Angel Blessed

25. Familial Ties

Chapter Twenty-four

Aiden:

The institute feels fifty times stuffier than it did last I was here but it wouldn't take a genius to know mamma Lightwood has been raining her special sort of terror. I don't know her, but I know enough to make my own assumptions. I went to the weapons room and pocketed a stele then went straight to my room. I didn't feel like mingling tonight plus I was about to do something I don't want others to see.

I shut the door and twisted the bolt with an echoing click. Leaning against the door, I focused on finding Alec and the others. He was with Clary and... Luke. Huh.

Jace and Izzy are already at the institute doors but I kept my focus on them still. He was looking for her.

Jace was looking for Clary and after he found out she wasn't here yet he started ordering people around. It's a shame my gift doesn't allow me to hear what exactly they're saying. I have to draw context clues from everything. That's something I need to work on. If all these supernatural shows taught me anything, it would be that I could do the impossible if I tried hard enough.

I stood there for a while, watching Jace worry all over the place about Clary's whereabouts when she and Alec entered the room. That's my cue. I snapped back to reality and made my way to the control room. I walked with a purpose and almost tripped over my own feet when I got there.

Clary was kissing Jace.
Jace was kissing Clary.

I wasn't too surprised because it was a long time coming but I just didn't expect it right now. I looked in Alec's direction and frowned. Izzy was here too, and she had sorry written all over her face. I ignored her and met Alec's eyes. He subtly nodded to the door and walked away. Izzy looked between the both of us and I followed.

"Alright Lightwood." I sighed and crossed my arms after I closed the giant oak doors. "What is it that everyone else seems to know except for me?" My voice was nothing short of accusing. He couldn't meet my eyes and that in itself was a red flag. I narrowed mine at him.

"My..." he cleared his throat. "There's no other way of telling you apart from saying it straight out." He let out a shaky breath and I took a step back to brace myself for the news. Whatever it was, would either make me mad or scared. "I'm engaged."

And just like that, my stomach fell through my body and into the burning pits of hell. I could feel my body burning from the inside out and my eyes pricked with fresh tears. "What do you mean you're engaged?" Disbelief and barely contained rage coated my words.

"My parents said the Clave is losing trust in our abilities to uphold our positions and duties so they arranged a marriage between me and Lydia Branwell." He said this with no emotion at all. Like he shut down on me. That only made my heart break more. I could feel the shattered pieces pushing against my ribcage, making it hard to breathe.

I drew in a shaky breath. "So this is all true then?" He nodded like we were simply talking about what to eat for dinner instead of the end of our relationship. "You don't plan to go against your parents." It wasn't a question. Just a slow realization, yet he still gave me that stupid nod. "And you planned to tell me when, exactly?" I threw my arms out in exasperation.

No comment.

"Oh, so that's how it is?" My voice bordered on homicidal. "You didn't deem me worthy- important enough, to tell me that you're fucking engaged?!" I huffed and looked to the heavens and whispered. "Angels give me strength." The minutes stretched by in silence and when I finally lowered my head to look at him, he was still wearing that stoic expression.

"Alec... why?" I let all the emotions pour into those two words and finally, a kink in his armor. His brows furrowed slightly and pain flashed across his eyes for a millisecond, but that was enough. Enough to give me hope. Enough to make me beg. "Alec... please." It was only a whisper and the tears that blurred my vision finally fell. There was no use holding them back, they had a mind of their own, so I let them fall. Let him see the pain he's allowing.