7. Sus

"Sir, the Alpha sends word to have you come to his office." Eunice, Ryan's secretary informs him.

*

There were five people in the Alpha's office when Ryan went in. They were his grandpa, his dad, and uncle Brody and uncle Seth, plus a youthful man around his early thirties.

"Noah, get up. This is Ryan, your cousin. He is my current heir as of now. And," Alpha Seamus instructed and pointed to Ryan. 

"And Ryan, this is your uncle Brody's son, Noah. He is three years older than you and he'll be starting work today as Vice President (VP). I need you to teach him the ropes well. Who knows? He might end up as the next Alpha."

Noah stretched forth his hand to shake but Ryan ignored him.

"Is that all? Can I leave now?" 

"Yes, you may leave. But I want to believe that what you told me the other time was not just a ruse. So I really hope that you'll bring her with you on that day." The old Alpha smirked at him.

Ryan turned and left. But his grandpa was having a field day, seeing his clenched hands and his refusal to even shake hands with his new cousin.

*

Bang! 

Ryan slams his hand hard on his desk. His grandpa's annoyance coupled with his failure on the surrogacy has made his mood turn sour.

He was finding that new cousin's presence to be very annoying despite his understanding that it's no fault of the guy.

Why does it seem like all of a sudden, he and that guy from nowhere are being pitted against each other? Not just by his grandpa but by the universe as well?

And why does it also look like the guy is coming after things that used to be his? First, his fiancée turned out to be Ryan's first ex and now he is about to take his position from him. 

Now talking about fiancées and exes, wasn't that lady he had helped taken to the hospital last night supposedly this cousin's ex fiancée? 

A wicked smirk formed on Ryan's face as a picture started to form in his mind's eye.

***************************

Rrring! Rrring!! Rrring!!!

"Who is it that you're not answering? I think he is going to blow up your phone if don't answer it." Arla said. Sienna sat beside the driver in the front while the two of them sat in the back.

Rrring! Rrring!! 

"Ryan? I said I'll..." Freya finally answered the call. Arla turned to look at her friend with curiosity due to how she casually called out that man's name.

"Get me a date for an engagement ceremony in month's time. I want it to be that friend of yours. If you're able to do that, I'll ignore what you did over the phone yesterday and put this surrogacy matter on hold for now."

Beep! Beep!! Beep!!!

The call cuts before Freya could could even get a word through.

They soon arrived at Arla's place now. 

Freya's heatbeat increased, and she blurted out her thoughts before thinking things through. "Sienna, I need your help. Otherwise, I I'll be dead. Figuratively."

*

"What are you saying? Who is this guy that you're talking about?" Sienna asked after Freya explained Ryan's request to her.

"He's my friend. I asked for a favor yesterday and now this is what he asked for in return. I've already fallen in serious trouble with him so I'll definitely end up dead if I dare to add more to the list. Please."

"No, Freya. I can't. Please leave me out of this."

Arla tried to intercede. She gave a glass of water to Sienna and sat beside her. "Um, Sienna. He was the one that took you to the hospital and brought me back home last night. 

I went to pay for the bills and he had already cleared everything. It is how you ended up in that expensive VVIP room. So at least this could serve as a form of payment for his kindness. What do you say?"

"Am I the only one finding his request suspicious? I mean, why would he specifically ask for me when we had only met yesterday? Don't you find that sus?"

"Hmm." Freya sighed. "I also thought the same until I remembered that you're pregnancy. You see..." Freya explained to the two about Ryan's failed surrogacy plans.

"Oh, that makes sense now." Arla said.

"But must it necessarily be a pregnant person? He could just go with anyone. It's not as if one can start showing at this stage."

"Well, that would've been cool except that his grandpa has really sharp nose. He'll be able to tell. Trust me. And my friend too is quite the meticulous type too, he won't want to risk being found out."

Sienna had to give in eventually. 

Freya decided to bring up the other uncomfortable but necessary topic. "Now, to a more important issue, what are you planning to do about this pregnancy?

I mean, it's obvious that you're going to keep it but what about the other parent? Would you inform him too? Because I don't think that you can do this single mother's thing all on your own. Besides, Noah too has a right to know."

Sienna remained quiet for a while before breaking the silence. "To be honest I don't know yet and I'll need time to think about whether or not I should inform him."

Arla also added, "I would also like to suggest that you go and let him know before he gets married to that lady. I mean, you only agreed to leave him because you felt bad for their child being labelled as a basta*d, what about yours now? You need to inform Noah about your pregnancy too and then let him decide for himself."

"I understand your concerns but it's all futile at this point. Noah can't marry both us and that lady's pregnancy is way ahead of mine so I don't think that I stand any chance in that.

Moreover, I'm only three weeks in, I can't invite drama in my already stressful life right now. See how that girl keeps bombarding me with their photos and gifs. It's only drama that she wants and I won't give it to her.

I appreciate your good intentions for me, but let me wait me wait and see how things go first before I make any decision concerning concerning my baby."

Freya and Arla nodded in understanding.

"Alright. I have to go home and start working of finding a surrogate for someone. Bye and take care, Sienna."

Freya then left afterwards.

***

That Evening...

Sienna quietly sat on her bed after washing up and changing into her nightwear. She has been thinking about her two friends' advice all day on the issue of whether or not she should let Noah know about her pregnancy too. 

'No matter how I think about this, I need to let him know first before I make any decision for this child.' She thought to herself. 

She then took her phone and sent a text message to him about the two of them meeting up before she lied down on the bed to sleep.