Skinny Love ↠ Alec Lightwood ✓

Chapter Thirty One ✓

TRAINING & PRACTICE

ALEC SAID TO FOLLOW HIM SOMEWHERE SO I DID. We walked around the institute for a while because Alec needed to talk to some people.

Then we headed back to the training room and Clary and Jace weren't there.

Where'd they go? Furrowing my eyebrows I looked around for Clair and Jace but I couldn't find them.

"Do you know where Clary went?" I asked Alec. Alec shook his head, not bothering to answer me. I huffed.

"What are we doing here?" I asked. "I'm going to teach you how to shoot," Alec said, grabbing a target and some bows and arrows from where he keeps them. "Uh, is that a good idea?" "Of course it is." Alec said. "But there yours, you can't. I can't-" Alec turned around to face me.

"Look, you've been shield from this your whole life. Someone's going to have to teach you someday, Bella. So stop being so damn stubborn and let me show you what to do." I nodded and pursed my lips into a thin line. Okay, I can do this. Or can I? Ugh. I don't think I can do this. Frowning I watched Alec walk across the room to place the target down. I looked at it and squinted at the red little dot.

"Okay," Alec breathed out. He walked over to me.

He grabbed the bow and arrows and handed me the part where you hold on to. I gripped my hands on to it, then Alec gave me the arrow.

Okay.... this doesn't look so bad....

"Stand here," Alec said, placing his hands on my hips and moving me over a little bit. His touched warmed me up. I didn't want him to let go of me, but then he did, sadly. Frowning, I pointed the bow and arrow.

Alec placed his foot where my legs spreaded apart a little bit. He placed a hand on my shoulder to steady me. "I can do this."

"You can do this." Alec repeated my words in a different version. I smiled a little. I straightened out and squinted my left eye while looking at the red little dot. I pulled my right arm back and let go of the arrow. I gasped as it hit right over the dot. "Okay," Alec said, "That wasn't bad for the first try." "I sucked!"

"No, it took me five tries to get it that close to the dot. You should be proud." I smiled a little, and I felt my cheeks turning hot. "Thanks," I said, smiling.

Alec stood by me when I tried again, I almost got it until Jace walked in and he started training. I focused back on the target and squinted my left eye.

I took a shot, and then I got it. The arrow hit right in the middle of the target on the red dot. I jumped up and down clapping. I looked up at Alec and he had a small smile on his face.

"Good job, Bella." I blushed. We trained again for a couple more hours.

I turned my head and saw Jace talking to someone.

Isabelle and my twin were standing right behind her.

Who's that women who's watching Jace?

"Hey," I said, "Who's that?" I looked up at Alec who furrowed his eyebrows. He looked across the room and his eyes widened a little bit then he seemed to calm down.

"Is everything okay?" Alec nodded, "Yeah, come on." I followed him across the training room and we arrived to the women and Jace.

"Mother, welcome back. We didn't expect you."

Alec greeted the women, who is his Mother, obviously.

Alec and his Mom hugged. "You should be prepared weather you expect me or not," the women said. "I am. We are." Alec said, glancing at Jace and Isabelle.

"We'll talk about the institute later. Right now we've got bigger problems," she said, folding her hands in front of her.

"The Seelies have stopped communicating with the Clave and won't explain why. My guess is they're still upset we asked them to send scouts to look for Valentine. No one in their realm will talk." She said. She looked at Isabelle. "I have Seelie friends." Isabelle stated.

"Yes, I know about your friends, Isabelle. We stay separate from the Downworld for a reason. Do you think there is such thing as harmless rebellion? Who knows what offends those creatures? Maybe you told him, them, something that they shouldn't know. Maybe you trod on one of their ridiculous customs without knowing it."

My eyes widened. Is it her time of month or is she always like this?

"Wait, wait. I don't understand. You're blaming all of this on Izzy just because she has a friend in the Downworld?" Jace asked. "When someone upsets the natural order everything falls apart." "Natural order? What are you saying?" I asked Alec's Mother.

"I know how to talk to Seelies," Isabelle said, glaring at her Mom. "She's right. She can visit with Meliorn and see what he knows. I could go with her if you want." Alec said to her. "I'd rather if Jace goes with her this time. Alec, you stay with the twins." Well, this should be interesting.

"I want them both under control. They've cause enough trouble already." "Maybe that's because Bella and I weren't even Shadowhunters a few days ago." Clary said to Alec's Mother, pointing out the obvious.

"And what an exciting few days it has been. The Clave counts on us Lightwood's to maintain orders here."

"You don't need to tell me that. If the mission is important to the Clave, then I prefer to go with Isabelle," Alec said, standing up straight.

The women chuckles. "You're all so eager to do what you prefer. It's time to face the truth. Life is not about what you want to do, it's what's meant to be done. I have given your assignments. Now, carry on with them. You and you, with me, now." Isabelle and Jace left with their Mother. My eyes widened, running a hand through my hair. "Well, that was a window into the weird. What did you do to piss of your Mom?" Clary asked Alec, who stood right next to me and I stood right next to Clary.

"I'd guessed. For the start. All the unsanctioned missions on your behalf didn't go over that big with the Clave." Alec sighed. He walked away from Clary and I. She turned to look at me and I just shrugged.