ALTHEA - DISCONTINUED

5

THE INSTITUTE

Alec opened the shelf full of weapons and grabbed a bow and arrows while Thea grabbed a pair of kindjals.

Alec walked towards a table and started running his arrows while Thea sat on a table and waited for him while playing with her weapons in her hands.

"So, you don't like Clary much, do you?" Thea questioned, wanting to start a conversation because she was bored.

"There's nothing to like." Alec replied straight away, "she's annoying, stubborn and—" Thea cut him off, "and getting Jace's attention. You're jealous of her."

"I'm not." Alec replied, "she made us break a lot of rules ever since she got here. It's frustrating."

"Alec, have you ever heard of the SA?" Thea questioned out of curiosity. Alec stopped running his arrows and looked at her, "yeah. I heard they are a group of rogue Shadowhunters who do not follow the orders of the Clave. They do what they want when they want. I heard the Clave's scared of them. Why?"

"Just curious. What do you think of them?"

"I don't know. Maybe I envy them because they can do whatever they want and not have to look behind their backs everytime they go against orders. I've spent my whole life learning the rules and regulations of the shadow world. I can't help but to think how different it would've been if I was part of the Shadow Agency." Alec replied honestly.

"Do you want to become a shadow agent?"

"Maybe." Alec shrugged, "but my parents would never allow me. Even if they did, the Clave counts on the Lightwoods, you know that right? I'd be betraying my family, the Clave and the Institute as well. And I do not want that."

"I understand."

"What about you?" Alec asked raising his brows at her. She shrugged, "maybe."

"Alec?" A familiar voice made Alec turn around to see Hodge standing there, "didn’t know you were here."

"Yeah, no, I, uh…" Alec trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Don’t tell me." Hodge said, "I don’t wanna have to report you." His eyes fell on Thea, "who are you?"

"Thea," she replied simply, "you must be Hodge. It's good to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too." Hodge replied with a smile before looking back at Alec.

"It’s just that, you know, Clary is—" Alec said but was cut off by Hodge, "that girl is Valentine’s—"  Hodge’s rune started searing, "The monster’s daughter. There must be some reason why the roaches are coming out of the woodwork again, right? I’ll leave you to it."

"Hodge? Thank you."

"You remind me of me, Alec." Hodge said, "A loyal friend standing in the shadow of the chosen one. Hey… Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Look where it got me." He then walked away leaving Alec and Thea behind in their thoughts.

Thea looked at Alec who had a frown on his face. The girl sighed before approaching the older Lightwood, "Alec?"

"Hmm?" He looked at Thea who was standing in front of him.

"You aren't in anybody's shadow. You know that right?"

"Yeah..." There was an evident and clear hint of uncertainty in Alec's tone which made Thea frown. "I don't know this Hodge dude but he's trying to get in your head. Don't let him. He'll ruin your bond with your parabatai and that isn't the best feeling."

Before Alec could reply, his phone beeped with a message from Isabelle. He looked at Thea, "time to go."

**

Close to the Hotel DuMort, Izzy, wearing her red dress, was waiting for the rest to show up.

"Izzy." Alec walked towards her with Thea beside him, "I got your text. Where are we exactly?"

"It’s an old meatpacker’s service entrance." Isabelle replied, shooting a smile to Thea which she returned, "If we go back there, we come up into the basement of the Hotel Dumort. Perfect, right? We distract the vamps, Clary and Jace have time to find Simon."

"Okay." Alec simply said making his sister frown, "Okay?" She repeated, "It was hard work interrogating Meliorn to get this intel."

Alec smiled sarcastically, "Great job, Izzy. You have faerie dust on your dress. And I hate being the distraction."

"I don’t." Isabelle said before looking at Thea, "do you?"

"Not really."

Isabelle smirked, "I like you." She then looked at Alec, "you know, you’d be a lot happier if you weren’t so freaking repressed." Alec wasn't even bothering to listen to her as he was checking out the next room. "Alec? Hello?"

Isabelle was ignored by her brother which made her roll her eyes as they began walking.

"So how's it back there, in LA?" Isabelle asked Thea who replied with, "alright."

"Do you have a lot of friends there?"

"Only one," Thea pursed her lips in a thin line, "I don't like having a lot of friends."

"Why not?" Isabelle raised her brows, "you're cool, nice, friendly, beautiful, hot...who wouldn't want to be your friend? I know for a fact, I do."

"I can make an exception for you."

"Really?" Isabelle grinned, "fantastic. We are friends then."

"God, Ethan would absolutely adore you." Thea said shaking her head while smiling.

"Who's Ethan?"

"My best friend."

"Tell me about him. Is he hot? Handsome?" Isabelle asked with a smirk. Alec, who was discretely listening to their conversation while pretending to be busy, rolled his eyes at his sister.

"Yeah, you can say that. He's also a computer geek."

"Do you think I have a chance with him? he single?"

"Yes, he is and no you don't."

Isabelle frowned, "why not?"

"Cause' he's gay."