I rushed over Jace, Clary and Isabelle right as the briefing began, skidding to a stop, "Did I miss anything?"

I was dressed in a cropped button emerald green cardigan as it was slightly loose on me, black ripped jeans and black boots on my feet, my hair in waves.

"No, you're just in time." Jace nudged me as I stood between him and Isabelle.

Alec's eyes fell on me, as I gave him a thumbs up and my best smile, the look he was giving me showed me that he was slightly nervous.

Alec stood tall in front of the Institute, his hands behind his back, "We've lost seven of our own, but we can't allow a single, radical Seelie to define the entire Downworld, any more than we can allow Valentine to define all Shadowhunters."

"So, to restore unity with our allies, I will be hosting regular Cabinet meetings here with the Downworld leaders of New York." Alec continued to address to the entire Institute, as I smiled at him for this.

"I'm all for unity." Lindsay whispered to Duncan from beside me, "But- does he have to bring them here?"

"What do you expect?" Duncan whispered back, "He's dating Valentine's daughter. Shockingly, she's close to a lot of them."

Lindsay scoffs lightly, "Still can't believe Alec Lightwood is in charge."

I cross my arms and looked at her, "As he should be."

Isabelle was next to me, also noticing their whispers, "Show some respect."

"Just wait." Duncan whispered to Lindsay a few moments after Isabelle and I said something, "In a week, it'll be someone else."

"All right." I murmured to Isabelle, taking a step closer to them, "Let me at em-"

Isabelle grabbed my waist, "Wait."

"You're right." Lindsay softly scoffed, "He isn't going to last very long. I don't think the Clave is going to be pleased with what he's doing on his girlfriends account."

"He's not fit to be Head of the Institute-" Duncan began, as I started to pull my sleeves up.

"Please, let's make the Downworlders feel welcome." Alec dismissed and walks over to Clary, Isabelle, Jace and I.

"All right." Isabelle lets go of me, "Now you can go."

I tackled Duncan to the ground right away while everyone was returning back to duty, throwing punches at his face, hearing Clary's gasp from behind me, along with Lindsay's.

Isabelle stood there, her arms crossed as she watched, proudness crossing her expression as Alec and Jace rushed over to me to try and pull me off.

Lindsay reaches to stop me, but I grabbed her wrist, twisting it and flipping her onto the ground next to Duncan, throwing a punch at her as well.

Jace grabbed me by my waist and pried me off, "Wow- wow- hey!"

Duncan held his nose as he got up, "What is wrong with you?"

"The next time you openly disrespect him, I'll break more than just your nose!" I grit through my teeth, trying to fight in Jace's grip as Lindsay and Duncan slowly walk away, Lindsay caring for Duncan's injury.

"Hey- hey- hey-" Jace puts me down and jerks me to face him, holding my arms and looking down at him, "What the hell was that?"

I look between all of them, "What did it look like?"

Clary looked shocked.

Jace looked caught off guard.

Isabelle looked proud.

Alec, I couldn't decipher what he felt by the expression on his face right now.

"Clary, I need you and Jace for a mission." Alec held eye contact with me, getting to business, "You're going to the Seelie Court."

Clary looks between us, "Where is that?"

"The nearest entrance is in Central Park." I pulled myself away from Jace and crossed my arms, "But- it's in another realm, where the Seelie Queen lives."

"I requested an audience with her to discuss Kaelie's crimes." Alec inhales sharply, "But- she said she'll only meet with Valentine's experiments."

"Wow-" Clary blinks, "Charming nickname."

"Well, thank the Angel I'm not going." I lean against the table, as they all shot me a look, "What? I don't like her."

Alec's arms were folded behind his back, "I was going to assign you to go along with Jace and Clary, but now, you and I need to have a talk."

I shot him a innocent smile, as Clary speaks, "So, you think the Seelie Queen is responsible for Kaelie's attacks?"

Alec nods once, "That's what I want you to find out."

"It would make sense." Jace crosses his arms, leaning against the table next to me, "Those murders weren't exactly Kaelie's style."

Clary looks at him in curiosity, "How did you know Kaelie?"

Jace clears his throat, "Book Club."

"You don't read-" I looked at him confused, until I realized what he was trying to do when my eyes met his, "I mean- you really acted on that passion of yours, huh?"

Clary didn't notice my mistake, "You read?"

"Yeah." Jace barley nods, "Why does everyone find that so hard to believe?"

I almost roll my eyes, "Have you met you?"

"Focus." Alec cuts in, "We need to find out if she's complicit, An entire faction could be turning against us."

"That shouldn't be too hard, right?" Clary asks, "Seelies can't lie."

Jace exhales deeply, "Technically yes, but after hundreds of years of practice, they can expertly manipulate the truth, and the Queen is the master."

"She's very dangerous." Isabelle said, "The entire realm is. More than one Shadowhunter hasn't made it back."

"What could go wrong?" Clary sighs deeply, "But we're, uh Valentine's experiments, right? Don't mess with us."

"Never say that again." I shot her a look.

Alec looks at me, "Zee, a word in my office."

Then he walks away, a sigh leaving my lips, as I threw my head back, "Really thought I was getting out of that one."

"Nope." Jace pops the 'p' and nudges me forward as I huffed dramatically, followed the path my boyfriend took, walking towards his office.

"Before you say anything." I stepped into his office to see him standing there, waiting for me, "I did it to defend your honor, because they were quietly criticizing you while you gave your announcement- one in which I am very proud of you."

A small smile cracks onto Alec's lips, destroying the serious look he worked so hard on displaying, "You're amazing."

"I'm amazing?" I blink, caught off guard, "So- you're not gonna yell at me?"

Alec's eyebrows furrow, softly laughing, "I was never going to yell at you."

"Am I in trouble?" I squint my eyes suspiciously, watching him as he walked to the door.

Alec closed the door and locked it, "You're not in trouble, I just made it seem like you were."

"I think broke his nose, I'm going to accept my consequence-" I shrug lightly, as he walks back over to me.

Alec bites down on his bottom lip to try and stop his smile from widening, "You sound like a Lightwood."

"Well, I'm dating one and the other one's my parabatai." I looked away in thought, "The influence is intense."

Alec leans against his desk, staring at me in admiration, "Why aren't you a Lightwood yet?"

I tilt my head to the side, placing a hand on my hip, "Why haven't you made me a Lightwood yet?"

When I realize when I just said, my eyes widen quickly in embarrassment. I stood straight and looked down, quickly recovering, looking back up at him, clearing my throat.

Alec was smiling.

This only me burn red with embarrassment.

"You're cute when you're embarrassed." Alec walks over to me and puts a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I tend to speak before I think." I trail off, avoiding eye contact, mentally screaming at myself.

Alec places his hands on my waist and starting to walk towards me, making me back away as he lead me through the room.

"Wow- what's going on?" I placed my hands on his biceps as he kept making me back up until my back hit the wall, "If I'm not in trouble, why did you call me in here?"

Alec's eyes were on my lips, "I actually find it really attractive that you went out of your way to kick their asses to defend my honor."

I blink, staring up at my boyfriend with a mixture of suspicion and surprise, "Oh?"

Alec wasted no time in pressing his lips against mine, as I instantly melted into the kiss.

I pull away after a few seconds, caught shocked but intrigued, until I realize how we were practically working right now.

"Alec, we're both on the job right now-" I began to say, watching him, "We need to focus-"

Alec removes one hand from my waist and uses it to tilt my head to the side and move my hair out of my way, "Focus here-"

Then, his cool lips press to my warm skin.

"Oh-" I exhale deeply, staring at the ceiling, my hand resting on the back of his head as he went down my neck, and I just couldn't resist anymore, "Okay, okay-"

Then, he picked me up by my thighs, walking towards the couch, as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his.

-

Alec sighed deeply as him and I stood at the Jade Wolf with Luke, "You're the only one who hasn't agreed to join the Cabinet."

"Why should I?" Luke wasn't all too happy about this meeting.

"Well, you're the most respected pack leader in New York." Alec had his hands behind his back, "And as a former Shadowhunter, you understand what's at stake for both sides."

"Yeah, that's exactly why I can see this for what it is an empty gesture." Luke shot back at him, "Look, after all the Downworld has been through, Alec, we need change. Real change."

"I couldn't agree more." Alec stayed professional.

"Then prove it." Luke said, "Destroy the Soul Sword."

I cross my arms, "You're giving him an impossible ultimatum."

Alec nodded, "You know that the Clave will never destroy a Mortal Instrument."

Luke looks at me when he says this, "Then Valentine needs to die."

I inhale sharply and look down.

"You're right." Alec agreed, "I promise I will do everything I can to push for Valentine's execution with the Clave."

"But- this isn't just about Valentine." Alec continued, "It's about improving Shadow World relations, and that's what this Cabinet can do but not without you."

"Alec's trying here, okay?" I backed him up, Luke's eyes glued to me, "We want nothing more than to have the Downworlders nothing less than as our allies."

Luke inhales sharply, "Fine."

-

My fist came in contact with the punching bag over and over, grunts leaving my lips.

There was a sheet of sweat over my body, as I was dressed in a black sports bra and gray sweatpants, my hair whipping back and forth at the speed I was hitting the box at.

I grabbed my kindjals, spun kick the air and threw both at high velocity at their targets, as they landed on the bullseyes.

I grunt loudly as my wrapped hand hit the boxing bag again, when a voice makes me stop, "Blowing off some steam?"

I spun to face Sebastian Verlac, as I breathed heavily, running a hand through my hair.

"Training to get stronger." I correct him, placing my hands on my hips, "Gotta get better, right?"

"Can you get any better?" Sebastian walks over to me, "You're one of the strongest fighters here, Zee."

"My father told me I'm weak." I didn't know why I could easily open up to him, "He doesn't lie about things like that."

I guess I just trusted him.

"Well, he has no idea what he's talking about." Sebastian's British accent was thick, "I mean- I've only known you for a little while and I already know you're stronger than anyone I've ever known."

"Sebastian, I was raised by Valentine Morgenstern." I sigh deeply, "Not that I want to meet up to his expectations- but, I don't have another parent's expectation to live up to. If Valentine believes I'm weak- then I'm weak."

"If your mother were here, I'm sure she would tell you that you don't need to live up to that monster's expectation." Sebastian crosses his arms, "You don't have to live up to any expectations when you've exceeded all of them."

I look away, "Yeah- I'm not so sure."

Sebastian pauses for a moment.

Then, his fist came flying towards me.

I grabbed his balled fist instinctively, twisting his arm and flipping him onto his back, my boot on his chest as I bended forward and looked down at him, my hair falling from behind my ears and covering the sides of my face like a curtain, leaning my arm against my knee.

He stared up at me, recovering from the grunt he just let out and had a pleased smile on his lips, "I am."

I couldn't help but smile, getting off him and helping him up.

-

I walked over to Alec that night, dressed in a black knee length spaghetti strap off the shoulder dress, along with nude heels, my hair straightened as per usual.

Alec's eyes widen when they fell on me, stood at the entrance of the room they would have the meeting in to greet everyone, completely caught off guard.

I press my palms together, "Before you say anything- Iz forced this on me- I was going to go for my normal attire but-"

"You look beautiful." Alec was smiling, giving me a small kiss, "I'm glad she made you."

"I mean- it's just a meeting that I'm not even a part of!" I throw my arms in the air dramatically, "I don't even understand why I-"

Alec presses his lips into mine, shutting me up.

The moment he pulls away, I looked down when a rose color crept on my cheeks.

"You look stunning." Alec wraps an arm around me and pulls me to his side, as Isabelle walks over to us with a smile on her face.

"A power couple I see." Isabelle had her arms crossed as she proudly stood in front of us, "You guys look great."

Before either of us could reply, Meliorn is lead over to us.

"I must say, when I received your invitation I was skeptical- I still am." Meliorn confesses, "Though your sister's presence is always heartening."

Isabelle softly smiled at him, "As is yours, Meliorn."

"Well, tonight, I hope to erase that skepticism." Alec held his hand out for him to shake, as he did, then walking into the room that the meeting will be held in.

"Raphael." Isabelle sighed deeply in relief, walking over to him as he walked in, leaving Alec and I.

"Iz-" I protectively took a step behind her but Alec grabbed my arm and stopped me, making me shut up, as I looked at him, as I could see he was sharing the same look on his face except he was trying to be more professional.

Magnus clears his throat and walks over to us when Isabelle leads Raphael to the meeting room, "Lovely to see you, Mr. Lightwood."

"And you, Mr. Bane." Alec shook his hand, playing along with the act, "Thank you for taking the time."

"I wouldn't miss it." Magnus smiles, "I have tremendous respect for the new Head of the Institute."

I looked between them, covering my mouth to muffle my laughter, "I can't tell what's funnier, you guys trying to act professional or the way you're effectuating it."

Magnus decides to tease me playfully, knowing his words would shut me up quickly, "It's just as amazing to see you, Mrs. Lightwood."

My heart instantly stopped at his words, my laughter disappearing within seconds.

"Heart attack." I placed a hand over my heart, walking away quickly, "I'm going to have a heart attack!"

-

The meeting had seemed to be going smoothly from outside, as I decided not to eavesdrop no matter how much I wanted to, knowing that Alec would fill me in lately.

But, Luke had left, causing Alec to call for a recess, only for him to never return back to the meeting.

I had assumed he left, but Sebastian came to me, begging to differ.

"I understand your concerns." Alec nodded towards Meliorn, Magnus and Raphael, "When Luke gets back, we can discuss a neutral location for meetings."

Sebastian followed closely behind me, my heels clicking against the ground as we made our way to Alec, everyone at their seats except for Luke.

I placed a hand on his back and leaned my palm against the table, looking at him, my voice coming out low, "I'm sorry for the interruption, but might we speak with you for a moment, Mr. Lightwood?"

Before Alec could reply, I speak again, my voice coming out quiet and whisper shout like, "We really need to talk."

"Excuse me." Alec excuses himself and walks over to the side with Sebastian and I, "What's going on?"

"I saw Lucian Graymark heading to the Annex a few minutes ago." Sebastian quietly told him what he told me, "Now I know there's a secondary door to the sub-cells through there, so I checked the security feeds."

"Alec." I inhale sharply, messing with the ring on my finger, "Luke disappears between the cameras."

"Someone's looping the footage?" Alec was already walking with Sebastian and I, as we made our way to the elevator.

When we arrived to the sub-cells, Luke had Valentine off his feet, holding him by his neck in the air.

Alec, Sebastian and I ran in, Alec sliding to a stop behind them and grabbing Luke's arms, pulling him away, pushing him to the wall, putting them behind his back.

Valentine fell, gasping for air on the ground as Sebastian muttered something to him, something I couldn't make out.

Then, Luke was handcuffed and pulled out of the cell.

-

Alec pulls a chair in front of Luke, inhaling sharply, leaning back against it, "Why would you try and kill Valentine?"

Luke sat on the bed of the cell we brought him in, cuffed.

I stood next to Alec's chair, my arms crossed, while Sebastian stood a few feet away on Alec's other side.

"Well, he escaped once." This was Luke's argument, "He can do it again."

Alec's hands were folded, "And if your plan failed, it would have endangered everyone in this Institute."

"The security logs have been wiped clean." Sebastian looked through the footage on the tablet he held, "There's no data on whose clearance was used to unlock the Annex door."

I crouch next to Alec, looking up at Luke, "You really have no idea who this mystery accomplice was?"

"No." Luke honestly told us, "They used a burner phone and a voice modulator. No discernible speech pattern- hell, I can't even give you a gender."

Sebastian looks between Alec and I, "But they had to be inside the Institute in order to loop the cameras, right?"

"Everyone in this Institute has been affected by Valentine- It could be anyone." Alec sighed deeply, "We have nothing."

"Well, you got me." Luke huffs deeply, "The Clave would love to put me behind bars."

"And they'd be right to." Alec sits up suddenly and leans his elbows on his knees, "What you did tonight was reckless- innocent personnel could've been hurt."

Alec stared at him in the eye, "You deserve to be in prison."

As attractive as that was, I put it to a stop.

I got up, my hand holding the top of the chair he sat in, my head tilting to the side as I placed my free hand on my hip, "But."

"But-" Alec sighed, and got up, pulling out his stele and breaking the handcuffs, "Consider this your get out of jail free card."

Luke looks at his wrists then looks up at Alec, confused, "Why is that?"

I shrug lightly, "You're lucky that I'm very good at persuading."

"She means she's lucky I love her." Alec's eyes linger with mine as I simply smiled at him, "And I'm trying to prove to the Downworld that we don't see them as an enemy and arresting you would prove the opposite."

"Look, so what do we do about the mole?" Sebastian speaks up, clearing his throat lightly.

"We track him down." Alec said, "One thing's for sure Valentine's not safe here."

-

I pulled the t shirt over my head, running a hand through my hair, after changing out the the dress.

My door opened, and in walked Clary.

"Don't you knock-" I spun to face her, but my voice faded when I notice the tears streaming down her cheeks, "Clary, what happened?"

She quietly sobbed her into hands, taking a few steps toward me, "I don't want to talk about it-"

Before I could reply, Isabelle walked in as well, a similar hurt expression on her face, "Zee, I just had the worst-"

Her voice faded when she saw Clary.

I looked from Clary, to Isabelle.

I held my arms out widely, as they both walked over and shared my embrace, Isabelle holding onto me tightly, Clary crying into my shoulder, as I comforted them both.

authors note:

all these marriage jokes, omg

but, awh the little moment at the end of the chapter

also, this book hit 9k, I am CRYIN Y'ALL

zalec's somethin else oml

also, I love my new layout wow

vote and comment loadsss