Heir || Alec Lightwood

35: Do you care about his feelings? His happiness?

I was just positioning the lilies until my attention went to Jace, Clary and Izzy walking toward me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I swear, if Lydia is the leak, I'm gonna-"

"Slow down. We don't know if she did anything yet." Clary said and I raised my brows.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Ragnor was attacked by a Shax demon. Lydia was right there when we were talking about Ragnor Fell. If she's not gonna admit what she did, I'm gonna make her admit it." Jace said angrily.

"Jace, stop. You are too worked up to talk to anyone right now." Clary stopped Jace from moving.

"Especially not an important envoy from the Clave." Izzy warned.

"Let me talk to Lydia. If you accuse Alec's fiancé of treason, you will ruin whatever relationship you have left with him." I said and they looked at me.

"Fine. But I wanna know everything she says." He said while looking at me. I nodded my head before making my way to her room.

I knocked on her door and she replied. Lydia was dressed in a silk robe.

"Valerie." She said as she looked at me.

"Lydia." I said plainly.

"I need your help. Since you are so good in the fashion department, tube top or halter neck?" She asked as she walked over to her wardrobe and took out two white wedding dresses.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I grin slowly and she returns it. She then sat down on her bed.

"Valentine sent a Shax demon to track us on our mission today.
It killed Ragnor Fell."

"By the Angel.." She mumbled.

"Only a few people here at the Institute even knew we were going on the mission. You overheard us this morning.
Then we were attacked." I said, taking a step forward.

"If I was working for Valentine, don't you think I would have already given him the Mortal Cup? I don't believe this.
Fellow Shadowhunters accusing me of high treason." She smiled at me.

"Lydia, I'm not accusing you of anything."

"Of course you are. Unless you have hard evidence to back your claims, I believe this conversation is over." She took a step forward as well, we were now face to face.

"Fine, but know this.
These people have become like family to me and for sure, I won't let anything or anyone hurt them." I warned her.

"I care about them too. Why else would I be marrying Alec?" She asked and I tried so hard not to flinch.

"How well do you actually know him?" I asked her.

"You're talking about Alec's feelings for you? I'm not blind." She said.

"If you're not in love with Alec, then why are you going through with this marriage?" I asked her.

"Alec's love for his family and his desire to restore the Lightwood name has touched me in ways that I haven't felt in a very long time. Alec is a man of honor and I truly care about him."

"What about Alec's happiness?"

"Alec proposed to me. This is what he wants." She said, ignoring my question. "He talks about you all the time," She went off topic, and that caught my attention. "I mean it Val, he really does care about you. I can see it."

"Why are you saying that? You're marrying him for God's sake and you're acting like you don't care at all." I asked as I walk towards her with my arms crossed.

"I do actually, I care about the institute, my career, my-"

"Do you care about his feelings? His happiness?" I cut her off and she looks at me.

"It's a family tradition Valerie, you'll understand it once you grew older." She stood up.

"Why do it? Why marry him? Why do you marry someone who you don't truly love?" I asked her and she just looked at me in the eye.

"I'm sorry Valerie, I really am." She said softly and I looked away. "But he needs to do this, to restore his family name, to keep the institute, it is his duty. And it is mine also." She said and I just nodded my head slowly.

"The tube top. Pick the tube top for your wedding dress." I said before heading out of her room. As I head out of her room, I bumped into someone, Alec.

I didn't bother to say anything to him, I just kept walking. Izzy texted me saying to catch up to her to Hotel Dumort.