The Omega's Price

Chapter 28: Sashi Mountain

Gulf chose a quiet, dark highway and drove for as long as he could, eyes threatening to close and calming music playing through the stereo for the children. Thankfully he had enough cash on him to purchase gas and some money on his personal bank card from before Mew. He stopped in the middle of nowhere at a cheap, sketchy motel and quickly reserved a room from the exhausted front desk clerk. Shuffling inside, he took care of the babies needs before propping them up on the bed and sitting in front of them. His knees drew up to his chest, arms wrapping around them tightly, and his body trembled in fear. Were they at his house yet? Did they already start the fire?

Sleep eluded him as he ran through worst case scenarios, his house up in flames, Sin tracking him down to finish the job. Terror was his only company. Should he get ahold of Mew? His heart screamed yes, but even if he went back, would they stop trying to kill him until Mew returned? Could he trust any of Mew's family to help him? Even Grandmother would choose her only family over him, isn't that what family did? Tears left his eyes and he wiped them away, he had no time for crying.

Everything that he had been afraid of had come to fruition. He knew he shouldn't have become involved with a wealthy family. He couldn't go back now; they were going to kill him and his children. He had been alone for his whole life. This was nothing new. He could handle this.

At some point his body became too exhausted and he slipped into a fitful sleep.

The dream started out like every other, the chilled cabin and dying fire. The impending storm and fevered baby, but this time he could see the other children wrapped up in bundles and lying awake in make-shift cribs.

Outside the cabin was a blanket of white as the wind whipped and snow fell in droves from the sky. Gulf's heart shattered as the fire finally went out, but this time his feet were moving. He ignored the screams of Ayven as he shifted towards the fire, but the crunch of snow outside the cabin halted him in his tracks. The woman was there, her face pushed against the glass as she tried to communicate with him, the same words she had mouthed before. With his legs no longer paralyzed to the spot, he moved towards her cautiously until he was in front of the windowpane.

"Sashi Mountain. When you're in trouble go to Sashi mountain" she said repeatedly, like a mantra, her voice as smooth as honey.

Gulf jolted awake from his dream as Ayven sniffled in his lap meekly. He glanced down to find Natasha awake and staring at him, her alert eyes, missing nothing.

His gaze traveled to the clock on the nightstand that read five in the morning and winced. Would Mew be trying to call him? Smashing his phone had been an impulsive decision to keep anyone from tracking him, but now he regretted it. He just wanted to hear Mew's voice.

He shook his head free of the thoughts. He couldn't worry about his mate right now, he had to think of the children. He would get somewhere safe and then worry about contacting Mew.

Thoughts drifting back to the dream, his curiosity got the best of him, and he began to pack up his bags. He dug through the diaper bag and pulled out some formula. After breast feeding for the first part of their lives, he was absolutely clueless as he tried to read the directions. Stumbling through it, he finally figured it out and got Kye fed and under control before tending to the rest of his babies. He wanted to get a head start on the day just in case someone was out searching for him.

Babies in the stroller and bags around his shoulders he trekked towards the lobby of the motel.

"Ah, hi. I'm Gulf in room 107."

The disinterested girl at the front desk looked at him with a blank stare and popped the bubblegum in her mouth before glancing back down at the magazine open in front of her, "you don't have to check out with us, you're good to go" her monotone voice droned on.