Plague

Diane's POV

The days had passed slowly in the old woman’s house, each one blending into the next as Diane tried to recover from the injuries that had nearly taken her life. Her body still ached, and her mind was clouded with the pain of her past. But there was something else in her—something that refused to let her give up. She had made it this far, and she would not stop now. Revenge was a powerful motivator, and no matter how much her body screamed for rest, her spirit burned with the need to keep moving forward.

It was early one morning when the elder entered the room. Diane was sitting at the small table, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to sip from a cup of herbal tea the elder had insisted she drink. The woman’s presence was always a quiet comfort, but today, there was something different in the air—an unspoken finality.

The elder’s footsteps were soft, but Diane could feel the weight of her gaze as she approached. She stopped at the doorway and waited for Diane to meet her eyes.

“Very soon, you know you have to leave, right?” the elder’s voice was gentle, but it carried an urgency. “All my sisters are traveling away from this town. I won’t be here with you much longer.”

Diane’s heart skipped a beat, an unease settling in her chest. She knew the old woman wasn’t going to be around forever. This house had always been a temporary refuge, and now it seemed that even her sanctuary would be taken from her. She had been healing here, both physically and mentally, but her time was running out. She had no more time to waste.

The elder’s face softened, and she reached into her robes, pulling something small and delicate from within. “But since I won’t be here to guide you, I’ve prepared something for you. A little gift,” she said with a knowing smile.

Diane looked at the small bundle in the elder’s hands, curiosity flickering in her eyes. The elder handed it over with a tenderness that made Diane’s heart ache. She unwrapped it carefully, revealing a soft cloth tied around something solid. She opened it, her fingers brushing the cool, unfamiliar shape inside.

At first, Diane couldn’t make sense of it. It looked like a small, intricately designed plug, a piece of something that seemed ancient, its surface etched with strange symbols. Her brow furrowed, confusion settling over her.

“What is this?” Diane asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The elder’s smile grew a little wider, though it held a sadness to it. “It’s a key of sorts,” she said softly, her voice carrying a weight of experience that Diane couldn’t ignore. “It’s a maid plug—a token that grants access to Riverdales Park, to Riverdales city.”

Diane’s eyes widened in shock. Her heart skipped a beat as her mind raced. A key to Riverdales? The very place she had fought so desperately to reach. The place where the Alpha lived, where her enemies roamed freely. The city she had been forbidden to enter. She could have used this the night she fought—the night she nearly died. If she had had this then, she would have been able to slip through their defenses, make her way in, and confront them on her terms.

“How? How did you get this?” Diane asked, her voice trembling, not from fear, but from a sudden rush of emotions.

The elder sighed softly, her eyes distant. “I used to work as a maid there, long ago,” she explained. “I didn’t have the privilege of being anything more, but I learned what I could while I was there. This is the only thing I can give you. You will be able to enter the city as a maid. A servant—nothing more. But perhaps… perhaps this is the way you’ll be able to get close to the Alpha. Get close enough for your revenge.”

Diane felt a lump form in her throat. She had been given a chance she hadn’t expected, but it came with its own set of limitations. To enter Riverdales as a maid—nothing more. Nothing less. It wasn’t the grand entrance she had envisioned, but it was something. And it was a chance.

Her hands shook as she reached out, taking the plug carefully in her hands. She could feel the weight of it, the significance of what it represented. This was her way in. This was her chance to finally do what she had set out to do. She was closer than ever.

“Thank you,” Diane whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She looked up at the elder, her heart swelling with gratitude. “Thank you for everything.”

The elder nodded, a quiet understanding in her eyes. “You’ll have to leave soon,” she said gently, her voice soft with the knowledge that time was slipping away. “There is no time to waste. The longer you stay here, the more they’ll be looking for you. You must act quickly.”

Diane nodded, a fire igniting within her. There was no time to waste. Her revenge would come soon enough. She didn’t have the luxury of waiting any longer. The Alpha, his Beta, and the others—they had all wronged her. It was time to take back what they had stolen, to make them pay for the pain they had caused.

“I won’t waste another moment,” Diane said, her voice steady now. She could feel the weight of the plug in her hand, its significance grounding her. “I’m leaving now.”

The elder gave her a final, knowing look. “Be careful. And remember, revenge is a dangerous game. Don’t let it consume you.”

Diane didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. The elder had given her the means to get close to her enemies. That was all she needed. Her path was clear now. It was time to take action.

She stood, her legs still weak but her resolve stronger than ever. The elder watched her as she gathered her belongings, her eyes filled with a mixture of pride and sorrow. Diane didn’t look back, though she felt the sting of the woman’s gaze. She had to move forward. She had to be the one to claim her destiny.

The elder’s voice followed her as she turned toward the door. “May the stars guide you, Diane. And may you find what you seek.”

Diane stepped out into the world once more, the weight of the plug heavy in her pocket, her heart thundering with anticipation. This was it. Riverdales Park. The Alpha. Her reven

ge. The pieces were falling into place.

And she would make them pay.