SHAPESHIFTED (✓)

34. Apologies and self discovering.

Magnus sat there, on the floor, as he kept looking at the tiny picture of him and Lexi on his necklace. He didn't know how long he sat like that, crying his eyes out, but when he was done, he stood up and walked towards the couch and sat on it as he sent a telepathic message to Lexi.

'Lexi, can you come home, please?'

'Yes, Ay... Master!'

Magnus cringed, was she really used to calling him master now? What had he done? Before he could think more about his wrongdoings, a figure appeared in the middle of the living room and started walking towards him.

"You called, Ay.. M.. Master." Lexi said, she was here not long ago, looking at the hazel-eyed shadowhunter from up close. She was dazed, and didn't know if that was her dad or not, but she knew that whatever was going on between those two wasn't good.

"Ca...can you please, turn into your human form?" Magnus asked, he wanted to see his daughter, his 11-year-old daughter, not 214 years old and powerful Alemon, who still was his daughter but he wanted to see her human features, which he had missed all these centuries.

"O.. okay, master!" Lexi said, unsure, but turned into her human form.

Magnus just looked at her, mesmerized by her beautiful features. The last time he actually noticed her features was when she was barely two. He cursed himself mentally, because of his denial he had missed so much of her growth.

When she turned into her human form, she wore faded and ripped denim jeans with a jade green and black colored top, paired with dark brown leather boots. Her wavy dark black hair was flowing till her waist, having natural red and white streaks in it. Her chest was slightly developed, unlike the fully developed ones in her Alemon form. Her eyes were blue as the depth of the ocean with the hint of crinkling gold at the edges contrasting to her pale skin. She had a good height and looked more mature than an 11-year-old should. She had a plain silver necklace around her neck and several bracelets and rings decorating her beautiful hands.

"M..master?" She asked hesitantly, which brought Magnus back to reality.

"C.. come here, Lexi." Magnus managed to choke out.

She hesitantly walked towards him, but before she could process what was happening, she was wrapped in a tight hug with Magnus crying on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Lexi. I'm really sorry, sweetheart. I failed you. I'm not a good father. I disowned you when you needed me the most. You were so small. I had no right to treat you the way I did. F... forgive me, please. I'm sorry." He kept crying until her tiny hands stroked the back of his head.

"A...Ayah?"

Hearing that word after so long made him cry harder. He held her by the shoulder and cried his eyes out. "I... I never should've made you call me master, I had no... no rights. I'm your father, not master. I failed you, Lexi. I'm so sorry. Forgive me if you can, sweetheart. I've never been a good father to you. I'm so sorry. I-" he stopped mid-sentence when he felt wings wrapping around his body. He looked up to see her in Alemon form but couldn't meet her eyes.

He closed his eyes to suppress the tears, but it fell anyway, and he felt Lexi's soft hands wiping them away.

"I don't deserve your love, Lexi."

"Ayah!" She felt so relieved saying the particular word after a long time. "Yes you do, Ayah. You were dealing with Dad's death in your own way. I've forgiven you a long time ago. I know I lost my Ayah that day, but I started understanding why you became like that. I kept hoping that I'd get my Ayah back one day, and here you are. I love you, Ayah, I always did and always will."