Secret (Alec Lightwood)

Chapter 33

My eyes slowly open the next morning to see Alec sitting on the edge of my bed holding Henry, who is asleep.

"Was he crying?" I ask as I sit up.

"No," he responds. "I just wanted to hold him."

I smile and stand up. I slip my glasses onto my face and look around. "You ready for tomorrow?" Tomorrow is our wedding.

"I was born ready." He smiles at me as I laugh.

"I don't know if I'll see you at any point today, Izzy is making me help with planning."

"Well you are the bride so I hope that you do some planning of our wedding."

I smile as I look down at Henry. "And she insists upon throwing me a bachelorette party. And you a bachelor party."

He sighs. "What about Henry?"

"She said your parents will be back tonight so they'll watch him."

"And this isn't a choice?"

"Alec, it's your last night before you're married. Live a little. Go to a strip club, or a bar-"

"I don't like strippers and I'm not a big drinker."

"Well you should do something fun before you give up your freedom."

"I gave up my freedom the moment I met you."

I smile and kiss him on the cheek. "Go get dressed, Izzy probably has stuff planned for you and if you don't see her she'll-"

I'm cut off by a knocking on the door. "Charlotte?" Izzy asks. "Alec? Are you decent?"

"IZZY!" I yell as I stand up and open the door. "There is a baby in the room!"

"I know, but it was the only way I'd get you to open the door."

I roll my eyes as I sigh. "What do you want?"

"We've gotta do stuff. And so does Alec."

"Fine. Let me get dressed."

She hands me a small bundle of clothes. Actually, it's a dress. "Put this on."

"Izzy-"

"Just do it."

I sigh and turn to Alec. "I'll see you later, you can leave the baby."

He slowly gets up and leaves the room, closing the for behind himself.

I put the dress on quickly, and as soon as I have it on I can't move my arms. "Izzy?!"

The door opens, but Lydia walks in. "Alec and I had something set, something that would benefit us both."

"You used Izzy to trick me!"

"I used a glamour rune to make me look like her, she has no idea that I did it."

"Let me go!"

She walks across the room and picks up Henry. "I've got a wedding to plan."

"Put my son down!"

She takes out her stele, draws a rune on the underside of her arm, and she suddenly looks like me. "That should hold you until tomorrow night, after it's too late."

"You're a monster."

She walks over to me, holding out a seraph blade. "Now, to make sure no one finds you."

--

The lights in the basement I'm in turn on, and Izzy walks in with a bag. "Charlotte?!" She says when she sees me.

I nod furiously, looking down at the tape covering my mouth.

She runs over and takes the take away. "You were just upstairs!"

"Lydia. She wants to marry Alec for whatever stable thing they had."

"She's got your baby."

"I know. Go get a pair of scissors, my seraph blade (which I got back from Alec), and a change of clothes. Lydia did something to this dress, I've gotta cut it."

She nods and quickly runs upstairs, and a minute later I hear furious footsteps coming down the stairs and Alec appears, quickly followed by Lydia.

"Alec I can explain-" she begins but he cuts her off.

"You don't get to explain!" He runs over to me and kneels on the ground beside me. "Charlotte I'm so sorry I didn't know I swear-"

"It's not your fault," I say as I see Izzy come back down with Henry, scissors, my blade, and a change of clothes. "Everyone look away," I say as I take the items from Izzy and everyone turns away. I quickly cut the dress away, put on the change of clothes, and grab my blade. "You're gonna pay, Branwell."

"It's what's best for Alec!" Lydia says trying to defend herself.

"How about we let Alec decide what's best for Alec?!" Alec says. "What's best for me is Charlotte. I can't live without her, now that I've got her."

I point my blade at Lydia. "I think you've overstayed your welcome."

"You're lucky we don't have the time right now to report you to the Clave."

Lydia sighs. "It was nice knowing you Alec." She turns and exits the basement, leaving me with Izzy, Alec, and Henry.

"Well," I sigh, "I've already been kidnapped and almost had my fiancé taken from me. All by... what time is it?"

"It's five in the afternoon," Izzy says. "You were down here all day. Did you even eat?"

I shake my head. "She didn't feed me."

"I say you and I go for your bachelorette party, and when I get back I'll do Alec's bachelor party."

"You don't need to do this for us."

"For Alec, I do. For you, you need it."

I sigh. "Fine."

"You know," Alec says as he takes the baby from Izzy, "whenever Lydia was holding him, pretending to be you, he was crying. It was like he knew. As soon as Izzy or I grabbed him, he stopped."

I chuckle. "My little boy knows his mama."

He smiles. "Okay, you two go."

"And," Izzy sighs, "you're not sharing a room tonight. Alec is in his room, Charlotte is in hers, Henry goes with Clary."

I shake my head. "Izzy-"

"Nope, you haven't gotten a good sleep since you had this baby and makeup will only do so much. Plus, if you're planning on going away for a honeymoon you can't bring your baby."

"How can you even say something like that at a time like this?"

"Because that's what people do when they get married?"

"We can't go anywhere until Valentine is dead."

"You're getting married. You should have at least a little time to yourselves. Even just check into a hotel down the street and I'll call if anything happens."

"Maybe we'll go another time," Alec sighs. "Charlotte's right, now isn't a good time to go anywhere."

I nod in agreement. "I'll meet you upstairs in a minute, Izzy. If I'm not gonna see Alec until the ceremony tomorrow at least let us have a private goodnight."

She smiles slightly as she nods, takes the baby, and goes upstairs.

"You can still fix your bond with Jace. It isn't too late. I won't be mad if you do, as long as you're happy with your choice. I'm already marrying you, I'm already being bound to you. Feel free to remain bound to your brother."

Alec looks down at me. "I'll talk to him about it if he approaches me. If not, I'll tell you."

I smile at him. "Either way, I'm getting a  parabatai tomorrow. I love you, I'll see you at the altar." I kiss him on the cheek then head up the stairs, to where Izzy is waiting for me.