Sweetheart • Alec Lightwood

016

"Alec, what are you doing? You can stare at this monitor all you want, they need angel blood to get past the wards." Jace said, giving his parabatai a look. Alec ignored him and held Axel's clenched fist. Although Axel had been asked on a date by Alec, he was still angry at Jace for kissing his little sister. "You know that. No Downworlder can come into the Institute. Not without an invite by a Shadowhunter."

Axel shot a glare at the approaching Jace which made the latter back up. Alec hit Axels arm lightly in warning which made his glare soften into a sheepish look. Axel crossed his arms and looked at the monitor while Alec responded.

"Last I checked, Valentine is a Shadowhunter. The Cup is not safe here. We have to give it back to the Clave." Alec replied, looking over at Axel who was watching the monitor intently as if it was Jace. He wouldn't be surprised if the monitor exploded by the intensity of his glare.

"Give it back to the Clave? No. Not after everything we went through to get it." Clary protested, looking at her brother for back up. She walked towards him with the cup which made Axel hiss lightly in pain. Fortunately for Axel, no one noticed.

Axel didn't turn around once as he said, "Put the cup back in the card and keep it away from me. It controls demon and if you have paid attention these days then you'll know that I'm a demon. So keep that fucking cup away!"

"My brother is right. The Cup is extremely important." Isabelle agreed with Alec and sauntered towards her otp. She took place between the two and grinned when Alec wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Axel wrapped his arm around her waist. Her grin turned into a pout because of the big difference in height between the boys and her.

"Are you agreeing with me?" Alec asked making sure it wasn't a joke or that he heard wrong.

"I'm full of surprises." She smirked mischievously at him. Alec gave her a small smile and his eyes flickered over at Axel who was already looking at him. The two boys gazed at each other until Clary spoke.

"This Cup is the one chance I have at getting my mom back." Clary argued, crossing her arm on her chest.

She looked at Izzy who was comfortably leaning on the two boys and then her gaze went to Axel and Alec. Alec had a small tint of pink on his cheeks while Axel was grinning at him. Isabelle was giggling lightly at them while Alec tried covering his blush with his free arm.

"I agree with Clary." Jace said, taking her side. "We can't give the Cup to the Clave, not now. We need it. It's our only bargaining chip."

"Look, I know how powerful this Cup is. It has the power to create new Shadowhunters, control demons and even kill a mundane if they drank from it. But I promise you, I will not let that monster get his hands on it." She promised them with a determined look.

"There you go. You have her word." Jace said reassuring the Lightwood sibling and the Knight.

Alec sighed and took back his arm that was wrapped around his sister's shoulders. He walked away from them and said, "Follow me."

Alec expected Axel to follow but when he didn't, he frowned and asked, "You're not coming?"

Axel gave him a sheepish look and scratched his neck with his free hand. He looked at the card in Clary's hand and said, "Being in the presence cup makes me uncomfortable. Sorry, sweetheart."