Monster or Angel - Alec Lightwood

22 - Fight Club

The sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean slowly, creating a golden glow on the horizon. My smile widens as the warmth hits me and I lean back onto my palms, kicking my legs that dangle over the edge of the promenade. Dad beams beside me, his hand taking mine.

"Is it how you expected?" Dad asks.

"No. It's better," I grin.

A gentle breeze brushes through my hair which sends a shiver down my spine. It's quiet. Too quiet for Long Beach Boardwalk, the place that is usually filled with early morning runners and people stumbling home after a long night.

"I wish Jace had come with us," I mutter.

"Our family will be together eventually." Everything shifts at dad's words. The sun falls below the horizon causing darkness to plunge upon us. The breeze grows into a gust that whips at my bare arms and legs. And his once gentle hold on my hand turns into a vice-like grip which makes me wince in pain.

I gasp and turn to look at dad, my chest heaving in panic. His head twitches to the side, again, and again, and again. Until it whirls around completely, revealing a face that did not belong to Michael Wayland.

I tug my hand, desperately trying to release it from his grip, but it only tightens. I cry out as Valentine leans closer, a cruel sneer on his face as he looms over me.

"It's fated."

----

The warmth of my bed is the only thing that's providing me any comfort. Last night, after I held Alec as tightly as I could, Izzy yelled at us for close to an hour. She scolded Alec for everything he said to Clary, and she rebuked me for attacking Clary in front of everybody. She didn't care about what had happened to us, rather she argued that we should know better, that we understand the shadowhunter world more than her and so should give her a break. I had a lot to argue back, yet I didn't dare say a word as my Parabatai lectured us, nor did Alec. We just sat in silence, nodding along to what she yelled. Izzy doesn't tell me off, so I know that I must have been an ass to hear what I had last night.

They both left my room just after midnight and I spent a good couple of hours lying in my bed feeling sorry for myself before falling into a restless sleep. I didn't sleep a lot, waking up as soon as the light hit my blinds, though I didn't get up. Raj had knocked on my door only an hour later to tell me to remain inside. Something about an Institute meeting that I – obviously – am not allowed to attend. Not that I really care. I think this is the first time I'm happy about being dismissed. I am in no mood to deal with anybody right now.

Which brings me to now, mid-afternoon, still in bed. I don't know whether I should get up or not. Part of me is yearning to punch something whilst the other is content staying wrapped in my duvet. I chew the inside of my cheek. Maybe I do want to punch something.

I peel myself away from the covers and change into a tank top and leggings. I tie my hair up and head to the door, opening it to see Raj picking at his nails, a look of boredom on his face. I have no clue when he returned after the meeting, but I can tell he's been here for a while.

"You look bored," I comment and his head shoots up, as if he didn't hear me open the door. He straightens and frowns.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"I was planning on training," I say moving out of the room. As soon as I move Raj is taking a step to stop me.

"You're not allowed to train."

"I'm not allowed to train?" I repeat, to which he nods. "Why am I not allowed to train?"

"You're dismissed, you don't need to train," he says and I feel my irritation rise.