SHAPESHIFTED (✓)

7. The Mysterious Aura

Alec walked out of Magnus' apartment with a wide smile plastered on his face. He never thought his life would turn around completely in the blink of an eye; the guy he was crushing on for days had feelings for him as well. He didn't expect Magnus to even care about him because of all the rumors of him surfacing in the downworld and shadow world. But there he was, breaking all the rumors about him. Alec was glad that Magnus liked him back.

His lets halted when the familiar scent of the Yew tree hit his nostril, and dread settled in his chest. The dread of being rejected and disowned by his family if his truth comes out. Slipping into the 'resting bitch' stance he had mastered, he walked inside the institute that was nothing but a ruined, abandoned church to mundane eyes. Rushing past the few awake teams of shadowhunters, he took the hallway leading to his room but bumped into his sister instead.

"Hey, big brother! Coming from somewhere?" Izzy asked, raising a concerned brow at him.

'Damn you! Izzy!' he thought. "Yeah, Magnus's." He answered frustratingly, knowing his sister was not going to let him go anytime soon.

Izzy's eyes widened. "Come again?"

"What? Iz, don't tell me you don't remember! I told you I had a meeting with him." He said with a clear tone of irritation in his voice.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry! I thought you'd postpone it as it's Samuel's... " She trailed off and bit her lip, her concerned gaze fixed on his face.

The mere name sent a shiver down Alec's body as the unpleasant memories flashed in front of his eyes. "Izzy, it was important, and you know that I don't back away from my responsibilities, no matter what."

"Everyone knows that about you, Alec. But you know you can make an exception, right? How important it can be that Magnus couldn't wait? Even he was at the ceremony. He saw how we were. And what got you this late?" Izzy said in a soft yet fierce tone.

Alec took in her words. What would have happened if he hadn't gone? Would Magnus have shared his feelings if this chance had been missed? Would he have confessed his own feelings to Magnus? What happened at his loft, him breaking down in Magnus' arms; their first kiss; his confession about Samuel, would all this have happened? He never felt the way he was feeling right now, like a heavy burden had been lifted from his chest. And all because of Magnus. If this chance had been missed, he himself didn't know how long he would have been miserable like he was till now.

"Alec! Hey! Alec!? Are you listening?"

Her gentle hand on his shoulder broke his chain of thoughts, and he let out a deep sigh. "It wasn't about the meeting, Iz. Magnus asked me if he should postpone the meeting, but I said no. As for what got me this late, I went on patrolling because I didn't want to come back. It felt... negative for some reason." Alec said, knowing if Magnus hadn't forced him, whatever happened would never have happened, and he would have been a complete mess right now, crying in his bathroom because of this day, making him relive all those memories.

"Negative?" Izzy tilted her head, took a step forward and held Alec's hand, and his chest tightened. Lying to his sister was the last thing Alec wanted, but his fears were stronger than his will. "What's going on, big brother? You can talk to me, you know."

'I wish I could tell you everything, Iz, but....' he thought. "Nothing, Izzy. Guess it's just the vibes from the ceremony. Plus seeing Samuel's grave again...." he trailed off and Izzy squeezed his shoulder gently.

"I understand, Alec. He died so young. I thought I'd see him growing and finding love with us. He was such an angelic soul. Sad what happened to him." She pursed her lips, and a wave of heat rushed through Alec's body as he clenched his fist. Only he knew about the truth of Samuel's death, and he intended to keep it that way.