Chasing The Rogue

-16- 🌻 Honeybee

"Honeybee, I can't imagine how my life would be if all your gravity did not hit me. Oh, don't you see? Darling, my honeybee."
~The Head and the Heart, 'Honeybee'

~~~

*Third Person POV*

Ryland slams a workbook down onto his desk with a lot more force than necessary. Picking up another book, he flips through it aggressively, nearly tearing the pages as he blatantly ignores his mate in the corner of the classroom. It's been a few days since Kai returned from Lucca's place, and Ryland seems just as mad as he did on that day.

Landon flinches with each slam of a book, clutching his paper bag of sweets that he brought as a peace offering. Considering his mate's current temperament, Landon is going to need a hell of a lot more than a bag of goodies.

"Ry?" Landon calls out softly. Ryland ignores him, slamming down his book and picking up another one. Both wolves know that Ryland isn't actually reading through those workbooks; he's merely pretending to prepare for next week's lessons to avoid talking to Landon.

The disbelief Ryland experienced upon finding out that Landon went behind his back was nothing compared to the deep feeling of hurt and betrayal that followed. Landon is his mate. His other half. His partner in everything. The blonde knows how important Kai is to Ryland, how badly Ryland wants to protect his younger brother, and yet Landon chose to go behind his back.

Taking a deep breath, Landon risks crossing the room over to Ryland's desk. The latter twitches slightly but doesn't look up from his book.

"Baby," Landon tries again, even softer this time.

"If you're going to apologize again," Ryland starts, his voice thick with emotion, "you can save it. I'm not in the mood."

"I wasn't going to apologize."

That manages to make Ryland look up at him in surprise. If Landon isn't apologizing, what is he doing here? Glancing at the paper bag in Landon's hand, Ryland raises an eyebrow.

"Really?" Ryland questions flatly. "You're telling me that's not an apology eclair in that bag?"

Landon grins sheepishly. "Okay, you got me. It is an eclair, because I know you love them. But I didn't bring it as an apology."

That's the second time Landon's said he's not here to apologize, Ryland notes while his ears twitch in annoyance.

"I'm not apologizing," Landon says for the third time, "because I've apologized a handful of times before, and I don't think I should anymore."

"Oh?" Ryland responds, feeling the corners of his mouth tremble. "Why is that?"

"Because honestly, I don't think I did anything wrong, in the long-run."

Slamming down his book, Ryland finally faces Landon head-on. His honey brown eyes glow with anger; anger directed at his mate. Landon wants to shrink inside himself, not being used to seeing Ryland look at him with anything other than love and adoration. But he stands tall, and hopes his expression is more confident than he feels.

"You don't think you did anything wrong?" Ryland repeats harshly. "You don't think lying to me and going behind me back was wrong?"