Alec had me lifted off the ground, his hands gripping my thighs as he kissed me, my hands buried in his hair.

My hands moved down to his shoulders and went back to undoing the buttons of his shirt, pulling it apart and open, pulling away from the kiss, my heavy breathing matching his.

A small sound left my lips when he started sucking on a piece of skin on my neck, throwing my head back lightly, gripping his hair with one hand.

I pulled from his touch and let myself slip off him, starting to bend my legs and move onto my knees, messing with the buckle of his belt, undoing it.

Before I could even fall onto my knees, Alec's hand gripped my neck, his fingers touching my jaw, pulling me up and pushing me against the wall, his voice dangerously low, "Not yet-"

No words left my mouth when my lips parted slightly open, he kept his grip on my neck and started kissing down my collarbone, his free hand slipping down my side to the buttons of my jeans.

Before Alec could move any further with his actions, there was a rushed knock on the door, followed by Jace's shout, "Zee!"

My jaw clenched at the sound of his voice, as Alec shook his head, his kisses inching closer to my slightly exposed chest, his voice a mumble, "Ignore him-"

Clary's grunts and shrieks were sounded from outside the door, as Jace's knocks just got harder and quicker, "Zee!-"

Alec huffed dramatically, slipping away from me and button his shirt, as I fixed my shirt and walked over to the door, unlocking it and swinging it open, looking between the two, "What the hell is it now?"

-

"I said it once, and I'll say it again." I stared at Clary's hand as we were in Magnus' apartment, "You're stupid."

"Jesus, Zee- really?" Clary looks at me, her eyes rimmed with tears from her burning hand, "Right now?"

"Yes, right now." I crossed my arms, then used my hand to gesture from my temple as I spoke, "What kind of idiot- signs a blood oath- to a demonic, hybrid children thirsty- warlock orphanage running bitch-"

Clary tried to pick right back at me, slightly getting frustrated with me even while realizing her own mistake, "What- something wrong with orphanages now? Do you have a problem with those too?"

"I don't have a- she tried to impregnate you, you idiot! She tried to add to the warlock population, by using your stupidity to her advantage-" I uncross my arms and stare at her in disbelief, "I mean- did it not seem anywhere near shady to you when she claimed she could bring someone back to life? Didn't you learn as a mundane that people can't be brought back to life?"

Clary sighs through her nose, "Zee, we don't even know if it's Iris, alright- it could be something else-"

I looked between Jace and Alec with wide eyes as Magnus calmed the burning in Clary's hand, "I mean- seriously- she's gonna make me go insane-"

"Hey, hey-" Alec walked by me, putting a hand on my lower back, using his thumb to caress.

Jace sighed, beginning to speak if I was right, looking up at me, "Zee, she was grieving-"

"Oh- shut up, Jace-" I snipped at him, rolling my eyes, lightly shaking my head, holding my head and tilting my head back, leaning it back into Alec's chest in annoyance, "If I was mourning my dead mother, I'd actually grieve- I wouldn't rush off and try to bring her back to life-"

"La Chair Brulee." Magnus cut the argument short, "It means the burnt flesh- it's an old blood oath spell."

"Then Zee's right- it must be Iris." Jace lightly nods, "She said you owed her a favor."

Clary looks up, "At Max's party, she said I have to find Madzie."

"Then we better start looking." Magnus said, "I can get rid of the pain, but that's about it. I'm afraid once the magic reaches your heart-"

Clary blinked, "So, if I don't find Madzie- I'm dead."

"No- no." Jace shook his head lightly.

"Is anyone really surprised?" I looked between them, gesturing to Clary, "I mean- come on, it's her-"

"Magnus, there has to be a cure." Jace ignored my comment and got up, "There has to be something we can do to stop this."

Alec pulled me into his side to calm my aggravation, looking at Magnus, "Can't we force Iris to undo it?"

I crossed my arms and leaned into his touch, my facial expression hard, "I'm good at that."

"As much as I'd love to see you put that to work- I wish it were that easy." Magnus sighed, "Blood oath spells are completely binding- even Iris herself can't reverse it now."

-

"Magnus find anything?" Luke asked Jace and I when we stood with him and Clary at the Jade Wolf that day.

"No." Jace shook his head, crossing his arms, "Iris' brownstone was wiped clean."

"But- Alec just got a report from the Clave-" I nodded my head once, "According to Iris, Madzie was abducted from Brady Park."

"Alright, we'll start there." Luke nodded once, "I'll round up some wolves and see if we can get a scent."

"Smart-" I snapped my fingers once, then started walking away from them, heading for the door.

"Hey-" Jace's voice stooped me, making me look back, "Where are you going?-"

"To get Simon- to come along with his girlfriend on the hunt to find the little girl that'll save her life?" I stared at him, blinking a few times, "You think he's gonna miss this?"

"Simon?" Jace looked slightly annoyed already.

"Yeah?" I turned and faced them completely, my lips falling into a pout, a childish voice leaving my lips, "Is Jacey jelly?-"

"Zee's right-" Clary cut in before Jace could snip back at me, "If we're gonna be searching all night, we can use his skills."

Jace now looked like he could laugh, "What skills?"

I shrugged, "Night- vision."

"There's a rune for that." Jace reminds me.

"Is there a rune to make someone realize their jealously and miserableness?" I thought out loud.

Jace rolled his eyes at my joke, lightly shaking his head, "Look, I told you I'm not letting you out of my sight-"

"I can handle myself." I ignored him, then turned and swung open the door, leaving the Jade Wolf.

I walked over to the shed and pulled it open, "Yo, Vampey- incoming sunlight- you in there?"

Before I could get a reply or call out again, there was a loud growling coming from behind me.

I slowly looked back, a werewolf growling loudly at me, ready to throw itself onto me.

And it did, as I grunted, falling onto the ground with the werewolf right on top of me, roaring in my face, it's sharp teeth trying to claw at my skin.

"Zee!-" Simon's voice filled my ears from behind me, as I clenched my jaw and grabbed the top of a trash can that was on the ground, knocking the werewolf from the side, onto the ground.

I got up and tossed the top to the ground, looking back at Simon who was shouting for me, holding out an oar, hidden in the dark, his hand burning in the sunlight.

I quickly grabbed it and flipped it in my hand, gritting my teeth as the werewolf launched itself toward me once again, knocking it to the side, hard.

The wolf whimpered with the amount of force I put into that swing, landing behind the dumpsters.

I was quick to drop the oar, pulling out my kindjals, Jace rushing over and skidding to a stop next to me, breathing out from running here, "Nice form-"

"I know." A small smirk fell onto my lips as I held a tight grip on my kindjals, "Told you I could handle myself."

Jace pulled out his seraph class, raising his voice at the wolf behind the dumpsters, "Show yourself!"

A flash of light came from behind the dumpsters.

Then stood up a bare Maia.

-

"You okay?" Jace looked at me as we stood by Simon's van, his eyes scanning my blank expression.

"He's coming after me." I looked up at Jace, my expression not faltering, "It's only a matter of time before he uses me to activate the Soul Sword- then everyone's dead."

Jace blinks, "Zee, what're you saying?-"

"Maybe Maia's right." My voice lowered, staring at him, "If I sacrifice myself, then you guys will still have a Downworld-"

"Zee, don't talk like that- we're not going to let that happen- alright?" Jace habitually wrapped his arms around me and pulled me quick into his chest, holding me with a tight grip, his voice lowering lightly, "I'm not going to lose you again."

"Oh, geez- don't go all soft on me-" I hugged back for a moment after letting him hold onto me for however long her needed, lightly rubbing his back before slipping away.

"You need to find Madzie." Luke walked over to Jace and I, gesturing toward Simon's van, as he and Clary were already in it.

"That's the plan-" I pulled out my buzzing phone, my eyes scanning the screen, "Change of plans- Alec needs me- Jace, you and Simon are on your own-"

"What-" Jace looks at me, "You're gonna ditch me?"

"My boyfriend needs me, I have no other choice-" I looked up at him, putting my phone in my back pocket, "I know you'll have the situation handled-"

"I don't want something to happen if I'm gone-" Jace looked between my eyes, looking slightly concerned.

"I can handle myself just fine- I thought I proved that earlier?-" I put a strand of hair behind my ear, "If it bugs you so much that you're one man down- take Luke."

"I gotta stay here." Luke denied, "If Maia told the rest of the wolves what that Sword is capable of, you're in serious danger-"

I looked at him, tilting my head, "I'll be fine-"

"No time to argue-" Luke shook his head at me, softly smiling, "Word travels fast- I'll catch up, after I stop the Downworld from coming after you."

"You'd do that for me." I stare at him, my expression remaining blank, "For Valentine's daughter?"

"You've got to understand that you have people that care for you now, kiddo-" Luke reaches and ruffles my hair, before walking back over to the shed.

-

"Do you know where Izzy is?" I walked into Aldertree's office with Alec, confronting him right away, "Word has it you spoke with her this morning- she hasn't been in the Institute since."

Aldertree didn't look up from his book, "I didn't realize I was the keeper of your parabatai's calendar."

"Something's wrong." Alec said, "She's been acting weird ever since you sent her to the Iron Sisters."

"I think you're both being paranoid." Aldertree set his book down and stood up, looking at Alec, "After what happened at your brother's party, perhaps I should recommend you for a psych evaluation."

"That has nothing to do with me." I stepped closer to him, "I know when something's off- and I'm always right."

Aldertree hums and lightly smirked down at me, "What reason would I have to lie?"

"I don't know." I stared at him, my expression hard, "But, once I find out what you're hiding, Aldertree, I will take you the hell down-"

"Nothing's going on." Aldertree cut me off, and made himself clear, "I'm just trying to help."

"Now, I would ask yourselves- is making insinuations about me really the road you want to go down?" Aldertree looked between the both of us, "Isabelle's more than capable of handling herself."

-

"Magnus-" I walked into his apartment with Alec, "You said you know where Izzy is?"

"Well, not exactly." Magnus exhales deeply.

"Are you gonna tell us or did we just come here for no reason?" I stare at him, crossing my arms.

"What's going on?" Alec followed up, "And why do we seem to be the last people to know about it?"

Magnus caved, "A couple days ago, I saw Isabelle trying to buy yin fenfrom a certain reprobate warlock at the Hunter's Moon."

"You sure it was her?" Alec stares at him.

Magnus nods once, "I asked her what she was doing, but she told me that she was undercover."

"Why didn't you say anything?" I question.

"She's an excellent liar." Magnus said in defense, "It wasn't until this evening that I put it all together."

"Something Meliorn said at the Downworld meeting." Magnus looked at me, "I think she's getting her fix straight from the source."

Alec's jaw clenched, "Where is she?-"

-

"Hey! What are you doing here?" The vampire shouted as Alec and I stormed into the DuMort, "You can't go in-"

He grunts and fell to the ground when Alec landed a blow on him, as I walked right past and into the room that Raphael and Isabelle were in, grabbing him by his collar and pulling him away from Isabelle's bloody wrist, throwing him to the ground.

"Zee?-" Isabelle was out of it, "Alec?-"

"You stay the hell away from her, you son of a bitch-" I pointed at him, turning to go over to Isabelle.

"You don't understand." Raphael stumbles to his feet, "It was Aldertree who got her addicted to yin fen-"

Alec looked back, angry, "What?-"

Raphael was quick to explain, "It's the truth. I was only trying to help-"

"Help?-" I pulled off my jacket, my fist clenched ad I landed a blow at his face, "This is what helping looks like to you? Feeding her addiction- not- trying time keep her away from it all together? Not- telling the people that care about her? Drinking her blood?-"

"It may have started with the blood-" Raphael grabbed my wrists to stop me from landing another punch on his face, "But- it's more complicated than that, all right?-"

My jaw clenched when he grabbed my wrists, kneeling him, flipping him onto his back when he hunched over, groaning.

My fists started repeatedly landing on his face, until Raphael had pushed me off and held me against the pillar, "Zee- wait, listen to me!-"

"Don't you dare touch her-" Alec gripped his collar and pried him away from me, throwing him to the ground, the both of them now going to each other.

"I said it was more than just the blood!" Raphael raised his voice, having Alec down for a few seconds, "I care about her-"

Alec stopped, "What did you say?"

"I- I have feelings for her." Raphael breathes heavily, "Isabelle and I are no different from you and Zee-"

"You sure that isn't your damn addiction talking?" I stared at him, raising my voice, "Stay off her blood for a week, then get back to me on that-"

"Don't compare yourself to my relationship-" Alec pulled away from him and threw him to the ground, "You don't get to compare what we have, to your addiction-"

Before Raphael could speak, Alec was throwing punches at him, Isabelle gasping, "Stop it!-"

"Alec, stop- this is my fault!" shouted Isabelle, barely being able to stand up, "Zee, stop him!-"

I scoff, "He deserves it, I'm not gonna stop him-"

"Alec, stop!" Magnus stepped in and used to his magic to stop Alec's bloody fist.

Alec pulled himself off Raphael and looked back at Magnus, angry, "This is my family- if you had told me about the yin fen, none of this would have happened-"

"Hey-" I got between them quickly, my hands on Alec's arms, "Don't pull your anger out on him-"

"We're leaving." Alec grabbed my arm along with Isabelle's, as I grabbed my jacket last minute while he dragged the both of us outside, letting go of me but not Isabelle.

"Let go, Alec- I'm staying!" Isabelle started to shout, "Alec, let go!"

Alec stopped, "Izzy, come on-"

"I know you think you're trying to make things right, but you're not." Isabelle looked between the both of us, "Raphael's been there for me when I needed him."

"Needed him?" I put on my jacket, despite my bloody hands, completely serious to the point where I used her full name, "You're sick, Isabelle- he fed your addiction. He isn't- there for you, he's doing it for his own benefit. You think he's gonna come to you after he's not sucking on your blood anymore?"

"He saved my life." Isabelle snipped, "You didn't even notice when something was wrong."

"Wrong." I point, "I told you that something felt off- you lied to me- right to my face- are you kidding me, Izzy?"

"Saved your life?" Alec was just as baffled as I am to be hearing this from her, "What are you-"

"I'm not your baby sister anymore, Alec- and Zee, I can handle myself just fine-" Isabelle stood her ground, "Just go! I don't need your help."

I stare at her, my jaw clenched, my voice low and warning, "Izzy."

Alec looked helpless, "Izzy- please-"

"I said go." Isabelle's voice became more serious.

"Fine." I was the first to walk away from the conversation, Alec slowly coming behind me.

-

"Your hands okay?-" Alec looks at me when we stood in the Ops Center together, looking at the tons of reports coming in.

"Nothing an Iratze couldn't fix-" I tightened my loose ponytail, looking up from the screen and at him, "Are you okay?"

Alec purses his lips, then swallows, "I'll be fine."

"Hey-" I sigh lightly, moving toward him and slowly hugging his middle, his jacket acting as a layer on me as my arms were bare from taking off my jacket when I got back, "She'll realize sooner or later."

"I hope sooner." Alec hugged me tighter, rubbing my back lightly, pressing a kiss to my head.

My heart leaped at this, before his phone started buzzing in his pocket, pulling it out and answering it, not letting go of me, "Jace? Are you okay?"

"No." Jace's voice came through the line, "Look, is Zee with you? She's alright, right?"

"I'm here-" I pushed myself onto my tippy toes to speak into the bottom speaker, "What is it?"

"Something weird's going on-" Jace began.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Alec huffed lightly, "We have reports of violent Downworlders all over Manhattan."

"I think it's Valentine." Jace said, "I can explain later, but right now, I need your help."

Alec began to trail off, "Is Clary-"

"Is she dead?" I asked straight forward.

"It's complicated." Jace sighed quietly.

"That could go in- many different ways." I folded my hands behind Alec's back, keeping myself on my tippy toes so I could be a part of the conversation.

Alec held me closer, "What she means is- what's that supposed to mean?-"

"It means we fulfilled the blood oath, but- now Valentine has her." Jace explained, leading to exactly what I thought, "I think he's trying to activate the Soul-Sword-"

"He's using her as bait." I dropped to my feet, looking up at Alec, my arms slowly falling from around him, my voice low, "He doesn't even want her- he thinks I'm going to come save her-"

"I know- that's exactly why you're not coming anywhere near here, Zee- you stay at the Institute, you hear me?" Jace took on the protective role he always had over me, "Alec, I need everyone you have to be looking for her right now."

"I can find her- he wants me to find her." I tried, crossing my arms, "I can make it out-"

"No-" Alec was stern with me, before replying to Jace, "That's not that easy- Aldertree dispatched every Shadowhunter we have to stop the attacks."

"Well, undispatch them, Alec." Jace ended the call.

-

"The initial attacks were in South Brooklyn, so we're gonna focus our search there and then move outward." Alec instructed as I watched him do so, "Remember, whatever happens, our priority is to locate Clary-"

Right as the Shadowhunters began walking away to do what he had said, Aldertree walked in, holding his palm out, "Disregard that order."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me-" I muttered, looking toward Aldertree, shooting him a look.

Aldertree looked between Alec and I, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Stopping Valentine from destroying the Downworld." I stepped up, pulling my hair out of it's ponytail, "What're you doing?"

"Stopping you from trying to run my Institute." Aldertree stared at me, "Doesn't it seem from the look of things, it's the Downworld that's trying to destroy us?"

"Look, I'm not going to waste time arguing with you." I walked up and stood directly in front of him, "Either help us, or get the hell out of the way."

"Or you'll do what?" Aldertree questioned, pushing back at me, aiding my anger.

"Remember how I said that you were hiding something?" I crossed my arms, clearing my throat, leaning closer for just him to hear, "Supplying yin fen to a subordinate- you know, you'd think an ex-field medic would know better."

Aldertree swallowed hard, staring down at me, "And you expect anyone to actually believe this ridiculous accusation?"

"You're one Clave investigation away from treating frostbite on Wrangel Island, Aldertree." I held my ground, taunting him, a small smirk on my face, "What do you think'll happen when word gets out about this? I know Idris loves gossip."

Aldertree inhaled, not saying anything.

"I told you I would bring you down, Aldertree-" I stepped closer, tormenting him further to my advantage, "I'm the one thing that you've dreaded- the one thing you've feared- exposure. Now that I have something on you- you have to do what I say."

Aldertree's expression faltered for a moment, but he covered it up quickly, being resilient.

"See, now that I've got your attention, this is what's going to happen-" I gestured behind myself to Alec, "From now on, Alec Lightwood runs this Institute- he calls the shots. I don't want to hear a word from you- not one order, because now- things are going to run my way. Alec and I see eye to eye, you and I don't."

I placed my hands on my hips, staring at him, "Now if you don't mind, I need these Shadowhunters to go find Clary."

Aldertree spoke in reluctant defeat, "Do as they say."

I smirked at him, before walking away, hearing quick footsteps behind me, as I was pushed against the wall the moment I turned into the hall, my boyfriend smiling like an idiot down at me.

I looked up at him, my eyes slightly wide from being startled, my palms flat against the wall I was pushed up against.

"You just-" Alec stared at me, his eyes slightly wide with excitement but small shock, holding my face in his hands, "Why did you do that?"

I stare, "Do what?"

"Just now- with Aldertree," Alec's voice was slightly low, looking between my eyes, "You could've said yourself- but, you said me-"

"Well, I mean- I knew you wanted this- you told me when we went out for pizza- remember? It was after patrol- you told me you used to write down orders with crayon when you were little in your dad's office- hoping that one day it'd be yours-" I softly shrugged, looking at him, "I saw an opportunity to make you happy and I took it-"

Alec cut me off, pressing his lips into mine, a small smile forming my lips during the kiss.

authors note:

AHAHAHAHAHAH did the beginning of the chapter catch y'all off guard ? did it make you guys question who was top and who was the bottom sksksksk

they probably switch off tbh

but ahahaha

okay but if y'all didn't get what zee meant when she said she was aldertree's exposure, she means like his secret got exposed to her so now she can hold that over him ykkk

zee vs aldertree is wilddd

thank you for 23k !!

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