Pregnant With Four Alphas' Babies: A Reverse Harem Romance Chapter 225: Escape Plans

*Retta*

I’m starting to think twice about my idea to keep Astrid. Not only did I lose out on three hundred extra gold coins, but I’ve been having to use up too many of the nine hundred that I did get for the other babies just to buy things for her.

I don’t have time to pull over and count what’s left of it, so I calculate it all in my head. First, there was the rental car so I could get as far away as I could, then there were the diapers, the formula, a car seat so she’s easier to carry, and some cute outfits for her that I’d just seen in a store window the last town back.

I shake my head. At this rate, I’ll have nothing to show for it but a cute kid with curly hair. And now, the more she’s crying, the more she’s not so cute anymore. I should have spent the money on cute outfits for myself. I step on the gas a little harder; I want to put as much distance between Rose and me as possible so she can quit screaming in my head for her babies. I’ve got enough noise going on with the baby crying. Rose’s voice on top of it all is just annoying.

As the engine purrs, Astrid starts to calm down and fall asleep, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, some peace and quiet, at least in the car. I tune out Rose’s screaming so I can think. I bet I could have gotten more money for the other babies if I hadn’t been in such a hurry before. I can’t worry about that, though, because I had to get out of there quickly. It’s a lot easier to travel with one baby than four. They’ll be looking for someone with four babies.

I pass a sign that says Oasis Creek, which I know is a pretty big town, bigger than Amityville. I should be able to blend in there. Maybe I’ll dye my hair and cut it. Or maybe not. I kind of like my hair. Maybe I can just buy a few hats.

If Astrid is worth three hundred gold coins in a rush, I’m sure she’s worth a lot more than that in a place where I can take my time to make a good sale. I’m not cut out for this motherhood thing, and it’s taking up too much of my money.

I like this car, but I’m going to have to ditch it, since I only paid for two days. I’m guessing that the rental car company will report it stolen when I don’t bring it back, and the last thing I need is to get pulled over in a stolen car with a stolen baby. No, I can’t risk that.

As I drive into the outskirts of Oasis Creek, Rose’s voice disappears from my head. I must finally be out of range! I relax more and look around as I drive through the suburbs. Overall, the city looks like a really nice place. All the houses have pretty yards with pretty landscape designs, and some have nice swimming pools in the backyards with fancy rock waterfalls and barbecue pits. Can I make enough money selling one baby to buy a house with a pool? Eh, probably not. But it’s nice to dream.

Soon I’m in the downtown area, and there are a ton of nice-looking luxury hotels. They tower high in the sky and must have hundreds of rooms, so I’ll definitely get lost in the crowd staying in one of these. I wonder how many nights I’ll get in a nice hotel room with the coins I have left. Maybe I don’t have as much time to sell Astrid as I think I do.

In Amityville, I had gone to the seedy part of town to make a sale. I’ll probably have to do the same here. But if I ditch the car, it’s going to be a long walk to one of these fancy hotels. I shrug my shoulders and keep driving. I’ll have to save the nice hotels for when I get all the money from the final sale of Astrid.

The city still looks nice well into the heart of the downtown area, and I’m starting to wonder whether I’ll actually find an iffy-looking place where I can find a baby buyer. But just as I’m wondering, there’s a huge change in the downtown vibe, and I know I’m in the right neighborhood now. This place gives me the creeps. I’ll have to stay in my hotel room after dark.

It doesn’t take long until I find a halfway decent but cheap-looking motel, so I park the car a couple of blocks away where I can ditch it. By morning, it’ll probably be stolen by someone, especially if I leave the keys in it. If I ever get caught, I’ll just say I forgot. I’m not going to get caught.

As soon as I park the car, Astrid wakes up and starts crying again. I open the back door and pick her up out of her car seat to quiet her down. I don’t want to draw too much attention to myself.

But when I look into her eyes, and look at that adorable curly hair and feel the way she snuggles up against me, something changes inside me. It’s like my heart starts to melt. When she was in the backseat crying or sleeping, it was easy to think about selling her. But now, all I want to do is keep Astrid safe in my arms forever.

No, I guess I won’t be selling her after all.

Astrid is mine.

* * *

*Kelly*

I can handle a few more days without much food, but it’s really starting to take a toll on the girls. Even though I can’t see Heather and Kara most of the time, I can tell that they’re getting weak.

I know Eli is looking for me, and he likely has a whole army on the job. I think it’s taking so long because he was distracted by the babies’ births, but now that the babies are born and Rose is safe, I’m sure he’s turned his attention to the search for me.

And in the meantime, it’s my job to keep it together and make some escape plans of my own.

I’ve been working on one of the guards, Randolph. He was really creepy at first, but as I’ve been working on warming up to him, he’s actually not creepy at all. I think he’s just been taken advantage of by the other guys, so he tends to try to show off around them. He’s different when he’s by himself.

Every time he comes in with a little food or water, I give him a big smile, and that’s worked well because he’s slowly bringing just a little more food and water every time. I think he might be giving us some of his own rations. If that’s the case, he probably either feels guilty about keeping us chained up, or he’s starting to think I’m really his friend.

Frankly, I’m a little confused about the situation myself. The way we’ve been talking more, he really seems like a friend. It must be my half-starved mind playing tricks on me. But when we get out of here, I’m going to see about helping him. I don’t think he’d be doing all this without someone more powerful calling the shots. That makes me think that either there’s an Alpha around or someone very close to an Alpha who’s in charge of what’s happening here.

I don’t understand the value in keeping a few women hostages, unless they know who I am, and they’re hoping that holding me can give them power over Eli or the other Alphas.

The door opens, and Randolph comes in again with a big smile, which I return. “Hi, Randolph,” I say. “What do you have for us today?”

“I’m not s’posed to talk to ya,” he says, but then he lowers his voice to a whisper. “But… I’ve got a loaf of bread I managed to hide from ‘em.”

I really don’t want to know where he’s hidden it, but I’m glad for the food. “Break up most of it and give it to the girls, will you, Randolph?” I ask. “I’d really appreciate it.” I give him a big smile at the end, and he quickly does what I ask, giving the girls most of the loaf of bread.

“Don’t eat too quickly girls,” I say. “Your bellies aren’t used to it.”

I can see them nodding in the bright light that always floods into the door, the only time I’m really able to see them. They actually look a little better than I expect, maybe because they’re munching down on a lot more food than they’d seen in a few days.

I eat slowly, chewing on my smaller portion, which is plenty for me. Randolph has brought a bottle of water for all of us, so I must be getting to him. It’s only a matter of time before I ask him to help us escape.

I think he will.

After some pleasantries, he hears someone call him, so he has to leave. I give him one last smile and feel my heart sink as the door shuts, and we’re alone in darkness again.

I take my time eating the last of my bread, thinking about the next step in my escape plan.