped in an impossible situation.

But before I could speak, I heard a loud CRASH from the direction of the ballroom.

The chandelier. It had fallen.

I ran back, my heart in my throat. Please let it be empty. Please let no one be hurt.

But when I got there, I froze.

The chandelier lay in pieces on the floor. And standing in the middle of the destruction, staring up at the broken ceiling fixture, was Dominic.

He turned to look at me, his face unreadable.

"Funny thing," he said quietly. "I was just checking to make sure the chandelier was secure for the festival. Good thing I did, right? Could've fallen during the ceremony and killed someone."

His eyes met mine, and I saw something there that made my blood run cold.

He knew.

Somehow, Dominic knew I was behind the accidents.

"Dominic, I can explain—"

"Can you?" He stepped over the broken crystal, moving closer. "Because I've been thinking. All these accidents started right when you arrived. Isn't that an interesting coincidence?"

"It's not what you think—"

"Then what is it, Aria?" He stopped right in front of me. "Why are you really here?"

Before I could answer, his phone buzzed. He looked at it, and his face went white.

"What?" I whispered.

He showed me the screen. A text from an unknown number: "Tell her the truth about five years ago, or everyone learns what she's been doing. You have one hour. - M"

Marcus. Playing games with both of us now.

Dominic looked at me with betrayal in his eyes. "Who are you really?"

And I knew, right then, that everything was about to explode.