Not Just a Mundane//An Alec Lightwood Story

- 9 -

I followed Alec into the Institute, careful not to make a sound. I had won our little race, and to my surprise, Alec didn't seem bothered at all by losing to me. No signs of frustration, just his usual calm.

We reached the training room quickly, the hallways eerily quiet. Alec pressed a button on the weapons vault, and the rack of weapons slid open with a soft hiss. I watched as he grabbed his bow and a few arrows, methodically preparing them with runes. I hopped up onto one of the tables, my gaze drifting to him as he worked, his focus intense.

The sudden buzz of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen—it was Mom. I shot Alec a quick glance, excused myself, and answered the call.

"Hey, Mom," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Selena!" She gasped, her voice thick with worry. "I've been trying to reach you for hours! When you didn't come home, I was worried sick."

Guilt crept into my chest as I glanced at Alec, who had paused his work and was watching me carefully. "I'm sorry, Mom. My phone died, and I only just managed to charge it."

Her voice sharpened with concern. "Do you know how worried I've been? I asked Luke, but he didn't know where you were. Jocelyn isn't answering her phone either. What's going on? You've never been like this, Selena."

"I know, I know. The past few days have just been...weird," I admitted, choosing my words carefully. "I'll explain everything later. But right now, I need you to trust me. I'm safe, and everything's fine. I promise."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by the sound of her shifting. "If you say so. You're 18 now, so I guess I can't stop you from doing your own thing. But I'm your mother—I will worry. I hope to see you tonight for dinner, so we can talk about all of this. I love you, okay?"

"Love you too, Mom. I'll see you tonight." I ended the call and let out a long breath, trying to shake off the tension.

Walking back to Alec, I sat next to him. He set down the arrow he was working on and looked at me, concern etched in his expression. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's just my mom," I sighed. "She's worried about me and wants me to come home for dinner tonight. She's expecting some kind of explanation for the past few days."

Alec nodded thoughtfully. "What are you going to tell her?"

"That's the thing—I have no idea." I rubbed my forehead, the weight of it all starting to settle on me. "Should I tell her the truth? Or make something up?"

He tilted his head slightly, his brow furrowing. "Bringing her into this world...it's dangerous. It might not be the best idea."

I groaned softly, burying my face in my hands. "I know, I know. But lying to her doesn't feel right either."

Alec resumed etching runes onto his arrows. "She can't know. For her safety and yours."

I looked up at him, feeling torn. "So, what do I do?"

He paused for a moment, then met my gaze. "You tell her what she needs to hear to believe that everything's okay. Make something up. Something convincing."

I nodded, mulling over his advice. "Does that work for you? With your mom?"

Alec's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "Sometimes. My mom always wanted what was best for us—me and Izzy. She pushed us to be strong, to do what's right. But that doesn't mean she always gets the full story."

I sighed, playing with the rings on my fingers. "Okay. I guess I'll have to do the same."

Alec glanced over at me, a small reassuring smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You'll figure it out, Selena. You've handled a lot so far."